In 2006, Matthew took a situation that would have stopped most people in their tracks and turned it into an opportunity to become a part of something bigger. He got laid off from a job on Christmas Eve and didn’t miss a beat.   

As a result, he was in the United States Army’s recruitment office the day after Christmas. He served in the U.S. Army from January 2006 through March 2009 as a Forward Observer (13F) in the 173rd Airborne Brigade in Vicenza, Italy, and Kamdesh/Kamu, Afghanistan. Matthew’s time in Afghanistan was particularly impactful for him. This was the case for several reasons, one of which being that his first Commanding Officer, Major Thomas Bostick, Jr, who was the same age that Matthew is now, was killed during their time there.  

“I remember looking up to him [Bostick] and thinking he was just this larger-than-life figure,” said Matthew.   

During his basic training, Matthew had to adapt quickly and soon realized he was no longer in charge.  

“Despite what most people think, it’s not all yelling and fighting,” he said, “Once you get to your unit, it almost feels like a regular civilian job, just more job/physical fitness training.”  

As he continued to learn and grow within the Army, he learned how much they were able to push past their perceived limits to reach their goals.  

“Working together to reach new limits as a team bonded us as a unit, and the camaraderie is something I still miss,” said Matthew. ” I also walked away from the Army with many valuable lessons. Specifically, it gave me a deep new respect for our freedoms and opportunities in the United States.” 

Matthew joined Equix in March 2017 after being referred by another employee. He started as a Senior Project Manager and is now an Area Manager working in Woodbury, Minnesota. He and his team are completing 550,000 LF of mainline cleaning and inspection along with roughly 30,000 lateral locates and various smaller projects.  

Matthew and his wife, Michelle, recently welcomed their sweet daughter, Madelyn, into their family. As many of you know, with the joy of a new child comes the delight of many new responsibilities. As a result, Matthew spends his time away from work taking care of Madelyn and “learning a new second language that my daughter seems to know fluently.”