A little about me, my family, and our history.
I was born in Vancouver, Wash., and moved to Whatcom County at the age of 5 to start kindergarten at Happy Valley Elementary…13 years later I graduated from Ferndale High School.
I had an excellent role model for public service in my Grandfather. Before I started my campaign for County Council, my mother shared with me a number of scrapbooks he had compiled of his service as a Sheriff’s Deputy in Cowlitz County. I found the newspaper clippings that showed him evacuating Mount Saint Helens and receiving multiple distinctions from the FBI impressive. His career and service to his community were inspiring to me as a young man.
Before starting my own companies, I worked at Morgan Stanley and Northwest Resources Credit Union (now Trailhead Credit Union). In these positions, I gained an in-depth knowledge of financial management. From cash flow analysis to debt service ratios, balance sheets, and budgets. I have a thorough understanding of what it takes to run profitable organizations while working within a budget.
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Throughout my life I’ve found that strong leadership, financial management, budgeting, relationship building, and the ability to listen and continually learn have been the keys to my success in business. I have used these skills to build two thriving companies here in Whatcom County, where I have created local jobs that pay over $500,000 in annual wages and benefits.
I’ve been asked how I got my start in business and whether I grew up with money. My answer is absolutely not. I’ve worked exceptionally hard and built my businesses from nothing. It’s been hard and time-consuming but incredibly enjoyable and rewarding.
It has become my passion to help other dreamers do the same. Over the last six years, I’ve had an opportunity to mentor hundreds of entrepreneurs interested in creating their own companies. Some realized their idea wasn’t going to turn into a working business, others have grown their concepts into dynamic enterprises.
In 2005, I met my exceptional wife, Ana Sofia. We married in 2007 and have two fun and energetic boys, Xander and Jake. Our Doberman, Rex, and our cat, Aspen, round out our family.
As a small business owner, father, and husband, I have worked hard to give back time and money where possible. Whether it’s coaching youth football, mowing the lawn at our church, or sitting on the board of a nonprofit, I have invested a significant amount of time working to better our community and to create a legacy I am proud to pass on to my children.