I have 15 years of mining experience across the U.S. I started as a management trainee in Miami, Florida with Rinker Materials (now CEMEX). After a year, I was made the Pit Supervisor at the Alico Road Quarry in Ft. Myers, Florida at the tender age of 24. Drilling and blasting, draglines, loading and hauling, and the primary crusher were my responsibilities as well as making sure the maintenance was completed properly on the equipment. I moved to Miami, Fl. after a year and a half to take over the draglines at the F,E.C. Quarry. After almost two years in that position, I moved to Colorado to work in the Cripple Creek and Victor gold mine as a mining engineer. I handled the mid-range plans as well as blast designs and various other duties. After a year, I moved to San Diego, Ca. to take on a great opportunity as an Asst. Plant Manager for Vulcan. I was in charge of the quarry operations as well as the Asphalt plant, ready mix facility, a clean landfill, and the recycled concrete and asphalt operation. After almost two years, I moved on to work at Specialty Minerals in Lucerne Valley, Ca. I started as the Mining and Environmental Engineer and was placed in charge of all Quarry and primary crusher personnel with responsibility over the mobile equipment shop as well. After a few years, I was made the Quarry Team Manager and Mining Engineer. While still performing all of the planning and permitting in the mining engineer role, I now was managing the Quarry personnel and their production and continuous improvement activities. Throughout my time with SMI, I was able to contribute to cutting our cost/ton in half while more than doubling the sales tons/man hour in the Quarry. After more than six years with SMI, My wife and I moved to Madison, Wi. to begin the next chapter in our lives. She was offered a tenure track assistant professor position with the University of Wisconsin and I have moved to be with her.