My name is Patrick Chambers, I’m 63 years old – born in New York, raised in New England. I’m the founder of IXI, a boutique marketing firm based here in Harford County. We mainly do business development and marketing – primarily digital – for small businesses & nonprofits, but our reputation is for being connectors – a large
part of our mission is to connect local businesses with local charities and nonprofits to create mutually beneficial relationships that build a stronger community.
Q: Please tell us a little bit about your family.
I’ve been married for over 40 years; and have 3 children and 3 grandchildren. My wife has retired from a 41-year career as a NICU nurse at Johns Hopkins. My sons, PJ and Steve, are partners in IXI with me. My daughter, Megan, works for a law firm in Bel Air. We have two dogs, a cat, 5 chickens and a komodo dragon.
Q: Please tell us about your current, past, or future career. What do you love most about what you do?
My career has always been about communications. Most of my time in the Navy was spent in the communications center of the USS Carl Vinson. I worked for a defense contractor testing military communications systems and I served as Test Director for the Joint Services Baseline Assessment as we transitioned all branches of the military from point-to-point systems, to using Internet-based technology for communications. I founded IXI as an online bulletin board system for Harford County, and began providing dialup Internet access as public availability became mainstreamed — and from there branched out to website development and digital marketing. IXI — Innovative eXchange, Inc. — was named for the idea of always searching for new and innovative ways of exchanging ideas and information.
Q: What are a couple of your favorite restaurants in our community?
Hopkins Farm Brewery, Sunny Day Café, MaGerk’s, The Local, and the incredible food truck, Top Nach.
Q: How long have you lived or worked in our community?
I have been living in Harford County since 1986 – in Bel Air until 2001, and in Churchville since then. I started IXI in 1995 and have worked here since!
Q: Who is the most interesting person you’ve met here in our community?
My good friend, Mike Nolan, is an amazing, selfless human being who gives so much to our community. His organization, Breathe 379, has quietly helped over 34,000 people since it’s inception, and Mike’s work has inspired me to always strive to be a better person.
Q: What is one of your favorite movies? TV shows?
I love all Wes Anderson movies; Royal Tenenbaums is probably my favorite. TV shows – Breaking Bad, Better Call Saul, Arrested Development, Fleabag, Peaky Blinders. That said, I prefer music – I love the jam bands, Americana, Folk, Bluegrass, Blues, Rock.
Q: What advice would you give to people?
“As far as I can tell, ‘most everything means nothing, except some things that mean everything”. I stole that from Patty Griffin.
Q: What current or former local business makes you the most nostalgic about our community?
Kind of a cop out, but our business does. This is our 30th year and we’ve worked with so many local businesses and nonprofit organizations over the years, that we’ve become quite ingrained into the community, and along the way became dedicated to connecting the for-profit and nonprofit sectors. As times changed, we did as well. We put the first Internet connections in Harford County schools, built the first websites for each of the schools, provided education to Harford teachers and the PTAs on keeping kids safe online, etc. and we’ve always been able to adapt as communications technologies have advanced.
Q: If you could choose anyone that is alive today and not a relative; with whom would you love to have lunch? Why? And where locally would y’all meet for this lunch?
I love to meet new people in our community, and so, I host a networking group – “Downtime Networking” at Hopkins Farm Brewery on Thursday evenings. I reach out to literally everyone that I meet there to grab a cup of coffee or lunch – to me, that’s really where networking begins. It’s about getting to know people. I always like to schedule something right before Downtime Networking at Hopkins; my go to places for coffee are Bagel Works, Abingdon Grill, Concord Pt. Coffee or Grounded Coffee. So, in a roundabout way, I’m saying that I love to have lunch with someone that I don’t really know yet.
Q: What is your favorite thing or something unique about our community?
I love to hike the trails in Susquehanna State Park, and splash around in Deer Creek with the grandkids. I also like to haunt our amazing local breweries – seems to be a trend here.
Q: Where do you see yourself in 5 to 10 years?
I hope to still be working with my sons at IXI. I love what we do and how we can use our talents & experience to be a positive force in the community. I’d like to travel a bit if the boys give me some time off.
Q: (Even for friends or family), what is something interesting that most people don’t know about you?
Hmm.. how about some random facts, that may or may not be interesting? I’ve hiked Kilimanjaro with my son, PJ. I was a farm worker for 8 summers when I was a kid. I rode a mule into the Grand Canyon. I’ve landed on an aircraft carrier in the Mediterranean Sea. I am a Royal Diamond Shellback — Navy tradition – first time crossing the equator was at 0 degrees Longitude/0 degrees Latitude. I like pineapple on my pizza and don’t care who knows it. It’s taken me a year and a half to get this form back to the very patient Linda Wunner.
Q: What would you rate a 10 out of 10?
A night out with live music. I love concerts, festivals, local bands – and we have some great ones in Harford County, and simply sitting around with Katie Hopkins and her gang as they play behind the taphouse. They’re playing; I’m not – my guitar playing sounds like someone is choking a cat.
Q: Who inspires you to be better?
We touched on this regarding my friend, Mike, but my kids & grandchildren are constant reminders that you never stop being a role model – for better and for worse, so you really have to be someone that you’d be proud for them emulate.
Q: What community service or volunteer work do you participate in for your local community?
Love, Inspiration, Sanctuary.
Q: Finally, what 3 words or phrases come to mind when you think of the word HOME?
Love, Inspiration, Sanctuary
