About the founder
I grew up on a farm in Iowa, driving tractors in fields when I was eight years old. Working hard on a farm was something I loved. I was privileged to attend Sunnydale Academy my Junior & Senior year which was a blessing to me. Five days after I graduated from Sunnydale, I stepped off a plane in Anchorage Alaska, intending to work the summer but stayed almost two years working construction. My colleagues worked seven twelve-hour days, but I worked six sixteen-hour days. Since then, I have been in construction for thirty-seven years and never worked on Sabbath. I have employed dozens of teenagers in my personal business and usually among the pep talks, I share the two promises I made to myself and to my employer:
#1. I will work everyday to be the best employee you’ve ever had.
#2 No matter how high you raise my pay I will still make you money.
I have lived by these two promises, despite the challenges of not working on Sabbath, and my employers have valued my work enough to never want me to quit.
I earned my first journeyman electrical license in 1992, and my first master electrical license in 1995. In addition, I earned my General Contractors license in 1995, and I currently have licenses in eight states. For the last sixteen years, I have been a traveling electrical contractor and have just recently stopped working in order to pursue the passion I have for helping our schools maintain their physical plants.
During my traveling I have made the same observation at all of our academies. We have been so blessed with our school buildings, but we are unable to keep up with the maintenance. My wife challenged me to try to make a positive difference, and soon afterward, the concept of the Fi-Ouium Foundation took shape. The idea of a mission trip for Adventist schools by their own students will imprint the value of service.
I know there are many worthy ministries asking for support, but I can personally promise that your donations will go towards ensuring that our Adventist schools are inspected and maintained. May the Lord guide and bless all of our schools