I have always enjoyed working outside and picked up the game of golf when I was 5 years old. This combination along with coming from a family background of farming outside of Dayton Ohio made working on a golf course a natural.
I was born on the Monterey Peninsula but both sets of my parents are from Dayton Ohio and all my relatives are from that area. I lived in Minnesota for a short period of time but grew up here on the peninsula. My first job was working a paper route delivering newspapers on my bicycle. I attended local schools and held other jobs during my high school years such as working at a Pizza parlor and a warehouse operating a forklift.
I have two great parents that have taught me a lot about life and are an important part of my current life. I have three brothers and all of us were/are very competitive in sports. I met my wife while attending Oregon State University in college. My Wife Dionne grew up in Lake Oswego, Oregon and has one brother. We got married in 1998 and have three beautiful daughters: Stephanie (13), Alexandra (10), and Ashley (6).
I attended Oregon State University for two years and then graduated from California State University, Chico with a Bachelor’s degree in Business Management and a Minor in Plant Science. I also went on to earn an Associate’s Degree in Ornamental Horticulture from Monterey Peninsula College.
My biggest influence in the industry was Mark Michaud when I was working early on in my carreer. Mark taught me about the importance of having a sense of urgency each and every day. His aggressive tendencies were a great recipe for learning.
Teamwork is the most important thing when trying to accomplish a common goal. The most important thing I believe in is getting out and working with the crew members. You do not always have the time to perform all the duties but you have to be willing and know how to do the work before leading people on the specific tasks.
I think organizing and running the 2010 US Open was a great accomplishment. I must say raising three kids tops all on the list at this time!
That is a hard question but here at Pebble Beach, it would be the staff. I have some really talented individuals that have been on this property for 20, 30, and even close to 40 years. Each one of these members brings value to the team and without their contributions, we would not be able to achieve what we do.
My favorite part of the job is the hands-on work and the setting we work in. Watching the sunrise daily and creating a product for golfers every day to enjoy is something I take a tremendous amount of pride in. My least favorite is probably the paperwork and reports that sometime we have to generate.
I am a hoarder at heart. I use to collect baseball cards, signs, and old memorabilia and still stack things in my garage so someday my kids can look at them and laugh before they probably throw them away!
I would continue to work in some capacity and continue to enjoy life…..but even more!
I enjoy camping and all outdoor activities. I have always enjoyed riding motorcycles and have recently purchased one for my daughters to begin riding with me. I am a weather geek that is trying to learn more about that profession.
I still play basketball and baseball competitively in adult leagues and enjoy the game and workouts that come with it. I also enjoy the ability to complain to the referees when they miss a call!!!
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