Mike Conlan

Cooper High School

Class of 1964

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First Name	Mike
Last Name	Conlan
Graduation Year	Class of 1964
Gender	Male
Current Location	Bainbridge Island, WA, USA
Relationship Status	Married
About Me	At graduation, I was sure of two things - I was spending the summer in NYC with my bachelor uncle to get a business/social experience and I was attending SMU in the fall. The future was my decision. I thought I would be an engineer and I knew that I was going to participate with the swimming team. Then, I began to deal with real issues of the world and my talents. I graduated after five years with a degree in history. I did have reportable events along the way - Pascal Covici, Jr., The Merry Makers (w/o Ken), Wade Chambers, and the other side of the "Iron Curtain". The next ten years matched my talents with a career. Even though I had a degree, it did not answer the important questions. I was employed by a non-profit which was creatively addressing some youth issues and married. After, a few years, I returned to school (UTA) to adjust my grade point profile. It worked. I returned to SMU to get an MBA. Papered up, I thought the rest would be easy, but it wasn't. My brother Peter had returned from Vietnam and had become a CPA. We talked. I thought I might have an answer. I returned to school again (UTA) and spent a year; sat for the exam; and then there were two Conlan, CPA's. In hind sight, I can say that that was a great decision for me. I managed to get into an industry that I really enjoyed - construction. I was able to work it from multiple directions, including for a couple of years, in operations. Highlights included two NYSE corps, a few business trips, a Florida relocation; a return to DFW to take care of the financial reporting of several associated entities, and when all things construction wise dried up, accounting of real estate assets for the federal government. Along the way, my first marriage dissolved and after a respectable time, I met Nita who has been my adventure partner since. Nita picked up my sailing interest and decided that maybe we should buy a sailboat. We did just that, she took lessons and then we began to take sailing vacations in the Caribbean when we weren't sailing on our own vessel. By now, we are in the early 1990's. Our business lives had taken a lot out both of us. So, we took on a really different venture - a retail concession at a marina on Lake Grapevine. The store needed more than a facelift, and I was ready to take the "hands on" challenge. Even, the marina management was a little skeptical. The following season, marina management asked me to tackle some of the adjoining space. During the third year, we increased our boat fleet to include a classic sailboat for chartered sunset sails. The marina adventure was fun, but fun alone doesn't address our financial situation and the contract was for three years. So, we returned to the real world. Nita, picked right up in real estate lending. I helped out a construction vendor who had been embezzled by a bookkeeper and needed some fast help. I priced myself low, to help him. After a while, I began a journey into the world of computer networking. I experienced a real generational challenge as I was approaching fifty and most of my colleagues were barely old enough to vote. At this point, I should explain that Nita and I shared a desire to relocate. Her former business required her to inspect corporate owned real estate properties in the western states from Alaska to California and east to the longitude including Colorado. More than once, she returned from a trip with a strong desire to move. We often took trips to vacation and check out the possibilities for new home. In 1999, we discovered the cruising opportunities in the San Juan Islands. For those unfamiliar with the San Juan Islands, they are located in the Salish Sea (formerly referred to as Puget Sound) and are part of Washington State, but could just as easily be part of Canada. Now, that I have you focused, a few months after the San Juan trip, we made a decision for our new base of operations. May, 2020, we arrived with our worldly possessions and began our next chapter. By the end of the year, the dot-com bust, put me on the street. Not a good thing to have happen in a new place, no real friends, and a noticeably higher cost of living. I read about an employment opportunity that required: construction accounting experience, computer skills and a CPA license. I was interviewed and found myself in a dream job with a vendor/developer of software for the construction industry suitable for just about any construction company large or small. My job was to train the employees of clients and oversee the transfer of data from their former programs to our software. My first client was located in Palm Beach, Florida and it was in January, 2021. I won’t expand on this employment further but I still get excited about it. So, we now live in Washington and the driving force was to enhance our sailing interests. We were introduced to a very casual but serious "club" of sailors. It was a great way to get started. We soon found a lease program that got us into a vessel. Within a year, we owned our own boat which we were willing to share with others, as long as they helped us pay for it. After, a few years we traded in that vessel for "Odessa" which not only became our pleasure craft but was also our home for eight years. "Odessa" was a wonderful boat. It is well designed by Bob Perry who is highly regarded in the sailing world. We purchased it with the goal of cruising the sound, the Pacific, and the world. It had previously gone to New Zealand. She was up to every task. All systems on board were addressed and made current. Nita swears that “Odessa” was always torn up for one reason or another. Meanwhile, I was traveling all over the country installing software and coming home on Friday nights and often going to the airport early on Sunday. The rest of the time, I was week on with a week or more off. After being abandoned on the boat for several years, she suggested that I find a job closer to home. It was an easy transition. Now, I was more knowledgeable about the construction industry, had a great deal of knowledge about how the software could be used best to benefit my employer and the principals were just good people to work with. We agreed to a two or three year work plan. And, then Nita and I would sail away on "Odessa". So, as plans go, they can always be changed. Our sailing plans got moved back. And before we left, I retired. That didn't work for the company, so I was rehired. The company came up with a new plan. I put a crew together for an August run down to Ventura, California and returned to work for a few more months. Then, Nita and I started our epic voyage. We sailed a few weeks in Southern California waters, before heading south to Mexico. We hopped around Mexico for several months, but it was not the adventure we dreamed. I brought "Odessa" back up the coast, Nita flew. It was a challenging voyage. When I arrived back in Seattle, I was ready for a new chapter. My former employer was delighted to hear of my return and I found employment immediately as did Nita. We looked at real estate in several places. One place I particularly liked was Bainbridge Island which is 35 minute ferry ride straight west of Seattle. It was originally a summer destination for the Suquamish Tribe, and succeeded by loggers and ship builders. The house we purchased was built during the hippie era - 60's - 70's. Today, the island has 30,000 citizens, most of which live in the south end. The north end, where we are located is far less dense. We closed on it September, 2011. "Odessa" was sold but she is not forgotten. Our energies and resources have gone almost entirely into our little cabin in the woods. Lots of stories about the projects. I may put some pictures up to validate my claims. In summary, a new wood shed (probably the most over built structure on the island), extensive terracing and landscaping, a carport, and a 500 sf addition/remodel. If you are interested, the address is 14452 Phelps Rd NE and the email address is mconlan2@earthlink.net. I do not use Facebook. This is about as far as I have gotte...(read more)