Get to Know TJ
I grew up in North St. Paul playing hockey, baseball, and football in the North St. Paul Athletic Association. I was even paid to umpire the younger leagues as I made my way up in the association. I have so many wonderful memories inside Polar Arena, at Casey Park, and anywhere competing against Oakdale and the Tartan side of town.
The inner-district rivalry was a great motivator for my young and competitive heart! I also enjoyed the camaraderie that came along with that competition. I see now that many of the big sports are not getting the quantity of participants and these rivalries are turning into teammates.
I enlisted in the United States Navy in 2001 and served my first five years of active duty stationed across the country and around the world. Then, as a reservist, I was mobilized to Camp Arifjan, Kuwait for eight months in 2007.
I will never take away anything from the life experience and true friendships I made while serving. But I have also come to realize that the "conflicts" our military is getting involved in overseas have little to do with keeping Americans safe, and more to do with keeping a class of individuals in power.
Began active duty service in the United States Navy.
Served at Pensacola, Virginia Beach, San Diego, Whidbey Island, and Iwakuni, Japan.
Deployed to Camp Arifjan, Kuwait for eight months as a reservist.
Received honorable discharge and transitioned to civilian career.
Soon after my honorable discharge, I began my career as a field service engineer. I have been traveling all over the US and the world — including trips into Afghanistan, Diego Garcia, Republic of Korea, Japan, and the UAE — while working as a defense contractor.
I have been working for the same company, founded in North St. Paul in the 1970s, since 2006. Over 20 years I've built deep expertise in industrial automation and SCADA systems, solving complex problems in high-stakes environments every day.
I'm now married to the most wonderful woman who loves me and my children. We love to spend time outside — on the canoe or kayaks, or just exploring what this wonderful world has to offer. There is something to be said about experiencing the differences in culture within just the US and even Minnesota.
I'm a proud father of two boys, and we believe that our kids are our priority. That's one of the reasons family court reform is so important to me — children need both parents in their lives.
I've been volunteering at the North St. Paul Emergency Food Shelf since 2023 and have served on its board since 2024. Showing up for your neighbors isn't politics — it's just the right thing to do.
I was living a wonderful and fulfilled life until it became apparent to me that the "democratic process" is a complete sham. Politicians seem to live above any laws that the regular population have to follow.
I do believe we have been guilty of electing the lesser of two evils for too long. The two parties have gained complete control of the political spectrum and we are fed up!
I decided to get involved and run for State Representative as an Independent — because this isn't about party loyalty or party agendas. It's about freedom. It's about Minnesota. It's about you.
If you believe Minnesota deserves better than two-party rule, get involved.