4 minute read
On the Move With NFL Hall of Famer Fran Tarkenton
Tarkenton remains an active leader in the business community, building more than 20 companies since retiring from the NFL. Tarkenton was inducted into the NFL Hall of Fame in 1986, holding almost every NFL career passing record.
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An athlete’s insights into relocating, and the importance of getting it right BY EDWIN BEVENS
In the summer of 2020, NFL Hall of Fame quarterback Fran Tarkenton was preparing to move into a new home. There was a lot on his mind, like his first ever game ball, a cherished memory of an unforgettable day. His wife’s gorgeous crystal chandelier. His daughter’s delicate music box from Christmas long ago. His grandchildren’s homemade gifts and letters. Tokens and memories of past teammates, brothers on and off the field.
A move represented an exciting opportunity for him and his family – but also a chance for these irreplaceable items, collected and earned over the course of a lifetime, to be lost, damaged, or even destroyed.
Tarkenton was no stranger to big moves. His 18-year NFL career had sent him all over the United States, beginning with the 1,000+ mile trek from his hometown of Athens, Georgia, up to Minneapolis, Minnesota, to start a new life as a Minnesota Viking. Six years later, it was all upended by a trade to the New York Giants. Not only would he be changing teams and offensive systems, but transplanting his entire life to the lights and pressures of New York City. A few years after, he was on the move again, this time back to Minnesota. Brought in as the missing piece to help the team reach a championship, the stress of another cross-country move risked being a distraction from the greater mission of winning.
Tarkenton’s NFL days – the MVP award, the Pro Bowls, the Super Bowl appearances, and the alltime records – were long past in 2020. But he was still competing at the highest levels, now in the business arena. Based in Atlanta, Georgia, he was engaged in partnerships with some of the biggest companies in the world and servicing thousands of business clients, all while navigating the uncharted waters of a global pandemic.
Another high-stress, distracting move was out of the question.
In 1977, Tarkenton became the first athlete to ever host Saturday Night Live.
Top left: Tarkerton during his playing days with the New York Giants. Above and right: During his 18 year NFL career, Tarkenton earned plenty of hardware that he keeps on display, including this 1965 Pro Bowl MVP trophy, some of his many game balls, and other awards.
This time, Tarkenton reached out to Freya to manage the process, and it made all the difference. “It was unlike any moving experience I’ve ever had,” he said. “They took care of absolutely everything, and it was this tremendous luxury that I could keep my focus on my businesses and all the important things I needed to get done, and not on what condition my belongings were in or where they were going, so it was a stress-free move.”
According to Tarkenton, Freya’s uniquely bespoke approach was a great source of comfort. “My wife and I were able to work directly with Freya’s moving assistant, and that one-to-one attention meant they understood exactly what we needed. I could call or text any time, and that helped earn my trust. Moving a lifetime’s worth of stuff, from furniture to memorabilia to the fine china, is usually pretty hard. But this time, with Freya, it was easy.”
Freya is a luxury moving company that specializes in the most challenging moves for high net worth individuals and families, including athletes, coaches, entertainers, executives, and more. Freya’s parent company, Corporate Relocation International (CRI), has been a leader in helping businesses move their employees for over three decades, and that has helped Freya build a worldwide network of premier, best-ofthe-best service providers.
The mission is to turn the highstress situation of a complicated move – whether across the city, across the country, or even around the world – into a smooth process that lets clients focus on what matters most: winning. “The life of a professional athlete is unpredictable, and usually comes with the expectation of a transfer at some point,” says Anthony Horton, Freya’s CEO. “When you’re focused on the upcoming match and making a good impression on a new team in a new city, the last thing you want to be thinking about is whether your precious
Anthony Horton is the CEO of Corporate Relocation International, parent company of Freya
belongings are safe – if they’ve been lost or damaged. We exist to help you keep your head in the game; you worry about your performance, and we’ll take care of this complex life event.”
In a move, the measurement for “winning” is just how smooth and seamless everything is. So Freya has built an end-to-end process that includes a dedicated assistant for each move, detailed planning, a white glove household goods moving team, and destination services that make sure a new house truly feels like home. “Athletics is a high-stakes world, and a sloppy move can have consequences for the athlete, their family, and their team. We’ve been in this arena a long time, so we understand how much it matters, and we strive to deliver perfect every single time,” Horton says.
