THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, April 18, 1996 TAG: 9604160154
SECTION: NORFOLK COMPASS PAGE: 03 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: Kathryn Darling
LENGTH: Medium: 90 lines
Bill O'Connor says the best kept secret in Norfolk is the United Way.
For years, O'Connor, president of Twin B Auto Stores, says he thought the United Way was just another charitable organization that made an annual appeal to his company's employees.
When a friend asked him to get personally involved with the United Way of South Hampton Roads campaign three years ago, he agreed to be a unit chair. He found six volunteers willing to give a fund-raising presentation to companies.
Last year, O'Connor was a division chair, and he recruited seven people willing to be unit chairs.
As the Norfolk city chair this year, O'Connor, who lives in Ghent, will set up a cabinet of 14 division chairs who will oversee the campaign in Norfolk.
O'Connor, 47, said his involvement with the United Way fund-raising process has made him realize the organization is not merely another appeal for funds.
He says the United Way is much more than that - ``it solicits, directs and polices funds.''
The United way also supports organizations like the YMCA, the YWCA, the Boys' Club, St. Mary's Infant Home and the Norfolk Senior Center, he said.
In recent years, a number of the larger companies in Norfolk have moved their corporate headquarters out of town or have had significant cutbacks and layoffs, O'Connor said.
His emphasis this year, he said, will be to introduce more medium-size companies to the full campaign process. During the two weeks of fund-raising in September, volunteers will give United Way campaign presentations to employees.
Last year, $3.22 million was raised in Norfolk.
Name: William F. O'Connor.
Nickname: Bill.
What brought you to Norfolk? I came here 35 years ago with my parents, two brothers and five sisters when my father was transferred here by his company.
Birthplace: Lansing, Mich.
Birthdate: Oct. 17, 1949.
Occupation: President, Twin B Auto Stores.
Marital status: Married 25 wonderful years to Patty.
Children: Shawn, 24; Brent, 21, and Kevin, 18.
Last book read: ``The Rainmaker'' by John Grisham.
Favorite movie: ``The Great Escape,'' starring Steve McQueen.
Favorite magazine: National Geographic.
If you could trade places for just one day with anyone in the world, who would it be and why? I would have liked to have taken the place of Jeremiah Denton (Vietnam P.O.W.) so that he could have a break from despair and see that people did care what was happening.
Biggest accomplishment: ``Helping'' my wife raise three wonderful sons.
Most embarrassing moment: Helping my son with a ticket and showing up for traffic court on a ``Tuesday'' the 11th of May and finding out that May 11th was yesterday, ``Monday,'' and the judge had found him guilty in his absence.
If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be? I would like to be better organized and procrastinate less.
Perfect way to spend the day: With my wife, I would get up early and jog down Duvall Street in Key West, Fla. After that, we would have breakfast by the pool and then spend the day riding around the island on a bike, stopping at all the local hangouts. The front basket would be filled with ice and beer.
Favorite vacation spot: Key West, of course.
Pet peeve: Not being able to get everything done that I want to do in a single day.
First job: I delivered The Virginian-Pilot when I was 11 years old. My first full-time job was at 16. I bused tables in The Nations Room at the Golden Triangle Hotel.
Worst job: Summer night shift at Colonial Block, stacking cinder and cleaning out the cement tanks.
Hobbies: Golf, snowskiing and reading.
Favorite restaurant: Suddenly Last Summer (or anywhere Monroe Duncan is) for fine dining. Magnolia Steak for great food and super atmosphere.
What do you like most about Norfolk? Its awareness today, that for it and the region to grow, it must invest in the downtown area and develop programs that will benefit the entire area ... and it is doing just that.
What do you like least about Norfolk? It has a terrible public relations or perception problem ... there are a ton of good things Norfolk is doing or wants to do, but nobody knows about them; they need to get the message out. ILLUSTRATION: Staff photo by VICKI CRONIS
KEYWORDS: PROFILE INTERVIEW
by CNB