Len Forkas is the founder of Milestone Communications, a Reston, Virginia-based company that owns and develops wireless towers in the mid-Atlantic region. Before forming Milestone in 2000, Len spent 15 years in the commercial real estate industry and held management positions at Bank of America, Weyerhaeuser Real Estate, and Oxford Development Company. Len earned an MBA from The American University and graduated from the College of Architecture at Ball State University. He lives with his family in the Washington, D.C. area.
About What Spins the Wheel: Leadership Lessons From Our Race for Hope
When Len Forkas learned that his 9-year-old son Matt had leukemia, he began searching for a way to help him cope with the debilitating loneliness and isolation that occurs during treatment. At a time when webcam technology was still in its infancy, he pioneered a way for Matt to connect digitally to his classmates. In 2003, he founded Hopecam, a non-profit dedicated to doing the same for cancer-struck children around the world. Today, Hopecam gives children with cancer iPads, pays for Internet access if needed, then works with the school to establish a regular Skype video chat connection with friends and classmates.
Len’s unrelenting dedication to Hopecam’s mission compelled him to accept a daunting fundraising challenge. In 2012, he competed in one of the world’s toughest endurance events: Race Across America, a 3,000-mile, coast-to-coast solo bicycle race that participants must finish in 12 days. As he fought through the scorch of deserts and the joint-wrenching cold of 11,000-foot mountain elevations, an amazing, all-volunteer crew supported him around the clock. What Spins the Wheel describes Len’s harrowing journey and the many valuable lessons he learned about team building, leadership, motivation and tenacity.
Len’s story is one of fatherhood and fortitude, business grit and growth. This memorable read will show you the power of combining the right mission with the right team – and how it can lead to extraordinary results.
