As a Chief Deputy of the United States Bankruptcy Court, Southern District of Indiana, Guy Weeks, ‘86, ‘09, is considered the trusted advisor and administrator of the court.
Q&A with Guy Weeks
Tell us about yourself!
I was born and raised in South Bend, Indiana. My path is unique as I attended Davenport College right after high school, began a career and went back to Davenport University to complete my education. I started in accounting, transitioned to I.T., transitioned to management, then finally in leadership. It was a long path of goal setting, development, maturity, raising a family and obviously education. Today, my wife and I live in Indianapolis where I am the Chief Deputy of U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Indiana. Prior to this position, I was the Chief Deputy in Northern Indiana, South Bend. My experience extends almost 26 years with the federal courts.
What was your experience like at Davenport?
I attended the DU campus in South Bend/Mishawaka, Indiana. I liked the size of the college because I wanted a place where I could interact directly with the instructors. I did not want to feel just like a number, as you do at the bigger universities. Plus, Davenport was known for their finance and accounting degrees, and that was the path I was planning to pursue.
How did you get started in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court?
My career started in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in 1992 as an IT systems administrator. Although when I first graduated from Davenport my degree and work were in accounting and data processing, my career transformed with a focus on technology with other organizations prior to the court. I know it was because Davenport gave me first-hand experience with PCs. Between the online classes and having computers in all the classrooms, I was the go-to guy for computer related issues at work. This led to additional training and education in the computer field.
While at the court, I was promoted to an assistant systems manager to the systems manager and then to the director of IT. I had gained experience and knowledge of the federal court, spanning accounting, IT, budget and operations, facilities and construction projects, which helped me land the position of the Chief Deputy. I volunteered for everything. I did not want to stay in a comfort zone.
In a nutshell, what do you do as the Chief Deputy?
As a Chief Deputy, I am considered the alter ego of the Clerk of Court. The Clerk is the court unit executive, which is similar to a CEO. My team and I are the trusted advisers and administrators for the court. In this role, I help administer the court; manage budgets, finances, and procurement; and oversee operations, including managing cases, human resources, scheduling and strategic planning. I also do a lot of work with security. We work with the U.S. Marshals Service to ensure the safety of our court, staff and manage disaster preparedness. Every day is completely different!
What is your biggest accomplishment?
My biggest accomplishment is my family. All three of my children are college graduates and I have been married for almost 30 years. Working full time, raising a family, going back to school in 2004, all at the same time, was by far my biggest and most proud accomplishment.
What are you passionate about?
I am passionate about learning and leadership. I consider myself a life-long learner who uses the education and skills I learn to help others to improve, through coaching and mentoring. I volunteer and participate on a national level for court committees, conferences and additional training.
What do you do in your free time?
Before I moved, I played a lot of golf with a couple of high school buddies. However, since moving in early 2016, twice, we are updating our new home and still learning what all the Indianapolis area has to offer. I enjoy wine, wine tasting and exploring new winemakers. I also like going on vacations both long and short. My wife and I spend a lot of time traveling to see our children in Chicago and Denver and relaxing on the beaches Florida. What better way to enjoy the country while spending time with one another?
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