Two amigos in Boulder went looking for a healthy change. They discovered the newest old beverage and launched the sacred sip that gives the buzz of coffee a blush of shame. They mingled the mystery of mate with the juice of cheeky and a squeeze of sass, and called it Pixie Mate. It will float your soul on the wings of a softer buzz and beat the bushes for body-happy antioxidants. Pixie Mate. Take flight.

Nobody knows what the "TJ" stands for and TJ isn't telling. He was educated at Michigan State and over-educated at the University of Oregon where he tattooed some social responsibility onto the behinds of the program.

It was there that he got mixed up with unsavory types like Heather Howitt, notorious for starting Oregon Chai. And as always it led to harder stuff. He pulled stints with Frontier Natural Products Co-op where he created the Simply Organic brand and turned into a wise-guy at White Wave with Silk Soy Milk.

And he's been on the lam more than most. Hiding out in Europe, Pakistan, Nepal. Fleeing to South America, Central America and Mexico. He's even lost himself in some unnamed islands in the Indian Ocean.

But now he's legit. You can sometimes find him skiing. Especially if there's snow. Or mountain biking or even swimming. But rarely at the same time. And now he's started with the triathlons - but we're pretty sure it's just a phase.

He lives, plays and occasionally works in Boulder with his incredibly understanding wife Molly and their son Rowan.

If college campuses have devolved into hot-beds of student rest, it's not Duane's fault. He did what he could at the University of Oregon where he blew up the lab in Political Science class after bailing out of the School of Business.

After he moved to Boulder, Duane discovered what would turn out to be a theme that continues to run through his life. It started with putting roofs over people's heads. (Later, it would grow to putting food on the world's tables, but just hold your horses, we'll get to that.) In building homes, Duane felt a visceral connection between hand and tool, vision and function, beauty and basic necessity. He loved watching his labors grow into something that would endure, embracing families for generations. It was, and remains, important work.

It was while creating a home for one of Boulder's many natural foods visionaries that the trouble really started. He was encouraged to try his hand at feeding the world. He liked the emphasis on sustainable agriculture. He was inspired by the examples of global citizenship. He was intrigued by the idea of getting healthy food into the hands and mouths of people who were looking for something better. And so he took his first tentative steps by jumping head-long into the business. He paid his dues at Frontier Natural Products Co-op and at White Wave building demand for Silk Soy Milk.

Now when Duane's not preaching the wonders of mate, he's skiing, camping, pedaling, paddling and sliding. He still keeps his hand in on the building side and can wield one mean whammer.

Other than that, Duane's happy as a clam to hole up with his wife and 3 kids at an undisclosed location somewhere near Boulder.