Kris Greene
Trusting God and Never Giving Up
By: Chase Muro
From growing up as one of 13 children to building a successful business, serving his community, and navigating life's unexpected challenges, Kris Greene's story is a reminder that faith, family, and perseverance can carry us through just about anything.
If there is one thing you should know about Kris Greene, it is that he is a man who knows what he believes in.
He loves his Catholic faith, his family, his community, and the relationships he has built over a lifetime. He is a proud conservative who values hard work, personal responsibility, and traditional family values. And if you ever have the opportunity to sit down with him, you will quickly discover that he has no shortage of stories to tell.
When Kris and I sat down for our interview, what began as a conversation about his upbringing turned into nearly an hour and a half of stories, laughter, reflections, and some genuinely moving moments.
His life has taken him across the country, through several different careers, into the world of public service, and through some difficult personal experiences. Yet through all the twists and turns, one thing has remained remarkably consistent.
His trust in God.
And as Kris reminded me toward the end of our conversation, no matter what life throws your way, you can never give up.
One of Thirteen
Kris's story begins in Salem, Oregon, where he was born in the early 1960s into a large Catholic family.
And when I say large, I mean 13 children large.
Kris was number seven, placing him directly in the middle of the family. As he jokingly described it, he was the youngest of the oldest children and the oldest of the youngest.
Growing up in a household that size certainly came with its share of excitement, but it also instilled in Kris a deep appreciation for family, discipline, and faith.
His parents were married in 1952 by his mother's uncle, who served as an abbot at Mount Angel Abbey. With such deep Catholic roots, it is no surprise that the Church played a central role in the Greene household.
Kris remembers praying the Rosary with his family every night, attending Mass regularly, and learning the importance of hard work and responsibility from an early age.
His father worked in the newspaper and advertising industries, while his mother dedicated herself to raising their children.
Because of his father's career, the family moved several times throughout Kris's childhood, first to Maryland, then Connecticut, and eventually South Florida.
One of his favorite memories came from their years in Maryland, where the family attended St. Philip Neri Catholic Church.
Their parish priest, affectionately known as Father Z, frequently joined the Greene family for Sunday dinner.
With 13 children around the table, I can only imagine what those evenings must have looked like.
But for Kris, those dinners represented something special. The Church was not simply a place to attend Mass. It was an extension of the family.
That understanding of Catholic community would stay with him for the rest of his life.
A Different Kind of Calling
After his family moved to Florida, Kris attended Chaminade High School, an all-boys Catholic school operated by the Marianists.
It was during those years that he began considering something that might surprise those who know him today.
He thought about becoming a priest.
For approximately two years, Kris participated in a discernment program with the Marianist priests and brothers. He attended daily Mass, shared meals with them, studied the faith, and seriously considered whether God was calling him to the priesthood.
Ultimately, he discerned that his vocation was elsewhere.
He wanted to get married and raise a family.
Although he did not pursue the priesthood, the experience strengthened his relationship with God and helped establish a foundation that would guide him through adulthood.
Kris told me that, unlike many young Catholics who drift away from the Church during their teenage or college years, he never really experienced that separation.
His faith had always been there.
And it would continue to influence nearly every major decision he made.
Building a Career and Finding His Way Home
Kris began working at McDonald's when he was just 15 years old.
What started as a teenage job eventually developed into a management career, with Kris overseeing multiple restaurants and discovering a natural talent for leadership.
He loved working with people, something that became increasingly obvious the longer we talked.
In 1986, after previously visiting Oregon and falling in love with the Pacific Northwest again, Kris decided to move west and start an auto-detailing business with his cousin.
The partnership ultimately did not work out, but it opened the door to another opportunity.
Kris began working with his older brother in the home warranty industry, eventually obtaining his real estate and insurance licenses.
He spent time working in Spokane and the Seattle area, meeting with real estate professionals and conducting training sessions.
He absolutely loved it.
The experience helped him develop the communication and relationship-building skills that would eventually become central to his insurance career.
After the home warranty company's franchisor went bankrupt, Kris returned to McDonald's, this time taking over a struggling restaurant in Woodinville, Washington.
The business was in serious trouble, but Kris helped turn it around within approximately six months.
When I asked how he accomplished that, his answer was refreshingly simple.
"It's real simple. You coach your people. You talk to your people. You encourage them. You show them how to do things the right way."
That philosophy says a great deal about Kris.
He believes in accountability, honesty, and treating people with respect. He is not afraid to have difficult conversations, but he also understands that good leadership requires encouragement and patience.
For Kris, those principles are deeply connected to his Catholic faith and conservative values.
He believes people should work hard, take responsibility for their actions, and strive to do the right thing, even when nobody is watching.
A Marriage That Began at Church
While living in the Seattle area, Kris became involved at St. Mary Magdalene Catholic Church in Everett.
As someone who had always enjoyed participating in parish life, he joined the choir.
It turned out to be one of the best decisions he ever made.
Through the choir, Kris met a woman who would eventually become his mother-in-law. Her daughter, Jenine, began attending choir as well, and with a little help from some fellow parishioners, the two were introduced.
They began dating and married in March 1993.
Over the following years, they welcomed three children: Kelly, Stephen, and Carissa.
As their family grew, Kris and Jenine made the decision that she would stay home to raise the children.
It was a choice that reflected the traditional family values Kris had grown up with, and one they felt was right for their household.
Kris also realized that the demanding hours of restaurant management were becoming difficult to balance with family life.
So he began looking for another career.
That search eventually led him to COUNTRY Financial, where he moved into insurance management and relocated his family to Vancouver, Washington, in 1998.
Vancouver would become the place where Kris built his career, raised his children, and established deep roots in the community.
Today, his children are grown and pursuing lives of their own. His youngest daughter, Carissa, even works alongside him at his State Farm agency.
And despite everyone's busy schedules, the Greene family makes an effort to stay connected.
One of their favorite traditions is an annual family gathering in Manzanita, Oregon, where they rent a large house and spend time together.
After growing up with 12 siblings, it seems only fitting that family gatherings remain such an important part of Kris's life.
When Life Takes an Unexpected Turn
By the late 2000s, Kris had established a successful career with COUNTRY Financial, managing an agency office in Vancouver.
But as the financial crisis unfolded, changes within the company prompted him to consider a new direction.
He began exploring an opportunity with State Farm and eventually received an offer in early 2009.
Kris planned to give his notice on May 1.
Then, on April 30, everything changed.
While riding his bicycle, Kris was struck by a car.
The accident left him facing a long and difficult recovery, including approximately six surgeries over the following year.
Instead of beginning a new career, he found himself dealing with physical pain, medical procedures, and uncertainty about the future.
When I asked how his faith helped him through that experience, his answer stuck with me.
"My faith never wavered. It was always there."
He described his faith as his rock.
And that is something I found particularly powerful about Kris's story.
His faith was not something he suddenly discovered when life became difficult. It was something he had spent decades cultivating.
Eventually, after recovering, Kris revisited the opportunity with State Farm.
In 2011, he made the transition and began building the agency he operates today.
What could have been a permanent setback became another chapter in a life defined by perseverance.
A Heart for Vancouver
Beyond his professional career, Kris has spent an extraordinary amount of time serving the Vancouver community.
He has been involved with numerous organizations, including the East Vancouver Business Association, the Evergreen School District Foundation, and Rotary.
As president of the East Vancouver Business Association, Kris helped grow the organization from approximately 30 members to around 175.
Through the association's annual golf tournament, he estimates that approximately $300,000 was raised for student scholarships over the years.
His involvement also led to an opportunity to serve as president of the Evergreen School District Foundation.
During his tenure, Kris helped expand the foundation's fundraising efforts, with its annual event eventually raising more than $120,000 in a single year.
He even developed a creative raffle program that awarded college savings plans to families.
Kris also ran for a position on the Port of Vancouver Board of Commissioners in 2017.
Although he did not win, he appreciated the opportunity to meet people throughout the community and become more involved in local issues.
What struck me about all these experiences was how much Kris genuinely enjoys bringing people together.
Whether he is leading a business, organizing a fundraiser, or simply getting to know someone new, he seems to thrive on relationships.
And he believes that the opportunities God has given him come with a responsibility to serve others.
Finding Family at Holy Redeemer
One of the most meaningful parts of Kris's life today is his involvement at Holy Redeemer Catholic Parish in Vancouver.
After spending nearly two decades at St. Joseph Catholic Church, Kris began attending Holy Redeemer during the COVID-19 pandemic.
His first experience there is a story that still makes him laugh.
He arrived at the church one Saturday wearing a suit and tie, carrying his lector book.
He approached Father Thomas Nathe, introduced himself, and asked whether he could read at Mass that evening.
Father Nathe said yes.
Just like that, Kris had found a new parish home.
The following week, he returned and served as a lector again.
Kris later learned that several parishioners had recognized him from his years at St. Joseph, and Father Nathe had heard plenty of comments about the new face at the lectern.
For Kris, the experience felt like God was opening another door.
Today, he describes Holy Redeemer with tremendous affection.
"Holy Redeemer parish is a family. It is a true family."
He explained that the community reminds him of St. Philip Neri, the parish he attended as a child in Maryland.
There is a genuine sense of belonging, where people know one another and want to support each other.
That sense of community has even carried over into his insurance business.
Kris has advertised in the Holy Redeemer bulletin for years, and he regularly receives calls from fellow parishioners looking for insurance assistance.
He enjoys being able to serve people who share his faith and makes a point of giving back to the parish through his business.
For Kris, Catholicism is not something he separates from his professional life.
It is part of who he is.
He told me that anyone who visits his office will quickly notice the Catholic books and religious items displayed throughout the space.
People know he is Catholic. They know he is religious. And they know he is conservative.
"I don't hide anything. It's out in the open."
But what stands out is that Kris's convictions are accompanied by a genuine love for people.
He wants others to feel welcomed, respected, and cared for.
And he believes that one of the most powerful ways to share the faith is simply by living it.
Faith in the Ordinary Moments
Today, Kris attends Mass almost every day, typically six days a week.
He has structured his morning routine around it, heading to work afterward.
When I asked whether receiving Holy Communion so frequently had changed him spiritually, he did not hesitate.
He told me it makes him feel closer to God and helps him become a better Catholic.
Kris also spends time reading and studying his faith.
One of his favorite books is Bishop Robert Barron's edition of The Gospels, which he described enthusiastically during our conversation.
He carries it with him frequently and enjoys the commentary accompanying the Gospel texts.
He laughed while explaining that the beautifully bound book cost approximately $80.
But to Kris, it was money well spent.
"It's the best $80 I've ever spent in my life."
I enjoyed hearing his enthusiasm for something so simple.
Here is a man who has managed businesses, helped raise significant amounts of money for charity, and spent decades building a career.
Yet one of his favorite purchases is a book about Jesus Christ.
That tells you something about where his priorities lie.
His faith has also given him opportunities to help others grow spiritually.
One particularly meaningful experience involved his friend Gary Sisson (Also, My OCIA Sponsor), whom Kris originally met while working at COUNTRY Financial.
Years later, the two reconnected after a mutual friend learned that Gary was interested in becoming Catholic.
Kris helped him explore the faith and eventually served as his sponsor when Gary entered the Church.
He also encouraged Gary to share his personal testimony with the men's group at Holy Redeemer.
According to Kris, the story moved many of the men in attendance to tears.
It was a beautiful reminder that our personal experiences, including our struggles, can become a source of encouragement for others.
Sometimes, we never know how much our willingness to share our story might impact another person.
A Son's Final Gift to His Mother
Perhaps the most touching part of my conversation with Kris involved his mother.
After moving away from South Florida in 1986, Kris had spent much of his adult life living far from his parents.
Although they stayed in regular contact, he did not have the opportunity to see them as often as he would have liked.
His father passed away in 2001, leaving his mother to spend more than two decades as a widow.
As she grew older, Kris became increasingly concerned about her well-being.
In 2021, he decided to bring her from Florida to Washington so she could be closer to him.
It was a major change, but one that gave them something incredibly precious.
Time together.
For approximately three and a half years, Kris had the opportunity to be near his mother in a way he had not experienced since his younger years.
They could see one another regularly, share moments together, and enjoy the simple gift of being present.
His mother eventually passed away, but Kris looks back on those final years with profound gratitude.
"I thank God every day that I had that experience."
He told me that he misses her dearly.
But rather than speaking only about the sadness of losing her, Kris focused on the peace he finds through his faith.
He believes his mother is with God.
And that belief gives him comfort.
I found this part of our conversation especially moving.
For someone who has spent so much of his life working, leading, and serving others, one of the experiences Kris treasures most is simply having been able to spend those final years with his mom.
It is a beautiful reminder that our greatest blessings are not always measured by professional accomplishments or financial success.
Sometimes, they are measured by the time we get to spend with the people we love.
Never Give Up
As our conversation came to a close, I asked Kris the question I ask everyone I interview.
My blog is called Everyone Has a Story.
What does that phrase mean to you?
After hearing about his childhood, his family, his career, his accident, his community involvement, and his Catholic faith, I was curious how he would summarize his own philosophy on life.
His answer was simple.
"Just live your life like God wants you to live it. I mean, that's what I try to do."
Then he acknowledged something that I think all of us can relate to.
He struggles with it.
Despite his strong faith and lifelong commitment to the Church, Kris does not pretend that following God's will is always easy.
He recognizes that his own desires do not always perfectly align with what God may be asking of him.
But he continues trying.
"I truly, truly want to live my life the way God wants me to live my life, the way He wants me to live it, not the way I want to live it."
I thought that was a powerful distinction.
It is one thing to believe in God.
It is another thing entirely to surrender your plans, expectations, and desires to Him.
And Kris understands that this is a lifelong process.
As we continued talking, he shared the words that I believe best summarize his story.
"But you can never give up. You can't give up. You can never give up, no matter what life throws at you. We all have trials and tribulations. We have death. We have crises. You know, just can't give up because He's the reason."
Those words have stayed with me.
Because when you look at Kris's life, you see someone who has experienced many of the same uncertainties and difficulties that all of us face.
Career changes that did not go as planned.
Business ventures that did not work out.
A serious accident that interrupted his life.
The challenges of raising children.
The loss of loved ones.
And the everyday struggle of trying to become the person God calls us to be.
Yet through all of it, Kris has continued moving forward.
He has built a loving family, established a successful career, served his community, developed meaningful friendships, and remained committed to his Catholic faith.
And perhaps that is the greatest lesson from his story.
A meaningful life is not necessarily one without hardship, disappointment, or mistakes.
It is one in which we continue showing up, continue loving others, continue trusting God, and continue trying to do what is right.
Kris Greene's journey is a beautiful reminder that faith does not eliminate life's challenges, but it can give us the strength to face them.
And no matter where life takes us, there is always a reason to keep going.
Because as Kris Greene would tell you, you can never give up.
---
Kris,
Thank you so much for your time. I will certainly reflect on our conversation and the valuable wisdom you shared. As a young Catholic professional, I appreciate your example of living with faith, integrity, and a commitment to serving others.
Service over self. That's something I'll carry with me.
Thank you again, sir.
In Christ,
Chase