What makes your community a great place to live and work?

The people and the culture; most Bozeman locals have a genuine supportive spirit toward small business. People here seem to have a great balance of working hard and enjoying this great place we live in—often times with their dog by their side.

What is the most rewarding aspect of your job?

The most rewarding aspects for us are, first, helping people find healthy solutions for their pets and second, employing great people that have become big parts of our lives. We started Dee-O-Gee in 2008 and are still very actively involved in all parts of day-to-day operation.

What business goals do you have for 2015?

We have done Dee-O-Gee expansions in back-to-back years: Downtown Dee-O-Gee in 2013, and the relocation and expansion of Original Dee-O-Gee to 19th and Oak in 2014. In 2015, we plan to settle into our current “place” in Bozeman and look to other markets in Montana that are underserved in our industry.

What is the best piece of advice you have ever received?

Really, there are only two things in this life that we have direct control over: our attitude and our effort—not our sales numbers and certainly not our employees. As long as we do a good job paying attention to those two things, the rest will follow.

Which personal qualities do you think have contributed the most to your success?

As a married couple and business partners, we feel that the unique blend of our individual personal strengths is what has contributed to the majority of our success at Dee-O-Gee, such as: leadership, pet nutrition and supplements knowledge, branding, business strategy and finance.

Which personal qualities do you think have contributed the most to your success?

My drive. I do not idle; I would prefer to always be moving. There is no excuse to ever be bored.

What makes Bozeman a great place to live and work?

Bozeman is the best place to live with kids. I have lived in both smaller towns and larger metropolitan areas and there is nothing better than Bozeman. I enjoy Bozeman because the outdoor activities and all of the community events that it has to offer.

What is the most rewarding aspect of your job?

Helping customers achieve their dreams by helping them start new business or expand existing businesses. Also, helping mentor employees in the bank to become the best they can be at their job.

What is the best piece of advice you have ever received?

Two things my father told me when I was young: “You can do anything you put your mind to do” and “Learn how to do things, because no one will save you.” The second was referring to changing a tire or fixing things in the house when I lived alone, but I apply them both to all aspects of life.

What do you consider your life’s biggest accomplishment?

Being able to do what I love for work every day. The ability watch a whole family ski together for the first time, or to have a veteran tell you he's been able to get off all his medications because he's learned to manage his pain through recreation, or watching a participant fight, struggle and finally have a breakthrough—the smiles on their faces are unbeatable.

What is the most rewarding aspect of your job?

Our participants are some of the most incredible people you will ever meet. They bring so much joy to every activity and are always willing to help each other out, which is special to watch. Also, the volunteers and staff are so understanding and patient with the participants.

What has been your biggest career hardship?

I was working in the construction industry when the recession hit; I was laid off, which was very challenging. I started to think deeply about what I wanted to do in my career and in my life. I realized that I wanted to do something that I was passionate about and something I believed in. In a twist of fate, the Big Sky Director position was opening up at that time. I had been volunteering with the program for three seasons, knew I loved it and decided to apply.

Which personal qualities do you think have contributed the most to your success?

I love helping people. I love pushing them to learn new things and expand their world in whatever way I can, whether that's getting better at skiing, rock climbing and fishing or just learning that it's okay to ask for help when you can't do things the same way you once could.

What is the most rewarding aspect of your job?

Health care is as complex as any industry in the world and each day brings new and different challenges. Overcoming and finding solutions to those challenges is extremely rewarding.

What makes Ennis a great place to live and work?

Ennis is a great community; working and living in a small town it's hard to find yourself amongst strangers. Everywhere you go, somebody knows your name and cares about you and your family. As an outdoor enthusiast, I've come to find that there are few rivers better than the Madison. The nearby Tobacco Roots, Madison and Gravely mountain ranges are full of opportunity for camping, hunting and fishing with family and friends.

What business goals do you have for 2015?

To become the health care provider of choice for our community. We have grown tremendously over the last three years and look forward to meeting more of the needs of our community.

What is the best piece of advice you have ever received?

A good leader can do the work of 50; a great leader can get the 50 to help him or her do the work.

What has been your biggest career hardship? How did you overcome it?

Leaving a stable job with a great company in Bozeman to pursue a new opportunity in health care administration at Madison Valley Medical Center. As with most great opportunities there was risk involved. However, with a great group of managers and strong board support we have revived a once-struggling organization.

Where do you see yourself in 10 years?

Bald…

What role do you play at Willie's Distillery?

“President” in a small company really means I do a little of everything. I started out as the distiller and the tasting room person as well as doing all of the finance, compliance, legal and reporting but we've grown to the point where I now I mainly work with Willie in making business decisions. I still handle compliance, legal and oversee the majority of things going on in the distillery, but I no longer have corn mash in my hair while doing it. And I taste test. That part is fun.

What makes Ennis a great place to live and work?

We moved to Ennis in early 2007 for a slightly above minimum-wage job with the dream of opening a distillery on the Madison River. We lived in a one-bedroom cabin for six months with two kids and a dog, built our own house, made tremendous and lasting friendships and clawed our way to where we are now. Our community has been behind us 100 percent. I think you'd be hard-pressed to find another town anywhere that will embrace slightly off-kilter business ideas hatched by people who didn't have two dimes to rub together.

What business goals do you have for 2015?

World Whiskey Domination! Just kidding. The world is a big place, so we are focused on continuing to establish our base in Montana, expanding into a few key states and markets and trying to grow as intelligently as possible without getting too big for our britches.

What is the best piece of advice you have ever received?

I had the great privilege of being mentored by Jim Koch, owner and founder of Boston Brewing Company (Samuel Adams). Among many other things, he told me to keep a keen eye on quality and listen to the customer. Don't be a company that is driven on ego; because if it doesn't taste good and people don't think we're good people, all the marketing in the world won't make someone buy the second bottle.

What inspires you?

I can't wait until (the distillery is) running smoothly enough so I can focus on other things I believe in, whether it's serving on the school board, working with a nonprofit, being involved in city government or helping other entrepreneurs reach their goals. I want my girls to grow up and know they can do utterly anything they set out to do. The future leadership of the world critically depends on young people knowing how to organize their passions and how to take action in a way that it makes an impact.

What do you consider your life's biggest accomplishment?

I'm fortunate to have found a career that allows me the time and resources to give back to people and the community around me. I'm the first female and second person in my family to graduate college, so I come from a background of working hard to make things happen. A lot of people helped me along the way, and it has been an incredible experience to finally have the ability to give back.

What makes Bozeman a great place to live and work?

The ability to stay connected to the global marketplace while looking at mountains out my office window is pretty unbeatable. Our company also has a healthy perspective on work/Montana-life balance. If we're done being productive by 2 p.m., we leave and go hiking, golfing, fishing or whatever suits us.

What is the most rewarding aspect of your job?

The most rewarding aspect of Profitable Ideas Exchange is the ability to provide great careers in Bozeman. There are a lot of people looking for a challenging, intellectually interesting job that allows them to enjoy the outdoors of Bozeman, and I'm proud that we're able to create work that provides for that kind of life.

What business goals do you have for 2015?

The first goal is already checked off the list: We met a lofty sales goal for 2014-15 and are taking our entire company to Cancun, Mexico, this April as a reward. Instead of issuing individual prizes, we decided to win and lose as a team. In this case, we won—beach, tan and merriments included. A second goal would be that we intend to continue growing projects so we can add to our team. We love bringing on new perspective and energy.

Where do you see yourself in 10 years?

In 10 years I see myself happily balancing work and family in Bozeman. My husband and I are in the process of adopting young siblings from Haiti, so integrating a family life with our work lives will be a fun challenge, one that we're excited for. In terms of PIE, I see our company growing to more than twice its current size while maintaining its healthy, creative, collaborative culture.

What inspires you?

Smart people inspire me. I'm lucky to be surrounded by them, most prominently my husband. I get energized when engaging in interesting conversations; they make me want to read and learn more.

What is the best piece of advice you've ever received?

Someone once told me to surround myself with people who want to build me up as a young professional. As a result of that advice, I've made it a point to seek out mentors and peers who want to see our entire community thrive and who embrace collaboration.

What is the most rewarding aspect of your job?

I love helping people see how they can contribute to ending domestic violence. At face value, it appears to be an insurmountable task, but once a volunteer or a donor realizes that their participation will have a ripple effect, it's incredibly rewarding to watch them become increasingly involved in helping HAVEN end domestic violence. HAVEN's participants inspire me on a daily basis. The challenges they have faced and overcome truly put life into perspective.

What makes Bozeman a great place to live and work?

Bozeman has such a strong sense of community, and the amazing nonprofits and local businesses are such an integral part of building that community. This is especially important for HAVEN, since as one small nonprofit, our staff can't end domestic violence on their own. We have to have the support and participation of the entire Gallatin Valley.

What business goals do you have for 2015?

As an organization, we are moving away from the traditional model of domestic violence nonprofits that are focused solely on intervention services and expanding our approach to include programs that give community members the tools and education they need to start a cultural shift that doesn't allow gender-based violence to occur.

Where do you see yourself in 10 years?

Ten years from now, I think I will be looking back on this year as a period of great excitement and growth for HAVEN. Our hope is that once we have implemented more community-based programs and listened to the feedback from our community, we can support other domestic violence agencies across the state in mobilizing their communities to end violence. In my personal life, I see my husband and I continuing to enjoy everything that Bozeman has to offer.

What business goals do you have for 2015?

First and foremost, I want to continue to build deeper relationships with my existing customers to ensure all their banking needs are being met. Additionally, fostering relationships with new clients is high a priority.

What makes Bozeman a great place to live and work?

The vibrant energy in Bozeman is infectious. People are really upbeat and positive and there is an impressive diversity of thought and industry for a community of this size. The proximity to outdoor activities certainly doesn't hurt, either.

What is the most rewarding aspect of your job?

The clients I work with are corporations, some larger than others, but all pride themselves on their local roots. I get to help my clients maintain and grow their businesses here in the Gallatin Valley and help them compete on local, statewide, national and even international levels from right here in the Bozeman area. I manage relationships with commercial clients on behalf of the bank as a whole, serving as the client's primary point of contact.

Where do you see yourself in 10 years?

Continuing to work directly with businesses, helping them navigate the ever-changing financial landscape.

What is the best piece of advice you have ever received?

I had a finance professor in college who made the point that there is more value in being able to learn to solve an issue than immediately knowing the answer.

What inspires you? What do you care about the most?

Family and friends have always been very important to me, and this has only been amplified by my recent marriage and the birth of our son. It's extremely important to me that my family can always look to and think of me with a sense of pride.

Where do you see yourself in 10 years?

I see myself raising my three children with my wife, Amy, to appreciate the Montana landscape. Hopefully they enjoy fishing, rafting, hiking and camping as much as we do. From a business standpoint, I would hope to see continued growth in my real estate business, while becoming more involved again in residential land development. I'd also like to be involved in purchases of properties with degraded natural resources and helping to rehabilitate, improve and conserve them.

What is the most rewarding aspect of your job?

The most rewarding aspect of my job is assisting people in what is probably the largest financial decision of their lives, in either buying or selling real estate. Every client has a unique set of needs, and I love the challenge of each situation being different from the last.

What business goals do you have for 2015?

To continue to improve my overall real estate sales in the valley, while maintaining my current relationships with past and present clients. Those relationships are the lifeblood of my business, as it generates repeat customers, as well as referrals to their friends and family.

What has been your biggest career hardship? How did you overcome it?

My biggest career hardship, like many others I'm sure, was going through this past recession. Looking back, I wouldn't change those experiences for anything, as I know that it made me a stronger person. It forced me to change, and to adapt to new ways of thinking. I carry those lessons with me every day, and try to incorporate those new ideas into my daily routine.

What inspires you? What do you care about the most?

The people and the natural beauty that surround us here in Bozeman and Montana in general inspire me. Having family roots from both sides in Montana dating back to the 1860s, I have a real connection and love for this land. I understand that Bozeman will continue to grow, but I want to see that growth happen in a sustainable and responsible manner, so that all of our future generations can appreciate the same quality of life that we are all so fortunate to have.

What makes Big Sky a great place to live and work?

I've lived in Bozeman and loved it, but like so many others I was drawn to Big Sky. Big Sky is enchanting; not only do we have the best skiing in America, but we also have summer concerts, recreational activities, community events and great people. It was a natural fit for me and I was lucky to find an opportunity to work at a great organization.

What is the most rewarding aspect of your job?

The most rewarding aspect of my job is the opportunity to watch and help friends start businesses. The majority of us moved here to be ski bums for a season, which turned into another and another. It takes guts to do what we did and it takes even more guts to start your own business.

What business goals do you have for 2015?

My business goals for 2015 are to be more efficient at my job and make more relationships with business owners and professionals in the area.

What is your top business priority?

My top business priority is to be an honest, hard-working and reliable business professional. I joined Rotary of Big Sky a couple years ago and it's a great organization to build good business skills.

What do you consider your life's biggest accomplishment?

My biggest accomplishment is taking the leap of faith and moving to Montana. I miss my parents and family but Montana is such a great place to live. Everyone is kind, strong, active and they encourage others to do a better job. Moving here has made me a stronger and better person.

Which personal qualities do you think have contributed the most to your success?

I'm a hard-worker, a quick learner and I do well under pressure. These qualities came somewhat naturally, but I also have been very lucky to have mentors in my life who've inspired me to do better and work harder.

What inspires you?

Challenge. Adversity is inspiring. There is nothing better than staring down a challenge that seems impossible for you to accomplish and then proving to yourself that you can.

What makes Bozeman a great place to live and work?

The people. There is a genuine and kind nature to the people of Bozeman. There also exists a torrent of energy in the community that ebbs and flows and, good or bad, seems to bring people together through mutual understanding, sentiments and experiences. Bozeman has variety in all aspects. With changes come challenges, opposition, potential, growth, introspection, rejuvenation, re-birth and exaltation. I love to weather and enjoy these things with people of like minds and pursuits.

What is the most rewarding aspect of your job?

My personal fulfillment and rewards have changed and developed as my role in the company has. There is and always will be an absolute joy in creating a truly unique and memorable experience for guests. When all the pieces of the puzzle come together and you can witness someone appreciating all the subtle details and planning that have gone into such a relatively simple thing it makes it all worth while.

What business goals do you have for 2015?

Bozeman Plonk saw a big year of change in 2014, undergoing a full kitchen remodel and conceptual tweak, as well as a financial overhaul. For 2015, I would like to harness these changes in Bozeman and run with them, up our culinary game and refocus on our community presence.

Which personal qualities do you think have contributed the most to your success?

Work ethic. From the time I graduated high school I knew that I wanted to own a restaurant. When I graduated college I was determined to do whatever it took to gain the experience and knowledge needed to take the jump and be successful at it. Since this time, I have always been in restaurant positions that far exceeded my age from my coworkers' points of view. So what could I do? I simply just worked harder than most everyone else and kept my eyes and mind open.

What do you consider your life's biggest accomplishment?

Professionally, my life's biggest accomplishment was being promoted to director and managing a team by the age of 25. I manage five consultants, am in charge of our internal hiring and training and am a member of the Executive Team leading the vision and future of the company.

What makes Bozeman a great place to live and work?

I enjoy spending time with friends and family, exploring the outdoors and participating in community cultural events. We live in a beautiful place and it's great to live here and still have the ability to work with world-class companies and to have the ability to travel the world, discover new cultures, and then return again to the community and state that I love.

What is the most rewarding aspect of your job?

Training others, who may have no previous background in what we do, to produce high-quality work that challenges them each day; it's rewarding to help others share in your passions and ambition professionally.

What business goals do you have for 2015?

My goal is to continue to grow Elixiter and expand our hiring capabilities here in Bozeman. We have a great company and hope to continue our success and impact on the community.

Which personal qualities do you think have contributed the most to your success?

My commitment and loyalty to my team and company and my dedication to quality work; additionally, my ability to network has been the key to the doors I wanted to open.

What is your top business priority?

To produce quality products that absolutely blow people away. I love how people are impressed and appreciate the fact that my father and I tie all our own flies for the shop. We can focus on the specifics of what flies works for this area, and we pride ourselves on quality. I want our customers to feel as if they got the better end of the deal; customer service is huge for me. Every day is customer appreciation day at our shop.

What is the best advice you've ever received?

My dad, Dean, taught me to value every customer and treat everyone like a high roller. The man or woman who spends $3.00 gets the exact same treatment and attention as the person who just spent $3,000. He taught me to talk to the customers, not just ring up their purchase.

Which personal qualities that have contributed most to your success?

I can read people extremely well. I have an ability to tell if a person wants to be left alone to think and browse the store or if they want lots of interaction.

What inspires you most?

Being on a river or stream, turning over rocks and shaking the bushes to study the insects really gets me motivated to seek improvement when I tie flies. It helps me to see the intricate details of each metamorphosis. Nature inspires a childlike wonder inside me; a wonder that makes me notice small details like the veiled gossamer wings of a mayfly.

What are your business goals for 2015?

I know this sounds cliché, but just to maintain balance. I have a two-year old, Meryl, and I want to be able to spend time with her and watch her grow and change without neglecting my business.

What is the most rewarding aspect of your job?

Knowing that I'm helping people protect their futures and their families, and providing a sense of financial security. People trust me with their with their personal details and goals and I find solutions to protect their assets.

What inspires you?

Family and friends inspire me. I work hard so I can play hard; they are both my motivation and my reward. We load Meryl up in the backpack and go fishing, hiking and just on adventures around town. We're hoping to take her up to the skiing sometime in March.

What is the best piece of advice you've ever received?

“Only touch things once.” This means, simply, to be more efficient. For me, this means to get the difficult things done right away. If there's something on my to-do list that I don't really want to do, I tackle that first.

What personality traits have helped you on the job?

I feel as if I'm approachable, personable, honest and knowledgeable; I always try to put myself in my client's shoes. I've been a financial advisor since 2006, and I learned pretty quickly that you have to listen carefully to each person, because not every solution works for everyone.

What is the best piece of advice you have ever received?

Hire people that are better and smarter than you and give them room to be creative.

What is the most rewarding aspect of your job?

Seeing ideas become a reality, helping people realize their dreams and winning office-wide Nerf gun battles.

What makes Bozeman a great place to live and work?

I came to Bozeman 17 years ago for the skiing, but stayed for everything else. I love the mountains, rivers, community, my church and the balmy weather—at least compared to my hometown of Fairbanks, Ala. Also, I had never even heard of a Nerf gun in Alaska.

What business goals do you have for 2015?

Continue to grow Salient Technologies with innovative, quality designs and great service to our current customers and continue to provide an awesome place to work for our team.

Where do you see yourself in 10 years?

I would love to be here in Bozeman, still doing what I love. I'll have two kids in high school by then—yikes!

What do you consider your life's biggest accomplishment?

Convincing my wife, Ashley, to marry me.

Which personal qualities do you think have contributed the most to your success?

I like to think of myself as an extroverted engineer. Salient Technologies has had success for a lot of reasons, but we're unique in that we are able to pull from both hemispheres of our brains.

What business goals do you have for 2015?

To be more efficient and make the Montana Women's Business Center an even stronger, more sustainable program that our community will continue to have access to many years from now.

What makes Bozeman a great place to live and work?

I feel so fortunate to have family and great friends in Bozeman. Being surrounded by amazing people while raising a family and working together to grow a great community makes for a perfect place to live and work. The mountains don't hurt, either.

What is the most rewarding aspect of your job?

Being a resource for entrepreneurs to start and grow their business. I'm responsible for managing the program, providing business counseling and developing training, networking and mentoring opportunities for women entrepreneurs.

What do you consider your life's biggest accomplishment?

I'm very proud to be a mother of two children six year-old Fin and three year-old Beatrice and having an opportunity to continue to grow in my career. Although a challenge, being able to balance both has been a great accomplishment.

Which personal qualities do you think have contributed the most to your success?

Integrity, authenticity and a passion for helping others.

What is the best piece of advice you have ever received?

Growing up my dad always said, “hard work always pays off.” What I've come to learn is that the pay off doesn't always come in the expected monetary form, but rather the rewards of helping others.

What is the most rewarding aspect of your job?

I have always had a passion for brewing and science. Wildrye Distilling allows me to combine these passions toward one goal while interfacing with Montana's and my family's agricultural heritage. It's Wildrye Distilling's goal to develop and deliver unique premium products that highlight Montana-Grown ingredients. My team and I get to investigate the science behind creating distinct products from local ingredients.

What makes Bozeman a great place to live and work?

I call Bozeman home for several reasons. I have family ties here; my wife grew up in Corvallis, Montana in the Bitterroot Valley. The family farm is still there and it's where Wildrye Distilling grows the Montana sweet corn for several of its products. I moved here in 1996 to go to school (and to take advantage of the amazing snowboarding). Bozeman provides the perfect mix of professional opportunity and outdoor recreation.

What business goals do you have for 2015?

Wildrye currently produces 100 percent handmade Montana Bourbon (using our family-grown sweet corn) on an extremely limited scale. My goals for 2015 include working with investors to enable increased Bourbon production, so that it may be offered outside our tasting room in the future. We also hope to expand our current product distribution to cover the state of Montana, and hopefully other neighboring states.

What is your top business priority?

Our top business priorities include: providing the highest quality products possible at a reasonable price; simultaneously supporting Montana's modern economic development and agricultural heritage; applying science and art to produce unique products that are distinctly Montana's own.

What makes Bozeman a great place to live and work?

I'm amazed by the number of resources available to entrepreneurs in this city and state. I have had terrific educational opportunities and support from MSU, Prospera, the Department of Commerce, as well as other local business owners who have been willing to share their stories and lessons learned.

What is the most rewarding aspect of your job?

The most rewarding aspect for me is seeing people enjoying our product. At Sauce, we design apparel and accessories that “enhance the flavor of an outdoor experience” and we hope these products encourage people to get outside, be active and feel good about the experience. When I see Sauce in action up Sourdough Canyon, or at Bridger Bowl, I know we've been able to do that for someone.

What business goals do you have for 2015?

My goal is to increase the amount of product that we manufacture and produce in Bozeman. A couple years ago we began to bring some production back from our Los Angeles based manufacturer and it has been great to see that part of our business grow. It affords us more flexibility with the custom items that we offer, increases the control we have over our finished product and also provides employment opportunities for local residents.

What is the best piece of advice you have ever received?

Often, we are afraid to try things or put ourselves out there because we fear failing. I have learned that the trick is to redefine our understanding of what failure is. If we can convince ourselves that learning something always equals success at some level, it's very difficult to call any experience a failure.

What inspires you?

I find inspiration from the people in my life who are dealing (or have dealt with) life-altering challenges and still manage to grow, learn and inspire others while working through their own problems. When I face yet another seemingly catastrophic challenge in my business I think of the strong people around me who have gone through things that are far more serious, and I try to channel their strength.

Which personal qualities do you think have contributed the most to your success?

I'm an overly optimistic do-it-yourselfer and my mind is always racing with ways to take something to the next level. I feel there's nothing I can't accomplish because I take challenge in being resourceful and finding a solution. These redeeming qualities are also my curses because I tend to put too much on my plate. I'm lucky to have a great support system of family, friends, and co-workers who provide me with constant reality checks.

What makes Bozeman a great place to live and work?

When I was younger all I wanted to do was get out of Bozeman. I had a “grass is greener” mentality. After having traveled the world a little more I realize how lucky we are to be in such a great place. Bozeman has a perfect balance of culture and small town appeal plus big blue skies, and a community of people who are genuinely thoughtful.

What is the most rewarding aspect of your job?

There are few things more rewarding than seeing someone else find their passion; I get to do this almost every day through multiple aspects of our business.

What has been your biggest career hardship? How did you overcome it?

When we first opened our retail store we were part of a franchise. Less than a year after opening our store, the franchise announced that they were filing for bankruptcy and pulling our supply chain. I remember tears running down my face while having a huge smile at the same time — an overwhelming mix of fear and excitement because I now had the opportunity to develop and create the business that I wanted instead of living by somebody else's rules.

What do you consider your life's biggest accomplishment?

Surviving the first year after having my first little boy, Colby; I was completely unaware to how difficult it would be to balance nurturing a baby with running and growing a business. Looking back I feel very accomplished to have been able to grow and maintain our business while staying home that first year and giving my little one the love and attention he deserved.

What is your top business priority?

My priority is to gain the trust and respect of my colleagues, customers and competitors. I want to achieve a reputation that is marked by fairness, compassion and honesty, to be someone that is trusted and respected. Additionally, I do whatever it takes to completely serve my customers.

What makes Bozeman a great place to live and work?

I love the Montana state of mind. We work hard and support our local businesses, our local teams and our local nonprofits. Everyone is connected in some way and being able to watch that remain a constant in the midst of change makes Bozeman one of a kind.

What is the most rewarding aspect of your job?

Helping people and watching them succeed. I'm not an entrepreneur or a risk taker. But, I love being able to help those kinds of people realize their dream. I don't need to be on the front lines of a developing community because I get to see it from the backseat and where it makes the biggest difference, in the lives of the community members.

What is the best piece of advice you have ever received?

Never change the person God made you to meet the expectations of another. I have found this to be true in business but also in my personal life. Never changing does not mean being inflexible or uncompromising, but rather knowing and understanding your priorities, goals and character well enough to stick to them even when someone disagrees.

Which personal qualities do you think have contributed the most to your success?

Honesty, integrity and a great work ethic are qualities that were instilled in me at a very young age and have contributed to my success. I think they are qualities of anyone who wishes to succeed in any facet of life. I can't promise that I will be the best at everything I do, but I do promise that I will work hard and I will do it with honesty and integrity.

What inspires you? What do you care about the most?

My father was a schoolteacher who would take on construction jobs during the summer to help make ends meet. Even after retirement, he works hard every day—it's not always the most lucrative or glamorous jobs, but he's built a great reputation and great relationships. He lives to serve others and I hope that someday, people will say the same of me.