Charles G. Irion

Charles G. Irion (born July 10, 1951 Ontario, California) is a publisher, award-winning and best-selling author, successful entrepreneur, adventurer, philanthropist, executive producer, and actor.

Biography

For several decades, Charles G. Irion has served as the sole proprietor and broker for U.S. Park Investments, a leading operator of Manufactured Home and RV communities in the United States. Before that, he was a pharmaceutical representative for Johnson and Johnson, McNeil Laboratories after completing his Masters of Business Administration in International Marketing and Finance from the Thunderbird School of Global Management.

One of his life-long passions is for the written word. Determined to make his dreams a reality, he wrote and published fourteen books: the Summit Murder Mystery Series, Hell Series, Murdered by Gods - Machu Picchu and Roadkill Cooking - The Best Dang Wile Game Cookbook in the World. Inspired by his 1987 attempt to climb Mt. Everest, and a 2011 summit of Mt. Kilimanjaro, each book in the Summit Murder Mystery series is set atop the highest point of the world's seven continents. Deaths from falls, avalanches, illness, heart attacks, and high altitude sickness are a matter or course and when you add in murder, action and adventure, the combination makes for unforgettable reads. The climb begins with the first book in the series, Murder on Everest and is followed with Murder on Elbrus, Murder on Mt. McKinely, Murder on Puncak Jaya, Murder on Aconcagua, Murder on Vinson Massif and ends with Murder on Kilimanjaro. There is also a novella, Abandoned on Everest. The Hell Series includes Remodeling Hell, Autograph Hell, Car Dealer Hell and Divorce Hell. He also published a fun novelty cookbook for outdoorsmen called, Roadkill Cooking for Campers - "The Best Dang Wild Game Cookbook in the World." Murdered by Gods - Machu Picchu joins the list as his newest release to date.

Many years ago, Irion's first medical mission was to Benjamin Hill Senora, Mexico with the Phil Am Lion's Club. Even then, he knew that medical missions were experiences he wanted to continue. Charles is currently a Director of the Phil-Am Lions Club in Phoenix, Arizona and has participated in medical missions in a village near Subic Bay, Philippines and in Caborca, Mexico and Puerto Penasco, Mexico to provide approximately 400 free cataract surgeries to needy patients. He worked with the Phil-AM Lions Club at the Municipal Hospital in San Pablo City, Laguna, Philippines, providing hundreds of free cataract surgeries and to administer eye and diabetic screenings for those in need.

In June 2011, Irion went on a trip to Mt. Kilimanjaro with the K2 Adventures Foundation. They took Project C.U.R.E. supplies and used them to examine more than 200 patients. The following year, he visited Lima, Peru to help translate for the doctors and nurses at a C.U.R.E. clinic for a day. In addition to philanthropy trips and translating services, Charles participated in the training session at the Denver headquarters to become a certified Needs Assessment Representative. He went to Burkina Faso, Africa for the field training requirement and his first assessment alone was in Cuenca, Ecuador to conduct assessments on a hospital and a mobile surgical unit. His next assessment trip to Nicaragua included assessments of Project C.U.R.E. Clinics, where he translated for the doctors and passed out medicines and vitamins to children and adults. Since then, he has also conducted needs assessments to Ouanaminthe, Haiti; El Banco, Colombia; Santa Marta, Colombia; Buenaventura, Colombia; Cali, Colombia; Boma, DRC; Lumbumbashi, DRC; Kalemie, DRC; Belize City, Belize; Cuba; Antigua, Guatemala City, Guatemala; San Jose, Costa Rica; Jaco, Costa Rica; Panama City, Panama; Zambia, Zaire DRC; Addis Ababa, Ethiopia; Moshi, Tanzania; Manilia, Philippines; Zambales, Philippines; San Pablo, Philippines; Kenya, and Mumbai, India. He loves being involved with such an amazing organization and helping those that really need it. In that spirit, his slogan is One World, One People™

Irion's passion for adventure has encompassed the full gamut. He has traveled to over 60 countries throughout the world. SCUBA diving is a favorite hobby of Irion's and he has seen the underwater world from California to Mexico, Costa Ria, the South Shina sea, Belize, Colombia, Rio De Janeiro, the island of Phuket in Thailand, Bali, and in Subic Bay of the Philippines. Irion has also skydived throughout Arizona, loved the thrill of white water rafting on Pacuare River in Costa Rica, and in 1988 completed a week long course in High Wall Mountain Repelling conducted in the Bavarian Alps.

Background

At the Uppsala University in Sweden, Irion participated in a work study program studying Swedish history with an emphasis on international trade impact on its national economy. He also studied the post WWII economic impact by international policies in Yugoslavia while at the Skopje University in Macedonia. In Costa Rica, he studied the culture earning an advanced studies certificate in Spanish and Costa Rican economics.

In 1973, Irion received a B.A. in Biology from the University of California, Santa Barbara. Studies included an emphasis on microbiological applications to modern medicine practices and graduate classes on molecular theory.

That same year, Irion earned a B.A. in Economics the University of California, Santa Barbara. Study emphasis was on micro and macro real estate theories both nationally and internationally. Irion was a member of several economic honor societies including Omicron Delta Epsilon Economics Honor Society.

In 1975, Irion received a Masters of Business Administration (Marketing and Finance) from the American Graduate School of International Management AKA Thunderbird now part of Arizona State University in Arizona. Studies included an emphasis on the international ramifications on national real estate policies.

Business

Books

Irion is an author and founder of Irion Books LLC which includes The Hell Series books (Remodeling Hell, Autograph Hell, Car Dealer Hell, and Divorce Hell). Irion has also Authored the Summit Murder Mystery series which includes eight mystery novels about the Seven Summits. The Summit Murder Mystery Series includes: Murder on Everest, Abandoned on Everest, Murder on Elbrus, Murder on Mt. McKinley and Murder on Puncak Jaya, Murder on Aconcagua, Murder on Vinson Massif, and Murder on Kilimanjaro. Irion is also the author and publisher of the wild game cookbook Roadkill Cooking for Campers. Murdered by Gods - Machu Picchu is his newest release to date. Books are available to purchase from Amazon.com, iTunes, Barnes & Noble, KOBO and Audible.com.

Interests

Irion has traveled to over 80 countries throughout the world. His travels include climbing in China as part of the Mount Everest Expedition in 1987, a climbing Expedition in Tanzania to climb Mount Kilimanjaro in June 2011 and a climbing expedition to Machu Picchu in June 2012. He sailed the Arabian Sea in 2017 and visited Petra, Jordan, Saudi, Arabia, and Abu Dhabi. And there's also his love for Indy Car Racing, and skydiving throughout Arizona. In 1988, Irion completed a week-long course in High Wall Mountain Rappelling conducted in the Bavarian Alps.

Irion has experienced scuba diving across the globe; he has seen the underwater world from California, to Mexico, Costa Rica, South China Sea, off the island of Phuket in Thailand, Bali, Rio de Janeiro, Belize, Columbia, and in Subic Bay of the Philippines. Irion is also a member of the Rolls-Royce Owners' Club.

Irion participated annually in the American Continental 10k run from 1986 to 1993.

Irion’s philanthropic activities have included being a founding principal in Phoenix Social Venture Partners, an Advisory Board Member as well as International Assessment Representative for Project C.U.R.E., and has traveled to Belize, Boma, Cuba, Peru, Burkina Faso, Ecuador, Nicaragua, Mexico, Guatemala, Costa Rica, Canada, the Philippines, Haiti, Lumbumbashi, Kalemie, Tanzania, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Santa Cruz Bolivia, Panama, Bahia Kino, Mexico, Cali, Ethiopia, Zambia, Zaire DRC Congo, Buenaventura, El Banco, Colombia, Kenya, Ecuador, and Leh, India, San Pedro, Honduras with Project C.U.R.E. on missions. He believes that we are all “One World, One People” ™ Irion is also a past director of the Lions Sight and Hearing Foundation. Irion is also involved with WAVE - The Lake Tanganyika Floating Health Clinic (LTFHC). WAVE has been helping the communities that live around the lake basin for over five years. In this almost wholly neglected area they deliver vital healthcare, distribute necessary medical supplies, establish important communications hubs, gather essential medical data and build strong relationships with the people and the governments of the region. This work is crucial to the stable growth and development of this conflict ridden, resource rich region that has become vital to the well-being and interests of the planet.

In addition, Charles is currently a Director of the Phil-Am Lions Club in Phoenix, Arizona and has participated in medical missions in a village near Subic Bay, Philippines and in Caborca, Mexico to provide approximately 300 free cataract surgeries to needy patients. He also traveled to the Municipal Hospital in San Pablo City, Laguna Philippines with the 3000 Club, to administer eye and diabetic screenings for those in need.

Irion has been active in the political arena serving as Republican Precinct Committeeman for Mercer Maricopa County, Arizona from 1999-2004. In addition, Irion has volunteered for various committees in District 11 in Phoenix Arizona. Irion has actively participated in local and national campaigns for Republican candidates including Arizona Senator Jon Kyl, Arizona Senator John McCain, and former Governor Jane Hull.

Charles is CPR & AED certified from the America Safety & Health Institute as of December 2015 after completing the National Federation of Professional Trainers workshop in Scottsdale, Arizona.

Today, Irion lives in Arizona.

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