Raised around harness horses throughout my childhood, I developed an early love for Standardbreds on my family’s 20 acre farm in southern Illinois. We owned and bred around 20 trotting broodmares and got tremendous joy from raising and campaigning a dozen horses each season.
Early on I was immersed into the proper care and training of young horses, and eventually got to drive some of our home-breds when we raced on the Illionois Fair Circuit. I also developed an affinity for studying pedigrees.
The highlight of my driving career was guiding Jano Star to the Illinois Topline Stakes points championship for 3yo trotting fillies. She went on to win an elimination at the Illinois State Fair with my father driving.
After graduating from the University of Illinois in 1989, I started a career as a financial advisor. I have been a financial advisor for over 30 years and am licensed and have clients in states across the country including, but not limited to, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, Kentucky and Florida.
In the early 1990s, I served as a member of the Du Quoin State Fair Advisory Board, having been appointed by then-Governor Edgar as the horsemen’s liaison. While continuing to grow my business, I also maintained my beloved connection to the horse business as an owner, helping jog and train and even participating in Billings Amateur Driving circuit for a season.
Considering myself a “Super Fan,” my passion for harness racing has never faded. My family continues its ownership of race horses, as I truly embody the saying that “horses are in your blood.” With a deep understanding of the horse industry, I have focused my investment services business on providing wealth planning to trainers, drivers, owners and breeders of the sport I love so much.