People you should know 3/18

Age: 44

Key responsibilities: Day to day operations with my two partners focused on growing Big River Telephone into the premier local Internet, long-distance and data provider for the Tri-State area.

How long have you lived in Cape Girardeau: I'm presently looking into relocating to Cape Girardeau.

Original hometown: Born and raised in St. Louis.

Education: BS in education and BS in business administration from Central Methodist College. MBA in business administration from Lindenwood University.

Community involvement: Actively involved in civic and private ventures in St. Louis and will take the same approach for the tri-state area.

Professional background: 20 years in the information movement and management arena with several organizations; 13 years with AT&T in various sales and marketing roles; the past seven years with three start-ups focused in the senior executive roles.

Name a Cape Girardeau businessperson you admire and why: Terry Crowell with Huttig Building Products. I have known Terry going back to my AT&T days when I was the account executive handling this area. Terry told me back then how great this area was to live and work and finally I can experience what he has told me. Terry has always been very professional and I always liked his way of doing business: Tell me what you are going to do and then do it, let's negotiate a fair value for services that make this relationship a win/win, and his overall honesty. Those attributes are great representations of what Big River Telephone will deliver to the market.

Last book read: "First, Break All the Rules," by Marcus Buckingham and Curt Coffman.

What you wanted to be as a child: Professional athlete.

How you chose this career: I knew some people at AT&T that kept calling me at Divestiture. AT&T wanted to bring people into the business that did not have a Bell background so they could get new, fresh ideas, and not focus on what they did for the past 100 years but what they can do for the next 100 years. They felt I was a great fit for this and I became the very first person hired into AT&T for this market after divestiture.

Biggest obstacle you've overcome and how: I had been contacting LDD for years about acquiring the company. It finally happened after five years of being persistent and professional. Never burn bridges because you don't know what will happen in the future.

What advice would you give someone new in your field: Think outside the box. Too many people get caught up in the same day-to-day routine that our competitors face. Find the niche that separates you, your organization, or functionality and focus on that. A new approach, a new idea will help you become better positioned as a valued added resource.

Hobbies, interests: When I am not working my time is focused on family activities. If I do get some free time I like to be on the golf course. Notice, I said, "be on the course." My golf game is not at a level where I can say, "play golf."

Accomplishments you're most proud of: My family. My wife, Mary, and two children, Philip and Brooke. Nothing could ever have been accomplished without their support.

Secret ambition: I plan on retiring at 50 and become a high school teacher and basketball coach. I started my professional career in this field and plan on ending it there. Few people know I was a college and high school basketball coach before my venture into the communications field.

WHO DO YOU KNOW?

If you know someone who should be featured in "People You Should Know," contact Scott Moyers at 335-6611, extension 137, or by e-mail at smoyers @semissourian. com.