How did you get involved with Habitat for Humanity?
I was part of the founding board for Long Beach South Bay Habitat, which through mergers is now Habitat for Humanity Greater Los Angeles. In 1990, like most Habitats, we were an all-volunteer organization and I spent many of my Saturdays leading construction volunteers building our 1.5 homes per year. I remained on the board for 16 years, due to mergers, until 2006. During that time, and until I joined the organization as staff in 2010, our company supported Habitat by providing pro-bono services and donations. I am passionate about Habitat and have been so for decades.
Why are you passionate about continuing to work for Habitat for Humanity?
As I child I experienced the challenges of living severely housing-burdened. I have come to understand and appreciate the importance of safe stable shelter for families, especially with the development of children. Every time I attend a dedication, I am overwhelmed with the feeling of joy and purpose in being a small part of someone creating their dream I am in awe of the generosity of those who donate time and financial resources to the effort. This is truly what I love, what I feel I was put here to do. When it comes time to retire, I look forward to being part of the “weekday crew”, continuing to do what I love with others who love it too.
What made you decide to join Richmond Habitat and move from Illinois?
If I stayed in Illinois, the commute would simply be way too long 🙂
Really though, I was very excited when I learned about this opportunity. I am impressed with the team and the volunteer leadership at Richmond Habitat. They are supportive of increasing the impact we collectively can achieve in affordable housing and building strong communities. Richmond Habitat is vibrant and exciting. It has a solid foundation and a commitment to growth. Also, the Richmond area is wonderful and everything I have learned about it supports that it is a great place to live, raise a family, and spend one’s retirement years. Most importantly though, my family supports the idea and is excited about the opportunity.
I see our family in Richmond for the foreseeable future. I have lived in 12 different communities throughout my life and spent much of my childhood moving. Richmond is beautiful, full of wonderful natural resources and outdoor activities, and my visit gave the impression of a tight community that we can participate in and support. It has the feel of a small town community with all the amenities of a large city. Added benefit, a short road trip leads to many interesting places with manageable traffic! The only thing that I am a little worried about is the allergy season, so I have that to look forward to!
When you aren’t at work, how do you spend your free time?
I really work to have as little free time as possible. What I mean by that is time is like a bank account that gets a certain amount deposited every day and at the end of the day, anything left in the account is emptied and then the same amount is deposited for the next day. I want to exhaust that account every day, to the fullest. I find that that occurs when I am able to spend my time with friends and family, together you have more of it and it can create greater value when spent together. I love being outdoors, camping, sporting events, sharing stories and laughter. I also love to build things, like houses and things for them. I love days on build sites. I have a wonderful memory of roofing a clay tile roof with my wife and some of our friends at the inaugural Hollywood for Habitat build in the early 2000’s and it was a great day!
Which Richmond Habitat value resonates most with you and why (Equity, Integrity, Partnership, Legacy, or Fun)?
This is a tough question because they all resonate strongly with me. I believe strongly in all of Richmond Habitat’s values—Equity, Integrity, Partnership, Legacy, and Fun—but I tend to view the first four as interwoven principles that naturally support each other. For me, Equity means ensuring that everyone receives a fair return on life, much like the idea behind the Young Radicals’ song: you get what you give. Recognizing that the world isn’t always structured equitably, we must actively work to change that.
Integrity then follows: it’s about doing what’s right and earning trust, even when no one is watching. Partnership highlights the importance of working together—doing things for one another not only makes life easier but enriches it, reflecting the timeless command to love one another. Similarly, Legacy isn’t about constructing monuments like grand buildings or bridges; it’s about the lasting impact of our good deeds and the genuine care we show to all our partners and stakeholders.
If you were to ask my friends and family, however, they’d probably say that Fun resonates most with me. I love to have a great time, and my laughter is often a giveaway. Fun isn’t just a lighthearted value—it’s the element that infuses all the others, making even the toughest challenges more manageable and our shared mission all the more rewarding.
