Trask Avenue

After graduating high school in 1986 Ferris spent one unremarkable semester at New York University. He quickly realized college involved too much work without any guarantee of payback. He returned to Chicagoland and charmed family, friends and casual acquaintances into bankrolling his relocation to Los Angeles so he could “check it out.” He has since repaid every person (with interest) with the exception of his parents who refused to take his money. “He’s such a good boy,” his mother never fails to remind her friends, many of who contributed mightily to the original “Ferris Fund.”

He moved to L.A. shortly before his 19^th birthday and immediately schmoozed his way into a job working for a Vice President at the William Morris Agency (WMA). Although he essentially ran errands he kept an eye out for new talent to recommend to the agency. Within a month he brought a number of young, unknown actors to the attention of his boss, several of whom were signed and enjoyed moderate success in numerous 1990’s films and television shows. Impressing those in power with his ability to spot talent where others didn’t he quickly advanced. Within a few months he secured a private office and became the youngest independent agent in WMA’s long history. His client list grew so quickly that he was allowed to hire four full-time assistants to manage his day-to-day tasks, much to the chagrin of many of his colleagues who held impressive higher education credentials and were lucky to have one assistant. By the time he turned 22 he was the most successful, sought after and well-paid entertainment agent on the West Coast. He bought a house in Malibu and spent his free time practicing Tai Chi, hanging out in hipster clubs and buddying up to people in the music industry.

Although blessed with an enormous amount of freedom, both in terms of time and money, he grew bored with the Southern California lifestyle. He hinted at a change in a 1990 interview with Variety when he said, “In Hollywood life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.” He quit WMA less than a year later. He sold his Malibu house right before mudslides washed it out to sea and moved to Seattle at the urging of friends immersed in the city’s burgeoning music scene. It was here he found love.

Allison Cavanaugh was a 23 year old Stanford graduate with an advanced degree in Microeconomics. She chose to parlay this education not into a prestigious job with a global financial conglomerate, but rather into a band. She was the lead singer and bass player for The Beguiles, a moderately successful Seattle quartet who billed themselves as “a mash-up of posh and mosh.” Introduced backstage at a Pearl Jam concert Ferris and Allison instantly connected. She was dazzled by his matter-of-fact charm and self-confidence. He was enamored with her wry sense of humor and strong independent streak. They immediately began an exclusive relationship. She introduced him to friends who worked at Microsoft, a technology company located in Redmond and poised for great things. It’s been widely reported she insisted he buy stock as soon as possible telling him, “A $50,000 investment today will ensure you never have to work another day in your life.” He so trusted her judgment that invested $500,000. As she promised, he’s never needed to hold a regular job since.

Despite the obvious fact they were an ideal match no one expected them to take the next step. Everyone assumed they were both too free-spirited to be bound by the traditional bonds of marriage. They may have been free-spirited, but they were also never predictable. In the summer of 1998 they invited family and friends to Kauaʻi under the guise of a “vacation on us.” When everyone arrived it soon became apparent this was not just another vacation. It was a wedding.

Ferris and Allison married on July 7, 1998 at sunset on Anani Beach. Among the notable attendees were Sloane Peterson (Ferris’ high school sweetheart and in-demand fashion photographer) and Cameron Frye (Ferris’ lifelong friend and trusted business manager). They returned to Seattle, encouraging and supporting young musicians for the next several years.

Starting in his early days in California Ferris developed an appreciation for fine wine. In 2002 he and Allison decided to leave Seattle and bought a 52,200 acre vineyard in Napa. Three years later their first vintage was released. “No-isms” wines have since won multiple industry awards. They’re especially prized for their subtle hints of unique flavor combinations. Ferris and Allison live in a remodeled Victorian home on the grounds of the vineyard with their three children, two dogs and pet gerbil Rooney.