Feeding the hungry, diversifying the economy and redefining modern philanthropy make up a day’s work for Mark Pritchett, the new president and CEO of the Gulf Coast Community Foundation. But what really brings joy to this Kentucky boy’s heart?
PHOTO BY WYATT KOSTYGAN.
Bourbon
I grew up near Woodford Reserve, a famous distillery. I’ve been to those distilleries and it’s amazing they can take corn and turn it into such an interesting drink. It’s become a very popular drink. We’ve seen it ebb and flow—at times vodka and tequila were big—but now bourbon has had a resurgence, and it’s become a multimillion-dollar industry and 98 percent of bourbon is made in Kentucky. I like Maker’s Mark, but I also like all these small batches out there.
Downhill Biking
When I’m on a mountain, I can hit 48 miles an hour going down the hill. I’m a risk taker; nobody can keep up when I’m on the hill. It scares people and it scares me, but it’s also a fun way to just burn a lot of calories in a relatively short amount of time. When I’m on a bike and feel the air constantly moving, it’s a good way to get outside and get the fresh air.
Silicon Valley
I love San Francisco for the cool climate and the innovation going on in the region. I have been there probably a dozen times. I went to a meeting there that helped me craft something that seemed particularly innovative for the Florida Chamber. It was in the health care area, and I took that and applied it to education. But just being out there too, sitting in these coffee shops and street cafes, listening to the young entrepreneurs, you realize there is a bright future for this country.
KurzweilAI
I recieve Ray Kurzweil’s weekly newsletter; he’s the chief engineering officer for Google. Kurzweil is a wonderful resource for me. I’m constantly amazed what’s going on in technology and its intersections with economics and biotech and robotics and nanotechnology. We are truly on an exponential rise in improving our lives. I’ve subscribed now for three or four years. It taps into a different part of my brain.
Seinfeld
I still like to watch old episodes. Sometime I sit when I’m home and don’t have an event to go to and I watch old reruns. It’s just this odd quartet of people that mange to get into these funny situations. These characters are so strong and they remind me of people I’ve met in my past. They say things that a lot of times we will repress.
Fish Tacos
I get those anywhere locally, and there are so many different versions. I’ve had fish tacos at Libby’s, next to our philanthropy center. I’ve had them at Robby’s Reef in Venice, and then actually at Lucky Dog, which is across from our office in Venice and does Fish Taco Fridays. They are all so different. Sometimes the fish is fried and sometimes it is blackened. They all use different fish. l like to have a combination of fish with light accouterments and spices. I just started eating them because they were not too heavy. It’s relatively healthy and light.
Jos. A. Bank
I like a fairly conservative look. I usually wear a black suit and a white button-down. I’ve had Joseph Bank suits for years, and have a good classical dark suit that I wear. I’m sort of a classical dresser; I don’t follow fads too much. I just had someone tell me I don’t wear anything but dark suits, but that’s why you get different ties—so you can accentuate. I have a Boss purple tie I like that actually I got in San Francisco.
Craig Watts
My best friend since third grade, he’s always been a friend and almost like a mentor to me. I pick up the phone and we’re like brothers. He retired early and has been successful in life. We were college roommates but never had a business venture together. I did buy stock in a company that he took public, called Loewenstein Furniture at the time. They manufactured furniture out of Broward County and did contract furnishings, including supplying all the Marriotts. He designed some of the furniture himself. He has an artistic flair and is painting now in his retirement. He is just a dear friend.
Apple
I have an Apple computer and an iPhone—but still haven’t been convinced on the Apple Watch. I really like the products. The mobile devices are designed beautifully and the apps are great. I bought a lot of music on iTunes and I like the operating systems. Apples don’t get hacked very often.
“Gentle on my Mind”
I just saw this documentary about Glenn Campbell, about him losing his memory. There, I heard his version of “Gentle on my Mind,” and it really moved me. I have four different versions of that song that I am listening to right now, everything from Bela Fleck, which is sort of a bluegrass version, to Luka Bloom, who is an Irish balladeer, to the original by John Hartford, to a version by The Band Perry, which is very country. Truly, its lyrics are haunting. I have dug deeply into that song.
Meredith and Matt Pritchett
I’m very proud of my kids. My daughter is a social worker at the University of Kentucky Medical Center, and she is a foster parent with two young boys whose parents went to prison. She has taken on a role as a single mom. My son went to the University of Florida, and has since been in Chicago and Nashville, and is now back in Tallahassee working for an environmental engineering firm.
