Marc Meisel, CEO, Meisel Holdings Managed Services:
“I am not one to relax and de-stress. I love what I do and my relaxation is actually working. But I never let my family time get away from me. And during those few hours that I’m not working, I love being with my kids, having meals, goofing around with them… just spending time with my family. I enjoy exercising, as well, but honestly I love working. And to a large extent it does provide relaxation.”
Shane Wombles, President, Paso Robles Tanks:
“Through this pandemic and even outside the pandemic, the one thing I’ve always made time for and always will is my kids’ sports activities, of which I’m their coach. They’ve still maintained their baseball team through the pandemic to continue playing travel baseball in states that are open to play, and practicing – following regulations and guidelines. And getting outside to allow them to still have a social life, so they’re not being sort of locked up in a box. Just being able to watch my daughter at dance or coach my sons at baseball has really been my work release. And spending time with my wife – good old fashioned family time.”
Terry P. Sroka, Airport Manager, Reading Regional Airport:
“We have a large lake here called Blue Marsh Lake, just a few miles from the airport, and I’m an avid kayaker. So any opportunity I can get to grab my kayak and head out on the water, that’s my stress reliever.”
Katie Gerlach, Associate Athletic Director – Facilities & Events, Banterra Center:
“I really enjoy this question. 😊 Working in athletics, you work so many odd hours, so I’ve actually enjoyed the relaxing time off. I will say, I did get bored, and so I did a lot of woodwork. I built a table and a couple chairs. I also did a lot of puzzles and read a lot of books. Which are some of the things that kept you busy but also relaxed you enough that you didn’t have to do a lot of thinking.”
Dr. Roslyn Artis, President, Benedict College:
“I have done more reading than I typically do. I usually read for necessity, not pleasure. Now, I’ve had an opportunity to spend a little time just reading. Isabel Wilkerson’s ‘Caste’ was a transformational read for me. I’m reading all sorts of authors that I hadn’t had time, or thought, to read – and sometimes it’s just helpful to think about something besides higher education; when this is what you do all day, every day. Our students are, of course, residential, so it’s really a 24 hour job. But with them not here at the moment, I’m not lying awake at night waiting for the phone to ring because there’s a really good party going on at the campus, so I’m able to read for pleasure and maybe get 6 or 7 hours of sleep at night.”
Mayor Ray Bourque, City of Broussard, Louisiana:
“It’s key to me to have a strong spiritual life and a healthy home life. My two wonderful children and my wonderful wife are very supportive of me in the long hours that I work sometimes. Without that, it would be much more difficult. So I’m very fortunate that I have those blessings in my life.”
