Before settling down in Massachusetts, I spent a number of years traveling throughout North America. I hitch hiked through the lower 48, all of them at least once, as well as the 10 provinces of Canada. I hopped freight trains and did a lot of walking.  I worked as a day laborer at hundreds of jobs. Commercial fishing, railroad laborer, apple, orange and tomato picking and emptying box cars to name a few. 

 

After settling down,  I started and operated a greeting card company with sales throughout the US and Canada. I purchased and turned around a snack food vending business and served as operating partner for a start- up millwork company that specializes in custom windows and doors.  All continue to operate successfully today with new owners.

 

Education

 

I started by earning a GED,  then spent a year at a community college, attending nights, while working full time.  I went to U-Mass Amherst graduating with an economics degree while running my greeting card business and finally I attended the William and Mary School of Law while operating the same but much larger multi-location greeting card company.