He graduated from APSU in 1968 and earned a master's degree from UT-Knoxville in 1971. He is a member of the Association of American Geographers and the National Geography Society. He's received many awards at CSCC, including being named “Faculty of the Year” several times and recipient of the first Distinguished Faculty Award in 1978. His wife, Judy, is an APSU alumna and a retired schoolteacher.