Outstanding American

Mike Borden is an accomplished entrepreneur, philanthropist, and father. Despite his professional success, he is no stranger to adversity.

Born the youngest to a middle-class family in the Midwestern U.S. His humble beginnings were suddenly struck by a tragedy that changed the trajectory of his family’s lives forever. When Borden was 6, his father, Bruce, was in a diving accident that caused spinal cord damage. The accident left him forever paralyzed from the neck down; sustaining the same injuries as Christopher Reeve. The Borden family eventually lost everything due to insurmountable medical bills.

Not unlike Reeve’s character in Superman, Bruce did not let tragedy define his life. He had a home built for his family, restarted his insulation subcontracting company and built a new facility for the business. Bruce also dedicated his life to fighting for human rights and as a champion for people with disabilities.

He started two non-profits that recycled and distributed wheelchairs and medical equipment to disabled people in 20+ countries and throughout the US. His advocacy led him to work with Wisconsin Gov. Tommy Thompson. Together, they passed a statewide bill that improved the welfare of disabled citizens. Governor Thompson ultimately sat on the

43rd President’s Cabinet for Health and Human Services. One of the initiatives that Governor Thompson passed was the same legislation from Wisconsin through the House and Senate into national law. It brings in millions of tax-paying dollars and helps citizens with disabilities get their independence back by being productive citizens in society.

Borden watched his father, and his stepmother work together as a formidable team. Without her tireless undying support, his father would not have been able to accomplish what he did.

Bruce’s perseverance in the face of tragedy became the catalyst for how Borden would navigate all of his future endeavors. “I thought if my father could do all that, with no mobility in his arms and legs, what more can I do? What can I do to make the world a better place - having all mobility in my arms and legs. And not having those types of challenges that he had to overcome daily,” said Borden.

As a student at Middleton High School in Wisconsin, Borden was a varsity athlete 10 times in football, wrestling, track and field, hurdling, and pole vaulting. Borden’s future business ethos can be attributed to his lifelong participation in sports, which taught him about coming together for a common good, leadership skills, communication, goal setting, hard work, perseverance, and learning how to win humbly and lose gracefully.

Following high school graduation, Borden signed up as a reservist for the United States Army. In basic training, he was awarded Soldier of the Cycle out of 180 recruits. He was stationed in Würzburg, Germany during the Bosnian conflict and served as a Behavioral Science Specialist, performing mental status evaluations and assisting with care and treatment programs for service members.

After the Army, Borden moved to Las Vegas where he worked several odd jobs. He labored as a carpenter and built houses in Lake Las Vegas. He had a stint as a bartender. Later on, a close friend got him an interview with the producer of King Arthur’s Tournament at the Excalibur which led him to become a professional Sword Fighter for both shows, King Arthur’s Tournament and the Tournament of Kings where he performed in over 2,100 shows during his four-year tenure.

In 1999, Borden’s brother approached him to help start a data storage company. From the ground up, the brothers created Switch Communications, which went on to become one of the world’s most powerful data telecommunication companies. For 11 years, Borden served as the President and COO of Switch. The company had a valuation of over $1 billion when he left.

At 36 years old, Borden decided to hit the reset button. He was a single father and wanted to create positive change in the world. He was already a board member for Habitat for Humanity for several years; he served as Chairman for 8 years. He also served on the board for Monday’s Dark, where he helped raise millions of dollars for local non-profits.

 He founded the company Sandbags, which has become an industry leader in manufacturing and filling high-quality sandbags for the construction industry, pipeline development, and disaster response. Additionally, Borden entered a joint venture with friends, securing a utility patent and a design patent for a wine aeration device. Together, they co-founded the company Vin-Aire.

In 2013, Borden combined his passion for fitness and desire to make a positive impact on the world by creating the yoga and fitness studio TruFusion. The studio quickly gained thousands of dedicated members, including investment from baseball superstar Alex Rodriguez. By 2015, TruFusion began to secure several franchise locations. There are currently TruFusion studios across 12 states with several more in development.

As a lifetime health enthusiast, Borden has become an investor, mentor, and business developer for several companies in the health and wellness sector. Including, the sustainable yoga apparel brand Resoluna, Medicreations, the fitness and wellness app TRUCONNECT.

Borden has also invested in and helped develop the custom car restoration company Divine One Customs, which is currently restoring a 1929 Rolls Royce Coupe to a Tesla S3 drive & powertrain for Jason Mamoa. He’s an active partner in Maverick Gaming, which owns and operates 27 casinos in 3 states. He has multiple holdings in real estate and development and tech manufacturing.

Borden’s drive initially came from watching his father’s courage, tenacity, and willpower in the face of adversity. And it’s that persistence, determination, and passion that he hopes to instill in his three children. Ultimately, Borden believes that all of the keys to success can be found in the lessons you learn in kindergarten: the golden rule, be kind, be respectful, play fair, be honest, take naps, and if you have some, share some.

“Being inducted into the Wisconsin Chapter of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame is a humbling and inspiring honor. Wrestling has taught me the values of perseverance, resilience, and community — lessons I carry with me every day. As the recipient of the Outstanding American Award, I am energized to give back to the sport and the communities that helped shape my journey, and to inspire the next generation to chase their dreams.”