A person who is very close to me suggested that I post some info about my background for the blog:
At the time of this posting I will be 73 on my next birthday. I was born on VJ day and grew up in a military family. Dad was a West Point Graduate and served as a pilot in WW II and Korea and as an advisor in Vietnam for a total of 30 years service. He was married to his high school sweet heart for 72 years and passed in July of 2016. Mom is still with us and will be 98 this August. I graduated from University with a degree in finance in 1967 and attended an MBA program until entering the Air Force as a supply officer in 1968. I left the Air Force as a captain after four years. I had a 25-year career in wholesale distribution in a variety of senior management positions, including president of a company with $750 million in annual revenues. I had a 2nd career in the accommodation industry as the owner of a bed and breakfast and eventually a hotel and small chain of budget motels.
I have been retired for 9 years and love to travel. Our travels have taken us to Canada, New Zealand, Fiji, Norfolk Island, Peru, Argentina, Columbia, Mexico, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Ecuador, Venezuela, Scotland, Iceland, Switzerland, France, Italy, Spain, Greece, Brazil, Panama, Belize, China & the Canaries. My primary hobby is fishing and my favorite locations have been Alaska, Costa Rica, Brazil, San Diego, Canada & Mexico.
My current activities involve quite a bit of community involvement. My past and current involvement has included: Champion of the Destination Harrison spoke for CORE (Central Organization for Revitalization and Enhancement), Coordinator for the Establishment of the Historic walking tour of the Harrison Historic District, Historic walking tour guide, Harrison SCORE Counselor, Team player for the following CORE spokes: Assessment, Retail, Funding & Entrepreneurship, Member of the committee for the economic advancement of Boone Co. (wet/dry petition),Event Director for the Ozark Fitness Challenge 2011 & 2012,Past CAPTC (CVB) Commissioner, Member of the annual Teen Summit Committee, Member of the Safe Routes to Schools Committee, Coordinator for the “Advance Harrison” downtown renovation group, Member of and fund raiser for the YMCA Founders group, Member of the task force that organizes the annual county teen summit on substance abuse, Past Owner Men’s Oxford House #2, Past City Alderman 2010 – 12 (Ward 4),Past Treasurer for Giving Back Industries and accountant for Mac’s repair shop, past Finance Director for Ozark Arts Council, Member of the Regional Chamber of Commerce Economic Development Committee; serving on the Entrepreneurship, Marketing & Placemaking Subcommittees, Board of Director in the House of Hope project and the Hope Continuum, Consulting with the Harrison Housing Authority on affordable housing for lower income residents, Managing partner for a private “affordable housing” private investment LLP, Member of the Harrison Trails Committee, Entrepreneurship and business planning instructor for the E-ship University curriculum in support of the Chamber Economic Development Effort, Member of the Harrison Sister Cities task force, Co-chair of the Prevention Committee for the Boone County Recovery Project, North Arkansas College Instructor for “Financial Life Skills” course, Partner in the ACC Transitional Housing Project for Boone County (The Lotus Recovery Center), Substance Abuse Mini-Grant committee.
In addition is have been involved in the following special projects: Worked with Windstream to provide a special program for HHBA members which resulted in free Wi-Fi for the downtown historic district, CORE road trip to review downtown renovation projects in Little Rock, North Little Rock, Conway, Russellville & Stuttgart (2x), Coordinator for the CORE historic art auction which netted over $10k for CORE project implementation, Citizen road trip to review the Manhattan, KS economic revitalization, their new Flint Hills Discovery Center and a visit to the awesome Boliver, MO YMCA, Co-coordinator for the rehabilitation transition housing project (to provide temporary housing for recently released offenders.