My wife, Christina, and I have a mini-Australian Shepherd, Hootie, who we adore. We are both big dog lovers and hope to start a family soon. I came from a big family, so family is a huge part of who I am and means a lot to me. I grew up in a blue-collar town in Michigan and was raised by hard-working parents. I credit that experience with instilling the work ethic I have and always treating everyone with respect. You never know what someone's situation is. Most importantly, they taught me to always be honest and do the right thing. That has served me well in my career and throughout my life. My dad has always been in customer service and that has really help shaped how I help clients and prospective clients. I focus on providing the best possible service to clients by genuinely caring about them and helping them pursue their financial goals. My sisters and many members of my mom's side of the family have careers in education, so there is definitely a passion to want to help teach anyone wanting to learn more about finance. When I am not working, I enjoy reading, golfing, watching sports, and spending time with friends. Since meeting my wife, we have really developed a joy for hiking and exploring nature. It is a great way to unplug, be present, and spend intentional time together. Last but not least, I am a people person. I have always enjoyed working with people—getting to know them, what they like, and how they think. I am fortunate that I work in a field where that is part of the job.