I'm sixty-five years young now and a lifelong modeler since the age of eight and an AMA member since I was 13 years old. I have built everything that flies from indoor rubber power to three full-scale EAA planes. I have recently retired after a 40-year career in the UAV industry at AAI/Textron systems working in the design and development lab for UAVs.
I owe my career in the UAV industry to the local modelers who taught me my life skills as a young modeler and these wonderful mentors I also had during my career on several projects as either my supervisors at AAI, Nick Ziroli Sr. and Dominic Palumbo, or consultants we worked with over the years, including Nick Ziroli Jr., Dave Platt, Bob Violett, Bob Kress, and Maynard Hill. I shared my last twenty years at AAI/ Textron working side by side with "Nats" and Toledo Weak Signals winner Troy Lawicki, who is a master modeler and composite fabricator in his own rite.
I also had a 15-year tenure at GPA hobbies where we sold high-end RC supplies. I purchased GPA hobbies with two friends, Jim Klapp and Peter Stone, after our friend and owner Eric Baugher's passing in 2011, but due to my own wife's declining health in 2013, I sold my interest to Eric's widow. The shop is now closed forever, sadly.
I also had the honor to be a member of Steve Stricker's T.O.C. support team when he was a competitor at the T.O.C. from 1986 to 1998, helping to design and build his fiberglass and foam 35% Ultimate 10-300, then the Winning "1996" 40% Extra 300 and never seen for the 1998 50% Extra 300.
Turbine jets, EDF, and Warbird planes are my main interest now; however, I still build from scratch many sizes of models. I have a huge collection of hobby stuff and subscribe to Dave Platts methods of scarfollogy: "Buy it when you can, as it's never around forever."
Pictured is myself kneeling behind my Ziroli-designed Bearcat and Panther with Jim Klapp (my partner and spotter at events) standing and Troy Lawicki kneeling to my left.
