As the son of an Army father, joining the Army himself, and attending school to receive his bachelor’s and master’s degrees while still on Active Duty, David is no stranger to constantly moving around and relocating!
David was born in Kansas City, Missouri, but lived all over the world because of his father’s career in the Army. He has lived in South Korea, Germany, 7 different U.S. states, and his favorite place he’s lived, Naples, Italy. David lived in a 400 sq ft bungalow at a beach resort in the Gulf of Pozzuoli outside of Naples for three years. Though he loved experiencing all diverse cultures and cities, he said “Naples was the coolest.”
This lifestyle growing up inspired David’s decision to join the Army himself right out of high school. During his free time in the Army, he went on to receive his bachelor’s degree from Thomas Edison State University. After retiring from the Army, David attended the University of Texas to receive his master’s degree in Human Dimensions of Organizations.
Though he’s lived in many different locations, West Michigan was never one of them. David made the jump to the Mitten State with his wife, but they were no strangers to the Midwest after living in Illinois during their teen years. David and his wife moved to Grand Rapids and tackled the new city along with their two dogs, Buddy and Chief, who hold the role as “kids” more so than “pets.”
David’s familiarity with constant moving helped him smoothly transition into his new position in a new city. He relocated to West Michigan after landing a position as Communications Director for The City of Grand Rapids. Coming to the area and taking on this new role was part of a promotion, giving David more responsibility and authority in the office.
When asked about his new role and what it entails, David shared this with us: “We’ve started some internal reorganization and changed some resources to better align with what we’re trying to do as a city. We’re making a concerted effort to improve our communications and the first step is going to be getting the right resources and functions online as foundation for everything we hope to do next.”
One of David’s favorite aspects of his new position at the City of Grand Rapids is the lighter workload on his end. He’s worked for a city with one million residents prior to this position, so, while no less important, his new role’s pace and workload is much less demanding and, in many ways, allows for a greater impact on the lives of the people he serves. This has also given David the opportunity to prioritize family and social obligations–both of which David believes are an important part of anyone’s life and culture.
David and his wife are enjoying calling West Michigan their home. His favorite part of West Michigan is a combination of the people, the accessibility of all the activities and events to do in the area, and the cost of living. Lower living costs have allowed David and his wife to spend occasional nights in the town enjoying tasty dinners at nicer restaurants. West Michigan has proved to be a great home for David!
