About Joe

Originally from Glenview, Illinois, I spent twelve years in Carbondale, Illinois. There I got my Bachelors and Masters degrees, and then moved to St. Louis to get my Ph.D. from Washington University, and the foundation of my magical education.

St. Louis was *such* a magical city–Think of the magicians from that area: Paul LePaul, Brother John Hamman, Will Lindhorst, Harry Monteith (Harry Monti), Gene DeVoe, John Mendoza, Chris Kenner, Chris Korn, Shep Hyken, Dan Fleshman. Many of these magicians I was able to learn from and hang out with. While in St. Louis I attended monthly meetings of Ring #1 of the International Brotherhood of Magicians (I served as Secretary for the Ring), and twice-monthly meetings of Assembly #8 of the Society of American Magicians (I served as President and Secretary of the Assembly).

In addition to three meetings per month, every Saturday offered an informal Magicians’ Round Table, and monthly visits to Shriners Children’s Hospital for Project Magic. That’s EIGHT interactions with magician per month. I learned a LOT.

After St. Louis, I moved to Macomb, Illinois where I taught Business Management in the College of Business and Technology at Western Illinois University. My university career offered me the opportunity to travel for teaching and conducting workshops abroad: China, Russia, Belgium, England, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Romania, and Vatican City.

While living in Macomb, I joined the Quad-Cities Magic Club (I.B.M. Ring #11), and served as their President.

Now I live near Clearwater, Florida. My morning walk takes me to the Gulf of Mexico. Lovely.

Currently I am a member of S.A.M. Assembly #266 and I.B.M. Rings #81 and #175.