Licensed in Illinois

Brokerage Office: Flora IL

I was raised on a grain and livestock farm in rural Clay County, Illinois; and I come from a long line of men and women who raised their families working the land.  Over the years my parents raised hogs, cattle and five sons on a small farm in Bible Grove Township. I spent most of my spare time working on our farm or helping my Uncles on their farms when I wasn’t busy with school, sports or various other part time jobs. My parents always encouraged me to pursue a college degree; but like a lot of young people at the end of high school, I really had no idea what I wanted to do. I would never have guessed that I would end up “working the land” to raise a family, just like so many of my ancestors had done before me.

At the suggestion of one of my brothers, I enrolled in classes at Lake Land College in Mattoon, IL pursuing a technical degree in Civil Engineering. I completed that degree and went to work in Effingham, IL for a small Engineering and Land Surveying firm. Soon after, I married my high school sweetheart Danielle and we started making plans for the future. After working a couple of years for the small Engineering firm, I began to realize that someday I wanted to be a small business owner. If I wanted to own an Engineering firm, it would require additional studies and an advanced degree. This seemed to be a daunting task at the time, but with the encouragement and support of my wife and my father-in-law Don Bailey, I left my job and enrolled in classes full-time again in pursuit of my Bachelor’s Degree in Civil Engineering.

I was fortunate enough to be able to gain valuable work experiences over the next four years while I was working towards earning my engineering degree. I worked for a construction company as an estimator and then began to work part-time for an Agricultural Engineer from the Peoria, IL area. I completed my studies at the University of Illinois and received my Civil Engineering degree in the spring of 2002. Danielle and I welcomed our first daughter Olivia to our family while I was still enrolled at the U of I. After graduation, we moved to Peoria and I went to work with the Agricultural Engineering firm. I really enjoyed combining my rural upbringing with my Civil Engineering degree to work with farmers on their various livestock projects. In 2003 a new opportunity presented itself, and I went to work as a land development design Engineer for Austin Engineering in Peoria, IL.

Soon after I started working at Austin Engineering, I realized that I too was “working with land” just like my ancestors. I wasn’t tilling the ground or planting seeds, but I was working with developers and local communities to get the most out of their property and projects. Danielle and I welcomed our daughter Vivian to the family in 2004 around the same time that we purchased 21 acres of property in West Peoria County near Glasford, IL. We wanted to raise our family in a small rural community just like we were both raised. We love our home in the country and enjoy all the serenity and privacy that it affords.

I wanted to know more about the business side of things, so I enrolled in coursework through the University of Illinois-Springfield and obtained my Master’s Degree in Business Administration in 2005. In 2008 I became a principal and partner at Austin Engineering and have been fortunate enough to work with a variety of wonderful land development clients in and around Central Illinois ever since. The team of professionals at Austin Engineering are all great to work with and we work hard to earn our client’s trust and repeat business every day.

I love working with clients to help them be successful and to get the highest and best use out of their properties. This is the reason why I decided to add “Real Estate Professional” to my list of credentials. I wanted to use my experience as a land development professional to help land owners get the most out of their properties, whether its farm land, rural residential property, recreational ground or land suitable for development.

When it’s time to sell, my goal is to help my client’s market their property to its highest potential. When it’s time to buy, my goal is to help my clients find that property that meets all their needs and more. I understand land and the connection that people have to it, whether it’s for business or for pleasure. Working with land is not just a career, it is a passion of mine. I am very proud to be a part of the Buy A Farm team of Professionals. I encourage you to take the time to browse the Buy A Farm website and see all that we have to offer. Call me today and let me use my professional experiences and the proven strategies of the Buy A Farm system to help you buy or sell your property. Even if you are not ready to sell today, you are welcome to contact me for a free consultation and a professional evaluation of your property and your real estate needs.