Are you married, if so how long and what is your spouse’s name?
I am married to my beautiful wife, Zahara. We were married in April 2021. We have known each other since college. We both went to rival schools in North Carolina. I went to NC State and she went to UNC
Do you have any children? What are their names and ages?
We do not have any children and are not planning on having kids. We do have a dog son, Oakley. His nickname is Bug, because he is friendly to every living thing including bugs. He is 2.5 years old.
Where do you live now? Where did you grow up?
We live in Ann Arbor. I have lived here for 9 years and moved from North Carolina where I lived for about 17 years. I grew up in the Quad Cities in Iowa and moved to NC with my family when I was 11.
Where and what year did you receive your education?
I have a BS in turfgrass science from NC State University and graduated in December 2008
What is your background story before taking on this role, work, life, etc?
I have been with Syngenta for a little over 9 years where I have been the Northern Aquatics territory manager. Working with lake and pond applicators around the Northeast and Midwest states. My background is turf… I started working golf course maintenance when I was 17 and have a huge passion for golf. I enjoyed working all aspects of golf courses. I had the privilege of working a golf course renovation during my internship in NC. I really enjoyed getting the perspective on how the course is built from the ground up and what it takes to build a solid foundation. After I graduated from NC State I got involved in the lawn care industry and worked for a national company for 2 years. Ultimately, I found out that my passion was talking and working directly with people. I knew I wanted to get into sales because of my passion of working with different personalities, my love for the entire turf industry, and thinking I could offer solutions to challenges in turf. I also thought I was pretty good at selling fungicide packages to homeowners in lawn care. I was an intern/developmental rep working with Syngenta when I started my sales career. After 2 years as a sales support rep, I stepped into the aquatics territory with Syngenta. After 9 years, I am very pleased and excited to step back into turf, lawn, and golf courses.
I spend my free time with my wife, who is also my best friend. We enjoy being lazy at home, going to Disneyland, and playing with our pup. I also enjoy playing as much golf as possible in my free time.
What are some of your hobbies?
My hobbies are golf and spending time with my wife and pup. I have played golf in a lot of states and Michigan is my favorite place to play. I have had the opportunity to play some beautiful and of course challenging courses
What are your goals for Syngenta in Michigan?
My goals for Syngenta in Michigan turf are to develop relationships and friendships in the turf industry here. I’d like to understand what challenges superintendents are facing annually and how Syngenta and myself can offer solutions to these challenges here in Michigan.