From the music of Glenn Miller to the doors of the U.S. Senate Chamber, Paul Wayne Miles, A65, has found himself at the threshold of numerous opportunities. Originally from Rocky Ford, Miles graduated with a liberal arts degree with an emphasis in music from Pueblo Junior College, after becoming a percussionist in grade school thanks to the influence of his father, a band director at Pueblo County High. After working in Pueblo at the Colorado State Hospital, he and his wife Judy, and son Murray, moved to Estes Park, where Miles performed with the Blue Jeans Symphonic Orchestra for the summer under the recommendation of music professor, Dr. James Duncan.
That fall, Miles enrolled at the Colorado State Teachers College (now University of Northern Colorado) in Greeley, Colorado. Struggling to provide for his family, he went to work at the Greeley Home Light and Power Company, where he remained for nine years. With a degree still in mind, Miles left the power company, and returned to school, while his wife and he began their own popular music group, the Dynamic Milestones. The duo was so successful that Paul was offered a full time gig and a management position at the Greeley Elks Lodge, where he hired big name bands such as Glenn Miller, Stan Kenton and Woody Herman, doubling membership in just one year.
In 1976, now with four children, Miles worked for various electrical power companies in Greeley, Fort Collins, and Denver, all the while continuing with the Milestones and numerous other musical ventures. During Paul’s Electrical Utility Engineering career, Judy had been employed in various secretarial positions, including Secretary to Hank Brown at Monfort of Colorado, Inc., later Senator Hank Brown. In late 1994 Paul and Judy were ready for a change and Judy asked Senator Brown if he would help them find a job in Washington D.C. He graciously did so. There, Paul began another career as Doorkeeper with the U.S. Senate, eventually being promoted to one of the managers of the doorkeepers in the Senate Chamber. He served this post during remarkable events such as State of the Union Addresses, Congressional Gold Medal Ceremonies, as well as the Senate impeachment trial of President Clinton. Now retired, Miles and his wife look forward to watching the 2005 U.S. Open out their own back door in Pinehurst, N.C.