My wife and I live in East Grand Forks with our three children. Family means everything to us, and our roots in Northwest Minnesota run deep. We both grew up in the area, and our families have called this part of Minnesota home for generations.

I grew up in Maple Lake, near Mentor, and graduated from Fertile-Beltrami High School. I went on to earn degrees in Finance and Economics from Bethel University and a law degree from the University of North Dakota. After law school, I began my career as a financial analyst with IBM. 

As time went on, we realized that the place we really wanted to build our life and raise our family was back home in Northwest Minnesota.

Coming home was one of the best decisions we've made.

Today, I'm a partner with my father in Johnson Concrete Construction, our third-generation family business, and I'm also a partner in a small law firm. I like small business so much that I decided to have two of them.

What I value most about living here is the sense of community. We know our neighbors. Our kids are growing up surrounded by family and friends. And we're part of communities that generations before us helped build.

I've watched too many people I grew up with leave Northwest Minnesota to find opportunities somewhere else. I want our children—and every young person growing up here—to have the opportunity to build a good life right here if that's what they choose.

That means creating good jobs, supporting our farmers and small businesses, strengthening our schools and health care, investing in the infrastructure our communities need, and making sure Northwest Minnesota has a strong voice at the Capitol.

Too often, decisions in St. Paul are made without understanding the challenges—and the opportunities—that exist in Greater Minnesota. Our part of the state shouldn't be an afterthought. Northwest Minnesota has tremendous potential, and the people who live here deserve a government that recognizes it.

That's why I ran for the Minnesota Senate, and it's why I continue to serve.

I want to help keep Northwest Minnesota a place where families can put down roots, businesses can grow, communities can thrive, and the next generation can see a future right here at home.

Together, we can make sure the communities we love remain strong for generations to come.