Hello, I’m Mike Hill. I’ve lived in Big Lake since 1985 and my wife and I have raised our family here. I was a teacher at Big Lake Middle School in industrial tech, among other subjects. I was a coach for football, baseball, basketball, and trap shooting as well. Right now I love spending time with my friends and family, especially my grandkids. Grandpa time is something I look forward to! I love being a part of this community and knowing so many wonderful people here. Thank you for selecting me as a Face of Big Lake!
Q: Please tell us a little bit about your family.
I have the greatest family! My wife, Brenda, and I have 2 kids. Brenda and I met through friends and were married. She is an amazing woman and mother to our daughter Anna and our son Tommy. Anna is married to Brett and are parents to our grandson Jamison. They also just had a little girl named Addilyn. Tommy is married to Brooke and they have a daughter named Hailey. We also have 2 dogs – Libby, a 12 year old black lab and Mya, a 3 year old yellow lab.
Q: How long have you lived and/or worked in Big Lake?
I have lived in Big Lake since 1985. Initially I lived on Eagle Lake with a friend of mine. Prior to living in Big Lake I lived in Sauk Rapids, Foley, St. Cloud, and Cambridge.
Q: Tell us about your current, past, or future career.
I chose to become an industrial technology teacher and it wasn’t easy breaking into that career. I applied at Forest Lake and they said no. Then I applied at Big Lake. I interviewed with the principal, athletic director, and superintendent, and began teaching here. I also began coaching and coached 9th grade football and 7th & 8th grade baseball. When I began teaching here, I had many incredible mentors- Chuck Heitz, John Bruns, Lori Sanchez, Tom Foehrenbacher and others. One important piece of teaching for me was understanding that different students need different things. In addition to teaching, I also started my own business with my wife. I started a gundog training program where the dogs stayed with us during training. I needed to have heated beds for the dogs and the ones I kept purchasing were very poor quality. At this point I decided to make my own dog house heaters. I literally drew up the plans on a napkin, showed them to a local manufacturer, Ken Tibbel and it began! I worked with many local businesses but Chuck at Hardware Hank was special. I put together a proposal for my product and sent it to Cabela’s. They chose to pass on the dog heater and at that point I put together a new proposal and the Gundog Supply accepted it and started selling my Hound Heater on their website. The majority of our business growth came from online sales, as well as, word of mouth sales. During this time, I was still teaching and chose to go back to school at the University of Minnesota for a 5 day program to study Design & Modeling. I was excited to be able to come back to Big Lake to teach this. It was certainly a busy time with the gundog training program, the growth of our Hound Heater sales, and taking on new education programs at the school. So, it was quite a surprise when Google called! Because so much of the Hound Heater sales was being done online, they asked Brenda and I to come out to Washington D.C. to speak about the importance of internet sales and how much companies and individuals needed it. We spoke to a group of Senators and Representatives and were able to spend several days enjoying Washington D.C. also! This entire experience allowed me to speak to all of my students about following their dreams and doing what they love. At no time, had I expected to be able to learn about business, writing business proposals, and sales but I kept at it and eventually it paid off. I chose to go back to school yet again and get additional education on Robotics so I could start our robotics class in 2016. When it comes to the Hound Heater business, I did end up developing other items, such as, the pet bed with cool water for hot days. We did sell the business about the same time I retired from teaching, however, I do still help the company by testing new items as they produce them.
Q: Have you ever had a nickname? What is it and why were you given it?
Yes, my nickname is Killer. I got this nickname from my grandpa when I would watch All Star Wrestling. And it’s stuck ever since.
Q: What is your favorite TV Show, Movie, Book? (Please list as many as you’d like!)
I love Gilligan’s Island, Sports, and Hogan Heroes for T.V. I also enjoy reading Outdoor News…on the computer!
Q: If you could only eat one food/meal and have one beverage for the rest of your life, what would it be?
It would be beer and pizza
Q: What are some of your favorite hobbies or pastimes?
All things dogs, spending time with my grandkids, hunting, and getting to enjoy being with my “2AM Friends.”
Q: What is one thing on your bucket list?
I am excited to get to fulfill one of my bucket list items soon! I will be with Holty, my son Tommy, Vandy and his son Alex and Tommy’s buddy Joe. We will fly into Wasa Lake in Ontario, Canada.
Q: What would you buy/do if you won the lottery?
I would buy land so all of my “2AM friends” and I could hunt and fish. I would also make sure my family is all taken care of and then I would do good works.
Q: What has been a challenge you have had to overcome? (Life, School, Work, etc.)
One challenge I have had to work through is my anxiety. It got worse over the years and I sought out treatment. I think it’s important that people are open about their mental health struggles and get the help they need.
Q: If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?
I would just be a better person. This would mean asking myself, “what would Kenroy and Vandy do?”
Q: Who has been a hero in your life?
I have been blessed to have many heroes and mentors in my life. Some include my teachers from early on. Another is my mom. She is a saint!
Q: What is something even your family and friends may not know about you?
I trained Dan Gladden’s dog! During that time I was able to get to know him well. It also usually surprises students that we started our own business.
Q: What is your proudest accomplishment?
One accomplishment I am proud of was going back to school at 50 years old. It was very tough. I also am proud of starting and building a business. Both took a lot of work and learning and I want to be an example to others who need to work harder to learn.
Q: What are a few of your favorite businesses / restaurants in Big Lake?
Willy’s on the Water, McPete’s, Pizza Factory, and Trails. I love all of our businesses in town.
Q: What is one of your favorite things about Big Lake?
I love our community. It always feels like home. I also am thankful for our lack of crime.
Q: What advice would you give to people living in Big Lake?
Get involved somehow – coach, meet our business owners, volunteer.
Q: Who is an interesting person in our community that you’ve met and deserves to be included in The Faces of Big Lake project?
Jim Vanderheyden – he is such a giving person.
