COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT: Mel Walker has been serving Queens as a volunteer fundraiser for the Cross Island YMCA. He recently helped to raise funds for The Strong Kids Campaign to provide support to families in order for them to attend programs in the community. Walker has recently raised $100,000 in funds for a 2011 campaign at P.S. 134 in Hollis. The goal this year is to raise $210,000, which “100 percent will go back to the community,” said Walker.
PERSONAL: Walker, 49, a father of two boys, was born and raised in Jamaica. The Springfield Gardens resident graduated from Hillcrest High School, and obtained both his B.B.A in Management Information Systems and a M.B.A. in Management at Pace University in Manhattan.
JOB: Walker is currently employed at Pfizer Pharmaceutical as an application manager. His job is to maintain support of computer technology for sales and marketing teams. He implements technology for any solutions within these teams.
BIGGEST CHALLENGE: Focusing in on an area that matches your personal passion is one of the biggest challenges that Walker had to face during his career. Walker has a passion for creating things technologically as a developer.
FAVORITE MEMORY: “Meeting Bill Gates was one of the greatest experiences I have to say,” said Walker. He did some work with Microsoft and partnered with them on a few projects. One of them was with AT&T in putting in computer systems with Microsoft technology.
INSPIRATION: Muhammad Ali inspires Walker because he always stands up for a principle, in terms of what he believed in. No matter the outcome and despite the perception of what others would think of him. Walker admires that in Muhammad Ali because it shows strength in character and leadership qualities. –Randell Evans
