Michael’s music career began at age seven (7) when he studied piano with his mother, Carol. His successful keyboard career included annual contests as a soloist and collaborative pianist and as a keyboard finalist in the South Bend Symphony Youth concerto competition, performing the first moment of the Schumann Piano Concerto in A minor.
Several years later he began cello studies with Mrs. Marion Johnson and Mr. Bacon. Michael played cello in the Elkhart Symphony Orchestra as a high school student and continued his studies with Dr. Karren Melik-Stepanov. Michael is a talented baritone, studying voice privately at Bethel College in Mishawaka, IN with Mr. Dennis Doverspike. Michael has performed with professional choirs singing works including Mozart’s Requiem and Beethoven’s Choral Fantasy. He served as cantor and member of the St. Joseph Cathedral Choir (Sioux Falls, SD) from 2005 through 2019.
Michael has 48 years of experience in tax consulting, estate planning, and employee benefit consulting which transitioned into a consulting business in 2017. As a nationally recognized tax speaker, he maintains an active schedule presenting webinars and seminars on tax law, employee benefit planning, and estate planning. He graduated from Indiana University at South Bend with a Bachelor of Science in Accounting in 1976 and has been a licensed CPA since 1980. Michael maintains professional memberships with the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA), the American Society of Pension and Professional Actuaries (ASPPA), National Association of Enrolled Agents (NAEA), and the National Association of Estate Planning Councils (NAEPC).
Michael resides in Sioux Falls, South Dakota with his wife Jeanette. When he is not working or performing with the Sioux City Symphony Orchestra, he loves to travel with Jeanette and play golf.
