About me . . .
Here's a little about me.
I was born in Memphis, Tennessee in 1942. I was educated in the Catholic school system of Memphis. I attended Little Flower School for grades 1-4, and Sacred Heart School for grades 5-8.
I graduated from Catholic High School for Boys ("The Finest in the South") in 1960. We recently had our 50th anniversary class reunion. The Class of 1960 produced two priests, two permanent deacons, one dentist, several others who earned doctoral degrees in various disciplines, one Police Director (Memphis Police Department), one U.S. Air Force Colonel, and several other career officers and enlisted men in other branches of the military.
I attended Loyola University in New Orleans from 1960-1962.
I served on active duty with the United States Navy for three years, and in the reserves for several years before and after. I was discharged as an Aviation Electronics Technician Second Class (E-5). In a way, I was following in my father's footsteps. He was discharged from the Navy in 1919 as a Blacksmith's Mate Second Class.
I graduated from Memphis State University (now the University of Memphis) with a B.S. in Political Science. My undergraduate minor was Philosophy.
I earned an M.A. in Political Science from Memphis State University (now the University of Memphis). I also took a graduate collateral area in Philosophy.
In 1988, I was working at Rhodes College as Director of Safety and Security. After being "out of school" for many years, I returned to graduate school and earned an Ed.D. (Doctor of Education) degree in the Center for the Study of Higher Education at Memphis State University (now the University of Memphis). I finished the Ed.D. in 1993.
It's an interdisciplinary degree that included coursework in a number of different departments. At the time, it was the longest doctoral program offered by the university (99 semester hours) and gave me a new perspective on the expression "terminal degree."
My doctoral dissertation was a statistical analysis of the relationship between crime rates on Tennessee college campuses and certain demographic variables.
I hold the Certified Protection Professional (CPP) designation from the American Society for Industrial Security (A.S.I.S.). I've held this designation since 1991, but I'm no longer active in industrial security. I was granted lifetime/retired status by A.S.I.S. several years ago.
I graduated from the Memphis Police Department Training Academy in 1972 as a member of the Fourth Reserve Class. I've been a reserve officer on the Memphis Police Department for over thirty-eight years. Although I'm still a commissioned law enforcement officer, I no longer work "in the field." I still work "special events" such as the Italian Festival, the Greekfest, the Pink Palace Crafts Fair, the Delta Fair, the Cooper-Young Festival, etc.
In March 2000, I was ordained a Permanent Deacon for the Diocese of Memphis in Tennessee after five years of discernment and formation. I'm assigned to the Church of the Holy Spirit for sacramental ministry. I also "help out" at the Cathedral for school Masses and other special events.
My lovely, charming, talented and intelligent wife Christine works as pastoral secretary at the Church of the Holy Spirit. My daughter Rebecca is a Registered Nurse at the Baptist Women's Hospital Neo-natal ICU. My son Will is a Firefighter/Paramedic on the Memphis Fire Department. My stepdaughter Kelley is a manager with FedEx in Syracuse, New York. I have three grandchildren.
I played the Tenor Saxophone in the high school band, and for several years after. I played in several community bands in the 1970s, and still play a little. I was a folk singer in the 1960s, and still play the guitar and sing in a loud voice.
"Have you lived in Memphis all your life?"
"Not yet."
I graduated from Catholic High School for Boys ("The Finest in the South") in 1960. We recently had our 50th anniversary class reunion. The Class of 1960 produced two priests, two permanent deacons, one dentist, several others who earned doctoral degrees in various disciplines, one Police Director (Memphis Police Department), one U.S. Air Force Colonel, and several other career officers and enlisted men in other branches of the military.
I attended Loyola University in New Orleans from 1960-1962.
I served on active duty with the United States Navy for three years, and in the reserves for several years before and after. I was discharged as an Aviation Electronics Technician Second Class (E-5). In a way, I was following in my father's footsteps. He was discharged from the Navy in 1919 as a Blacksmith's Mate Second Class.
I graduated from Memphis State University (now the University of Memphis) with a B.S. in Political Science. My undergraduate minor was Philosophy.
I earned an M.A. in Political Science from Memphis State University (now the University of Memphis). I also took a graduate collateral area in Philosophy.
In 1988, I was working at Rhodes College as Director of Safety and Security. After being "out of school" for many years, I returned to graduate school and earned an Ed.D. (Doctor of Education) degree in the Center for the Study of Higher Education at Memphis State University (now the University of Memphis). I finished the Ed.D. in 1993.
It's an interdisciplinary degree that included coursework in a number of different departments. At the time, it was the longest doctoral program offered by the university (99 semester hours) and gave me a new perspective on the expression "terminal degree."
My doctoral dissertation was a statistical analysis of the relationship between crime rates on Tennessee college campuses and certain demographic variables.
I hold the Certified Protection Professional (CPP) designation from the American Society for Industrial Security (A.S.I.S.). I've held this designation since 1991, but I'm no longer active in industrial security. I was granted lifetime/retired status by A.S.I.S. several years ago.
I graduated from the Memphis Police Department Training Academy in 1972 as a member of the Fourth Reserve Class. I've been a reserve officer on the Memphis Police Department for over thirty-eight years. Although I'm still a commissioned law enforcement officer, I no longer work "in the field." I still work "special events" such as the Italian Festival, the Greekfest, the Pink Palace Crafts Fair, the Delta Fair, the Cooper-Young Festival, etc.
In March 2000, I was ordained a Permanent Deacon for the Diocese of Memphis in Tennessee after five years of discernment and formation. I'm assigned to the Church of the Holy Spirit for sacramental ministry. I also "help out" at the Cathedral for school Masses and other special events.
My lovely, charming, talented and intelligent wife Christine works as pastoral secretary at the Church of the Holy Spirit. My daughter Rebecca is a Registered Nurse at the Baptist Women's Hospital Neo-natal ICU. My son Will is a Firefighter/Paramedic on the Memphis Fire Department. My stepdaughter Kelley is a manager with FedEx in Syracuse, New York. I have three grandchildren.
I played the Tenor Saxophone in the high school band, and for several years after. I played in several community bands in the 1970s, and still play a little. I was a folk singer in the 1960s, and still play the guitar and sing in a loud voice.
"Have you lived in Memphis all your life?"
"Not yet."
