"My first exposure to the power of really well defined processes"
I grew up in a small town just east of El Paso, Texas. My parents owned and operated the local hardware store, which is where I had my first work experience starting at the age of 13. By age 16 I got a job working at McDonalds which was really formative for me. This was my first exposure to the power of really well defined processes. The well-known fast food franchise was staffed with about 95% teenagers working their first jobs and the place ran like a well-oiled machine. You could swap out one teenager and bring in a new one without missing a beat. I have nothing against teenagers, but, even as a teenager myself I knew that was impressive.
"I was exposed to exceptional leadership, management styles, and training methodology"
After graduation, I worked as a bar back in a local night club while attending the University of Texas at El Paso. I did this for a few semesters before moving to Austin Texas where I eventually joined the United States Marine Corps. I had the best job in the Marine Corps. I was a helicopter crew chief and absolutely loved every minute of it. This is where I was exposed to exceptional leadership, management styles, and training methodology. It was my time in the Marines that taught me how to train large groups of people really effectively to perform relatively complex assignments.
Shortly after returning home from a tour in Iraq I met my would-be wife. Once I left the Marines, I moved to Phoenix, Arizona where my wife and I have made our home for nearly 20 years. It was here in 2005 that I began work as military enrollment representative with University of Phoenix. I didn’t know it at the time, but this would be my home for almost 20 years. I completed my bachelors and master’s degrees here, rising through the ranks to Senior Director of Military Operations where I led the Office of Military and Veteran Affairs.
"I love solving complex problems"
I learned some really important skills during my time with University of Phoenix:
- How to build strong and lasting relationships with peers, customers, and employees
- How to lead teams to exceed goals - both organizational and personal
- How to manage performance accountability and empathy using a mix of technology and a personal touch
- How to leverage data to answer business questions and find actionable insights
- The important difference between authority and influence
- How to develop others by sharing my knowledge, my network, and by genuinely caring for the people around me
Most importantly, my time in operations leadership showed me my true passion in life. I love solving complex problems.