What I Believe |
|
| Community Service was a big part of my upbringing and is what defines me as an adult. My commitment to helping others is reflected in my choice of occupations and volunteer activities. Running for State Representative is simply an extension of my belief in giving back to a community that has given me so much, and a desire to leave this world better than I found it. |
Biography |
|
|
I grew up in small communities that, as in Midcoast Maine, had their own distinctive character. I was born, the youngest of three sons, in 1960 in the birthplace of my father in the northern-most part of the Allegheny Mountains of rural western New York. My parents grow up during the depression, and instilled in us optimism and a strong work ethic. My father left the railroad town and worked his way through college, becoming a college professor and entrepreneur. My mother survived the early death of her father and went on to earn a Masters degree in Social Work, which was unusual for any woman at the time. My parents held fast to the belief that opportunities exist through education and hard work. |
Childhood |
|
| Our family moved to northeastern Pennsylvania where I lived until I was eight. During the 1960's, the area had a strong economy resulting from the connections between the research done at universities and industry. Given the coalmines, railroads and manufacturing cities, the infrastructure allowed entrepreneurs and researchers to thrive. I witnessed my father making advances in fuel cell technology, and played in his laboratories as he created the chemicals used in a new thing called "photocopying". He instilled in me a sense of wonder and belief in limitless possibilities, and the importance of research in promoting economic development. |
 |
Adolescence |
|
|
We moved to Connecticut when I eight years old.
That was a challenging time, as I had to face significant learning differences.
It was before the era of special education and I remember my parents saying that the "world is not going to accommodate you, so you better figure it out."
It may seem harsh but that was best advice I could receive; I learned to persevere and developed learning strategies that helped me to acquire knowledge.
It was during this time that I discovered Maine, by participating in a canoe trip that took a group of teenagers from Moosehead Lake, through the back lakes, down the Allagash, and concluding at Fort Kent.
That trip gave me a deep appreciation of Maine's Wilderness and the need to conserve our natural heritage.
|
Education |
|
|
After graduating from Suffield Academy, in 1979, I attended Coe College in Iowa, drawn by the sport of wrestling and the desire to experience a different part of our country.
This was a defining moment in my life, to be a part of a distinctive culture within the same nation.
It taught me to respect differing views, and to seek first to understand issues before formulating an opinion.
|
Military |
|
|
While in Iowa, I enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps Reserves. I felt proud to serve my country while also earning extra income and completing my college studies. After college, I worked for a few years as an Investment Accountant in Hartford, Connecticut. I decided to make the Marines a full-time commitment and went on to become a Commissioned Officer in 1986. Service to my country meant a great deal to me, and my father (a WW-II veteran) and uncle (a Korean War veteran) were proud of my decision. Needless to say, my mother, though proud, was not as pleased! I served as an officer with the First Marine Division and worked on the General's staff of the 5th Marine Expeditionary Brigade during Desert Storm, in 1990. |
 |
Maine |
|
 |
In 1991, I left the Marine Corps and with the freedom to settle anywhere in the world, I sought out a place where I could experience the same close-knit community that I had in my youth. Moving to Bath felt like "coming home." I joined Bath Iron Works as a Production Engineer and then went on to get my Master of Business Administration degree from Southern New Hampshire University. |
Since coming to Maine, 17 years ago, I have been an active leader with the Bath Area Boy Scouts, and I am currently the District Commissioner for the Boy Scouts in midcoast Maine. This position involves overseeing a program that serves 1,200 youth in over 30 communities and has over 300 adult volunteers. |
|
It is my work with youth that also led me into teaching. I taught mathematics at the Hyde School for seven years and at Lincoln Academy for two years. |
 |