The idiom sounds weird reversed … but for the He Says She Says KC About Us page … ladies first:
She — Becca
I was born in Kansas City, Missouri, and then grew up in Lenexa. I attended Kansas State University and graduated with a degree in Apparel and Textile Marketing. I always thought that I would move away and start a life somewhere else. I held true to the moving away part a couple of times, but I always ended up home in KC.
The feeling of wanting to move away stopped when I fell in love with a KU Grad. We have been married for almost 20 years and have two kids. We are not a house divided because it is not an even split because my kids have been brain washed since an early age. We actually cheer on both K-State and KU unless they are playing each other — then I am the only Wildcat in the room.
I am a home maker now, but I have had my share of jobs and some might be surprising to people who know me. I have gone from Assistant Mortgage Closer to the beer bottling line (while being seven months pregnant). During school, I worked in the banquet room for a hotel, which was a physically demanding job. We would roll out the tables, set the tables, serve the patrons, and then have to tear down the room all while wearing a maid’s uniform (not the cute French variety, but the mid-calf length one with suntan hose and white nurse shoes). I even had to climb into a clown costume over my lovely uniform for a birthday party. Then the next summer, I was working in Colorado doing window displays and working in a women’s clothing store. I guess that I like variety, and I do not mind getting my hands dirty (a strong work ethic was instilled in us by my mother).
I am the mother of five children. So it’s really two kids, two dogs, and my husband. I feel like a behind-the-scenes grip helping my family put their best foot forward and I wouldn’t have it any other way. I also enjoy volunteering at their schools, running my daughter’s Girl Scout troop, and decorating apartments for Amethyst Place (a home for mothers who are recovering from substance addiction — and their children).
Besides my family, I enjoy working on craft projects for the house, painting with acrylics, reading, drinking wine, working-out, and having fun. My husband and I are like other busy parents trying to balance family, work, and play. We also try to make sure that we have some time just the two of us by taking trips or just getting out and enjoying KC.
He — Brent
I grew up all around the Great Lake states (I’ve lived in six states in all) before my family finally settled in Olathe prior to me attending junior high school.
If you had asked me then what my future looked like, I would have told you that I was going to be a third-generation Oklahoma State Cowboy and then working as a sports reporter or announcer somewhere, anywhere. Yeah. I went to KU and my grandfather didn’t talk to me for about six months (don’t worry we made up).
I did NOT want to move to Kansas City as a kid – I loved living in Indianapolis, and it was a formative time in my existence. After attending KU (and by the way, my kids are not “brainwashed,” they just know good choices), I considered moving to Chicago, Denver … name any city that is considered cooler than KC.
Problem is … love is sometimes not necessarily “cool.” Instead of a torrid affair, my love for the city and the area sparked into something lasting, something rooted in the core of me. (It also helps that my lovely wife – in every way really – will call no other place but Kansas City home.) Anyway, this place has all of the grit of the rich jazz and blues heritage commonly associated with the city.
I run my own marketing company now after more than 20 years in the field. An amalgam of large corporate (Fortune 500), agency, startup and venture capital positions have afforded me the opportunity to showcase both depth and breadth in digital marketing, brand management, public relations, strategy and change management, executive communications, event management and social media.
I’m drawn to KC companies and people who are doing good for humankind – and now that I’m on the outside, I can be more bold about telling their stories.
My prior jobs aren’t nearly as odd as Becca’s – no breweries for me as I would have imbibed all the product – but growing up I did work several years as a baseball umpire (I call ’em like I see ’em), a retail clerk in home improvements and men’s wear, a daycare teacher/nanny and a waiter.
I currently play tech support and math tutor at home. With the kids and my other interests (more on that in a sec), my volunteer time had diminished over the years. I served on the Parkinson Association of Greater Kansas City’s board of directors, helping them plan two gala events, and the Kansas City International Association of Business Communicators board. Now, I’m back helping bring the arts to Kansas City children by serving on the Kansas City Young Audiences board.
I LOVE basketball, books and being a geek, so now my time is spent coaching my son’s YMCA basketball team nearly year round, teaching my daughter how to be weird and, at one time, serving as the Executive Producer for the award-winning podcast Adventures in Scifi Publishing.
Besides spending time with my family, friends and fellow nerds, I enjoy drinking beer, coffee, bourbon and wine (I should stop), tinkering with gadgets, listening to live music, and traveling (within or outside of KC).
Becca and I do what we can to make the world better place – teaching our kids to do the same – while taking time to cherish the present and respect the past.
If you would like to speak with us about any sort of opportunity, please contact us or email us at teamb|at|hesaysshesayskc|dot|com.