I grew up in rural, central Illinois and worked each summer detassling corn, helping with home building projects, and refereeing soccer.  From the age of 4 to 18, when not working, I was training with the local wrestling team which ingrained a culture of dedication and grit that has served me well throughout my life.  Wanting to learn the language of business but stay near my family I moved an hour away to Charleston, Illinois to complete my undergraduate degree in finance.  Following graduation, I began my career in sales and account management, ultimately leading a team responsible for over $4 million in annual revenue.  During this time, I completed my MBA at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business where I worked full time during the day and went to class at night.  

Looking to build out my business skillset I took a role as Strategy and Operations Manager at the marketing technology company ActiveCampaign in Chicago.  In this role, I worked with all departments in the company to solve the most pressing needs facing the business, hiring staff, ensuring operations went smoothly and efficiently, and structuring simple but useful reporting tools to quickly make informed decisions. By working with an incredible group of entrepreneurs and building robust experience, I saw clearly that my next step was to run a business of my own. Today, I am fortunate to have the backing of an experienced investor group and I am actively looking for the right business to acquire and grow.

Outside of work, my wife Megan and I enjoy hiking and skiing. I also am passionate about giving back and have held board roles at three non-profit organizations that help “at risk” youth.