Where are you from?

I am originally from Paducah, Kentucky.

What do you do here at OSUIT?

My position is program chair for the School of Watchmaking.

What is your experience and history with the university?

I found the institution in 1998 while researching watchmaking schools here in the U.S. I was working at a retail jeweler and had become our resident watch geek and knew there was a career in this field in my future. I attended OSUIT from January 1999 through December 2000 and remember well the great snow of 2000. My final certification exams were delayed due to the weather. I also attended OSU Stillwater concurrently during this time to begin my BS degree.

After graduation I moved to New Jersey and worked in New York City from 2000 to 2003. I then began working in Clarksville, Tennessee where I operated a business. In 2008, I was contacted by my instructor Wit Jarochowski about coming back to the institution and becoming an instructor. Accepting this offer has been a life-changing and very rewarding move.

What’s the best thing about working here?

The watchmaking program here at OSUIT is very historic from its origins in 1946. The program has gone through many changes, both in appearance, location and specifically through curriculum. The current graduates are among a long tradition here at the institution and continue, maybe more relevant than ever, to become bright leaders within the industry. 

What’s your favorite spot on campus?

My favorite place on campus is the view from the top floor of the Donald W. Reynolds Technology Center. In the mornings the sun comes through the large windows and is a great way to start the day. 

What would you tell someone who is thinking about attending or working at OSUIT?

Our institution to me is about making leaders in industry regardless of the field of expertise or the program they enter. There is a great dichotomy in watching students from their arrival on day one to their graduation. Students arrive nervous and not sure what the next two years will include but excited to be here. Then watching them go through the rigors of the program, the certifications and the completion of their course work, then entering the profession as colleagues is a joy to watch. I feel that is what this institution is about. Taking the knowledge and experience we have from industry and instilling it, along with a desire to learn more on the future of the profession.