Jon Volpe

Jon Volpe was a star running back in the Canadian Football League.

Volpe took an unusual and inspiring path to football stardom. Coming from a family where his father would leave by the time he was 5 years old, his mother would become an alcoholic and live on the street, and his brother would go to jail several times, Jon Volpe, being only 5 feet 7 inches tall, succeeded in getting a football scholarship to Stanford University, where he was an all-conference running back (leading in rushing yards,) earning GTE Academic All-American honors and being named a Rhodes Scholar nominee (while getting a BSc in engineering.)

Not drafted by the NFL, he had a tryout with the Pittsburgh Steelers before he headed to Canada to play for the B.C. Lions. He exploded into the league in 1991, and rushing behind Doug Flutie (who would throw for a record 6619 yards) Volpe added 1395 rushing yards, and 16 touchdowns, which was good for an all star and the CFL's Most Outstanding Rookie Award. In 1992 he added 941 yards and 13 TDs, and was again named an all star. A contract dispute meant a late start to the 1993 season, which ended up being disappointing. He left the Lions after 3 years and 36 games.

Volpe moved to the expansion Las Vegas Posse in 1994, but again was unsuccessful, rushing only 43 times for 182 yards and 3 TDs. He signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1995, but a preseason shoulder injury ended his career.

Always driven, Volpe said that he'd be a millionaire by the time he was 30 years old. He succeeded only a few months after his birthday. As a successful mortgage broker, Volpe has risen to become chairman and CEO of Nova Home Loans.

He is married to Heather and has a daughter, Kaylie, and son, Trevor.