After an illustrious career as both an elected and appointed government official in Oregon, Fred found that his ability to be a good listener and counselor was so sought after that he decided to channel those skills into a new career as an Episcopalian minister.

On a long-postponed holiday with his wife, Norm visited a sanctuary for great apes in Africa. When looking into the eyes of a massive silverback gorilla, he was struck by the power of the beast and at the same time the sadness of the dismal environment in which he lived. It was a stare that stayed with Norm long after returning to the States, and he was determined to help these majestic creatures have a better life and maybe even avoid extinction.

She had a stellar career as a CEO of an ad agency, but it left little time for her family or personal needs. Mary Lou resigned and formed a purposely small market research firm focused on what women want and what motivates them to buy. She said good-bye to international travel and stopped letting the title on her business card define who she was.

After meeting their respective retirement age limits where they worked, this couple determined they wanted to spend as much quality time together as possible. They decided to end their existing careers and partially draw upon their pension while still working at part-time jobs.