Born To Ride Southeast #100, June 2021

Gary was into computers in college and in 1999 he created a program for a friend who was a tax collector. The Internet was just getting started and Gary found a way to develop a program that allowed people to pay the government online. All payments could be taken over the Internet for the first time. Gary is also a pilot and flew all over Florida, showing tax collectors how the program worked. The venture turned into quite a successful company and Gary sold it back in 2006 when he got an offer he couldn’t refuse.

After traveling and seeing the world for a few years, Gary got involved with the Tailwheels Etc. Flight School and took that

company from three to over 30 planes, training pilots all over the world. Gary even had a cool place for pilots-in-training to stay while getting their training in. “I started up a place called the Aviation Inn that had 16 rooms and a condo that we rented to would-be pilots,” Gary tells us. “Aviation Inn received $500 average per person, per 16 rooms per week. It was the most fun $500 per week vacation and training you could ever have imagined.” Most people got their pilot’s license in two to three weeks.

“About then, my cousin Jerry wanted to retire from 30 years with Publix and we had the idea to create an indoor farmer’s market,” Gary says. “We started My Farmer’s Mart and that eventually

“Like Father like Son Ben learned his love of all things mechanical from his Father and he can fix or repair pretty much anything” Another thing this father and son team enjoy is motorcycles. Ben is currently 16 years old and got himself a job learning to be a mechanic on boats and bikes at Barney’s Powersports Superstore. “Ben is an incredible rider,” Gary confides. “He learned a long time ago to ride with agility.”

When Ben first started riding we had a game to see who could go the slowest. We would especially practice in the thickest sand we could find. Ultimately, knowing how to go slow is the best way to know how to go the fastest. Interesting how that works

with everything in life, huh? While Ben enjoys riding and racing motocross, Gary is happy on his Goldwing and riding trails on his Honda 250R with Ben. “Ben of course talked me into a 250R instead of a 250F,” Gary says. “He explained that the 250R has better suspension, more power and is much more responsive.

I’ve come to agree with Ben.” The love they share for motorcycles and building stuff will never die. Happy Father’s Day, Gary. We hope you and Ben get out for a ride together on that special day.

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