Originally from Berkeley, our friend Vic grew up in Vallejo and graduated high school there. His family
was in the restaurant business, and the skills he acquired there were later to come into use. Meanwhile, he went to work at IBM in the early 60’s, doing data processing in the old “punch-card” style (before the
modern computer era), and in 1964 he joined the service and spent 3 years serving our country in the Army.
In 1969 he moved to Lake Tahoe, and lived there for nearly 40 years. He started out at Harrah’s (“Bill Harrah was a wonderful man to work for. He treated us like we were family”.). He later went to MGM, and went to school to become a chef. He found this vocation to his liking, and went to France further develop his culinary skills at LaVarenne. He came home with a Grand Diploma in French cuisine. He also found an American
Church in Paris, and sang in the choir!
He learned his trade well, and did quite well with his own catering business. He has also run a Chinese restaurant with his mom, and has helped friends open restaurants in San Francisco and Connecticut. He relocated to Reno a few short years ago.
Vic learned piano as a child, and in high school sang in the choir. They were good enough to be picked as one of the choirs to help open the 1960 Winter Olympics, and he and his classmates sang at the Opening Ceremonies. Also, during his Army service, he was stationed where there was a church choir. They were in need of an organist, and Vic fulfilled that role while directing as well.
Vic was introduced to Barbershop in 2007, and sang with the Chorus of the Comstock in Carson City. When the American River Chorus formed in 2010, he was invited to join, and has been a member ever since, and has performed at International. He has been a frequent guest to our rehearsals, and is now officially a member of the SDC.
Although Vic has never had a family of his own, his brother has 2 children, which gave him a niece and nephew to spoil. They all have careers in law enforcement.