I grew up on a family farm near Garrison, Iowa and attended school in Garrison and Vinton. After graduating from Washington High School in Vinton I attended Luther College in Decorah, Iowa and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Music Education. I built a successful career in Iowa schools over the past forty years. I retired from the Sumner-Fredericksburg Community School District in the spring of 2021. In addition to directing bands at all grade levels, I also served as the district technology coordinator at Sumner-Fredericksburg for the past sixteen years.