Occupation: I'm a branch manager for Newtown Savings Bank, in Southbury. I've been there for just over a year.

Family: I'm married to Melissa Beard, a lifelong Newtown resident. She owns Floral Design by Melissa.

Pets: We have three dogs, Devin, Rush, and Kai. Kai and Devin are golden retrievers, and Rush is a border collie. And we have three rabbits - Crème, John Jacob, and Bea.

How long have you lived here? We've lived in Sandy Hook for three years. We bought a house and have been fixing it ever since.

What do you like to do in your free time? I'm a commission member for the Newtown Economic Development Commission and I'm on the board for the C.H. Booth Library, and the Southbury Business Association. I'm a volunteer for SCORE, the Service Corps of Retired Executives. I'm neither retired nor an executive, but I bring the banking expertise to this. My wife and I enjoy being outdoors, kayaking and hiking. And we just got our first beehive. My wife got me into running, and now I do triathalons.

Do you have a favorite place to go kayaking? We enjoy going on Lake Zoar. There are all the little rivers that flow into it, and if you go out early, there aren't a lot of boats. It's calm and peaceful and relaxing.

Do you have a favorite travel destination? The Cape. We go to the Harwich area, where Melissa's uncle has a summer home. There are a lot of different things to do there - the beaches, quaint little towns, biking trails, and a lot of history on the Cape, so that's fun.

What is the best thing about Newtown? The sense of community. There is a connection, especially, between longtime residents.

Who has been the greatest influence in your life? I'd say my parents. They always pushed me to achieve more, and to go to the next step. That's probably how I got into doing triathalons.

What makes you happiest? Completing something tangible. Being able to look back on a project and see that it is successfully completed is satisfying. We're rebuilding our house, so when we complete a project, I feel happy. Finishing a triathalon, or even helping Melissa with her floral designs makes me happy.

Do you have a guilty pleasure? Vanilla milkshakes. It's the staple "go to" for me. It's easy to eat while you're driving, too.