Stories
Stories
King of his castle
After a foray working in the modern worlds of consulting and wireless technology, George Appling (MBA/MPA 1998) fulfilled a promise he'd made to himself. "Once I hit 40, I wanted to make sure I was spending my time on something I loved." As a result, he turned his "enduring passion" for medieval and Renaissance fairs into a successful business that has delighted the thousands who visit his Sherwood Forest Faire near Austin, Texas.
Appling's recreation of a late 12th-century village on 23 acres comprises more than a hundred permanent buildings, including merchant shoppes, pubs, stages, and a wedding chapel. About 71,000 guests attended the 17-day festival last year.
Since selling his wireless accessories manufacturing and distribution company, Personal Communications Devices, Appling has been able to focus full time on his medieval empire, which he hopes to expand. "I get to apply my business skills to the building of the company, but my passion for it hasn't diminished at all," he says. "What I love to do most is to go to the fair."
(Published April 2014)
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