Following an LDS mission in Brazil, attended BYU, graduating with bachelor's and master's degrees in mechanical engineering. During college years, worked summers as a surveyor for a civil engineering company, and winters during school as a part time ski instructor. While working as an engineer at Litton Ind. in Los Angeles I enrolled in night school at Loyola of Los Angeles School of Law (now Loyola Marymount). It was a four year program which I completed in 1977. My last year in law school, I changed jobs at Litton Industries, going from engineering to patent law. In 1976, received my patent agent license. In 1977, passed California Bar. In 1978 passed the Idaho Bar. In 1978 moved to Idaho and practiced general law. Joined my family retail business with my father and brother in 1980. At that time it was a cluster of variety stores, a commercial office supply business, and a full line bookstore. The variety business has evolved into craft, fabrics, and general merchandise stores in Rexburg and Idaho Falls, Idaho. The office supply business was spun off and sold to another family member. The bookstore was closed. Together, my wife and I own and operate the two relatively large stores mentioned above.