Current job title: Director of sales for Hilton Garden Inn in Bowling Green.

Hometown: New Orleans.

Family: My family is very important to me. I am married to Barbara, who recently retired from the Bowling Green school district. Over the years, the rest of my immediate family have relocated to this area. My two brothers, mother, aunt, uncle and cousin all live nearby. I am proud of my brothers and their successes. My oldest brother J.B. Hines is a judge, and my other brother Todd Hines is a project manager for a construction manager. My mother is a professor at Western Kentucky University. The most loved one of the bunch is my fur baby, Iggy. He is the cutest and most spoiled yorkie in the world. He absolutely puts happy into our lives.

The one thing no one knows about me is … that the cake mix Duncan Hines was not my grandfather. He was in fact my grandfather’s first cousin, making Duncan my first cousin twice removed. My grandfather was Judge Tom Hines from Bowling Green. Also, I grew up in New Orleans. My parents moved south with the riverboat industry that my family was very involved in. So to sum it up … Duncan Hines was a real person and Betty Crocker was not.

My dream job is … tourism. Anything related to hotels and tourism is my passion. Travel is the only thing that you buy that makes you richer. I think of what I do as my dream job.

I love the stories and interaction with the travelers to Bowling Green. Through tourism, I have been afforded many great and unique opportunities.

My first job was … working at a Boy Scout summer camp. I was paid $10 a week in store credit at the trading post. This is how I spent a couple of my summers. As I got older, the pay increased. Eventually, I made $85 per week.

The best advice I ever got was … from the Jesuit high school that I attended in New Orleans: Be a man for others. This means that with everything that we do consideration for others should be a priority.

My hero (and why) is … (no response from Hines).

If I could do it all over again … I would not change anything. My choices earlier in life including going to Jesuit High School in New Orleans to obtaining the rank of Eagle Scout in the Boy Scouts helped to form a basis for my successes today.

My career path in the tourism industry has given me great joy in my life today.

The part of my job I could do without is … (no response from Hines).

The one thing I always carry with me is … my life ring. From my New Orleans upbringing to my love of Bowling Green, the ring incorporates many facets of my life that have formed the person that I am today.

I was able to design the ring with each part representing an area of my life. Barbara also had one designed to pair with mine.

The silver was from Barbara’s father.

Best meal I ever had was … at Pascal’s Manale in New Orleans. This took place while I was riding in the Krewe of Endymion during Mardi Gras. My good friend Wayne is childhood friends with the owner Sandi. The best Italian food in the world comes from this restaurant. While enjoying the special chef’s table we ate and enjoyed their world-famous BBQ shrimp and sampled from the entire menu.

At the top of my bucket list is … to retire to the beach.