What was your very first job?
Aside from the usual “kid jobs” of shoveling driveways and mowing lawns in my neighborhood at a very young age, I got my first job when I was 14 years old. I sorted bottles and cans, bagged groceries and retrieved shopping carts from the parking lot at Double D Supermarket, which was located in Flint near the corner of Pierson and Jennings Roads. It was a great job for a young kid. I made a game out of most of my job duties, which helped pass the time. It’s important to have fun at work and that’s a view I still hold to this day for myself and my team at ELGA Credit Union.
Are you an early bird or a night owl?
Let’s just say that I see a lot more sunsets than sunrises. I am not necessarily a night owl, but getting up before the sun doesn’t come easily for me.
What is something new you’d like to learn to do?
Most of my hobbies are warm weather activities, so snow skiing has always seemed like it would be fun to try. Finding something to stay active in winter would be an added plus. My wife and I might take up cross-country skiing instead of risking life and limb on the slopes.
Who is your hero?
I’ve had a series of heroes throughout my life. Among them are my father for his patience, kindness and selflessness; my high school history teacher Mr. Fisher for igniting a passion in me for learning and history; my MCC accounting professor Mr. Lougheed for never accepting less than what I was capable of; and one of my professional mentors, Rex Johnson, who had a hand in molding my personal philosophy and that of ELGA Credit Union toward serving the underserved in our communities.
What do you do to keep fit?
I try to watch what I eat, but I love food! That’s where running five miles per day becomes important. The treadmill can be brutally boring during the winter, but watching TV helps until the weather breaks and I can get outside to run.
What place in the world do you most want to visit?
I would like to take a trip across Europe visiting historic World War II sites. That will probably be something I do after I’m retired. In the near term, I would like to go with my family on a trip out west and experience the beauty and vastness of the Great American West. We’ve taken many trips to different parts of the eastern U.S., yet have spent very little time west of the Mississippi. Before venturing out of the country, there’s still so much to experience right here at home.
What’s one work-related thing you want to accomplish in the next year?
It’s hard to pick just one because I have big goals! However, none of our goals can be accomplished without the amazing team at ELGA CU. With happy, fulfilled associates working together, we can accomplish any goal.
To that end, we are working on implementing robotic process automation throughout our business to assist associates in their work. Nothing makes me happier at work than creating opportunities for our associates to grow and thrive along with the credit union.
Photo Courtesy of Pop Mod Photography
