I was born and raised in the Mid-Western United States (Champaign, Illinois) and grew up on the Sangamon River, like one of my favorite historical figures, that great man of faith Abraham Lincoln. Like many boys of my generation, I had a carefree childhood enjoying the great outdoors. After graduating from a small rural high school, I went to a local teacher's college to study art for two years. During this time I began seriously to consider the "big questions" of life and got involved in numerous "spiritual" conversations and activities with like-minded souls. I also began to study guitar and write songs. I left the small college and transferred to a large state university that would offer many more opportunities to investigate the so-called "counter culture." This began a course of study in the studio arts with a major in sculpture, and I graduated with a BA in Art (BFA) in 1973.

After graduation, and after hanging around for six months at college partying and basically living a purposeless life, a friend offered me a job in Rochester, NY. I accepted the offer and moved to "Kodak Town" (Rochester, NY) in the dead of winter. Later, in July 1974, I was introduced to the teachings of Reverend Moon (Divine Principle). I attended a weekend seminar, which was a turning point in my life, after which I decided to dedicate myself to the further study and application of the Divine Principle. This included joining a traveling group called the International One World Crusade which moved around the East Coast holding rallies and workshops. Our effort was focused on the education of the masses to the "special time" in which we are living. We believed and still believe that Christ is coming again and very soon (in our lifetime) to complete the work left unfinished 2,000 years ago -- i.e., to establish the Kingdom of Heaven on Earth. This was a time of great spiritual development and "education" for me and included numerous personal encounters with Rev Moon.

Although I was introduced to many spiritual ideas during my college days in the 1970s, I must say it was the tremendous love I felt from God while studying the Divine Principle that encouraged me to follow these teachings as opposed to some others. Here at last, in the Unification Family, was a truth that could be reconciled with the great achievements of the modern scientific world. It made sense to me.

In 1979 I was introduced to my future wife Sumiko and was "blessed" (married) in an official marriage ceremony in 1982 at the famous Madison Square Garden Blessing of 2,075 couples in NYC. Sumiko and I have two lovely daughters, Miyo and Misook. I became involved in numerous business activities ranging from art galleries to gift sales. By 1986, after having been in sales for over 10 years, I felt the need to move in a different direction and I enrolled in the Unification Theological Seminary (UTS) in order to get a more traditional understanding of Christianity and world religions. This was a precious time, affording me a chance really to get at the heart of Christianity and to study the great spiritual and philosophical teachers of history.

I graduated from UTS in 1989 with an Master in Religious Education (MRE). Later it led to getting involved in ministries that took me all over the world, including Europe, Israel, Asia and the former Soviet Union. It was during these travels that I began to get a clear vision of what a peaceful world would really be like, and I dedicated myself to working in an international, inter-religious community that worked to bring reconciliation and understanding among the world's diverse cultures. I continue to write songs and play guitar and have established myself as a singer/songwriter, performing original "spiritual" peace songs throughout my travels, as well as locally in the NYC metropolitan area.

In addition to raising two daughters with my wife -- I live on Long Island -- I am involved in various media production projects ranging from musical performances, hosting a radio talk show, and currently acting as the producer/director of a popular cable TV program called Divine Principles, which is shown on Public Access Cablevision. All of these pursuits take me in the important direction of educating others on universal human and spiritual values as explained in Divine Principles lectures, values that I sincerely believe will be the foundation upon which true world peace will come.

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