FINDING GOLD CHRIS OLSON

He’s a long way from the Illinois farm . . .

Growing up on a family farm in Shirley, Illinois has its advantages. You gain insight into how things work and develop a tremendous work ethic. You become aware of the value of people, things and time. Nothing gets wasted. Everything has a benefit, large or small, while seemingly insignificant items can be important. Farm folks know that the devil is in the details, that planning is essential and then there’s the weather . . . .

The weather may be the reason our June “Finding Gold” member, Chris Olson now lives in Miami. Illinois has a great growing season, but the winters are less than ideal, and the spring is chilly and gray. It is a common refrain for many folks who have come south, “they can’t stand the weather.” But why Miami? It is a very long way from Shirley – wherever that is! (It’s a small town southwest of BloomingtonNormal in Central Illinois, and don’t call him “Shirley.”)

Chris is one of three principal owners in a design-build firm that specializes in aviation fueling infrastructure and associated systems. His extensive background and education received on the farm and elsewhere, have provided him with exceptional problem-solving skills. He has the ability to take complex systems, including knowledge of fluids, metals, plumbing and engineering, and apply his expertise to manage the transfer of jet fuel from storage terminals to very large storage tanks on airfields, and to the modern jets on the tarmac.

Chris has been known to visit almost every major airport throughout the Americas and the Caribbean. His partners design the systems, and Chris installs the systems and makes them work. Fly almost anywhere in the US, and Olson, as his friends call him, may have installed and/or maintained the fuel delivery system at that airport. From farm tractors and pickup trucks to fueling jets, this has been quite a transformation.

After growing up a farm boy, Olson moved to Chicago. After a few years of fun in the big city by farm boy standards, he moved back to Central Illinois to take a large role in his aunt and uncle’s businesses. This was his first foray into industrial construction— specifically complex MEP projects and tanks. This is where the essential skills were obtained to pave the way to the current businesses.

Chris Olson met his wife Pamela at a party in Chicago. She was not overly impressed at first. Chris has a big personality to go with his physical demeanor. However, through persistence and skilled pursuit, Chris and Pam decided that a forever union was the goal for them both. They were married in August 2010. Pamela is a talented professional as well, an R&D executive for the global leader in the spirits market.

It was Pam’s career that led their move to South Florida. In 2012, they welcomed their son, Harrison. Approximately one year ago, Pam left her career of 17 years for a new venture at Wild Fork Foods, where she plays a principal role in the overall product and market strategy for the company.

The physical route was from Shirley to Chicago to Miami. The life and career route were farm, school, girlfriend, job, marriage, son and then a great job that is basically pumping gas!

Their careers have provided the family with a relatively comfortable lifestyle, to the point where Chris could get involved with Porsche automobiles. This love, perhaps obsession, began fairly recently with a trip to the Porsche Experience Center in Atlanta, Georgia. Taking a deep dive off the high board, Chris spent a full day at the PEC in June 2018. On that day, he drove every model of Porsche available for purchase, starting from a base 911 Carrera S all the way to the top GT3RS. Each vehicle was carefully considered, capabilities and advantages evaluated, and a love for all things Porsche was born.

Two months later, Chris purchased his first Porsche, a GT3, acquired in August 2018. Then, it was off to the races both literally and figuratively. His current PCar stable now includes a 1969 911E. This is the “project car” which will be built into a Widebody RSR Outlaw one day soon in Dalmatian Blue. Next, is the 1977 911S in Coppa Florio Blue, NOT GULF, which is also what the vehicle license tag announces, that Chris purchased last year out of Canada. It is his birthday year car.

Also under his care, are a 1992 964 C2 Midnight Blue Metallic and a 2017 718

Cayman S, the identity crisis car. It’s black, the only one not of a blue hue. Soon to join the mix, will be a 2023 GT4RS in Gentian Blue, expected in late June. That’s six Porsches if you are counting. But why count; it’s the quality – not the quantity! Oh, and most of these have been modified in some way, as Chris loves to tinker and enhance, although the 1977 911S in Coppa Florio is 99% original.

Most of Olson’s Porsches contain modifications in suspension, brakes, race seats, engine enhancements and tune, roll cages, race belts and more. One must understand that Chris loves everything about Porsche, especially when it comes to the track. He typically participates in 20 to 30 HDPE/private track days per year. He is a PCA and Motorsport Safety Foundation (MSF) Level 2 certified instructor. A Gold Coast member will be fortunate to have Chris teach them the line, in any upcoming GCR DE event.

Chris also drives between eight to ten “rallies” per year, and attends a couple of national events, every car show possible, and enjoys carving through the mountains, including the Smokies, Poconos, Cascades, or even the Rockies. He often finds himself planning his work trips around the various national Porsche events each year. Yes, he will be at Rennsport Reunion 7 at Laguna Seca in California this fall.

Chris finds participation in many other events almost mandatory, such as Sportscar Together Fest, Smokies GT each spring, DRT in Miami, Rare Shades events, 48 Hours at Sebring (driving the HDPE portion), PBOC Winterfest, Gold Coast PCA Autocross many, many times, Targa Carolina, Fahren, and the Blue Ridge Ruckus. How it all fits in the schedule is amazing. Oh wait, he has also driven the Gator Crawl and several Holiday Toy Rallies. He attends Cars and Coffee gatherings everywhere, and he’s a founding member of the Homestead Driving Club.

Smokies GT is a national private event in the Blue Ridge Mountains founded by a few enthusiasts to bring together a group of GT owners for an incredible cause. The amazing driving event’s primary focus is to raise awareness and donations for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation (CFF). The group has over 1000 members and a maximum event capacity of about 135 cars.

For the past two years Chris has acted as the auctioneer for the live auction, encouraging attendees to bid and purchase the many items available, including items like Sonic Tool arrays, Dundon Motorsports packages, HRE wheels and even a GT3RS allocation! During his past May ’23 event, the group raised well over $500,000 for CFF, all while driving on some amazing roads, participating in a track day and even a racing kart enduro! The CFF, through its donations to research over the years, has moved the life expectancy of someone with CF from ~30 years old to nearly 60 years old. A great example of peoples’ generosity bearing meaningful results. (Ed: If you would like to make a donation to this wonderful group, please go to http:// fightcf.cff.org/goto/smokiesgt )

Then there is Werks Reunion Amelia Island. Chris is part of a great group of Porsche pals who go to Werks Reunion each year. These gentlemen rent a large home on the water and host a reasonably large Werks party. Chris grills all the meat at these events and generally does all the cooking for the crew. He’s a great chef in addition to his professional talents, and the housemates appreciate the skill. With Chris being the ultimate supporter and brand ambassador, Wild Fork Foods products are an essential part of the weekend.

Enjoyment. There is always a generous and sincere smile on Chris Olson’s face, and when it comes to Porsche, he loves EVERYTHING! He simply relishes the experience that Porsche provides in the vast and extensive product lineup, air and water-cooled, the fantastic people and the joy both bring to all who cherish the brand. He can’t settle on one specific Porsche as his favorite of all time, so he shares his three faves: the 904 GTS 4-cam, the 959, and the sweet 914-6 GT.

The Porsche Experience Center in Atlanta was his first foray into PCar life. A few years later, Chris was able to visit the Porsche Museum in Zuffenhausen. If the hook wasn’t set before that trip, it was then, and deeply. He hopes to return to Germany one day for a European Delivery of a new Porsche, complete with a trip to the Nürburgring—to drive, of course—and to take in many of the big European racetracks. He would also like to visit the Porsche Ice Experience in Finland. We surmise that the thought and pleasure of Illinois winter driving has left indelible memories. Donuts, anyone?

As a member of Gold Coast Region PCA since 2018, when he first acquired the GT3, Chris has become immersed in Porsche pleasure. At this point, all of his Porsches have been either airor water-cooled cars. Yet we might wonder whether the farm will call him back one day. At that point, he just might acquire a Porsche tractor, because the farm is part of him, even if it is 1366 miles south from Shirley to Palmetto Bay, Miami. But please Chris, no plowing at the track!