Caldwell UNC Health Care bids a fond farewell to marketing director
Dec. 23—LENOIR — Rocky Brooks, beloved former radio talk show host and director of marketing/public relations at Caldwell UNC Health Care, has announced his plans to retire.
Brooks was born in Lexington, North Carolina on Jan. 6, 1953.
He said that his mother, "Mamie," was a pillar of strength in his life.
"We were not wealthy by any means, but we were not poor, either," said Brooks. "My mother somehow or another could take a dollar and stretch it into a $10 bill. She was very strong without being domineering, a very strong presence and character. She was that anchor. Even my dad, he listened to her."
Brooks attended Bob Jones University, a Fundamentalist Christian college in Greenville, South Carolina, from 1971 to 1973.
"I didn't think I'd go to college because I wasn't academically minded, and I didn't realize until later in life that I have attention deficit disorder," he said. "School was a struggle for me unless I really enjoyed the subject ... The social sciences, I really gravitated to that. I had a knack for that, and a gift of running my mouth. But I never thought it would lead me to where I was going."
Brooks soon realized that the path he was on was not the right one for him.
"I was in a program that would get me into the ministry, and I think you're called; you don't choose to be in ministry," he said. "That's how I believe. And I knew I wasn't."
While at the university, Brooks met his first wife, Joyce, with whom he had his son, Donovan. They were married for 11 years before the marriage ended on amiable terms.
In 1984, Brooks was living in Durham when his nephew, a tennis pro in Woodbury, Connecticut, invited him to work with him at the tennis center and country club.
"It was fun," Brooks said. "I got to be with my best friend and watch my nieces grow up."
One day, a member of the club approached Brooks and told him about a mutual friend of theirs, a woman named Lisa. She suggested that Brooks ask Lisa on a date. Before he could, however, Lisa beat him to the punch.
Brooks said the two had a wonderful evening talking and walking together through the quintessential New England town of Woodbury. Three weeks later, they got engaged, and four weeks later, they were married. They have now been married for 38 years.
"It's been a ride I never expected I would have taken," said Brooks. "I am lucky because I'm married to my best friend. She knows me better than anybody."
Together, Brooks and Lisa are raising a 2-year-old Goldendoodle named Ollie (short for Olivia).
After working as a house painter for a few years, a friend of his told him, "With that voice, you should be in radio!" This suggestion would change Brooks's life.
He met with the news director of one of the local stations, who said that she liked his voice but they had to work on his Southern accent. And with that, Brooks's radio career took off. He became the morning news reporter for WATR in Waterbury, Connecticut. He would be in the station as early as 1 a.m. to gather and write the news, and then he would paint houses in the afternoons.
Eventually, Brooks was ready to leave the frigid temperatures of the north and return to his roots in North Carolina. He wanted to be closer to his family, especially his son and his grandchildren.
In 1995, Brooks and his wife bought a house in Lenoir, and he started working with KICKS radio. He did afternoons on KICKS for eight years, and later, he hosted a morning talk show.
When Brooks turned 50 years old, he went back to college and finished his degree in Broadcasting Electronic Media at Appalachian State University.
"That changed my life entirely and opened the door to many opportunities," he said.
Brooks had previously interviewed Laura Easton, the CEO and president of Caldwell UNC Health Care, for his radio talk show, so when the agency was seeking a new marketing/public relations director, Brooks took a chance and applied. He started the job in February 2016.
"I loved it," he said. "I love the people, I love the mission. I learned so much ... I was sort of the face and voice of the hospital to the public."
One of his main initiatives at the hospital was to improve employee morale.
"We had employee of the month ... I asked if there was something we could do more than once a month," he said. "We came up with the idea that we'd go to direct supervisors and ask them, 'Who in your staff may not be the most popular person among their peers but is one of your most valued assets and deserves the spotlight?' So we started having a spotlight feature of those employees."
Brooks said that he has immense respect and admiration for Easton and her dedication to her patients and staff.
"She's the most wonderful manager I've ever worked for," he said. "So smart, but yet so down to earth and approachable."
Brooks is currently on vacation until his birthday on Jan. 6. He is turning 70 years old. He said he realized it was time to turn the position over to someone with more technological experience who could take marketing and public relations to a higher level than he did.
Keegan Matheson, who formerly worked for the Caldwell County TV station with Eric Stafford, has been accepted to fill Brooks's role.
"Keegan is what I want to be when I grow up," said Brooks with a laugh. "He is a tremendous product of this community, through the Early College and going to Chapel Hill as a graduate. He was a known entity. I had recommended Keegan. He is the consummate pro, so smart, so witty, and so kind. I can't sing his praises enough."
Now that he's retired, Brooks said he and his wife are looking forward to doing some traveling. He has also applied to be a substitute teacher for the Caldwell County school system.
"I'm looking at new opportunities," said Brooks. "I think there are things I could relate to students, preferably junior high and older. I'd like to be able to share the story of, with some perseverance and drive and support, you can get to your dreams and sometimes get even higher. I'd like to share that message. Doesn't matter what your background is; we're all human beings."
