Retired Air Force colonel, fighter pilot looks to lead again.

by Marcia Newton

Thursday, September 10, 2009
By MARCIA NEWTON
Correspondent

DAPHNE — Steve Carey piloted F-15s and F-16s for 30 years. His nickname was Hari Carey.
"My career was wonderful," Carey said. "I loved every minute."
It has been a family theme to have a military career.
Both Carey and his brother, Tim, followed in their father's footsteps. Carey's father was a seasoned Air Force fighter pilot. Tim, a fighter pilot too, is stationed in Washington, D.C. "My brother is my best friend," Carey said.
Recently, Carey and his wife, Charlotte, drove their oldest son, Clark, 18, who recently graduated from Bayside Academy in Daphne, to The Citadel in South Carolina to enroll him as a freshman.
"Since I was a young man, I always wanted to be a leader. The Air Force is best at teaching those qualities," Carey said.
He retired as the commandant of the College of Aerospace Doctrine Research and Education.
Carey and his wife, Charlotte, met in Seaside, Fla., while he was stationed there. Upon retirement a year ago, they moved to Daphne from Maxwell Air Force Base in Montgomery.
They wanted to be near family and chose the Eastern Shore.
"We love this community," Carey said. "It is a walking community. Where can you find that these days?" The couple walks to each of their children's schools and to the parks, stores and many restaurants. They found the house of their dreams in Daphne.
Charlotte Carey grew up in Mobile and graduated from McGill-Toolen High School.
Carey's career took him and his family all over the world. They have lived in Los Angeles, Montgomery, Germany, Italy, Korea and Iceland.
"I believe because of all that travel we are a close-knit family," Carey said. "We became each other's best friends."
At the end of his flying career, Carey was looking for a chance to lead again. A good friend persuaded him to look into owning a franchise.
He researched franchises and chose CertaPro Painters. He now has four teams of professional painters working for him. He also has a carpenter on staff. His wife is his color consultant.
He decided that regardless of what business he chose, a good company and product would be a chance to lead again.
"I believe it is essential to build a good relationship first with a prospective customer," Carey said. "That is the part I love the best."
Carey said he moved a lot throughout his career. But he always took pride in his homes, even painting his rental houses.
"It makes so much difference, when you paint, to make a house your home," Carey said. He believes painting can achieve that.
Carey is a volunteer part-time teacher for fourth- graders at Daphne Elementary School.
As an ambassador for the Eastern Shore Chamber of Commerce, he also conducts two-day classes for seventh- and eighth-graders at Fairhope Middle School called "Choices."
Clad in his flight suit, he impresses upon the students that the choices they make today will affect their lives in the future.
 

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