Faculty and Staff

Aloha~ I am Buck Ernest. I went to California State University, Chico. Graduated 2000. I was a manager at the local Red Lobster for 10 years. I worked my way up prior to becoming a manager from dishwasher to baker to line cook and then Asst. Manager. Real quick like, when I was 19-21, on a whim I moved to Hawaii with my best friend. WOW!! Hawaii was AWESOME! I surfed every day, or was at least in the ocean every day. I worked at a shipyard as a Sandblaster/Painter. My Dad worked there too as a world class machinist, when they were still around. He sailed his 28' boat to Hawaii from San Francisco. I went on to become a Sales Rep for Budweiser. Then a sales Rep for Comcast. Comcast to Stott Outdoor Advertising and then onto Managing Applebee's. After the last restaurant I started my own construction business. I had plenty of work but my experience wasn't the best. I ran into Sam one day. He used to be a cook for me when I was the kitchen manager at R.L. I asked how he was. He said great and that he'd started his own plumbing business. I asked if he needed help, he hired me on the spot. I spent two years with him, then two years with N. State Plumbing. In the meantime all three of my kids were attending Blue Oak and I volunteered as much as possible, which was a lot. I was asked to help find a company that builds play structures, design one and build it. The Facilities Manager Position opened up at Blue Oak. I both finished the play structure and got the job in August of 2018. I've been very busy at Blue Oak ever since. Football and baseball were my primary sports forever. Went to two bowl games while playing football at Butte College '93 and '94. Heard about rugby from my offensive line coaches at Butte and was offended they would ever suggest I try anything but football. I eventually relented and played in a game of rugby and holy COW! what a sport! I never stopped play until recently. Our club team here in Chico, the Mighty Oaks, went 19-0 and won the whole darn thing, playing and wining the National Championship game in Pittsburgh Pennsylvania in 2002. I played for the next 10-12 years and coached, I still coach to this day. I should say at this point that I've Snow skied all my life too. Actually, I put up my planks and switched to snowboarding when I was 18 and never looked back. I had the good fortune of growing up in Nevada City, only an hour from the closest resort. I grew up with pro snowboarders and was able to ride with them for many glorious days. Getting in close to 60 days of riding one glorious winter when it used to snow a lot. I should also mention that I Wake Board too. I became proficient at that sport, despite my sporty girth, my closest friends called me the incredible Bulk! Rugby dropped off a bit and motocross, basketball, skim boarding, mountain biking, archery, axe and knife throwing, pool maintenance, fishing and deep, heavy, intellectual, philosophical thinking picked up. Backpacking became a focus. While in college I hiked most of the California Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail, sans the Mohave dessert. I proposed to my wife Angie while we were on a two week backpacking trip. She did better than me and was a total trooper on the trail. I never met a female that could do what I do on the trail, was pretty, smart and funny..... sooooooo, I married her. We have three kids that range, day to day, from funny, sassy, bossy, grumpy, literate, only sounds, happy, sad, confused and loving. Oh, and they are 14, 13, and 10. That's my life.....