Joe Hickey is a volunteer coach and he enjoys being active in Greendale. He is currently coaching his daughter’s basketball team and was previously involved in coaching soccer and Twi-Nite baseball. Joe also helps with the high school band. He is a loving husband to his wife Karen and a supportive dad to their daughter and two sons. He is always willing to lend a hand and eager to support his friends, neighbors and community in any way he can.
Thank you, Joe, for being a valued member of the Greendale community!
Q: What inspired you or led you to your current career?
A: I started roofing after high school with my then girlfriend’s uncle. Eventually, she and I got married. I applied at the Union Hall which ultimately got me to where I am today as a plumber with Alpine Plumbing.
Q: What is your favorite restaurant in Greendale, and what do you love there?
A: My favorite is Ricardo’s. Our go-to order is a basic cheese pizza.
Q: How long have you lived or worked in Greendale?
A: 14 years, we moved to Greendale in 2006.
Q: Who is the most interesting person you’ve met here in Greendale?
A: Steve Smith. He’s a retired engineer at GE. He is very interesting, smart and kindhearted. He is one of the first people I met when we moved to Greendale.
Q: If you could travel anywhere in the world right now, where would it be? And why?
A: I would travel to Australia and scuba dive off the Great Barrier Reef.
Q: What is your favorite movie OR what is the first movie you remember seeing in a theatre?
A: I have many favorites: Philadelphia, Saving Private Ryan and The Out-of-Towners (the original version). The first movie I ever remember seeing was E.T.
Q: What advice would you give a crowd of people?
A: I tell everybody to be themselves. I’ve learned that some people will like you and some won’t. Choose to be happy with yourself.
Q: What is something on your bucket list?
A: I would like to go hot air ballooning.
Q: What is your favorite music/ 3 bands you would like to see (dead or alive)?
A: I like a broad range of music except for bluegrass. At this point in my life, I lean toward heavy metal. Three bands I would like to see are: Slipknot, Buddy Guy and Guns N’ Roses.
Q: What current / former local business makes you the most nostalgic about Greendale?
A: Ferch’s stands out when I think about downtown Greendale. Southridge Mall also makes me nostalgic because we used to hang out there a lot when I was younger.
Q: Choosing anyone alive and a non-relative: with whom would you love to have lunch? Why? Where in Greendale would you have lunch?
A: I would like to have lunch at Ricardo’s with Bill Gates because I’m interested in how he built his empire. I’m curious about his process and what steps he took.
Q: Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
A: In 10 years, I would like to have my own plumbing business. I would focus on water heaters and water softener rather than new construction.
Q: (Even for friends or family), what is something interesting that most people don’t know about you?
A: I’m a germaphobe. I’m not a big fan of shaking hands but I do it out of courtesy.
Q: If you were cast into a major motion picture and had your choice of anyone to be your co-star, who would you choose?
A: Gene Wilder. I think he is hilarious and a genius.
Q: If you had a full-time staff member that was fully paid for, who would you choose? Chef, Housekeeper, Driver, Coach, Physical Fitness Trainer or Nanny?
A: I would pick the chef. My wife does a lot of cooking and she doesn’t really enjoy it. Neither do I. It would be nice to relieve her from that burden.
