New Globonder - Michael Mclellan

Globonder Mike Mclellan, who lives in Lakeville, south of Boston, also has ties to Maine and investments in Brazil. He is a prolific inventor, long-term committed bicyclist and motorcyclist, and investor in innovative businesses. He has an amazing ability as a people magnet, running into famous and powerful people on a frequent basis, in the United States and overseas.

Mike was born in Lewiston, Maine and, from an early age, found it very easy to move away from home and go out into the wider world.

He graduated from the University of Alaska at Fairbanks, majoring in biology in the College of Forestry and Wildlife Sciences, combined with summer jobs with the U.S. Forest Service and Alaska Fish and Game Service. While at the U of Alaska, he became a member of the National Ski Patrol System at Cleary Summit in Fairbanks and Mt Alyeska in Anchorage. He continued to ski as a senior and professional patroller in Maine, NH, and Vermont for 33 years.

He enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps, serving as a Special Radio Operator with the 1st Radio Bn, (intercepting messages and decrypting codes). During the Vietnam War, he was attached to 3rd Marines, 3rd Force Reconnaissance. While seeing action in DaNang, ChuLai and KheSahn, he was wounded and received the Purple Heart.

From his previous marriage, he has four children –Kirsten (32), twins Erik and Megan (29), and Erin (22).

He has belonged to the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers union for 25 years. As a journeyman electrician and electrical engineer, he has worked on special projects in 23 states.

While working at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), he discovered its world-renowned Entrepreneurs' Club. As an associate member, he proposed an aerodynamic bike cover system for high-end bikes in transit on car-top carriers. Dr Reza Abhari (PhD-aero/astro MIT '91 and other members helped him with the design and marketing. After patenting the invention, he founded the company Cyclone USA.

Working with a friend, Bill Sykes, directeur sportif of a professional cycling team sponsored by Saab Cars USA...'a pro cycling team sponsored by Saab Cars USA, which was considered to be one of the best American professional teams Mike introduced his cover system to the bicycle industro. At cycling events, he met all the world’s best teams and cyclists, and promoted his product to them. DuPont Cordura Division (Cordura is DuPont's registered fabric) sponsored Mike’s bike covers at The Tour DuPont, a professional, 15 stage race (like NASCAR) of 1500 miles (about 100 miles each day for 14 days) from city to city, starting in Wilmington Del. and thru the Blue Ridge Parkway, ending in Greenville, SC.

Mike was given one of the first Hummers by American Motors/General Motors the race for 3 years in a row, which gave him extreme exposure, and also helped develop extra 'personality' at the race. He got a lot of media attention and this helped to cement his relationships in the pro-cycling world. He is now developing a sponsorship for an international pro cycling team with Bill Sykes who is currently in charge of Kennedy/Shriver's 'Best Buddies' Rides for Turret's Syndrome in 4 locations (US).

A few years ago, Mike opened the Sago Tea CafÈ, serving bubble teas -an asian drink of high quality, flavored teas, with small healthy chewy taro drops (like little round gummy bears, but healthy. They are eaten by using a thick straw.], in the prestigious, historic Faneuil Hall, Boston. After operating the store for three years, he sold it. Learning from his various experiences as a small businessman, inventor and investor (he owns buildings and condos in Cambridge, MA, xxx Maine and Caldas Novas, Brazil) Mike is mulling the idea of an entrepreneurs’ incubation center to be placed in Cambridge, MA and Anapolis, Brazil. Brazil entered Mike’s life when he decided to get involved in his son Erik’s company Skyline, an outdoor adventure course designer/developer with a strong focus on ecological/environmental education. Skyline’s principals have designed, developed and patented industry-recognized, proprietary zipline gear, zipline engineering methods, guide training/operations/managements systems. They are the first outside company to build, own and operate a customer-experienced event (zipline, outdoor adventure course) on location at a major theme park (Sky-Zip at Dollywood owned by Dolly Parton in the Smoky Mountains of Tennessee). Mike wants to take Skyline international, starting with Brazil, which he has visited 5 times.

In 2007, Skyline made a commitment to environmental preservation by planning to become a "carbon neutral" operation, making it the world's first and only zipline operator actively fighting global warming. In 2009, Skyline celebrated its 1,000,000th customer zipline crossing, marking an unprecedented level of operational safety and experience in this new industry. That same year, Skyline rolled out the zipline industry's first comprehensive franchise program.

They are located in premier locations and have patented, copywrited, registered proprietary gear, management, operations, and guide training techniques that have become industry-standards. The company is currently in Hawaii and Tennessee in the US, and Mike is working with the company to take it to Brazil and then all over the world. They hope to bring Skyline to Caldas Novas ((the Earth’s largest geo-thermal zone), the Amazon River, and other exotic and green locations. In Caldas Novas, Mike has already met with principals @ ConstruThermas, GrupoThermas, and Atlantica International all of whom have shown a positive interest. After spending time in Guam, he found great interest for Skyline there as well, and made strong connections with 2 major real estate developers, Calvo Corporation (Paul Calvo), and Jim Yoshina (KenCorp) who does management of all Hiltons, Radissons, and other major resorts on Guam. This is also a strong connection to KenCorp in Japan.

While visiting EcoVille in the Convention Center, at Caldas Novas, Mike invested in prime space in order to hold high-profile events to attract Brazilian and international tourists, including a poker championship competition, video game competition, fashion show, and environmental summit. To this end, he is developing relationships with environmental associations and interested business people all over Brazil.

Other projects in Brazil include a replenishable tree and fish farm/research center, developed and run by Scientist Rony Jayme, to be located in Anapolis, Goias, Caldas Novas (with its volcanoes and hot springs), Amazon River (rain forest), Altos Paradiso (plains, rivers, flat terrain), and Altos dos Reis (on the ocean).

As a way to do good while doing well, Mike will develop a corporate vehicle to offer food and hopefully some form of education to underprivileged children during week-ends at empty schools/churches, starting in Anapolis and Goiania, then adding one city at a time.

In his “spare time” Mike can usually be found cycling to and from wherever he is going, in all kinds of weather. Or riding his 'other' bike, a 2008 Triumph America Bonneville.

Visit the Globond Blog

New Globonder - Michael Mclellan