EARLY LIFE - I grew up in Kentucky, 28 miles out of Louisville, Kentucky in Oldham County. I was one of nine children, and I loved being part of a big family. We always had a big garden, and I also worked on the construction jobs with my dad, grandfather and uncle in masonry contracting during the summer, or on weekends throughout the year. Growing up I was active in Cross-Country Running, Track & Field, and Playing Trombone in our high school Concert Band, Symphonic Band, and Marching Band.
I graduated from high school May 1979. After high school, I had a track & field scholarship to Bellarmine College, and a Music Scholarship to the University of Louisville for their Marching Band. I accepted the music scholarship, and at Louisville I was involved in the ROTC program. Ultimately, I decided to leave Louisville early to pursue a career in the US Air Force.
USAF Career - I served from February 29th, 1980 until retiring March 1st, 2000. I was stationed at Langley AFB, VA (1980-1981), Osan AB Republic of Korea (ROK) (1982-1983), Kirtland AFB NM (1983 – 1984) Suwon AB, ROK (1984-1986), Osan AB, ROK (1986-1988), Pope AFB, NC (1988-1993, and Elmendorf AFB, AK (1993-2000)
MARRIAGE & CHILDREN - I met my wife, Kwang Suk Kim in 1982, and we were married April 12th, 1983. We have two sons, Sean born in the 121 Evac Hospital, Yongsan U.S. Army Post, ROK, and Ian born at Womack Army Hospital Ft. Bragg NC. I love my family, and hope to be blessed with grandchildren one day. My wife works as a Personal Care Assistant (PCA) with many elderly patients.
COACHING CAREER – (June 1994 – April 2017) I moved to Alaska with the US Air Force in 1993. I fell in love with the State. In the spring of 1994 I got involved with Cook Inlet Soccer Club as a volunteer coach assisting my eldest son’s team. I started coaching competitive soccer in 1996, and year around in 1996. As I was nearing retirement (December 1999) I was asked to work for the Club as a full-time Staff Coach. I served as the Competitive Team’s Coordinator, Recreational Director, and in the latter years as the Club’s Youth Technical Director. I was passionate about coaching, and building the soccer organization. Many of my players had stellar youth soccer careers, and several have gone on to be able to play at the collegiate level. Whether they played collegiately was not as significant if they grew up being active, and healthy, and succeeding in life. I hope my players had FUN playing the game, and that my commitment to them impacted them positively. I hope that I planted a lot of seeds, and that many of my former players will one day themselves become coaches and will work with their own children, and other’s children as well.
NEW YORK LIFE (NYL) CAREER – New York Life is a Fortune 100 Company. Realizing I’d never be able to retire as a Coach on my military pension, I started with New York Life last year seizing the opportunity to work for the Company You Keep. I have been a client myself for twenty years, and I saw the opportunity to work as a New York Life Agent as another way of helping families and business owners develop sound financial strategies.
