Growing up, my father instilled in me a strong set of values for family, country and community. Later on in my adolescence I came to faith which became the strongest guiding factor in my life to date. It was my father who pointed me toward service and my God who called me to even greater expressions of that service and sacrifice. From military service to missionary service and teaching students in the classroom, I have found that investing in people was the calling that I was best equipped to do. These are the lessons that my wife Stacey and I have attempted to pass on to our children throughout their lives, and as they begin to marry and start their own families I Pray that these lessons are passed on yet again. Over time I was given opportunities to lead others and have enjoyed the process of managing and developing other professionals under my leadership. At this stage in life I find myself in a position to develop and cultivate organizations while lending my experiences and expertise to those I work with. These are the very markers of character that are needed today in the political arena and I would consider it a great privilege to serve all members of the Bartow community if elected.