THE BEGINNING
How it all started — from playing in sawdust to
serving the country and pursuing challenges.
serving the country and pursuing challenges.
I was born in New York but grew up in a small town on the east coast of Florida. My father was an entrepreneur who owned and operated many businesses over the years. One of the first businesses he started was a sawmill, which sourced cypress wood from the local forests for regional distribution companies. I still remember growing up in that sawmill and playing on the mountains of sawdust piles – the ultimate child’s playground.
My father was someone who liked to keep himself busy, so while running the sawmill, he also started the local volunteer fire department with a few of his friends. The county eventually acquired this fire department. I also spent a great deal of time there and was able to watch, ride and even participate in fighting fires. It also taught me what actual incident response was like and inculcated in me a strong need to serve and help others.
My father was someone who liked to keep himself busy, so while running the sawmill, he also started the local volunteer fire department with a few of his friends. The county eventually acquired this fire department. I also spent a great deal of time there and was able to watch, ride and even participate in fighting fires. It also taught me what actual incident response was like and inculcated in me a strong need to serve and help others.
As high school ended, the decision was simple: fire services or the military. Since my father was a Navy veteran, I decided to enlist and see the world. Given my passion for engineering, I enlisted as an electronics technician, where I learned how to troubleshoot, repair, and engineer complex audio, radio, radar, and computer systems found on most military bases.
While in the Navy, I also took up cryptology and successfully passed and obtained Top Secret Clearance. I was constantly exposed to computers, networking, security, and advanced technology, which furthered my curiosity about technology. Growing up on a farm and learning the value of hard work and service to others, I couldn’t have been more proud to serve my country. Throughout that journey, I was able to experience exceptional and commanding leadership that forged me into who I am today.
While my enlistment continued and I advanced through the ranks, I never felt challenged enough with my current position, so I set my sights on becoming a Naval Officer. I applied for the Boost program and due to my decorated military record, I was accepted into Naval Officer Candidate School out of Newport, Rhode Island. After finishing Officer Candidate School (OCS) training, I was next accepted into the University of Florida, where I started my first company: “The Car Stereo Connection.”
While in the Navy, I also took up cryptology and successfully passed and obtained Top Secret Clearance. I was constantly exposed to computers, networking, security, and advanced technology, which furthered my curiosity about technology. Growing up on a farm and learning the value of hard work and service to others, I couldn’t have been more proud to serve my country. Throughout that journey, I was able to experience exceptional and commanding leadership that forged me into who I am today.
While my enlistment continued and I advanced through the ranks, I never felt challenged enough with my current position, so I set my sights on becoming a Naval Officer. I applied for the Boost program and due to my decorated military record, I was accepted into Naval Officer Candidate School out of Newport, Rhode Island. After finishing Officer Candidate School (OCS) training, I was next accepted into the University of Florida, where I started my first company: “The Car Stereo Connection.”
