Things My Grandmother Taught Me

BY KAREN COOPER

Icome from a long line of people who defy their life expectancy. Some who live to be almost 100 and are still pretty good at remembering things (most days) and even on their bad days are an absolute treasure, just because they’re alive. My grandmother lived to be 98 and that meant I had her in my life for 40 years! We spent a lot of time together all throughout my life and I learned and adopted her quiet ways. I didn’t realize how much I was like her and how much I had learned from her until she was gone. I hope she knows…and I suspect she does…how grateful I am for these lessons.

“A strong work ethic gives your life purpose.”

My grandmother was always moving. Like many women of her era, she cooked three meals a day, kept her house organized and cozy, grew the most beautiful flowers and plants, canned and put up vegetables and preserves every year, and made sure everyone around her had what they needed. She also worked at Belks department store for many years. She was busy all the time, but I never once heard her complain. In fact, just the opposite…even though she was reserved and somewhat guarded, she seemed to enjoy the work she did at home and her work at the store. She seemed fulfilled and content and not like someone who was searching for something more, something different, or better. What I learned from watching her was to be thankful for the blessings in your life and the people who surround you. It doesn’t pay always to be wishing for something more than you have.

“The simplest things can bring the greatest joy.”

Now that I’m older this really hits home, as I remember my moments with her in her modest, cozy home and warm inviting kitchen as some of the most special times of my life. Truly simple pleasures and pure joy to be had there when she was doing just about anything.

“Food will always bring family together.”

The spreads my grandmother could put before us while keeping calm, cool, and collected…you wouldn’t believe. And when this spectacular array of culinary choices was laid out like something out of a magazine, she would always say, “I hope there’s something here you can eat.” She didn’t even know how amazing it was. I could never replicate those meals and certainly not without becoming frazzled and asking for all family members to pitch in! I don’t know how she did it. It must have taken days of preparation and planning, knowing when to start everything so it all came up ready at the same time. It was truly an art form. And some of our best family times were around those elaborate meals. Enjoying the food, the conversation and lingering long after the eating was done to listen to the stories being passed down from grandmother and grandfather, uncles, and aunts. The best memories were made around those tables. Cooking was my grandmother’s way of showing love to the people she loved most. In fact, she would make special dishes for me that didn’t have onions in them because she knew how much I didn’t like onions. There would be one dish for me and one for everyone else! She was showing me her love. From these times, I learned to cook big meals for my family (albeit on a smaller scale) and I learned that making and serving my family food is a love language I understand, just like my granny did. Because, like her, nothing makes me happier than filling my loved ones’ bellies and lingering around the table in telling stories.

“Humility is powerful”

Through her own humility, my grandmother was a wonderful role model for showing love and compassion and how to serve others graciously. People were drawn to her because of her humble way of being in the world. She never raised her voice… not that I ever heard. She spoke softly, but her words were heard, because we wanted to know what she said. She was always a good listener. She focused on you as if you were the only person who mattered in the world. She took care of those she loved without expecting acknowledgement (though she did get lots of it). Her reward was in the satisfaction she got from making others happy. All these things made me want to be like her; and I strive to live in a way that I know would please her.

She was a trusted, comforting force in our lives. Her actions spoke louder than her words and she lived out the truest description of love….

“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.”

“It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.

It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

Love never fails.

MICHAEL MCGILVARY:

PARTNER AT MARZANO CAPITAL GROUP

A very wise saying goes like this: “Show me your friends, and I’ll show you your future.” It’s no secret that people significantly influence our lives, and for Michael McGilvary, this truth is demonstrated.

For much of his childhood, Michael’s mother, Angela, worked for Marzano Capital Group so he was exposed to the industry at an early age. After meeting Jon Marzano, Michael developed a great interest in the world of investments. His circle of influence paved the way for his future career.

“Jon was a huge encouragement for me,” Michael shared. “When I visited Mom at the office, I was very curious about investments, and he was incredibly patient with me – encouraging my interests. Over time, I determined I wanted to follow in the same footsteps. After college, I joined the industry in 2014, and two years later, I joined Marzano Capital Group.

“What I learned very quickly is that our business isn’t about numbers. It’s really about relationships and trust. I can input numbers all day long, but nothing gives me as much satisfaction as helping individuals and families. You could even argue that Marzano Capital Group is in the relationship business; investments are just the vehicle we use to get there.”

Today, Michael is a partner in the firm. His favorite kind of clients are the ones who reach out to him for financial advice and to learn about their options. “I have a great deal of satisfaction in helping my clients make smart financial decisions. I want them to be educated investors and serve as a resource for them!”

A native of Clemmons and graduate of West Forsyth High School, Michael has deep roots in the community. “I love Clemmons. Other than a short stint working in Charlotte and my time at East Carolina University, Clemmons has been home. I think we have an incredible community, and I feel incredibly blessed to go to work every day to a job I love in a community that I have grown up with.”

His love for community is also demonstrated through his servant leadership. Michael has been an active member of the Lewisville-Clemmons Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors since 2018. He served as President

Behind Making Dollars Making Sense

BY DENISE HEIDEL

Securities offered through LPL Financial, Member FINRA/SIPC, Investment advice offered through Independent Advisor Alliance, a registered investment advisor, Independent Advisor Alliance and Marzano Capital Group are separate entities from LPL Financial.

Marzano

TWO FUN FACTS & A TIP

Michael McGilvary shares two fun facts and his best financial tip: 1. If Michael could have any other career – he would have wanted to be a stand up comedian or a musician. 2. Michael and his wife love to travel, but nothing beats the North Carolina coast for them, especially Ocean Isle. MICHAEL’S TIP: ‘Don’t sweat the latte.’ In other words, don’t sweat the small purchases, but plan for the large ones.

in 2020 and currently serves as the VP of Leadership Development. “We have an amazing business community,” said Michael. “I love connecting with others through the Chamber!”

Michael has been married to his wife, Kelly, since 2017, and together, they have a 17-month-old daughter, Waverly. A committed family man, Michael loves spending time with his family, traveling, and pursuing fitness. “In college, I participated in track and field, and so I still enjoy running, as well as mountain biking. Beyond that, I enjoy playing guitar in my spare time.” and risk management, but he also works with local businesses to build employee and executive benefits plans.

Marzano Capital Group is located at 2625 Neudorf Road, Suite 400 in Clemmons. Call them at 336.766.0464 or visit them online at MarzanoCapitalGroup.com. Also, be sure to like their page on Facebook.

Marano

Extending the Freshness of Fruits & Vegetables

BY LISA S.T. DOSS

Apples, blackberries, figs, raspberries, persimmons, and pumpkins top the list of favorite autumn fruits. With the vast array of options, the thrill of the season is to rise early to select the freshest produce from local farmers’ market vendors. You’ll find there greens, onions, snap beans, corn, sweet potatoes, yellow squash, and zucchini. In the semi-cool temperatures, patrons often feel at leisure to peruse before buying. On your next visit, become a well-informed, savvy shopper by knowing how to spot the most delicious jewels and extend the season with good storage practices. Isn’t it amazing that fruit and vegetables have rules?

BASIC FRESHNESS RULES

In desiring the best fruit and vegetables, inspect the produce by looking at the coloring, plumpness, and also determining whether, like apples, they have a shine. If the packaging is damaged, do not take the chance.

Additional rules:

• You can smell the health of produce.

Trust your senses! Fragrance corresponds to the quality of its taste.

• Feel the weight. An apple and an onion, for instance, should be heavy.

APPLE: Four characteristics guarantee an excellent pick: firmness, a natural shine, vibrant coloring, and a good weight.

AFTER-BUYING TIP: Always remove the fruit from its crate, box, or bag and assess each one for dents, bruises, or rot. One bad apple will indeed ruin the bunch. For best longevity, individually wrap apples and other similar tree fruits in paper and place them in a cool location.

ASPARAGUS: The tender tip of the spears will wilt if kept in the plastic bag; instead, remove an inch at the stem and place them into a glass filled with one inch of water. Cover the tips with a plastic bag and use within a week.

THE “WATER TRICK”: Fresh herbs placed in a glass of water and covered with a sandwich bag will survive up to three weeks in the refrigerator.

BLACKBERRIES: Choose the package which has shiny and plump blackberries. Like tree fruits, immediately remove from the packaging to ensure that molded, or crushed berries do not rot and spread this condition, ruining the bunch.

WASHING TIP: Only rinse berries, fruits, and vegetables you intend to eat. Water will result in soggy fruit and rot.

SEPARATION TIP: Bananas, apples, mangoes, kiwis, and pears especially need to remain apart from other fruits and vegetables to prevent early spoilage.

CABBAGE: To test for maturity, gently squeeze the cabbage head, looking for firmness. As a cool weather crop, cabbage should be stored in a cool, damp environment, such as the floor of a root cellar or in a refrigerator. Wrap the head in a damp paper towel and place it into a ventilated plastic bag.

RUBBER BAND RULE: Take off the bands that hold vegetables together; this releases restriction and builds vitality. a storage location for the edible bulb. It requires a cool, dark place, inside a mesh or braided bag. Unfortunately, if the condition is too cold, wet, or hot, they will rot or start sprouting. Distance the onion from all other produce to avoid all fruits and vegetables smelling alike. Consider chopping and freezing in a Ziploc bag.

TIP: Keep onions far away from potatoes.

CHERRY TOMATOES: Like most whole fruits, tomatoes also should not be refrigerated. Although they are subject to losing flavor, tomatoes will continue to ripen. Whole fruits should be able to remain at room temperature, cool and dry, for five days. REFRIGERATION TIP: Maintain a temperature of at most 40 degrees or lower. Overstocking inhibits airflow, leaving no space to prevent food from going bad. Freezing fruits and vegetables is ideal; they can last beyond a year if sliced and well-sealed.

GREENS: Toss rotten leaves, but wrap unwashed leafy greens in a dry paper towel to retain excess moisture. Place into a plastic bag, keeping it opened before placing it into the “crisper drawer.” Keep vegetables away from mangoes, pears, and kiwi. Reviving lettuce and herbs needs only two minutes in ice water.

CONTAINER TIP: A store owner is required only to provide what is for him or her an economical container, which does not imply longevity. Consider alternatives, such as Mason jars, Ziploc bags, or other sealable items.

Lastly, let’s resolve one more question about vegetables—unhusked corn should be refrigerated.

Behind the Screen of

PIEDMONT ADVANTAGE CREDIT UNION’s IT Department

Piedmont Advantage Credit Union’s IT team are (left to right) IT Technicians Anthony Rodgers and Tony Dyer, Senior Vice President of IT Robert Payne and Network Administrators Garrett LaRue and Jack Larkins, who is pictured remotely. If Piedmont Advantage Credit Union’s IT department resembled most IT departments, there’s usually no public limelight or gravitas.

“In our view, this needs to change,” said Piedmont Advantage’s President & CEO Dion Williams, however. “If it weren’t for our IT team, as a credit union, we would be unable to achieve that needed balance of modern and traditional banking experiences our members expect and the market demands.”

Williams went a step further and pointed out that “I” in IT is “information.”

“Information rules everything we do. No decision is made, and very little purposeful action is taken, without information to guide us. The chief caretaker of information in our organization is Senior Vice President Robert Payne, who develops and manages the plan for how information is accumulated, organized, stored, transacted, and analyzed.”

This “Behind the Screen” article is intended to shine a much- deserved spotlight on the area’s IT departments, using the financial industry as an example of the significant role this department’s leader and team plays in the credit union’s success to deliver exceptional service and relevancy in the marketplace.

Humbled by Williams’ comments, Payne and his team of four prefer flying under the radar. Knowing that they contribute to the success of the credit union and their colleagues’ ability to deliver exceptional service is rewarding in itself.

“It’s a given if you’re in IT, you have the technical knowledge to do the job. But having this knowledge isn’t enough anymore. You need to be, above all else, a good listener and problem-solver. As a team, we strive to deliver on this each and every day,” Payne said.

Payne emphasized, as Williams alluded to in the introduction, that IT is more than technology. It’s about how technology affects people. “In reality, we’re in a unique position to implement technology strategies that make people’s lives easier,” he said.

Network Administrator Jack Larkins agreed. “I really enjoy taking an idea and figuring out how best to automate it so that it improves productivity and overall effectiveness of others in our workplace.”

When Payne had to step away from the interview briefly, his team praised his leadership and management style. They all agreed he has a proactive mindset. He has the ability to foresee problems before they actually arise, which is a necessity in the financial industry, where regulation and security are more intense concerns than in most other industries.

For example, years before the pandemic, Payne had formidable remote management capabilities in place. The IT department diagnosed, configured, troubleshot and updated PCs, as well as installed new software remotely on a regular basis. Not only did this remote infrastructure improve IT system management and help reduce IT support costs, but it also minimized corporatewide downtime. Scaling these remote management capabilities across the credit union in a secure manner so that employees could work from home was efficient and relatively easy and quick to do.

The team also mentioned that Payne is a good listener within the team. “He knows our strengths and gives us opportunities to use our strengths to grow professionally,” said IT Technician Tony Dyer. According to Network Administrator Garrett LaRue, he loves what he does, because every day is different and being a life-long learner is essential. Agreeing with LaRue, IT Technician Anthony Rodgers added, “I’m fortunate to work with a talented group of people, each of whom brings a different level of expertise and skill to the conversation.”

The moral of this article, as Piedmont Advantage’s IT team demonstrated, is that today’s IT departments don’t merely focus on technology. They have leaders who are versatile, sensitive and strategic, enabling organizations to be more creative and responsive. As new issues come to light, valued leaders of IT teams, as with Piedmont Advantage, put forth more creative solutions to get ahead of where the technology needs to go. They solve problems that the organization may not even know they have.

Piedmont Advantage seeks caring, highly motivated individuals who want simply to serve. Go to PACU.com/ Career to view current job vacancies.

PACU