 He was a member of the St. Joseph Fire Department for 29 years, during which time he was promoted up to battalion chief.He served as St. Joseph's emergency management director from 1991–2002, and was named the St. Joseph Employee of the Year for 1993, for leading the city's response to the Great Flood of 1993.He is a member of the Missouri State Western Advisory Board, the Moila Shrine Temple Charity Lodge, the IAFF Local #77, and the Missouri State Council of Firefighters.