To raise awareness about the dangers of sugar and its connection to diabetes, Sami started Fat Chance Row. During the summer of 2014, Sami and his wife rowed from California to Hawaii—2,750 miles, completely unsupported. He is also a triathlon age group world champion and 8 hour 24 minute Ironman with seven Hawaii Ironman finishes.

A physicist by training, Sami started his career as a radiochemist at a nuclear power plant and holds a Master of Science in engineering physics from the Helsinki University of Technology. He also earned a Master of Business Administration from Stanford University. He thinks his greatest luxury today is a small vegetable garden at his San Francisco Bay area home, where he lives with his wife and two daughters.