I first moved to Mequon in the mid 60’s and attended Range Line Elementary, Lake Shore Middle School and Homestead HS (class of 79).
After high school, I had a strong desire to leave Wisconsin and see what the world had to offer, I chose the US Navy as my vehicle and after basic training in Illinois, I was stationed at homeports on both the east and west coats, and did indeed see the world. As a “parachute rigger” I was part of the naval air wing rather than a ship board sailor, spending many many more hours in the air than on a ship.
I continued education during my naval career at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University on the east coast, Alameda Collage in San Francisco, San Diego State University and Mesa Collage in San Diego, studying Aerospace Engineering, Medical, Architecture and Business.
I finished my Naval career as a well-decorated Chief Petty Officer in 1994, took residence on Coronado Island in San Diego and started my first business, American Dream Construction, a design - build firm, It was an exclusive location in the middle of a building boom and we did very well there.
I was first introduced to Rotary in Coronado. After a long day of yard work my neighbor brought over a couple cold beers and we began to talk. Next thing I knew, I had agreed to have lunch with him at the Hotel del Coronado the following week. When I arrived, the “Princess Room” it was filled with more than 400 business men and women. I thought it was a perfect networking environment for my growing construction company. I continued to visit and eventually accepted an invitation for membership. I sat a different tables each week, shook hands, told sea stories, and passed out my business cards.
About 6 months later I signed up to go on a weekend - long, international mission trip. We headed to a small village in Baja Mexico where their electrical system consisted of loose wires clipped onto the main wire and run across the ground to individual huts for use. Kids in the village played soccer in and around the wires sparking and electrical burns were common place. We worked all weekend digging trenches and wiring conduit from a new breaker panel to each of the homes and when we were done, the kids had a level dirt playground with no electrical wires or dangers or electrocution, they were very happy. It was satisfying work that weekend, but the most memorable thing that happened is that I became a Rotarian. Rotary was no longer about what I could gain, but what I could give back.
I stayed in the Coronado Rotary Club for almost 5 years and in the early 2000’s, moved back to Wisconsin to be near my Mom who had become ill.
I started a new design-build company in Wisconsin, Home Perfect Comapny, became reacquainted with Wisconsin and was eventually introduced to the Mequon-Thiensville Sunrise Rotary Club by a friend I met at a networking lunch, Deb Turk.
I served on the MTSR Board of Directors for several years and am a past president (2014/15). I have served on several medical mission trips with the Guatemala Medical Resources Partnership,“GMRP” in Oliveros Guatemala and currently serve on the Oliveros Scholarship Fund “OSF” Board of Directors. OSF raises funds and provides educational scholarships to students in the communities we serve during GMRP missions.
My parents have both passed, but I enjoyed a wonderful adult relationship with them for almost 20 years. One very memorable times is when they hosted our Rotary Exchange Student, “Malu” from Brazil. We talked and laughed about the experiences in those few months until their last days.
I have two daughters, Hannah a Junior at HHS and Taneal who senior payroll manager at the Marcus Corp. Two grand daughters, Mila & Ave (7 & 8 years old) and last but not lease, my partner Jennifer DeLaura.
Today Home Perfect Co. is a home energy assessment and consultation company, I serve as a Firefighter on the MFD, teach sailing at Sea Safaris Sailing School, serve on the Port Washington Yacht Club Board of Directors as “Fleet Captain”, and do Informational Marketing for a prominent health & wellness company.
I have a passion for sailing and sailboat racing, enjoy live music, surfing and motorcycles, but my roles as partner to Jen, father to Taneal & Hannah, and grandfather to Mila and Ava give me the greatest satisfaction.