Family: My wife Vanessa; sons Justin, Tristan and Ian; and daughter Rowen.

Pets: We have two dogs — Coco, a 5-year-old Australian Toy Shepherd; and Harley, a 4-year-old German Shepherd.

How long have you lived in Newtown? We’ve been residents of Sandy Hook for the past 31 years.

Where do you work, and how do you describe your occupation? I started Prism House Painting Plus 31 years ago. It was originally based out of Darien; I moved the office to Monroe about five years ago.

What do you like to do in your free time? I think about what I will do when I have free time.

Do you have a favorite book? My favorite book is the autobiography of Benjamin Franklin. I read that when I was about 10 and his pragmatism and down-to-earth attitude towards life is something I’ve always admired.

What is the most recent book you’ve read? Killers of the Flower Moon. I highly recommend it.

Do you have a favorite author? John Steinbeck. The Grapes of Wrath is one of my all-time favorite books.

What organizations are you part of in town? I’m chair of the Newtown Democratic Town Committee, I’m a past president and active member of the Newtown Rotary Club, and I am a trustee at the C.H. Booth Library.

Who or what has been the greatest influence on your life? My mom. She raised three of us as a single mom and instilled the importance of having a good education, hard work and perseverance. She is definitely my hero.

If you could spend the day with one person, who would you choose and why? The main character in the book The Martian. No matter what obstacles he came across, he figured things out.

What is the most recent movie you’ve seen in the theater? Civil War. I’m still dazed and confused over that one.

Who is your favorite actor? Gary Cooper in Pride of the Yankees.

Movie genre? I love old movies, from the 1930s and 40s.

Who is your favorite musical artist? Bruce Springsteen

Music genre? Rock

Album? The River

What is the greatest piece of advice you have ever been given? “Strike while the iron is hot.”

What is your pet peeve(s)? Why isn’t Election Day a Holiday so everyone can vote?

Favorite color? Silver

What is something you cannot live without? Sports. I love competition.

What is your proudest accomplishment? My four kids.

What is your favorite travel destination? I have driving down the Pan American Highway on my bucket list. That goes from Alaska down the west coast of the Americas to the southern tip of Argentina.

What is the best part about Newtown? I love all the restaurants and I really love Halloween on Main Street.

Do you have a personal credo? When I was a kid, my older brother once told me not to “drown in a glass of water.” Meaning don’t let minor obstacles get in your way — figure it out.