I was born and raised on Kodiak Island with no running water & no electricity! My family moved to Bellevue in 1960 because my Dad, who was a heavy equipment operator, got a job there. I graduated from Sammamish High and went right into the Marine Corps.

I spent 6 years with the Marines and started in the construction industry after I got out. I began as a laborer and within a year was doing carpentry. I developed a profound interest in single family homes, and to that end, enrolled at Edmonds and graduated with a degree in Construction Management.