Our people-Mike Morris

Insurance agent Mike Morris of Clovis was raised on a ranch by Conchas Lake, known as the Conchas Dam community.

He attended a one-room school from kindergarten through sixth grade. He attended junior high and high school in Tucumcari. After high school he attended West Texas A&M but didn’t finish, saying he’s still taking a break almost 20 years later.

Morris married his high school sweetheart in her final year of college. They moved to Clovis eight years ago.

Morris is the 2014 president of the Young Professionals of Clovis (YPC). He has been a member of the Clovis Curry County Chamber of Commerce since 2006. While on the board of directors from 2010- 2013 he says he felt there was a gap, an underserved age demographic.

How did you become President of the Young professionals of Clovis?

When I heard about the plan from the founders of the YPC, I went to the first meeting and when all were asked who should be president, I had already decided that I wanted to be president, not in a pushy way but in a volunteer way and everyone agreed. I was a young professional. I was 29 when I started my agency. I can relate to young people but I also have relationships with our more mature folks in the community. I felt I could bridge the gap.”

Will you run as president next year?

In the by-laws that we adopted, it specifically states a person can serve as many non-consecutive terms as they like. The young professionals are college ... to age 40, so I’ll be at the top of the threshold when I can run again.

What were some of your highlights for the 2014 term?

Well, we have three objectives that we’ve established that are outlined in our mission statement that I always apply to what we do which are networking; professional development and ... giving back We really hit a home run when we partnered up with Fat Boys BBQ for a fundraising auction with proceeds going to the Food Bank of Eastern New Mexico, I’ll be careful to say, they could have done this on their own, but they let us help and I feel we added some value. We were in charge of collecting the money but I bussed tables and one of our members waited tables, we all participated.

We had sack lunches at one of our lunches with leaders meetings so that we could donate the money we saved by not having food brought in to the food bank. One of our board members made the sack lunches at her home. Even though there were funny faces I explained to the group that we could cut back on lunch in order to give to the Food Bank. Even a small donation won’t be turned away. I felt we modeled the giving back spirit and may have planted the seed that anyone can cut back and give. We were able to save and donate $200 that day.

What are some of your hobbies outside of work?

When you have young kids, your hobbies and activities usually revolve around them. I was assistant coach to my sons football team this year. We’re getting ready to do basketball and I’ll coach both my kids teams. In our family, it’s God first, my wife and kids, hard work, then yeah, it’s probably the Denver Broncos. We have season tickets after a long waiting list. It makes for some fun family time and sometimes we’re able to invite a friend.

Do your friends give you a hard time when the Broncos lose?

Absolutely, it’s kind of what has happened but they’ll get it together.

What would you say is your take away in doing business in this community?

I’m proud of being in business for eight and a half years. I’ve ... a really wonderful team and Clovis has been really good to me. I’m really blessed and fortunate to get to live in this community and earn a living serving this community. We’re different than the general perception about insurance people. I’m not a salesman I’m a relationship builder.

— Compiled by staff writer D’Nieka Hartsfield