It is often seen and reported on that busy people often look for more to do with their lives.
Johnny and Monica Greene are very good local examples of that belief.
Johnny retired as the Fire Chief for the Gallup Fire Department just three years ago but still had the time to operate, with his wife of 25 years Monica, Mr. Teez, a popular screen printing and embroidery shop. Monica is now the Marketing and Public Relations person at RMCHCS and Johnny, after moving Mr. Teez to a new location, has since purchased the Fluff and Fold Dry Cleaners and Leisure Laundry next door. The businesses are located behind Burger King on the Northside of Gallup.
Mr. Teez has two screen printers – six-color and eight-color – and two embroidery machines that are constantly busy. The business also does iron-on numbers and names, and a large catalog collection for customers to order the shirts they want, in almost every color imaginable. There are literally dozens of promotional items for sale, too.
The laundry and dry cleaners both have drop-off, pick-up service for people in a hurry. The dry cleaners use the GreenEarth Cleaning process which uses pure liquid silicone rather than petrochemicals. Silicone is essentially liquefied sand – non-hazardous and non-toxic to the environment. GreenEarth also does not cause shrinkage.
Both said they are bringing a service to the community while providing options for their customers.
The couple have also raised or are still raising 6 kids, five boys and a girl, the two youngest still in high school.
“All the kids are learning the value of a dollar, watching us operate these businesses,” Monica said.
As if all the above isn’t enough, Johnny has thrown his hat into the political ring, announcing recently that he is a candidate for County Commission, District 3, which encompasses Gallup.
“I want to benefit the community with my experience,” Johnny said. “I know how things were run and how they need to be run. I have a vision for the future, serving on a huge variety of advisory boards, and during my years as Fire Chief, I developed a five-year, ten-year, and fifteen-year plan for them.
Among the boards he served on were: the Fire Tax Advisory Board; the EMS Advisory Board, the State Trauma Board; 911 Metro; NM Head Start, Fire Chiefs Association; and the Tri-State Association. He was also an instructor in CPR and Haz-Mat. And he’s still a fire fighter at heart, wanting to build up the volunteer programs in the county.
“We need more volunteers,” he said. “Monica and I are constantly recruiting. There is enough work for everyone: the physically fit can fight the fires but other, perhaps older residents, can assist with the records needed and organize them into a useful way.”
“In the county, we have to fix the lines of communications between city, county, schools, hospitals, and Navajo, each working with the others with no thought of territory, only of helping all residents progress.
“A ‘working’ Commissioner is what the voters will get if they choose me!”
Hard to argue with the resume’ Johnny Greene’s can present.
Story and photos
by Tom Hartsock
Sun Correspondent
