After leaving State in 1964, I transferred to Clemson, where I subsequently graduated with honors with a BS in Accounting. I later received my MBA from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. I married the former Barbara Eckardt in 1970, and we will celebrate our 44th anniversary in December.

I was fortunate in my career to hold senior executive positions with several major life insurance companies, including Aetna Life and Casualty, Jefferson-Pilot Corporation (later Lincoln National), along with the Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company. In 2007 I was elected President of what was to become, under my leadership, the country’s largest independent marketer of life insurance in the U.S. I re-located the Company from Southern California to Augusta, GA and recruited an entirely new staff. All of those staff members have remained with that company to this day.

I was always a student of the life insurance business, so I earned the following designations: Chartered Life Underwriter, Chartered Financial Consultant, Certified Employee Benefit Specialist, and Certified Financial Planner. I am also an Enrolled Agent, licensed to represent taxpayers before the IRS. During each tax season, I enjoy working with TurboTax as one of their income tax consultants.

In 2011 I bid adieu to the corporate world and founded my own fee-based financial planning firm, Life Solutions in my home town of Aiken, SC. The firm focuses on estate and investment planning.

I have continued to pursue Tournament Bridge as my avocation. When the EX house was located on Hillsboro Avenue, I spent many an enjoyable afternoon honing my skills at the money bridge table.

I have been a long standing member of the American Contract Bridge League, and I have accumulated almost 10,000 master points. In 2005, I was a member of a team of four that won a National Championship. As a bridge teacher and lecturer, I have sailed the oceans of the world for more that 150 days at sea with Barbara, teaching and conducting bridge tournaments on virtually every cruise line.

Barbara and I enjoy spending time in Aiken, Hilton Head, and visiting our children and grand daughters.