“Para Mi Familia.” These words graced the graduation cap worn by Janelly Rosales when she earned her MBA from Lenoir-Rhyne University – but it could have just as easily read, “For My Community.” With a heart for family and a love of service, Janelly now helps emerging entrepreneurs realize their dreams in a career based on her longtime desire to pay back the opportunities her parents and mentors provided her. Janelly talks about everything from her role in the local small business ecosystem...

Richard Dowdy may be busy running his own business, but more often he’s running after his three spirited young boys. This devoted father and husband found himself in Catawba County after relocating more than once for work – but when he and his wife landed here, they knew it was where they wanted to plant roots for their young family. Listen in as Hal talks entrepreneurship, fatherhood, and community with Richard Dowdy on this month’s episode of Making. Living. Better.

Vino Paul was reluctant to follow his family from Michigan to North Carolina – and when he eventually did, he quickly realized there was nowhere else he’d rather be. Within a year of moving, Vino met and married his wife and began a career in manufacturing that now has him certified in mechatronics and working as a lead technician for a German chassis components manufacturer. When he’s not working, he’s spending time raising his three kids, growing his local Romanian-American roots, and...

Dr. Gener Augustin could have chosen to live anywhere. An accomplished vascular surgeon with time at Rochester University and Harvard under her belt, Gener came to Catawba County and realized it was where she needed to be – if she wanted to stay married, that is. While she was interviewing with Catawba Valley Health System, her husband Edward had already decided Catawba County would be their home. Hear more of Gener’s story – including her endless search for the best ice cream, and how she...

In Catawba County, the Appalachian Trail is right in our backyard – and it has beckoned two local hikers in two very different ways. George Place uses the AT as a place for personal meditative journeys, venturing out on solo 10-to-12 day hikes on a near-annual basis. For Lori Wray, the AT is something to conquer in its entirety – which she has been doing, segment by segment, for the past three years. Listen in as host Hal Row digs into their unique and compelling AT stories on this special...

Kevin Lyford could be called a modern-day Renaissance Man. He not only serves as a part-time EMT, but he also trains future EMTs as director of the Emergency Medical Science program at the local college. A crossfit enthusiast, he co-owns a local gym where he helps people reach their fitness potential and finds innovative ways to give back to the community. But even three jobs aren’t enough for this avid learner, a multilinguist who is also pursuing his master’s degree in biology – all while...

For Luis Millan-Lara, taking pictures is all about capturing happy moments. Having learned the technical skills that helped him become a professional photographer, he could have taken his talents anywhere. But he knew Hickory, which was home to his family and friends, was the place that would bring the most joy to his work. It’s also been a launching pad for the entrepreneurial spirit he inherited from his father, who helped create a local hidden gem his family still operates. Listen in as...

Jared Clark comes from a long line of teachers, so the career path to being a middle school teacher and coach came naturally to him. But his road to playing baseball was a little different. Listen in as guest host Rob Eastwood learns about how Jared’s father and Major Leaguer Jim Abbott inspired a boy born without a left hand to play baseball from the age of five all the way through college. That boy has now become a Catawba County Teacher of the Year and father to a new baby girl. Check out...

Anthony Lawing’s life is like a storybook: growing up in small town, playing college football, and returning home to marry his high school sweetheart and start a family. But Anthony’s story doesn’t stop there. Learn more about Catawba County resident Anthony Lawing in this month’s episode of Making. Living. Better.

When Jessica Lopez followed her faith to Puerto Rico after finishing high school, a two-month personal mission turned into a four-year cultural immersion. Inspired by the diversity and exuberance of the Puerto Rican people, she came back to Catawba County and immediately began sharing what she’d learned. From helping local Spanish-speaking students bridge the academic and cultural gap to encouraging fellow parishioners to express their faith through interpretive dance, Jessica discusses her...

When someone’s been a fixture in a community like Austin Pearce has, you think you know him – until he gets to talking with Hal Row. Known as the energetic and resourceful director of the Hickory Soup Kitchen, Austin shares some lesser known parts of his story – how he left home and traveled through Europe on his own after high school, managed a brewery (among other odd jobs) in Breckinridge, Colorado, and found the love of his life in Hickory, North Carolina. Learn about what fuels Austin’s...

It’s a realtor’s job to sell a community along with selling its houses. But for Jay Brown, selling Catawba County is the easy part. An ardent advocate of the place he calls home with his wife Aspen and two children, Huckleberry and Scout, Jay Brown loves helping people – and as both a business owner and realtor, Jay makes living better for people every day. In a conversation that ranges from literary works to Taco Bell, host Hal Row gets the inside scoop on what makes Jay Brown tick.

How strong is Catawba County’s draw? Just ask Jennifer Rowan and her husband, who fell in love with the Town of Maiden and bought a house there on their first day visiting from southern California. Their family grew quickly here too, from fostering two children to ultimately adopting them as their own. Jennifer’s big heart extends to a passion for working with a local dog rescue, where she regularly fosters dogs along with several of her own rescued pups. Listen in as Hal talks mutts, Maiden,...

If hard work pays off, then Patrick Broos is a millionaire. From working in aviation maintenance through his career in healthcare, Patrick and his wife Aimee juggled jobs, school, moving, and parenting to create a good life for their young family. That included leaving their native Salt Lake City to pursue opportunities in Tampa, Roanoke and the Houston area before landing in Catawba County. Listen in as host Hal Row learns about the many things – mountain biking with his boys, walking his...

Shortly after moving to Catawba County, Anna Price landed the career of her dreams in the hospitality industry. She extended that passion for serving others into longtime involvement in the Jaycees, which led her to preside over both the local chapter and the statewide organization. But this native Pennsylvanian wasn’t a stranger to the area, where her mom’s side of the family – including a family tree full of NASCAR royalty – still resides. Listen in as host Hal Row gets the scoop on Anna...

In college, Justus Rowe wanted to get back to the basics – like living-in-a-tent-in-the-woods basics. Inspired by the homestead lifestyle, he learned everything he could about it – building things, moving water, and growing his own food. His passion collided with real life when a large-scale aquaponics project turned into the business of bringing agriculture to people who happen to be in an urban setting. In this episode, host Hal Row digs into the story of how Featured Catawban Justus Rowe...

Not every woman gets confused with her grandma, but 31-year-old Asia “Mae” Magness does. Owner of Mae’s Bakery in downtown Maiden, she has reimagined recipes from her two grandmothers so well that people think her Mamaw made them. This mother of three has earned a loyal following thanks to a supportive family, a heart for people, and the best ooey gooeys in town. Listen in as Hal talks pound cake and pumpkin spice with Catawba County native Asia “Mae” Magness.

As a rocket systems specialist at Fort Bragg, Ariel Allensworth wasn’t quite sure how a job like that would transition into a real-world career. After attending the first annual “Welcome Home Hickory Metro” veteran recruitment event in Catawba County, he found a great job and a community of people who instantly made him and his wife feel right at home – and got him addicted to disc golf. Listen in as Hal Row talks rocket launchers, South Africa and choosing Hickory with this month’s Featured...

From the time she was in junior high, Angela Pisel knew she loved writing. After getting a few articles published, she started kicking around an idea for a novel – but it took a broken ankle for her to finally sit down and take a crack at it. Listen in as host Hal Row unravels the story of how this mom of four took her inspiration from women on death row to write her first book and establish herself as a nationally-published author.

Imagine teaching yourself how to make stained glass without the benefit of the internet or YouTube. That’s what Marietta Burke did. Using books and VHS tapes, Marietta learned the craft of stained glass as a teenager. It’s what got her into architecture school – and it’s now the foundation of a successful business that has earned national attention and more clients than she can count. Join Hal Row as he explores the creative career path of Catawba County native Marietta Burke.

When she was in third grade, Lucy Her and her family caravanned from California with nine other Hmong families and one U-Haul to start a new life in North Carolina. For Lucy, that life has evolved into a passion for helping others in Catawba County. At Goodwill, she is managing a day program that teaches people with developmental barriers the skills needed to become employed and self-sufficient. Listen in as host Hal Row asks Lucy to recount some of her favorite job coaching memories,...

He was hitchhiking in El Salvador while on a Peace Corps mission, and she was riding in the back of her cousin’s pickup truck. This chance encounter led to the perfect match (and another stint with the Peace Corps, this time together!) of two highly engaged individuals who have dedicated their lives to helping others in the most interesting ways. Listen as Hal Row peels back the layers of their inspiring story to learn how this power couple is now making a difference in Catawba County, the...

Sometimes it really does take a village. For Kelly Stewart, a village of people in Catawba County helped keep a young boy from a broken home on track toward a solid future. Now a North Carolina State Trooper, this endurance runner is also a loyal husband, father, grandfather-to-be, U.S. Marine, and Rotarian. And in his free time, he operates a business organizing running events that give back to the community. Listen in as host Hal Row discovers the many interesting facets of this month's...

How does a barber who comes to Catawba County with just the shirt on his back rise up to become a business owner and elected official? And why exactly is the barbershop such a vital community gathering spot? Host Hal Row learns answers to these questions and more with this month’s storyteller, David Williams.