Host Dave Fiore speaks with legendary FSU quarterback and community leader Charlie Ward. Charlie's resume also includes 1993 Heisman Trophy winner, 11-year NBA veteran, longtime high school coach and public speaker. But to the Thomasville, Ga., native, the roles of mentor, husband and father have always been most important.

Charlie and his wife, Tonja, run the Ward Family Foundation and are currently developing the Champions Ranch, the vehicle for the foundation's mission to develop youth character rooted in Christian principles through sports, arts, education and wellness.

One of Florida's State's most beloved athletes, Charlie shares about his college journey that included a detour through Tallahassee Community College (now Tallahassee State College), how Coach Bobby Bowden had to be convinced that Charlie for a good fit for his program, balancing the demand of basketball and football and breaking the race barrier as FSU's first black quarterback.

We also talk a lot of football – so much that for the first time, we are offering bonus content to our email newsletter subscribers. Subscribe today to hear Charlie talk about the 1992 football season, including the birth of the fast-break offense against Georgia Tech, getting booed after early-career interceptions, his season-saving pass to Warrick Dunn against the Gators on the national championship run and finally playing basketball and living in New York City. If you are a fan, you won't want to miss it!

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About the Podcast:

How I Got Here is hosted by Dave Fiore and features Tallahassee leaders, entrepreneurs and changemakers sharing the experiences and pivotal moments that shaped their journey. The show is produced by Fiore Communications, a Tallahassee-based strategic marketing firm that helps businesses build trust with the audiences that matter most. Visit hightlh.com for more great episodes and to suggest a guest or sign up for email updates.

Connect with Dave Fiore: LinkedIn

Explore more local podcasts: Tallahassee Podcast Network

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On this mini-episode of How I Got Here: 5 Years Later, host Dave Fiore catches up with Episode 2 guest Terrance L. Barber.

At the end of each original episode, Dave asks his guests the same question: Where do you think "here" will be for you in three to five years?

Terrance and Dave listen to his answer from 2019, and he thoughtfully shares how his predictions compare to life today.

Spoiler alert: Things rarely go exactly as planned!

If you have not already, please also listen to Terrance's original episode. It will put some context to this conversation and add additional insight into his journey.

Thank you for supporting this podcast and connecting with your community.

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Thanks for listening to Tallahassee's Podcast.

Enjoying the conversation? Please share this episode.

Love the show? Please leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts.

About the Podcast:

How I Got Here is hosted by Dave Fiore and features Tallahassee leaders, entrepreneurs and changemakers sharing the experiences and pivotal moments that shaped their journey. The show is produced by Fiore Communications, a Tallahassee-based strategic marketing firm that helps businesses build trust with the audiences that matter most. Visit hightlh.com for more great episodes and to suggest a guest or sign up for email updates.

Connect with Dave Fiore: LinkedIn

Explore more local podcasts: Tallahassee Podcast Network

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On this mini-episode of How I Got Here: 5 Years Later, host Dave Fiore catches up with Episode 1 Guest Kristine Dobosenski.

At the end of each original episode, Dave asks his guests the same question: Where do you think "here" will be for you in three to five years?

Kristine and Dave listen to her answer from 2019, and she thoughtfully shares how her predictions compare to life today.

Spoiler alert: Things rarely go exactly as planned!

If you have not already, please also listen to Kristine's original episode. It will put some context to this conversation and add additional insight into her journey.

Thank you for supporting this podcast and connecting with your community.

_________________________________

Thanks for listening to Tallahassee's Podcast.

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Love the show? Please leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts.

About the Podcast:

How I Got Here is hosted by Dave Fiore and features Tallahassee leaders, entrepreneurs and changemakers sharing the experiences and pivotal moments that shaped their journey. The show is produced by Fiore Communications, a Tallahassee-based strategic marketing firm that helps businesses build trust with the audiences that matter most. Visit hightlh.com for more great episodes and to suggest a guest or sign up for email updates.

Connect with Dave Fiore: LinkedIn

Explore more local podcasts: Tallahassee Podcast Network

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Host Dave Fiore speaks with Mike McCall, chief meteorologist at WCTV, a position he has held for more than 30 years.

Mike caught the weather bug in 1977 at age 12 when a legitimate snow blanketed his hometown of Tampa, and he says everyone lost their minds. To encourage his interest, his mom arranged a trip to a local TV station where Mike met the man who would offer him a job a decade later after he earned his meteorology degree from Florida State.

Another lifelong passion was ignited around the same time when Mike noticed an employee air drumming to the thumping music at a local skating rink. He got a snare drum the next Christmas, started taking lessons and was soon rocking out to Van Halen and Styx. Mike's love of percussion paid off in other ways as well as it led him to the FSU Marching Chiefs where he met his wife, Mallory, on the Big 8 drumline.

Mike shares candidly about the emotional stress of his profession, being wrong sometimes and dealing with the helpless feeling of being right but knowing people are still going to get hurt.

Finally, Mike talks about his dreams for the future, which includes staying in front of the green screen during the week and maybe finding a gig in an '80s cover band on the weekends.

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About the Podcast:

How I Got Here is hosted by Dave Fiore and features Tallahassee leaders, entrepreneurs and changemakers sharing the experiences and pivotal moments that shaped their journey. The show is produced by Fiore Communications, a Tallahassee-based strategic marketing firm that helps businesses build trust with the audiences that matter most. Visit hightlh.com for more great episodes and to suggest a guest or sign up for email updates.

Connect with Dave Fiore: LinkedIn

Explore more local podcasts: Tallahassee Podcast Network

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Host Dave Fiore speaks with Kim Price, the general manager of TLH2, Tallahassee's Amazon Robotics Sortable Fulfillment Center. The graduate of Wakulla High School and former Miss Wakulla County is a wife, mom to three boys and talented musician who plays multiple instruments and has performed in Nashville.

After earning an MBA from Florida State, Kim attended a campus recruiting event and was impressed with Amazon's vibe. The feeling was mutual, and she was hired within the week. She quickly ascended the ranks and was assistant general manager at an Amazon facility in Tampa when she heard about a new center coming to Tallahassee. Kim says she wanted to come home and would have taken a demotion to make it happen. She didn't have to.

Today, Kim leads the state-of-the-art facility, working to make the lives of her 1,500 employees, her family and her community better every day.

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Thanks for listening to Tallahassee's Podcast.

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About the Podcast:

How I Got Here is hosted by Dave Fiore and features Tallahassee leaders, entrepreneurs and changemakers sharing the experiences and pivotal moments that shaped their journey. The show is produced by Fiore Communications, a Tallahassee-based strategic marketing firm that helps businesses build trust with the audiences that matter most. Visit hightlh.com for more great episodes and to suggest a guest or sign up for email updates.

Connect with Dave Fiore: LinkedIn

Explore more local podcasts: Tallahassee Podcast Network

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Host Dave Fiore speaks with Ashlee Fontes, the owner and CEO of Tallahassee Reckoning, the region's first pre-professional women's soccer team. This episode was recorded in front of a live audience at the second annual Access Tallahassee YP Summit at the FSU Conference Center.

Ashlee is a former Florida State soccer player, professional player and coach, a serial entrepreneur and one of the most important voices in women's soccer in the world.

She shares about overcoming obstacles, nearly blowing her chance to play big-time college soccer and her passion to provide young female players in Tallahassee an opportunity to train, compete and pursue their dream to play the game they love.

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About the Podcast:

How I Got Here is hosted by Dave Fiore and features Tallahassee leaders, entrepreneurs and changemakers sharing the experiences and pivotal moments that shaped their journey. The show is produced by Fiore Communications, a Tallahassee-based strategic marketing firm that helps businesses build trust with the audiences that matter most. Visit hightlh.com for more great episodes and to suggest a guest or sign up for email updates.

Connect with Dave Fiore: LinkedIn

Explore more local podcasts: Tallahassee Podcast Network

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Host Dave Fiore speaks with Alan Hanstein, the executive director of the Challenger Learning Center in downtown Tallahassee. Alan grew up in Rockland County, New York, a short drive from Manhattan that provided for fun and relatively safe teenage exploration – at least during the day.

His life took a dramatic turn while headed home on winter break from The State University of New York at Fredonia, when he and his friends stopped to help an overturned tractor trailer during a snowstorm. A passing car hit Alan on the side of the road, flipping him into a snowbank, breaking both legs and changing the trajectory of his life.

After a remarkably fast recovery and exploring a few life options, Alan decided to continue his education at Florida State, where a European trip derailed his education for a bit, before he eventually returned to earn his degree.

It was during that time that Alan accelerated his career journey by combining his work in the event management industry with his knowledge of innovative technologies that would eventually lead to online event registration. His job would take him around the world, rubbing elbows with celebrities at high-profile events and parties.

But his favorite place has always been with his wife, Amy, whom he met as a SCUBA instructor, and their two children, who are now grown.

At the Challenger Learning Center, Alan is living out a dream that includes a lifelong passion for science and space and giving back to the community. His programs serve more than 50,000 K-12 students every year and they host popular events and activities for kids of all ages.

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About the Podcast:

How I Got Here is hosted by Dave Fiore and features Tallahassee leaders, entrepreneurs and changemakers sharing the experiences and pivotal moments that shaped their journey. The show is produced by Fiore Communications, a Tallahassee-based strategic marketing firm that helps businesses build trust with the audiences that matter most. Visit hightlh.com for more great episodes and to suggest a guest or sign up for email updates.

Connect with Dave Fiore: LinkedIn

Explore more local podcasts: Tallahassee Podcast Network

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Host Dave Fiore speaks with Anita Bushnyakova, chief financial officer at Kids Incorporated of the Big Bend. Born in Sofia, Bulgaria, Anita experienced very different sets of challenges as a child. First, it was enduring the turbulent years of the Eastern European country's shift from communist rule to fledgling democracy and then assimilation into American culture as a 13-year-old who didn't speak English – at all. Her response was to use education as a path to opportunity, earning a perfect score on the SAT and national scholarships, which she used to attend Florida State and study international affairs.

Her broad experiences with an international perspective have shaped her priorities as a professional, community volunteer, advocate and mom.

Anita shares about her plan to join the Peace Corps, her aversion to debt and her love of Tallahassee. She also talks about the importance of resilience and community support in overcoming adversity, the value of early childhood education and why we as a community must ensure equal opportunities for all children.

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Thanks for listening to Tallahassee's Podcast.

Enjoying the conversation? Please share this episode.

Love the show? Please leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts.

About the Podcast:

How I Got Here is hosted by Dave Fiore and features Tallahassee leaders, entrepreneurs and changemakers sharing the experiences and pivotal moments that shaped their journey. The show is produced by Fiore Communications, a Tallahassee-based strategic marketing firm that helps businesses build trust with the audiences that matter most. Visit hightlh.com for more great episodes and to suggest a guest or sign up for email updates.

Connect with Dave Fiore: LinkedIn

Explore more local podcasts: Tallahassee Podcast Network

Follow or Subscribe to How I Got Here Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube

Host Dave Fiore speaks with Charlie Strickland, CEO and co-owner of Talon Training Group. A native of nearby Marianna, Charlie shares his journey from the FSU Police Department and working on the family farm to building a reputation as the MacGyver of the Leon County Sheriff's Office. While climbing the ranks at LCSO, he earned an MBA from Florida State to bolster his resume for a high-ranking administrative position that he would be passed over for, but he turned that disappointment into a life-changing opportunity that continues to evolve today.

Charlie shares his thoughts on running for sheriff in 2016 and the time he was caught driving a motorcycle after consuming too many Monster energy drinks. He also talks about the power of relationships and getting involved in the community – including how a trip to the Florida Public Safety Institute with his Leadership Tallahassee class led to buying the land for Talon Range.

We talk about how Charlie started his radio and podcasting career, the responsibilities of gun ownership and the impact of training more than 80,000 people to safely carry a firearm.

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About the Podcast:

How I Got Here is hosted by Dave Fiore and features Tallahassee leaders, entrepreneurs and changemakers sharing the experiences and pivotal moments that shaped their journey. The show is produced by Fiore Communications, a Tallahassee-based strategic marketing firm that helps businesses build trust with the audiences that matter most. Visit hightlh.com for more great episodes and to suggest a guest or sign up for email updates.

Connect with Dave Fiore: LinkedIn

Explore more local podcasts: Tallahassee Podcast Network

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Host Dave Fiore speaks with Chef Leon Brunson, owner of Leon's at Lake Ella. His journey to owning a restaurant has included working the line at his hometown Waffle House in Panama City, refining his skills at fine dining restaurants, being a private chef, and time at Kool Beanz Café, where he says he really learned to cook.

He describes himself as a Southern chef with international flair and loves exploring new flavors and techniques to offer his diners a unique experience.

As much as Leon loves food, his first passion is the video game Dance Dance Revolution, which he says dominated his childhood. His DDR skills and competitive drive led to appearances in the World Champions League and being ranked as high as No. 4 in the U.S.

During COVID, Leon starting streaming cooking classes online, which would eventually lead to a spot on the Hulu reality cooking show, Secret Chef. Leon discusses the reality of being on a reality show and his thoughts on the outcome.

After trying to leave more than once, Leon has come to love Tallahassee and is committed to helping with regional food insecurity through his work with Second Harvest of the Big Bend.

_________________________________

Thanks for listening to Tallahassee's Podcast.

Enjoying the conversation? Please share this episode.

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About the Podcast:

How I Got Here is hosted by Dave Fiore and features Tallahassee leaders, entrepreneurs and changemakers sharing the experiences and pivotal moments that shaped their journey. The show is produced by Fiore Communications, a Tallahassee-based strategic marketing firm that helps businesses build trust with the audiences that matter most. Visit hightlh.com for more great episodes and to suggest a guest or sign up for email updates.

Connect with Dave Fiore: LinkedIn

Explore more local podcasts: Tallahassee Podcast Network

Follow or Subscribe to How I Got Here Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube