About

Married to My Best Friend Sue, God only knows how she put up with me for 35 years. My wife and I are raising granddaughter who has brought immeasurable love and joy into our hearts. I served in the Navy in the early 1970’s on the submarine USS Pollack SSN-603. I have a Great job working for Hamilton Sundstrand, Space Systems International. Here we build, test and support the astronauts with their space suits, environmental control systems for the space shuttles and the space station. Over the years I’ve have been honored met several astronauts including James Ox Van Hoften. George Pinkly Nelson, Judith Resnik and Story Musgrave. I was flying planes at 9 years old. At the time I was the youngest pilot in CT, then some 8 year old GIRL took it away from me. When I got out of the service I started work as a construction laborer. Then I went into welding, I found welding to be quite a challenge but after several months I became proficient in several welding techniques. I progressed well enough to land a job at Hamilton Standard where I spent several years welding and testing space hardware. When the shuttle Challenger failed during launch in the 1980’s much of the space program hardware was put on hold. Many people were laid off but I chose to leave because I found it difficult to sit around with little to nothing to do. With my construction background I quickly found a job as a labor foreman. After several months I was promoted to Assistant project manager. As the project was coming to completion I was approached by another company to work as their Project Manager building a 12 million dollar retirement complex. I accepted the offer and I remained there to completion just over 1-1/2 years. As we were passing over control to the owners I was offered a job to remain at the facility as Director of Building and grounds where I stayed for 3 years until another company came in and purchased the facility. With the burst of the building bubble came lean time for many. But as luck would have it before I made my way to the unemployment office I received a call from an old friend at Hamilton Standard space systems. Within a week I was full circle and back to work again and where I remain today. I had a profound love for fishing throughout my life. My father was my influence, my mentor as well as my best friend. I’ve caught most every species of fish found in the wasters of the US. I’ve caught Tarpon to Trout and Smelt to Stripers. I can brag having caught numerous stripers over 50 lbs. Won a several tournaments. Served on the Board of Directors for the CT Chapter of Coastal Conservation Association where I was privileged to have met some great people and life long friends. Like Ted Nugent I believe that the 2nd amendment is my permit to own and bear arms… I love rocks, I’ve been collecting for 44 years and as my wife can attest I have amassed quite a collection. I love doing lapidary work cutting and polishing stones and making jewelry. As a kid I was fortunate to have spent two summers at the West Hartford Summer Science Academy, this is where I was introduced to the wonderful world of geology and I’ve been hooked ever since.

Education

• School of Hard Knocks
• Buckley High School

Favorite saying

• "Enjoy every day like it's your last. And Ask not what your country can do for you but ask what you can do for your country."