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I was born in Monroe Michigan in 1951, the youngest of 5. My father was an engineer at the Ford proving grounds in
Dearborn. Our home was on the shores of lake Erie half way between Detroit and Toledo. As a kid I remember swimming,
ice skating, sledding, go-carts made with the help of my dad and brothers, snowmobile, iceboat racing and lots of
motorcycles. My oldest brother graduated from GMI (General Motors Institute) and worked at the GM proving grounds in
Milford Michigan. This made for some interesting conversation with my dad around the holiday dinner table. My next
oldest brother joined the navy and after his discharge became owner of a marina on lake Erie. As for me, I was into
anything mechanical or electrical. I've had 13 motorcycles since I was 12 years old, most of them basket cases when I
got them. I think I spent as much time building them as riding them. I was also in a rock band, of sorts. Building
amplifiers and sound systems interested me more then playing the music.
Having been born into a family of automotive engineers and mechanics, it seamed my career was pre destined.
Problem is, the automotive industry was in a slump. I reasoned everything manufactured needs to be drawn so I enrolled
in a junior college drafting program. My first semester included a basic electronics class. Well, I was hooked and quickly
changed my major to electrical engineering. Two years and an Associates degree turned into four years and three degrees,
see
Education.
After graduation I took a position as an electrical designer with NCR in Cambridge Ohio, see
Employment History, where I met my wife to be. We were married
in 1975 and soon began our family. In 1978 I moved my family to the Detroit area were I took my first system administrator
position. The harsh winter weather was just a bit too much for my wife so we moved back to central Ohio, Columbus.
I administered the CAD system and wrote PC design criteria for Rockwell International Missile System Division for the next
seven years. Rockwell moved the entire division to Duluth Georgia in 1981, that?s how we wound up in Atlanta.
Our children were 11, 6 and our youngest had just turned one
when we came to the south, you could say they grew up in Atlanta. We
kept them busy with sports, dance class, chorus and church. They are
all great kids. My oldest son is 45 now, married with a Masters degree
in psychology and finishing his BS in Information Technology, the
middle daughter is a preschool teacher at out church
and our youngest daughter is married with 2 children and a payroll manager for a local consulting firm. They
make me very proud. All in all we are a very happy, close-knit family. |