Team Spotlight with Mary Curry
Mary is a Project Manager on our Healthcare team and has a BA in Business Administration from Austin College and a Master of Market Research from Southern Illinois University, Edwardsville.
What do you enjoy most about being part of the KS&R team?
I enjoy being able to help people answer those difficult business questions, where the path to the answers isn’t always easy to find. It is enjoyable to see how the efforts you pour into a project helps a client inform their strategy and grow their business.
What brings you great joy in your life?
I am a volunteer with the Boy Scouts. Over the past few years, I have served as a leader. I enjoy watching the youth I’m responsible for learn how to lead and grow in their confidence. It is a blessing to watch young people gain a sense of pride in accomplishing something that they did not believe was possible.
Who has inspired you in your life and why?
It’s a bit cliché, but my father. All my life I have watched him try new things, despite the perceived difficulties in an effort to continually grow. He never backs down from a challenge and taught me that to fail is to learn. He always gives his fullest effort to the challenge at hand. He freely gives his time to his loved ones and strangers in the hope that he leaves the world better than he found it. I hope that with each day, I live my life as my father lives his.
If you were an ice cream flavor, what would you be and why?
I would choose to be Rocky Road. It’s not for everyone and I believe you should not strive to make everyone happy, as you will only end up making no one happy. But those that like Rocky Road are truly satisfied with the unique combination of flavors and textures that only comes with that fluffy, crunchy goodness of this particular blend.
Aside from necessities, what is one thing you could not go a day without?
Coffee. It doesn’t matter if it is 100 degrees outside, I’m going to start my day with a cup of coffee. It isn’t really about the caffeine, as I would be happy with decaf. Coffee just feels like a warm hug in a cup. I usually drink my cup of coffee in peace, starting my day with a sense of calm.
What’s your favorite zoo animal and why?
Our zoo has a penguin house, and it is my favorite place to visit. I love how they are always active and you can get a sense of how social they are. It also doesn’t hurt that I typically visit the zoo in the warmer months and the temperature of the penguin house offers a nice reprieve from the hot, humid St. Louis summers.
Would you rather lose the ability to read or lose the ability to speak?
I’d rather lose the ability to speak. There are other ways to communicate. Losing the ability to speak doesn’t necessarily mean you’ve lost your voice. However, without the ability to read, it would be more difficult to learn other people’s perspectives and grow your understanding of fellow humans.
