In Focus is our gift to the community. A way for us to help show our recognition for the people, businesses and organizations that help make our city great. The team at KelownaNow.com is passionate about this community and the people that make it amazing. We want to show our friends, neighbours, family and colleagues that we notice them and the fabulous things that they do.
What is your name?
Michael Banman.
Where are you from and how long have you lived in Kelowna?
I grew up in Winnipeg, moved to Kelowna in 1993, met my wife in university, moved to California for 5 years then back to Kelowna in 2004.
Who is your favourite person to spend time with and why?
I love to spend time with my wife because she has an awesome perspective on life, she sees the good in people and she is really fun to be around, that's why she's my wife.
If you could go anywhere in the world right at this moment where would you go and why?
I would probably take my family to one of the Greek Islands right now to lay on the beach and swim in the ocean.
What is your favourite local store in Kelowna and why?
My favorite local store is a tough one because I am not a big shopper but I do love the farmer’s market and I appreciate how great Kelowna’s market is.
What is your favourite activity? My favorite activity is travelling.
I love learning about new cultures, meeting new people and trying new languages. If I wasn’t doing what I do now, I would probably be an interpreter or a linguist.
If you had to choose: pizza, tacos, or burgers?
Burger. I definitely judge a restaurant by its burger.
What is the most embarrassing thing that has happened to you?
For some reason my last name is hard to pronounce and spell so when I was getting my social security number in the US a lady yelled into the very full waiting room "Mr. Banana". It took me a little while to clue in but I figured it out and was relieved when my social security card had my name spelled correctly on it.
What is the most inspiring thing that has happened to you?
Probably seeing my children being born. It is such an amazing miracle how God creates and develops a tiny human in nine months and I got to watch six of them enter the world to start their lives.
Tell us your favourite childhood memory.
I remember most of my childhood being really fun. I would probably say my favourite memory was going to a place called the Bridge Drive-In for a walk along the river and an ice cream. But playing hockey outside in -40 degree weather was pretty fun too.
Where do you volunteer or give back to in the community?
Through our office we do several community outreach programs every month by providing educational lunch and learn experiences for businesses, community and church groups where we talk about the five essentials for healthy living. This year we started a fund to help children with Scoliosis who want to be under conservative care. We did a 5k run and my awesome staff raised enough money for a child to get a free Scolibrace which will help them manage their Scoliosis. We also serve our patients by having monthly community dinners where we do short health talks. We have partnered together with Mon Thong thai restaurant for the majority of these and more recently we have had Surfside California Taco Truck provide our dinners for us. The patients and their guests get a free dinner and more importantly they get some great tips on how to improve their health.
If you could change one thing in the world what would it be?
I would change the fat that people would realize how much health potential God has given them. I would hope that they could realize how much greater their quality of life could be in all areas if they were more proactive about being healthy instead of waiting for poor health to sneak up on them.
What is your favourite activity in Kelowna?
There are so many fantastic things to do in Kelowna. We have such a great opportunity to get outdoors on a trail quickly and I really think we have great food at our locally owned restaurants, wineries and breweries. I would probably choose to go out for dinner with my wife or go swimming at the beach with my kids.
Where would you sneak away to in Kelowna to spend some time alone?
The Greenway or Knox Mountain are regular places I go for some quiet time.
Where would you like to see positive change in Kelowna and why?
I don’t have a lot of insight into the inner workings of Kelowna but if I were being picky I would say better traffic flow on the highway. I would also like to see people become more educated about what it takes to be healthy so that they could enjoy their lives in this beautiful city. Kelowna is great because there are so many amazing outdoor places to explore within a short distance.
What are 3 things on your bucket list?
1. Own a few more chiropractic offices to help more people, maybe even in a foreign country
2. Live in a foreign country
3. Learn 3 more foreign languages
Tell us something that not everyone may know about you.
Well, one of my ears is smaller then the other. My children like to make fun of me because it is hard to keep my baseball cap level.
How do people connect with you, personally, through social media? (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest)
Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
What is the name of your business/organization?
Aligned Chiropractic and Family Health Center.
Why did you get into/start this business?
I had a real desire to help people with their health and when our first child was born she had some health challenges. We tried a lot of different suggestions from health professionals and the thing that helped allow her body to do its job healing was chiropractic. So, you could say she got me into my profession. I didn’t know much about chiropractic except for the results that it had on my daughter. I was actually quite skeptical about it prior to that but when I began to understand how the brain communicates with the entire body it all made sense as part of a healthy lifestyle.
What is the goal of your business?
To change the way healthcare is viewed and how it is delivered to people. Education is a big part of what we do to work with people to achieve a healthy lifestyle. We really want to see healthy people and families in Kelowna. We have some really cool testing that we are working on to help people understand what is going on in their bodies so they can make better decisions about their health.
What has been your biggest struggle either in work or life?
Staying organized with my time and being able to put the right amount of time into the things that are important.
If you could start all over again would you do things the same or would things be different?
I would probably try to have more patience but I wouldn’t change circumstances. I have learned a lot from all of my mistakes.
What do you always find yourself saying?
'Be good, be kind, be generous and make it a great day!' My dad used to say a version of that to us everyday and I try to say it to my kids every day.
If you could spend one whole day with anyone in the world who is currently alive, who would you select?
Someone old and wise so I'm not sure. I’ll have to think about that one.
Why do you think it is important to shop locally?
I think it says a lot about your commitment to the community that you are part of. It really helps to develop better relationships with the people you see and share life with.
What has been your proudest accomplishment?
Choosing to follow Jesus, choosing my wife and raising awesome kids. After that going back to school and graduating from Chiropractic College with a small family at the time.
Give someone you think that deserves a shout out and explain why.
Cole Bernier, a man who has shown a lot of character and determination at a young age. You have overcome a lot Cole and I am continually encouraged by your attitude.
My choice for the KelownaNow In Focus spotlight is:
Terry Bradshaw, who is creating a health testing website called My Easy Wellness. He is committed to helping people get healthy and is trying to bring healthy tests and lifestyle recommendations to families around the planet.
Some general comments I would like to share are:
My goal is to see people in Kelowna experience health in a way they didn’t think possible. It has been really exciting for me to see my family and extended family get involved with this mission. My brother also works at the office as a chiropractor and my sister handles all the administration. At one time or another every one of my siblings and my parents have played a role in developing our community of health. Our team right now is very committed to helping and serving people to see them become healthy and I appreciate all the work they do to create a great atmosphere for people. We are excited to see people live out a great quality of life in Kelowna as it grows and develops.
We encourage you to leave your comments and words of support below and submit your own nomination by clicking HERE. You are also welcome to submit a form of your own by clicking HERE. Thank you, Kelowna.
