My passion is working with dogs and spending time outdoors. I love the companionship of dogs and feel great joy training dogs to be good canine citizens, retrievers and one day therapy dogs. Though considering myself an outdoorsman who participates in hiking, hunting, fishing, and other activities, I also contribute to conservation efforts to benefit future generations.

Always looking for new opportunities for self-improvement, I’m the consummate learner. Recently, I learned to tie some creative rope knots, made wine, experimented with glass blowing, created a leather leash, and am currently learning woodworking.

Many of my learning experiences require a hands-on approach, which I thoroughly enjoy because it requires me to slow down, exercise patience, and understand what it takes to achieve results.

I love working with technology and enjoy the value it brings to improving the quality and timeliness of my efforts. If faced with a new challenge, I research technologies, learn and experiment with each, and select one that will best help me achieve my desired results.

People that know me will say that I’m a “what you see is what you get” person. I am the same in my professional life as I am in my personal one—an open, honest, and respectful guy who loves to help others. Though usually leading by example, I also place high value in the diversity of others. Understanding what motivates people and building long-term, mutual relationships is incredibly important to me.

I put my all in everything I do; it is important to me that my contributions make a difference. I take ownership of my personal and professional projects. Though I’m willing to take risks, I understand the potentiality for failure. However, I see failure as an opportunity to learn and improve. The continuity of improvement enhances my experience, whether it’s building a bookshelf, communicating with teammates, or working with customers.

I’m also a “big picture” guy. I’m the one who stands back and evaluates the logistical flow to determine the best movement forward. I love to work with processes, to understand the current procedures, examine the root cause of a challenge, and then find inventive and simple solutions to deliver more streamlined, quality results. I’m able to consider overall business strategy while also going deep into a particular area to learn, understand, and help provide alternative solutions.