For several decades, Charles G. Irion has served as the sole proprietor and broker for U.S. Park Investments, a leading operator of Manufactured Home and RV communities in the United States. Before that, he was a pharmaceutical representative for Johnson and Johnson, McNeil Laboratories after completing his Masters of Business Administration in International Marketing and Finance from the Thunderbird School of Global Management.
One of his life-long passions is for the written word. Determined to make his dreams a reality, he wrote and published fourteen books: the Summit Murder Mystery Series, Hell Series, Murdered by Gods - Machu Picchu and Roadkill Cooking - The Best Dang Wile Game Cookbook in the World. Inspired by his 1987 attempt to climb Mt. Everest, and a 2011 summit of Mt. Kilimanjaro, each book in the Summit Murder Mystery series is set atop the highest point of the world's seven continents. Deaths from falls, avalanches, illness, heart attacks, and high altitude sickness are a matter or course and when you add in murder, action and adventure, the combination makes for unforgettable reads. The climb begins with the first book in the series, Murder on Everest and is followed with Murder on Elbrus, Murder on Mt. McKinley, Murder on Puncak Jaya, Murder on Aconcagua, Murder on Vinson Massif and ends with Murder on Kilimanjaro. There is also a novella, Abandoned on Everest. The Hell Series includes Remodeling Hell, Autograph Hell, Car Dealer Hell and Divorce Hell. He also published a fun novelty cookbook for outdoorsmen called, Roadkill Cooking for Campers - "The Best Dang Wild Game Cookbook in the World." Murdered by Gods - Machu Picchu joins the list as his newest release to date.
Many years ago, Irion's first medical mission was to Benjamin Hill Senora, Mexico with the Phil Am Lion's Club. Even then, he knew that medical missions were experiences he wanted to continue. Charles is currently a Director of the Phil-Am Lions Club in Phoenix, Arizona and has participated in medical missions in a village near Subic Bay, Philippines and in Caborca, Mexico and Puerto Penasco, Mexico to provide approximately 400 free cataract surgeries to needy patients. He worked with the Phil-AM Lions Club at the Municipal Hospital in San Pablo City, Laguna, Philippines, providing hundreds of free cataract surgeries and to administer eye and diabetic screenings for those in need.
In June 2011, Irion went on a trip to Mt. Kilimanjaro with the K2 Adventures Foundation. They took Project C.U.R.E. supplies and used them to examine more than 200 patients. The following year, he visited Lima, Peru to help translate for the doctors and nurses at a C.U.R.E. clinic for a day. In addition to philanthropy trips and translating services, Charles participated in the training session at the Denver headquarters to become a certified Needs Assessment Representative. He went to Burkina Faso, Africa for the field training requirement and his first assessment alone was in Cuenca, Ecuador to conduct assessments on a hospital and a mobile surgical unit. His next assessment trip to Nicaragua included assessments of Project C.U.R.E. Clinics, where he translated for the doctors and passed out medicines and vitamins to children and adults. Since then, he has also conducted needs assessments to Ouanaminthe, Haiti; El Banco, Colombia; Santa Marta, Colombia; Buenaventura, Colombia; Cali, Colombia; Boma, DRC; Lumbumbashi, DRC; Kalemie, DRC; Belize City, Belize; Cuba; Antigua, Guatemala City, Guatemala; San Jose, Costa Rica; Jaco, Costa Rica; Panama City, Panama; Zambia, Zaire DRC; Addis Ababa, Ethiopia; Moshi, Tanzania; Manilia, Philippines; Zambales, Philippines; San Pablo, Philippines; Rio de Janeiro ; Brazil; Cabo Verde Island; Teguise, Canarias, Spain; Cádiz; Kenya, and Mumbai, India. He loves being involved with such an amazing organization and helping those that really need it. In that spirit, his slogan is One World, One People™
Irion's passion for adventure has encompassed the full gamut. He has traveled to over 60 countries throughout the world. SCUBA diving is a favorite hobby of Irion's and he has seen the underwater world from California to Mexico, Costa Ria, the South Shina sea, Belize, Colombia, Rio De Janeiro, the island of Phuket in Thailand, Bali, and in Subic Bay of the Philippines. Irion has also skydived throughout Arizona, loved the thrill of white water rafting on Pacuare River in Costa Rica, and in 1988 completed a week long course in High Wall Mountain Repelling conducted in the Bavarian Alps.
Background
At the Uppsala University in Sweden, Irion participated in a work study program studying Swedish history with an emphasis on international trade impact on its national economy. He also studied the post WWII economic impact by international policies in Yugoslavia while at the Skopje University in Macedonia. In Costa Rica, he studied the culture earning an advanced studies certificate in Spanish and Costa Rican economics.[citation needed]
In 1973, Irion received a B.A. in Biology from the University of California, Santa Barbara. Studies included an emphasis on microbiological applications to modern medicine practices and graduate classes on molecular theory.[citation needed]
That same year, Irion earned a B.A. in Economics the University of California, Santa Barbara. Study emphasis was on micro and macro real estate theories both nationally and internationally. Irion was a member of several economic honor societies including Omicron Delta Epsilon Economics Honor Society.[citation needed]
In 1975, Irion received a Masters of Business Administration (Marketing and Finance) from the American Graduate School of International Management AKA Thunderbird now part of Arizona State University in Arizona. Studies included an emphasis on the international ramifications on national real estate policies.[citation needed]
Business
JNJ McNeil Laboratories
In 1975 Irion joined JNJ McNeil Laboratories where he was recognized as Rookie of the Region in pharmaceutical sales in his first year on the job. After several promotions, Irion decided to change fields and move back to Arizona.
Marcus & Millichap Investment Real Estate Brokers
In 1979 Irion opened an office for the commercial real estate firm Marcus & Millichap in Phoenix, Arizona. During the first two years Irion was recognized among the top ten brokers nationally.[1][2]
U.S. Park Investments
In 1983, Irion founded his own company U.S. Park Investments. Today, Irion continues to operate this owner/management company of nineteen manufactured home and RV communities in the United States.
For almost 40 years Irion has specialized in the acquisition, sale, and marketing of manufactured home and RV communities. Irion has represented buyers and sellers throughout the United States with a primary focus and specialization on manufactured home and recreational vehicle communities in all the major Arizona markets.[3][4]
Irion has been a Licensed Arizona Real Estate Agent/ Broker Since 1979.
Famous Autographs
Irion also owned and operated Famous Autographs, a collector’s website of celebrity pictures and rare and collectible autographs.[6] Irion was a member of the International autograph club and Dealer Alliance.
Monterey Day Spa
In 2013-2014, Irion was the Managing Partner of Monterey Day Spa in Monterey, California.[citation needed]
Books
Irion is an author and founder of Irion Books LLC which includes The Hell Series books (Remodeling Hell, Autograph Hell, Car Dealer Hell, and Divorce Hell). Irion has also Authored the Summit Murder Mystery series which includes eight mystery novels about the Seven Summits. The Summit Murder Mystery Series includes: Murder on Everest, Abandoned on Everest, Murder on Elbrus, Murder on Mt. McKinley and Murder on Puncak Jaya, Murder on Aconcagua, Murder on Vinson Massif, and Murder on Kilimanjaro. Irion is also the author and publisher of the wild game cookbook Roadkill Cooking for Campers. Murdered by Gods - Machu Picchu is his newest release to date. Books are available to purchase from Amazon.com, iTunes, Barnes & Noble, KOBO and Audible.com.
Irion, Charles G. Roadkill Cooking For Campers. Irion Books LLC. ISBN978-0-615-29836-8
Interests
Irion has traveled to over 80 countries throughout the world. His travels include climbing in China as part of the Mount Everest Expedition in 1987, a climbing Expedition in Tanzania to climb Mount Kilimanjaro in June 2011 and a climbing expedition to Machu Picchu in June 2012. He sailed the Arabian Sea in 2017 and visited Petra, Jordan, Saudi, Arabia, and Abu Dhabi. And there's also his love for Indy Car Racing, and skydiving throughout Arizona. In 1988, Irion completed a week-long course in High Wall Mountain Rappelling conducted in the Bavarian Alps.[citation needed]
Irion has experienced scuba diving across the globe; he has seen the underwater world from California, to Mexico, Costa Rica, South China Sea, off the island of Phuket in Thailand, Bali, Rio de Janeiro, Belize, Columbia, and in Subic Bay of the Philippines. Irion is also a member of the Rolls-Royce Owners' Club.[citation needed]
Irion participated annually in the American Continental 10k run from 1986 to 1993.
Irion’s philanthropic activities have included being a founding principal in Phoenix Social Venture Partners, an Advisory Board Member as well as International Assessment Representative for Project C.U.R.E., and has traveled to Belize, Boma, Cuba, Peru, Burkina Faso, Ecuador, Nicaragua, Mexico, Guatemala, Costa Rica, Canada, the Philippines, Haiti, Lumbumbashi, Kalemie, Tanzania, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Santa Cruz Bolivia, Panama, Bahia Kino, Mexico, Cali, Ethiopia, Zambia, Zaire DRC Congo, Buenaventura, El Banco, Colombia, Kenya, Ecuador, and Leh, India, San Pedro, Honduras with Project C.U.R.E. on missions. He believes that we are all “One World, One People” ™ Irion is also a past director of the Lions Sight and Hearing Foundation. Irion is also involved with WAVE - The Lake Tanganyika Floating Health Clinic (LTFHC). WAVE has been helping the communities that live around the lake basin for over five years. In this almost wholly neglected area they deliver vital healthcare, distribute necessary medical supplies, establish important communications hubs, gather essential medical data and build strong relationships with the people and the governments of the region. This work is crucial to the stable growth and development of this conflict ridden, resource rich region that has become vital to the well-being and interests of the planet.
In addition, Charles is currently a Director of the Phil-Am Lions Club in Phoenix, Arizona and has participated in medical missions in a village near Subic Bay, Philippines and in Caborca, Mexico to provide approximately 300 free cataract surgeries to needy patients. He also traveled to the Municipal Hospital in San Pablo City, Laguna Philippines with the 3000 Club, to administer eye and diabetic screenings for those in need.
Irion has been active in the political arena serving as Republican Precinct Committeeman for Mercer Maricopa County, Arizona from 1999-2004. In addition, Irion has volunteered for various committees in District 11 in Phoenix Arizona. Irion has actively participated in local and national campaigns for Republican candidates including Arizona Senator Jon Kyl, Arizona Senator John McCain, and former Governor Jane Hull.[citation needed]
Charles is CPR & AED certified from the America Safety & Health Institute as of December 2015 after completing the National Federation of Professional Trainers workshop in Scottsdale, Arizona.
Central America is a region in the southern tip of North America and is sometimes defined as a subregion of the Americas. This region is bordered by Mexico to the north, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean Sea to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south. Central America consists of seven countries: El Salvador, Costa Rica, Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and Panama. The combined population of Central America is estimated at 44.53 million (2016).
When studying the history of Central America one must first clarify just what Central America is. Today (2019) it is commonly taken to include Guatemala, Belize, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Panama. This definition matches modern political borders. However, in some senses and at some times Central America begins in Mexico, at the Isthmus of Tehuantepec, and the former country of Yucatán was part of Central America. At the other end, before its independence in 1903 Panama was politically and culturally part of the South American country of Colombia, or its predecessors. At times English-speaking Belize, with a quite different history, has been considered as apart from Central America.
Machu Picchu is a 15th-century Inca citadel, located in the Eastern Cordillera of southern Peru, on a 2,430-metre (7,970 ft) mountain ridge. It is located in the Cusco Region, Urubamba Province, Machupicchu District, above the Sacred Valley, which is 80 kilometres (50 mi) northwest of Cuzco. The Urubamba River flows past it, cutting through the Cordillera and creating a canyon with a tropical mountain climate.
Hiram Bingham III was an American academic, explorer and politician. He made public the existence of the Inca citadel of Machu Picchu in 1911 with the guidance of local indigenous farmers. Later, Bingham served as a member of the United States Senate for the state of Connecticut.
David Finlay Breashears is an American mountaineer, filmmaker, author, and motivational speaker. In 1985, he reached the summit of Mount Everest a second time, becoming the first American to reach the summit of Mount Everest more than once. He is perhaps best known as the director and cinematographer of Everest (1998)—which became the highest-grossing IMAX documentary—and for his assistance in the rescue efforts during the 1996 Everest disaster, which occurred during the film's production.
Vilcabamba, Willkapampa is often called the Lost City of the Incas. Vilcabamba means "sacred plain" in Quechua. The modern name for the Inca ruins of Vilcabamba is Espiritu Pampa. Vilcabamba is located in Echarate District of La Convención Province in the Cuzco Region of Peru.
The ruddy ground dove is a small New World tropical dove. It is a resident breeder from Mexico south to Peru, Brazil and Paraguay, and northern Argentina, and on Trinidad and Tobago. Individual birds can sometimes be seen in the southwestern USA, from southern Texas to southernmost California, primarily during winter.
Central American Spanish is the general name of the Spanish language dialects spoken in Central America. More precisely, the term refers to the Spanish language as spoken in Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua. Although Panama is part of Central America, Panamanian Spanish is classified as a variety of Caribbean Spanish.
The Global Volunteer Network (GVN) is a Charitable Trust based in Wellington, New Zealand and offers volunteer opportunities in community projects throughout the world. GVN’s vision is to support the work of local community organizations in developing countries through the placement of international volunteers. They believe that local communities are in the best position to determine their needs, and they provide volunteers to help them achieve their goals. The GVN-Foundation is the non-profit fundraising arm that provides financial assistance to these communities.
Ipomoea mauritiana, the giant potato, is a type of morning glory plant. Like the sweet potato, it belongs to the genus Ipomoea. It grows as a vine.
Charles Wiener (1851–1913) was an Austrian-French scientist-explorer. Born in Vienna, he is perhaps best known as the explorer who traveled extensively in Peru, climbed the Illimani and came close to re-discovering Machu Picchu.
Ronald J. Watkins, b.1945 in Phoenix, Arizona is an American writer of non-fiction. The author has also served as ghostwriter, collaborator or editor for more than 30 other books. He is founder and principal writer for Watkins & Associates.
Love Hope Strength Foundation is a charitable foundation whose purpose is to raise funds and awareness in order to benefit people with cancer and leukaemia. The charity sponsors treks and climbs to the world's highest mountains, often performing musical concerts at the peak.
Richard Wiese, an American explorer, is the author of the guidebook, Born to Explore: How to Be a Backyard Adventurer. In 2002 he was the youngest man to become president of the Explorers Club. He is the 44th president of the club.
Roadkill cuisine is preparing and eating roadkill, animals hit by vehicles and found along roads.
Jefferson Community School is a non-profit independent school located in downtown Port Townsend, Washington. Opened in 2005, it is one of the only four independent educational institutions in Jefferson County. Jefferson Community School serves students from grades 6 to 12, and had a total enrollment of 16 students for the 2018–2019 school year.
Alison Levine is an American mountain climber, sportswoman, explorer and leadership consultant. She is the author of On the Edge and the executive producer of a documentary, The Glass Ceiling. She has ascended the highest peaks on every continent and also skied to both the North and South Poles. In 2010, she completed the Adventure Grand Slam by reaching the summit of Mt. Everest. She serves as an adjunct instructor at the U.S. Military Academy.
Christopher Sterling Haver is an American entrepreneur, international businessman, and adventure traveler with a background in commercial real estate, technology, finance, and internet startups, beginning in 1989 and ending in 1996.
Hugh Thomson is a British travel writer, film maker and explorer. His The Green Road Into Trees: A Walk Through England won the 2014 Wainwright Prize for nature and travel writing.
The architecture of Costa Rica includes remains from the pre-Columbian Era, all the way to modern buildings that form part of the nation's contemporary infrastructure. There is a unique architectural landscape present in Costa Rica that is reflective of the nation's history and vibrant culture. The nation encompasses an array of historical buildings from both the pre-colonial era and post-colonial era, such as Guayabo and the Basilica of Our Lady of the Angels. The contemporary architectural scene in Costa Rica has also captured global attention, exemplified by structures such as Casa Flotanta. Architecture in Costa Rica is reflective of the nation's environmental conservation policies. This is reflected in the distinctive and extensive presence of canopy bridges throughout the nation, constructed in the aim of preventing rainforest destruction.
References
↑ Mobile Home Park Mogul Makes Magic Out of Market, Today’s Business (Arizona) April 25, 1981
↑ Tops in Sales, Charles Irion, The Arizona Republic (Phoenix, AZ) March 14, 1982
↑ Baked Fans at Bob? D-Backs Not Interested in Rotisserie League, The Arizona Republic (Phoenix, AZ) April 4, 2002
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