New Summit Staff-Kalispell

My origins start in Wisconsin – in Yoda language, “A Cheesehead am I.” My grandfather was a cheesemaker and I’ve coined the phrase “I never met a cheese I didn’t like.” We came to Montana via England where my wife and I spent the first five years of our marriage – she’s a Brit, eh? Raising our family (3 girls, God bless ‘em) has been one of the greatest adventures of our lives. Whether camping at Tally Lake, making winter trips to the North Fork, waving flags at the 4th of July parade in Bigfork, swimming in Flathead Lake near Somers where we lived in an old farmhouse for 13 years, or spring bicycling in Glacier Park, our journey has consistently been framed in picture postcard-type of settings for which we are so grateful. One huge chapter of our lives (wife, girls and I), was birthing the vision for opening a group home for adults with disabilities here in the Flathead. This came about during our years living near Somers. From a bare patch of earth near that old farm house on the forty acres of donated prime farm land, the 8,000 square foot, 13 bedroom, 5 ½ bath, state-of-the-art home rose up by way various contributions of cash, donated materials and volunteer help. When the home, called Lighthouse, opened it was completely paid for – an astonishing fact I can only attribute to the hundreds of people who supported us throughout those early years! Since leaving that exciting project I have continued working with children and adults with disabilities but wearing slightly different hats.I consider it a joy and a privilege to work in the field of disability. I’m equally pleased to be on board with Summit and look forward to meeting each of you and hearing some tales of your journey!