About Me

Two factors motivate my work:

1. The COVID pandemic and mandatory lockdowns made clear above all else that our homes have to be about sanctuary and health; and

2. As a real estate agent whose work is guided by a 100-year-old Code of Ethics, I take seriously the words of its Preamble, which reads in part:

REALTORS © should recognize that the interests of the nation and its citizens require…....the creation of adequate housing, the building of functioning cities, the development of productive industries and farms, and the preservation of a healthful environment. [emphasis mine]

My healthy homes are an explicit response to that Code of Ethics. The need has never been more urgent given the 2020-2022 COVID pandemic and the explosion of chronic “lifestyle diseases” in the U.S.—a topic I discuss in a video that appears under the 'Get The Facts/Why It Matters' tab.

One final factor explains my passion for healthy building. Back in 2010 I had the chance to take a tour of Dow Chemical’s corporate offices in Midland, MI where they research and develop all of their insulating foams. Dow is one amazing company and Midland is one of the most company of company towns—an “Edward Scissorhands” kind of town with perfect looking homes and perfect architecture and citizens Garrison Keillor would most assuredly characterize as all-above-average. During that visit, I picked up a Dow marketing brochure that had this quote on its front cover:

“What’s the use of a fine house if you haven’t got a tolerable planet to put it on?” - Henry David Thoreau, essayist, poet and philosopher

Quite true I thought. But something about that quote didn’t seem quite right. And then, after a few days, it struck me: What good is a tolerable planet if that same fine house is a toxic stew of chemicals and electromagnetics and stifled air that all contribute to its occupant’s poor health, or even death?

Frankly, not much good at all.

“Health is not everything, but without health, everything is nothing.”

-Arthur Schopenhauer, 19th century German philosopher

My determination to learn everything I could about what makes a home healthy and how to build a home that can actually help heal began right then and there.

My Mission is to be first and foremost an educator on why healthy, what’s healthy, and where’s healthy. As we all make smarter, less-toxic housing choices, I believe we will have a permanent and profound effect on the health and well-being of the planet.

As I educate, I also hope to persuade that electromagnetic radiation as typically deployed in new “smart” homes poses a true existential threat that has no place in a healthy home—especially around children or those pregnant or trying to conceive.

I aspire to develop Chicago’s healthiest single-family homes. These are homes that make a difference. I firmly believe that home ought to be a place where one feels comfortable, safe, and secure and best when built with attention to detail and a “not-so-big” floor plan.

Further, I see the home as a prudent investment--homes should be built to last, made from fewer and more sustainable resources, possess excellent indoor air quality, designed to minimize operating and maintenance costs, and sold at a fair price. My homes follow these principles, and my work is guided by the Quality Standards listed within these pages.

I am at the center of every home purchasing experience, and I intend to leverage those supply and demand relationships to become the most trusted and experienced voice in healthy home brokerage and development. My business is built on being open, honest and transparent as well as being adept at reaching and understanding a health-conscious consumer. If you are a sponsoring broker who shares my values and my vision, let’s talk.

My Mission may not always accurately reflect the status quo as much as it reflects the way I hope things to be. It is my dissatisfaction with current reality when compared to what is possible that spurs me toward creating healthier, more sustainable communities. When we fail to measure up to our own standards or values, we should not despair. Rather we recognize that great things only come about when we challenge ourselves to do better.

It was my lot in life to be born in Buffalo, NY. And yes I grew up eating spicy chicken wings and shoveling snow. Over the years I have learned that Buffalo folk share some common traits—we work hard and play hard; are willing to laugh at ourselves; and have a resiliency and patience that keeps us coming back for more even when down-and-out.

Goodness knows I’ve been patiently waiting to get into healthy building as Meg and I adopted, reunited and raised three Ukrainian siblings. The needs of my instant family came first, and with my kids now grown, I am ready to create the healthy living spaces that give us all the best chance to live, learn, and work from home; reach our full potential; maximize our God given talents; and yes if and when negative energy comes your way, even help you heal.

How did I get here you might ask? Well, after leaving Buffalo I attended the University of Detroit where the Jesuits instilled in me a sense of public responsibility and my engineering professors taught me how to critically think and problem solve. In San Francisco, I practiced civil engineering before heading back east to get my MBA from the Wharton School of Business. From South Philadelphia I moved to South Brooklyn, continuing my tradition of living in neighborhoods where mine was the only last name that did not end in a vowel. I helped a co-worker at the New York City Transit Authority rebuild his property in the South Bronx before beginning my own gut rehab in Chicago.

A move to Chicago to lower my cost of living led to a job with Whole Foods Market which was about to open their flagship store in the Midwest. I quickly became Grocery Team Leader setting sales records. I have been a natural food and local food disciple ever since. At present I work as a Team Lead for a family-owned natural food grocer known as The Fruitful Yield, best known for their trusted nutritional advice and breadth of supplements.

In 2010 and 2011, I attended West Coast Green, the nation’s foremost conference on green living. It was there that I was first introduced to non-toxic building materials and Building Biology. It was inspiring and aspirational. My subsequent in-person training taught me how to fix our foolish use of wireless technology, how to make our invisible electromagnetic radiation visible, and how to more safely deploy it within our homes.

I married a City of Chicago firefighter. And though recently divorced, Meg remains my best friend. I am so proud of her work. No one--and I mean NO ONE--does it better. The City is a SAFER place when Meg is on the job.

About Me

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