Jeff was born and raised in the small town of Joseph in Northeastern Oregon. His dad was employed by the US Forest Service suggested that he might pursue a career as a Forest Service Radio Technician. While attending Oregon Institute of Technology in Klamath Falls, he worked in summer seasonal positions on US Forest Service wildland firefighting crews in the Northwest Oregon areas. He started as a chain saw operator on a twenty-five-person suppression crew. Jeff also worked on fire engine and helicopter fire crews.

 

Shortly after graduating college Jeff was offered and accepted a permanent seasonal job as a Fire Engine operator on the Applegate RD in Jacksonville, OR. This move brought him to the Rogue Valley where he met the loves of his life Jesus in 1979 and one week later his bride to be Elizabeth.

 

In 1983 Jeff was hired as a Radio Technician on the Rogue River National Forest and 28 years later was promoted to a Radio System Designer for several US Forest Service regions.

 

During his career with the US Forest Service Jeff gathered a vast tool chest of experience with Radio Frequency, AC and DC electrical circuits and systems in addition to facilities maintenance skills.

 

Jeff and Elizabeth have attended First Baptist Church in Medford for many years and served together in the Awana program there for several decades. God freed Jeff up from the Awana program at the perfect time to work with Larry Licato in developing the current 71Five VoTech program and assisting him in the launch and management of the program for the last several years.

 

Jeff retired at the end of 2020 from the US Forest Service after 47 seasons to start assisting Larry with the VoTech program full time.