There are occupational hazards in every job, including HofArc’s design and build industry, but there’s a new hazard that is a first for us. Each morning, with coffee in hand and slippers on his feet, HofArc’s VP of Marketing has to dodge toy trucks, blocks and flying golf balls during his 20-step commute from the kitchen to his home office in Monterey, CA.
HofArc’s new VP of Marketing is Carl Parker, and he’s been a key part of our marketing team from the beginning when he handled most of our technical web services. Although we’ve had a virtual relationship for several years, we just met him in person for the first time this September. “We’ve all been pretty busy, I guess!” said Carl with a chuckle. “There hasn’t been a lot of spare time in my world!”
For the past few years, Carl has been creating his own Internet marketing business while growing a young and active family. This month, he takes over the reins of telling HofArc’s story online. Here’s a quick introduction to Carl’s World…

HofArc: It’s seems a little odd for us to ask this question because we know the business side of you very well, but since we don’t see you at work every day, we don’t really know the personal side of you. Could you tell us a bit about yourself?
Carl: I was born and raised in the big city-life of San Jose, CA — aka “Silicon Valley.” For both junior high and high school, I lived a few miles south in the small town of Hollister. During this time I enjoyed playing football, basketball, paintball and any other competitive and adrenaline-based activities.

HofArc: What’s been your career trajectory?
Carl: As a youngster, I was more industrious than most kids, I guess. I had a paper route in middle school, worked 32-hours-a-week at a fast food restaurant at the age of 16, and was working 40-hours-a-week my senior year of high school, while still maintaining above a 3.0 GPA. The day I graduated from high school, I moved out of the house and have been paving my future ever since. When I was 19, I was buying car insurance from a local broker and they hired me on the spot. That ignited a fairly successful 10-year career in the insurance industry. Early on, I was promoted to office management and achieved many sales production records, both individually and at the office level. Shortly thereafter, I was given a corporate mangement position before I turned 21. My responsibilities included marketing, recruiting/training, sales, and business development strategy.

HofArc: Sounds like you could help us with navigating the complicated world of insurance!
Carl: No thanks, I’ll stick with Internet marketing… (laughs).

HofArc: Seriously, it sounds like you are drawn to the human side of business, with a healthy dose of corporate strategy, plus all things techie. Now that’s not a typical mix for a professional is it?
Carl: Probably not, but it is for my skillset. I fall in love with business challenges. I’ve always liked a creative challenge. Through it all I’ve enjoyed the personal side of things. The one-on-one process of getting to know people, their business goals, their needs and everything in-between. My personality has a lot of humor in it, so tackling tough business issues tends to be less intimidating. Business is a personal thing for me.

HofArc: What’s it like living in Monterey?
Carl: Monterey is beautiful and I love the people. We have adapted well to the small town local scene. We love the quaint mom-and-pop restaurants. We relax on the beach and get spoiled with the year-round weather that always seems to be in the mid 60s. Monterey is a lot like Santa Barbara, just a little cooler. We still have a bunch of family in San Jose, too, we’re not completely isolated from relatives. And, of course, I love to golf, so this area is a perfect opportunity to get on the links with friends and family.

HofArc: So, you have family in Monterey?
Carl: Yes, my wife, Dotty, and I were married at Lover’s Point right here in Pacific Grove. She’s an ER nurse at night for our local hospital and she loves her job because she makes a difference in people’s lives. One night, we were at a San Jose Sharks hockey game with our family and a spectator nearby had a heart attack. She basically saved his life and they are still in contact today. The only thing she loves more than work is her family. She focuses on our family and does a great job.

HofArc: So, can you introduce us to the munchkins?
Carl: Sure! We have an 11-year old daughter named Kalana. It’s a Hawaiian name that means, “the heavens, or the sky.” She’s very loving, funny and an intelligent young girl. She’s basically the mini-mom for our 2-year old son, Sean. He’s the one who makes my commute to work so hazardous! You’ll find his matchbox cars and toy balls throughout the house.

Then again, Maui, our cocker spaniel, doesn’t help by spreading them all over too! Sean had an amazing golf swing since he was about 9 months old, so who knows where his game is headed. It’s going to be a challenge to keep up with my little man! Speaking of toys, mine is a silver ‘98 BMW 328i convertible that I love to tinker with in the garage. It’s also a fun ride for the whole family to enjoy the beautiful coastline that we live on.

HofArc: That’s so cool that you get to spend so much of your time with Sean. Have you always liked hanging around kids?
Carl: Before I was a parent I enjoyed playing with my friends’ and families’ kids, so I jumped at the opportunity to be home with my own. It’s definitely a balancing act between work and the kids. Being a work-at-home Dad takes a lot of mental strength and discipline to do it, but there are a ton of benefits. It’s simply an issue of finding the right balance. I’m thankful that HofArc has given me the opportunity to continue with the path I’ve chosen.

HofArc: What’s your role at HofArc?
Carl: Simply put in two words, it’s online presence. In the past, a lot of business success was tied to your brick and mortar locations. In today’s world, however, your web presence is vital to your long-term success. My job at HofArc is to enhance their worldwide awareness that goes beyond the HofArc team, and that is the unique and revolutionary lifestyles that we can create. Therefore, I am creating a business strategy that allows the company to embrace it’s future.

HofArc: How would you describe the mission at HofArc?
Carl: HofArc’s mission is smart and small space development. Being a recent homeowner, I know firsthand the challenges and opportunities that smart space design affords people. It’s absolutely essential that everything — from appliances, spaces and technology — are maximized to their most optimal abilities. I’m very detail oriented, so I like to be efficient in my use of space, time and money. My wife and I are pretty careful on how we spend our time and money. HofArc is all about creating a custom-fit lifestyle for those of us who are focused on getting the most out of life.

HofArc: What’s the future look like at HofArc?
Carl: Considering the amount of success we’ve seen and where things have grown, from one Airstream renovation a few years ago to 100+ in just a few years, we’re clearly going places. Our core team is optimistic about where we’re headed. We’re willing to look outside the box, to redefine how we live, to reconsider what we’ve overlooked, and figure out how we can live better. People haven’t seen what we’re capable of yet. We’ve done some cool projects, but there’s even more eye-catching concepts being built and there’s more on the drawing boards. Our team is making people’s lives more comfortable and adventurous — starting with our own!

HofArc: Sounds like it’s a good fit for you… is it?
Carl: A living space is a long term and very tactile process. To help people achieve that is so rewarding. After just one visit to the Santa Barbara campus it’s clear that the personality of everyone on the team is real. Seeing the way they interact with each other is pretty special. Their efforts, their creativity, their hard work, are all motivating factors that inspire me to reach for greater results at HofArc.