Friday Knight Alumni Spotlight Q&A
Tell us about yourself. Where you live now, career, and/or family news. What have you been up to since you left Geneseo?
I just bought a home in Nashville, TN and just got married on April 30, 2021 to my wife, Paige, who is from Nashville. We have two dogs, Tottie, who is almost 7, and Mickey, who just turned 6 months that I got Paige for a Christmas present the day we moved in to our home on Dec. 19, 2020.
After Geneseo, I moved to Park City, UT- the home of the majority of the ski events during the 2002 Winter Olympics. I went with dreams of becoming a sponsored skier and although that didn't quite work out, I lived there for 2.5 years working many odd jobs in one of the most beautiful places in the country while pursuing my love of the outdoors every day. After the death of one of my roommates in a tragic skiing accident I decided that I wanted to try something new. I embarked on a two month road trip around the country with my dog, Tottie, a cooler of food that I refilled every few days, a Coleman camp stove, a couple changes of clothes and a tent and drove over 15,000 miles in two months, seeing some of the most amazing sights in our country.
On this trip, I decided to finally do what had been in the back of my mind since I was 12 years old. I ended my road trip in my hometown of Vestal, NY and the next day I walked into the Army Recruiting Center and told them that I wanted to be an Engineer Officer in the US Army. After about 9 months of paperwork, multiple rounds of interviews, and many doctor appointments and physicals I was accepted to attend the Officer Candidate School, pending successful completion of the 9-week Army Basic Combat Training. After about 15 months of basic training, leadership training and specialized Engineering training. I was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant and got stationed at Fort Campbell, KY, home of the famed 101st Airborne Division and my number one choice for duty stations. After five years of service, promotion to Captain, multiple month long training exercises around the country, graduating from two of the most prestigious military schools the Army has to offer (Sapper Leader Course and Air Assault School) I decided to end my time in the Army in March of 2021.
During my last few months in the Army, I started working with my brother on an app that he and my dad developed called USEFUZE. It is an online marketplace that connects employers, employees and homeowners and allows people to work the jobs they want when they want to do them. During the pandemic it became apparent that there was a big problem in our country with people who wanted to work but could not find any employment. Because of this I decided to join my brother full-time in working for USEFUZE and accepting the position of COO for the start-up app that was just released in mid-April 2021.
What motivates you to work hard?
Providing the best life for my family
What trait do you like most about yourself?
Hard worker- I refuse to give up and anything that I do I put 100% effort into
Who are your heroes in real life?
My parents- They came from very little growing up, started a successful painting business that is still going today that allowed them to give my three siblings and I a great life and were able to put all four of us through college.
What are you passionate about?
Helping people achieve their goals.
Are you related or distantly related to anyone famous?
Not that I know of- many people ask if I am related to Regis Philbin, but unfortunately our last names are spelled differently.
If you could go back in time, what year would you travel to and why?
1942- I would have loved to volunteer to be one of the original paratroopers of the 101st Airborne Division and prepare and train for the D-Day invasion and help liberate Europe from the Nazis.
What kitchen appliance do you use every day?
Blender- I make a protein smoothie every day after my morning workout.
Who is your favorite author?
Clive Cussler
What was your favorite class or professor at Geneseo?
Professor Aagesen who taught a Geology class my freshman year. Definitely not my favorite subject but he made the class very interesting and fun.