10 Year Vision for Knoxville
I'd love to see the various neighborhoods and communities of Knoxville continue to grow more connected, and for the community to capitalize on all of the wonderful outdoor spaces we have.
What is Knoxville's Best Kept Secret?
I feel like visitors or new residents are always shocked at how good the food is here, and at the diversity of options.
What would you do to strengthen Knoxville?
We need to break down the invisible barriers between our communities and neighborhoods. I feel people can go their whole lives here and never spend any time in other parts of our community. We all have a lot to learn from each other, and the best way to grow individually and as a community is to spend time with people that have different experiences and perspectives.
What is your favorite Knoxville memory?
There are some very obvious personal memories that happened in Knoxville (birth of children, etc.), but one of my favorite Knoxville memories was our first Christmas Eve in town as a newly married couple. We were a long way from family, and some friends invited us to their family Christmas Eve celebration at their home. Everyone treated us like we were part of the family, and it was one of the first times that Knoxville really felt like home.
What is your favorite book or what book is currently on your nightstand?
The Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemingway
What is the best advice you have received from a mentor, and who was that mentor?
Early in my career my boss (Tom Hodges) and I were having a conversation about the challenges of having a busy work life and a great family life. The point he made that I've carried with me ever since was that great families and marriages are built with intention. Do you want to spend quality time with your wife and kids? You have to plan it. Do you want your kids to learn certain things or have special experiences? You have to prepare and make time for them. Its a pretty obvious concept, but its so hard to lose sight of that in the midst of a busy life.
What advice would you give to your 16 year old self?
I would advise my 16 year old self to have more perspective and more reasonable expectations as I moved into adult hood. I had very unreasonable expectations about what life would be like when I was starting out - in terms of the type of job I would have, how much money we would have, etc. I really felt like a failure as a younger man and the root of these feelings was my wildly unreasonable expectations. They say happiness equals reality minus expectations, and I would advise my younger self to get better at this sort of "math".
Connect With Us