My wife, Vickie, and I have lived in the Midway neighborhood for over twenty years. We are the proud parents of two children, Sarah and Sam. Sarah is an honor student at Loyola University Law School and Sam is studying to be a welder and works summers for a boat manufacturer.

After graduating from St. Thomas College, I secured a union-wage retail job that provided a decent wage and health insurance to support a young family. During my career with United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW), I have been blessed with competitive wages, affordable health care and a pension. I understand the challenges that working families face every day to balance work and family, the struggle to maintain affordable health insurance and desire to provide quality education to their children. I have spent my career fighting for the rights of working people, affordable and accessible health care, and civil and human rights for immigrants. And I intend on advocating for decent paying jobs and community-supported development, quality educational opportunities for all and building a first class transit system that improves everyone’s lives.

I have served on the board of directors for the Minnesota Alliance for Progressive Action (MAPA) and Progressive Minnesota and worked hard to ensure the successful launch of the new merged organization, TakeAction Minnesota. I have also been a long time member of the Saint Columba Church, Midway Men’s Club, a regular volunteer at the Dorothy Day Center and I am an avid community gardener.