#nexusinterviews with Mike McKeon
Always do justice to the opposing opinion
This is how my conversation with Mike started! This is the motto that guides his life and I knew I am in for a very interesting interview!
Mike has worked in aerospace and defense for over 30 years with most of that time spent at Rocketdyne. Every astronaut in history launched from US soil was powered by a Rocketdyne engine. In addition to rocket engines, Rocketdyne had a presence in the energy industry. His last 5 years with the company, he led a business unit called Extreme Engineering. Extreme Engineering provided engineering solutions and risk services to the offshore oil & gas industry.
But even with such an inspiring career, Mike seems to have found the true meaning of life. He tells me:
“The most important part of my life is my family. I’ve been married to my wife, Deb, for 21 years. We have a 16 year old daughter, Madisyn. Most of our family time is spent doing something associated with Madisyn’s softball activities such as fundraising, coaching, and watching games. Also, we love to travel together mostly to beaches and islands.”
We are proud as Nexus Energy Center to have so motivated people in our board. People with a sense of social responsibility and eager to engage in activities that advance our society! So when I asked him what it means to him to be part of Nexus Energy Center’s board he replied:
The opportunity to work with such dedicated and committed people is an honor and humbling at the same time. Nexus is about people. Our people, Ruchi, Chad, Keith, Ricky and Ioanna make other peoples lives better. There is nothing more rewarding than that.
Asking him to share with us an inspiring story and a big lesson from a time he had failed he simply said:
I took a huge promotion mostly for the money. The new job required me and my family to move from Florida to San Diego. Neither my wife or daughter wanted to go. I convinced them that it would be a great opportunity. I’d travel less and we’d spend a lot more time together. Because I was excited about the money, I did not do enough research on the company culture. While in San Diego I worked 12 – 16 hours a day and on weekends for nearly two years. I never saw my family. It was a complete disaster.
What I learned is never ever take a job for the money. Making money is great but not at the expense of the things that are really important, family, health and happiness. Chase your passion not money.
And it is this passion that makes him put all his efforts to make Nexus Energy Center the go to organization for energy efficiency knowledge.
Last but not least I had to ask what was his biggest dream for Alabama and the US?
“My dreams tend to be centered around my daughter. I want her world to always be free and her life to be full of challenges but little hardship.”
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