Roger Thompson is focusing on the bigger picture

Roger Thompson is living the essence of his favorite quote by Napoleon Hill. “Most people have attained their greatest success, just one step beyond their greatest failure.”

After suffering a death in the family, this highly motivated freshman in college dropped out of school. With the assistance of the programs at Tulsa Technology Center, Thompson got back on track.

Today, Thompson is the owner of Roger Thompson Wedding Photography in Tulsa and works as a professional wedding photographer/graphic designer.

Although self-confidence was never a questionable quality in Thompson, CareerTech played a major role in giving him tools necessary to succeed in life. According to Thompson, as a student in the programs at TulsaTech he learned self-discipline, patience, motivation, self-confidence and networking skills.

Thompson said that CareerTech not only offered him a chance to be himself in high school, it also helped him become the person he is today.

“My motivation and drive grew in CareerTech programs. I learned skills that are applied to my profession on a daily basis which help me succeed. CareerTech helps students gain confidence and learn how to set and reach their goals,” Thompson said.

That's why Thompson has been named a CareerTech Champion, Phil Berkenbile, Oklahoma’s CareerTech state director.
“CareerTech Champions are alumni of Oklahoma's Career and Technology Education system programs or student organizations who have found success in a career and attribute much of that success to their CareerTech experience.”

Thompson grew up in Broken Arrow knowing he wanted to make a difference.

“I heard about TulsaTech while in high school and enrolled in the Business Management, Entrepreneurship and E-Commerce programs my junior year,” Thompson said.

Half of his day was spent at Broken Arrow High School and the other half at TulsaTech.

Thompson joined DECA, an international student organization affiliated with CareerTech’s Marketing Education program, which allowed him to compete in district, state, and national conferences and competitions. At Tulsa Tech he was elected chapter president of DECA. At Broken Arrow High School he was also elected chapter president of Family Careers and Community Leaders of America, the student organization associated with CareerTech’s Family and Consumer Sciences Education.

“What I like most about CareerTech are the people and the atmosphere. Everyone in the programs and organizations were positive, encouraging and expected to succeed,” Thompson said.

Arlynda Sexton, his instructor in the Business Management/Entrepreneurship program at TulsaTech, left a lasting impression on this young mans life.

“I’m still learning from Ms. Sexton today. Having a teacher is more than just a one-year experience; it can be a lifelong experience,” Thompson said.

Sexton and other instructors at TTC, noticed Thompson’s “can do” attitude and the way he never let anything keep him down.

“Roger worked hard to do the very best he could and was a good student, a born leader and role model to his fellow classmates,” Sexton said. “He was always the first to volunteer and the first to make everyone laugh with his contagious personality.”

After graduation from Broken Arrow High School and completion of Tulsa Tech’s programs, Thompson attended the University of Central Oklahoma majoring in Business Administration. According to Thompson, he had no specific goal, but he knew he wanted to be his own boss. Tragically, within his first semester and just two days before his 18th birthday, his father died. His world was crushed.

Trying to cope with his loss, this determined young man continued his college education attempting to make the best of his situation. Soon, his emotions overwhelmed him and Thompson struggled to motivate himself. He dropped out after one college semester and hit rock bottom.

Thompson decided to move back home with intentions of a new beginning. He focused on becoming an entrepreneur. Meanwhile, he worked as a wedding disk jockey for a company called DJ Connection. At his new job he gained a mentor, Clay Clark (owner of DJ Connection), whose philosophies mirrors that of CareerTech education.

“Clark always said that knowledge without application is useless,” Thompson explained.

Aware of his employee’s big dreams, Clark began buying him business books so that he could educate himself. One year into his employment at DJ Connection, Thompson started his own business – Roger Thompson’s Wedding Photography – with one friend and one camera.

“I have always loved photography. I was the dorky kid in high school with his camera always taking pictures. Photography – especially wedding photography – struck a chord in me for years. In a sense, I always knew that this was what I wanted to do,” Thompson said.

Today, Thompson’s Photos has a staff of more than 16 employees with average of five weddings per week.

Thompson recently spoke to students at Tulsa Tech’s DECA Career Development Entrepreneurship Conference for high school marketing students focusing on his growth and what CareerTech meant to him.

“I will always appreciate and cherish CareerTech’s programs and teachers,” Thompson said. “They gave me the chance to be myself in high school and to become the person I am today. CareerTech has been so beneficial to me.”

He makes an effort to reach out to students in hopes of encouraging them to take advantage of all the opportunities out there.

“Roger has stayed true to his beliefs and realizes the importance of giving back to the community,” Sexton said. “He took the knowledge he obtained in the program, ran with it and has proven to be a leader as well as an inspiration for others.  I am very proud of the man he has become.”

For more information about Roger Thompson’s Wedding Photography go to www.thompsonphotos.com

For information about CareerTech student organizations visit  http://www.okcareertech.org/main/students.htm.

Posted April 14, 2008

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