Meet a jack of all trades Mike McGraw.
Mike graduated high scFaces of Hall County: Mike McGrawhool at 16 and was accepted into the Aerospace Engineering Program at Georgia Tech but decided to join the Army (3rd Ranger Battalion) after a short time at Tech. After his time in the Army, Mike went on to obtain a Management Degree from UNG, and his MBA from Mercer.
He currently owns Ranger Lock, PrideStaff (https://pridestaff.com/gainesville), and if you are ever traveling from Savannah to Hilton Head, SC, be sure to stop in his store, Bryan’s Country Store, and say hello!
From Aerospace Engineering to the Army to becoming an entrepreneur. He is also a pilot, Associate Director on the Board of the Greater Hall Chamber of Commerce, and previous President of EAA 611 (Experimental Aircraft Association) here at the Gainesville Airport who puts on the “Cracker Fly In” every year.
So, when we asked Mike what life motto he goes by, it was only fitting for him to say “follow your dreams, no matter what, and always be true to yourself.”
Mike takes pride in everything he does, from running three businesses, to being a father to Mason and husband to Ashley, an accountant from California that made her way to the East Coast. Mike has lived in the county for 15 years, but has always been a Southern boy.
We recently caught up with Mike to ask him some questions about his likes, interests and life to share with fellow members of our community:
Question: Who is the most interesting person you’ve met while living here?
Answer:  “Frank Norton Jr.”
Q: What is your favorite social outing in Hall County?
A: “Going to the square to grab a bite to eat or going out on the lake.”
Q: What is your favorite movie?
A: “‘The Right Stuff’ or ‘Apollo 13.'” “I love epic adventures. They all have a higher purpose and they portray the human experience so well. Encourages humans to go to their greatest point.”
Q: Who are the top three musicians that you would want to see in concert?
A: “The Beatles, Pink Floyd and Muse.”
Q: What is your favorite thing about Hall County?
A: “The people, how open everyone is, and it’s very business oriented. There are so many people here that are genuinely willing to help me.”
Q: When have you felt the most satisfied in your life?
A: “Many moments. I can’t decide between getting married, having a healthy kid or learning to fly.”
The Faces of Hall County is a project to showcase the amazing people that live or work in our community. If you would like to nominate an interesting person to be featured please email babernathy@gonorton.com.