Mike was born in the Northern Minnesota town of Ely. He grew up skating on the frozen lakes, the Lincoln School outdoor rink, and playing High School Hockey. His passion and determination for all things outdoors led him to Alaska in the summer of 1998. Mike is the owner and operator of Metalworks, LLC. A father of 3, Mike has been a Youth Hockey coach with Juneau Douglas Ice Association for 10 sessions, coaching players from Mites to Midgets.