- Department: Hotel & Restaurant Mgt
- University: Allan Hancock College
- Location: Santa Maria, California
For those that know me, my story is familiar. I love talking and sharing stories about my life and I want to hear your story too! Life is so fascinating to me and learning other people's life journey is one of my favorite things to do. I grew up in Ventura and met an amazing young lady in college. Stacey became my best friend and life partner, sharing many great adventures over the past 35 years. We made a couple of awesome kids (Chelsea & Nathan) and are now experiencing a bit of "empty nesters syndrome" while we wait for our kids to finish school and start their own families. We also have a great son-in-law Alex, who will pester me if he doesn't get a shout-out. Stacey and I have been very blessed during our 30+ year marriage. We felt God’s guidance and provision in our relationship almost from the beginning. We are both members of Orcutt Presbyterian Church and have served as elders, deacons and youth group volunteers. We are also involved with The Salvation Army, Casa of Hope (helping house victims of sex trafficking) and the Santa Barbara Foodbank. We live in Orcutt, just 10 minutes commute to Allan Hancock College. If the weather is nice, I like riding my bike to work. I have taught in the Culinary Arts & Management program for 18 years, but went full time in 2016 after 35 years working in various restaurants. Teaching is very similar to running a restaurant. I love sharing what I know with employees and students, trying my best to remember the million mistakes I have made to help them avoid the same thing. For those students and employees I have worked with, hospitality is the word that comes up most often. I believe in the value of every person, and embrace the philosophy of "treat people the way you want to be treated". This world can be so harsh and difficult to navigate on your own. It seems like a roller coaster sometimes, sending us from extreme joy and love to deep depths of sadness, loneliness, anxiety, sorrow and pain. If we don't do our best to treat others with love and compassion, we go through life with an empty feeling. What do I like to do? I thought you would never ask! Spending time with Stacey is a priority since I am serving a life sentence with her. Wait, that sounds bad. Really, we have found many things we like to do together like hiking, camping, traveling, music, good food, family, friends, dogs and movies. The things I like that are not her thing are cars (she will leave the room if I watch a car rebuilding show), playing guitar, fishing and attempting to fix things that I have no skill at. I am a firm believer that YouTube can show you how to do anything. I actually told her that when I attempted some electrical work on our house. I learned that it is not as easy as it seems, and getting tased by your house really sucks. I am excited that there are no other Meet the Prof profiles at Hancock. I am rarely the first at anything important. I honestly feel the students, faculty, staff and admin at Allan Hancock College are the best in the world, with the shared goal of learning and improving our lives. That goes both ways since I have learned more from my students than I could ever teach. You do have me outnumbered though. I hope to be here for any student that needs help. Whether it is about faith, academics, work life, relationships or difficult times, I want to be here for you to help.
Favorite Quote
My dad Russ Lovell used to tell me "whether the job is big or small, do it right or not at all". He died November 15th 2006 and whenever I take shortcuts, I swear I hear him whisper that to me.
Friends describe me
Depends on the friends, but most often as a "goofball" (Jamie Hay coined that one, and it stuck).
My hobbies
Home improvement, biking, hiking, camping, guitar, traveling, reading, movies, cooking/eating, board games, photography, old cars...
Fantasy dinner guests
Jesus, Elvis Costello, any Marvel superhero, any President (so I can tell them how to run the country).
Best advice I ever received
My brother Russell says "you got this" when I doubt myself.
My undergrad alma mater
Cal State Northridge
My worst subject in school
Paying attention - any class that is boring
In college I drove
1966 Chevelle, then a Toyota pickup
If I weren't a professor, I would
Not be as happy
Favorite books
Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis (The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe too)
Favorite movies
Star Wars, The Matrix
Favorite city
Paris
Favorite coffee
Any that is free. Just black.
Nobody knows I
Filled out a Meet the Prof profile
My latest accomplishment
Pushed through an Associate's in Science for Culinary Arts & Management at Allan Hancock College
Current Research
How to effectively teach cooking online to my students in the midst of a pandemic!