I was born in Goshen, IN, USA in 1953 and have resided in Syracuse, IN since 1976. I have a BA degree from Ball State University. I taught Middle School Industrial Education for 7 years, was a General Contractor with as many as 8 employees for 18 years and have been in the retail lumber/woodworking business for the past 15 years. I produce kiln dried hardwood and softwood lumber mainly from lawn trees on a Wood-Mizer and produce architectural wood products as well as cabinets and furniture.
Assuming I had a unique hobby, I had been assembling a wood specimen collection for a few years when a wood supplier suggested that I should join the International Wood Collectors Society. Amazed that there was an organization of this nature, I joined as a life member in 1996. The benefits of membership exceeded my expectations and continue to do so.
- I have attended several Annual General Meetings, several Winterfest meets and many regional meets.
- I helped organize the Northern Indiana meeting held in 2014 which was well attended and very successful.
- I am currently the chairman of the Wood Specimen Kits program and have built up a good reserve of Inventory.
- I plan to continue in this capacity as I feel the bulk of the work is now behind me.
- I value the friendships I have made in the IWCS and have enjoyed all of the meetings that I have attended.
- I anxiously await every issue of World of Wood and read it cover to cover.
- As a collector, I would love to see more collectors but appreciate our member wood crafters.
- I certainly don’t advocate an overhaul of our organization but do see the need to keep us up to speed with the rapid changes in society.
- I always give all of my pursuits my best efforts and will do the same for the IWCS.