I was born and raised in Illinois by wonderful parents and am surrounded by an incredible family, including my wife, and the best little brother and sister anyone can ask for. As children, our parents taught us the importance of honesty, hard work, grit, humility, and being there for each other. Spending time together was very important to us as a family.

Along with education, there was a strong emphasis on sports in our household – hockey, football, baseball, gymnastics, and figure skating. During my sophomore and junior years in high school, I left my home and family to play lower-level junior hockey in Ontario, Canada, and after graduation, I played junior A hockey in the United States.

Over the years, I have enjoyed watching my nephews play hockey and soccer, as well as my nieces, play softball, volleyball, and dance. I married a beautiful, thoughtful, caring woman and settled down in North Carolina. Leigh has been incredibly supportive of my Army career, even when I unexpectedly deployed with little warning.

In 2000, I was commissioned into the United States Army and have spent the past 23 years supporting our Soldiers, Operators, and families. My career has allowed me to provide support to various conventional and special operations missions in multiple countries around the world. During my service, the three most meaningful missions were helping Americans return home after years of captivity overseas.

It has been an honor to serve my country, and I am grateful for all the support my family, loved ones, and teammates have provided me. Today, I am excited to begin a new chapter in my professional career.