Personal Biography

Let me be clear: I am a 47 year old happily conflicted "teenager" with the maturity level of a 12 year old.  I love software and technology and at the same time love sports, the outdoors, nature and everything that goes with it.  And I wrap this conflict in a constant quest for humor.

The conflicts run through my life.  I am a practicing Catholic with deep faith and all my friends and colleagues in Technology just can't figure that out.  Some of them actually shake their heads in disbelief. 

If I ever do write another book it's going to be "The Women of Microsoft", totally based on humor; real, hilarious and unbelievable stories about my interactions with females in my 20 years of working with/for Microsoft.  Or it's going to be an autobiography called "Where balloons land".  Because, when I run, mountain bike or wander out into the wilderness I always seem to run into the places where balloons actually do land. 

Serving under the guidance of two English teachers as parental units shaped the man I am today.  I’m the eldest of 4 and am intensely proud of my brothers and sister.  Like most San Diegans I grew up in Los Angeles.  Going from oldest to youngest my brother Tom is 13 month's younger than me, twice as smart and a much better golfer.  I am the dumbest of the Huckabys but that actually isn't that deprecating.  Being the dumbest Huckaby is like the 6th man on the Lakers: still a professional athlete on the world champion team.  My brother Tom scored the highest in the nation on the SAT...and that is only one of his accolades. For God's sakes, he's also a 2 handicap.

My brother Kevin is 3 years younger than me and severely handicapped.  It is my brother Kev that truly help shape who I am and the moral and ethical structure I have wrapped around my life.  My parents are the epitome of sacrifice.  My brother Kev changed their lives in a huge way and our family’s in a positive way.  It is because of my brother Kev that I am a fiercely independent leader.  The simple matter of fact is that my parents were forced to focus the balance of their lives on my brother Kev and not on me, my brother and sister.  We grew up quickly and witnessed up close and personal real sacrifice, fear, and heartbreak. 

My sister Kerry is 8 years younger than me and goes by many names (that I have “monikered” her with): Sweetie is how is she is most commonly called by the Huckabys, but, Cribe is my favorite.  It is short for CryBaby.  My brother Tom and I tortured her growing up and as you read earlier my parents weren’t really around enough to protect her properly.  Like my own wife, Kerry gave up a successful business career to be a professional Mom.  Now with my 3 nieces and nephews getting old enough she has gone back to school to get her teaching credential. 

I have never attended anything but Catholic Schools…from kindergarten through college.  And it is that path lead me to the University of San Diego where I met Kelly.  Now, after 8 years of Catholic Dating and 21+ years of marriage later I still call her my college sweetheart.  Those who know me consistently remind me how lucky I am and how high I “married-up”.  Which is, of course, true.  She looks half her age and is in the shape of a 25 year old; Me, not so much.

My eldest Camille, close to 18 at the time of this writing, is handicapped in a different way.  When I show her picture to my professional friends as I often do when I travel I always get the same response, “Oh my God, you are so screwed.”  More times than not they use the F-word in place of “screwed”.  It is because Camille is a “looker”.  Clearly she got her mother’s good looks.  My saving grace is that she is extremely smart and her work ethic is beyond impressive.  I always told the kids if they got an A for effort we’d be pleased with them, and Camille works on her school-load like it’s a job.  And her grades show it, which is going to facilitate a nice pick of Universities.

My youngest is Mark, 15.  Although I’m losing him temporarily to that “cool phase” Mark and I are pretty close and have done some amazing things together over the last many years.  Mark is an expert level snowboarder and I sincerely doubt he runs into snowboarders his age that are better than him.  And he’s fearless.  Unlike me he is quite comfortable flying 40 feet through the air.  Which means his wipeouts are spectacular.  He’s a decent fly fisherman too, having outifshed me a few times.  He has that innate sense for the river of where and how to fish… which usually takes years.  He seems to “own” the upper section of the Owens River in the Eastern Sierras.  Mark is a inline hockey player.  I liken him to Joe Thorton of the Sharks because he seems to always lead the league in assists.  He sees the "ice" better than most and always seems to make that pass that turns into a goal.  His team won another championship this year.  But, what makes me most proud of Mark is his dedication to broadcasting.  He has a role model in his broadcasting teacher, "Mr. Green".  Mark has won national awards and was selected broadcasting student of the year.