Background
He was born in Marceline, Missouri, and graduated in 1968 from Saint Joseph Academy.
He was born in Marceline, Missouri, and graduated in 1968 from Saint Joseph Academy.
He is Catholic. He then went on to attend Northwest Missouri State University and the University of Missouri. He has been a self-employed farmer for thirty years. He was first elected to the Missouri House of Representatives in a special election in 2001, winning reelection in 2002 and 2004.
He currently serves on the following committees:
Appropriations - Agriculture and Natural Resources (chair),
Agriculture Policy,
Budget,
Corrections and Public Institutions.
He is a member of the Knights of Columbus, a past county president of the Farm Bureau, past chair of the Livingston County Soil & Water Board, a board member of the Missouri Corn Growers Association, the Missouri Soybean Association, Show-Maine Quality Grain, the Chillichothe Chamber of Commerce, Ducks Unlimited, and the National Rifle Association.