MATRIX Employee Spotlight: Doug King
Our spotlight blog series aims to highlight our employees and consultants outside of the office. Today we get to know Doug King, who is much more than just the leader of our Phoenix branch.
Tell me a little about yourself.
Just before I joined the priesthood...Wait, no...Let me start from the beginning.
I was born just outside of Detroit, Michigan (Eminem used my life story for 8 Mile), but soon thereafter, moved out of the snow to sunny Mesa, Arizona. Besides a quick 5-year stint in Los Angeles, I have lived in the Phoenix area most of my life. I met my wife Rebecca at ASU (in a bar, of course – very classy) and we now have two boys (Carson, 14 & Ryan, 12) and a girl (Audrey, 9) who all see me as not only full-time chauffeur, but “that guy who approves App purchases” on their iPads. It’s a niche that I embrace. I placed Rebecca on contract at Wells Fargo in 2004 (very small margin btw). And after 10 years she has decided to take a new position with GM as Technology Manager and “person who gets Doug in the door at GM”.
Favorite job you’ve ever had?
One of my favorite jobs was touring as a standup comedian. When I lived in L.A., I toured the country performing at clubs, colleges, casinos, etc. It was one of the best times of my life. I performed improv, did voiceover work, emceed, and acted in commercials. I still do voice work for some friends who host a morning radio show here in the valley and I do occasional commercial work and emcee gigs. Although, since I’ve added this awesome, but subtle second chin, the work has been scarce.
At the same time, comedy also had its downside. I did a gig for 800 people at a 20-year class reunion in Downey, CA where nobody heard a word I said, as they just kept talking over me. And I performed my first paying gig at a steakhouse in Lompoc, CA where there were only two people (half the population of Lompoc) in the audience, and the lights were so bright I couldn’t even see them. Talk about brutal. I was even yanked off the stage once, which my therapist seems tired of discussing.
What are some things people might not know about you?
I walked on to the Arizona State University swim team as a skinny, unrecruited freshman, but ended up as an All-American ASU record holder, ranked 18th in the world, and in the Top 25 Fastest Americans of all time in the 100M Backstroke. I’ve gained 25 pounds since then, I take naps, my hair is receding, I only shave my legs on Tuesday nights, and now I rarely swim without a floaty and a cocktail in my hand. So I’ve got that going for me.
I’m also a former inventor/entrepreneur. I hold six patents on an irrigation device that waters trees underground, and it’s now sold all over the world.
While I was doing stand-up I was actually a part-time “space” designer in Beverly Hills. I designed closets/offices/garages for Jennifer Aniston, Jack Lemon, Oliver Stone, Aaron Sorkin, Gregory Peck, Matthew Perry, and many a rock/sports star. And except for two restraining orders, none of them return any of my letters. I had to design a closet to fit Ms. Aniston’s 300 pairs of shoes. I told her to get rid of some instead. She didn’t laugh.
Hobbies and Interests
When I’m not at work, and my kids do not overload me with requests (demands), I enjoy woodworking and building furniture. Armoires, tables, cabinets – whatever – my man-garage is my place of Zen, and a place I almost never visit anymore. Sometimes I’ll wave to it. Thanks, kids! I also enjoy golfing poorly, the great outdoors, and anything College Football – Go Sun Devils!
Why MATRIX?
I was working with Don Palmer (Executive VP at MATRIX) on a partnership agreement between MATRIX and my own company. He asked me to consider joining MATRIX full-time and everything just fell into place. Once I met everyone, I couldn’t wait to be a part of the team. From the people that I’ve known for over 14 years (I actually worked at MATRIX for a year back in 2000) to the others that I met on day one, it’s the people that make MATRIX. It might sound like a Miss America answer, but truly, the family attitude and incredible focus on employees is what I’m most impressed with. And now that I’ve been here for a bit, it’s the stellar recruiting and exceptional management that will keep me here. Yes, my nose is now a darker shade of brown. But it’s true though.