Member Spotlight 2022 V1
At UMassFive, we believe that our members are what make us great—after all, each and every one owns a piece of the Credit Union. That's why each Newsletter, we feature a short interview with one of our members.
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What is your name?
Rodger Alan Gwiazdowski /(g)wiz·dauskē/
What is your occupation?
I help lead state and federal recovery projects for endangered species of bugs. I get to do a bit of everything from field & lab research to multi-agency coordination. I’m also an Adjunct Professor in the Department of Environmental Conservation at UMass Amherst.
Where do you live?
Northampton, Massachusetts
Do you have kids?
I have a constellation of family-friend’s kids in my life, but none of my own.
Do you have pets?
No. I’ve worked with animals most of my life and it feels somewhat like bringing my work home.
Are You Excited to Build Your Business Relationship With UMassFive?
UMassFive helped me with a small personal loan when I was in a pinch as a poor grad student, helped my business with a PPP loan during the early pandemic, and recently helped me set up my retirement account. So I suppose I’m equal parts excited, and certain.
What do you do in your free time?
Roadbike, and I'll count cooking because it's fun. When can we travel again?
What is your favorite food?
Anything eaten with someone I love. Because I'm an opportunistic omnivore. When traveling, I ask local folks for the place with the best flavor, or the place nobody knows about. Great conversations flow from there.
What profession would you like to attempt other than your own?
I would have liked to be an assistant producer on Anthony Bordain's show "No Reservations." As an assistant, I couldn't screw it up too badly, and I'd love to learn to share experiences like that.
If you were stranded on a deserted island and could only have three items with you, what would they be?
- A towel is just about the most massively useful thing an interstellar hitchhiker can carry.
- A satellite phone, because I'd like off [the island] at some point; and to be able to check the weather.
- Yeah, that book. Or that other book. Is a box-of-books one item?