Former Chair, Commerce Committee, New Hampshire State Senate

Former Member, Energy and Natural Resources Committee, New Hampshire State Senate

Reason for Seeking Public Office:

The American Dream is at risk. It is with understandable concern that we all watch events unfold in our nation's capitol. Will our president and our representatives work together to solve the problems that are threatening our future? If the past few years are any guide, compromise will be hard to achieve.

But I believe in our nation and I am confident that with the right leadership in Washington we can see our way to a bright future. That is why I am running for Congress.

My background is humble. I was born in Ohio, the first of three children. It would not be an exaggeration to say we were poor. Making ends meet each month sometimes required my father to take a second job. My parents emphasized the importance of ethics, hard work, and the promise of education. And they taught us that if you did the right things, told the truth, and made good decisions, each of us could achieve the American Dream.

As a boy I developed a keen interest in business and looked forward to reading my grandfather's Forbes magazines after he was done with them. I was the first person in my family to attend college, which I was able to afford with the help of scholarships, a Pell Grant, and student loans. After spending some time working in the private sector, I returned to school, received my Ph.D., and became a college professor.

For almost seven years I've been leading the business school at the University of New Hampshire, preparing the next generation of business leaders and entrepreneurs. As dean, I have helped grow undergraduate business enrollment from 1700 students to over 2200 students while working to raise private funds to construct a new, state-of-the art facility for our students and the business community.

Along with my work as an educator, I co-own and operate a successful small business in Portsmouth. We have worked hard and the business will expand later this year. I am proud to be a part of the New Hampshire economy.

I am not a politician. I have not lived my life making decisions based on running for elected office. Rather, I have built a business, helped to educate future leaders, and helped my children to become responsible adults.

The American Dream has been there for me. It is important to me that it is there for my three children and the generations that follow. I believe in American exceptionalism, and I firmly believe we need to change the course in Washington and get our nation back on track.