Meet Gray Skinner-

Like so many of us, Gray and his family relocated to Bend fairly recently (2015 for the Skinners) to pursue, as he calls it, "the luxury of time." Time to run and ride. Time to find new challenges, professional and personal. Time to spend with his daughter, playing in the woods. He wanted an opportunity to "create a life around play, rather than fitting play into our lives." Taking the leap, he and his family left Austin, TX for new set of challenges.

Gray came here to play, but he plays to win. A committed cyclist, Gray is a fierce competitor. With a Downtown Criterion and Cat 2 Overall win at the 2016 Cascade Cycling Classic, he made his mark soon after landing in his new home. He also won the High Dessert Omnium Time Trial, and has several other podiums to his credit in the short time he's been in the area. We had to push for that list of accomplishments; he is most proud of the weekly outdoor adventures he shares with his family.

His startup, Droplr, is likewise making a splash. A file-sharing service geared toward optimizing communication within businesses, demand seems to be growing. Gray wants to see others in the region find similar results. "I want to see the startup and business community continue to grow into place that attracts outdoor-minded innovators." He felt immediately welcomed and supported here, and his accomplishments prove that the environment in Bend is perfect for self-starters who want to work and play hard. He feels that taking the big step of moving out here is the hardest part. "If you are already here, you passed the test. Enjoy the diverse offerings of one of the most beautiful places on Earth." If you would like to learn more about Gray and his startup you can visit droplr.com.

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Go Local Bend
Photo credit: jasonbagby.com
Story credit: Todd Yerman