Staff Spotlight: Jorg Letkemann

 

Jorg Letkemann was born and raised in a small farm town in Paraguay. He moved to Fresno in 2014 to learn English and subsequently got his BA in Business Management and Organizational Studies. He is currently pursuing his graduate degree in Community Leadership and Transformation at Fresno Pacific University.

His current position is Project Coordinator for the Small Business Development Center at OCED. He is working with small businesses on their business plans and connecting them with the right resources to start, grow, and develop their business. 

In his spare time. Jorg enjoys hiking, biking, cooking, and traveling with his fiance. The coast in their primary destination. They especially enjoy Santa Barbara. 

 

Who inspires you?

The person that most inspires me is my Dad. He is always the hardest worker in the room, and yet makes time for his family. There is no doubt that for him the family and community come first. No matter how busy he is, if someone from the family or community needs his help he will respond with love and care. I have learned from him that there is much more time in a day than we think, we just have to use it wisely. 

What is your favorite restaurant?

My favorite local restaurant is Thai County Kitchen. This restaurant serves by far the best Thai food I have had, not just in Fresno but also in California. If you have not been there you absolutely have to go. 

What was your first job?

I had my first job when I was in elementary school. I bred and sold chickens, had an acre of sesame and cotton, and slowly started my cattle ranch one cow at a time. My dad encouraged me to build something for myself since I was in Kindergarten. I love that he gave me the tools and space to create something new whenever I had a new idea. 

What is your dream job? Have you had your dream job yet?

Honestly, I’ve had my dream job since I was a kid. I have spent my life starting small businesses, and it has always been my dream to do that on a larger scale. My job here at OCED is part of the early stages of my dream. As the Project Coordinator of the Small Business University and Small Business Development Center, I get to assist entrepreneurs that are taking steps to make their dreams a reality. What better way to share my love for startups and the community than to help our community members start up their businesses. 

What 3 words would your friends use to describe you?

• Punctual
• Friendly 
• Extravagant 

Do you have any hidden talents?

I am a very good cook. I love to spend my free time in the kitchen creating something I have not tried before. I learned to cook out of necessity when I moved to the United States and found that I enjoy it. Growing up, food was a huge part of my life, and as a family, we enjoy good tasting food. Therefore, it was not enough for me to just throw a chicken breast in the oven and cook rice. I wanted food that would blow my mind. This led me to spend a lot of time in the kitchen trying new recipes creating food that I could serve anyone and know that I would get a “Wow.”