I am a native Texan, born in Austin and raised in the Texas Hill Country of Blanco County. I grew up in my family’s hometown, a place where everyone was connected and looked out for one another. It truly took a village, and I was raised by a strong one.

I served honorably for two enlistments as an Aviation Ordinanceman and quality assurance representative on F-14 Tomcats. I served during Desert Shield and Desert Storm, and I am a proud lifetime member of the local VFW & American Legion.

The Navy taught me discipline, teamwork, humility, and what it means to serve something bigger than yourself. Those lessons shaped my life, and I have passed them on to my two sons, who have served and are serving honorably in the United States Army. My pride in them is deep and hard to put into words.

When my time in uniform ended, I dedicated the next 27 years of my life to protecting and caring for communities as a professional firefighter and paramedic. I later served in leadership roles as a Director of EMS Operations and a fireground officer, guiding teams in critical moments when seconds mattered. I was also honored to spend 13 years in the demanding world of critical care as a Flight Paramedic; those years took me to the front lines across many counties, working seamlessly with other first responders and Hospitals.

What I learned throughout those decades is that no one in emergency services stands alone. Everything we do depends on teamwork, trust, and the camaraderie built through long nights, hard calls, and shared responsibility. You learn to lean on one another, to communicate clearly, to stay calm when others can’t, and always to put people first. That sense of brotherhood and unity became the foundation of my leadership. It taught me that great leaders don’t stand above their team; they stand with them.

Those lessons in teamwork, humility, steady hands, and steady hearts are at the core of who I’ve become, both as a leader and as a servant to my community.

Alongside my service career, I spent two decades as a small business owner in the construction industry. Much of my life has been rooted in residential and commercial construction, as well as light dirt work running backhoes, skid steers, and dump trucks. That work taught me some of the most practical lessons a person can learn: the customer deserves respect, a firm handshake still means something, and sometimes the most important agreements aren’t written on paper.

Construction also sharpened my ability to negotiate contracts, manage timelines, stay on budget, and deliver high-quality work, skills that translate directly into public service and responsible leadership.

Today, my story continues in Calhoun County, a place my family and I have treasured for nearly 20 years. Long before we ever lived here, we camped on our property in the Powderhorn, fishing along the Matagorda shoreline, riding bikes beneath the coastal breeze, and watching sunrises that felt like promises and sunsets that felt like blessings. Somewhere along those trips, this beautiful stretch of Texas stopped being a getaway and became home to my wife and me. Most evenings, you will find us walking the beach, combing for shells, seaglass, and coral, and at other times, casting a line into the bay, lakes, and back channels we’ve grown to love.

Port Lavaca, Magnolia Beach, Alamo Beach, Indianola, and the Powderhorn have given us community, purpose, and a sense of belonging that can’t be replaced. I believe this coastline is where the spirit of Texas first began, where history still whispers, and where the land and water carry stories older than all of us. That’s why preserving it matters to me! We owe it to the families who settled it, to those who live here today, and to the generations who will follow after us.