A little about myself.
In 2009 I graduated third in my class from Milwaukee School of Engineering (MSOE) with a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering Technology. In early 2010, I moved to Minnesota to begin my career.
Soon after, I met my lovely and dedicated girlfriend, Kristi. Kristi and I have so much in common: we are both invested in our community and charity work. We love to travel. We enjoy running, biking, camping and other ways of being active. Movie nights are also a must.
Check out some of our favorite things in life below. And if you make it all the way to the end, there is a very special video waiting for you as a reward.
I have seen the power of what a community can do through many charitable organizations. I have worked with the multiple sclerosis Society, Feed My Starving Children, Habitat for Humanity, AEON, Wilder Foundation, American Cancer Society, United Way, The Giving Tree, and Courage Kenny.
I organized and emceed the Bike MS CEO Breakfast for three years. The breakfast was host to over 40 CEOs from the Twins Cities area to encourage the development of new Bike MS teams to increase ridership and fundraising for multiple sclerosis.
An active community involvement means an active personal life. Kristi and I are training for runs, races, and bike rides throughout the year. First Mate Presque Isle, our German short-haired pointer keeps us going and gets plenty of exercise along the way. A typical year of running includes the Valentine’s Day 5k (yeah, outside in February. Not our favorite run of the year), Hot Dash, Get In Gear, Red White and Boom, and the Medtronic 10-Mile.
However, last year, we joined a Ragnar team. If you don’t know what a Ragnar is, consider yourself lucky. A Ragnar is a 200-mile relay run by teams of 12 nonstop over the course of about 32 hours. Ragnars are correctly labeled as “The Best Worst Idea” you can have. Our Ragnar took us from St Paul, through Stillwater, all the way up to Duluth. It was the most fun I have had in a race, and I look forward to doing it again.
Then there is the Bike MS 150. A 150-mile bike ride from Duluth to White Bear Lake to raise money for those affected by multiple sclerosis.
Other ways we keep active: downhill skiing, flag football, and softball.
As mentioned, Kristi and I have been together for over nine years. And our “baby” Presque Isle, rounds out the family. When we are not engaging the community or training for a run, we are kicking back watching a movie or show - preferably Marvel or Dr. Who.
Other passions of ours include traveling. Kristi went to Spain in the Summer of 2019 for a few weeks, and I have traveled around the world for work. Some of my favorite spots I have been lucky enough to see are Helsinki, Finland, Amsterdam and The Hague, Netherlands, Taipei, Taiwan, Perth and Sydney Australia, London, England, and Florence, Italy. I love traveling, meeting new people, immersing myself in different cultures, and trying the local cuisine.
I love to cook. I cook as much as I can and love hosting get-togethers for the MS Society and other events - sometimes just to get to know the neighborhood. Nothing beats tossing a 15-lb brisket onto my Egg smoker for a good 20 hours and serving it up with peppers, olives, onions, mushrooms, salads… you name it!
Oh, did I mention I threw out the first pitch at a Minnesota Twins game? April 15th, 2017 - on Jackie Robinson Day - I had the honor to toss out to first pitch before the game. Before that, I lead a group of 1,000 fans around the warning track on the field.
Once I got to home plate, they suited me up in a Twins jersey and cap. I chatted with Twins Announcer Adam Abrams and had TC Bear walk me to the mounds. After a brief introduction, I tossed out the pitch - TC Bear called it a strike (he was my catcher), and then… GAME ON!
The Twins manhandled the White Sox 6-0 that game.
Well, that is a little about myself. I would love to hear from you. What are your hobbies, your passions? What inspires you? Let me know on the Get Involved! page. I would love to hear from you!
And, true to my word, your reward lies below. Please enjoy Take Me Out To The Ballgame as sung by myself, Kristi and her family at Target Field in September 2018.