I am now 30 years of age, and as a yearly softball player and sponsor I am feeling it in my knees! My first aquarium was one of which I assumed all maintenance responsibilities from my older brother. I was only 10 years old at the time. My interest in fish keeping grew after visiting many aquarium stores and reading a lot of publications. Associating with those with the same interest, including my Dad, provided me with many fond memories over the vears. I was raised in a family that was plagued with what I call "the grass is greener" syndrome. By that, I mean everything that they would aspire for in life was going to be better somewhere else. Our hometown didn't seem to be very thrilling. For awhile I was also like that-- everything from shopping to nature seemed to be "better" if we went some place else. What I am getting at here is that this seems to be the kind of attitude many aquarists take when viewing local flora and fauna. "It's better if its from place X."  Well, being raised around this mentality, and after traveling quite extensively, I've come to the conclusion that we would accomplish wonderful things if we started locally. This I really discovered when observing local forests and the many ecosystems they held not more than a stones throw from home. Yes, this is what sparked the fire of an interest that would many years later lead me into the world of native fish appreciation.

By the time I was 17, I ralsed my first aquarium of local sunfish, which I collected after a wonderful nature walk. By the time I was 22 1 got a job in one of Ohio's most unique aquarium stores where I shared my interest with many customers (management did not like that!).  At age 25, while also working in my father's business and going to school, I started my own aquarium maintenance service. This was fun and lucrative. Seeing that by now I knew how under-appreciated many native species are, I began creating native fish displays in public places. This was a hit from restaurants to lobbies. I was finding that there was an interest in this when given something people could see. This was about the time when I became interested in NANFA by reading an article by then President, Bruce Gebhardt. I have noticed after visiting many nature centers around the state that most places did not set up their native aquariums to capture and captivate an audience. Those displays looked cheesy-- the fish dull and sick. It was from this problem I was able to approach several places to "help them do it right" and put our fish in the spotlight they deserved, thus creating better appreciation and reception from viewers and ultimately leaving them with a better outlook on local rivers, lakes and streams. They were not born with tires and rusting cans on the bottom. Several publications caught onto this job I was doing and featured it as a story's cover.