Purpose & Possibility

I have always believed a great way to get to know someone is by asking them, "Who are your heroes?" In the spirit of that point, one of my heroes is Pat Tillman. Inspired by the attacks on 9/11, Pat chose to put his NFL career on hold and enlisted in the U.S. Army. Stepping away from a life of stardom, he served overseas as an Army Ranger and gave his life for our country.

Pat had a quote that has always stayed with me. He said, "Somewhere inside, we hear a voice. It leads us in the direction of the person we wish to become. But it's up to us whether or not to follow." At one point in my life, I toned that voice out, leaving me struggling to find purpose. You see, I lived in New York City, and every day, I would stare at Ground Zero and avert my eyes. Each missing sign I passed would whisper, "How can you be here while other Americans are risking their lives to find justice?" The whisper grew to a deafening roar until I decided to make a change.

One day, instead of walking to our trading floor on Wall Street, I walked into a Marine Corps recruiter's office to enlist. And the years that followed, especially the two overseas, gave my life purpose.

Harry Truman said, "Politics—good politics—is public service. There is no life or occupation in which a man can find a greater opportunity to serve his community or his country." On January 6, 2021, the voice that led me to the Marines returned. I felt the same nostalgic rage, sadness, and disbelief. I knew that, once again, I had to make a change.

I resigned as a Senior Investment and Portfolio Manager at Fort Washington Investment Advisors and as an Officer at Western & Southern to attend Harvard's John F. Kennedy School of Government.

True to President Truman's words and Pat Tillman's actions, America needs better leaders. Leaders at every level, from all walks of life, who believe in serving a purpose bigger than themselves. Leaders who are willing to sacrifice their self-interests for the greater good. Leaders who see a dangerous growing divide and have the courage to act. In a world with too many leaders pulling us apart, I'm running for office because I believe enough Ohioans want to hear a voice that can bring us together.

My journey from growing up in Milford, being educated in the South Bronx, navigating the global financial crisis on Wall Street, and serving abroad as a U.S. Marine has taught me countless lessons, but none as important as the value of leadership. In athletics, academia, the business world, and the board room, the one constant is the impact of leadership.

I learned to lead at our best universities, from the finest college football coaches, and our country's most exemplary Marines. The lessons I learned were battle-tested in the most severe environments. As a trader responsible for billions of dollars during the global financial crisis and a Platoon Commander leading elite Reconnaissance Marines in the face of uncertainty, I know what it takes to win.

I'm running for the Ohio Senate because I can help. Despite today's toxic political climate, I believe in the possibility of better leadership leading to a better future. The cynic in me says it's no longer possible. Ohio and America are too divided. Convincing people to compromise and sacrifice is only for idealists. Cultural conflicts are the new era in politics, and their impact is dysfunction and decline.

I'm running for office because I am willing to fight and lose against those beliefs and their dangerous outcomes. Imagine better. Imagine Ohio united behind leaders willing to do the right thing. Imagine a fairer Ohio where every voice is heard. Imagine hardworking Ohioans not living paycheck to paycheck. Imagine a government acting in our best interest and protecting our freedoms. Imagine Democrats and Republicans willing to listen to each other. Imagine politicians who didn’t take money from political parties but were only beholden to the men and women who voted them into office.  Imagine voters choosing people over political parties.

Possibility only becomes a reality with public servants that can paint reality and provide hope. The reality is that 2023 was a wake-up call. Ohioans are realizing that something is not right in Ohio. Pay-to-play politics, dark money, corruption, wasted tax dollars, laughable special elections, a rigged supermajority, lost essential rights, and unpopular policies with no accountability have finally reached a tipping point. Ohioans made that clear with their votes in 2023.

The hope is that what started in 2023 will continue. The hope is that Ohioans remember they deserve better. The hope is that more qualified candidates, both Democrats and Republicans,  get in the ring and are willing to fight. The hope is that the men and women of the 8th district will look past labels and just see a man who wants to help fix something he loves.