Hometown: Decatur
Family: Sons, Rick and Randy; daughters, Robin and Renee.
Occupation: Account executive, J.L. Hubbard Insurance and Bonds; tour coordinator, Soy Capital Bank and Trust.
Education: Decatur public schools, Richland Community College, University of Illinois at Springfield.
My “I’d rather be …” bumper sticker would read: “I’d rather be riding my Harley.” While I sincerely enjoy working in the insurance/banking industries, motorcycling gives me true R&R. No phones, emails, television, radio, just the sound of the engine and the sights and sounds surrounding me.
Hobbies/interests: My interests are varied. I love riding my motorcycle, traveling, classical music, history, reading and helping others. I enjoy my children and enjoy attending my six grandchildren’s many activities. I find being involved in my community is an awesome opportunity.
People are also reading…
My first job: Handing out pecans at the entrance of F.W. Woolworth Dime Store during the holiday season welcoming customers to the store. (I think this was my first volunteered position. My sister was a supervisor of the store and I received no pay.)
Why I do what I do: I find satisfaction in working with people. I work at assisting customers with their insurance issues striving to find solutions where they have had problems. Insurance is often foreign to consumers and they need someone to guide them in the right direction. I enjoy the satisfaction of having customers feel good about placing their trust with our company.
I also love traveling with the great people who are Soy Bank travel customers. Those who travel with the Bank Club are kind and considerate and looking forward to great times on their trips.
Personal approaches to challenges: I say a prayer at the beginning of each day to set me on the right path of attitude and helpfulness. I make a consecrated effort to work through tough situations. Many times working through challenges I find that timing is very important; a phone call, an appointment, a meeting, etc.
As my positions often pull me in a number of directions I count heavily on my memory and to-do lists. There is nothing quite so great as being able to mark lines through items completed on a list. I prepare my to-do list at night for the following day. I also try to work as long as it takes to complete a project — not just 9 to 5. For me, having connections and a network of friends and associates to be able to go to for advice and help is a very important key in a working day.
Community involvement: President of Decatur and Macon County Area Crimestoppers Association, past president and current board member of the Illinois State Crimestoppers Association, board member of Macon County Fair Association, member of Decatur Area Women Networking, treasurer of Land of Lincoln Mot-her-cyclists Association, currently working on the Committee for American Diabetes to have Kevin Breheny Kiss A Pig, committee member of the WSOY and Community Food Drive soon to be in its 12th year and a lifetime member of Harley Owners Group.
A lot of us have an image in our minds of the traditional bike dude. Do you think people would be surprised to find out just how many “business” people are avid riders and blow this stereotype out of the water? Absolutely, I believe most individuals would be very surprised to know how many business people ride. The stereotype biker dudes still exist but not nearly to the extent many believe. The bikers we see in our community are individuals who work behind desks, drive trucks, build homes and the list goes on.
There’s a rumor going around that women actually ride motorcycles, too. Is this true? Many of those riding are women. In our women’s riding group we have an attorney, several bankers, teachers, nurses, hair stylists, home builders, insurance brokers, to name only a few. There are more and more women riding each year. An important point to remember no matter how much an individual may want to ride, riding is not for everyone. Riding for many is a stress reliever. However, a woman should ride because she wants to, not because someone wants her to ride. This is a hobby/interest which takes skill, practice, concentration and ability and not for everyone.
How long have motorcycles been a part of your life? I rode on the back of my brother’s motorcycle at the age of five and love the thrill of the ride. I rode as a passenger for several years before taking the Illinois Motorcycle Safety Class and purchasing my first cycle, which was a 750 Virago, then a Harley Davidson Dyna and currently a Harvey Davidson Fat Boy. I have been avid rider since 1989.
What’s the appeal? Riding is my R&R, giving me a sense of accomplishment, a feeling of freedom, knowing there is some risk of danger and needing to be on guard against losing focus. There is an excitement about being in command of a powerful machine. Another great appeal is the camaraderie of those who ride. The nicest people ride motorcycles.
What is the general reaction of people when they learn you are such an avid biker? Usually shock, some amazement, some disbelief, a few who are envious and always, always people who want to share stories with you. Either stories of their own experiences or that of friends or relatives. People like to talk about riding or how they would like to ride a motorcycle, if only…
I guess it’s safe to assume you’ve done some extensive traveling on your motorcycle. I have had the awesome opportunity to ride my motorcycle through the western states and the Rocky Mountains, Yellowstone National Park, Utah, Montana, New Mexico to the east coast of Maine, through Nova Scotia and up into Canada, from upper Michigan to southern tip of Texas and throughout the southern states. I have ridden more than 200,000 miles since 1989 and am not looking to quit as yet. We have such a great state and country and so much yet to see. I always look forward to riding to the next destination.
You are a co-organizer of the Land of Lincoln Mot-her-cyclists. Tell us about the group. Land of Lincoln Mot-her-Cyclists Inc. is the name of our women’s riding group in Decatur. The organization was formed in 2003. We are not a dealer sponsored organization therefore all makes and models of motorcycles are welcome in our group. We have members who have been riding 20 years or longer as well as riders just finishing their safety course and getting their license. Our group has taken trips to Colorado and the mountains as well as to Texas, to the Outer Bank and a great many destinations in between.
We meet 6 p.m. on the first Monday evening of each month at a designated restaurant. In nice weather we plan a dinner meeting and ride to a city within a 50 mile radius to combine a ride and a meeting. Meetings are used to plan rides throughout the year. We plan one-day rides, weekend rides and try to plan a multi-day ride or two each year. We also plan rides when spouses and significant others are invited to ride with us.
Our mission is to encourage and support women who ride, to promote recreation, education, camaraderie and safety for women riders and to foster a positive image of motorcycling and women riders.
How do you join? Any woman rider may contact us on the web at www.mother
cyclists.com, the only stipulations are that you need to be licensed to ride a cycle (not a passenger) and that the cycle ridden has the legal horsepower to be able to ride highways and interstates. The dues are $12 per year. If you are interested you may call me at (217) 972-7113 or visit our website.
