He is a native of Winter Haven and is a past president of the Polk State College Foundation and the Greater Winter Haven Area Chamber of Commerce. He has served in leadership roles for the American Red Cross, Community Foundation of Greater Winter Haven, Girls, Inc., Habitat for Humanity, and Main Street Winter Haven. He is a graduate of Leadership Winter Haven and Leadership Polk, and was a Florida Blue Key Leadership Honorary member at the University of Florida. He has a bachelor’s degree in Political Science from the University of Florida and his Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree from Stetson University College of Law.