I live in Wolcott, CT, and am a lifelong New Englander. I have been married for 25 years to my wife, LeAnn, and have one son, Matthew. I am a second-generation student who graduated high school in the early 1980s, went to college, and finally finished what I started long ago. I live 2 hours outside of Boston and New York, and although my sports alliances lean toward New York (Mets and Jets), you can find me in my happy spot walking along the shores or spending the weekend in Maine.
What do you now do for a living? How did you end up choosing this career
path?
I am the Chief Operations Officer for Habitat for Humanity North Central Connecticut. It’s been a journey as I started my professional career as a reporter many years ago, then moved to the advertising and promotion world for several more years. As I got older, I wanted to use my experience to give back. That led to many years with a large Fraternal organization leading their member and volunteer activities, and finally to Habitat for Humanity. I’ve been fortunate. To be on numerous Habitat builds over the years, and seeing a family see their hard work result in a place to call home for years to come is fantastic.
Why did you choose to attend FHSU?
Being away from school for so many years, I was tentative about whether I could return and be successful, never mind not knowing what I needed to finish. I started with a single leadership class, then another, then onto a certification. The staff was fantastic to work with, as I often got in my way to take the next step. Once my certification was complete, I realized going back and finishing what I started many years ago was possible.
What are your favorite memories from your time as a student?
I was getting to hear and work with fellow students from different generations. Although I had never worked exclusively online before, the interaction made it feel like I was always in a class with classmates nearby. Also, as a sports fan, I checked to see how the teams did on any given weekend, even though I was 1,000 miles away. And when my beloved New York Jets drafted a Fort Hays graduate, that sealed the deal.
What advice do you have for current or prospective FHSU students?
Enjoy the journey in school and life, and know that being flexible always helps. I was not going to be an “A” in all my subjects, but I simply focused on ensuring I added a few nuggets of learning no matter the topic.
Tell us about someone at FHSU who has left a lasting impression:
Not one person per se but the entire technology group. I was an older student who often got tripped up when registering or adding a class. That usually meant an extra call to technology to see what I needed to do that I missed the first time around. Always patient and gracious and so much appreciated.
In what ways are you proud to be a Tiger?
I was a student who took 30 years off from college, yet I felt I belonged immediately. It left me telling many co-workers that I would have been here years ago if I knew this was how the journey would be. I wear my Tiger sweatshirt often, and being from Connecticut, it always brings up a “where is that” comment. It allows me to tell my story and my experience. It’s a good one, for sure.