This interview originally appeared in the SPRING 2014 issue of The District.

We are pleased to circle back with one of our Morristown High School esteemed alumni. Our first featured alum is none other than Carl Sparks, MHS Class of '85.

After graduating Morristown High School, Carl continued his educational journey graduating summa cum laude from Princeton University and receiving his master's in Business Administration with Highest Distinction from Harvard University.

After an impressive career with Capital One, Expedia, and The Gilt Groupe, Carl is currently the President and CEO of

Travelocity Global. In his role, Carl oversees a portfolio of travel brands across the globe, including Travelocity.com, lastminute.com in Europe, and the Travelocity Partner Network, which provides travel solutions to businesses.

Carl has lived in cities all over the world including Boston, London, New York, Aus- tin, Stamford and Seattle. We were able to catch up with Carl in Dallas. He is married with three children and two yellow labs!

"What is your favorite memory of Morris- town High School?" 

CS: "My favorite memory is running cross country with John Barnacle as our coach. The guys I ran with became my best friends."

"What experiences at the high school would you attribute to your success?"

CS: "Academics and sports. and of course thediversity. I had many excellent teachers that I felt gave an outstanding education in biology, chemistry, math, English, and physics. Coming into Princeton, I felt I had received just as good aneducation as any of my peers from

the private schools. Also, being coached by John Barnacle helped develop my character. I learned how to work hard, and that hard work is its own reward even if you are not number one. Dedication, resilience, having a positive attitude, and the value of teamwork were all aspects of my athletic experience in the high school. Also, because Morristown was more culturally and ethnically diverse, I felt that I went out into the world with a better appreciation of people's differences and valuing those differences. "

"Who was your favorite teacher and why?"

CS: "Two teachers come to mind.  First, Saul Swanger. He was a brilliant teacher who could reach all of his students. He had a true passion for teaching. he actually made Calculus AP fun! And, my Cross Country Coach John Barnacle for teach- ing me and my good friends so many life lessons."