I grew up in Southwestern Iowa and graduated from Corning High School. After graduation I joined the Army where I trained as a medic. After 6 years I returned to Corning, Iowa where I worked for a year as a waste management specialist. I also joined the Army National Guard where I reclassified as an infantryman. I then worked at Precision Pulley Inc. starting as a line worker advancing to plant manager where I worked for 12 years and I decided to change careers and left the factory for school. I went to Southwestern Community College where I received my AS in Programming. I continued with Graceland University where I received a BA and a Masters of Education.
I married my beautiful wife in April of 1996 and have 2 children, Joshua who is 39 and works for the National Guard Bureau as a government contractor. Lauren went to be with Jesus in 2010 at the age of 20.
I grew up in a Christian home going to Sunday School and church every Sunday. I was a very young boy when I first believed that Jesus was my Savior and that my sins were paid for with his blood. I was a hot and cold Christian until about 1998 when I was laid up from shoulder surgery. I grabbed a book to read and began reading the Left Behind books. It showed me that my relationship was not as strong as it should have been and when he comes again I wanted to make sure that he did not leave me behind. So I started to work on strengthening my relationship with Christ.