RCA Alumni Spotlight Questionnaire

1. What was your professional path after graduating?

After graduation, I attended Southwest Virginia Community College on the Presidential Scholarship which I was awarded for graduating as valedictorian from the Richland Christian Academy (RCA – as it was called at the time).  Just prior to graduating from SVCC with my Associates Degree in Business Administration, I was hired into the manager trainee program with Heilig-Meyers Furniture Company and was with them for the next 11 ½ years in credit management, sales and ultimately management.  I managed the store in Oceana, WV for about 3 years (1989-1992) and then moved to a larger store in Pikeville, KY from 1992 to 1997.  In 1997, decided to go back to school to finish my Bachelor’s Degree in Organizational Management and Development from Bluefield College (now University).  

I also made a career change about this time, going into banking with Matewan Banks.  My first bank management job was managing a Matewan Banks branch inside of the Food City store in Vansant, VA.  In 1999, Matewan Banks was acquired by a much larger bank, BB&T, which enabled me to really take the next step in my banking career.  I was able to take advantage of BB&T’s exceptional training and education programs and attended Banking School at Wake Forest University.  I was with BB&T in various positions, Financial Center Leader, Business Banker, Business Services Officer and ultimately City Executive and Market President in southern WV and southwest VA.  

In 2014, after much prayer, Deb and I decided to make a move to First Community Bank which was a much smaller and more community focused organization.  Hindsight being 20/20, I have no regrets about doing that and see how God directed our steps along the way.

2. How did your academic experience guide you in your pursuits and daily life?

My academic experience at RCA taught me how to be a disciplined self-starter and a goal setter and achiever.  One of the greatest aspects of an ACE education is the fact that each student needs to set their own goals (with some assistance at times) and work each day to achieve those goals.  I still keep a calendar on my desk each day and set goals, tasks and objectives for that particular day.  It also taught me how to prioritize in making sure that the most important tasks were completed first and in doing today’s work TODAY and not putting it off. It was always gratifying to see those stars go up on the progress report and knowing that you’re one step closer to accomplishing your ultimate objective.   The privilege structure was also beneficial in that if you worked hard and accomplished your objective, AND kept your nose clean (which I mostly, you were rewarded with privileges which allowed you to go on field trips, etc.  That’s the way it is in life…work hard and stay out of trouble and good things will happen

3. What was your favorite activity and study subject?

I always enjoyed the field trips that we went on if we had privileges.  Of course, as someone who enjoyed sports and was athletic as a youngster, I always enjoyed Phys. Ed and recess when we were either playing football, basketball or practicing track and field events.  I loved it when we had the opportunity to attend the state and national ACE conventions and was blessed enough to win the national ACE competition in the long jump in Denton, TX.  As for my favorite study subjects, I enjoyed Social Studies, New Testament Survey and Business Math.

4. What is your favorite memory from your time at RCA?

There are so many to choose from.  As I mentioned above, the state and national ACE convention trips were awesome.  We attended state convention in Lynchburg, VA when Liberty University was just little old Liberty Baptist College. The national convention the first year I got to attend was at Rutgers University in East Rutherford, NJ and the second year it was at North Texas State University in Denton, TX (home of the Mean Green and it was actually how Mean Joe Greene got his nickname after playing football there).  Those were wonderful memories and the camaraderie we built as students of RCA was so valuable.  We also got to meet a lot of students from other ACE schools across the country which I enjoyed. Many of the chapel services were memorable as well and gave the students a little mid-week spiritual nourishment which was much needed at that time and is still needed today.  

5. What was your favorite tradition at RCA? 

As mentioned, the mid-week chapel services kept us all spiritually grounded.  Having to earn our privileges which is reflective of real life in which you have to earn everything you receive.  

6. What advice would you give current RCA students?

Enjoy every moment…even the mundane ones.  There’s an old saying that the days are long but the years are short and looking back on those days now I certainly would agree with that.  Work hard, accomplish your goals, maintain a good attitude and be respectful of those in authority (and everyone else, including your classmates and the person you encounter on the street) and you can and will be a success. You have the choice to go through life with a “woe is me” attitude, or you can get up and get ready to face each and every day with as much enthusiasm as you can muster, realizing that some days your enthusiasm level may be on the lower end of the scale.  But that’s okay, go through the motions until you have a breakthrough (fake it ‘til you make it).  You’ll find that by going through the motions, you’ll get things accomplished and before you know it, a positive mindset will follow.  And always, ALWAYS, rely on God.  There is hardly a day that goes by that I don’t pray and ask God for his provision, knowing that I’m helpless to do anything on my own, but through him, I can do all things. (Phillippians 4:13)