Benzie Academy – Social Studies
Computer Technology
Began in the eighties in business and industry with Honeywell Inc. and Dura Automotive after I earned a B.S.B.A. from CMU. I was downsized twice with NAFTA and then earned two masters at their expense as my jobs went to Mexico and Canada. I earned a Master of Arts in Education Administration & Community Leadership in 1991. The other was a Master’s in Education from Ferris State University in Curriculum and Instructional Design. I had always taught nights and weekends with FSU, Empire State College and Davenport University so I decided to check out K-12 and substitute taught and said, hey this is fun and enjoyable, with summers off. I did a short two years in Albany N.Y. working for the SUNY (State University Of New York) system as their Director of Residential Life. So I student taught in BST, Social Studies and Electrical/Mechanical in CTE. First began teaching where I student taught in Boyne Falls, then moved to Manistee and taught Construction Trades I and II while being the ISD Principal and CTE Director. When the program was cut I took a position with a downstate urban school as the Career and Technical Education Director and Principal at a large center for ten years. With another program and budget cut, we decided to move back up north to the Onekama area where I had built a home back in 2003 when I worked for the ISD in Manistee. I have just completed my 23th year in education and will love being a HUSKY! With Benzie Central be I will be instructing business education courses, five sections of Computers and a junior/senior Accounting class that is for college credit with Baker College. I will also be coaching girls 7th grade volleyball, managing the Husky Den and advising the Interact Club here at the school.
I am married to Valerie, an accountant and have 5 children ages 20 to 30, three daughter’s and two son’s. Our youngest two daughters are finishing their last years at CMU and MSU. I have two grandchildren, a boy and a girl living in Kansas with their parents as well. We also have a cockapoo-terrier poodle mix dog that we rescued from an animal shelter in May.
I spend winters volunteering as a National Ski Patrol (NSP) Alpine member in my 25th year with the Crystal Mountain Ski Patrol. In the past I have patrolled at Schuss Mtn. and Boyne Mountain. I also am a Nordic PSIA (Professional Ski Instructors Association) and NSP volunteer as a trainer and coach. I race and work the North America VASA and Whitepine Stampede. I also occasionally Telemark ski, as it a great crossover sport for training. The craziest thing I have done was to snowboard down the face of a sand dune into Lake Michigan—in August!
I fly fish summers at my parents place on the Ausable River for some tasty trout! In the summer I also enjoy golfing and sailing as the captain on Sea Legg’s on Lake Michigan and Portage Lake. I have sailed the Chicago to Mackinaw race on a large sailboat in 1986. During school spring breaks we travel to Chichen Itza in the Yucatan Pennisula and have hiked Machu Picchu (Inca ruins) in Peru. We also visit the islands and sail the Carribean when weather allows.
