How long have you worked for the U of M? What other positions have you held, if any?
This is my first position with the University of Minnesota. I started on December 21, 2020 and have been here a little over a month.
What is your work/educational background?
Prior to working at the U of M, I worked as a bookstore manager at Metro State University in St. Paul. Before that I was a bookstore manager with the same contracting company, but it was at Mitchell Hamline School of Law. So, I’ve had several years of experience in higher education.
As for my education, I would consider myself a non-traditional student. I started my undergraduate degree in 1997. Around 2003 life happened and my priorities changed, so I didn’t initially end up finishing my degree. In 2011, I met my wife and decided to go back to school and complete my applied business degree through the College of Continuing and Professional Studies (CCAPS). Finishing my degree took around seven years but I am really glad to have finished.
What drew you to the purchasing specialist position?
I was trying to find a niche for myself at the U and I thought this position could be a good fit for me. Before applying, I went to the School of Kinesiology’s website and did some research. After doing some reading, I really felt that the School matched well with my career and personal interests. From an intellectual standpoint, I found the research being conducted here to be really cool. I am especially intrigued by the research happening in Dr. Sarah Greising’s lab, Skeletal Muscle Plasticity and Regeneration Laboratory (SMPRL).
What do you like best about working here?
I like how every day is different, but also the same. In this job I get requests for all kinds of different things and have all kinds of different things to work on. I like that I am able to break up the monotony that I had gotten used to the past few years. I also really enjoy the people here. Everyone has been so welcoming and positive⸺which was something I hadn’t received in other jobs. I really enjoy my coworkers. When I have questions, or when I am not sure how to solve a problem everyone is extremely supportive and helpful. I know that I’ll always have someone to turn to for help if I need it.
What things provide you the most satisfaction in your job?
I get the most satisfaction from staying busy and being able to interact with my colleagues and be a part of the team. I grew up a baseball player so I think I still kind of have the competitive and team aspect as part of my personality. Overall, I like to be part of a group that is getting things done.
Tell us about you!
I grew up in a small suburb of St. Paul and have 3 kids, a 4 year old named Lucy and 2 twin boys who are 2 years old named Vinny and Jonas. My wife works full time as a therapist so our family is pretty busy. To have some fun, our family has been enjoying getting outside and sledding. One of our boys isn’t a huge fan of the cold but we still have a good time.
In my free time, I really enjoy listening and playing music. When I was younger, I grew up admiring a lot of local musicians, especially Prince. I wanted to be just like him and learn to play as many instruments as possible. I started out with saxophone in fourth grade and my musical interest took off from there. I spent a lot of time in the band room as a kid and tried to soak up as much as I could and work on my craft. I can now say I’m able to play around 12 or 13 instruments. Music has been and will always be one of my favorite hobbies.
Welcome to the School of Kinesiology, Brian! We are lucky to have you on our team!
