Originally from Chicago, I have lived in California long enough – according to some – to be considered a native. Starting in Cupertino, I’ve lived in San Jose, Seal Beach, Irvine, and Riverside.

After a successful career in sales in various aspects of the high tech industry, I embraced training, mostly software and systems, but including sales management and sales training. Training is similar to sales, but you know immediately whether you’ve done well.

I was married for twenty years to a wonderful woman whom I met dancing. We always planned to pursue it, but work, travel, kids, life, etc. got in the way. I lost her nearly 8 years ago after she had been ill for the better part of two years.

When I was about to retire, a friend in the valley asked what plans I had, to which I responded with a list of ten things I wanted to do. Dancing was down the list but is something I have embraced with enthusiasm and vigor. After Waltz, Tango, Foxtrot, and Salsa attempts to dance in showcases, Symphony took me on as a student. We danced a Waltz at the last showcase, followed by a performance of a scene from “My Fair Lady,” at a charity event in Palm Springs for which we received the most applause.

The following week, she asked whether I’d thought of competing in dance. I had not but was in the mode of trying new things, so I said yes. We’re approaching five years competing, including 46 comps in all – averaging one every 39 days (with time out for several surgeries).

And so, here we are.