WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. – So many of the people appearing in the pages of Credit Union Times are known for just one thing – the role they play in the credit union industry. But what happens when they're not conducting credit union business? In Beyond the Job Credit Union Times looks at what credit union leaders do outside of the office. If you have something you would like included in Beyond the Job, contact the Credit Union Times reporter or editor you typically deal with or call Editor Paul Gentile at (561) 683-8515, ext. 10 or e-mail [email protected]. Please note, color photos, preferably of the person doing one of their off-work activities, should be submitted. * Looking for a fishing or hunting guide in Alaska? Look no further then Alaska USA FCU President/CEO Bill Eckhardt. Eckhardt, who was born in Pennsylvania, but spent his entire life from six-months old till now living in Alaska, started commercial fishing back in 1980, mostly targeting halibut. Every once in a while he would take people out fishing and hunting in Prince William Sound, and eventually decided to sell his commercial fishing boat and buy a charter boat to get more into the charter business. Now Eckhardt uses the boat mostly to get hunters to black bear sites in Prince William Sound. The 50-foot boat, named the Glacier Bear, can quickly get hunters to prime spots. Those who charter the boat can stay over nights comfortably in cabins. Eckhardt says he never gets involved in the hunting, his main job is getting the hunters to the site. "Once they spot a bear and they want to hunt an area, we take them to shore in a Zodiak and we usually stay on the boat. We can travel all over the Sound rather rapidly," said Eckhardt. He bought the Glacier Bear back in 1999, and has since had it completely refurbished. Eckhardt bought the boat in Seattle, and spent 12 days bringing it to its home port in Seward, Alaska. "That was a great trip," he said. * Restoring a more than 200-year-old Vienna, Virginia home nestled on five acres has become a passion for CUNA Vice President of Political Affairs Richard Gose. In the six years he has lived there with his wife and now four children, the Gose family has nearly gutted every room for remodeling on their own "going room by room, problem by problem." Renovating the kitchen even sent Gose plummeting through the floor into the basement. But have no fear, construction is in Gose's blood. The termite-ridden house with paper-thin single pane windows and a tree pushing the foundation in four inches was not enough to deter him from the massive project. After all his father left the army in 1958 and started a cabinet making shop in Tazwell, Tennessee, which evolved into travel trailers and construction. So Gose grew up amidst power tools and sawdust and then spent 1987 to 1995 working for the National Association of Home Builders. As far as his own home, Gose explained that there really is no one historic style to follow because a major renovation took place in the 1860s to the back side of the home and another addition was added in the early 1900s. But the structure is still rich with history. Gose said that he has "evidence to believe" that the home served as a temporary morgue following an ambush during the Civil War. He is continuing his own legacy by getting the whole family involved in the project. Passing down the skills his father taught him, a new generation of Goses are getting interested in construction; his three-year old son, Luke, has yet to meet a bucket of drywall mud he did not like. He said his wife has been known to lug a couple sheets of drywall up the stairs at eight months pregnant. Behind the home is another man-made marvel Gose can lay claim to-a play yard that would be the envy of the finest day care center. In addition to his home, Gose has lent his services out for a United Way auction and gotten CUNA involved in the Republican National Convention's Habitat for Humanity project. * Hiway Federal Credit Union CEO Jeff Schwalen gave himself a Christmas present he's always wanted – flying lessons. The recently named CEO of Hiway FCU (taking over for longtime CEO Jim Seifert) said he's been thinking about flying for 30 years and finally decided to make the jump into it. Schwalen has taken a number of lessons and did his first solo flight on April 29 of this year. Flying in a Cessna A172, Schwalen said he's not as scared as he thought he would be, especially in the area of stalls, which all good pilots have to be prepared for. "The air movement and stuff doesn't bother me much, but trying to master landings is tough," said Schwalen. * Larry Tobin, EVP and COO at Fairwinds CU, will take over as CEO of Fairwinds CU on July 1, replacing the venerable Ed Baranowski. When he's not helping lead Fairwinds, Tobin is poring his heart out through his music. Tobin plays piano and keyboard with a church group. The group, University Presbyterian Church Praise Band, is considered contemporary Christian, a rising music genre these days. The UPC recently put out their second CD, "All", which features 14 songs. Many of the songs are the group's versions of popular Christian songs, but the CD does include five original UPC songs. Tobin took piano lessons as a child. He stopped when he graduated from high school, but later in life as he was helping to form a church, music came back into his world. "I got involved with this new church volunteering as treasurer because that was my background. They had another need in the music ministry. I volunteered to assist in that area as well. I didn't feel as comfortable playing in public as I wanted too. I went back to school and took piano lessons and classes," said Tobin, who eventually worked his way through a bachelor's degree in music.