Scott Phillips Ferguson earned a master’s degree in business arts from Old Dominion University, and he could probably pick any city in which to live. He chose Suffolk, and insists that not for $1 million would he care to live elsewhere.

&uot;I love the area here and I’m a Hampton Roads type of guy,&uot; Ferguson added. &uot;My wife and I enjoy the area and we plan to stay right here.&uot;

Ferguson did break away from one constant in his life. He chose a career in finance instead of law. He explained that with two other attorneys at family holiday tables, he thought it would be good to have at least one in finance.

At age 26, Ferguson and his bride, Jan, have two four-legged children right now, but that’s due to change. The couple is planning to have a family, and Ferguson said he and his wife have already decided to continue the family name, &uot;Phillips.&uot; His dad is C. Phillips Ferguson.

&uot;If Jan and I have a son, he will be Hunter Phillips Ferguson,&uot; he added.

Serving as a loan officer at First Federal Savings Bank of Virginia on Main Street is Ferguson’s first &uot;real&uot; job. Prior to his entry into finance, he worked while in college at a local convenience store.

&uot;I picked up cigarette butts and pulling weeds and those were the more desirable parts of the job,&uot; he said. &uot;I also worked in and around real estate through a real estate management company. I got a lot of valuable experience with them.&uot;

As a loan officer at the bank, Ferguson said, he’s pleased to be able to offer such a variety of products to help people improve their lives.

&uot;It’s a great time to refinance and I take a lot of pleasure from helping people achieve their dreams,&uot; he added.

Ferguson said he’s lived in other locales, but he intends to stay right here in Suffolk.

&uot;I think Dorothy was right in the &uot;Wizard of Oz,’ when she said ‘there’s no place like home,’&uot; he added. &uot;For my wife and I, that’s right here in Suffolk. We both love it here.&uot;

Name? Scott Phillips Ferguson

Age? 26

Hometown? Suffolk

Family? Married to Jan for almost a year and &uot;still honeymooning.&uot; No children yet. Currently, &uot;Pawley,&uot; and &uot;Saki,&uot; two cats, make up the family. They await the September arrival of &uot;Lincoln,&uot; a bulldog so named because his size makes him look like the Towncar.

Education? MBA in Business Arts from Old Dominion University.

Career/Occupation? I chose a career in finance because I have a big family and we like to eat together especially on the holidays. We have plenty of lawyers at the table, so I thought we needed to diversify that a little bit. (His father is Commonwealth’s Attorney C. Phillips Ferguson)

Volunteer Activities? The Suffolk Ruritan Club and Jaycees are my primary activities right now. I enjoy the Jaycees &uot;Punt, Pass and Kick&uot; program sponsored by the NFL and of course the Suffolk Ruritans are well known for their annual Shrimp Feasts. Through that event, the club is able to return about $50,000 to $60,000 a year to the community through scholarships and donations to many organizations.

Favorite thing about life in Suffolk? I love the trees that we’ve kept in the city and the mix of the peace and quiet and things to do. We have the best mix of urban and suburban to be found. It’s a great place with lots of wonderful people.

Why did you pursue your chosen career? Because I enjoy helping people achieve their dreams.

Favorite thing about your job? If people are provided with the right loan, they are so excited and happy and I enjoy seeing their reaction when they realize they will have the home of their dreams.

Least favorite thing about your job? If for some reason a problem comes up on a loan application, maybe the person may have had some credit problem, I have to let them know about the problem.

What accomplishment are you proudest of? Earning my Master of business arts degree and being able to program the VCR.

Who or what motivates and inspires you? My wife and parents, Phil and Cindy Ferguson. They are both successful and very good people and I admire them. My wife brings a lot of energy and excitement into our lives and I think that’s great.

Favorite way to spend your free time? Being in and around automobiles. My brother Rob and I enjoy working on his ’87 Corvette and I enjoy building model cars. I have built more than a hundred.

What words of wisdom would you like to share with others? It is important to relax and enjoy life.

What ingredients are in the recipe for a good life? A loving home is the foundation and a nice tight circle of friends, and a positive outlook on life. Good people to work with are also important and I have that here at First Federal Savings Bank.

We all have our &uot;15 minutes of fame&uot; in this life. How would you spend your time in the limelight? I think I’m having my 15 minutes right here in the News-Herald.

How has the recent tragedy in New York and Washington, D.C. impacted your life? I believe Sept. 11 affected every American. I lost a best friend a few years ago and it was totally unrelated to the Sept 11th tragedy, but I do know how it feels and I understand the suffering that those left behind are going through. In fact, my grandfather was an Epson Raider in the Marine Corp during World War II and he gave his life to the military. I have a great deal of respect for any of our military people who defend our country and my heart goes out to anyone who lost someone in the Sept. 11th tragedy.