I am from Louisville KY, the son of a construction worker/business owner and a stay-at-home mom.  As a young adult I enlisted in the United States Air Force as an Intelligence Operations NCO.  While I was stationed in various parts of Europe and the US, I went to school at night to attain my BS degree in Accounting.  After completing my service in the USAF I finished my degree in Lexington KY and trained to be an accounting officer at the local Veterans Administration Medical Center.  Throughout my eleven years with the VAMC system, I held positions as Chief Accountant for the VAMC Charleston, SC; Budget Analyst in the VAMC Augusta, GA; and Deputy CFO for the Southeast VHA Medical Network traveling between Birmingham and Atlanta.

I left the VAMC to start an electrical contracting company with my brothers, specializing in industrial automotive conveyors and package handling systems.  During this time, I also owned and operated a franchised restaurant bar and started a new local ice cream production facility. I successfully operated and sold these three businesses. Most recently I completed the basic cuisine course at Le Cordon Bleu Paris. Throughout my career I have held positions on local non profit boards and have advised multiple business leaders on their new paths forward.