I was born in 1952 and have been involved in some kind of sales pretty much since being a distributive education student in high school and working as a stocker at a Ben Franklin store. I later helped the managers of the store that I worked for to open their own branch and became the assistant manager there. After several years I decided to return to school and further my studies by taking some business administration courses (minors in Tennis and Girls) to help me in my future employment opportunities. Taking several different types of odd jobs during that time from fiberglass layup at a speedboat manufacturer (hot miserable job!) to apartment maintenance at a large apartment complex (oh, the stories I could tell.) to a high fashion men’s clothing salesman at a local clothing store. (Stories there also!!) I had moved from the Houston area to live with my parents in Illinois so I could go to school and work. Well, after the second winter there and being blocked into our home with 30 foot snow drifts against the front door, I received a call from a high school friend who had a business in the Houston area and had just lost some employees and was looking for somebody who could fill in temporarily while he went on an already planned and paid for vacation. I flew down to help him out and after working there for a couple of weeks, and realizing I had found a job I really enjoyed, I decided to move back to Texas (you do not have to shovel rain LOL!) I began a 50-year career as a sales representative for several different pipe fitting manufacturers in the Houston area until I retired in December of 2022. I am happily married and between myself and my wife Joy we have 6 children (3 boys and 3 girls) and have been blessed with 17 grandchildren and 2 dogs Max and Maggie. (Max a rescued Tibetan Spaniel, and Maggie a purebred Yorkie, did I mention that at 6 lbs soaking wet Maggie pretty much runs our household? Can we say DIVA!!)