He studied at the United States Army War College in Carlisle Barracks in Pennsylvania and the United States Air Force War College in Frankfurt, Germany.

In 1978, he obtained a Juris Doctor from the University of Arkansas School of Law, also in Fayetteville.

From 1977 to 1979, he was a member of the Special School District Board in Pulaski County in Little Rock, Arkansas.

On February 27, 2007, he was elected to the Florida House to succeed Holly Benson, who had been appointed to head the Department of Business and Professional Regulation by then Governor Charlie Crist.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to his wife Carol, his three sons, David, Doug, and Clay, and his nine grandchildren.