Know Your Neighbors: Ruben Mays
, Co-owner 
of Floor
 Covering Express

Ruben Mays, 35, co-owns Floor Covering Express in Sterling with Doug Allen.

Ruben has a daughter, Kierstyn Mays, 4, and is the son of Ruben and Loretta Mays of Mount Vernon. He has three brothers, Paul Mays, 40, of Sikeston, Mo., Kerry Mays, 38, of Rockford, and Jason Mays, 33, of Toluca, and a sister, Renee Montgomery, 42, of Rutland.

On-the-job lesson: Treat people with respect. They’ll give it back to you.

Alma mater: I graduated in 1992 from Stillman Valley High School, and went to Sauk Valley Community College and Mount St. Clare College, Clinton, Iowa. I have a degree in social sciences.

Philosophy: I’ve got nothing to hide.

Oughta be a law: Repeal the smoking ban.

Hearts: Fishing and watching sports.

Darts: Paperwork.

Haunts: The river and campgrounds.

Hero: Ronald Reagan. I do agree with his trickle-down theory.

First job: I was a fry cook at McDonald’s in Rockford when I was 16. I hated it.

First car: A Ford Ranger when I was 18.

Read this: “The Long Bitter Trail” by Anthony Wallace. It’s about Native Americans.

People say I look like: My father.

Phobias: Spiders.

I’d like to meet: Country musician Reba McEntire.

In the dictionary next to: Confident.

Trading places: I’d like to be Hugh Hefner.

Trading spaces: I’d like to visit Amsterdam, Holland.

Best thing about Sterling: I like the community.

Shout out: All my previous customers.

Do you know someone who ought to be featured in Know Your Neighbors? Write to Phil Hartman at phartman@svnmail.com or call 800-798-4085, ext. 524.