Executive Director, The First Tee of West Michigan
As the Executive Director of The First Tee of West Michigan, I make it my goal to treat every single person I interact with respect and courtesy. In a given day, I may interact with a seven-year-old who has never touched a golf club, a highly-skilled teenager golfer, and a high-level local executive who is interested in supporting our students. I want each of them to know that my staff and I want to get to know them better and help them in any way we can.
Before joining The First Tee of West Michigan, I interned at another chapter of The First Tee in Chattanooga, TN, as well as two local non-profit ministries (Mel Trotter and The Other Way Ministries).
I have an intense desire to help young people, and believe golf is one of the most unique and powerful ways to make an impact. I have been at The First Tee of West Michigan since our inception on June 25, 2011. That year, we served 73 young people. Nearly five years later, we serve over 630 young people, with over 55% of them receiving scholarship to participate due to their income.
In my free time, I am an assistant coach at Calvin College men’s golf team, and serve on the City Focus Team at Crossroads Bible Church. My wife Cindy and I live on the west side of Grand Rapids, near GVSU’s downtown campus.