What is your current job and why did you choose this profession?
I am retired from a long career in IT, most recently managing large systems integration projects. I sort of fell into IT. I had been working in sales and we had a contact management system that we were rapidly outgrowing. However, that system came with a whole wall of manuals. So I dug in and figured out how to tweak the software a bit, and then I taught myself dBase so that I could get at the data directly and was really getting into it, so after a bit of that my boss says: you can either manage the sales group or go work in IT. I never looked back. Post-retirement, I played around a bit at selling boats, and I did taxes for a few years, but now, I’m just retired.
What more do you wish to accomplish in your professional career?
I’ve done what I wanted, very little of which had to do with professional success - it was more that the money that was generated has allowed us to do other things.
We explored the entire west coast on our sailboat, and that’s an experience I wouldn’t exchange for anything. We’re not physically impressive people - think slightly doughy middle managers, but we sailed all of it. I figure we could either have always regretted not trying, have tried and hated it and quit, or actually have done it. So go do your adventure!
Tell us about a decision or change you made that turned out to be a positive career move or life change.
Choosing IT over sales. I was good at sales, and those skills served me well in dealing with business partners - especially to get funding - but IT was much more fun. I built a bunch of stuff that I’m still quite proud of.
What sort of service activities do you enjoy/philanthropic causes do you support, and why?
I support and volunteer with Planned Parenthood, and support many other charities, mostly focused on womens’/reproductive rights.