San Jose, California

As a newspaper staff journalist or freelancer, Gary has published hundreds of articles on a wide variety of subjects including travel essays, art and music criticism, profile pieces, business journalism, lifestyle articles and much more. For 300 straight weeks, he's also penned the widely-read Silicon Alleys column in San Jose, one native's weekly offbeat glimpse into the frontiers of the human condition in Silicon Valley.

Most unusual aspect of your job: I can go anywhere and find something to write about

Favorite book: This changes daily, but for the moment I’ll say: Shibumi, by Trevanian

Favorite food: Thai or Indian

Favorite TV show: This changes daily, but for the moment I’ll say: In Search Of (The original, with Leonard Nimoy)

Favorite movie: American Beauty

Most unique place you’ve been: H.R. Giger Museum, Gruyeres, Switzerland

Favorite aspect of the meetings/travel industry: I honestly enjoy learning how people come up with creative new ideas for meetings and events, and what destinations are trying to do to attract business.

Pet peeve: People who don’t like to travel.

One thing about you that most people don’t know: I can’t swim

What’s the best advice you’ve ever received in our industry? Don’t assume you’re an event planner just because you once organized a bachelor party.

What’s your favorite local/regional place to take a visitor to your area? Alviso, California

Is there anything else you’d like to add that we’ve overlooked? Gary’s art and life tend to occupy the interstices. He operates between the cracks—creatively, geographically and even psychically. He is a sucker for anything that fogs the opposites of native and exotic, luxury and the gutter, object and subject, academe and the street.