What is a piece of advice you wish you could have told your younger self? Life is not a sprint; it is a marathon. It is okay to fail if you learn from your mistakes. Enjoy the ups but be ready for the downs. You will experience them both, and how you handle adversity is key to your success. Finally, take care of your loved ones. Without them, none of this is possible.
Is there a particular person, movie, book, or experience that has influenced you? There are three influential people in my life. My mother was an incredibly strong woman. She endured a difficult childhood, had struggles as a young adult, and lost her life to cancer at the young age of 54. With the odds stacked against her, my mother’s legacy is two successful sons, four grandchildren, and many friends and family members who were positively influenced by her grace, compassion, and commitment. Jesus Christ is also very influential in my life. I often think about the powerful work Jesus did through his teaching, healing, and leading others. Jesus represents to me, “service above self,” which is my personal mission statement. Finally, when I think about leadership in the moment and during challenging times, I look no further than President Abraham Lincoln. President Lincoln led our country during a challenging time of unrest and civil war, President Lincoln’s leadership held our nation together and ensured we progressed towards a greater union and equal rights for all.
If given a free afternoon (or evening) how would you spend it? I love to garden, play board games with family, and relax with my two mini-dachshunds: Tommy and Vinnie.
What was an activity you enjoyed when you were 10-ish? Do you have a picture of you when you were around this age? I was all about sports and have been for most of my life. My true love is basketball, but I excelled in soccer and managed to play at the collegiate level. I was tall for my age (back row left #42) which helped me stand out as a youngster. However, in high school everyone caught or passed me up.
Tell your fellow association members something they might not know about you. I love classic cars and currently own a 1976 K5 Cheyenne edition Chevrolet Blazer.
