Glenn Walker, Director of Digital Marketing

Today on the blog, we’re playing 21 Questions with Glenn, our new Director of Digital Marketing. I’ve asked him some very difficult questions, so prepare your handkerchiefs!

Some fast facts about Glenn:

  • He has over 10 years of experience in digital marketing which makes him practically a dinosaur where our industry is concerned.
  • He was recently made a father for the second time, and prides himself on his expert baby-swaddling skills.
  • He grew up on an island! (For realz.)

Read on to learn more about our new office mate Glenn.

 

21 Questions with Glenn

DG: Tell us where you’re from.
GW: Sydney, Cape Breton Island.

DG: Describe your hometown in less than 10 words.
GW: Nice place to grow up.

DG: What east coast food do you miss most that you can’t get here in Alberta?
GW: My mom’s cooking and my grandmother’s apple pie.

DG: What did you want to be when you were little?
GW: I’m not sure! I never really thought about that growing up.

DG: What was your favorite subject as a kid?
GW: Math.

DG: Have you always worn glasses?
GW: No, I got glasses when I was 19 or 20. My dad was the same, he needed glasses at that age too.

DG: Have you ever questioned your parents about why the double “n”?
GW: Why would I? That’s the right way to spell ‘Glenn’!

DG: Your University is on an island… Did you ever take a ferry to school?
GW: No, I would just walk. The island itself is huge, it’s like 200 KM long and 100 KM wide.
DG: I’ll just strike this next question then… What about if you missed the ferry? Could you take a ski-doo?

DG: What was your major at Cape Breton University?
GW: I didn’t really have one actually! University was a very fun but fragmented experience for me. I went to CBU for a few years and then did a semester abroad and finished my education at St. Mary’s in Halifax.
DG: Got it. No major. Why did you decide to focus on that major? You studied in Taiwan though, was that a memorable experience for you?
GW: I would say it was probably the single most important experience of my life.
DG: Why’s that?
GW: My semester abroad was so outside of anything I’d ever been exposed to. I met people from everywhere and made some really great international friends who I still keep in touch with to this day. My experience abroad also made me realize how much I like change, and how important it is for me to shake things up every once in a while.

DG: What has been your favorite job to date?
GW: The funnest job I ever had was when I spent 2 summers working on this farm that rented out farm equipment. It was great to work outside and learn all about farm equipment mechanics.

DG: So, is this your first foray into digital marketing?
GW: (Laughs) No, I have a long history in digital marketing.
DG: All jokes aside, what do you enjoy most about working in digital marketing?
GW: The rapidness of change. Nothing is static in this industry, and I enjoy constantly learning new things. That being said, sometimes the speed at which our industry evolves can be somewhat distracting. My goal is always to balance the old, “proven” strategies against the new trends that are shaping digital marketing.

DG: I agree with your comment about how fast this industry can change, it can be exciting yet overwhelming at the same time. Now, onto your other role… According to Facebook, your baby swaddling skills are at “70’s nurse level”. Do you have any baby swaddling tips for us?
GW: Yes. You need good quality blankets. Don’t underestimate the importance of a good linen. I like to do a double-layered swaddle – that’s when you wrap the baby in a fleece blanket and then swaddle with a good quality linen.
DG: Awesome! Anything else?
GW: Yup. Don’t be afraid to squeeze. They can handle it.
DG: Excellent advice, Glenn. And what is your favorite thing about being a father?
GW: Honestly? Sleeping children. (Laughs)
DG: (Laughs) Sleep does tend to take on a rather luxurious quality after kids, doesn’t it?

DG: What were some of your first impressions of Bluetrain and the people that work here?
GW: First impressions I got were that everyone seemed really hard-working and that it was a really strong team.

DG: Do you play beach volleyball? (Bryan has requested we ask all new recruits this question.)
GW: No. Sorry.
DG: Bryan will be so disappointed.

DG: What are some of your all-time favorite movies?
Glenn: I love The Good, The Bad and the Ugly. Bull Durham. 13 Days. 13 Days is a cool one about the Cuban Missile Crisis. Trainspotting. Searching for Bobby Fisher has always been a favorite.
DG: And if you could have dinner with anyone – real or fictional – who would you pick?
GW: I would love to meet with Adam Audette, he’s someone in our industry that I’ve had the opportunity to hear speak on a number of occasions, and I just have a lot of respect for how he thinks. I also would have loved to have met Eli Wallach, the actor who played “Tuco” in The Good, The Bad and the Ugly. I believe he passed fairly recently, but I think he would have had a lot of great stories, he had such an interesting and varied career as a character actor.

Want to congratulate Glenn on his new position at Bluetrain? Tweet at him!