Getting to Know Team Leader Greg Parent
Mon, Jul 14th, 2014 | by Miles Mediation and Arbitration | ADR Resources, Get to Know our Neutrals | Social Share
At Miles Mediation, we believe in creating a culture around family. When you walk in our doors, we want you to feel welcomed like you’re family and make yourself at home. So come on in, and get to know us better…
Why Did You Want To Go Into Law?
Initially, I just wanted to get back to Chapel Hill without having to deliver pizzas for a living, so I figured that getting another degree would buy me some time to figure out what I wanted to be when I grew up. Well that and the prospect of two more Final Fours.
What Did You Want To Grow Up To Be When You Were A Kid?
When I was in 6th grade I wrote an essay that said I wanted to be a lawyer. When I was in junior high, I wanted to be the President of the United States. When I was in high school, I wanted to be the next Bryant Gumbel and make a career in broadcast journalism. I am a lawyer and I’ve been on The Weather Channel as a guest speaker. Fortunately, I have found my perfect niche as a mediator, so I do not anticipate forming an exploratory committee and hitting up all my friends for campaign donations anytime soon. I’ll leave the White House pursuits to someone else. Two out of three childhood dreams ain’t bad.
Where Did You Grow Up?
I was born in Texas but grew up in Gastonia, North Carolina and Fayetteville, North Carolina before spending 7 years in Chapel Hill and one year in Charlotte. I moved to Atlanta in 1998. My family moved several times when I was a kid. All that moving made it very easy for me to meet new folks, adapt to new surroundings, and make friends. Those skills have served me well throughout my life.
What Does Family Mean To You?
Because I grew up in North Carolina, far away from my extended family, I always appreciated my folks and my younger sister, Melanie. She was my first friend and the one person I sought to entertain the most. I also learned how to develop a sense of marketing and business planning from watching her in her career as a pharmaceutical sales rep. I talk to my folks several times each week. My father was my best man in my wedding and I seek the wisdom and counsel of my folks as often as they are willing to dispense it.
My dad inspires the practical side and my mom inspires the dreamer in me. The older I get the more I appreciate everything they did for me and continue to do for my family. The greatest gift I ever gave my folks was grandkids. They seize every opportunity to visit with my kids and share in their worlds. They are my model for being a husband and a father, as they recently celebrated their 46th anniversary. My wife is the one who encouraged me to seize the dream of becoming a mediator. She’s my biggest fan and keeps me grounded. And my kids are the best accomplishment I ever did.
Why Do You Love Your Job?
There’s an old adage that says, “if you love what you do, you’ll never work a day in your life”. Although I prepare diligently every day and remain disciplined in what I try to do with every single mediation, the requirements of my job fit my personality so perfectly that it comes easy to me. And I get invigorated doing what I do. So I love it. I look forward to coming to work each and every day and I never get those dreaded Sunday afternoon blahs on the eve of another work week. I don’t know if many people can say that. I know I am lucky and I pinch myself often so that I never take it for granted.
Favorite Food
I love jambalaya, a cajun rice dish that was best prepared by my late grandfather. The best out there is from the booth nearest the Acura stage at the New Orleans Jazzfest, but I am always willing to sample anyone’s attempt. Like pizza, there is BETTER jambalaya, but there isn’t really any bad jambalaya.
What Would You Say Your Spirit Animal Is?
I took a quiz I found online and it revealed that I’m a WOLF. The explanation was as follows: “You have strength and stamina and ‘family comes first’. You form deep connections with close friends and family members and they know you’d do anything to protect them. You’re loyal, devoted, and passionate.”
That’s pretty accurate. But I also think I’m cuddly like a koala bear.
What Is Your Favorite Sport?
In high school I played tennis and soccer. I last played ALTA in Atlanta until my kids were born. My favorite sport to watch, however, is Carolina basketball, followed closely by NFL football (partially owing to lazy Sundays and Fantasy Football). Some would argue that UNC hoops is like a religion for me. When played properly, it’s a beautiful game and you can apply so many lessons from the game to life. I coached both of my kids on their respective basketball teams, where I tried to instill the tenets of teamwork, selflessness, and good sportsmanship through the fundamentals of the game.
How Do I Unwind?
I enjoy hanging out with friends and family. There are usually large gatherings where the kids are outside running around while the parents sit around and sip tasty BEvERageS and play corn hole. I usually end up playing DJ with an app on my iPhone, where I have more than 6,400 songs at my disposal. I love either getting folks dancing or waxing nostalgic if I play a song that hits them in their wheelhouse.
What Is Your Favorite Thing About Atlanta?
I love that Atlanta can be all things to everyone. As a father, I love that in the past three weeks my kids have been to Six Flags, Six Flags Whitewater, and Stone Mountain park—three completely different experiences, all no more than a half-hour from the house.