Tell us about yourself — include family, career, education, volunteer work and any prior experience in public office.

I have been married to my wife for 49 years, and together we raised four children who all live nearby. We are blessed with 12 grandchildren, and like many families in Blackfoot, we value being close to one another and giving back to the community that raised us.

My education includes a Bachelor of Science in Business Finance, a Law Degree, and doctoral work in Organizational Leadership. For more than 40 years, I have practiced law in real estate, business, contracts, and estate planning. I also served as President of First American Title, where I grew the company from a single office in Blackfoot to more than 30 offices across three states with 400 employees.

Service has always been at the heart of my life. I was a founding member and president of the Blackfoot Jaycees, president of the Blackfoot Kiwanis Club, and later served as Utah-Idaho Governor. For 31 years, I coached youth soccer in Blackfoot, including 14 years as the Blackfoot Girls High School coach. I was among the first “C” licensed coaches in Southeast Idaho, served on the board of the Idaho Youth Soccer Association, and spent more than 20 years as a licensed referee.

I have also served the public for over six years on the City Planning & Zoning Committee, now as Chairman. These experiences—family, professional, and volunteer—have shaped my belief that true leadership means listening, serving, and putting community first.

What is your proudest accomplishment?

My proudest accomplishment isn’t a title or a position—it’s raising a family, without losing my sanity along the way, and doing my best to pass on values of respect, responsibility, and teamwork.

I learned early in my business career that the employees who understood teamwork were the best employees. That realization led me to the soccer field, where for 31 years I coached youth—my own children included. Coaching wasn’t about winning trophies. It was about teaching kids to work together, to recognize each other’s strengths and weaknesses, and to make the whole team stronger.

I remember coaching my youngest daughter’s AYSO team while also coaching at the high school. One was recreational, the other competitive, but both required the same mindset: commitment, hard work, and playing for something bigger than yourself. Even when the league pushed back, we still won every game because the players bought into teamwork. But when my players asked what the score was, I always answered with another question: “Did you play your best? Did you improve from last game?” If the answer was yes, then my reply was simple: “You are a winner.”

Teaching my children—and hundreds of other young people—that winning means growth, effort, and teamwork is the accomplishment I’m most proud of. Because whether in family, business, or government, true success is never about one person. It’s about working together, lifting each other up, and achieving more as a team than we ever could alone.

Why are you seeking political office within your community? Briefly explain your political platform.

I never set out to become a politician—being mayor was never on my bucket list. But after serving more than six years on the Planning & Zoning Committee, I could no longer ignore what I was seeing. Too many ordinances, while written with good intentions, were far too invasive for a community of Blackfoot’s size. On top of that, our ordinances are scattered across multiple sections, difficult to find, and confusing to follow. We deserve fewer, clearer rules—ordinances that are easy to locate, simple to understand, and fairly enforced.

I am running because Blackfoot needs a mayor who will put families first. For me, that means restoring Jensen’s Grove to its rightful place as the jewel of our city, ensuring reliable water pressure for every household, maintaining our parks, and building a community swimming pool where kids and grandkids can safely play. It also means being wise stewards of taxpayer dollars—reducing unnecessary costs, spending efficiently, and setting clear priorities so that every dollar goes where it matters most.

My platform is rooted in service, not politics. I want to simplify ordinances, reduce red tape that frustrates both families and businesses, and focus our city’s energy on the essentials: safety, water, infrastructure, and the community spaces that make Blackfoot a place we’re proud to call home.

With a career in law, business, and community service, I know how to listen, solve problems, and deliver results. I am running to ensure Blackfoot grows responsibly, governs wisely, spends efficiently, and always puts people first.

What are the greatest challenges facing people in your community? How will you address them?

The greatest challenges I hear from families across Blackfoot are water, trains, infrastructure, and overregulation. These aren’t abstract issues—they touch our homes, our safety, and our children’s future.

Water is at the top of the list. Families deserve reliable water pressure, fair bills, and clear communication from the city. Jensen’s Grove should once again be the crown jewel of our community, and our kids and grandkids deserve a safe community pool. These aren’t luxuries—they are basic investments in family life and community pride.

Trains pose safety and health concerns that disrupt daily living. The simple solution is to move switching out of town, but that requires pressure and cooperation with our federal representatives.

Infrastructure like sidewalks has been neglected for decades. Families shouldn’t have to walk with strollers or bikes in the street because sidewalks are crumbling or missing. With more efficient spending and by seeking outside resources, we can finally make progress.

And finally, overregulation makes life harder than it should be. Ordinances should be simple, clear, and fair—so families and businesses know the rules without confusion or costly mistakes.

These challenges aren’t solved by quick promises. They take persistence, thoughtful planning, and a commitment to putting families first. With my background in law, business, and community service, I will work every day to make sure Blackfoot’s government is responsive, responsible, and focused on what matters most to the people who call it home.

How will you best represent the views of your constituents — including those with differing perspectives? How will you communicate directly with constituents?

Representing a community means listening to every voice—not just the ones that agree with you. Families in Blackfoot come from different backgrounds and experiences, but what unites us is a shared desire for safe neighborhoods, strong infrastructure, affordable housing, and a community our kids and grandkids can be proud of.

My approach has always been rooted in respect, responsibility, and teamwork—the same values I taught my own children and hundreds of young people on the soccer field. Teamwork doesn’t mean everyone sees things the same way. It means listening carefully, weighing different perspectives, and working toward solutions that benefit the whole team—the whole community.

I will represent all of Blackfoot by asking tough questions, making priorities clear, and ensuring decisions are practical and fair for families, businesses, and taxpayers alike.

When it comes to communication, I believe in openness and accessibility. That means holding regular town halls, maintaining a clear and user-friendly city website where ordinances and updates are easy to find, and being visible in the community—at events, in neighborhoods, and face-to-face with citizens. Too often, people feel decisions are made behind closed doors. I will make sure our citizens are informed both before and after the vote, heard, and respected.

My promise is simple: I will listen first, act responsibly, and always put the people of Blackfoot above politics.

What parts of the city budget could use more funding? Where could cuts be made?

When asked what parts of the city budget should receive more funding and where cuts should be made, my honest answer is this: without reviewing the actual budgets of each department, it would be imprudent to single out specific line items.

What I can say, based on decades of experience leading businesses, managing personnel, and overseeing multi-million dollar budgets, is that responsible fiscal management follows a clear process. First, gather all the facts. Second, determine the true priorities that best serve citizens. Third, identify areas where funding can be reduced or redirected without harming essential services. Finally, allocate additional resources where they will create measurable improvements for residents.

This disciplined approach has served me throughout my career, from growing a single office into a multi-state company with hundreds of employees, to chairing the Planning & Zoning Board where every decision affects our community’s growth and quality of life.
Any candidate who suggests cuts or increases without first doing this work is either
guessing or playing politics. Relying solely on department heads is not enough – they may understand their operations, but they may not fully see how their decisions affect citizens day to day. My job includes finding and removing waste and inefficiency.

Blackfoot families work hard for their money. As mayor, I’ll make sure the city does the same cutting waste, prioritizing essentials, and putting every tax dollar to work for you.

Jensen Grove, once considered the crown jewel of Blackfoot, has not had enough water for recreational use in recent years. What will you do to help restore it or repurpose it into something else that benefits the community?

Jensen Grove was once the crown jewel of Blackfoot—a place where families gathered, kids learned to swim, and visitors came from miles away to ski, fish, and make memories. Today, without water, it sits underused and overlooked. Families who used to plan their summers around the Grove now drive past it with disappointment. And with every lost visitor, our businesses lose out too. No water means no recreation, no traditions, and no local dollars spent in Blackfoot.

This isn’t a problem that can be solved with quick promises or wishful thinking. It takes persistence, steady work, and a clear commitment to families who want their community back. As an attorney with decades of experience in contracts and water issues, I’ve studied the agreements that govern Jensen Grove—documents most people would never want to wade through. I’ve personally inspected the headgate that controls the water. The problems are real, but so are the solutions.

Yes, there are challenges – cost, regulations, and limited resources. But we can face those challenges the right way: by making Jensen Grove a true priority, pressing for smarter solutions, and seeking funding that won’t take away from essential services.

Restoring Jensen Grove is about more than filling a lake. It’s about giving families a place to gather, children a place to play, and our community a reason to be proud again. With my background in law, contracts, and water, I have the skills to help bring Jensen Grove back to life.

Like many places in eastern Idaho, Blackfoot is experiencing unprecedented growth without enough affordable housing. What will you do to help prepare the city for future growth?

Blackfoot, like much of eastern Idaho, is growing faster than our housing supply can keep up. Rising interest rates, higher building costs, and inflation have pushed home prices and rents beyond the reach of too many working families. While new apartments and multi-family units have been built, wages here are often too low to make even those homes affordable.

This isn’t just about numbers on a chart—it’s about families who want to stay in the community they love but feel priced out. Our kids and grandkids should be able to afford to live where they grew up. That means smart planning, listening to families, working with builders, and protecting taxpayers.

The solution requires balance. The city must work with developers to create a healthy mix of housing—single-family homes, townhomes, and apartments—while aligning infrastructure and zoning decisions with long-term growth. Smart incentives can encourage investment, but they must be designed carefully so that taxpayers don’t carry the entire burden.

We also have to face the simple truth: housing will never be affordable unless wages and jobs keep pace. Building homes without addressing jobs and income leaves families just as strained.

With decades of experience in law, business, and planning, I know that responsible growth means weighing every factor—costs, wages, jobs, and infrastructure—before acting. If we do this right, growth won’t just add rooftops; it will strengthen families, protect taxpayers, and secure Blackfoot’s future for generations.