The passing of a life long mentor was a catalyst to my professional career as a perfusionist. Heart disease took my father, and best friend, too early. Perfusion presented itself to me as a way to help patients and their families fight back and win the battle against heart disease. Following my undergraduate studies and perfusion training program at the University of Iowa, I practiced as a staff perfusionist in Wichita, Kansas. I was then asked, and gladly accepted the offer, to start a new perfusion program within a new open heart program in Liberty, Missouri. My wife, Leigh Ann, is the Lead CV PA for the hospital where I am contracted by HEME Management to provide perfusion services. We have beautiful twin daughters, Piper and Miranda.