What made you choose to work for Nestlé Purina?

I chose Nestlé Purina because of the success that this company has had for years. It is a company that thrives on success, and in turn breeds more success. I also chose Purina because it was an opportunity to broaden my managerial skill sets and manage in a new selling environment.

What makes you stay at Nestlé Purina?

I stay because I enjoy my job. Why do I enjoy my job? PetVet is a tight knit division that feels like a family. You get to know everyone very quickly and in the short time I have been here, everyone has been very welcoming. I am challenged to sell more products in a unique selling environment like PetVet. We also get to work alongside Veterinarians to recommend our products over another.

What's your favorite or most rewarding part of working for Nestlé Purina?

Being able to have an opportunity, through our products, to help our pets live a healthier life. This in itself is very rewarding, who wouldn't want to spend more time with their pets?

How has Nestlé Purina helped you grow professionally?

It has helped me grow a new set of manager skills, communication skills, and planning skills. These skills I feel I would have learned eventually through my career; however, I have had to gain them in a shorter amount of time, and I feel much rewarded for that.

Walk us through your typical day at the office.

My day starts in the morning before my workday begins as I spend time with my wife and daughter before they go off to work or the babysitter. After they are off, I head to the office where I begin looking over sales reports, responding to emails, booking future travel, and preparing for work that I will conduct with my sales reps. A lot of planning is involved during my office day. I try to maximize as much of my office day as I can, as that it is the backbone of my success for the rest of the week.

What's something about working with Nestlé Purina that has surprised you?

The amount of time and research that is involved in creating a new product or reforming an existing one. When Nestlé Purina is planning on doing anything with a product, new or existing, there is research that is involved to ensure that the quality of the product is up to our standards.

What is the most exciting thing you are involved in outside of work?

In my spare time, I am involved in teaching young kids how to play golf. On weekends each summer, a golf program is created for kids who are interested in playing golf but don't know how. We teach the kids every aspect of the game, from how to hold and swing a golf club, to how to properly act while on the course. We visit 3-4 local courses throughout the year, and at the end of the year, we have an age grouped tournament.

What items in your office could you not live without?

My Stereo. When I am in my office, besides my dog Roxie, I am the only one in the office or house for that matter. It can get really quiet quickly, so I like to listen to music or Sports Talk Radio to drown out the silence.

What's your favorite place in Indianapolis, IN to relax and unwind?

I like to unwind and relax at my home. Everything that I would need is there, my wife, my daughter, and my pets. Things we like to do as a family are: going to the Zoo, the Children’s museum, and hanging out at the mall. We try to have "Family Date Night" on Friday nights and we let our daughter, who's 4, choose where we are going to eat. She picks some very interesting places, but it ends up being a fun time.

What's your favorite quotation?

"Education is not preparation for life; education is life itself." -John Dewey

What's the most thrilling vacation you ever took?

Disney World in Orlando, FL. How's that thrilling you ask? Anyone that has taken a 3-year-old child to Disney World knows that it is a thrilling vacation of sight-seeing, visiting every character and every park, along with trying to pack in as much as possible. We just went in June '10 and it was wonderful. Cannot wait to go back. Only problem is, you almost need a relaxing vacation after the Disney Vacation.