In 1977, Mike began his career at Ingersoll-Rand Equipment Sales in Portland, Oregon, starting as a shop assistant pushing a broom. Over the years, he worked his way up through various roles such as shipping & receiving, inside sales, and rental manager. Just before his 22nd birthday, he was promoted to outside sales and relocated to Roseburg in Southern Oregon. In April 1987, Mike left Ingersoll-Rand to start his own business, Road Machinery, in Portland. He successfully expanded the business to three locations in Portland, Seattle, and Spokane, Washington before selling it in 1999. Mike then ventured into starting a manufacturers rep firm called Direct Sales.
In January 2016, he founded Portable Tool, focusing on technology for the construction industry. Currently, Mike owns and manages both Direct Sales and Portable Tool. Throughout his entrepreneurial journey, Mike has started five businesses, purchased six, and sold two. He has gained valuable experience in managing people, finances, profit & loss statements, and balance sheets over his 47-year career. Mike takes pride in seeing individuals succeed within his companies, some even going on to start their own ventures. He is happily married to Lori for 36 years and is a proud father of four adult children and three grandchildren. His children include daughter Jamie, son Paul (married to Melissa with children Lillie & Juniper), son Jess, and son Grant (married to Sara with child Logan).