Three years later I became a salesman for United Builders Supply in Westerly, RI. When the owner chose to expand, he asked me to facilitate the construction of two new lumber yards in CT. Post construction, I was the General Manager of UBS Niantic, overseeing a sales, distribution and manufacturing operation that grew to more than 50 employees. I became talented at purchasing product for the entire company, creating and managing efficient operations and leading the employees to ensure all four yards operated effectively.

In 2000 I was recruited by Orvedal Builders to manage their latest construction project, an Active Adult Community in Niantic called Chapman Woods - building 95 individual homes in a wooded 32-acre cluster development. As the Construction Manager for an entire subdivision, I was responsible for scheduling and coordinating the many subcontractors to ensure that each house was built on-time and within budget. I used my purchasing expertise to assure budget accountability. I learned not only how to build a custom home, but which products are best suited to create an effect a client is seeking to achieve.

With 29 years of experience in the building business and after building over 100 homes in the last 6 years, I know there's always more to learn. Every new building project offers a new challenge as we move through the process.

I am a strong believer in continuing education. I am a Certified Graduate Builder (CGB), a Certified Aging In-Place Specialist (CAPS) and a Graduate Master Builder (GMB); all are designations earned from the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB). I serve on the Board of Directors of three organizations, the NAHB, the Home Builders Association of Connecticut (HBACT) and the Builders Association of Eastern Connecticut (BAEC). I am the Immediate Past President of the Builders Association of Eastern Connecticut and the youngest member of the Connecticut Housing Hall of Fame. In January 2006, I was appointed to the NAHB Senior Housing Council board of trustees.

In my precious spare time -- I love to sail, having grown up right here in Mystic, CT. I've had the good fortune of logging some serious distances in Long Island Sound and 'blue water' sailing from Ft. Lauderdale to Mystic and Annapolis to Bermuda. I've raced in the Great Lakes and wherever someone will let me take the helm.

My family makes my life complete. My wife Sandra is an employee at Pfizer by day and manages the house and kids by night so that I can focus on the business. She has come to accept my love, passion and commitment for the building industry. We have two wonderful boys -- Mason 10 and Jackson 8. We enjoy watching them grow and discover the world. They are very good students and in their spare time they keep active with basketball, karate, soccer and music lessons.

On weekends, the boys often accompany me to job sites. They enjoy policing the site to leave it spotless for our customers and safe for our workers. Who knows, maybe they'll follow me into the business one day. If they do, I can tell you this: they see the effort required to build a quality structure that their dad is proud to associate with our family name. They know the quality that goes into a space our client is delighted to own and put their name on the mailbox. Once the boys have inspected the job, the may scratch their initials in your concrete somewhere. Look closely at all the details. We don't mind. We're proud of every inch.

Several years later Nort recruited me to work with him on the Chapman Woods project in Niantic. On that project, I learned about production housing. The transition into custom home building has been a great experience.

My commitment to you, our client, is to learn what matters most to you in a home and work closely with you to create that special space where you are comfortable, safe and very happy.

By listening to you throughout your project, I can be a guide on your wonderful journey of discovery and creative expression.

My pursuit of knowledge has taken me from the classrooms of the National Association of Home Builders to the wilderness of North and South America. Although knowledge is valuable, I have found my experiences to be timeless. Having learned there are no shortcuts to success or happiness, I live each day accordingly.

I am a natural-born organizer, scheduler and 'task master' who makes sure that everything we need to build your home from securing permits, compensating subcontractors and having all the paperwork needed at the right time and in the right place is a 'sure thing'.

To describe me in one word, I would say, 'family'.

My husband Ted and I live on a beautiful river that feeds into the Long Island Sound. We like to kayak and enjoy the sunny days on the water. We have two wonderful daughters - Jessica, a mechanical engineer with Raytheon and 'Jack' (Jaclyn) who is pursuing her career in the music industry with Sony BMG. And I'll soon be traveling on a 'family reunion' cruise where we'll be reconnecting with a number of family members from all over the country. We did this ten years ago and it was great!

I am an avid golfer who plays in a local league and, while Anika Sorenson doesn't have to worry about me, I do enjoy being outdoors and the camaraderie of good friends.

My other interests include gardening, listening to music, traveling to anyplace that's warm and sunny (we just returned from Hawaii) and being with my family and friends. I also volunteer at the Garde Art Center in New London, CT in my 'spare' time.

When you are a Mystic River client, I make sure the paperwork aspect of the process goes as smooth and orderly as the construction. You will find that if you build your dream home with us, you can start to relax before you ever move in.

After 7 years of college as a career student, and 4 years with the US Army, I decided to go back to night school and get a job working construction for my sister's neighbor. That was 1985 and I haven't looked back. It doesn't take long to realize you actually enjoy going to work, and maybe even get a little excited about it -- especially when it's something challenging.

When I was a young Carpenter, I would occasionally complain about conditions that were out-of-plumb, out-of-square or unlevel when I arrived on the job. The reality is that these are the most interesting and rewarding jobs. When I walk into an older home, or a Historic home that needs maintenance, I never expect to find a single plumb wall, or a square door opening, or a level floor. Once you realize that this is the nature of Old Construction, you begin to see the real character of the house; Unique character that is impossible to price. The kind of character you won't find in new, modern construction.

I have a wonderful wife and two young sons and an English setter (Biscuit!). I enjoy the Beach, Canoeing, Camping (especially if I can build big campfires), Computer and Network hardware builds, Astronomy (Supernova are my favorite), and as of late small particle Physics. I try to learn something everyday, which means I try to be a good listener everyday. I've found out over time that you'll almost always "Be surprised by what you'll learn, and from whom", and "You never can be sure just who you might end up liking; a lot!"

I bring considerable expertise with post and beam building. I have worked in every facet of this industry from designing the frame using an AutoCad program, laying out and cutting the joinery to erecting the completed frames in the field.

My evenings and weekends are spent with my lovely wife Holly and our five children Severa, Ben, Analee, and one year-old twins Addison and Becca. We live in the country in a traditional saltbox built in 1740 where my time is consumed with the ongoing restoration of our home. When we do get away, we love to explore the woods and the shoreline.