Ben grew up in the rural town of Elsie, Michigan, a village north of Lansing, MI with a population of less than 1,000 people. It was here that he came to love the great outdoors which shaped his career. As a child his favorite pastimes were riding ATVs, fishing in the nearby rivers, and a fair share of harmless outdoor mischief. He often notes that although he grew up in a town known for its abundance of dairy herds, he has never been cow-tipping (the purported activity of sneaking up on a sleeping upright cow and pushing it over for entertainment).

While in college, his enthusiasm for the natural environment directed his education towards geology. He spent the next several years pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Geology at CMU in Mt. Pleasant, and then travelled to Wyoming earning a Master’s of Science in Geology and Hydrology. His thesis work there involved geological mapping in the Rattlesnake Hills of central Wyoming where he spent three long months, alone, with rattlesnakes, cattle, and horny toad lizards for his only company.

After several years working as a geologist in Houston, Texas (where he became engaged to his wife), Ben moved back to Michigan to be closer to family and earn his law degree. He now spends his free time teaching his two young sons (ages 6 and 3) how to play sports (and support all things green – Go Spartans), fish and enjoy the outdoors. He and his sons are working on his current personal goal – trying to convince his wife to allow a reptile into the house as a pet! (His wife put her foot down on the idea of a snake for a pet, so Ben and the boys are now rallying for a horny toad lizard or two!)

Ben is a connoisseur of craft beers. In addition to drinking beer, he often takes a stab at brewing his own recipes for family and friends. In what little free time is left, he also dabbles in carpentry, doing mainly the many home improvement projects on his “honey-do” list.