I consider myself a simple man. My simplicity stems from my childhood.
I grew up in Clayton, Indiana—a small rural town about 15 miles west of Indianapolis. My childhood home was surrounded by endless corn and soybean fields. Summers were hot and humid, but the sunrises were breathtaking. Winters were brutally cold, the kind that cut straight to the bone.
My parents worked hard. My father held various jobs—line manager at a rare earth metal refinery, used car salesman, warehouse forklift driver—while my mother worked as a retail pharmacist. They gave me everything I needed, and in many ways, I grew up with privilege compared to others in my community. But it was far from glamorous.
My household was built on simple but powerful values:
- Do quality work and give 100% effort.
- Respect and be kind to others.
- Always put family first.
I was raised in a house full of love. I truly wish everyone could experience the kind of love and support I had growing up. It wasn’t just my parents—it was my whole extended family. I was raised by a village.
Some of my fondest memories come from Thanksgiving. My parents always hosted, and our house would be packed with aunts, uncles, cousins, and grandparents. We’d eat until our stomachs hurt, watch football, and play board games late into the night. It was on one of those Thanksgiving nights, laughing over a board game, that I first understood happiness isn’t something you can buy.
A Curious Mind
I have always loved science, technology, and engineering. I spent most of my childhood outdoors, fascinated by the natural world and all its incredible phenomena. I asked questions constantly—how things worked, why things happened the way they did. Both of my grandfathers were scientists, and they nurtured my curiosity. They taught me about astronomy, botany, chemistry, geology, mathematics, and more.
School came easily to me. That’s not to say my school was highly resourced—our district did the best it could with what it had, and I’m grateful for the teachers who made the most of it. That foundation ultimately led me to earn a bachelor’s and master’s degree in chemical engineering.
Built by Sports
Athletics were a huge part of my childhood. I played football, soccer, baseball, basketball; I wrestled and ran track. In high school, I focused on football and wrestling.
I was an eight-time letterman, a multi-time All-County, All-Conference, and All-State football player. As a wrestler, I went 144-19 and became the first in my school’s history to place at state. I did all of this despite having five different coaches—two in football, three in wrestling—during my high school years. Sometimes I wonder if I could have played D1, but at 5’9” and 165 pounds at my biggest, the odds weren’t exactly in my favor.
More than the wins and stats, sports instilled resilience and toughness in me. The discipline of competing in football and wrestling shaped who I am today.
A Simple Perspective
As a kid, you don’t realize how big and complex the world really is. You assume everyone lives a life like yours. But as I’ve grown, met people from different backgrounds, and experienced more of the world, I’ve come to appreciate just how fortunate I was.
I had the perfect childhood for me.
I’m excited to share more about my life, my interests, and how I see the world. Ultimately, I view the world through the lens that my childhood gave me.
It’s a simple lens.