William Stoner 11-26-2023

00:01 Hi. Who am I here with?

00:03 William Stoner.

00:05 Okay. You're my dad, obviously. So where were you born?

00:10 Chicago, Illinois. April 7, 1976. Centennial, baby.

00:16 Where were you? Like, where did you grow up exactly?

00:19 Grew up in Aurora, Illinois, suburb of Chicago, about 35 miles outside the city, west of the city.

00:25 How was life growing up in Aurora?

00:29 It was. It was a blue collar town, a lot of manufacturing, smaller neighborhoods, large city, but still you had a sense of close knit and community. Went to a christian school initially, and then moved on to a public school. When I went to high school.

00:58 Can you name these schools?

01:00 My grade school, I went to Aurora Christian, and it was a private school. And then when I went to high school, I went to West Aurora. Aurora Christian was roughly classes of 30 kids in each class. And when I got to high school, my freshman class, there was around, I think, seven or 800. I'm trying to remember.

01:37 How was regular like, attending these schools impact your life and your friends lives?

01:47 Well, going to a christian school initially, you know, you learn a lot about religion and how people, you know, a belief system. And then when I went to the public school, it was more of a mixture of real world and culture and, you know, different variations of economic status and classes, and it was more of a melting pot, if you would, so to say.

02:28 What computer did you go to?

02:30 I went to the northern Illinois University in DeKalb.

02:36 How was.

02:38 How was that, the computer experience? Yeah, pretty typical. You know, it's a decent sized computer They had pretty much everything to offer. DeKalb is about 90 minutes outside of Chicago, west of Chicago. It was. You know, the one thing I would say about that school is, you know, there was a lot of people from the northwest suburbs and pretty much east that attended NIU, and I ended up rushing a fraternity, made a lot of friends there, and had kind of the typical computer experience. Ended up graduating with a business degree in operations management and information systems. Basically a business degree with a computer Sorry, a emphasis in computer systems.

03:44 All right, rolling into that, where do you work?

03:47 I work for a steel distribution company called the service center. The name of the company is Infra Metals. It's a nationwide distribution company that serves structural fabricators, bridge builders, equipment manufacturers, all with structural steel.

04:10 Do you, like said work, do you think it's like a good work environment?

04:14 Actually, I'm very proud to be at that company. I've been offered the opportunity to grow as the company has grown. I've grown into the company, into my role, and become part of a leadership group that has developed a sense of community and general respect for our colleagues and really have fostered an environment where we are happy to show up to work every day.

04:52 How does this mentally affect you?

04:54 What is that, my job?

04:56 Yeah. Like, on your kids and how you spend time with your family?

05:00 Well, you know, in the earlier years, I guess it was tough being away. I did a lot of travel, and, you know, that would be. That could be difficult when, you know, there was, you know, you boys had sporting events or special things that were occurring that I ended up missing. And sometimes, you know, you wish that you were there, but, you know, at the same time, you're trying to provide. And so I guess on a mental note, it was, you know, you miss out on life events, but on the other side, it's afforded, you know, us to me to provide you with you boys with opportunities.

05:48 If you can know anything about your family history or about a relative who has passed away, what would you want to know and why?

05:56 Probably want to know more about my grandfather, Harry Stoner, because he did. He was a figure in the community, a business leader, and I just want to understand what it was like in the early days in our family business and how that all developed and came about.

06:21 Okay, that's interesting. Can you name what specifically? You're. Harry Stoner did well.

06:28 So he was a entrepreneur. He had an 8th grade education, and then he went into the workforce and built a successful manufacturing business that ultimately supplied ammunition, shell casings for world War two, developed vending machines, and one of the early shopping centers back in Aurora. So kind of a jack of all trades entrepreneur.

07:04 Do you remember, like, meeting him?

07:07 No, unfortunately, I never got to meet him. He died one week before I was born, so I never got to meet him, which is why I said that that's what I would want to understand more.

07:19 Who is like Harry Stoner, like, in relation to you?

07:22 He's my grandfather. He's your great grandfather.

07:26 Okay. Going into marriage. How did. How did that happen?

07:36 So I met your mother in computer at NIU, and we developed a relationship. From that point on, do you go.

07:48 Into detail about it, or what would you like to. Well, like just the whole picture. How did it all unfold?

07:59 I went into this particular establishment that she worked for lunch one day, and she caught my eye and asked one of her friends, we had a mutual friend and asked that mutual friend if she could pass some good juju along so I could meet her. Then we ended up meeting later that night, and it kind of just developed from there. And then we were married five, four, five years. Five years later, roughly.

08:37 If you were to, like, take a look at everything that you've done in your legacy, do you think you'd be proud of what you've accomplished so far in your life?

08:48 I think so. You know, you always have some regrets, but I think that what I'm able to provide for you and the other boys, I'm happy. And I wish. The only regret is that I wish I could have done more. You know, you always want your children to surpass what you did. You always want them to be better versions, and how can they be better versions? You just give them better opportunities. So.

09:17 Okay, that's it. Thank you so much. Thank you.