How long have you worshiped at Saint Philip’s?
Since 2018 when my wife, Dinny, and I moved to Tucson.

What brought you to Tucson?
Aside from fleeing Chicago winters, we wanted to help my father’s second wife, Polly.

She and my father moved here in 2003, and we visited every year—and loved it. After my father died in 2015 we realized Polly needed some help so we decided to move here full time.

Dinny was instrumental in caring for Polly and we believe she enjoyed four or five extra years because she was able to maintain a social circle. I’m proud of our decision to move here and take care of her.

How did you find your way to Saint Philip’s?
We knew parishioner Bonnie Winn from Winnetka, Illinois so visited—and loved it.

Were you raised in a faith tradition?
I was raised in a congregational church in Naperville, a city outside of Chicago.

What’s the transition to the Episcopal church been like?
We have a formality and a tradition here that goes back centuries. At first it seemed a little stiff. But over time I’ve come to appreciate the appeal of keeping a tradition alive.

What about Saint Philip’s drew you in?
The music program. The breadth of it is truly amazing. Also, the people are warm and genuine and highly talented.

And we were welcomed right away. There weren’t any barriers that prevented Dinny and me from jumping in to volunteer. There was no, “You’re new so you have to sit around and wait before what you can offer is taken seriously.” That was important to us.

How are you involved at Saint Philip’s?
For the past three years, Dinny and I have volunteered with the Music Commission. We help specifically with marketing and promoting the music program. Getting to know how diversified our music program is really hooked me.

Our Director of Music, Justin Appel, is such an incredible asset. I sang in choirs in college and at different churches, so have worked with several music directors, but none of them came close to what Justin offers.

He’s introduced our parish and me to different kinds of composers—and music—and opened my eyes to sacred music that includes more than what was written by dead Germans.

What did you do professionally before retiring?
I always worked in advertising and marketing.

Initially, I worked for ad agencies in Chicago. I worked on several national marketers such as Kellogg’s, Union Oil, FTD, Sunbeam, and Procter & Gamble. Later I became a Midwest Sales Manager for several national magazines, like Road & Track, U.S. News & World Report, and Vanity Fair when it first launched.

Later I became part of an investor group that launched a new magazine, Chicago Times. It was a city magazine but included in-depth articles about Chicago’s history, politics and fine arts. We did really well the first three years but then the main investor got cold feet and we had to fold. A very sad day.

After that, Dinny and I and a third partner launched North Star Strategies in 2004. It was a marketing consulting firm. We closed shop at the end of 2024.

What about that work captured your interest?
I wore many hats. I wrote copy and developed media plans. But mainly we created marketing strategies to help businesses separate themselves from the competition

How is retirement?
People say it will be great and that I’ll have time to do all sorts of things. But my focus was on one thing for so long that retirement is challenging. I still have to fight feeling too self-indulgent when I’m not doing marketing work. That’s why working with the Music Commission is so gratifying.

Do you have a hobby?
Music! I subscribe to BBC Music and Gramophone magazines, listen to a lot of music on a great stereo system, and read about composers and the motivation behind their compositions.

I also enjoy history in general, historical biographies, and books about politics. My favorite read is the Patrick O’Brien series of sea novels set during the Napoleonic period.

I understand you’ve won an Oscar trophy.
Ha! Back in Chicago, Dinny and I belonged to a play group that met six times a year. We had costumes, sets, and scripts, and would rehearse one time before the show went “live.” The plays were in the host’s living room and acted with the script in hand. The group is aptly named “Talent Limited.”

We would invite guests and have a potluck supper after the performance. At the end of the year we had a black tie awards ceremony. Most of the major Oscar categories were awarded. The group started in 1954 and it’s still going strong.

What’s something you’re proud of?
I’m proud of my two sons. They’re totally different and succeeding in their own ways. (We’re still waiting for our first grandchild.)

I’m also proud of my athletic pursuits in high school: football, basketball, and track. I’m also proud of having become a pretty good squash player and golfer. But then arthritis took hold and I had to stop all that.

What’s something you’re passionate about?
No surprise at this point in the interview that I’ll say music. Sacred music especially.

What about it speaks to you?
Saying the words is fine but when that’s combined with a choir or orchestra and all the nuances that composers add—well, then the experience is transformative. There is no one answer that explains the powerful emotional effect music can have. All I know is that it moves me in extreme ways.

You share that love with others in a particular way, right?
I do. Every Advent, for about 20 years, I compiled a cd of Christmas carols around a theme. At our former church I gave presentations about the development of the particular music choices, how they were written, their source material, etc. I would gift a cd to everyone who attended. The presentations were very popular.

Nowadays I occasionally send friends short clips of music. They say they’re often surprised by what I send but they’re also grateful.

What’s something you find challenging?
Dealing with my arthritis and losing weight!

What’s something your current self would tell your younger self?
Find a life partner who you enjoy being with and who you feel happy around, and be each other’s best friend. Fortunately, I succeeded on all counts.

What’s one of your core values?
Applying common sense and traditional values to deciding what’s right and wrong or good or bad.

What’s something you’re grateful for?
I’m grateful for my upbringing by my parents and grandparents. Our home loved music and nature. I’m not a gardener but I learned a lot about it, and nature in general, from my mom and grandmother.

What’s something about you that friends say they really appreciate?
They enjoy my sense of humor, wry that it may be. And that I share my love of music with them.

Have you done something new recently?
Joining Saint Philip’s is the newest thing. If you’d told me ten years ago that I would be an active parishioner in an Episcopal church in Tucson, Arizona I wouldn’t have believed you.

What’s a fun fact about you?
This fact is more interesting than fun: I’ve had 8 joints replaced (both shoulders, both knees, both hips—one hip twice—and my left ankle) and a back fusion. I’m not as fast as the bionic man but I’ve got the hardware!