Originally from Aurora, Illinois, I grew up in a musical family.  My dad (a clarinetist) was a band director in Aurora for over 40 years.  He was my first band director in fifth grade, and he got me started on the French Horn.  My mom was a professor of voice at Aurora University and my sister (a bassoonist) was a music major in college.  As for me, I graduated from Drake University in 1984 with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration.  Throughout my college years though, I was always very actively involved in the music program.  Mr. Don Marcouiller, the Director of Bands, and Mr. John Canarina, the Orchestra Director, offered me many excellent performing opportunities.  Drake is where I really learned to love the French Horn.  

I joined the United States Air Force in November 1986 to become an instrumentalist in the Air Force band program.  I recently retired after just over 20 years of active duty service.  My assignments included the Tactical Air Command Band at Langley AFB in Hampton, Virginia, the United States Air Force in Europe Band at Einsiedlerhof AS near Kaiserslautern, Germany, the Band of the Golden West at March AFB in Moreno Valley, California, the Heartland of America Band at Offutt AFB in Bellevue, Nebraska and finally, the Heritage of America Band returning again to Langley.  During my tenure, I accumulated over 17 years of experience arranging tours for my organizations’ ensembles.  

My touring has taken me as far east as Kyrgyzstan in Southwest Asia and as far west as Sequoia National Forest in California and I’ve visited countless places in between.  I’ll be working with groups in western Iowa, Minnesota and Nebraska.