The future of our society largely depends on the youth of today. In 10 short years, much of today’s youth will be serving vital roles in the workplace, in the community, and in families of their own. Actions we take today to support the education and well being of our youths will bear fruit in an amazingly short period of time, while the consequences of inaction are also waiting just around the corner.
I was born in the Chicago area, grew up and went to a large 4,000 student high school, attended college at the University of Northern Colorado, and received a Masters of Business Administration degree from National University. I worked for a Fortune 500 company for the first 10 years of my career, but was fortunate enough to have the inspiration and the opportunity to start my own company 25 years ago.
I went from zero to three children in one day, yet never had triplets. But I did marry Sami Salvatori, and became an instant step dad to three wonderful kids aged 11, 15 and 17. I missed out on the diaper changing stage, but have had experience in raising two teenage daughters, putting three kids through college and our youngest, David, is now a senior studying Computer Science at EWU. My wife is a Counselor at the Institute for Extended Learning. In the years before meeting Sami and our kids, I was a volunteer in the Big Brother program, and since moving to Spokane five years ago, founded the Spokane Entrepreneurial Center, which helps small businesses just getting started by offering inexpensive office space without a security deposit or lease requirement. In 2010, I received a Catalyst Award for Business Mentor of the Year, and have been a volunteer judge at the Intercollegiate Business Plan Competition.
As a member of the Class of 2009 of Leadership Spokane, we adopted the Northeast Youth Center as our class project, and raised money for the purchase of a new freezer for their program. I believe in the value of the Five Promises, and the outstanding effort made to provide caring adults, safe places, and healthy start at the Northeast Youth Center just to name a single example. If we are going to have improved outcomes in our educational system, we need to continue to expand our efforts into Early Education, and recognize the impact factors such as the Five Promises have on our youth as they move through our school systems and prepare to join the community as adults.
I believe that my work at the Spokane Entrepreneurial Center empowers young adults who want to start their own businesses. I believe that the programs the Chase Youth Commission supports help empower the youths who will be the young adults I hope to see some day at the Entrepreneurial Center! I am running for Spokane City Council because I believe our city can do more to create a better economic climate for jobs and prosperity, for moms and dads trying to make a better living, and for the families that are raising the youth that are the future pillars of our society.