If you get a good story out of something, then it was worth it
Yep, you’ve reached the ego-stroking “About Me” page. So, what’s to tell?
I’m married to the wonderful Lisa (Yarnell) Nichols, and we have a pretty standard collection of animals: two boys, a dog, two cats and flock of chickens. We live (most of the time) at Deep Creek Lake. My grandparents (and their friends) built the log cabin where we live starting back in the 1930’s so the area has always been home to me.
I went to boarding school at St. James near Hagerstown,MD, then to college at Drew University in Madison, NJ. I graduated at the top and bottom of my major at Drew (I was the only Physics major in my class), then went off and joined the Navy, through its Nuclear Propulsion Officer Candidate program. I spent most of my operational time in the Navy on board the Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN-69) as a Reactor Mechanical Division Officer, qualifying as a Surface Warfare Officer, supposedly capable of “fighting the ship” in Navy lingo. I am proud to have served, but am happy to be a civilian – my usual line to people is “I’m glad I did it, but I’m glad I’m out”
I moved back to the family cabin in 2001 when I got out of the Navy and spent a blissful summer as a bartender, but quickly realized that I should probably do something with my life. I found gainful employment as a contractor to the Department of Energy’s National Energy Technology Laboratory in Morgantown, WV. While there, I got my Master’s in safety and environmental management. I’m now a federal employee of the DOE and I work on analyses of the energy market and the role that research and development can play in helping meet national energy goals.
I’m active in the community – you can check out my favorite local organizations here.
I’m a real estate agent with Taylor-Made Deep Creek Vacations and Sales. I’d love to help you meet your real estate goals! Check out my real estate website or contact me to get started.
I’ve also got a side business of mapping. I produce the best maps of Garrett County, MD and the local area. You can see (and order!) them at my business website.
And if you want still more personal stories and history, I’ve got you covered here.