I grew up in the country and had a very active childhood. I learned to ride a motorcycle at 5, got bucked off a horse at 6, and learned to drive our 1946 Jeep bouncing through the sagebrush in Spring Creek at about 10 years old. At 11 years old I helped dig a basement out from under the home we lived in with shovels, picks and wheelbarrows. And I don't mean I "helped" by asking questions. I mean I moved a LOT of dirt with my bare hands. At 12 I bought, built, flew, and crashed my first radio-controlled airplane. I bought it with money I earned myself working at the Stampede Motel that my parents owned at the time.
I attribute much of my love for technology and business to my father. But more importantly, my father taught me the value of hard work and determination. If my dad wanted something done, he could do it. He remodeled and added onto the homes we lived in, and even built a couple from the ground up. I learned by example that if I wanted something badly enough, and wasn't afraid to get my hands dirty, I could have it.
When I was around 12 years old, my father brought home our first computer. The Apple IIe. I was in love! While my siblings and friends played video games, I learned to write code. Programming was the most amazing adventure for me. I spent hours learning to speak the language of this new machine that was quickly becoming a huge part of my life.
I graduated Elko High with the class of '92, and studied Computer Science at UNR. I started Phoenix IT Advisors while going to college, and eventually expanded into Susanville, CA. We had a good run until shortly after the twin towers came down Sept 11th. One of my biggest regrets in life is that when things got difficult, instead of toughing it out I shut down the company and changed careers. It was a short-lived hiatus. After moving to Dallas and dabbling in aviation, I ended up back in the world of technology. Phoenix IT Advisors version 2 was born in 2010.
I love Dallas, but Elko still feels like home. So after some significant life events I decided it was time to come back to my roots. The Dallas office is still our HQ, but we now have a local office right here in my hometown of Elko. And I couldn't be happier!
