Home: Mount Dora, FL. Birthplace: Minneapolis, MN. Profession: Organizational leadership. Organization: Mount Dora Christian Academy and Children’s Home. Title: Vice President of Development. Significant other: The love of my life, my wife, Melva Kinkel.
Current project: Transforming an antiquated Office of Development into a fundraising juggernaut. Recent recognition: Honored for raising the most money in the history of the Academy in 2024. Latest contribution to others: Parking cars for the Kiwanis Fundraiser. Working as a server at our Church’s Bread of Life. What’s been your big (or biggest leap)? Transitioning from over thirty years of work in the public sector to serving at a private school. Hobbies: Travel, family, golf. Recent travel or adventure: A cruise to the Bahamas with my son and 84-year-old mother. My very first cruise. Last book read: Principles, by Ray Dalio.
Personality profile: Competitive, driven, strategic, putting students in the best possible position to succeed. Moral compass: The Bible. How do you define a perfect friendship? A good listener, committed to making the world better; and shared values. What is your greatest joy? Spending time with my adult sons and their families. Attending a Minnesota Vikings game. What is your guilty pleasure? Football. What occupation, other than your own, do you most admire? Sports coaches. What is your favorite place (or way) to spend money? Visiting Minnesota in the summer. What is at the top of your bucket list? The Kentucky Derby, visiting Europe.
What was your favorite college course? Organization Development. What’s prominently featured on your home or office wall? A picture of the Minnesota State Board for School Administrators. What’s the best advice you received growing up? Shake hands the right way. Lean into a conversation and ask a lot of questions. What’s the best advice you received in your career? Do not put too much pressure on yourself. Just focus on being the best that you can be at that moment. What modern technology innovation do you most appreciate? AI, which is literally a game-changer. What company or organization do you most admire? Our team at Wichita Area Technical College. What world event has had the greatest influence on your life? The recession of 2008.
What change are you working on to effect in your profession or field?
Learning how AI can improve teaching and learning and how it can provide better service to the stakeholders.
What change would you like to see in the world? A re-commitment to nuclear power, the only economical way to combat climate change. What message do you want to send out into the world? The problems are so immense that no one political party has all the answers. Solving the deficit problem will require massive sacrifice from everyone. What widely held belief do you reject? That compromising means selling out your principles. What mega-trend most excites you? The rapid advancement of AI.
What actor would you choose to play you in the movie about your life? Keanu Reeves. Who would you like to spend an evening with, in heaven? King David from Biblical times. As a kid, what did you first want to be when you grew up? A businessman. After your loved ones, what object would you first save from your burning home? My dog, Cooper. How would you choose to spend tomorrow, if you knew it was your last day on earth? With my children and grandchildren. What day in your life would you choose to re-live? My first election night when elected to the Minnesota House of Representatives.
Personal mission: To create an environment where people can do their best work. To put students in the best possible position to succeed. Favorite quote: “The best way to improve student success is to get them to see themselves differently. What I call Story Editing” (Dr. Timothy Wilson, University of Virginia).
