BACKGROUND
Personal Reflection
My name is Pablo Alejandro Lozano, aka Alex, and sole proprietor of Chunky Meats BBQ and CMB Knives/Leatherwork. For twenty-six plus years I have had an eventful career in the trades industry, gaining valuable skills along the way. My fiancé, Veronica Sandoval and I moved to Washington State in 2010 from South Texas to begin the next chapter of our lives.
I gained employment at Conagra Foods Inc. as a Packaging Mechanic where I was able to utilize the many skills I gained throughout the years. Conagra Foods was a great company to work for and paid a decent wage, but due to the location of the facility mechanics were always shorthanded. This meant an abundance of overtime. Although it was a great experience it also posed a challenge with long hours and limited family time which is relatable to many individuals striving to strike a balance between work and personal life. I knew that I needed to make a change and soon after enrolled in Spokane Falls Community College in Pullman, WA and began my path into academia.
Pursuing a Bachelors degree in Agriculture Education I knew that I wanted to be in a position to guide and influence students. I never had the privilege of having a mentor/teacher in high school to encourage me to go to college or offer career advice. I have made it a personal goal to become a mentor who positively impacts student lives; encouraging discussions about education, technical training and guiding them towards establishing successful future careers. My children are also at an age where they to are seeking direction for their own futures. I want them to see that no matter how long it takes, they too can see their value and be successful at achieving anything they set their minds to. I promote an open-door policy and willingness to be there for my students, offering support and guidance. I want to offer and create a nurturing learning environment that fosters growth and confidence for all my students. By sharing my own experiences and journey, I can help them see the possibilities and opportunities that await them.
Who Is Alex "Chunky Lozano?
I am Alex "Chunky" Lozano, BBQ pit master of Chunky Meats BBQ. Growing up in South Texas, it was a given that the BBQ pit would be fired up on the weekends. These were times when family and friends would gather at my grandparent's house; we would sit around for hours listening to the elders talk about the good ol' days while eating delicious South Texas barbecue. Now, whenever I turn on the smoker and get the first whiff of burning mesquite, it takes me back...back home to our backyard in deep South Texas.
Having been raised in Texas, Veronica and I were hesitant about leaving "home". We were raised in a place where Mesquite grew in your backyard, and now to Pine tree lined roads of the Pacific Northwest. It was hard getting accustomed to a region where most BBQ grills main heat source came from propane. Being a purist at heart, I could not allow myself to get used to propane grills. So, I knew that I needed to buy or build a smoker/BBQ pit for what I had in store.
On their usual yard sale runs, my step-father Roy and my mother Lydia came across a charcoal BBQ pit for five dollars and brought it home for me. It was a great pit for direct heat cooking, but I intended to smoke meats low and slow which required a smoker of some sort. So I borrowed a buddy’s welder, went to the metal scrap yard, found a metal box with a hinged door and slapped it on the backside of that five-dollar pit...fabricating my first offset smoker.
Thus, Chunky Meats BBQ and CMB Knives was born!!! I want to close by giving a big THANK YOU to Veronica my fiancé, mom and Roy for putting up with my BBQ shenanigans and always supporting me in all my endeavours. To my children, Stephanie and AJ, you are the motivation, the joy, the happiness and the love that keeps me going.
Daddy loves you!!!
Get the fires lit, and get the smoke rollin!!!
“IF IT’S CHUNKY, IT’S GOOD!!!”
