DixieDining.com :: CEO - Gary Saunders

Name: Gary Saunders
Email: gary@dixiedining.com
Age: 49
Hometown: Reston, Virginia

Work History: Currently the Director of Sales and Marketing for the MLB Cincinnati Reds - Florida Operations (www.cincinnatireds.com). Gary has spent nearly 15 years in professional baseball management with the Cardinals, Astros, Rockies, and Braves organizations. Served as GM of the Atlanta Braves affiliate in Myrtle Beach, SC (Myrtle Beach Pelicans). Also spent time as GM of the Texas Copperheads Arena Football team and as VP/Governor of the Memphis RiverKings Hockey (CHL) team. Was named 1997 GM of the Year in the Big South League while employed with the Meridian Brakemen baseball club. Previously employed in broadcasting industry as a sportscaster and DJ in Southwest Virginia. Air names included Jack Eddy and The Rockin' Fig.

Education: Graduate of Virginia Tech, 1981; Mass Communications major with emphasis on Radio, TV and Journalism.

Family: Wife (Eileen) & boys (Austin & Travis). Parents (Glenn & Betty Jane) and two brothers (Bill & Mark) still reside in my home state of Virginia.

Hobbies: Music, collecting Southern Folk/Outsider art objects, Hawaiian print shirts, and old LPs; travel, body surfing, picking the guitar, and home cooking; Gary has already authored one cookbook, Home Plate Cooking, which was published by Crane Hill in 2001. A new book called Dixie Dining is now in production (in collaboration with Hill Street Press of Athens, GA). Gary is an avid follower of Virginia Tech Football and the Washington Redskins (NFL).

Favorite Southern Books: “Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil” (John Berendt) and “All Over But the Shoutin’” (Rick Bragg).

Favorite Southern Movies: "The Apostle," "Driving Miss Daisy," "The Color Purple," and "O Brother, Where Art Thou?"

Dream Meal: Smoky Pulled Pork BBQ, Collard Greens cooked with fatback, homemade Mac and Cheese, Mom's Crispy Fried Okra and Granny Justice's Red Velvet Cake washed down with a big glass of Sweet Tea with a fresh lemon wedge.

Favorite songs: Green Onions by Booker T and MGs, Polk Salad Annie by Tony Joe White, and Proud Mary by Creedence Clearwater Revival.