W

ith June ushering in Father’s Day, we thought it was a great time to celebrate, honor, and be grateful for all the men in our lives. We have purposefully curated stories of interest to both males and females during VIE’s fifteen-year publishing legacy but will admit there is often more than a touch of femininity in most issues. This is our third issue dedicated to men, and we’re excited to share it!

Life is getting tougher post-COVID, and the pressures are significant for many—and sometimes especially for men, who don’t openly share their feelings as often as women. It’s given me pause to think about the men in my life—my husband and business partner, my dearly departed father, my nephews, my brothers, my pastor, and many of my colleagues in business—and I started thinking about how we could honor them and curate an issue just for them. In my life, I know I wouldn’t have achieved what I have or be half the person I am now without the support, love, and backing of the men who have been with me on the journey. To all of you, I send a big thank you! And to many of you, well wishes for a Happy Father’s Day.

I am in love with this Gentlemen’s Issue for several reasons (yes, I have been told I say this about every issue, but this one is an outlier). It’s new and fresh, and because it celebrates men, it looks a little more rugged and cool. The cover is a unique photo by Noah Custer of the handsome Renaissance man Kurt Tobias, who has been making waves in his life and community since launching his business, Choona, in 2019. Learn all about him and what he is doing to bring style outdoors and offshore when you take a deep dive into his interview with editor Jordan Staggs. Tobias and many others in this issue are disrupting the norm and doing things their way as they make their marks on the world.

Check out all the new initiatives at the family-owned and operated woodworking plant E. F. San Juan as the legacy of quality craftsmanship continues. The company’s third-generation production manager, Eddie San Juan, embarks on filming Season Two of a fresh new web series, Real Wood: Crafted Stories with Eddie San Juan. This behind-the-scenes look into the E. F. San Juan woodshop gives unique insights into how they craft custom architectural millwork, doors, gates, shutters, and much more for custom homes on the coast.

We wish you all a happy start to the summer season and hope long, lazy, sunny beachside days are in your future.

To my husband, Gerald “Jerry” Burwell, I am thankful and lucky to have you in my life. You are all I ever needed and wanted in a man!

To Life and Love!

—Lisa Marie Burwell CEO/Editor-in-Chief

We collaborate with talented photographers, writers, and other creatives on a regular basis, and we’re continually inspired by how they pour their hearts and souls into their crafts. Follow these creatives on social media and don’t forget to check out our account, @viemagazine.

IN THIS ISSUE, WE ASKED THE CREATIVES: IN YOUR OWN WORDS, WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE A GOOD MAN?

STEVEN VANDEN HEUVEL

Founder & President, SORD Fishing Products

@sordfishingproducts

Being a good man to me starts with having a great relationship with Jesus and being a sacrificial leader in my marriage, with my family, in ministry, and with the guys who work for me. It means putting my desires aside and seeking the greater good for those around me. It means that I will stay consistent in the priorities I set for myself and take actions that match the things I have said are important. I believe another mark of a good man is present in the people he chooses to surround himself with and those who hold him accountable for being the best he can be.

man supports his community and doesn’t confuse confidence with arrogance or vulnerability with being weak. A good man respects and uplifts women, protects the defenseless, and perpetuates good home values. Often, what’s on TV or seen in the world aren’t examples of what “a good man” should be. By knowing what we’d like to see in ourselves and others, we can be the change we want to see and lead others to a status of being good. Lastly, a good man prays without ceasing. How can you know how to be a good man if you have no relationship with a great man like Christ? My ideas of what a good man looks like come from Him.

IT MEANS PUTTING MY DESIRES ASIDE AND SEEKING THE GREATER GOOD FOR THOSE AROUND ME. IT MEANS THAT I WILL STAY CONSISTENT IN THE PRIORITIES I SET FOR MYSELF AND TAKE ACTIONS THAT MATCH THE THINGS I HAVE SAID ARE IMPORTANT.

KURT TOBIAS Founder & President, Choona @choonaclothing

Defining what makes a man good is difficult without first acknowledging what makes him bad. I won’t write a dissertation on morality, but I believe our ideas of good and bad must be rooted in something bigger than ourselves, something unchanging, and for me, that’s Jesus. Because on my own, I know I am not “good.”

A good man is selfless with his time, money, and resources. He is consistent in how he pursues the people in his life and treats women with the respect they deserve. A good rule of thumb is that whatever culture is selling or telling me it takes to be good, I’d sprint in the other direction. Performing good actions isn’t the end goal; it’s a byproduct of a consistent, selfless life.

Chef Derrick Lewis

Owner & Executive Chef, Well Kept Catering

@thewellkeptchef

In my opinion, being a good man means being a provider and a leader and being loving, chivalrous, respectful, protective, honest, forgiving, selfless, dependable, hardworking, family-oriented, and upstanding. It’s being slow to anger and keeping your word even when it may seem hard. A good man is a brother to strangers and a friend to the friendless, even in passerby moments. A good

BROCK MEYER

@brockmeyer2

I would say that being a good man means providing for your family, being present as a husband and father if you have a wife and kids, and raising your kids right so they grow up into good adults. Taking care of yourself, working hard, and just being kind to others goes a long way!