Executive Session with Jimmy Stewart

Executive Session with Jimmy Stewart

Director of Business Development / Westwater Construction Inc.

PERSONAL

AGE: 46

FAMILY: Married

HOMETOWN: Born in Mountain Home, Ark. Spent second grade through high school in Fort Wayne, Ind.

HOW DO YOU ESCAPE: "I ride a Harley, but it's on occasion that I do that. I do yard work, and I get a lot of satisfaction out of that."

HOW DID YOU GET INTERESTED IN HARLEYS: "Big brother. He was the motorcycle car guy, and I was the athlete. I've only owned one, but it's fun. You get so much attention. You drive by and little kids give you a thumbs up. People pull up and roll their windows down and say 'Hey, nice bike.' It's kind of cool."

EDUCATION: Bachelor of arts in communications from Michigan State University.

WHY MICHIGAN STATE.: "I received a full athletic scholarship as a pole vaulter. In 1977 I was the No. 1 high school pole vaulter in the country by Track and Field News. In 1976 I won the National Junior Olympics. At the time I was fearless, and that helps given it's the most dangerous sport in the world."

WHY DIDN'T YOU GO TO THE OLYPMICS: "Because we boycotted Moscow in 1980."

ANY DISAPPOINTMENT ABOUT NOT BEING ABLE TO COMPETE ON THAT SCALE: "There were a lot of good athletes at the time that didn't get a shot. Sure there's a little disappointment, but no what ifs because at the time there were no professional pole vaulters. Nobody made any money in track and field, at least not like today with sponsorships and so forth. People make a good living now."

FIRST-PAYING JOB OUT OF COLLEGE: "Livestock feed salesman. My father had worked for Central Soil. He was the poultry production manager for the Southeast and at the time I graduated in 1981 they weren't coming to the colleges to interview, and it was a decent job. I got a company car right out of college, a good salary and an expense account. I've never worked on a farm in my life.

POSITIONS PREVIOUSLY HELD: Sales manager for The Concession, employed by Michael Saunders & Co. Prior to that spent 18 years in different positions of marketing, sales and management in the luxury hotel and resort business, including time spent in California, Hawaii, Arizona and other parts of Florida.

THE POSITION

TIME WITH COMPANY: Started April 11

EXPLAIN THE NEW DIVISION AND POSITION: "Westwater historically has built custom waterfront homes. Now the company is delving into, for example, The Concession, which is the first termed community that Westwater is building. We were one of the designating builders in The Concession, and we were one of the designating builders in The Lake Club. So what that means is my job of director of business development is to help create the sales and marketing processes, procedures and implementing those and heading up the sales efforts as well. If you look what I'm doing, I mean we're not selling just mortar and bricks we're selling a lifestyle, especially at this high end in these luxury markets."

- Adam Hughes