MEET CHRIS GREENWOLD! Started as an elementary school teacher, he is now a financial adviser and an insurance provider with Countrywide Financial. Teaching people about finances and guide them to do the right decisions is why he wakes up every morning. An athlete at heart and loving his 2 boys is what makes him tick! Welcome Chris to the The Faces of Champaign-Urbana.
Get to know Chris and his amazing journey as he prepares himself for his next Spartan Race!
Q: . What inspired you or led you to your current career?
A: I was in elementary education and I transitioned to do something else for a little while kind of take a break and a few agents and the manager here in Champaign came to me and convinced me to consider insurance and financial services. I laugh at it. I have come to learn that teaching people about being a good steward of finances and helping guide their decisions is very rewarding. It is teaching and I love it.
Q: What is your favorite restaurant in The Palm Beaches, and what do you love there?
A: I like food a lot. I’m pretty stuck on Black Dog at the moment and the rib tips are killer.
Q: How long have you lived or worked in Champaign-Urbana ?
A: I’ve been here for 20 years
Q: Who is the most interesting person you’ve met here in Champaign-Urbana?
A: Mark Walters and Bob Bingston, those 2 guys loves to travel and they have such a passion for it. They love exploring other cultures and seeing things and I love listening to their story about their travels. It’s really need to hear about their perspective as they travel throughout the world.
Q: If you could travel anywhere in the world right now, where would it be? And why?
A: I always want to go to Ireland because that’s where my father’s family came from.
Q: What advice would you give a crowd of people?
A: Key to success is failure, the speech I give most often. You don’t a lot from succeeding, you learn a whole lot every time you fail. So don’t be afraid to bust head against a rocks couple times that’s what growth is learning from your experiences.
Q: What is something on your bucket list?
I would love to get good enough shape to do the Badwater 135 which is the toughest race by national geographic.
Q: What current / former local business makes you the most nostalgic about The Champaign-Urbana?
A: A baseball card shop in the shopping center off from Mattis by the old movie theater.
Q: What is your favorite thing or something unique about Champaign-Urbana?
A: I love our parks. My kids love going to the park here and I think we have some of the amazing parks. They are a great place to allow the kids to run and have fun without much worry.
Q: Where do you see yourself in 5 or 10 years?
I love what I do and see myself doing exactly what I am doing right now.
Q: (Even for friends or family), what is something interesting that most people don’t know
about you?
A: I’m an avid reader of fantasy novels. My favorite is the Robert Jordan’s series, The Wheel of time.
Q: What 3 words or phrases come to mind when you think of the word HOME?
A: Family, community, Friends
Q: If you had a full time staff member that was fully paid for, who would you choose?
Chef, Housekeeper, Driver, Coach, Physical Fitness Trainer, or Nanny?
A: My assistant Pam, she drives my kids around, she coached me on parenting since the day she started, she is a Physical Fitness Trainer and I am lucky enough that I’ve already got all those.
