Alumni Feature: Mike Moore-Building Better Lives through the WVDSA
by Tali Nay

Mike Moore graduated from the BYU MBA program in 1993. During their MBA years, Mike and his wife, Laurie, welcomed a daughter, Megan, who was born with Down syndrome. Moore remembers everyone in the MBA program—the professors, administrators, and his classmates—being incredibly understanding, empathetic, and helpful.

When Moore graduated, he and his family moved to Corvallis, Oregon, to accept a marketing position for Hewlett-Packard. Their ward in Corvallis continued to be helpful with and understanding of the challenges that can come with Down syndrome. Within a few years, Mike and Dana Roberts, fellow ward members and BYU alumni, had a son with Down syndrome, and together the Moores and the Roberts co-founded the Willamette Valley Down Syndrome Association (WVDSA), a not-for-profit organization.

The mission was and remains today:

To provide our children with a better quality of life in our communities now and in the future by being advocates for them through:

- Parent/family support and networking

- New parent education and support

- Community education and awareness

“We really didn’t feel that the local area had a good support system in place to serve families affected by Down syndrome, so we created it," Moore says. The two families donated both time and money to get the organization up and running. As a result of these initial efforts, the WVDSA now has a full volunteer board, a healthy yearly fundraising budget, a web site, brochures, new parent packet and support, monthly newsletters and meetings, quarterly family activities, and an annual Buddy Walk to help with awareness and fund-raising.

Moore served as president of the WVDSA for almost three years and continues to be actively involved in other organization offices. The WVDSA has been a blessing for many throughout the state of Oregon. Megan Moore is now fifteen-years-old and doing wonderfully, and the Moores have three other children, ages nineteen, eleven, and eight.

Moore, in addition to his efforts with the WVDSA, is the owner of three successful businesses: a small biotech company, a high-end custom home building company, and an excavation/heavy construction business. Moore hopes to use these businesses to prepare for his next venture: better living conditions for adults with disabilities. “There is a major shortage of housing, care as parents age or die, and vocational opportunities for the disabled. I’m in the concept stage of developing a business plan to address some of these concerns,” Moore says.

In all he has been able to accomplish, Moore is grateful for his MBA experience at BYU, and continues to give of his time to serve the program. During the past few years, Moore has mentored more than ten Marriott School students. “I’m grateful for the inspiration my MBA class and education provided me,” he says. For more information about the WVDSA, visit www.wvdsa.org.

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