Years in the Community: I've lived in this wonderful community for almost 20 years.
Family: My wife, Geri, and I have one son, Christopher, who just graduated West Springfield High in June 2005, and is a freshman at Marshall University.
Education: I have a master of arts in English from George Mason University and a bachelor of arts in sociology from Brooklyn College.
Current job: I am a freelance writer. My company, Tucker Multimedia LLC, provides a variety of production and media services to businesses, associations and government — scripts, speeches, audio/visual presentations, ghostwriting, and articles.
Achievements: I've won two local Emmys, written and produced various local TV products, and have had several plays presented on D.C. stages. However, my greatest achievement was convincing a pretty woman from Cincinnati to marry me in 1980. Geri and I celebrate our 25th anniversary on Aug. 31.
Activities/interests/hobbies: Doing business keeps me pretty busy and on my toes. Technology is great because it allows me to write, edit pictures, produce presentations, and maintain books. But the other side is all the time it takes learning new software programs, maintaining and upgrading the system, and marketing the business.
Favorite local restaurant or place: My Culinary Trinity — Mike's American Grill is hard to beat, especially if you order the blackened prime rib or those giant grilled pork chops or the flourless chocolate waffle with ice cream; Austin Grill for the fajitas, chili and flan; and Asian Grill for the tasty appetizers and friendly service.
Community concerns: Springfield's a great place to live but we have problems — reckless driving on major roads, disenfranchised youth who join gangs and litter, my personal pet peeve. I think litter lowers property values and detracts from the overall character of the area. We need more decorative receptacles in walking areas and more monitoring on roadways. Public service announcements could help.
What brought you to Springfield? We moved to Springfield because of the affordability of housing. When we started looking around Northern Virginia, it was one of the few areas in Fairfax County that offered great schools, a nice selection of housing stock, and the possibility of a good return on investment.
Community hidden treasure: Lake Accotink Park is still a great place to watch nature — beavers, storks and the occasional splash from hyperactive fish darting about.
Personal goals: I need to pay more attention to my spiritual life. I'd also like to find time to mentor some kids who have given up on themselves and help rekindle their dreams.