Biography of Maurice Carson

This is a difficult biography to write - due to the fact that I do not know who is going to be reading it. I am including most of the key facts and hope to tell you enough to entice you to ask me more! The first question is why this web site? First I have a lot of friends around the world and country that I want to be able to share my photos and thoughts with. Second, I hope to be able to exchange ideas with and maybe meet people that share the same interests. Third, it seemed like a fun project.

The themes of this site are travel and photography, two passions that I have. I have always enjoyed travel but for much of my life it was confined to the US. I visited every state between business travel and vacation. I have a deep love for the west, particularly the desert. I have camped and hiked all around the west, from family vacations in Yellowstone to solo trips in Utah. A few years ago my brother and I went on a mountain biking trip to Venezuela and I discovered that I not only liked international travel but was good at it, able to make friends and meet people even though I speak only English. Since then I have traveled to 30 countries between work and vacations. I have traveled with friends and without, unlike some people I do not mind exploring on my own.

It was on the same trip to Venezuela that I discovered photography. My girlfriend at the time gave me a camera prior to the trip and brother (an artist) got me started. This began my passion and was the first time I found an artistic outlet. I have done a variety of photography projects and experimented with different genres. For the most part this site contains only the travel photos.

Other than these two passions what else is there to me? First some history, I was born in Colorado and lived there until I graduated from college when I moved to Chicago, where I lived for 6 years, then 3 in Milwaukee and have now been in California for 7 years. Even with the expense and the traffic I love living here. My undergraduate degree is from the University of Colorado and my MBA is from the University of Chicago . Even though I attended the part time program at the University of Chicago and did not get the full experience I loved the business school and regardless of what Business Week comes up with, there is not a better MBA finance program in the country.

Way past time for an update to this section. In October of 2004 I married Genalen Betonio, a beautiful woman I met in the Philippines a few years ago. Just prior to that I started a new job as a CFO for a semiconductor company located in Penn. Big move and although we miss California a lot, I love the new job. Then, just keep things interesting we had a son last July 31st. His name is Glyn Leonardo and he is a big, healthy and happy kid. This has put some of my travel plans on hold for a while but thats ok.