Executive Session: GERRY DAVID

Executive Session: GERRY DAVID

Chief operating officer, CyberWize.com Inc.

by Sean Roth | Real Estate Editor

Gerry David has a resume that would make a job coach proud: He's worked for a mix of big companies, such as IBM, and small start-ups, like his current gig with a Sarasota company hawking nutritional drinks, among other products. Plus, he's dabbled in some interesting hobbies, including acting.

David is currently the COO of CyberWize.com Inc., a home business network marketing and distribution company. Founded in Sarasota in 1998, CyberWize focuses on nutrition and wellness, travel and tourism, and e-commerce products. The company has more than 100,000 distributors across the United States, Canada, and the Bahamas.

PERSONAL

Age: 53

Family: Wife Susan; son Toby 27.

Hometown: Grosse Pointe, Mich.

Education: Bachelors of Arts, Communications degree from Western Michigan University.

How do you escape? "In the past it was going to baseball games to see my son, who was a pitcher for the Florida Marlins. Now, I'm more of a homebody. I love playing with my Golden Retriever Teddy.

Books on your nightstand: "My wife teaches bible study so right now it would probably be a couple of different Christian publications."

Four things in your refrigerator: Tunguska Blast (a nutritional drink that CyberWize's recently started promoting), salad fixings, fruit and nutritional products.

TV show you're embarrassed to admit you watch: 'The Andy Griffith Show.' "Ever since I was really young I wanted to be the sheriff of Mayberry."

Radio station you listen to: 970 WFLA. I only listen in the car, mainly in the morning. I've listened to [Jack Harris, Tedd Webb & Sharon Taylor] for most of the time I've been in Florida.

Side interest: Acting. David was a member of the Second City Players, the famous Chicago acting group. He had a bit part in The Blues Brothers and was in commercials for Malto-Meal, Head & Shoulders, Johnson Wax and others. "Management at IBM had me write some jokes for speeches they did," David says.

CURRENT POSITION

What does your role with CyberWize entail? "I got rid of my ego a while ago. My role right now is to support [the CyberWize team] in becoming the best they can be in the market. I'm happy doing that. I could easily start a business; I've certainly done that before. But for me right now it's more important to be working in a great environment with people who have integrity. I enjoy coming to work every day."

What is your favorite part of the business? "Most people in business never have a chance to experience momentum. I was at [previous company] Synquest when it went from $35 to $450 million in 36 months. That's momentum. CyberWize is a 7-year-old company that has grown phenomenally but has never hit that type of momentum. They're right on the cusp though, with things like its international expansion."

PROFESSIONAL

First job: David worked as a computer salesperson for Honeywell in Chicago. After two years at Honeywell, he applied for a job with IBM. "Back in those days they almost never hired anyone from their competitors," David says. "They were only going to hire 10 people as sales reps in one of their first entries into the mini-computer market."

David decided to be aggressive in his pursuit of the IBM job. He found out who was responsible for the hiring and called him constantly, pressing for the job. He got it.

First self-owned business: At 27, David struck out on his own with a new company called Hospitality Systems Inc. HSI was a computer system and hardware company targeted at the hospitality industry. From its founding in 1978, the company grew to cover six states, where it serviced some 80 hotels. In 1983, he sold the company to Standard Logic Inc. David and his wife moved to Florida.

The Home Shopping Network: David was executive vice president of international markets for the Home Shopping Network's infomercial division. David managed shipping, product distribution and television infomercials for companies in 70 countries.

Most previous job: David served as president and COO of Naples-based Vitarich Laboratories, a private label provider of nutritional products. "My main mission there was to get the company ready to go public," David says. "We merged into a public shell. Maybe its just the public nature of the business but it wasn't as much fun any more with things like Sarbanes-Oxley."

Who is your mentor? "My dad, Toby David, was one. He was one of the top radio personalities in his day. He was one of the original voices for the Green Hornet. He taught me to always be aware of the people around me. He wasn't the greatest businessman, but he was a great people-person and that's so important."