About Mike

Mike was born in Pocatello, Idaho
Mike lived with his Grandmother and with Foster Parents in Grace, Idaho until 9 years old.

Mike’s Father, a 20 year career US Air Force Non Commissioned Officer.
Mike joined him at Scott Air Force Base, Illinois. Shortly after arrival, Mike Contracted the Polio Virus and recovered 12 months later.
Mike’s Dad was assigned to Fort Gordan, Georgia near Augusta and attended Segregated all White schools and experienced the Racial Discrimination of the South in the 1950’s. It bothered Mike as Illinois and Idaho did not have Segregated Schools he attended before the move to Georgia. President Eisenhower established Army ROTC military training in various schools around the nation. The Academy of Richmond County was one of them. Of the 1,500 students, 600 young men age 16, 17, and 18 enrolled in the program that taught Military Tactics, how to defend and kill the enemy taught by 5 regular Army NCO’s every day. I learned how to shoot and qualified expert in the US Air Force. The special program was designed to have young men prepared in case the Soviets declared War on the United States and be a resource to defend our country without additional training.

Panama Canal Zone, Panama
During Mike’s Senior Year, his Dad was ordered to Albrook AFB, Panama Canal Zone. Graduated from Balboa High School, Balboa, Canal Zone.

Military Service – United States Air Force – Armed Forces Television
Three weeks after graduating High School, Mike’s Dad encouraged him to enlist in the US Air Force. Received a Secret Clearance and completed Basic Training at Lackland Air Force Base, San Antonio, Texas. Transferred to Lowry AFB, Denver Colorado received Electronics training and Fire Control on the F-105 Thunderchief Bomber, Radar, Sight, and Toss Bomb Analog Computer. Transferred to Spangdahlem AFB, Germany from 1963 to 1966. Mike took advantage of the 90 days of 3 years leave traveling in a 1956 VW to 14 European Countries. Mike was hired for a Part time weekend job at the Armed Forces UHF TV station for 2 years that broadcast to 25,000 Armed Forces and families that included Hahn and Bitburg AFB. The Vietnam War was escalating and President Johnson kept GI’s informed. Attended University of Maryland Extension classes. Mike’s co-workers went on to broadcasting jobs after discharge. Mike learned the Powerful Influence of Television broadcasting.

IBM Field Engineer – South Eastern Idaho
Honorably Discharged after 4 years in the US Air Force, Mike returned to Pocatello where he was hired by the International Business Corporation (IBM) as a Field Engineer maintaining IBM Computers in South East Idaho that included ISU, FMC, Simplots, Farm Bureau and Farmers Insurance, Garrett Freight Line, Monsanto, and Union Pacific.

Blind Date leads to 52 years of marriage
Rochelle Clark invited Mike to a Lutheran Church youth social, blind date, and 18 months later were married at Faith Lutheran in Pocatello. Four years later. Their first baby was Still Born, but a year later, twins Mark and Hope arrived, and then Christopher. We lived in our first house on Park Lane. A pretty large family 4 years after marriage. Rochelle did Not work, she stayed home with the 3 children. Mike and Rochelle agreed that she would be at home when the kids went to school and greet them when they come home from our doorstep. Rochelle and Mike established Family Priorities of Faith, Family, Job, Community Service, with hobbies like fishing, boating, camping, travel and amateur radio.

IBM Plant – move to Rochester, Minnesota
Mike attended ISU night classes plus IBM away Computer Classes in various Cities around the country. The classes averaged 30 days away from home for 10 years. IBM offered Mike a Service Planner job in Rochester, Minnesota to learn the IBM business in preparation for Field Management. The 10,000-employee plant was a Development, Manufacturing, and Support Plant for IBM’s Midrange computers, System 3, System 38, and AS/400 systems. The plant operation has been offshored to Mexico today and the blue buildings are mostly empty.

Community Service – US Junior Chamber of Commerce
IBM encouraged joining local a Community Service Organization, since Mike had been a member of the Pocatello Junior Chamber of Commerce, he joined the Byron, MN Jaycees. Mike was elected to District Director and received National Recognition with an M Keith Upson Outstanding District Director Award.

IBM Manager Los Angeles – Community Service
After 3 years, in January, Mike and Family were moved to Los Angeles, California as a Field Manager with a 3-hour daily Commute of 56 miles Round trip on the LA Freeways. Clients included Lockheed, JPL, Universal, Paramount, and Columbia Pictures, Motown Records, Beverly Hill Lawyers, and others in the Los Angeles Basin and San Fernando Valley. Mike was lodged at the Ambassador Hotel for 6 weeks where Robert Kennedy was Murdered.
The California Jaycee President (15,000 members) asked Mike to finish my last year to be a member as a Regional Director. Mike Received National Recognition Clint Dunagan Award.

IBM move to Salt Lake City, Utah – Republican Party Volunteer
After 7 years, Mike requested a move out of Los Angeles to address family issues and IBM transferred family to Salt Lake City, Utah where Mike returned to Field Engineering as a Hardware and Services Specialist. Mike was elected to the Republican Voting District Chairman in South Jordan by neighbors. Mike helped elect a City Councilman to the Utah Senate defeating the President Pro Tempore who was earmarked as a Governor possibility. The upset the Republican Establishment rippled through Utah.

IBM Retirement – US Supreme Court – CWA Union IBM Stockholder Proxy
Mike retired after 32 years of IBM Service. Prior to retirement, Mike blew the whistle on management who were coercing hourly employees to not record overtime. Prior to 1991, the “Open Door” in place for 60 years that was a check on abusive management, had been removed by the Investment Banker who became CEO. Mike hired a labor lawyer, filed a complaint with the EEOC and after 8 years in Federal Court, the US Supreme Court refused to hear the appeal. Mike was asked by the Communications Workers of America to sponsor the Offshore of job Proxy to the 1.8 Billion IBM shareholders annually, speaking from the floor of the annual IBM shareholder meeting from 2002 to 2007.

Aid Association, Thrivent Financial 13 years – Retirement final time
A year after retiring from IBM, Aid Association for Lutherans, a Faith based 100 year old Non Profit Financial organization, hired Mike as a Financial Representatives serving Clients in Northern Utah. The duties included a knowledge of Life, Disability, and Nursing Home Insurance, Variable and Fixed Annuities, Settlement Options, Stocks and Mutual Funds. Mike was responsible for selected clients that operated like a Small Business as there was no direct supervision, just “Make the Numbers”. Recognized as “New Associate of the Year” of 25 New Associates in five Western States. Multiple Recognition Conferences, FINRA and MDRT qualified.

Coming Home to Idaho – Mike’s Family
In 2007, built a house in McCammon and Retired a second time from Thrivent in 2013.
Rochelle and Mike have 3 children Mark, Hope, Christopher, 4 Grandchildren Cassidy, Courtney, Liam and Austin, 2 Great Grandchildren Leearah and Bridger

Education
K -12 Idaho, Illinois, Georgia, and Panama Canal Zone
IBM Computer Systems and Management 25 years of continuous Education
University of Maryland
Idaho State University
University of Phoenix BSBA degree
Thrivent Financial Mandatory Certifications, Series 6 and FIC
Amateur Radio electronics and antennas

Community Service
FCC Licensed Amateur Radio Operator K7CF since 1960
45 Words per Minute Morse Code qualified
Amateur Radio Mountain Top VHF Repeater Burley, ID
Repeater used when the Teton Dam burst Emergency Services
Administrative Chairman of Canyon Country Days Jaycee Rodeo 1980 – 1981
President of Utah State Junior Chamber International Senate #32790
JCI National Vice President Region X – Utah, Arizona, Nevada, California, and Hawaii.
Exchange Club Ogden, Utah
Centennial Rotary Pocatello, Idaho

Hobbies
Fishing
Camping
RV travel
Golf
Amateur Radio
Gardening

Recognition
Outstanding Young Man of America
Who’s Who in California
Who’s Who in the West
Who’s Who in Finance and Industry

Veteran Organizations
Lifetime member Disabled American Veteran
Lifetime member American Legion
Lifetime member Vietnam Era Veterans of America