Work and Life Experience

I have been a small business owner for 34 years. At 22, with no financial backing but a clear vision, I launched a residential home-building company. In the early days, I was both carpenter by day and bookkeeper by night, acutely aware of the need to manage finances with precision. As the company grew, I assumed roles as planner, negotiator, project manager, lead hand, purchaser, promoter, and accountant. By age 25, with 25 employees, I faced a steep learning curve that demanded resilience, resourcefulness, and fortitude—qualities that continue to guide my empathy for others striving to build a better life for themselves.

Over time, the “I” became “We,” as my wife joined me in running the business. Together, over the past 34 years, we have built thousands of projects and worked alongside thousands of individuals. Building not just homes but a cohesive and effective business team has been one of my proudest professional achievements.

In the construction industry, building consensus is as critical as building homes. Success requires balancing the client’s vision, budget, and the architect’s plans, and then coordinating hundreds of workers to complete the project on time and within budget. This mirrors what is required in government: compromise, common sense, and balanced outcomes. I strongly believe that these essential qualities are currently lacking in our national government.

To effectively serve our country, understanding how we fit into the global context—and how other countries and cultures align with us—is vital. Having been fortunate to live and travel abroad in my youth, I experienced different political and economic systems firsthand. Exploring Europe, with a deep interest in history and humanity, left me with a lasting appreciation for the diversity of our world.

While I haven’t seen every corner of the globe, the world has come to me through my work in construction. Over decades, I’ve collaborated with people from a wide range of cultural backgrounds and personal histories. These interactions have shaped a perspective that is distinct from many of my contemporaries. My relationships—both professional and personal—with this diverse group, have given me a unique vantage point from which I can represent constituents in government.