Football Alums Doing Michigan Proud In The Big Apple

Former Michigan center Dave Pearson has found a home in New York City, working for Michigan alum and booster Stephen A. Ross as Senior Vice President of Affordable Development for The Related Group. His wife, Caitlin – also a former Michigan student – has found a different way to make a living in the big city.

Pearson and his wife, Caitlin – a former Michigan student who now owns Malt and Mold, a beer and cheese shop, with a business partner – are making a go of it in the Big Apple.

“I never envisioned myself living in New York City, really,” Pearson said. “I figured I’d sort of stay in the Midwest, maybe Chicago. But I ended up meeting my wife at Michigan, moved out here after school, played a few years and bounced around the NFL. When I was done playing I moved out here and ended up finding a great work opportunity with Related. We got married a few years later, and here I am in the big city.”

He’s not the only Wolverine to have made it in New York, of course. Former lineman Grant Bowman’s story made national news several years ago when he took a job at Lehman Brothers after being released by the Pittsburgh Steelers, only to be called back for the Super Bowl after someone got hurt. He played on the practice squad and earned a Super Bowl ring.

Pearson, the subject of this month’s Where Are They Now? in The Wolverine Magazine (800-421-7751 to order), played on practice squads in Atlanta and Detroit before the Lions called him up a few years ago. He’s since retired and become very successful off the field.

Proving that the power of the Michigan network is very real, he brought former safety Jamar Adams on board just a few years ago, and Adams has also been working his way up the company ladder.

“He has been a great addition,” Pearson praised. “He took the same path as me, didn’t really know much of what wanted to do. I brought him in to meet Mr. Ross, and he just had ‘it’ - knew how to work and learn. He was hungry. Mr. Ross gave him an opportunity and he has just been phenomenal with it.”

Pearson is also doing his part to keep other players in the pipeline. He comes back for part of a mentoring event each year to talk to the team about opportunities after football.

“It’s something I wish was there when I was there,” he said. “It’s a great opportunity for guys to find out what there is to do in the world when you’re done playing football. I never thought I’d be doing real estate development when I was in school.

“This is a chance to talk to a bunch of guys who have gone on to success in a bunch of different industries. For the most part, guys are really receptive. Everybody sort of gets out of it what they want, I think.”

Not all of them will have wives with an entrepreneurial spirit, though. In that sense, Pearson knows he’s extremely lucky ... also to have a place to go for a cold beer and a snack.

Michigan fans are, too – they’re afforded discounts on Saturday game days in the fall if they wear their maize and blue gear into the store, and they’ll know where to go with the Michigan flag flying in the window.

“It’s a great place for me to stop,” Pearson said with a laugh. “Caitlin loves it. We both really enjoy it. Business is going well, and she’s doing something she loves.”

That makes two of them.

Malt and Mold has weekly tastings, catering and more. Visit maltandmold.com for details.