We interviewed one of our business owners, Tom, about his professional and personal life. We want to give you an inside look of just who you are working with when you choose to do business with Western Pacific Insurance. Here are some of the highlights from the interview:
How long have you been working for Western Pacific Insurance (WPI)?
“I’ve been here 5 years. I came from a finance/banking background and had the opportunity to buy my dad’s insurance agency along with my brother, so we’ve been here 5 years and our dad formally retired over 2 years ago. It’s been a great experience.”
What is the title of your job and what does it entail?
“I’m the owner, one of two owners. To tell you the truth, when you own a small business you’re doing everything from custodial work to high-level strategic planning and everything in-between, so we do a lot.”
What do you like most about working at WPI?
“I love working with the people we have here. We have a great team. I love trying to build something that helps people and makes us more efficient and effective as a company.”
What is the biggest lesson you have learned in your career so far?
“You never stop learning! You always need to make best efforts to try and keep learning. The world changes and we have to change right along with it.”
Tell us a fun fact about yourself that people may not know.
“Having grown up here in Las Vegas, I used to go out in the desert all the time and ride bikes and do things, but I loved catching lizards. I considered myself an expert lizard catcher when I was young.”
What are your top three life highlights?
“One would be marrying my wife, Amy. She makes me a better person. Two, I’ll group my four children together but their births and raising them. It’s awesome to be a part of such a wonderful family. Three, I served a mission for my church in Guatemala City, Guatemala and it was a life-changing experience that I loved.”
What do you like to do on your days off?
“If I can escape for a trip with my family or go fly fishing I love doing that, but otherwise, some gardening. I like smoking meat or other things with my smoker, and just being around the house and sharing time with family or reading.”
What would you do for a career if you weren’t doing this?
“I tell my wife that if I hadn’t married her I would’ve been a fly fishing guide up in Montana, so I’ll stick with that.”
What was your first job?
“When I was 11, my dad put me to work in his pool service so I worked there during the summers for quite a while.”
How do you define success?
“I’d say finding peace and happiness. You know, what brings us peace and happiness, that tends to not be monetary things, but the relationships I have with family and friends.”
Questions?
Do you have more questions for Tom? Send us a message on Instagram or Facebook @wpinsure and he will answer them. Click here for the video version of Tom’s interview.
