Birth Place

I was born on Castle Air Force Base in Merced, California, and November 14, 1953. Rosilie Parker and Joe Wlodorzyk were my godparents. When I was only a few months old, my father was discharged from the Air Force, and we returned to the Polo area where my father and mother ranched and farmed.

Earliest Memories

My earliest memory was one night returning to our first home, which was the Lauer Place. I remember looking into the window and seeing my mother feeding Bruce in a high chair. I could not have been but a couple years old at that time. My next memory was living on the ranch that my father acquired from Howard Peterka, where the ranch is today.

Early Education

I went to kindergarten at Ontario School -- a one-room school house about two miles south of the ranch. There were four in our class. That is where I became acquaintance with Dolores Froning, and we went through high school together.

I went to St. Liborius Catholic grade school for my first eight years. My best friend through grade school was Mike Sprenger, and I often hung out with Gene Schaefer and Michael Schlecter. We were kind of the brain-trust for the class. That experience had a profound impact on my development, and I look back on that experience as incredibly good education for what I would encounter for the rest of my life.

After graduating from eighth grade, I went to Fairview (Polo) High School. There were 14 in my class, and approximately 50 in the four-year school. I was elected class president my freshman year, and student body president my senior year. I was active in sports but hardly a star. My weight as well as my problem with allergies and asthma kept me on the sidelines. I had supportive roles in class plays, and did well academically. I was the salutatorian of my class.

I went to South Dakota State University in Brookings, South Dakota. I graduated with a BS in Journalism with minors in History and English. I also earned my teaching certificate in these areas as well as in Political Science and Sociology. My intent was to teach in South Dakota for the rest of my life. Well, the rest of my life lasted four years.

Professional Life

Teaching

I started teaching as an intern in O'Gorman High School in Sioux Falls. After finishing my internship, I taught in Gettysburg, South Dakota, for one year. I got married the following summer, and Theresa Campbell and I moved to Corsica Schools. It was the only area where we both could find teaching positions. We taught there for two years, and then moved to Baltic, South Dakota.

Publishing

I started Prairie Publications by purchasing the assets of an unprofitable publisher. I then restructured and introduced broad range of successful and award winning publications with multi-location work groups.

High Tech Industry

I worked in various businesses on a contract or full-time basis. The two major efforts were Oracle Corporation in Redwood Shores, CA, and Cisco Systems, Inc. in San Jose, CA.

At Oracle I refined and built publishing services team from 27 to over 35 individuals in United States and Europe and managed a $4 million budget. Functional areas included project and program management, editorial, print production, graphic design, and web development.

I re-engineered and built a high performance team from 3 to over 40 individuals at Cisco Systems, and managed a $20 million budget. Functional areas include instructional design and content development, project and program management, editorial, print and media production, graphic design, and web development.

Hospitality

I bought The Willows in Guerneville, CA, in 2003, and changed the name to the Inn at The Willows. The business included a 11-room redwood lodge, wellness spa, campgrounds, and wine lounge.

I changed direction of a failing business and grew it to the largest provider of guests to the Russian River Valley in a difficult economic environment and a major 10-year flood.

Two Spirit Group

I launched Two Spirit Group, Sebastopol, CA, in 2008. Two Spirit provides business planning and development consulting services. Those services included online learning solutions for employee development, bookkeeping services, print and web site project development. I also volunteered at non-profits organizations such as the Western Sonoma County Historical Society and the Sebastopol Center for The Arts.

Interest

My passions include photography, writing, and bringing businesses back to life.