As a candidate for City Council, I believe in Service before Self (Servant Leadership) and have put that belief into practice.  I am dedicated to serving our community and fostering positive change.  Listening to the concerns of all the residents of Andover and addressing them with the best interests of the community in mind is how I will make decisions.  

I grew up in Red Lake Falls, a small rural town in Northwestern Minnesota, where I learned a strong work ethic baling hay and picking rocks, compassion for our fellow citizens, and patriotism for our local community, state, and nation.  God, Family, and Country became more than just mere words but truly the compass to live by.

I am proud to have served as a 23-year U.S. Military Combat Veteran, with experience as both an enlisted Army Paratrooper and an Air Force Officer.  My professional journey includes roles as an executive at the corporate level, running small businesses, manager at a non-profit, and being an entrepreneur and owner of a small business.

I have called Andover my home for the past 24 years, where I live with my wife, Yvette.  We have been married for 35 years and are blessed to have raised our four children, now adults, here in Andover. We have experienced the joys and challenges of raising children today, including raising a child with special needs.  Our younger son, Ben, who has Down Syndrome, is now 24 years old.  He is a joy to be with and has impacted, and been impacted by, the fine people in our Andover community.    Tragically, we lost our oldest son, David, in November of 2022 to fentanyl poisoning.  We have faced the difficult path of trying to help people dealing with addictions, and sadly have now to live with the worst outcome.  But we know we are not alone in this fight.  The scourge of drugs and the tragedy of despair isn’t just at our nation’s borders, but it is here, impacting our community directly.  This is why I am passionate about improving mental health services in our communities, and inclusion of people with all abilities in all aspects of community life.  

My commitment to our community extends beyond my professional and personal life.  I am an active member of the Church of Saint Paul in Ham Lake and a lifetime member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW), the National Guard Association of Minnesota (NGAMN), and the Minnesota Chapter of the Military Officers Association of America (MCMOAA).  Additionally, I dedicate my time as a community volunteer, working to make a positive impact in Andover as an American Red Cross volunteer organizer and blood donor, Feed My Starving Children volunteer, and as a former Assistant Troop Leader for Troop 609.