After finding our fixer-upper in Spirit Lake, I’ve only committed to hobby jobs while completing our remodel and looking for the right opportunity in construction.

I’ve received offers, but have not wanted to accept a position that I couldn't see myself working long-term.

I would never want to leave mid-project for a better role and put anyone in a jam.

So, for me, the right thing to do has been to take my time and earn a living working my hobby interests while looking for the best (and not just any) fit.

This has allowed me to re-energize while feeding my passion for restoring classic Land Cruisers and other 4×4’s.

Custom overland builds are a serious investment for clients who put 100’s of thousands into sometimes a brand new rig. By the time we’re done outfitting it, we could’ve built them a small lake house!

This has kept my Superintendent + Project Manager skills sharp. I’ve continued leading builds, collaborating with teams + subs, and leading communication with high-end clients.

Pictured at the top of the page is my favorite custom build, a rare Land Cruiser Troopy.

This vehicle came in fresh from a rollover accident. The original body was combined with a second body to start.

A great deal of customization later—including an auxiliary fuel tank for long-range trips and complete custom interior—the Troopy was transformed into the beautiful ride seen here featuring the classic military-style bench seating in the back.

The build was completed for a retired veteran who fell in love with Land Cruiser Troopies while serving in the Middle East.

It was an honor to work on this project and so many others with their own stories.

But this one was the most satisfying to deliver to a client who served our country, and brought home a memory that led him to a dream, and we got to make it a reality.

It’s a lot like building a home or business and and getting to hand the keys to a happy client. I look forward to getting back to that.

While living on Midway Atoll for a year doing historical renovations of the WW2 buildings transforming barracks into hotels for ecotourism and leading new construction of a beachside restaurant that was featured on the cover of Smithsonian Magazine, we worked six days a week. The seventh day was for catching dinner. This is where I developed a love for boating, fishing + diving. When I got back to the mainland, I’d look for work as a deckhand in between construction projects, just to get out on the water, and learn as much as I could in the summer months. From there, I started captaining + maintaining boats for friends who just wanted to go fishing, and preferred not to captain or wrench on their own boat. This allowed me to lead trips all over Southern CA + Mexico from the Coronados, to Catalina, San Clemente Island, and even a 10-day trip to Guadalupe. Over the last 25 years, I’ve renovated four fishing boats including wood work, fiberglass, engines, and electronics. My background in construction and collaborating + apprenticing with electricians + plumbers has paid off when it comes to rebuilding, repairing and caring for fishing boats. There’s no better place to test your work than 100 miles off the coast! I also find creating a balance between life + work is energizing and makes me better at both. But, passing these skills onto my son and getting to enjoy the work and well-earned trips together is the most gratifying.