Chris Tilghman: Teamwork Makes the Dream Work

Living in another country is something many people dream about, but the number of those who are able to do it is much smaller. Some join the military or peace corps to travel the world, and others make it a mission to travel. 

Virtual Veterans Community’s Chief Executive Officer Chris Tilghman was born in Mississippi and now lives in New Zealand. He’s lived in Connecticut, Alabama, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, New York, Pennsylvania, California -- in that order, he said.

Chris has embraced some of the New Zealand lifestyles, as he said he'll forgo the cereal for breakfast, opting for toast with butter and jam instead. He also prefers green tea.

When he's not working, Chris can be found chasing his three boys, exercising and reading -- but he struggles to name just one favorite read. 

"Gosh, there isn’t just one favorite book," Chris said. "I seem to re-read The Great Gatsby every 10 years or so, but I’m always into something. Most recently, I finished Ernest Hemingway’s A Moveable Feast. Now, I’m reading Premonition by Michael Lewis."

Chris is also a New Zealand Surf Lifeguard, which may be the coolest title he has. He likes to spend time working on the skills that qualified him to be one and improve upon them.

In the Starbucks, Dunkin' Donuts debate -- yes, they have those in New Zealand -- Chris picks the iced tea from Starbucks and a chocolate iced donut, hold the sprinkles from Dunkin'.

Chris went to college at Harvard, his brother went to Vanderbilt University -- and was part of the ROTC program there. Chris's undergraduate studies included social studies and business at Harvard and then he completed a dual MBA and a Master's in Education at Stanford.

Stanford football holds a special place in his heart, even with the 19-hour time difference. Go Big Red!

As the chief executive officer at VVC, Chris spends a lot of time in "administrivia" making sure things move smoothly. He also works hard to build a cohesive and highly functional team that serves the military community and he strives to maintain the high-quality culture of that team. 

"I love being part of a community of dedicated professionals at VVC - and building the team as we grow," he said. 

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