Texans have a saying they sometimes use when sizing up the measure of a man, "He's all hat and no cattle," they'll sneer when the person in question is less than what he pretends to be. A Texan might size up David Bitter with the opposite of that remark.
Dave's pretty much "All cattle and no hat." Meaning, he's a humble man with a corporate pedigree and list of accomplishments that are impressive no matter where you're from. His business background includes stops at Ford Motors, Honeywell International, Black and Decker, and other household names.
The BYU graduate has had a distinguished career that's led him to Intelifarms Holdings and one of its purchased technologies - a company named CropFax. The business helps improve profitability for small to medium-sized growers so they can continue doing what they do best - feeding the world. It's important work. But, before I break out the six-string and launch into a tone-deaf chorus of Kumbaya, let's do what I did the other morning and catch up with this Boomer...
What are you doing these days?
In April of 2011, I was recruited by group of investment partners to form Intelifarms Holdings with the mission to develop or acquire intelligent systems designed to improve farm operating profitability. One of the purchased technologies is the CropFax intelligent data system for corn and soybean hybrid seed selection where I oversee general business operations of this tiny startup.
As part of the formation of Intellifarms, we moved to Orem, UT from Orange County, CA. That meant shelving surf boards and skim boards and dusting off our snow and waterskiing gear. But as a family, we've had a great time snow and water skiing, hiking, and cycling in the mountains of Utah.
My wife Karla and I are enjoying this transitional stage of life. Steve, the third of our four children, entered college this fall. Our oldest son Jon is married and our first grandchild arrived this past spring. Anne, our youngest, is now part way through high school and plays varsity tennis. While it's obvious to me that I'm well past my physical prime, it seems like life continues to get better when you include your children's experiences in the mix. Fun stuff!
What's your secret weakness and why?
Chocolate. I'm sure that there are many yet to be discovered health benefits from eating really good chocolate.
Do you have a mantra?
Yes. "Be good to others and you don't have to worry too much about what you have done or what you have said."
Where is your favorite vacation?
One of our favorite vacation spots is a place called Lake Powell, a large body of water on the Colorado River situated on the Utah/Arizona border. Lake Powell is framed by picturesque red sandstone and more shoreline than the west coast of the United States. The only conveniences on a Lake Powell vacation are the ones that you bring with you on a houseboat or with your camping gear. It's possible to boat 40 to 50 miles to locations on the lake that are remote and very picturesque with lots of flat water for skiing and wakeboarding. After traveling to many parts of the world on business and vacation, we've found few spots can match Lake Powell in terms of unwinding and adventure all rolled into one place.
How do you spend your Saturdays?
Most Saturdays find us working in the yard mowing, trimming and weeding. Not very exciting, but it feels good to see a clipped and trimmed landscape. When the chores are over, we try to slip away for a quick road bike ride up one of the nearby canyons.
Elvis or The Beatles?
The Beatles. Their music is very original and has withstood the test of time. The release of the re-mastering Beatles albums in 2009 pretty much tells the story of how three generations still love this stuff.
We lived in California for a number of years and just loved the experience. But surf and sun come at a slightly higher cost that seems to be paid for in part through higher taxes. The lyrics in the Beatles 'Taxman' always made me smile:
If you drive a car, I'll tax the street,
If you try to sit, I'll tax your seat.
If you get too cold I'll tax the heat,
If you take a walk, I'll tax your feet.
Don't ask me what I want it for
If you don't want to pay some more
'Cause I'm the taxman, yeah, I'm the taxman
Dog or Cat?
We have had both and both can drive you nuts. The bottom line is that dogs are givers and higher maintenance and cats are takers and fairly low maintenance. When weighed in the balance, I would rather love something that has the general aptitude to love you back. From this perspective, dogs generally get an 'A' whereas cats struggle for a passing grade.
What time do you get up on a work day?
About 5 a.m. I've found I can get more done in the first four hours of the day with fewer distractions than I can in the rest of the day. I'm amazed at how my college-age children work/play well into the night and manage to still be relatively successful even when they're barely up and going by the 'crack of noon'.
Favorite iPhone app?
Honestly, I think I could happily live without the entire phone. My most used app is the navigator app using GPS technology. It's remarkable that a $1,000-$2,000 option purchased with a car has been replaced by an app that usually comes free with your phone. Google Sky Map comes in a close second for those early mornings when I'm curious to know if it is Venus or Jupiter that I see in the clear morning sky.
Prepare your own Mexican quick fix with this Chipotle-inspired bowl. Carbs are moderated by filling the bowl with beans, extra veggies and chicken. No need for rice, since the beans count as carbs.
Tips:
If you love tomatoes, increase the quantity to 1/2 cup, but note that the carbohydrates will also increase.
If preparing this recipe for one person, cut all of the ingredients in half. Or simply prepare the full recipe up to the end of step 2 and store leftover chicken and vegetable-bean mixture in separate airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Reheat in the microwave on High for 1 to 2 minutes, or until heated through, and continue with step 3.
Health Bite: The iron, calcium, magnesium, manganese, copper and zinc in black beans help to keep bones strong and healthy.
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