Instructors

I started my professional driving career working as a school bus driver in 2000 for over 17 years at Victor schools. Once I retired I realized how much I missed working with people and decided to work at Canandaigua Driving School and absolutely Love it! I look forward to helping people achieve their goals!

While I have only been an instructor with Canandaigua Driving school for almost a year, teaching has always been a passion of mine. The gratification of seeing how excited my students are when they perfect a maneuver brings me so much joy. I tend to bring a laid back and relaxed feel to my teaching to hopefully make the experience for the student an enjoyable one.

As a high school teacher, I enjoyed teaching and being a Driver Education Instructor during the summer allowed me to continue to work with students in a different environment than the classroom. I became a certified Driver Education Instructor in 1999 and began teaching at Sodus HS during the summer. I was the initial Driving Instructor hired by the Canandaigua Driving School when it was started. I have been with Canandaigua Driving School for over 10 years, and training students well over 20 years. In my spare time enjoy playing golf and working on various home projects.

Prior to trucking I was a paramedic for 30 years. After driving for another trucking company I joined Leonard’s Express in 2018.

In 2020 I joined Canandaigua Driving School as a Driving Instructor. I appreciate the chance to transfer some of my knowledge and training to tomorrow’s CDL drivers.

My wife and I love to travel. On September 11, 2001 we watched the attack on TV and decided we wanted to do something different. We were both working in factories at the time. I had dreamed of driving a truck since I was little on road trips with my family. When our youngest daughter graduated high school, we enrolled in the truck driving school of one of the larger carriers. We team drove all over the country once we graduated. I enjoy sharing my knowledge so I decided to become a trainer. I trained for that company as I grew and leased my own truck on with them. After my lease was up I went on to a couple smaller companies, with every stop I trained new drivers until I bought another truck and leased it on with Landstar. I did well enough to by another truck and become a small fleet owner, another dream of mine. Finding good drivers became so difficult that I closed my company and went to work for Leonards Express as a driver and a trainer. Now I’ve moved back thru the educational chain and teach people how to be good drivers. I get great satisfaction watching people learn new skills, and truck driving can be a life changing experience.

I have a diverse background in many different fields. In all of the various jobs I have done, I eventually end up training in one form or another.  After years of business and factory jobs, I needed a change of pace. That is how I ended up in driving school. I now have 8 years driving experience, with two of them being an OTR driver trainer. Now I am here to share my experience and skills with the next generation of drivers, so they can become safe and knowledgeable drivers. I enjoy working with brand new inexperienced drivers just starting to learn how the trucks work.

I have over 30 years of hands-on experience as a commercial truck driver, I bring a wealth of knowledge and practical expertise as a CDL instructor. With experince having navigated the roads in various conditions and has a deep understanding of the skills and dedication required to excel in the industry, I do my best to prepare students for what to expect behind the wheel. I enjoy working with adult students of varying skill levels and temperaments. My strongsuit is my talent for making complex concepts accessible and relatable for new drivers to understand. Whether you’re a novice looking to start a new career or an experienced driver seeking to hone your skills, I do my best to helping you achieve your goals and become a safe, proficient commercial truck driver.