Don Krebs

Career Achievement

In 1987, Don Krebs founded Access to Recreation, a distribution company that provides adaptive recreation equipment for the physically challenged.  The idea for his company sprang from the business plan he created as the final project for the Entrepreneurial Leadership course in the MBA program at California Lutheran University. 

Don knows first-hand about the obstacles that people with disabilities face. In 1978, at the age of 22, a water skiing accident left Don a quadriplegic ending his careers as a competitive water skier and construction worker.   No longer able to make a living with his hands, Don decided to take on a new challenge; college.  After graduating from CLU in 1985 with a bachelor's  degree in religion and business administration, Don enrolled in CLU’s Masters of Business Administration program. 

His business philosophy is centered on giving disabled people their life back.  “A lot of people think that if they have a disability, their life is over,” Don said.  “I strongly encourage everyone to be as active as possible.  Recreation improves the quality of your life.  Exercise improves your health, and accomplishing your physical goals builds confidence and self-esteem.”

The CLU Alumni Board of Directors salutes Don Krebs for 20 years of providing people with disabilities access to recreation.