Employee Spotlight: Steven Porter

Job Title: Principal Appraiser
Location: Wytheville Branch
Tenure: 11 years
Are you involved in any clubs or organizations? I serve as a Board Member for the Carolina/VA's Chapter American Society Farm Managers and Rural Appraisers (ASFMRA). I am also a workgroup member for the Farm Credit Council Services (FCCS) Risk 360 Conference.
Tell us about your family. I have been married to my wife, Tabby, for 22 years. We have 2 sons, Aaden (age 15) and Cale (age 12).
Where did you grow up? I grew up in Max Meadows, Virginia. I enjoyed the food, the fellowship and the friends.
What is your favorite song or artist? My favorite song is “Watchtower” by the Dave Matthews Band. 
What is your favorite movie, or quote from a movie? My favorite quote is, “Talk to me, Goose.” –Top Gun
Tell us about your hobbies. My hobbies currently are keeping up with my kids – we have baseball in one direction and martial arts in the other!
What's your go-to productivity tip or trick? Big rocks get moved first!
What is the most interesting or favorite aspect of your job? The most interesting part of my job is that no day is the same. Appraisal/Collateral Operations support both our internal credit team, third-party vendors, as well as our customer-facing lending team. We have a unique front row seat to see Farm Credit supporting its mission every day.
What are your favorite weekend activities? I enjoy watching Hokie football and basketball. 

To honor and feature Farm Credit of the Virginias' team members with military backgrounds, we asked veteran employees to answer questions specific to their experience in the military. We're proud to employee a number of individuals who have bravely served our country and we value the impact their military experience brings to their current role at Farm Credit.

What branch did you serve in, and for how long? I served in the U.S. Army for 8 years (2001-2009).
Where were you located during your service? I served in Operation Iraqi Freedom in Kuwait and Iraq from Dec 2003-  Feb 2005.
What was your primary job specialty after training? My primary job specialty was Engineering Corps. 
Were you active duty or reserves, or some combination of the two? Primarily Reserves/active duty deployment
Why did you choose your branch of service? I had family who served prior. I ended up serving under the 3rd Army Division “Patton’s” which is the same division my grandfather served in during his time. 

What motivated you to join the military? I was young and looking for challenge and purpose.
Having served yourself, what do you appreciate most about the military? The military taught me many things. If I had to choose what I appreciate most, I would say family. In the military you have one team, one mission, one family empowering one another to do things one would believe unachievable alone. It was a very positive experience that carried over into my personal and professional life.
How does your military experience impact your role here at Farm Credit? Both the military and Farm Credit at the end of the day are mission-driven organizations. Operating from that perspective is something I really value and resonates with me.
Tell us about some of the impactful people you met during your time in the service. I had the opportunity to shake hands with some recognizable names, but the men and women who had the biggest effect on my time in the service stood to the left and right of me. The accountabilities, life lessons, what to do's and what not to do's were endless.
What are you most proud of from your time in the service? That's a harder question than one would think. I believe that I'm most proud that I ran the race. I did my part, I gained perspective and I sacrificed for something bigger than myself.
Anything else you’d like to share? An interesting fact about my service is that I was deployed with Bravo Company 448th Engineering Battalion based out of Fort Buchanan in San Juan, Puerto Rico. I was given less than 30 days' notice of my transfer. Adjusting to both a new unit and deploying overseas at the same time was challenging, to say the least. The real focus should be on the family support system. My wife is certainly stronger than I am; her stories would certainly be comparable to my own. Without support, I certainly wouldn't have been able to endure and accomplish the things I have.