Rick Shoch moved back to his hometown of Sunbury in 2002 because his job as an inhouse council for an investment firm was taking too much time away from what mattered most: his wife and children.
"It was interesting working the city (commuting to Philadelphia and New York City). There's a certain excitement, but it wasn't what I wanted long-term for me or for my family," the 45-year-old attorney said Wednesday afternoon following the Northumberland County commissioner's meeting.
It was the last meeting he would attend as a private citizen and commissioner-elect. The Sunbury native was the top vote-getter in the election for county commissioner and will join the board Tuesday.
Shoch and his wife married in 1996 and have four children ages 13 to 5. Shoch is proud of his children, but spoke mostly about his daughter, Lily, who was diagnosed with Kabuki Syndrome a year after she was born.
The disorder - named for a type of traditional Japanese theater in which actors wear makeup that gives them a striking large-eyed facial appearance - affects many parts of the body along the midline and is characterized by distinctive facial features including arched eyebrows, long eyelashes, long openings of the eyelids with the lower lids turned out at the outside edges, a flat and broadened tip of the nose and large protruding earlobes.
Lily, now 11, was born with a cleft lip and palate and also had to undergo three heart surgeries within the first year of her life to repair transposed vessels - the first surgery took place days after she was born. The disorder also caused developmental delays, and hearing and vision problems.
"It teaches you a lot about life," Shoch said. "Up until that point, you're young, things are going your way, and you've achieved different successes. You realize your life isn't all about that, it's about dealing with adversity and appreciating people in all shapes and sizes. You see the value in people. It gave us more of a sense of that."
Also, it reaffirmed his relationship with Paula.
"We're partners and soulmates. I knew within the first date or so that there was something different and special about her. When you go through some of the adversities that we have, it draws you closer. It solidifies that you made the right decision of wanting to spend the rest of your life with this person," Shoch said.
It was also because of his daughter, Lily, that Shoch decided to extend his law practice to representing families with special-needs children to ensure school districts are accommodating them.
"That's one of the reasons I enjoy helping people. I find it particularly gratifying helping kids who have challenges to overcome," he said.
Lily is healthy, but visits cardiologists regularly for check-ups. She is a student in Shikellamy School District and enjoys singing and acting - she had a part in "Annie" last year.
Their oldest daughter, Natalie, 13, enjoys stage performances as well.
Their oldest son, Eric, 9, loves baseball and started playing football last season, and Shoch tries his best to be involved in coaching duties.
Brady, the youngest at age 5, is a "red-headed pistol" who has his parents wrapped around his finger, Shoch said.
When Shoch won the general election in November, he and his employers of nine years at Wiest, Muolo, Noon and Swinehart agreed it best for Shoch to break away to avoid a potential conflict of interest; the firm represents many local municipalities and businesses.
"I didn't want to be in a position where I was constantly abstaining or telling my clients they would have to get special council," Shoch explained.
The split was an amicable one, he added.
In his private practice, he will continue to represent several clients, including Liverpool, Mahoning Township and Point Township. He will not conduct divorce or custody hearings.
But, he said, his focus will be Northumberland County government.
"The commissioner position is not a 9 to 5 job. It's an all-the-time job," he said.
If he has free time in the next four years between two jobs and a family, Shoch said he plans to go bird hunting with his 6-year-old English Setter, Higgins, or fishing with the kids.
"A lot of times, I talk about my hobbies in the past tense, because I don't find as much time to pursue them these days," he said.
It's just been recently that Shoch and his wife have entrusted their oldest daughter to watch her siblings while the two go out to dinner.
Turtle named Vinny
When Shoch is officially sworn in as county commissioner Tuesday, he will sit next to a man named Vinny - incumbent commissioner Vinny Clausi. But the Shoch household already has a connection with Clausi, thanks to a turtle named Vinny.
While visiting a church festival in Shamokin during the general election, Shoch's sons were attempting to win a turtle at a ball toss game. Shoch, who was occupied with a conversation, kept handing them money for their game, but the boys were unable to win the shelled pet. Clausi, who was also at the game's stand, insisted on helping the boys win their prize.
"I come to find out, he handed my 5-year-old a fifty dollar bill," Shoch said, laughing while retelling the story. "Long story short, we have a turtle named Vinny who shares a room with my two sons."
Best ideas
Even though he has yet to be sworn in, some county residents have voiced concern that Shoch will side with Clausi instead of newcomer, Stephen Bridy, Shoch said.
"I'm going to listen to him and hear him out. Am I going to do the same thing with Mr. Bridy and hope they do the same with me? Yes," he said.
Any decision Shoch makes in office will be on an issue-by-issue basis, he noted.
"Not everyone will agree on everything. I'm not looking to create any kind of alliance. I'm looking to come up with the best ideas to move this county forward. Sometimes, that's going to mean I'm allied with one and not the other," Shoch said.
In less than two months since the general election, Bridy and Clausi have already butted heads while Shoch has stayed relatively out of the way of controversy.
"You have three males sitting in confined quarters, all trying to mark their territories. Someone is bound to get sprayed," Shoch said. "It's going to take time perhaps. There's not a lot of communication now, but once we all get there, that will change."
The current commissioners have already included Shoch in several discussions since he was elected - Clausi more so than commissioners Frank Sawicki and Merle Phillips, who were defeated in the election.
"They often give me a call and, if I'm able, I participate. It's going to be very helpful in terms of hitting the ground running," he said.
Shoch's goal is to sit down with department heads and develop a working relationship to determine exactly what they're doing and what they need to make it better. However, he said, the initial focus will have to be on the budget if it's reopened in the new year.
"When that's done and under our belt, it's time to look forward to our future and what changes we can make to continue this trend of reducing the size of the budget," he said.