A “Make it Count” philosophy fuels Christian‘s passion for making a positive impact in the world around him. Christian, an accomplished athlete and the President of CMA, Inc., was recently honored as the Entrepreneur of the Year by the Princeton-Mercer Regional Chamber of Commerce. Below are excerpts from our interview with Christian, an At Earth’s End Pillar of Camaraderie:

What do you love most about Princeton? 

I love the quaintness of the town, and how they continue to modernize while still holding on to the history and small-town look and feel. 

How would you describe your role within the business community in Princeton? 

My role in the business community is to be present and supportive of the local businesses in any way I can. I view my role as someone who is here to inspire others and provide the community a company that can help everyone reach their goals.

What fuels your entrepreneurial spirit? 

The people that work with me. The accolades that come with the award (Entrepreneur of the Year) are really built on the work and support from my team, family, and community. These people have entrusted me with giving them the opportunity to make their dreams a reality and to be able to do it in this community is all the drive I need to push myself day in and day out.

What practice or philosophy keeps you strong in the face of adversity? 

“Make it Count” whatever it is you do make it count, there are so many distractions today that can lead to negativity my philosophy is to make sure everything I do can impact the world positively on a daily basis.

I read that you love to surf…

Yes, I love to TRY and surf, I am awful at it. For me it is one of those sports that is so taxing that just getting in the water and paddling out is an accomplishment. It’s nature’s way of saying I am going to test your resilience over and over again. There are very few things like it, the peace and tranquility the ocean provides is hypnotic.

Are there life lessons or new ways of thinking you’ve gained from your passion for sports – whether golf, hockey, or surfing? 

Absolutely, being such diverse sports, I believe that each one has helped prepare me for anything in life but most of all sports follows the adage “You get out of it what you put in.”