Biography
My early years were spent on a small farm in the Thumb area of Michigan. I attended Hesston College in Hesston, Kansas (A.A. 1972), Central Michigan University (B.S. 1974, M.A. 1976), University of Iowa, and University of Kansas (Ph.D. 1996). Tami and I were married in 1972 and now have two grown daughters and five growing grandchildren. My career has included youth ministry, pastoral leadership, college teaching, nonprofit leadership and private college administration. My academic and teaching interests have revolved around communication, including theatre, interpersonal and group communication, rhetoric, public communication and organizational leadership.
Since leaving the presidency of Hesston College in 2016, I have earned my ACC credential with ICF after training with the Kansas Leadership Center and now serve nonprofit, business and higher education organizations. The work itself is primarily leadership coaching with individuals and groups along with board development with nonprofit organizations. I am on the roster of coaches with the Kansas Leadership Center and am a Leadership and Coaching Associate with the Community Engagement Institute of Wichita State University.
I like to learn in areas beyond my work through travel, reading, and just poking into interesting things. I still love the theatre and attend and help wherever and whenever I get the chance. I go back to my small farm roots with my garden, complete with berries, vegetables, flowers and plenty of weeds. The healing and head-clearing of physical work pulls me back to the earth.