MGE’s Charles Warner
The “Filipino” in me
The “Filipino” in me
Part 1 of 2
By Heidi M. Pascual
Charles Warner, a residential services specialist at Madison Gas & Electric, welcomes the
challenges of helping Madison families save on energy and make their homes safe and comfortable
to live in. Only in his late 20s, Warner is no stranger to this job, having worked for six years at Energy
Services Inc. (ESI), located on Madison’s south side. This two-part article will first introduce Charles
to our readers and then focus on his work and its huge significance to our community.
Born in Hawaii, Charles Warner is a mixed-race Asian American who’s closer to his mother’s
Filipino (Chinese and Spanish) ancestry than to his dad’s German-Irish ancestry. It isn’t because his
physical looks are far from being “German” (although it accounts for it partly) but primarily because of
the close-knit Filipino family tradition that he grew up with. Also, his parents’ divorce separated him
completely from the ‘other clan,’ which he didn’t find very warm towards him anyway.
His great grandparents left the Philippines and immigrated to Hawaii at the turn of the century to
work on the plantations. His mom, Donna, was also born in Hawaii; so mother and son do not speak
Filipino, however, the traditions were kept alive.
“I am an only child, so I was like, ‘yeah, I’m mommy’s boy for sure,’” Charles admitted with a big
grin. “She put me in a Catholic school, and so without that upbringing at St. Elizabeth, I don’t think I’d
By Heidi M. Pascual
Charles Warner, a residential services specialist at Madison Gas & Electric, welcomes the
challenges of helping Madison families save on energy and make their homes safe and comfortable
to live in. Only in his late 20s, Warner is no stranger to this job, having worked for six years at Energy
Services Inc. (ESI), located on Madison’s south side. This two-part article will first introduce Charles
to our readers and then focus on his work and its huge significance to our community.
Born in Hawaii, Charles Warner is a mixed-race Asian American who’s closer to his mother’s
Filipino (Chinese and Spanish) ancestry than to his dad’s German-Irish ancestry. It isn’t because his
physical looks are far from being “German” (although it accounts for it partly) but primarily because of
the close-knit Filipino family tradition that he grew up with. Also, his parents’ divorce separated him
completely from the ‘other clan,’ which he didn’t find very warm towards him anyway.
His great grandparents left the Philippines and immigrated to Hawaii at the turn of the century to
work on the plantations. His mom, Donna, was also born in Hawaii; so mother and son do not speak
Filipino, however, the traditions were kept alive.
“I am an only child, so I was like, ‘yeah, I’m mommy’s boy for sure,’” Charles admitted with a big
grin. “She put me in a Catholic school, and so without that upbringing at St. Elizabeth, I don’t think I’d
Charles Warner is biracial. He was
born in Hawaii with a Filipino and
Irish-German parents.
born in Hawaii with a Filipino and
Irish-German parents.
He has since gotten used to Wisconsin’s cold
months, having lived here since he was in
seventh grade. “So I actually lived in Wisconsin
for the majority of my life,” Charles said, quickly
adding, “But I still consider myself from Hawaii,
though, because that’s where my family is.” Every
visit, which, unfortunately cannot be as often as
he would like, always ended up like a big family
reunion.
Charles developed a passion for cinema while
in high school, so he planned on taking up mass
communication with a focus on film after
graduation. “But all of the tests and
assessments that I took in high school said that I’
d be good at computers or accounting,” he
recalled. “My heart couldn’t accept it, but
eventually, when I went to the University of
months, having lived here since he was in
seventh grade. “So I actually lived in Wisconsin
for the majority of my life,” Charles said, quickly
adding, “But I still consider myself from Hawaii,
though, because that’s where my family is.” Every
visit, which, unfortunately cannot be as often as
he would like, always ended up like a big family
reunion.
Charles developed a passion for cinema while
in high school, so he planned on taking up mass
communication with a focus on film after
graduation. “But all of the tests and
assessments that I took in high school said that I’
d be good at computers or accounting,” he
recalled. “My heart couldn’t accept it, but
eventually, when I went to the University of
| Charles with mom Donna at a Filipino-American spring picnic |
be where I am at today, because the nuns were very strict. All the nuns were Filipino
nuns and they ruled with a yard stick. So I got my discipline through them.”
When his mother remarried, the family moved to San Francisco for a couple of years
and then to Pardeeville, Wis., where his stepfather, a retired naval personnel, came from.
It was definitely a huge adjustment for young Charles. “Growing up in Hawaii, I
remember spending every day at the beach,” he recalled, as if imagining the warmth of
the sand under his feet and the sun on his skin. “In San Francisco, we lived in the middle
of the bay, so I always had an ocean in my backyard.”
nuns and they ruled with a yard stick. So I got my discipline through them.”
When his mother remarried, the family moved to San Francisco for a couple of years
and then to Pardeeville, Wis., where his stepfather, a retired naval personnel, came from.
It was definitely a huge adjustment for young Charles. “Growing up in Hawaii, I
remember spending every day at the beach,” he recalled, as if imagining the warmth of
the sand under his feet and the sun on his skin. “In San Francisco, we lived in the middle
of the bay, so I always had an ocean in my backyard.”
Wisconsin-Oshkosh, I soon realized that I didn’t want to get into the film industry anymore. It was my passion, but it is a very cutthroat
industry, and I knew I had to sacrifice a lot, maybe give up my morals! Also, certainly being in the Midwest, it’s not the right region for
it, so I didn’t want those things to affect the passion I have for cinema.”
With much thought, Charles set his passion aside, left school and sought to discover what he really wanted to do with his life. “I
wanted to satisfy my creative side and at the same time help those who can’t help themselves,” he said. “I then wanted to go into
marketing, and working here at MGE has really been able to satisfy both of those desires.”
(Part 2 will talk about his work at MGE and his journey to complete a marketing degree at MATC.)
industry, and I knew I had to sacrifice a lot, maybe give up my morals! Also, certainly being in the Midwest, it’s not the right region for
it, so I didn’t want those things to affect the passion I have for cinema.”
With much thought, Charles set his passion aside, left school and sought to discover what he really wanted to do with his life. “I
wanted to satisfy my creative side and at the same time help those who can’t help themselves,” he said. “I then wanted to go into
marketing, and working here at MGE has really been able to satisfy both of those desires.”
(Part 2 will talk about his work at MGE and his journey to complete a marketing degree at MATC.)