Editor's note: This is the seventh in a series of stories about people who were raised on the Sunshine Coast who are making a successful mark in the world of their chosen vocations. Some are residents of the Coast while others have left to pursue their dreams.
Former Sunshine Coaster Zach Greenberg is a switching genius. Only 39, he's at the top of his profession as a technical director working in the United States. In charge of boards with hundreds of buttons to program for every single event he televises, Greenberg is in his glory.
Thanks to his strong work ethic, curiosity and insatiable energy, the Elphinstone TV program grad has become a bona fide jet-setter much in demand in the world of television sports. And although he presently calls Marina Del Rey, California home, Greenberg has a huge soft spot for the part of the world where he was raised. This summer he is spending a lot of time on the Coast visiting with family and friends and preparing for his sister Amy's wedding.
Greenberg's enough in demand that television networks are willing to do what it takes to have him in their production studios. Last Friday (July 22), his birthday, began in Vancouver from where he flew to Chicago, then Philadelphia (to cover an ESPN soccer game) flew back to Vancouver, took the seaplane to Sechelt, hopped in a friend's borrowed truck, drove to Ruby Lake and was wake boarding within 30 minutes.
"It was great. I still got to spend the day at the lake even though I literally flew across the country," he said.
How did he get to that point?
Greenberg was at a crossroads in his life when instructor Marta MacKown convinced the Elphi principal to give Greenberg one of the eight spots in the school's TV program. He soon got the TV bug.
"I was hanging out in the smoke pit with the wrong kids 25 years ago, when Marta, who knew our family, cornered me for the TV program. Then I spent every waking moment [in the studio]. I started getting straight As. It really changed my outlook on school; I may not have graduated otherwise. It [the TV program] gave me something to enjoy. I really loved it. I did it all [TV functions]. There was such synergy in our class. Every week we did live newscasts. We had a really great class," he shared.
Greenberg's mom died suddenly the year after he graduated. He had signed up for Vancouver Film School, but within a couple of weeks he knew it wasn't the right course for him. After that he went through some trying times, including losing his dad to cancer.
In January 2000 he was volunteering for Shaw TV (now Rogers) when he decided on a whim to apply to BCIT for the TV broadcast program. He was one of the 42 chosen out of 400 applicants, and in September of that year he began the two-year program.
At the end of the first year, an email came from CBC looking for volunteer election coverage for the B.C. election in May 2001. Greenberg applied and was accepted. When he reported to work, he found out it was a paid position. The corporation had advertised it as a volunteer job to find keen workers. Greenberg so impressed his bosses that the company offered him a regular job; because the second year of his program was hands-on, he was able to accept employment. Consequently the young man found himself at the controls for the story of the new century - Sept. 11.
Greenberg's need for challenge and his innate restlessness drove him to the sports arena. His specialty, called switcher in Canada and technical director in the U.S., requires him to be responsible for everything the TV viewer sees. And although news was interesting, it wasn't fast-paced enough for Greenberg. In May 2006 he packed everything he owned in a U-Haul and moved to Los Angeles to join the freelance ranks.
"I got really busy, really fast. There's a real need for technical directors, people who embrace the trade, and I'm one of the people who embrace," Greenberg said.
Name a big network in the U.S. and he's worked for them. His favourite sport to cover is college football and his expertise has earned him a regular gig with ABC Sports to cover the game that is arguably the most popular with audiences south of the border. And Greenberg's experience has not been limited to American audiences. He's covered the past four Olympics, including the Vancouver Games.
"I was hand-picked by the director to handle everything that took place in B.C. Place," Greenberg explained.
As a bonus for the stellar job he did, Greenberg was rewarded with a perfect seat for the gold medal men's hockey game - right at centre ice.
There isn't a professional sport Greenberg hasn't covered and no part of the world except Africa that he hasn't been to televise an athletic endeavour.
Greenberg believes in paying back the help he's had in his chosen field. He frequently hires students, teaching them and showing the subtle nuances of his chosen career.
Lately Greenberg has been branching out into the entertainment field. He's covered such hot events as the Emmy's red carpet and several movie grand openings.
Ultimately Greenberg would like to be a husband and father in five years. After many years of wanderlust, he's ready to make a wife and children a priority. In the meantime, he's happy doing a job he loves, going crabbing with a sister he adores and spending time with the community that gave him the bug that went viral.
