Each month we will be highlighting one of our Thurston Young Professionals, allowing us to learn a bit more about the successful professionals in their 20s and 30s making an impact on our community.
This month our featured TYP is our Committee Chair, Michael White!
Q. Where were you born?
A. Seattle, Washington
Q. Where do you work and what is your title?
A. Michael White Insurance Agency, I’m a local Farmers Insurance agency owner.
Q. What is your role?
A. Since I’m the owner I am responsible for every aspect of running the office, but my primary focus is on commercial accounts.
Q. What is your favorite part about your job?
A. Meeting business owners and hearing their story from the start of their idea to now running a business.
Q. What is your most embarrassing moment at work?
A. I once tried to text my coworker to complain about my former boss coming to work late, but accidentally sent the message to my boss instead.
Q. Before working at your current job, what was the most unusual or interesting job you’ve ever had?
A. I actually worked summers at Yauger Park, Stevens Field, and LBA Park at the concession stands during softball season. I got to watch baseball, and as a teenager I got to eat as much junk food as I could stomach. It also helped that the family that operated the stands was the nicest couple in Thurston County. They even came to my wedding, almost a decade after I stopped working for them while I was in high school.
Q. What is your biggest achievement to date – personal or professional?
A. Taking over the agency last year was a huge, intimidating, terrifying, beautiful and wonderful achievement. My dad was an insurance agent and was terrible at it, so being able to do something well that my dad had problems with just feels like I have successes I had to earn on my own.
Q. What do you do when you aren’t working?
A. I love being a jack of all trades so that I don’t get bored, so I play bass in a band which is called 351, I organize a gaming group at Olympic Cards and Comics, and I’m currently teaching my son how to compete with me on video games.
Q. What is the best vacation that you have ever been on? Explain.
A. I went to Aruba once and the place we were staying at was right across from the beach, the weather was perfect. But, honestly, I just like long airplane trips and the quality, relaxing time I get to spend with my wife.
Q. If you could be any animal, which would you be?
A. A Penguin, because of how simplistic their lifestyle is plus they look cool. They’re committed through harsh conditions and seem content.
Q. If you won the lottery, what is the first thing you would do?
A. I don’t even know how much money you win in a lottery. I went to Disneyland once right when the new Tron movie was in theaters and they had a whole 80’s themed arcade and bar. I think if I didn’t have to worry about making money from something like that I would want to open an 80’s arcade/bar.
Q. What chore do you absolutely hate doing?
A. Dishes. I don’t like putting my hand in soapy, mystery water.
Q. If you could met anyone dead or alive who would you meet and why?
A. Charles M Schulz. His art is iconic and he has always been kind. I feel like a conversation with him would have been inviting, warm, and I would love to have seen the world the way that he did with hope.
Q. What are you doing to have an impact on our community?
A. I volunteer once a week to mentor elementary kids and for the past 5 years, I have served as a Thurston Chamber ambassador helping with events.
Q. Any other items/comments you would like to share?
A. I am motivating myself in 2020 to consider this: I can’t just put a value in how successful I am, but are my successes valuable to myself and others in my community?
