10 Questions with James Thomas Shell

This is a new feature that I hope will grow into something special. The questions will be the same for everyone and they are the ones I have answered below. I would like for the Movers and Shakers in this community to get to know one another. I believe that "10 Questions" will help facilitate that endeavor.

1) Can you give us some background and a history of yourself? (Where were you born? What is your educational background? Why did you come to or stay in Hickory? Tell us about your professional accomplishments.) I was born on July 15, 1966 at the former Hickory Memorial Hospital. I was raised in Hickory went to St Stephens Elemenatry, then Webb Murray, before moving to Conover in 1978. I graduated from Newton-Conover in 1984. I then started out a Lees-McRae College before attending UNC-Wilmington where I received a B.S. in Finance in 1989.

I graduated from UNCW while the Savings and Loan Crisis was going on. Banks weren't hiring so I went to work for my Aunt Jane Moore at 1859 Cafe and that is how I learned the ropes in the restaurant business from the bottom up. After a while I realized that I needed to legitimize myself in the restaurant business, so I went to Central Piedmont Community College where I studied Foodservice Management - Culinary Arts. It was probably the happiest period of my life, because I was around people that loved food and strived to do it in a professional way. I graduated from that program in July 1997.

I then moved to Southport to work at Bald Head Island. That was a great experience, although the compensation wasn't great for the amount of work put in, but I did learn a lot about life. In the 15 months I was there, I probably did a legitimate 2 years worth of work.

My Grandfather was diagnosed with terminal cancer in November 1998 and I wanted to be near my family, so I moved back home and have been here since. I have worked at 1859 Cafe, Rock Barn, Adult Life Programs, and Backstreets in the years since.


2) Tell us about the accomplishments you are proudest of achieving in your life? Something besides having a family or raising children. We all recognize that those are common goals that we all aspire to. What’s the most exciting thing you saw/did/experienced/were a part of in your personal life? In your professional life? I can't think of any personal awards or accolades that I have received during my professional career, but 1859 did receive restaurant awards that I feel I contrubuted work towards while I was there and the same can be said about Rock Barn.

I served many of America's Who's Who when I worked at Bald Head Island. I won't drop names on this forum. I have had exciting moments when people have personally enjoyed my culinary creations and it has always given me great personal satisfaction, when I can please someone, see their body language, and they have personally thanked me. I really do appreciate people that appreciate people.

3) If I were to ask people that know you to describe you what would they say? Eccentric. Can be the nicest person in the world and can be a mean SOB. Loyal, trustworthy, determined, nervous, dourer, pessimistic, intelligent.... But, if a task needs to be accomplished go get Tommy.

4) How much bearing do the opinions of the people around you have on your decisions? It depends on whose opinions they are. I am willing to listen to anyone, but some people's opinions carry more weight than others. I am trying to change this and not prejudge what others say before (or while) they are saying it. My public speaking professor said that the most important facet of communication is the ability to listen and comprehend... That had a profound effect on me, because before that I would shut people out if I disagreed with them. I'm still not perfect, but I am halfway there.

5) Can you tell us of a professional mistake that you have made that may have had an impact on who you are today? Does it still bother you? Can you share with us how you came to grips with that error? I can live with the many mistakes that I have made, because they are part of my being. I will readily admit that I have made several by chasing after personal dreams instead of taking the steady path. Every mistake I have made has bothered me, but I can't go back and change them.

I wish that I would have been wise enough to start out in a teller position at a bank when I graduated from UNCW. I wanted to work in a loan department and those jobs just weren't available during the S&L crisis or the recession of 1991. After that it was too late. But, I don't mind the restaurant business. I just hope that one day that I can do my own thing. I will leave it at that.

6) If you were given enough money to tackle one project (think nearly unlimited) that you felt was important to the Hickory Area, what would that issue be? People tell me that I am a dreamer about this, but I truly would like to see a light rail system connect Hickory to Charlotte -- Light Rail to Charlotte: One Investment Worth Making. That would make us more connected literally and figuratively to Charlotte's modern economy. Throw in with that the possible reopening of the rail line between Asheville and Salisbury and you might really see an upsurge in alternative transportation in this area.

I just know that part of our future growth, development, and economic circumstances are going to rely on alternative transportation. It won't be tomorrow, but it is time to start thinking about those alternatives.

7) Let’s say there is no money available for the foreseeable future. What one project (priority) would you push as part of your agenda that can be done with little or no money? To make accessibilty to sources of knowledge user friendly. The resources are already there. It is just leading the person to them and getting their curiosity piqued . Those resources include books, computers, the arts, and/or mentors.

We should have zero-tolerance towards illiteracy; be it composition, literature, math, or finance. These are the building blocks of successful societies. Many of the problems that our community faces today are due to functional illiteracy.

8) What is your overall philosophy of the development of this area? Where would you like to see us in 5 years? 10 years? 20 years? I hope that we get Hickory By Choice right. I hope that we don't have people become entrenched over personal philosophies. I believe in personal liberty. I don't believe in the "Greater Good," but I am not going to shut someone out because they bring that type of mindset to the table.

In 5 years, we should be looking at the development of the Hickory Metro Area. I would like to see an awakening of the entrepreneurial spirit in this community. I would love to see some cutting edge technical manufacturing brought in here -- not home runs, just building blocks. I would really like to see our community take the lead in new routes of education and see an emphasis towards cultivating some bright young people that want to help develop Hickory. I hope that we will start seeing some growth from the Appalachian State relationship and a true expansion of Lenoir-Rhyne into a premiere private University. I would like to see some "outside the box' degrees to be offered from our educational institutions.

In 10 years, we should have moved on to thinking along the lines of the region (all of Western North Carolina). I would like to see the investments we have made in knowledge and education begin to bear fruit. I think this would begin to cement our community as the geocenter and hub of western North Carolina. I would like to see that light rail line started by then. I would like to see a primitive physical transportation connection (and accessibilty) to areas within Hickory, the Hickory Metro, and nearby Metro Areas. This "Transportation Web" is important to the synergistic development of this region.

In 20 years, I would like to see this area be a vital cog and core of a retooled and respirited America. I would like to see the light rail systems well on their way to completion. I would like to see a modern city enjoying the fruits of forward thinking development. I know that we will have grown more urban by then and I am hoping that it is done in an efficient, consistent, systematic, and relevant way. I think Hickory with 60,000 people can still have a non-urbanized feel, if developers are given the proper tools to work with.

9) If you could define your Personal Legacy what would you like it to be? What would you like to be remembered for? I would like for people to think that I contributed to pulling us out of this malaise that we have been in for nearly 10 years.

I would like for people to say that my biggest asset and my biggest liability was my loyalty. "He would stick it out even when everyone else had abandoned ship -- He drowned doing that (Bwahaha)." I think people will realize that patience turns into procrastination. At some point in time you have to take action. Sometimes you have to prod people along to that action. Just because something is against the odds, doesn't mean that it mustn't be tried. Sometimes there is no alternative.

I wasted many a year waiting on the "Leaders" of this community to get it together. It was time to speak up, not for the connected, not for the socialites, not for the intellectuals, or inheritors. It was time to speak up for the forgotten people. I think the well to do in this community lost touch with reality. Sure they weren't doing "as-well," but relatively speaking they didn't have to worry about ending up out on the streets.

I would like to be remembered for bringing the conscious back to this community.

10) How do you define Leadership? Leadership is 50-50 mind and heart. It's a lot easier telling you what it isn't. It certainly isn't polling a focus group, trying to be all things to all people, or doing what is politically expedient. I just sense when someone has leadership skills. I will never be one to blindly follow, but I certainly can be inspired.

Here is a link to my Alphabet of Leadership. The Alphabet of Leadership.