My approach to life, work and money is deeply rooted in how I was raised. Both my parents came from families with limited resources. My mom was the second oldest of seven and my dad was the youngest of thirteen. For as long as I can remember, they would tell stories of the difficulties they faced growing up: the whole family splitting a chicken for dinner, putting a baked potato under the covers to warm their beds on cold nights and using bread bags on their feet to keep their socks dry when their boots gave out.

Despite not having many advantages early in their lives, my parents earned their way into successful careers and were able to provide a good upbringing for my sister and me in Batavia. They did it through hard work and discipline--what we might call some midwestern grit-- and they passed along those values to me.

So many of our clients have stories like my mom and dad. They have worked hard for their money, often over decades. I believe that they deserve someone who truly cares to understand their situation, to help them develop a strategy and to partner with them throughout their life to achieve their goals. Helping our clients do this is the most rewarding part of our work, and it's why, after more than 11 years at Edward Jones, I still love what I do.

This would not be possible without my senior branch office administrator and business partner, Michelle Newton. She has been by my side since 2012, and together we help more than 200 families grow, protect and enjoy their wealth. In 2018, we were honored to become limited partners of Edward Jones, and in 2021, I was named a principal of the firm.

I am a holder of the CRPC™ designation from the College of Financial Planning and have a degree in economics from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. It is there where I met my wife, Karly. We now live in Campton Hills with our daughter, Emilia, our son, Ethan, and our dog, Weezy. We love the Fox Valley and enjoy supporting many of the incredible local organizations.