Ernie House, Indpendent Opportunities By Patrice D. Bucciarelli, The Lane Report, October 2005 Ernie House arrived at Eastern Kentucky University in 1973 planning to go out for football, wrap up a dual chemistry and biology degree, and move on to medical school. He hadn't planned on calling the plays for the school's two-time Ohio Valley Conference championship football team. More than 30 years later, House is not a physician, but a successful businessman. His largest firm, Independent Opportunities, builds and operates 50 group homes for disabled individuals in London, Berea, Somerset and Richmond. "We help people become accustomed to living in a community, get jobs and lead productive lives," House explained. Headquartered in London, the company's staff of 240 provides residents with a range of services, including occupational, speech and physical therapy, and specialized employment. According to House, Independent Opportunities is on track to hit nearly $10 million in revenues. House launched the firm in 1999, when changes in state statutes allowed private-sector firms to operate and staff group homes for the developmentally disabled throughout Kentucky. The company owns and staffs all of its homes and is largely paid by Medicaid. But Independent Opportunities is just the latest in a string of entrepreneurial ventures House has pursued since his career path took him away from medicine. While he managed to balance his commitments as quarterback for EKU's football team and the academic rigors of a double major, House said medical school recruiters weren't impressed. "We were on the road a lot." House said. "But I still graduated with a solid B-average. I kept trying to convince the admissions officers at the medical schools that if I could handle those two complicated majors and play football, I could learn anything." "Unfortunately, they wouldn't go for it," he said. "It just was not to be." So instead of studying medicine, House returned to his native London - where he still lives with wife, Kim, and daughter, Hillary, 15 - and carved out a business career. He took on responsibilities in a retail grocery business begun by his maternal grandfather and took advantage of commercial opportunities whenever they presented themselves. House's other ventures include Rob-Hill Properties, Inc. and Coastal Investors - which, among other things, sell pre-built condos in and around Florida. He insists he's a behind-the-scenes player in managing Independent Opportunities and credits Wayne Harvey, executive director and COO of the firm, for its success and growth. House admits not all his ventures have been overwhelming successes. But overcoming those frustrations is what entrepreneurs do, he pointed out. It is what game-winning quarterbacks do, too. "I was a quarterback," he said. "I played on a very successful team. But we didn't always win. People always talk about learning teamwork as one of the major benefits of sports. It's important, but understanding teamwork is only part of it. The even bigger thing is that when you play competitive sports, you have to be able to lose, and pick yourself up and keep going." In the business world, as in football, House said people can't win if they're intimidated by defeat. "Business is no different than sports," House said. Businesspeople sometimes fail. The successful ones realize that anything you do with success gives you confidence. They are able to pick themselves up - to recover and deal with the disappointments - and keep going. And they're willing to take risks when others are not." [As a client, Mr. House has utilized the "research and strategic services" offered by Emmons & Company. Inc.]