Meet Shane Millwood! He was born and raised in Gainesville, Georgia, has lived here his whole life, and graduated from Johnson High School. He says he had always wanted to move away, then when he went off to college, he couldn’t wait to get back. He knew he wanted to be a teacher from my high school days, so as soon as that was an option, he got his degree and started at Flowery Branch. He is married, and has two daughters and a son. His oldest daughter is a senior at UGA. One daughter is a senior at Cherokee Bluff High School and his son is an eighth grader in Cherokee Bluff Middle. He first met his wife in Pre-K here in Gainesville. They dated in high school, got married, bought a house, and they’ve been here ever since.
Q: What do you do for a living and what do you like most about it?
I’m a teacher, I taught honors pre-calculus for a while at Cherokee Bluff, and when I came back to Gainesville, I took a construction position. I’ve been in construction my whole life. Self-employed, small business owner on a decking modeling company (Millwood Decking). We’ve done pretty well over the past few years. We’re small but we stay pretty busy.
Q: What advice would you want to give or leave with people? Or , If you could go back in time to give yourself some wisdom, what would you say?
Always take chances. Don’t allow yourself to talk yourself out of something. Always at least say you tried because living with regret is something that’s really hard when you get older.
Q: Where do you see yourself in 5 to 10 years?
Hopefully retired, traveling. I hate traveling, but as I’ve gotten older, it’s something that my family enjoys to do.
Q: If you could travel anywhere in the world right now, where would it be and why?
We would go back to Europe, this past summer, we went to Paris for the Olympics. In the week that we were there, we probably went to six different countries.
Q: What is the most beautiful place in the world you have already visited?
Reims which is right outside of Paris. It’s a large Cathedral and just being someone who’s into construction and architecture, seeing how something that massive was built back then is just mind blowing.
Q: If you could choose anyone that is alive today and not a relative; with whom would you love to have lunch? Why? And where locally would y’all meet for this lunch?
Jocko Willink, he’s a podcaster, but he was in charge of a platoon in Afghanistan during the Iranian War. Just to be able to sit with him and pick his brain about some of the things that he’s done. I would take him to a small little pub outside of California or something on the beach.
Q: What are a couple of your favorite restaurants in our community?
We love Atlas Pizza and I guess the Buffalo Wild Wings right off the square.
Q: How long have you lived or worked in our community?
So this is my 23rd year as a teacher. I started off at Flowery Branch at 21 years old. I was the head wrestling coach there, and I had the opportunity to come to Gainesville to become the head wrestling coach. I taught Habitat High, which means I took kids out, and we built houses on site. When Cherokee Bluff opened, that’s where our house is, so my daughter would go there. So her four years, I got out there, I was the head wrestling coach there. When she graduated, I had the opportunity to come back to Gainesville and that’s what kind of brought me back.
Q: Who, in our community, do you think is happy and positive and would be a great next interview for this project? This person will be your nomination!
Monica Jackson
Q: What current or former local business makes you the most nostalgic about our community?
The Collegiate
Q: What is your favorite thing or something unique about our community?
I just think how it rallies around itself. I mean you can drive down the streets here and see signs and you kind of know where those people’s hearts are.
Q: What is one of your favorite movies? TV shows?
My favorite movie is easy, Tombstone, probably only watched it about 3,000 times in college.
Q: (Even for friends or family), what is something interesting that most people don’t know about you?
I don’t know, I’m a pretty open book.
Q: What would you rate a 10 out of 10?
I’ll probably have to say a Topo Chico Lime mineral water.
Q: What is your go to band when you can’t decide what to listen to?
The Band and a lot of solo artists like Tyler Childers.
Q: If you were given ONE EXTRA HOUR every day, and you could not use it for sleep, work, or with anyone else, what would you use it for?
I’d drive around and listen to podcasts.
Q: What is something on your bucket list?
Going to Switzerland.
Q: Favorite month? Favorite holiday? And the absolute best single day on the calendar?
September, my favorite holiday is probably Christmas, and November 26th which is my wife’s birthday.
Q: Finally, what 3 words or phrases come to mind when you think of the word HOME?
Family, the lake, and community.
