After 35 years in education, I retired in 2020 (already planned, not due to pandemic) and almost immediately my family and friends told me that I should get into the travel planning field.   I had planned many trips for my family (and a few for friends) as well as planning training trips for the high school softball team for which I was a coach.    

    Trip planning was always a "hidden passion" for me since I was young.  As a teenager in the days before the Internet, I would plan family trips using the "old school" methods such as maps, brochures and hotel location books. (I had a full set of most companies....lol).

    My Bachelor's degree is in Social Studies Education and I chose that field because I love to study (and share) History, Geography and Government with students and others. (anybody who will listen.)     (I would love to see schools return Geography to the curriculum, I miss teaching that.).

    I also hold a Master's Degree in Sports Administration.   The combination of the Social Studies Degree and Administration degree helps me to be both knowledgeable and organized in travel.     

     When I was Assistant Athletic Director at a 2400 student high school, I was in charge of scheduling all school facilities (not just athletic) as well as creating the master calendar of school events (Homecoming, Prom, Activities, etc.).    This required me to be super organized and able to see the big picture in order to make all the events fit.   Some "creative scheduling" was required but as my supervisor told me: "someone who is as 'concrete sequential' like you is the perfect person to plan events."

     My favorite places to travel are to historic sites and to experience the "local atmosphere" of locations I visit.   I enjoy cruises especially because you can visit many local ports during the cruise and, through their shore excursions, learn about the local culture.   I have been to both Alaska and Hawaii on cruises.

     I am also a "theme park junkie" but not just for the rides but for the shows, food, resorts and just the "experience" of them.    I grew up (and live) two hours from two major theme parks, Cedar Point & Kings Island, and became hooked on them.   In recent years I have also been to both Busch Garden Parks and several of the Cedar Fair & Six Flags parks.

     While I only made one visit to Disney World when I was a teenager or younger, I have made up for that in the last 20 years.  I have fallen in love with the Florida resort parks, Walt Disney World and Universal Orlando.   Not only do I love visiting them and staying in their resorts, I enjoy learning about their history, behind the scenes operations and future plans.

     Outside of cruises and the theme parks, some of my favorite places to visit include Charleston, South Carolina, Williamsburg, Virginia, Frankenmuth, Michigan and San Antonio, Texas.

     Contact me and let me share some of my love of history with you through travel.

About Me:
     I have lived my entire life in Gahanna/Jefferson Township, a suburb just outside of Columbus, Ohio.  (if you have flown into John Glenn Airport, you have flown over my town!).    My family ancestry runs back to the founding of our community.   Like my mother, daughter, wife and many other family members, I graduated from Gahanna Lincoln High School.     After college, I returned to teach and work at my Alma Mater for the next 35 years as faculty member, softball coach and Assistant Athletic Director.
     I have been married since 1988 and my wife and I have one wonderful daughter (recently engaged) who somewhat followed in my footsteps and became an elementary special education teacher.

  After 35 years in education, I retired in 2020. (my retirement was already planned before the pandemic...not because of it.) I taught Social Studies and worked with behaviorally challenged students.

    I still keep my "connection" to education by serving as a substitute teacher in my former district in Social Studies and Special Education. I was involved in all parts of the high school serving as Assistant Athletic Director for nearly 20 years and as a Fastpitch Softball Coach for 30 years.

    After retirement (and being basically stuck at home during the pandemic), I did extensive historical research on my community, school district and the athletic programs of the high school. I turned my research into three non-published books: "A History of Lincoln High School Football, 1927- 2022;" "A History of High School Leagues in Central Ohio," and "A History of Gahanna & Jefferson Townshihp School District, 1871-2020." My fourth work, a history of the Village/City of Gahanna, is still "in process."

As you can see, history is a major love of mine and as a result, I have researched the history of several travel destinations including the Walt Disney Parks and Universal Orlando.