Born and raised in central Illinois, Michael has always enjoyed the outdoors. Upon graduating high school he enlisted and served in both Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom. After the military, he joined the trades and became a journeyman crane operator. Michael purchased his personal home in 2009 and farm in Pike County in 2018. He says he has "fallen in love" with owning his own farm. Michael prides himself on being a hard-working, blue-collared veteran and his work ethic shows when working for buyers and sellers.