Marc Mero is cruising through retirement – on his Harley that is.
He and his wife, Christine, love to ride and are enjoying life on the banks of New York’s scenic Lake Champlain. They are surrounded by the Green Mountains of Vermont and the Adirondack Mountains of New York. “Whether we cruise to islands or mountains, both destinations are breathtaking,” said Marc.
When he isn’t paying homage to the open rode on his bike, Marc is rocking through retirement with his band, Frozen Sunshine. Marc has been playing for years, and now is having a blast in his retirement.
Taking Shots
Before his motorcycle and music, Marc worked in the production and manufacturing parts of the plant. During his 36 years at Wyeth /Pfizer, Marc rose to the rank of Foreman which brought him into daily contact with the manufacturing of Wyeth/Pfizer products. Marc also began to shadow the company photographer. He enjoyed the new aspect of his job immediately.
“Back in 1991, I was seen as a magician since I was adept at photo editing in a time where there were only a handful of people with those technical skills. Now my 6-year-old granddaughter can edit pictures within minutes,” joked Marc.
And Marc had the right personality for the job. “To be a cameraman you had to be the kind of a person who wasn’t bothered by anything – you had to almost believe you were invisible. I would walk right up to speakers in crowded rooms and calmly take the shot.”
He took photos of company events armed with a Nikon F3 and FE camera. Events included product launches, grand openings, retirement parties, and political gatherings. His favorite event to shoot was the company Christmas party. “Have you ever seen a 4-year-old on Santa’s lap? It was hilarious; I was just really happy that I wasn’t Santa,” he said with a laugh.
Time to Play
Now a'days Marc keeps his creative energy flowing by playing with Frozen Sunshine. The band's name originated from Marc's two favorite places -- the frozen North of his N.Y. hometown, and the sunny shores of Florida. He describes his band as a power trio in which all three members are lead vocalists and play guitar. Even though they cover songs, they make it their own with their impressive three-part harmony. You can catch them playing at venues and concerts around New York state. Frozen Sunshine has played at county fairs and larger venues such as Strand Theatre.
The band plays covers of popular southern rock artists: The Eagles, Lynyrd Skynyrd and ZZ Top. To prepare for shows, they practice the songs individually then together to bring the harmonies in sync.
"You would not expect to hear a three piece band do "25 or 6 to 4" by Chicago or "Don't Stop Believing" by Journey, but we do," said Marc.
Life in the Valley
When Marc isn't playing music, he enjoys life down in the Champlain Valley with his wife, where they are kept busy attending the sporting events of their five grandchildren.
His new hobby of motorcycling was brought about by his wife asking him, "Is there anything in your life that you want to cross of your bucket list?" Marc replied, "Well, I think I've gone everywhere, but I've never owned a Harley."
He rides his black Road King bike along the mountains and lakes of New York.
"Am I enjoying retirement?" Marc asks.
"Absolutely."
