John Kelly

After years of selfless service in hospitality and work in the CBD, community building, life-coaching and spiritual leadership, this semi-interesting individual is seeking a rewarding position. I was born in Ireland, grew up in the Virginia, Washington D. C. area and have enjoyed life.

Recently, I overcame a stage four cancer, had cataract surgery in both eyes and fought a battle with cellulitis. This is pertinent because it reinforces my existing positive outlook on life; today I am more thankful and grateful than one could imagine. 

My resume outlines my qualifications but there are additional details I wish to disclose in this novelette. I returned to Loyola University as an older student where I became more familiar with Microsoft applications (Word, PhotoShop, PowerPoint, Web Design, etc.) and graduated in 2001. I took on several internships where I was able to broaden my office skills. I returned to hospitality while working part time in sales at Pulp & Paper, LLC and now I am semi retired but cannot remain idle.

I can safely state that I have had a myriad of positions and, when I look to the past and summarize some of the events surrounding them, I have concluded that I have always worked to live, not work to live. I was employed in the Gulf oil field industry during the summer of my last year at Loyola, something I always wanted to do and the brevity of my employment was agreeable. I was back in the Virginia area due to my mother's health and, for three years, sold high-end billiard tables.

Some of the hand carved wood tables fetched as much as $20,000- $25,000 and In the D.C. area there is an abundance of large basements and “man caves” to fill. One customer who ran an IT firm, decided to buy a second table to place in his office and confirmed that his employees worked, stayed longer and were more productive. I have managed restaurants in the French Quarter, bartended, was a competent “table technician” and all-around pleasant individual in the world of hospitality.

I returned to Loyola at the ripe age of 45 (1995) and graduated in 2001. I have always had a great deal of respect for the Jesuits having gone to a boarding school in Lenox, Mass for one year (they had to close due to finances) and graduated from Georgetown Preparatory School in 1976, the bicentennial year and a marvelous time to be in and around Washington. These two years shaped and defined who I became; as the oldest of seven, I was incredibly lucky to simply leave the house for two years- testament to the term, “Irish Catholic dysfunctional family”.

I attended Loyola on a part time basis, graduated with a B.S. in Business Administration with a major in Management and minored in Marketing in 2001.