The PGA of America's highest educational distinction is PGA Master Professional.  The PGA Master Professional Program was established in 1969 to recognize PGA Professionals who've made significant efforts to improve as golf professionals, maintaining the highest degree of excellence for themselves and their operations.  Currently, only 422 of the over 29,000 PGA of America Professionals have earned the Master Professional designation.  Before a PGA Professional can even begin the process of becoming a Master Professional they must first meet the requirements of becoming a PGA Certified Professional and be a PGA Professional in good standing for a minimum of eight years.  The PGA of America recognizes PGA Master Professionals as experts in their area of certification.  

     Originally from Rockford, Illinois, I grew up in Cumberland, Rhode Island first becoming interested in golf as a caddy at Kirkbrae Country Club at age 11.  My lifelong involvement in athletics and my innate sense to teach and help others, lead me back to the Midwest where I earned a Bachelor of Science in Physical Education at Rockford University.  Turning Professional after graduation, I worked and instructed at several private clubs in Chicago’s North Shore area while wintering in Palm Springs, California working at the Jim McLean Golf School, for world renowned Golf Instructor, Jim McLean.  I had the experience of personally assisting Jim and other Golf Digest Top 100 Instructors, including Jerry Mowlds and Carl Welty.  I feel that the knowledge I got mentoring under, and learning from, some of the best instructors in the world, invaluable.  

     Returning to New England, I became the onboard PGA Professional of the most prestigious cruise line in the world, Silversea, teaching and playing golf all over the Mediterranean, from Antalya Turkey to Majorca Spain.  The next 8 years were spent being one of the lead staff instructors at Harmon Golf and Fitness Club, one of the premier golf instructional facilities in the United States.  The Harmon name is synonymous with teaching excellence and I’m very proud to have been associated with one of the most well respected families in all of golf.  Most currently, I have spent the last 8 years in China leading Arc Golf Academy, the David Leadbetter Academy and Bay Club Golf Academy as their Director of Instruction.  The most challenging but incredible experience of my life. 

     Adhering to the philosophy that educators are lifelong students themselves, I am continually working to better myself by becoming more knowledgeable.  I am a PGA of America Master Professional (Instruction), the highest educational designation one can attain in the PGA.  Of the over 29,000 American PGA Professionals I am 1 of only 208 Master Professionals in Instruction.  Additionally, wanting the ability to connect the physical component of golf with golf instruction, I have earned Titleist Performance Institute's highest certification level both as a Level 3 Golf Fitness Instructor and as a Level 3 Junior Coach, as well as Level 2 Power Coach.  I also became a Certified Personal Trainer through the highly respected American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), considered the gold standard of personal trainer certifications.  I feel that the greatest gains in skill acquisition and distance comes from a combination of fitness and instruction.