Gil Atanasoff '99

Why did you decide to attend UW-Parkside?

I was attending UW Oshkosh, but got a full-time job in Kenosha, so made the easy decision to transfer for my senior year.

Do you have a favorite memory from your time as a student at UW-Parkside? 

My favorite memory was getting assigned to a group project in an IT Networking class late because I had missed a couple of weeks. I was randomly assigned to a group that included Ronnie Cervantes, who I’d gone to grade school through high school with, and Christina Domanik. Six months later, I started working at Harley-Davidson Motor Company, where Christina also worked, and we became great friends. Seventeen years later, in 2016, Christina and I started dating and I relocated from Wisconsin to Colorado. Fast forward another 8 and a half years, to February 2025, and Chris and I got married. Same beautiful, charismatic, and intelligent woman who got “stuck” working with me on a group project at Parkside, over 25 years ago!!

Tell us about someone who influenced your time at UW-Parkside. 

Dr. Dirk Baldwin. He taught me SQL in a database class I took with him and would call me out if I tried to “shortcut” the learning process. I spent the first several years of my professional career as a database administrator and manager of several data management teams at Harley-Davidson and General Electric Healthcare. Coincidentally, Christina worked with Dr. Baldwin to develop the first ever IT Practice Center at Parkside, which I believe is still in use to this day.

How did your UW-Parkside experience impact your professional or personal life?

The biggest impact is in meeting my current wife, as I shared earlier. However, Parkside is where I was recruited by several Fortune 500 companies who came on campus for initial interviews, including Harley-Davidson, where I spent the first 7+ years of my professional career. Because of Parkside, I had one of the coolest jobs right out of college, and met the person I’m meant to spend the rest of my life with

What has been one of the top highlights of your career?

The top highlight is my journey to owning several Senior Helpers franchises. I started working for the Madison, WI, office 10 years ago. I then relocated to Fort Collins, CO, (mostly for a girl) to start a franchise, which became three, across Northern Colorado and Wyoming. Christina and I then partnered with my sister, Jennifer (who is also a Parkside alum), and her husband, to acquire/convert a franchise in Racine/Kenosha. Most recently, in 2024, we purchased the Madison office, where it all started! The real highlight, though, is that at any given moment, we are helping over 1,000 people with meaningful employment as well as older adults and their families with the care they need to age-in-place and remain independent, across three states.

Who has had the biggest influence on your life or your career and why?

Christina. She is the reason I moved to Colorado and took a chance on starting a business. She has been with me for every step of that journey, even before we opened our doors. She has helped me raise my two daughters. She has “talked me off the ledge” when things both personally and professional looked like they were going to go south. She’s reminded me to laugh a little and enjoy the journey of life and all it throws our way.

Tell us about your family.

My mother, Evangeline, is from the Philippines. My father, Karl, is from the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. They have been married for over 46 years. My younger brother, Jason, is married to Callie, and they have two children, Braden and Brynn. My younger sister, Jennifer, is married to Ivan, and they have one daughter, Bella. I have two daughters, Sophia, who is a sophomore in college, and Lucia, who is a sophomore in high school.

What is your favorite inspirational quote? 

"Don't put off until tomorrow what you can do today," which is widely attributed to Benjamin Franklin.

What is the last book that you read? 

Audiobook: “Kitchen Confidential” by Anthony Bourdain. Print: “Unbroken” by Laura Hillenbrand.

What is your favorite hobby?

Golf.

What is something that would surprise us about you?

I played baseball in high school all across the country, against several people who played in the Major Leagues. I was also part of a tryout for the Milwaukee Brewers and got to pitch at the old County Stadium.

What advice do you have for current UW-Parkside Students?

Immerse yourself in the entire college/university experience. Academics is only one aspect of a time you will look back on fondly. Surround yourself with good people, and enjoy social activities, sports, etc. Get to know your professors as they will be there to guide far beyond graduation.