Welcome to the next installment of our “Meet the Board Member” series! In this series, we take an insider’s look at our talented board members, like Paul Hutton, and their leadership qualities. Our board members are our organization’s backbone and are essential in helping us achieve our mission.
Our board members bring a wealth of experience and expertise from diverse fields, including business, technology, education, and social services. They are committed to our mission of positively impacting marginalized youth’s lives and helping them achieve their full potential.
We are thrilled to have such an exceptional group of individuals on our Board, and we can’t wait to share their stories with you. Join us in celebrating Paul Hutton, his leadership, and his passion for our cause!
Leading Technology Projects Across The World
We are thrilled to introduce you to Paul Hutton, a highly respected leader in the technology industry with an excellent background as a former USA Air Force Member. With over forty years of experience providing leadership for big technology companies during rapid growth and complex business challenges, he brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise that has significantly contributed to organizational advancement. Paul’s remarkable accomplishments and leadership qualities make him an asset to our Board and our organization.
Paul’s journey exemplifies how perseverance, resilience, and seizing opportunities can shape our future. Despite life’s challenges, Paul has remained unwavering in pursuing new heights, embodying the spirit of growth and development. His inspiring story reminds us all that we have the potential to keep growing and achieving our goals. Join us in getting to know more about Paul and his remarkable track record of business excellence and life experiences.
Peek at Paul’s Learning and Experience Through His Career
Join us for an exclusive interview with Hutton, where we’ll get to know him as both a board member and a human being. We’ll also learn how he and his exceptional team positively impact marginalized youth’s lives. Throughout the interview, we’ll keep our mission and five pillars of caring in mind, with every question directed toward our transitional living, education, enrichment, wraparound services, and foster care & adoption programs. Take advantage of this opportunity to gain insight into Hutton’s work and inspiring leadership.
A transcript of Hutton’s answers, shortened for brevity, can be found below.
Transitional Living – A Safe Place to Call Home
Believe in Me: Did you have a safe place to call home growing up?
Paul Hutton: My father died when I was three. When my dad died, my mom didn’t have a lot of social support; she was on her own. We went back to live with my grandparents. My two sisters, mom, grandparents, and I lived in their house. We lived ok. Growing up without a father was difficult. And it got worse when my mom got married again. Her husband was an abuser, and it was a tough five years for me until she divorced. Years later, she met another man; he became what I call a father for me, although we were distant. I had my things going on, but my parents never participated. If I had a football game, they wouldn’t come, so it’s a sad story. At the age of twelve, I joined the Civil Air Patrol, and that taught me some discipline when I was an undisciplined child. I was in that from the age of twelve to seventeen, and that gave me a foundation for my life.
Foster Care and Adoption – A Family That Loves Them
Believe in Me: What did you want to be as a kid?
Paul Hutton: My goal in life was to be an electronic engineer cause I love electronics. Ever since I was a little kid, I started with my grandpa’s radio, and my grandpa taught me how to fix it. My major was electronics, but one of my classes was computer programming, and I got hooked. One of the things I had never felt in my life before was control, and for the first time, I had control over something. It was man over machine, and I pursued a degree in Computer Science.
Believe in Me: What important lesson(s) did you learn from your parents/teachers/coaches?
Paul Hutton: In the Airforce, I understood how to follow the rules, which was one of the best things that happened in my life.
Wraparound Services – A Feeling of Community
Believe in Me: What role have your friends played in your life?
Paul Hutton: I have never been a person with too many friends. I always surround myself with two or three people I consider my friends, but when I was younger, I traveled and moved a lot, so it was challenging to be consistent with our friendship.
Education – Opportunities to Learn
Believe in Me: What is your background in education?
Paul Hutton: I went to eastern Washington for two years but then joined the Airforce. I had a fabulous career in the Airforce and even joined a team working at the Pentagon. Then I returned, finished my college degree, and started moving on to companies. I ran several software companies until I eventually started some web-based companies.
Enrichment – Build Self-esteem and Have Fun
Believe in Me: What is the most exciting adventure you have done?
Paul Hutton: In the Airfoce, they “shipped” me to Japan, and I could travel to Korea and the Philippines and do stuff I have never done.
Paul’s Believe in Me Story
Believe in Me: Do you have a Believe in Me story?
Paul Hutton: My boss was one of those senior people in the IT group. She was the first woman who ever became a Vice President at Weyerhaeuser. She always thought I could do way better than I was already doing, and she was right. She saw some leadership skills in me and started teaching me how executives think. She changed my life. She taught me how to work more WITH people than just giving them orders and be able to keep the people your surrounded by.
About Paul’s Involvement on the Board of Directors
Believe in Me: What attracted you to Believe in Me and become part of the Board of directors?
Paul Hutton: I met Paul Sorensen in a curious way. In the future, he mentioned the foundation was looking for more Board Members, and he connected me with Julie. I felt connected to the mission because one of my sons has been fostering a child. They got him when he was three years old. They also have a daughter, almost identical in age. Their foster child had a hard life. He lived with three different families and was taken away from his parents because they were people with substance use disorders. Two years later, my son and his wife decided to adopt him. So, when Julie started talking to me about the Believe in Me mission and their support for Foster Care and Adoption programs, I immediately felt connected and decided to join the Board. I’m so glad I did.
It is truly inspiring to see Paul’s deep connection to our mission of providing marginalized youth with a family that loves them. His unwavering dedication and resilience in the face of adversity make him a shining example of what can be achieved through hard work and perseverance. Paul’s leadership, expertise, and insights have been instrumental in driving growth and development within our organization.
As we reflect on Paul’s inspiring story, we should all be motivated to seize the opportunities that come our way and strive for personal greatness. We are grateful to have such an exceptional board member and are proud to have him on our team. Thank you, Paul, for your incredible contributions towards our mission and the lives of the marginalized youth we serve.
