Tom Lapham is the CEO of CHEQ, which produces The Bite of Seattle, the city’s prominent food and music festival. Taking place July 21 to July 23 at Seattle Center, the festival showcases more than 100 food and specialty vendors, beer and cider tastings, live music (including a performance from Sir Mix-a-Lot), cooking demos and much more. Learn about Tom Lapham…
Hometown: Camano Island, just north of Seattle.
First job: Server at Mill Creek Brew Pub in Walla Walla, WA.
What are your favorite ways to spend your free time in WA? Hiking with my camera in the Cascades or Olympic Mountains.
What is your biggest accomplishment and why? Moving my family across two continents twice and not getting divorced!
What is the biggest obstacle you overcame? My first mentor and boss ending his life prematurely.
Who is someone who inspires you and why? Jane Sun, CEO of Ctrip, China’s largest online travel agency. They have over 300 million users, nearly the entire population of the United States!
What is advice to someone pursuing a career path in what you do? Be prepared for people to tell you why you’re wrong at the beginning and later how they always believed in you when you succeed.
What is your favorite quote? “If you want to success you should strike out on new paths, rather than travel the worn paths of accepted success” –John D. Rockefeller
What is something someone would be surprised to learn about you? I have incredibly ticklish feet. If my kids tickle the soles of my feet, I may jump three feet in the air!
What makes someone fabulous? Simply being their authentic true self!