He received a Bachelor of Science degree in Music Education from Indiana University of Pennsylvania, a Master of Music degree in Performance and an Artist Diploma from Duquesne University, and a Doctor of Musical Arts degree from West Virginia University. His primary teachers include Elden “Buster” Bailey, Roland Kohloff, Stanley Leonard, and Gary Olmstead. A member of Pi Kappa Lambda National Music Honor Society, he has received numerous academic and professional awards, including membership in Who’s Who in America. He is an active participant in the National Conference on Percussion Pedagogy; the American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers; and the Percussive Arts Society.