Josh SHEAR

Producer

SYRACUSE.COM

* Age: 31

* Do you have ideas to attract and keep youth in the Syracuse area? A vibrant city center with affordable housing and a large diversity of experiences would be a good start, along with reliable and easily accessible public transit.

* Where do you see the community and yourself in the next 10 years? Growing together, I hope. I'm optimistic about the future, but I know there's a lot of work to be done.

* Who has been the most influential person in your career? My parents. I'm all their DNA and everything, so they've pretty much put me on this path whether they meant to or not.

* What are your guiding principles in life? Leave everything a little better than you found it.

* What has been your best career decision? I hope I haven't made my best career decision yet, but so far it's staying in Syracuse after grad school.

* How has your life turned out differently than imagined? For someone who started as an engineering major at the University of Massachusetts, I've ended up working in media in New York.

* What is one of your quirks? I'm afraid of heights. Also, I wish I could carry around a can of red spray paint and fix grammar on signs.

* What are the core values that have been essential to your success? A strong work ethic and a desire to make things the best I can make them.

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