WHAT I'VE LEARNED

What I’ve Learned Jimmy Robinson

BOBBY LANIER FARM PARK OPERATIONS COORDINATOR

Interview conducted by Stephanie Painter. Photography by Larry Kuzniewski

I’ve always been an outdoor person. My grandparents had a farm in Bartlett and that seemed like the country back in the day. I was in Boy Scouts, and we were outside in the summertime riding bikes and playing kick the can.

I worked in medical sales for 30plus years and got to a point where with stress and emails, you couldn’t

disconnect. Then I bought a landscaping business and sold it after six years. I’m at a time in my life where I don’t want to slow down, and my wife suggested I apply for Operations Coordinator.

The best thing about living in Germantown is schools that have been

great for our younger children. The special education program is great for our youngest child Jack, who has Down syndrome.

I admire special education teachers

in the Germantown system. Teachers in these departments have challenges every day, and they are rock stars.

I also admire my dad, who was a

general surgeon in Memphis. I scrubbed in surgery with him, and while a lot of people get to work for their families, not many get to work for their dad when he is saving a life.

My favorite quote is from Carter Crenshaw, our pastor in Nashville. He said, ‘The worship is now over, but

the service begins now.’ It stuck with me that we’re just going for an hour to worship, but the whole week between Sundays is where your service is. It means doing the right thing during the week.

Germantown is unique because you have that hometown feel but can go two miles east or west and find anything you don’t already have here.

We love going downtown to Grizzlies and Redbirds games, and we’re die-hard Tiger basketball fans.

We are avid duck hunters during the winter. My father-in-law, brother-in-law and my sons hunt from November to

January. The girls got tired of begging us to come home for Thanksgiving, so now we celebrate the holiday at the duck club in Humnoke.

It’s fulfilling to spend time at home. We have a pool and a great backyard for

dogs and our grandkids. Seeing your kids grow up and fulfill their dreams and have their own kids is fulfilling. Watching our youngest children Jack and Abby flourish and spread their wings is great.

State colleges are now offering a twoyear program for those with special

education needs. Jack said, ‘Dad, I’m going to college.’

Show up and be on time. Do what you

say you’re going to do. Get up and work at it, and you’ll go somewhere.

The best professional advice I’ve received was to learn to manage my

expectations. No one is perfect, and I practiced managing my expectations of people and life in general.

The worst professional advice was ‘go

with the flow.’ You need to have an opinion and a voice, or you’ll get run over and won’t go very far.