“I’m not easy to be married to.” Mike Meade admits. The BCIT alum concludes this is due to his obsession with adrenaline-inducing sports, which has resulted in multiple injury-related surgeries. Surgeries through which his wife of 25 years and fellow alum, Shaeesta Meade, supported him.
He says his worst accident yet was in 2019. It involved a new mountain bike on a double black diamond trail in Whistler, BC. Mike says he was familiar with the trails, but that he rushed putting together the bike’s suspension.
“My fork bottomed out and I went for a flight down a long rock face,” Mike recalls, adding that luckily, he landed shoulder first with no head, neck, or back injury.
Mike says he couldn’t have recovered without Shaeesta’s support.
Shaeesta, a self-proclaimed homebody, says that his adventurous nature is one of the traits she loves most about him and that it helps her get out of her comfort zone. Recently celebrating their 25th wedding anniversary, Shaeesta and Mike are proof that their differences have only strengthened their relationship since the day they first met on BCIT Burnaby campus in 1994.
Love at first BCIT lecture
It was their first class in the lecture hall. Mike, who graduated from the Marketing Management Diploma program with honours in 1996, says Shaeesta caught his eye instantly: “I scoped her out and strategically sat next to a mutual friend to make an introduction for us.”
“We clicked right away,” recalls Shaeesta, who graduated with honours from the Marketing Management Diploma program in 1996 and the Business Administration Degree program in 2007. “We were two totally different people with very different backgrounds, but we had similar goals for our future and the same reason for attending BCIT: to start our careers.”
“I was just a penniless kid, trying to figure out life,” shares Mike. “But she saw and accepted me for exactly who I was.”
When asked about her first impression of Mike, Shaeesta’s answer was simple: “I’m a sucker for blue eyes.”
Living on a student budget, their first dates involved mall pizza, discounted movie nights, and car washes for an annual BCIT Student Association fundraising event, at the time, called ‘Shinerama’.
The event earned them a volunteer appreciation night of dancing, which Mike says was their first unofficial date. He added that many of the students with whom they washed cars remain lifelong friends today.
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Three generations of BCIT Alumni Michael Meades
The couple has two daughters and one son, and their family history weaves in multi-generations of BCIT alumni. Mike’s dad, Michael Meade Senior, who had a natural inclination for sales and business, graduated from BCIT in 1972 with a Business Administration Diploma.
Mike’s son, Michael Meade Junior, was inspired by his grandfather and father, and graduated in 2021 from the Business Operations Management Diploma program. He is currently completing the Sustainable Business Leadership Advanced Diploma with plans to complete the double degree program in Business Administration and International Business Management.
Why did they choose BCIT? Three generations of Michael Meades were all drawn to the BCIT School of Business for the practical, hands-on approach to education. For Shaeesta, it was the industry connections and opportunity to launch her career in sales.
The secret is: There is no secret
According to the alumni couple, their relationship is successful because of their commitment and deep understanding of one another.
In fact, their relationship is so strong that they also run a thriving business together. Since starting their air filtration company, AIRPLUS Industrial, in 1998, the Meades have bought out two competitors, more than doubling the company’s sales and value with their business partners Feisal and Ginger Nasser. Today Airplus is a majority female owned company.
So what’s the relationship secret that sustains them through life and work?
“There is no secret,” Mike confesses. “We just work hard at it. It means cooperation, understanding, and acceptance of each other’s quirks.”
Shaeesta adds that they share a passion for travel, but that compromise is key: “He tolerates my love for museums, and I tolerate his need to be near mountains and water and to do stupid things.”
She adds, “Making 25 years of marriage work isn’t about big romantic gestures, it’s about being consistent, being steady, and sustainable love.”
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