About Me

The greater part of my formative years were spent growing up in and around family business. I grew up with two generations of owners and operators of small garment manufacturing and retail firms. During my adolescence and for nine years beyond, I worked and managed the family business, Durango Threadworks. Yet, after receiving a Bachelor's of Science in International Marketing from Arizona State University, Meredith and I, founded and operated Berhaus, a clothing retail store in Newport, RI. After 3 years of successful operation we decided to close the store in order to return to Durango to start a family.

Durango has been my home for all but 3 of the last 32 years. I enjoy alpine skiing, mountain biking, cooking, coaching and playing the great game of soccer. My wife, Meredith, and I are currently raising our 3 children in Durango, with all three enrolled in Durango public schools. I, myself, graduated from Durango High School as Senior Class President in 1984, and I am proud to announce, our oldest son graduated this spring from DHS, and will be furthering his education at Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo in the fall in the School of Architectural Engineering.

In 2000, I took a new position as the first Executive Director of the La Plata Economic Development Action Partnership (LEAD), a local non-profit tasked with creating jobs and economic prosperity in La Plata County. In 2003, LEAD merged with the Durango Chamber of Commerce, where I oversaw both operations for the next three years.

During that time, among many other things, I was responsible for securing the Small Community Air Service grant, and subsequently attracted Delta Airlines and Frontier Airlines for daily service into Durango/La Plata County Airport. I established Colorado's first association health care plan for small businesses, initiated a downtown revitalization project that resulted in the Downtown Durango Vision and Strategic Plan, and increased Chamber membership by over 30%.

Eventually, I was successful in pairing the Durango Industrial Development Foundation (DIDF) with a private investment group to develop the Airport Business Park at the Durango/La Plata County Airport. As a result, I left the Chamber and LEAD, and for the last three years was the project manager for that development; a development that will continue to diversify the local economy and create 1,500 new jobs.

Now, I have decided to take my passion for community development in a different direction by running for La Plata County Commissioner in 2010.

Current Civic Duties & Honors

  • La Plata Electric Association, Board of Directors
  • FastTrack Communications, Inc., Board of Directors
  • Small Business Development Center, Advisory Board
  • Hundred Club, Board of Directors

Past Civic Duties & Honors

  • Durango High School Student Council, Senior Class President
  • Arizona State University Soccer Club, President
  • Durango Foundation for Education Excellence, Board of Directors
  • La Plata County Youth Technology Camp, Founder
  • Leadership La Plata, Class 0f 2003
  • Durango Industrial Development Foundation, Board of Directors, ex officio
  • Economic Development Council of Colorado, Board of Directors
  • Western Colorado Economic Alliance, Board of Directors
  • Durango Comprehensive Plan Citizen’s Review Committee
  • Downtown Durango Vision & Strategic Plan Advisory Committee
  • Durango Youth Soccer Association, Board of Directors, President