| Michael T. Hiester | | Resume | My Webcam | Pictures of Me | Links | Contact Me | |
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Welcome to my corner of the web. Feel free to surf my site and links to learn more about me, my family,
and my interests. My wife Dawn and I are the proud parents of two wonderful children. Emily was born in 1998 and is Daddy's little girl. Blonde and blue, she is sure to be a heart breaker when she grows up. Adam was born in August of 2000, but he doesn't let that stop him from keeping up (or attempting to) with his sister. He is a determined little guy and truly completes our family. We purchased a Victorian home in 1998 and are in the process of remodeling. Our home was built in 1896 and gives us ample room for the kids as they grow up. By my estimation, we should have the remodeling complete by the time the kids graduate. Just don't tell my wife that. Out latest projects include restoring the original wood siding and getting a more Victorian feeling in the paint scheme. We also just tore the old barn down and built a new 22x38 three car garage. Finally a place to keep all that stuff that we don't need, but just can't seem to get rid of. I have been employed by the Indiana Army National Guard since 1989 (full-time since 1990). For most of my career I have worked in the Operations and Intelligence field. I have recently returned from Bosnia-Herzegovina where I served as the Platoon Leader for 3rd Platoon, E-238th Cavalry, the "Roughriders". Browse this site for pics of my platoon in Bosnia (okay, they are still not posted, but one day the just might be). I have also been employed by the city of Bluffton, Indiana since 1993 as a firefighter. I have served in the past as the treasurer of the firefighters fraternal order and as a Lieutenant/Training Officer for the Department. I am currently the President of the Fraternal Order of Firefighters. Be sure to check out the Bluffon Fire Department home page. In 7 short years I will be looking to retire from the Active Military. I plan to pursue a second career in real estate appraisal and sales. I am currently a licensed residential appraiser trainee. Fortune smiled upon me and I was able to secure a position with a Certified General Appraiser, Ray Shaw of Shaw Real Estate & Auction in Bluffton. I currently do residential appraising work for Shaw Real Estate and will complete the Real Estate Sales Person course through Troyer School of Real Estate in March 2004. My interests lie in cycling, both road and mountain-biking. My rides are a GT Z1000 road bike in what else but GT Blue & Yellow Team Colors. And for the days that I hit the trail, I ride a Klein Mantra Comp in a signature blue paint scheme that only Klein could pull off. I ride for recreation and fitness, and have never attempted to race. Although as I get older, and closer to a mid life crisis, I flirt with the idea of trying a race or two. When the weather cooperates, I like to don my mask, fins, and tank and get a dive or two in. I am a PADI certified Advanced Open Water Scuba Diver and SDI certified Rescue Diver. In March 2004, I will complete Dive Rescue I & Dive Rescue II courses in Florida through Dive Rescue International. I will complete my Public Safety Dive Instructor Course and Dive Rescue I Instructor Course in June of 2004. Northeastern Indiana doesn't exactly provide the best dive locations in the world, however I am able to get wet in local ponds, quarries and lakes. The Great Lakes are only a couple hours away providing a nice day trip or weekend getaway. The cold dark water preserves wrecks fairly well. It isn't Cozumel, but it's still diving. Speaking of Mexico, I have had the opportunity to dive the island of Cozumel and it is an incredible experience. Highly recommended. Drop me a line if you are in the area and want to hit the road or trail on our bikes or if you want to get wet. |