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PrintI Am Tulsa: Michael Christian
Michael Christian is the epitome of a Tulsa's Young Professionals (TYPros) member: He's a leader, professional, family-oriented, and is passionate about the community. Though Christian is from Seattle, Tulsa is home.
A successful high school wrestling career led him to Oklahoma State University on a scholarship, where he fell in love with not only the school but the plains of Stillwater. After graduating, Christian was offered a job in Tulsa with Bank of Oklahoma, where he works as a Portfolio Manager for its private bank, and he's never looked back.
But it’s not just the job that keeps Christian from packing his bags and moving back to Seattle; it’s much more than that.
“I love the fact that Tulsa has a lot of the big city amenities but still feels like a small community,” Christian says. “It’s a fantastic place to live and raise a family.”
With a wife and two daughters – ages eight and six – creating a community for his children to be proud of is what drew him to TYPros, in which he once served as chairman and remains an active member.
A member since the organization's inception in 2005, Christian found a place where he could be around like-minded business professionals at the start of their careers. When he became TYPros chair in 2010, Christian focused the organization's efforts on revitalizing downtown Tulsa and attracting talented young people to the city. That same year, the organization celebrated its five-year anniversary and reflected on its achievements and rapid growth.
“It was great to celebrate the fact that we had become one of the largest young professional organizations in the country and probably one of the most successful,” he says.
So, what’s stopped Christian from continuing as TYPros chair? The answer is simple: destiny. Christian made his path with the organization (and a very accomplished one, at that); he decided it was time to let other leaders pave the way. He sees a bright future ahead for the new TYPros leaders, and stepping aside was the best thing to do in order for him to give all of his attention to what matters most: his family.
“One thing that’s always been important to me is to be engaged in the things that I’m passionate about," he says. "Like anything in life, if your heart's not really in it you’re not going to do a good job. Now there’s a new set of leaders there that are going to carry it to the next level, and do more than I could or anybody before.”
Christian sees a bright future ahead for TYPros and says he'll continue to support the organization's efforts to make Tulsa a better place.
“Looking back it has been a great experience and I enjoyed every minute of it.”
