Describe your career journey.

My decision to join the military was influenced by my father's service. He served as a Sergeant Major for 30 years. Along with my father’s influence, it was a recruiter’s pitch about West Point and the opportunity to see the world that resonated with me and ultimately led me to join the Academy in 1996. At West Point, I embraced the idea of serving my country and being a part of something bigger than myself. When I graduated, I chose to serve as an Armor Officer, commanding M1A2 Abrams tank units, before transitioning to Military Intelligence.

During my service, I was stationed at Fort Carson, CO and did a tour in Egypt, training with multinational forces and conducting live fire exercises. I also served in Operation Iraqi Freedom, engaging in diverse operations from combat to civil construction, including a utility project with local Iraqis. After my military service, I attended business school and eventually entered the real estate industry. I started in self-storage development and acquisitions at Hines and later joined W. P. Carey to run our storage platform in 2022.

What is one of your most memorable moments in service?

One of my most memorable moments was graduation at West Point when I received my first salute from my father. The first salute is a tradition where a newly “pinned” officer receives a salute from a senior enlisted soldier, so the fact that it was my father, made the moment incredibly special and memorable.

What do you do at WPC?

At W. P. Carey, I manage our self-storage business. The job's dynamic nature keeps me engaged, with tasks varying daily. One day I might be handling a flood in Florida, the next a construction project in El Paso or working on operational strategies in Illinois. W. P. Carey provides a supportive environment with ample resources, allowing me the latitude to run my own strategy while still backed by a large organization.

What’s the best part about WPC?

I appreciate and value the company culture at W. P. Carey, from the way that leadership operates with integrity to the supportive work environment, allowing the company to grow organically over decades. The collaborative environment at W. P. Carey also allows me to maintain a good work-life balance.

Do you think your experience as a veteran has helped you at WPC and how?

I believe my military experience has been beneficial to my role at W. P. Carey by providing me with perspective and strengthening my leadership skills. I evaluate challenges, knowing where they fall on the spectrum between a distraction and a life-threatening situation which helps me think through issues logically and professionally. The military taught me essential leadership skills, including being able to work with diverse people and how to facilitate their strengths and needs. My experiences help me run teams effectively and be a compassionate leader at W. P. Carey.

If you could go back in the past and give yourself one piece of advice before committing to service what would that be?

I don’t really live with any regrets, but if I could give my younger self a piece of advice, I would say work to focus more on the present and on process, less on outcomes. Enjoy the journey, a piece of advice I believe is valuable for any young person.

Are you currently or have been previously involved in any veteran organizations outside of your service? Do you recommend any to support?

I support the Wounded Warrior Project, a large organization focused on helping veterans. I am also involved with the West Point Society of North Texas, which helps facilitate getting people into West Point, especially those from disadvantaged neighborhoods or tougher school districts. The society aims to give everyone an opportunity to attend West Point. Another budding organization that I support and would encourage others to support is Compassion Neuroscience, founded by Russell Toll, PhD, a West Point alum. The company uses Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) and Neuroimaging to help with PTSD for Gold Star families and soldiers. By supporting this small business, I can directly impact people’s lives. I appreciate W. P. Carey's matching program for donations; by matching my donation to Compassion Neuroscience, W. P. Carey helped fund operations for a quarter, which is a great example of the program's impact.