<p>Jordan McDonald</p>

What do your friends call you?

Jordan or Leigh, my middle name. Some people are still under the impression Im two different people or have a brother. Its a long story.

 

How old are you?

Twenty-six.

 

Where do you live?

NW 8th St. in Pendleton.

 

Where did you go to school?

Pendleton, I finished at BMCC while working, and BMCC is a great resource in our community especially to those who have lots of other demands on their time.

 

What do you do?

Im a co-owner and Manager of Wtechlink Incorporated, a local Internet service provider.

 

Whats the best thing about your work?

First, having trained and reliable employees to support me. Second, I grew up really wanting broadband Internet on the reservation, no one could make that happen at the time being the first and only provider to break into those areas is one of the most fulfilling things about my work.

 

Who is the historical figure you most admire?

John Locke.

 

The living person you most admire?

My grandfather, Dr. Joseph Ralph McDonald.?He helped a lot of people come into this world and live well in it. He taught me a lot about what is happening in society and whats right and wrong.

 

What is your proudest accomplishment?

Landing such a beautiful girl into my life. Weve been together over a year.

 

What is the most difficult challenge in your life these days?

Not wasting time, its the only finite thing in our lives and you have to spend as much as you can with the ones you care about.

 

What do you like to do in your free time?

Competitive shooting, tinkering and fixing things in my garage, karate, running outdoors, making pizza.

 

What type of electronic equipment do you carry around with you?

Droid 2 Global phone, a Panasonic Tough-book when I need a bad-weather, tower-climbing, fall-proof laptop at work.

 

If you had to live in another country for a year, where would you go?

Finland perhaps? I hear they still trust their citizens there.

 

If you could change one thing in your community, what would that be?

Get more private property owners to clean up and renovate their properties. I would challenge more property owners to invest in their community by intelligent self-interest. When I see people invest locally, I want to invest locally. Everyone wants in when a stock is on the uptick. I think this energizes community volunteers in much the same way.

 

What is at the top of your bucket list?

See more of the United States, Ive only visited like 9 states!

 

What is your favorite beverage?

Cinnamon orange tea, its available at the Great Pacific and comes with a free refill.

 

Tell us about the best book youve read lately.

Flyboys by James Bradley. It covers Japans rise to power culminating in World War II. It tells a series of true stories of atrocities committed on a small island called Chichi-Jima and the American fighter pilots and crew who died bravely there. Its a very dark book, but it will educate you about some world changing events that were left out of the history books I read on WWII. Its all non-fiction and very well researched.

 

Your most prized possession?

A little bird said not to answer that.

 

Whats the funniest thing that ever happened to you?

Im not sure, I may have struck it from my mind so I could live a normal life.

 

What is your guiltiest pleasure?

Probably playing video games. What was that about wasting time again?

 

Whats the one question we didnt ask that youd like to answer?

Is Pendleton on the cutting edge of Internet and telecommunications? Yes, there is nearly ubiquitous broadband coverage over Pendleton and the surrounding rural area. Our downtown is lit with fiber-optic cable, all the way to the end user, about half of the houses within Pendletons Urban Growth Boundary are also covered or under construction, that number will significantly increase by the end of the year.