I grew up in DeLand, Florida — my dad was a mechanic on F‑4 Phantoms during Vietnam, and aviation was in my blood before I knew it. I started flying powered parachutes with him as a teenager, delivered pizzas to pay for flight lessons, and eventually worked my way up through seaplanes, Colorado ski bumming, aerial photography, and a roofing business that I still run today.
My dad and I bought our first airplane — a Cessna 172 — and I never looked back. Over 25 years, I've been buying and selling aircraft, earning my commercial certificate, and learning that the GA community is full of incredible people who just need better ways to connect.
The Hound Dog name comes from Bodhi, my Walker Coonhound who was the ultimate hangar dog. He'd greet every pilot who walked through the door and flew with me from time to time — always happy to ride along. When I lost him, I wanted to build something that honored that spirit — a loyal companion for every pilot.
The Hub was born in my hangar at DeLand, surrounded by airplane parts and good conversation. I kept meeting pilots who needed fractional partners, couldn't find crash pads, or were looking for the right maintenance shop — and the only solution was scrolling through Facebook groups hoping to get lucky. I knew there had to be a better way.
