* Name: Dan Bowers
* Job title: President of Allied Arts
* Location: Allied Arts, Frazier Avenue
* First job: His first professional job was part-time executive director of the Chamber of Commerce in North Port, Ala., while also working part-time as a sports photographer for the Tuscaloosa News and attending graduate school.
* Favorite part of job: "The variety. The job (differs) from day to day. Also it's all the relationships that I have. It's never a dull moment. I'm constantly moving and I get to work with some of the best people in the community. My board of directors and my volunteers are the cream of the crop of Chattanooga."
* Worst part of job: "The pressure of knowing that so much depends on the success of fundraising. If we do very well, of course, organizations do well and the arts do well, but if we don't do so well, there are consequences. I think that pressure of feeling like you don't want to let people down or let organizations down may be the hardest part of it."
* Special rewards: "Attending events and knowing the work we've done has played a role in events being able to succeed." Allied Arts supports funding for 14 organizations around Chattanooga and Mr. Bowers said it's akin to having 14 children. "Seeing them do well is a source of a lot of pride."
Furthermore, seeing how the work Allied Arts does to strengthen the arts in the community outside of funding alone, he said, has its rewards too. "Being able to sit at the table with people in the community who are passionate about the arts."
* Best advice: "The old things like the Golden Rule play out -- that's always a great ally."
"If you treat people right and you always tell the truth, and you don't get absorbed in who's going to get the credit, and you give other people credit when it's due, everything works out."
* Making a career of it: Start of volunteering for a couple of organizations that strike your interest, see what really strikes a chord and then find a good mentor to advise you what path to pursue in terms of education that could be beneficial.