~Born in Charlotte, North Carolina in 1962.Raised in Weddington, NC; Kinston, NC; Murfreesboro, TN; Washington, CT; and New York City.
    ~As far as can be traced, a fifth-generation woodworker and carpenter.
    ~Married, with three children.
    ~Served from 1982-1987 in the US Navy as a nuclear propulsion engineer.
    ~A woodworker at a young age, Michael has also earned his keep at many trades, including:engineering laboratory technician; radiological controls technician; shipboard firefighting team leader; high-rise window cleaner; gourmet chef and sous chef; homebuilder, carpenter, and remodeling tradesman; truck driver and auto mechanic for a kid's camp on Catalina Island, CA; paint mixing room manager and lead color matcher; painting contractor; baker; artist; and half of a folk duo, playing guitar and, when it was demanded, singing.
    ~Quote, "I've worked with my head and with my hands, and I get more pleasure from working with my hands."
    ~Began shop training on Catalina Island Marine Institute as a program carpenter. Intensive training on shop tools took place when Michael inherited his Grandfather's shop in 1996. Using any tool that gets the job done, Michael is not a purist when it comes to the use of power tools.
    ~Began Mountaineer Millworks in the Spring of 1999 as a part-time venture. Represented by two galleries in the Fall of 1999, Michael quit his regular job to