Current job title: Artist at Mark Whitley Studio in Smiths Grove.

Hometown: Smiths Grove.

Family: My wife, Melissa Whitley, and our 10-year-old son.

The one thing no one knows about me is … I can yo-yo like crazy. I think I could have gone pro. I know all the tricks and everything.

My dream job is … I’m doing it.

My first job was … working on the family tobacco farm in Hydro.

The best advice I ever got was … Be. Do. Have. Which means: Don’t spend your life getting ready or making excuses for why you aren’t your best. Just be who you are and get out there and do it. You will have all you need.

My hero (and why) is … anyone who does the hard work of helping the homeless, sick or otherwise marginalized people in our community. It’s thankless work, and it deserves our praise.

If I could do it all over again, I … would have gone to art school, or at least taken an art class while I was in college.

The part of my job I could do without is … bookkeeping and other office chores. I’m no good at it.

The one thing I always carry with me is … a pocket knife.

Best meal I ever had was … my Granny Whitley’s fried chicken, mashed potatoes and chocolate pie.

At the top of my bucket list is … a long tour of Europe. I want to see places that have stood the test of time.