Perseverance:Where there's a will

there's a way

Growing up, my parents always told me that I could do anything and be anything I wanted tobe if I put my mind to it. I heard my Dad say many times that “when there’s a will there’s away” to achieve personal and professional goals in life. My Dad not only believed in thesewords but he lived them.

My father grew up in a poor household in Northern New Jersey.His father was a plumber and his mother a clerical worker at atrucking distribution center in town. While not raised wealthy, myfather’s childhood was rich with experiences working on a farm,hunting with his father, raising over 10 hunting dogs and learninghow to fly fish and tie flies. As an only child, he was raised toappreciate the little things in life and to make the best of anysituation. When the time came to consider college, my fatherwasn’t really planning on going to school since no one else in the

After several conversations with his parents, my Dad applied to ajunior college in New Jersey and was accepted. My Dad wasalways great at building things, so he concentrated onmechanical engineering classes and completed his two years atthe junior college, graduating with honors. After graduation, myGrandfather encouraged my Dad to apply to four - yearengineering colleges, and specifically MIT. My father didn’t

family had ever gone to college. However my Grandfather

encouraged him to apply to schools and earn his college degree

so he would have a better life then he had as a plumber.

think he could ever get in to MIT, let alone afford the costs of the tuition, room and board. But, myGrandfather told him he should try and see what happens. Well, the rest is history…

My father was not only accepted into the mechanical engineering program at MIT, he was given acomplete scholarship to attend. My Dad went on to earn both his BS and his MS degrees inmechanical engineering at MIT, and then applied and was accepted into Harvard Business School toearn his MBA in Marketing.

My Dad has served as a role model and mentor to me

throughout my life and my career. I grew up in an upper middle

class family thanks to the perseverance and drive of both my

Dad and Mom, and I have lived by the mantra of “when there’s a

will, there’s a way”. My perseverance and drive gave me the

courage to earn my BS and MBA degrees from top notch

schools, to take the plunge to start and grow two companies,

and to pursue and achieve my professional goal to serve as a

Chief Marketing Officer.

I live with a “glass half full”

approach to life and believe

that my best years are still

to come!