We live the beautiful Southern California lifestyle. I love the beach, skiing in the local mountains, and playing golf in the desert. My father-in-law lived in Copenhagen for many years. Before he passed away, we would visit him and take a vacation somewhere in Europe. It was natural to set part of my novel Searching in the parts of Europe we visited.
    
    I grew up in Northern Wisconsin in a simpler time, where school, church, and family reinforced core values such as honesty, a strong work ethic, and respect for others. We lived in farm country and I went to a one-room country schoolhouse with thirty or so kids in eight grades. Since the teacher was, of necessity, somewhat like Mother Hubbard with too many kids, I was left to spend most of my time reading and letting my mind run free.  To this day I attribute much of my success as an engineer to the development of an open, inquiring mind that was nurtured by the independence I was allowed in grade school. Solutions to problems don’t come from textbooks but from the ability to creatively go into solution mode.

    My high school years were right out of the movie American Graffiti. I had good friends, cruised the “main drag” in the center of town, went to dances, and football games.

    A seminal event in my personal development was enrolling at the University of Wisconsin where I met people from all over the U.S. and from different parts of the world. I learned to judge people on their own merits, whatever their background.

    After graduation I took a job in Chicago, where I lived my own romantic adventure when I met my future spouse. Six months after we met, we married. We’re still lovers, best friends, and love spending time together. Our children have given us the "most wonderful grandchildren" ever in the world since the beginning of time.

    I have worked for several billion-dollar food companies. For the last decade I’ve had my own engineering consulting business and have been responsible for engineering three complete new food plants.  

    My first novel Searching is completed, and I’ve begun work on my second. I’m currently involved in the exciting task of trying to get my novel published and I am relishing the learning of the process.