Men and Their Chairs 2019

June 2019 Issue

There’s something special about the bond a man has with his chair. There is no set time for a man to acquire his chair, and his chair may vary throughout his life. Nonetheless, a man’s chair is a place where many important decisions are pondered and made, both personally and professionally. In history, we can look back to powerful moments put into action from a chair. From his bunker chair, Winston Churchill successfully pondered how to save the free world, and Franklin D. Roosevelt’s fireside chats eased an entire nation, all from a chair. More iconically is the power kings convey from their thrones and the barking of orders from the director’s’ chair to create great movies. Sometimes the chair itself takes on a best supporting role and becomes a character of its own like Archie Bunker’s famous chair in “All in the Family,” or Martin Crane’s chair in “Frasier.”

Curiously, we wanted to see some of the chairs our local Beaufort County men are attached to, so we went looking for a few good men. We did a good job finding them, and not only did they have a favorite chair, but a lot of heart, as well!

Hometown:  
Poza Rica Veracruz, Mexico
Family: Wife, Juana Maria
and Son, Gabriel
Career:  Agricultural Engineer, Musician & Owner of
Elias Band

My favorite motto or words to live by: My favorite motto is “Never give up.” If you fall, lift yourself up stronger than before, and do what needs to be done.

Other than family, my greatest achievement so far is: I achieve to be an honest person, to be a good friend and a good son, brother, father and citizen.

What’s the best advice you’ve ever gotten or given? Never borrow or lend money.

If you were the president of the US, what would your No. 1 goal be? My first goal would be to unite the people. We can accomplish more when united.

How has being a father inspired you? No one is born being a father; we learn how to become one. My son motivates me every day to get out of bed feeling strong and to work hard. I hope to inspire him to do the same and become a good man.

Outside of your family, if you could share a meal with one person, living or dead, who would it be and why? Also what would you eat? I would like to eat seafood with the President and discuss better ways to organize his presidency.

What’s the most amazing thing you’ve ever seen? My son Gabriel’s birth. He is a miracle of God.

The No. 1 thing on my bucket list is? I would like to parachute out of a plane.

Tell us about your chair:My chair has always brought me comfort. It has been a place to think about my achievements and failures in good times and bad. Mainly it has helped me think about my problems and how to best resolve them. It’s perfect to sit in and look at the water, while playing my guitar and de-stressing.

If my chair could say something about me, it would say: “Here at the chair we have shared joy and sorrow and have also resolved conflicts and problems for the good of all.”

Hometown: Beaufort, SC
Career: Realtor
Family: Wife: Liz and 13-year-old Twins:
Son, Carson and Daughter, Liza Raye

My favorite motto or words to live by:
No one cares how much you know until they know how much you care.
Other than family, my greatest achievement so far is: My 20+ years of work with The Beaufort Charities and watching it go from a golf tournament to a multi-event giving organization, which has raised over $1.4M for local need organizations in Beaufort County.

What’s the best advice you’ve ever gotten or given? Wait 10 seconds before you answer a difficult question, or respond to an angry person.

If you were the president of the US, what would your No. 1 goal be? To allow people to see that MOST of us are in the middle on almost all the issues, and that it is the small, clamoring groups on either end who make us feel divided.

How has your father influenced you? Fatherhood teaches you patience and makes you appreciate what your parents, teachers and mentors have done for you that you took for granted.
Outside of your family, if you could share a meal with one person, living or dead, who would it be and why? Also what would you eat? Mark Twain, because life is a story, and he is the best storyteller of modern times. We would eat Frogmore Stew so I could hear his commentary on why we call it stew and how it came about.

What’s the most amazing thing you’ve ever seen? I was present as the East Berlin Wall came down!

The No. 1 thing on my bucket list is? Skydive.

Tell us about your chair: My chair is my boat seat. I have spent the last 10 years watching my kids play on the sand bar, fish on the front beach, learn to throw a cast net, watch fireworks, tube, and simply grow up loving the water and the Lowcountry.

If my chair could say something about me, it would say: “Man, so far you have had a great life, and I am glad to have supported you in your journey.”

Hometown:  Mishawaka, IN   
Career:  Sales Representative for Humana   
Family:  Wife: Kim, One Son: Kyle an Executive Chef in Aspen, CO

My favorite motto or words to live by: The lower the latitude, the better the attitude.
Other than family, my greatest achievement so far is: The success I have achieved at Humana.
What’s the best advice you’ve ever gotten or given? No matter how old you are, never stop learning and growing as a person.

If you were the president of the US, what would your No. 1 goal be? Shorter term limits; this would lead to actions, not just words in solving issues like health care and immigration.   
How has being a father inspired you? Having only one child, it was important to instill in my son a sense of responsibility, a strong work ethic and kindness towards others. He’s my only legacy.

Outside of your family, if you could share a meal with one person, living or dead, who would it be and why? Also what would you eat? Ronald Reagan. Why? His sense of pride in country, personal progress and eternal hope for a better America. We would eat pizza, of course!  

What’s the most amazing thing you’ve ever seen? This is not a “Wow” moment, but the most amazing emotional impact on me was the Holocaust Museum in Washington, D.C. Following the journey of a person’s name you are given as you enter, and seeing the graphic description of their plight, was gut-wrenching and still resonates with me today.

The No.1 thing on my bucket list is? Growing up near the University of Notre Dame, and attending football games, I have always wanted to run out of the tunnel with the team to the sounds of their victory march!

Tell us about your chair: I met this chair a few years ago when Pool Bar Jim’s moved to the beach in front of the Seacrest. Having a time-share there two weeks per year, I made it a point to plant myself on this barstool as much as possible. We moved here permanently last year. This barstool is the focus of my attention as I try a variety of drinks made by the “Blender Tenders.” As the temperatures continue to climb, you’ll find me here with a “Lava Flow” in hand, watching the dolphins and making new friends.

If my chair could say something about me, it would say: “Thank you for losing 40 pounds since we first met!”

Hometown: Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada    
Family: Wife: Victoria and Three Kids: Spencer, Ethan, Alena
Career: Owns a National Executive Search Firm, Recruiting in the Medical Device Industry    

My favorite motto or words to live by:
Think and be considerate of others first.
Other than family, my greatest achievement so far is: I usually don’t look backwards, but other than family, I would say owning a small business for 27 years definitely beats the odds, and playing professional hockey and having so many lifelong friends in different countries.

What’s the best advice you’ve ever gotten or given? We all have two ears and one mouth so listen twice as much as you speak. Also, be humble. If you have to tell someone you are good at something, chances are you probably aren’t as good as you think. But, if someone else says you are good, you can say thanks.

If you were the president of the US, what would your No. 1 goal be? I would focus on freedom of speech and freedom of religion so everyone would be able to have a healthy dialog without fear of being discriminated against, no matter your views.   
How has your father influenced you? The motto I live by (in question 1) was from my father. Being a father is a blessing and honor. I have three very different kids, which is wonderfully exciting and challenging. I try to pass on wisdom, love, security, stability and live by example.

Outside of your family, if you could share a meal with one person, living or dead, who would it be and why? Also what would you eat? I am an adopted child, yet never met or pursued meeting my biological parents. It would be interesting to have a meal with them to learn what type of people they are. I’d be pretty nervous, so what I’m eating wouldn’t be the focus.  
What’s the most amazing thing you’ve ever seen? The love, care and dignity my wife and daughter gave my dementia-ridden mother for the three years mom lived with us.

The No.1 thing on my bucket list is? Time to explore, learn, share and give.

Tell us about your chair: We have this spot in our home where I can sit and enjoy all the activity in our family room and kitchen, but the chair there was small and not very comfortable.  I suggested to my wife we get a bigger more comfortable chair. Literally, the next day, she had purchased this great, comfortable classic chair from a secondhand store.  She got it reupholstered, and now I have my chair. It is the best viewing spot in the house, and I have coffee in the morning, or a happy hour when the occasion calls for it in the evening.  It is not for TV.  I love it!

If my chair could say something about me, it would say: “He is thankful for his family, their health, the home we live in, and all the blessings of family and friends.”

Hometown: Nutley, NJ    
Single or Married: Single.     
Family: Michelle, Kelly and Beyoncé (my plants)
Career:  Art Director at Arts Center of Coastal Carolina   

My favorite motto or words to live by: “Those who matter don’t mind, and those who mind don’t matter.” —Dr. Seuss

Other than family, my greatest achievement so far is: Being an Art Director at such a young age. At 23, I am honored to be enriching the local performing arts culture through design.
What’s the best advice you’ve ever gotten or given? “Life it too short not to tell people how you feel.” — Becca Hidalgo

If you were the president of the US, what would your No. 1 goal be? Investing in an efficient energy infrastructure would take top priority during my administration.    
How has your father influenced you? As a man who takes the atypical approach to problem solving, my father has shown me how to navigate life from multiple vantage points.

Outside of your family, if you could share a meal with one person, living or dead, who would it be and why? Also what would you eat? It would be a privilege to sit down and split a bottle of Chianti over homemade veal cutlet with industrial designer Jonathan Ive. I would love to discuss his remarkable approach to design and dive deeper into the drive behind his passion.

What’s the most amazing thing you’ve ever seen? One of the Seven Hills on which ancient Rome was built, Aventine Hill is home to a special keyhole that contains what I believe to be the world’s most picturesque view. Perfectly composed, looking through the hole reveals a crisply manicured row of bushes, which frame St Peter’s Basilica.

The No.1 thing on my bucket list is? To be frank, I purposely do not have a bucket list. I strive to find new adventures daily and live for the moment, as the list would remain unchecked.

Tell us about your chair: Opening in 1996 with “Crazy For You,” this Arts Center of Coastal Carolina theater seat has been the support system for a wide range of emotions, providing a welcoming home to experience and engage with life’s highlights and hardships.

If my chair could say something about me, it would say: “Talented, brilliant, incredible, amazing, show-stopping, spectacular, never the same, totally unique, completely not ever been done before, unafraid to reference or not reference…”