New Jersey couple leaves the big city for work-life balance

Francisco Arceo’s favorite part of the day is the sunrise walks with his sixyear-old rescue dog Ivy through his new neighborhood in Red Rocks. The Chicago native then grabs a cup of coffee and commutes down a few stairs to his home office, complete with a picture window and a view of the golf course and surrounding Black Hills. His mornings are much different now than a year ago when he was commuting over an hour from Jersey City into New York City.

“We’ve adjusted nicely,” Francisco’s wife Stephany said of their new, slower paced, lifestyle. The couple moved to Rapid City on Halloween 2020 after a quick visit in August for an interview Stephany had with Black Hills Pediatric Dentistry. “Before, Francisco was commuting to work a total of two and a half hours so that was a huge chunk out of the day, and then I was working a lot of Saturdays. Now, we can spend more quality time with each other. We don’t feel so stretched out.”

Francisco grew up in South Side, Chicago, the middle child of two Mexican immigrants. Growing up in Chicago, he enjoyed spending time with his large, extended family, cheering on the White Sox, and boxing, even winning his first amateur match. “I was an amateur boxer for about three years and then stopped during graduate school.” While his focus now is computers, that was not always the case. “My path into computers and computer science was a little nonstandard. I was very passionate about economics, then the intersection of statistics and economics… programing was a critical part of being able to do that sort of work which is what ultimately led me to discover my passion for computer science.” Francisco works as a senior machine learning engineer with FAST, an earlystage technology company focused on one-click internet checkouts. “I build software at the intersection of data and machinery.” Prior to joining the FAST team, Francisco spent most of his career in financial services.

The couple met at Columbia University where Francisco was earning his second master’s degree, and Stephany was following in her father’s footsteps and attending dental school. “My father is a dentist which piqued my interest in dentistry. I enjoy helping people and working with my hands.” She especially loves working with kids and their unfiltered honesty. “The first dental visit can have a lasting impression, so my goal is to provide a positive fun dental experience for every child.”

Stephany was working in Newark but looking for a change. “I’ve always wanted to move out of New Jersey, but no place ever seemed to be the right fit for the both of us. It was because of the pandemic that Francisco had this opportunity to work from home and not be bound to New York City.” With FAST completely remote, Francisco could live anywhere as long as he had a good view and high-speed internet. That gave Stephany the freedom to explore different opportunities.

Stephany, originally from New Jersey, searched all over the country applying for jobs in Vermont, New Mexico, and Georgia along with her application to Black Hills Pediatric Dentistry. “We came up for an interview in August and then made a decision just after a week. It felt like a good fit. You really have everything you need here.” One of the biggest selling points for the couple were the direct flights to New Jersey and Chicago from Rapid City Regional Airport. “It was comforting to know that my family was just a plane ride away.” Stephany has also loved her new job. “The owners and everyone there have been so incredibly nice and welcoming and really care about the community and what they do and the kids they see.”

Both Francisco and Stephany are excited to create partnerships and provide additional opportunities to those in Rapid City. Both know the importance of investing in people and the community. “I was a first-generation college student, and the first in my family to go to graduate school. Over time, some family members would tell me that they looked up to me because of that,” Francisco said. He hopes to foster more technology innovation by working with local businesses, startups, and would love to recruit from the South Dakota school of Mines. “We are looking for talented people, and I know the School of Mines has some talented engineers that are graduating every year. Hopefully, a pool of those students can be interviewed and brought on board and create a great collaboration between the school and FAST. Technology and innovation are shaping the future, and I’d love to share some of my learnings here.” Leaving a positive impact is important in any community you live in, Francisco said. “The way to really help a community is to invest in it. Invest in supporting businesses. Invest your dollars not just your words. I am excited to get closer to the community and see how we can be helpful in whatever means that might be. “