I was born in Hancock, MI and with the exception of 19 years, I have lived in Hancock since 1994. My family ran the Vitton’s Potato Farm located on Pontiac Road north of Hancock. I received my B.S.E. degree in Geological Engineering and an M.S.E. in Mining Engineering from Michigan Tech and then spent eight years with the Shell Oil Company. After Shell, I obtained a Ph.D. in Civil Engineering from the University of Michigan.  My first academic position was at the University of Alabama for four years and then I returned to Michigan Tech where I spent 28 years, retiring this past June 2022. I now work part-time for Barr Engineering, a consulting company in Minneapolis, MN. At Michigan Tech I conducted a number of Senior Design classes to assist local government units and the KLT. Four of these classes were on the Redridge Dam, one on the Hungarian Falls Dam, and one on the Calumet Lake Park. Following the 2018 Father’s Day Flood I took the lead in securing FEMA funds to repair the damage to the Redridge Dam. I am the project manager on this repair, which is ongoing. I am also the Vice-Chair for the Portage Lake Water & Sewer Board. My interest in being a member of the KLT board is in helping to preserve lands in the Keweenaw. I am an active backpacker, hiker, and biker (gravel mostly) and greatly enjoy the outdoors.