By Heber Jimenez, Experience Expert at Core Bank.
Growing up, I competed in many sports ranging from wrestling to basketball… but running was the sport I truly excelled at. Even though I was a good runner, I found it very hard to enjoy. Just think… a runner’s sport is to do what all other sports consider a punishment. So when I started high school, I was reluctant to join the cross country team.
CROSS COUNTRY TEAM
One day the coach was able to convince me to come out and give cross country a try.
“You will enjoy it way more than you think,” he said. Boy was he wrong. It was a long season of many hot, dry miles and on top of all the running, I tore my meniscus.
After a rough start to my running career, the next three years were different. Over the years, I went from a torn meniscus to being one of the top runners in the state. So what changed? I was fortunate enough to be able to surround myself with a great team. I enjoyed being part of that team so much that I found myself trying to finish the race as fast as possible just so I could run back to our last runner and cheer him on. By the end of my high school career, our team placed second in our state meet.
GREAT SUCCESS REQUIRES A GREAT TEAM
Through cross country, I was able to learn that great success is achieved by surrounding yourself with a great team.
Before running, I was busy chasing animals and playing with friends. I was born in Casas Grandes, Mexico with my loving family and older sister. I grew up speaking Spanish, chasing sheep around the farm, and eating the best homemade Mexican food. Eventually, my family moved from Mexico to the United States where we found our forever home in the small town of Hugoton, Kansas. It was there where I learned what other types of cultures looked like, made friends with different kinds of people, realized that American food was pretty good too, and learned a second language.
I went through elementary, middle and high school in Hugoton. Because of my strength in running Butler Community College wanted me to come and run with their team. I attended BCC where I was a member of the cross country and track teams. After two years, I transferred to Wichita State University where I gave up running to finish my degree in computer engineering. After graduating, I got married and moved to Lenexa to be with my wife.
While living in Lenexa, I was fortunate enough to have been offered a great job as an engineer. But in the back of my head, I kept remembering the first time I met Core Bank. It reminded me of my cross country team from many years ago. I saw the passion, the culture, and most of all I saw collaboration. It was a team I wanted to surround myself with, and now I’m glad to be a part of this AWESOME team.
My title as Experience Expert means you’ll see me when you walk through the door of Core Bank in our Kansas City location. I’m always ready to talk about good food, running and how I can help. I hope to see you soon!