Stephen Pavlik
My Story
I was raised on a small farm in sterling MI. I learned the value of hard work and self-discipline. Traits have served me well. A willingness to apply myself to the task at hand and remain vigilant of my surroundings. Now I look to use my knowledge to support you.
After graduating from high school in 1995, I attended Ferris State University. School was never my strength while growing up. I had to develop strong study skills to make and maintain passing grades. These skills were beneficial when I attended Ferris. Time management and comprehension became key benchmarks for me to pass many of my courses.
In 2001 I graduated with or Bachelor of Science in Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration. I also had courses in Construction Management, Computer Networking, and Music. This degree allowed me to become a project manager right out of college. Working in Detroit for a large mechanical contractor gave me a world of experience in the construction field.
In 2003 I realized I needed a change, so I joined the army. I found that all of the skills I had learned growing up on a small farm and the skills that made me successful in college allowed me to excel in the military. Becoming a Cavalry Scout allowed me to take part in many and varying kinds of missions. After completing basic training, I was assigned to the 2nd cavalry regiment (Bull Troop). I was immediately deployed to Iraq and completed my first combat tour.
Upon returning to the states, I applied to U.S. Special Forces and completed selections in 2005. I was designated special forces combat engineer and attended John F Kennedy Special Warfare College. I remained in the college until I was injured during training. While attending special warfare college, I attended numerous schools either as a student or support element, when my initial enlistment was completed. I transferred to the 82nd airborne to begin out-processing from the army.
Upon arriving in the 82nd Airborne, I was immediately placed in involuntary service (stop loss) and was assigned to 5-73 Airborne Cavalry (3 Panther). I was then deployed back to Iraq and took part in one of the most dangerous combat tours since Vietnam. I often operated as a team leader or as lead gun on many of the combat operations. Overall, I spent 22 months stop loss, and most of that time was deployed to the Middle East.
After completing my second conduct tour and transitioning out of the army, I returned to the construction industry. In particular, I focused on project management and large construction projects. After a year of construction, I returned to college to obtain my master’s degree. In 2014 I received a master’s degree in Business Leadership and Finance from Lawrence Technological University.
I was encouraged by my professors to continue with my education and apply for the doctrine program at Lawrence Technological University. In May 2019, I received my Doctrine in Business Administration, focusing on 360-degree feedback and its application onto teamwork and team performance. I was asked to present my findings at the Academy of Management in Boston in the fall of 2019. I now live in Ann Arbor Mi, with my family.
