20 under 40: Mike Gorrasi

Favorite quote or saying, why?

“Most people have a better chance to be uncommon by effort than by natural gifts. Anyone could give that effort in his or her chosen endeavor, but some choose to do only enough to get by.” – Tony Dungy

We can’t control the natural gifts we are given at birth, but we can always control our effort. I never walk into a room thinking I’m the most talented person, but I know my commitment and effort will make up for any talent shortfalls. When I hire full-time staff for any of the baseball teams I oversee, I’m always looking for the individual that is ready to maximize his/her abilities through extraordinary effort rather than coast on their natural gifts.

Community or professional highlights:

2010 and 2011 California League Executive of the Year; 2010 and 2011 Organization of the Year (Modesto Nuts); member of Modesto Rotary (MoRo) since 2005; vice president of Stanislaus Partners in Education; board member, Miracle League of Stanislaus County; former board member for Modesto Convention and Visitors Bureau; former board member for Stanislaus Literacy Center.

Your life changed when:

Professionally, my life changed when I realized why I should continue to work in sports. Shortly after I arrived in Modesto, I seriously considered a career change. With the help of a good friend and mentor, we identified my strengths and passions and found a way to combine my passion with sports. My job became, and continues to be, less about baseball and primarily about creating memories for others through baseball.

What do you want people to know most about you?

I came to Modesto strictly to work for the minor league baseball team 16 years ago. My first day on the job was the first day I stepped foot in California. I thought I would stay for two to three years and move on to the next team. Obviously things have changed, and it’s because of the community – especially the people in the community. I have benefited greatly from several mentors who have given their time and energy unselfishly to me. I met my wife here and we have two wonderful children who are doing great in our public elementary schools. I hear a lot of talk about people leaving Modesto and never coming back. Well, I came to Modesto and never left.

What do you like most about living here?

I like the passion and involvement of the people in our community. We have a tremendous amount of great men and women who want to make our community the best it can be. People in Stanislaus County are very generous of their time and resources. We enjoy living in our community, acknowledge the problems we face and work hard to make our community the best it can be.

Why is community involvement important?

I choose to live, work and raise my family in this community. It’s easy to point out problems and hope they go away but that’s not effective. I focus on the areas that I am passionate about and try to make a difference so tomorrow is better than today. Small, sustainable victories will lead to great changes throughout the community that will positively impact overall health, prosperity and quality of life for everyone.

This story was originally published August 21, 2016 at 5:20 AM with the headline "20 under 40: Mike Gorrasi."