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Today's Featured Biography
Chris Higginbotham
After High school, I worked the midnight shift at Quiktrip while going to Devry University during the day. I probably saw some of you as you passed through the Quiktrip doors for a burrito and a Big Gulp on your way home from a night out.
After graduating, I went to work for a large computer company and worked there for 21 years. In 1990, they moved me from Kansas City to Atlanta, Georgia where I experienced much more than I think I would have been able to if I had stayed in Kansas City. Atlanta has had a lot to offer such as the Olympics in 1996, the World Series winning Braves, great job opportunities, great weather and a very diverse population. It is also the world headquarters to companies such as: Coca Cola, Home Depot, Delta, Airtran, CNN, TBS, Kroger, UPS, The Weather Channel, Hooters, Chick-fil-A, Waffle House and many more.
During my time at this company, I was able to travel extensively throughout the United States, Canada, Mexico and some islands such as Hawaii and the Bahamas. I traveled for several weeks at a time to 47 different states and visited some of the larger cities dozens of times. It was a great experience. Even though I don’t travel for work now except for a couple of times a year, I still travel for fun on my own, visiting some of my favorite places such as Kansas City, Florida, Minnesota and Upstate Michigan.
I worked my way up in the company, yet with the success I gained, I still felt unfulfilled so I went back to school. While working a full-time job, I attended one of the best Engineering schools in the country, Georgia Tech. After receiving my BSEE (Electrical Engineering), I started working at a software development company and later went to work at E*TRADE Financial where I am at now. Currently, I work as a Security Engineer where I help prevent the bad guys from breaking into our web site.
While I was studying for my engineering degree (during the housing boom), I also started a remodeling company where I put my construction experience to good use. It was a great experience to have my own company, but knowing that I was going to graduate soon, I dissolved the company and luckily before the bottom fell out of the housing market.
I’ve always been a very curious person and have wanted to learn new things and pride myself in being able to fix everything from broken plumbing, electrical wiring and other household items to a broken car and broken computers. I’ve been working on computers since the mid 1980’s and had an email address before anyone I knew had one so it was a few years before I could even email anyone.
I’m not the type of guy who likes to lie around much, but you can sometimes find me on the couch late at night watching House, Family Guy or Tosh.O In my spare time, I read a lot, but hardly any fiction. My favorites are science, math and everything from philosophy to history. I also love to develop software, especially for Robotics and am waiting for the day when there are enough robotics companies out there to go work for one full time. I have a lot of outdoor hobbies such as boating, working on the house and hiking in the North Georgia mountains around the Southern Terminus of the Appalachian Trail. Sometimes, I take my nephews hiking and we will camp overnight in the mountains and sleep with one eye open, hoping that no bear comes wandering by at night wanting to eat us.
It’s hard to believe that it’s already been 30 years since we have all been together in High School, especially since I’m only 35 years old. Even though I still feel young, my body is telling me differently. In the last couple of years, I had to start wearing reading glasses and am wearing them right now to type this letter. Age may bring you wisdom, but it also brings you bad eyesight. Age and Wisdom may let you see the world better, but just not up close. Thankfully, my hindsight is still 20/20.
The most important things in life to me are my family and friends, learning, experiencing life and having as much fun as I can while still helping others. I am still extremely close to my brothers and Kevin and wish I could see them every day.
Hope everyone is doing well and has had as much fun as I have had. Looking forward to seeing everyone again in July.
Other Interesting Facts:
- Got married in 1985 and divorced in 1993. Do you know why divorces cost so much? Because they are worth it!
- I have four beautiful nieces (Cassandra, Kayla, Samantha and Edaliza), but no kids of my own. I also have two cute-as-a-button “adopted” nieces (Molly and Macey) that stay with Kevin and Teri and three handsome young “adopted” nephews (Zach, Adam and Joey) that stay with Samer and Lori.
- My Great-Great Grandmother was a full-blooded Cherokee Indian who lived in the Cherokee Nations in the early 1840’s and subsequently married my paternal Great-Great Grandfather, who had recently emigrated (legally, I hope) from Germany.
- My maternal Grandfather played professional baseball for over 14 years (even during the depression-era) and played for the Chicago Cubs in the early 1920’s against such greats as Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig and Ty Cobb.
- My father and my Uncles all worked together in the family-owned business that provided everything needed for Drive-in and indoor theaters. My brothers and I along with my cousins all worked there during the Summers when we were young. My living Uncles still run it and are the only company that still makes products for Drive-in theaters. A couple of years ago, they were asked by the Smithonian to provide the old-style speakers that hung from the car window so that they could be displayed in the museum.
- In 1994, I was accepted into Mensa after having been tested with an IQ in the top 1% of the world.
- I still have all of my own teeth and some of my hair.
- I own a few multi-family homes which are investment property and which I hope to use for additional income during my retirement (if I ever retire).
- I only had one dog during my life and her name was Dino, or Dino-the-dog or beanie-baby, depending upon how good she was being at the time.
- I’m a very spiritual guy who believes in Karma and am always trying to do the right thing for myself, others and the world around me. I always try to live a balanced life that is full of laughter, courage, adventure and kindness.
- For those of you who aren’t paying attention to the latest technology, Robotics is the next big thing. Right now, it’s like computers were 20-30 years ago. Watch out, the Robots are coming!
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