I was raised on a farm
near Wimbledon, North Dakota. Planting and harvesting
crops on my dad’s farm, I developed a love for the land,
for growing crops, and productivity. After graduating
from high school, I traveled to Parana, Brazil and
worked a livestock and grain farm run by a mission
organization dedicated to training indigenous people to
be self-sufficient and industrious.
Upon returning home, I
enrolled in Bethany College of Missions where I received
a degree in Cross-Cultural Studies. I then traveled to
New Zealand and worked on farms in the Bay of Islands,
further gaining a global perspective of farming and its
methodologies.
In 1989, I married my
wife Alison. We moved back to North Dakota where I
attended NDSU studying agricultural economics until
1992. It was at NDSU that I first developed an interest
in politics.
In the spring of 1992,
I moved back to the Wimbledon area and began building a
farm of my own. In 1996, I received a spinal cord injury
when my tractor was struck from behind by a semi-truck.
Cutting-edge medical care (in both Valley City and
Fargo) and answered prayer have restored the use of my
legs.
My accident has given
me the perspective that life is short and that it is
also a very precious gift from beginning to end. Alison
and I have been extremely blessed to bring eight
treasured children into the world; each one of them is
an asset. We are also deeply thankful to have been able
to continue farming. Our grain farm, northwest of
Sanborn, is now in its seventeenth growing season.
In 2006, I ran for the
United State Senate. I came in second but gained
relationships with many legislators and other leaders
from across this great state which has helped prepare me
to go to Bismarck and work for legislation that will be
good for our district and our state.
Running for the North
Dakota Senate is an opportunity to gratefully serve
North Dakota and our district for the many things that
each has given to me and my family.
