PLS 595 JOURNAL ENTRY 8

A Personal Manifesto

Artist, poet, free spirit, writer, sports fan, technophile and deep thinker--all describe what I am and have been. My working class roots are in the Midwest, but I have been baptized an honorary Tar Heel by my family. I am a father of two wonderful boys, a devoted husband to my generous and patient wife, Maria, and I am active in my community. Born in Akron, Ohio (former rubber capital of the world), I pride myself on my ability to bounce back. I have struggled over the years to shape myself as an example of competence and stability. Yet, I still cherish my imperfections. My success has been the product of family contributions, my upbringing and my own hard work. But I have a vision to serve the public interest that I must follow.

I believe in the journey and my ability to take myself where I want to go. I also believe that others will want to follow. I am a consummate planner, yet I am free from the constraints of conventional thinking. I am a critical thinker, yet I work and play well with others. I hope to put those technical and people skills to work so as to increase my opportunities for professional collaboration. After all that has happened in the world as of late, I am still an advocate for social progress. I believe in the power of innovation that the Third Sector can bring to that struggle.

I also believe in government as a servant to freedom and as a key actor where markets fail. I believe in "right" solutions, not just market or government ones. Furthermore, I believe in my training and natural ability to analyze and solve complex problems. The same qualities are also useful in the more important task of "problem finding," which requires the ability to generate and build consensus. Ultimately, I think I can parlay that into a leadership position--hopefully, one which requires ethics, vision, hard work and a huge helping of determination. To lead, one must be willing to serve and that suits me to a T. Therefore, I believe in service to my family, colleagues and community. I also am a firm believer in the power of love to unite people and save lives. I hope that by doing what I love for others, I will come closer to understanding who I am and why I am here.