My Uncle is one of the most generous men I know.

Once I moved to California, he was the only blood relative closer than a few hours away and so in my adult years, we became very close. His house in Las Vegas was a much needed escape, and a welcome warm place to stay when going there for the weekend with friends or Thanksgiving when I couldn’t make the trek back to the east coast. He would often take me to restaurants and shows I could have only dreamt of going to whilst studying.  Indulgent dinners at the kitchen table with Emeril Lagasse greeting us and tasting the bottle of wine he brought, Country Club meals, Cirque du Soleil shows with VIP treatment, and gorgeous sceneries at Zion National Park and Red Rock State Park.

A few years after, when I was living in Paris, we met up in Munich for Oktoberfest, Prague and Dachau. Me, being a poor college student got my trip paid for by my amazing Uncle. He also bought me the much-needed backpack that every young American needs whilst traveling around Europe.

I’m sure he would hate the fact that I’m boasting about him right now. He remains humble and remembers where he comes from. He’s my Uncle Bobbers – Meet Bobby Vennes!

1. Tell us five characteristics of yourself for an introduction.

I am a 52 year old single, professional business man and have been living in Las Vegas for almost 14 years. I enjoy golf, food and wine, fishing, travel, and a variety of other things. I feel blessed in many ways with great family and friends.

2. What are your plans for Christmas and the New Year?

This year I will be spending Christmas at home. I have been invited to numerous family’s dinners and will visit a few. I will golf a little and catch up on some things around the house, exercise and watch some football. While we have some of the best fireworks in the world (I am told) I am not a big New Year’s Eve person. I will go to the Country Club early, visit with friends and come home by 8 or so.

3. The general opinion of living in Las Vegas is one of chaos, late nights, and lots of tourists. How do you keep a level head while living and working there? Has that changed over the years?

Las Vegas certainly has all you have said and lots more I am sure. I came to Vegas unexpectedly. I have worked for Boston Scientific Corporation for over 20 years. It is a manufacturer and developer of Minimally Invasive medical devices and has grown tremendously over the years. Part of that growth has required consolidation of acquired companies. In 1995 I had to interview to keep my job in San Diego. Good news- I still had a job, bad news- no longer in San Diego. I was offered Las Vegas and said yes.

Las Vegas had a reputation for many things including Mafia, Buffets, Shows, Unions, Gambling Sex and much more. Just before I moved here, the city was in a transformation. The city needed to change its image and started to become more geared toward a family vacation destination. The mafia presence disappeared on the surface. Water Parks were built and the shows and restaurants started going to another level. With this growth were jobs, many jobs. It became the fastest growing city in the US. Previously it was San Diego in the mid 80′s and early 90′s. This is a sales persons dream. It is easier to grow the business in a growing town.

The great restaurants and shows allowed me to entertain my clients often getting special treatment. Living here is no different that anywhere else, except the Strip is only 10 minutes away. The truth is I don’t go much unless someone is visiting or I am entertaining. I am glad I never had an inclination to gamble. I am the worst ( I didn’t get Mommy’s good luck!) so I am not one to do it except for the NFL football wagers. Work and a relatively busy personal life have helped me keep a level head.

4. Seems our family has a few people who enjoy traveling and learning about other cultures. What is your fascination with traveling? Why have you continued to do it?

I took my first flight as a Senior in college. I represented our school at an academic competition at Harvard University which we won. It was exciting! I took a year off after graduating to see the United States. I spent a ski season in Vail, Colorado then went west to Wyoming and California. I knew I wanted to travel abroad but decided to see our country first. I ended up traveling with my career jobs and earned lots of miles. Through out the years I have used those miles to get free airline tickets. I started to travel somewhere once or twice a year, usually abroad. I found it fascinating visiting different cultures, histories and experiencing different religions and cuisines. I continue to do it because I enjoy it. I have learned people are all very similar underneath. We all want to be comfortable, loved and feel a sense of accomplishment.

5. How did you come up with the idea for the traveling Santa Claus postcard you send out every year? How long have you been doing it now?

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The idea for the annual Santa Christmas card started when I first moved to San Diego. Sometime in the fall of 1983, I was talked into skydiving. The plane snapped a photo of the leap of faith for each of us. I happened to be in an all red jumpsuit with a red helmet with a white V on the front. I thought I would send that photo to my parents at Christmas that year to show their son had moved to California and completely lost it. I took it to the photo shop and the girl told me it would make a great holiday greeting card. I took her up on it and have continued the tradition for 26 years now. It has been a lot of fun.

6. You’ve already accomplished so much in your life – including making it to the Olympics, working for Fortune 500 companies, being named Director of the Las Vegas Country Club, traveling the world, mingling with the famous (and I’m sure many more things I don’t know about…) Is there another obstacle you’d still like to tackle? Do you have future goals for yourself?

Actually I did not make it to the Olympics due to getting injured practicing with the team in 1984 a month before the games. Also I am not the Director of the Board at LVCC but rather a member of the Board of Directors. Regardless, I feel fortunate to have accomplished these and other things. I am currently in the process of becoming a winemaker for the 3rd year. The first 2 years turned out pretty good. I wanted great!

This next year we are bottling what I think will be great wine. I am really not sure what I will try to tackle next.

7. Getting even close to the Olympics is what every competitive athlete aims for, and working for Fortune 500 companies is what every business person hopes to achieve. What kind of mentality do you need to have in order to make it to the top? How would you compare it to life?

I love the story I once read published by a Rabbi. He wondered why some young people who are highly successful in their high school years (athletically, academically…) . Their success seemed to come easy. For some unknown reason they never went on to become anything more that average. (I am sure you all know one of those people.) Others who were only average in high school went on to achieve great things. The common thread with the successful high school folks that never went on was how they first faced adversity. Seems that some of those who are a big fish in a small pond encounter a fish just as big or bigger decide to run. Others decide to win.

For me I was fortunate enough to have powerful role models in my Mother and Father which gave me the values to be a fighter, even against seemingly impossible odds. For me sports taught me so many valuable lessons for life. I was told by my coach of my Division 3 school I would never be anything but a big fish in a small pond when I announced I was going to a Division 1 collage. That is when I decided I would show him. It gave me a drive to go on to a level I never dreamed of achieving. I encountered a similar situation when I interviewed with Mobil Oil Corp.(#2 on Fortune 500 at the time). I was told I was fortunate to be granted an interview as they are very selective. I was told they hired 1 out of 500 interviewed. I got the job!! So that is the mentality it takes to get to the top. It has a very good correlation to life I think. Well enough about me.

8. Finally, tell us your favorite joke!

What did the Doe say as she came staggering out of the woods? I’ll never do that for 2 Bucks again!!