Title: Assistant Team Director
Date of Birth/Location: 6/15/70 Cleveland, Ohio
Current Residence: Columbia, SC
Education: BA from University of South Carolina '93, Double major Communications and Geography
Family status: Single

In his own words

You started as DS for Health Net Presented by Maxxis in 2004. The team has won the NRC team title every year since then. Coincidence?

That's also the first year Health Net had a real budget...so I think that had a lot more to do with it than whatever I brought to the table.

But it has been a good ride since '04 and we've done a lot to be proud of in three years. Funny thing is, it keeps getting harder instead of easier. The level of competition has increased tremendously since just '04 and getting another team title for 2007 will be a real challenge.

As with 2006, roughly half the riders on the team this year are new. What challenges does that present to a DS?

There are a myriad of challenges. In the past when we've had a lot of turn-over we were always able to keep our core. Heading into 2007 we have lost part of that core, so we face new challenges in areas like leadership and experience. But I think we have done a great job assembling this new squad. It really is like a completely new team with a whole new younger, fresher outlook. This is also a really deep team. We have a depth of talent that I don't think we have ever had before. Every guy on this roster can win bike races. No one is here purely for support.

Do you find that your double major in Communications and Geography helps you in your job? And do you ever wish you'd have thrown in Psychology, as well?

I wish I had thrown in a little bit of everything, but school took five years as it was. If I had studied everything I wanted to I would still be there.

Funny thing is, when I graduated I had no idea what to do with my majors. I joked that the only thing I could really do was give people really good directions. It turns out that's not such a bad skill to have in my job.

I think the geography must have sunk in a little more than the communications because I still like studying maps, but I don't really like talking to people. Any psych majors out there want to analyze that?

How/why did you end up working as a Directeur Sportif with a professional cycling team?

I always enjoyed having one foot in the business side of the sport. I started helping with team management as far back as 1992 when I was a first year Cat.2. Just riding made me feel like my brain was atrophying a bit. Plus, I wasn't really good enough to make it on the big teams so I created my own team so I could get to the top level. Once I got in those big races, the pressure and competition made me a better rider than I was capable of becoming on my own. After Kevin Monahan nearly killed me in 2001 - just kidding - a broken back at the start of 2001 put me in the director's seat for a while. Once I was there I realized I was a bigger asset to the team off the bike than on, so I became a full-time director. Now, seven years and 30 pounds later, there is no chance of going back. I thought I was slow before but now I'm practically anchored to the planet.

What other cycling teams have you worked with in the past?

As director:
Health Net Presented by Maxxis 2004 - Present
7UP 1998-2003

As a rider:
7UP 1998-00
Diet Rite 1997
Snapple 1994-96
Cycle Center 1992
Outspokin 1990-91, 1993

What results did you achieve as a racer?

Very few. I think I'm a descendent of Isaac Newton because gravity really likes me. Maybe if the races were shorter and easier with more downhill I would have had better results.

You know what they say: " Those who can, do. Those who can't, get a job yelling at those who can." It puts sort of a nice harmony in the world, don't ya think?

What are your interests outside of cycling?

History - I read mostly non-fiction about American history and I live on the History Channel (or I would if I had cable). When I'm 60 I want to grow a long white beard and be a history professor. I'm fascinated by history, but not good at retaining it so I end up reading the same book or watching the same documentary like a dozen times.

Running - I just got into running last year because it's something that's easy to do on the road in a short time. I've found I really enjoy it. I did a few races last year and I'm looking forward to more this year. It helps keep my ever-expanding girth in check a bit too.

Music - I dig most kinds, except for jazz, can't get a grasp on jazz. My two favorite eras are the '69 to '74 Pre-Punk/Glam stuff like Stooges, T-Rex, NY Dolls. I also get off on early punk '76 to '82 like Ramones, The Jam, The Clash, Stiff Little Fingers. I'm a sucker for a good garage band sound like Social Distortion or The Replacements. My guilty pleasure is chick pop punk stuff, things like The Muffs, The Soviettes, and The Bangs. I'll probably have a hard time if the team ever goes to Europe fulltime. The music there is pretty bad.

I also like throwing things away. I like cleaning out closets, garages, whatever, and just chucking stuff. It's cathartic. I don't like a lot of stuff so getting rid of things is fun. I'll never be that guy with three cars, a boat, a motorcycle, two Jet Skis, 12 bikes, a 50" plasma, and a pool table. But, if you are that guy and you want me to come over and throw some of your stuff away, I'll be happy to help.

If I wasn't a DS, I'd be...

forced to get a real job. Seriously, I wouldn't mind working at the Renaissance Fair. Just travel from town to town dressed in armor and eating mutton. Or maybe running moonshine.....I've got a pretty fast car. If those don't work out I would like to be Samuel L. Jackson's stunt double.