My proudest accomplishment isn’t a title or a position—it’s raising a family, without losing my sanity along the way, and doing my best to pass on values of respect, responsibility, and teamwork.
I learned early in my business career that the employees who understood teamwork were the best employees. That realization led me to the soccer field, where for 31 years I coached youth—my own children included. Coaching wasn’t about winning trophies. It was about teaching kids to work together, to recognize each other’s strengths and weaknesses, and to make the whole team stronger.
I remember coaching my youngest daughter’s AYSO team while also coaching at the high school. One was recreational, the other competitive, but both required the same mindset: commitment, hard work, and playing for something bigger than yourself. Even when the league pushed back, we still won every game because the players bought into teamwork. But when my players asked what the score was, I always answered with another question: “Did you play your best? Did you improve from last game?” If the answer was yes, then my reply was simple: “You are a winner.”
Teaching my children—and hundreds of other young people—that winning means growth, effort, and teamwork is the accomplishment I’m most proud of. Because whether in family, business, or government, true success is never about one person. It’s about working together, lifting each other up, and achieving more as a team than we ever could alone.
