Being raised in a modest middle class home, trained in the Army, and creating for himself an international career, Tracy was instilled with the principles of truth, fairness and integrity.
Tracy describes himself as “just a guy at heart, trying to make the world a better place as best I can.” While in the Army Tracy learned one critical lesson: If someone tells you no, you are talking to the wrong person. With this military mind-set and a GI educational grant, he completed a degree in Biochemistry at San Jose State University.
During his career, Tracy managed success without formal business training. As he says, “It’s like Henry Ford said, ‘whether you think you can or you can’t, you are right.’ This can-do attitude led him to work on innovations such as one of the first blood glucose monitors and a bedside cholesterol test. Transitioning from the lab to business, Tracy developed and ran a global sales organization with staff and distributors in 38 countries. Working in a regulated industry like healthcare taught him how to navigate complex issues in a culturally sensitive manner.
Tracy first got involved in politics when invited to participate on a judicial council on family law after a divorce. As part of this council, Tracy worked to decrease the barriers to families seeking to resolve custody issues without the expense of hiring a lawyer. Today the results of that action helps thousands of families every year.
Tracy’s motivation to help others started early in life when his brother, and best friend, died from a brain tumor. The sense of helplessness has been a driving force in creating positive change. After losing his wife to cancer Tracy moved to New Zealand and started a biotech company developing cancer therapeutics and diagnostics. After 8 years it was time to return home and he moved to Grants Pass to be close to his family, who had moved here.
Now Tracy is applying his values and energy to the pressing issues facing our community in his pursuit of improving lives.