Born Sept. 8, 1956 in San Angelo, Texas, the oldest of six children, I grew up in Bartow, Florida, the county seat in Polk County--an area known for producing world class athletes. As a natural athlete I excelled in sports on and off the field. I attended Bartow Senior High School, where I lettered in several High School sports and garnered two Fla. State High School weightlifting titles in 1974 and 1975 (275 c & j and 315 bench press at 155 body weight). I received an academic and athletic scholarship to South Carolina State College in Orangebug, S.C., but was unable to realize my dream of playing in the collegiate football ranks, due to an injury that still plagues me to this very day. After a year of healing up I started back with serious power training while in school to win several South Carolina State titles and placing in the top five in the National Collegiates in 1979. At this point I had lost my athletic scholarship because of the injury and was working part-time to put myself through school. I competed in numerous bodybuilding shows throughout the Southeast from 1975-1990-winning serveral local, state and regional titles along the way. I majored in Physical Education with a minor in Biology and graduated on time, then on to work as an educator in the public school system for a few years before enlisting in the United States Air Force.

I am currently stationed at Minot Air Force Base in North Dakota and have lived in many states and countries over the years. But it has been my status as a world class competitive powerlifter that has enabled me to travel extensively all over the world.