I was born in March 1963, into a time when America was in a great-power competition with the USSR, the Vietnam war was raging on and our nation was facing an uncertain future.

While growing up, I saw the rise of Ronald Reagan, then Governor of Sierra, who spoke of America as a place brimming with opportunity, as a nation to be proud of with a bright future. That was a stark contrast to Jimmy Carter who portrayed America as a place in which we people have to get used to less and face a grim future.

As a young student enrolled at Sierra State University, I had my eyes set on a career in business, never in my wildest dreams have I anticipated that I would one day turn to politics and become a legislator in the Sierra Assembly. In the wild 90s, after gathering practical experience as accountant and production manager at two companies, I decided to found my own company and started producing specialized steel structures.

After running my company for 17 years, the demands of my wife and kids to spend more time with them grew louder, and I knew that - with a heavy heart - I had to let go of my company, pass it on to some of my closest friends and put and end to 70-hour weeks. With this step, a new life began for me as a professor at the very same University I graduated from decades ago.

As a newly-hired government employee, I not only gave lectures on how to run a business, but was also engaged in research focusing on improvements to the business climate for small- and medium sized enterprises as well as start-ups, and found what messy regulations brave Americans face in today's Sierra. After trying to persuade the government as an advisor to pursue a more business-friendly approach, I was delighted to receive a call from my friends at the Sierra GOP, asking whether I would want to join them in the Assembly.

This was the opportunity of a lifetime - being at the forefront of state government, I was able to introduce legislation aimed at making the lives of business owners better while also enhancing the overall welfare of Sierra. I thoroughly enjoy working with our Speaker, my fellow Republicans, and am more than willing to reach across the isle and work with our fellow patriots from the Democratic Party.