Occupation: I’m a consultant and freelance writer specializing in remodeling, energy efficiency, and sustainability. It all comes under a partnership my wife, Barbara, and I started in 1987 called Out Of Hand. Primarily what I do is write web content and training manuals. Two of the most interesting projects have been a recent book on home energy savings for a company in Seymour, and a green remodeling guide for some historic houses in northern California, an EPA-funded project.

Family: My wife, Barbara, and I have two children. Sarah is 30 and lives in Brooklyn and works in Manhattan. Ian is 28 and lives in a supported living program in Brookfield.

Pets: We have our 8-year-old yellow Lab, Brawley. He still thinks he’s a puppy.

How long have you lived in Newtown? We moved back here from Pennsylvania in 2002. I grew up in Redding and remember playing basketball in the basement Edmond Town Hall gym as a member of the Redding Boys’ Club. I actually played football against Bruce Jenner when he played for NHS and I played for Joel Barlow High.

What do you like to do in your free time? I’ve accumulated a nice workshop of tools from writing about them, so I do home projects for family and friends. I do things like putting up wainscot paneling, window seats, that sort of thing. I play tennis a couple of times a week, year around, even after having both knees replaced. We love going to Brooklyn to visit Sarah. It’s undergoing a revival and is a great place to walk around.

Do you have a favorite tool? I end up using my chisels and block plane an awful lot. Those are tools that are almost timeless. To fine tune the fit of a joint, those two are indispensable. I use hand tools often. For power tools, I rely on a German power tool company, Festool. The cool thing about that line is that the saws and other tools are designed to be connected up to a dust collection system, so they are very clean.

Do you have a favorite travel destination? That’s easy! Barbara and I came back this fall from a cruise around Sicily that was the best vacation ever. We visited coastal villages and saw these amazing Greek and Roman ruins along the Amalfi Coast. It’s a whole different way of living, in Italy. People walk everywhere, and there are no chain stores or restaurants. In the US, my mother and my sister both live in Chapel Hill, N.C., so we love to go down there.

What is the best thing about Newtown? One is the people. We have a lot of friends here who are really great people. And the other thing that is special about Newtown is Fairfield Hills, as it could be, if we can somehow find the means to repurpose the grounds and buildings in a sustainable, green way. I’ve seen examples of other communities that have done adaptive reuse of older facilities, and it becomes a focal point for community life. I think Fairfield Hills has that potential.

If you could spend a day with anyone from history, who would you choose? I’d say Jimmy Carter. I think he’s a real heroic personality. He discovered an even greater calling than being president: peaceful mediation in global conflict, and his work with Habitat for Humanity. After being what is called the most powerful person in the world, he discovered there was so much more he wanted to do. And, he’s also a woodworker, so I’d have more than enough topics to discuss with him!

Do you have a personal philosophy? I’ve learned this later on in life: Reach out to help others, and to ask for help yourself. It serves us better personally and as a community to interact with others in as many ways as possible.

Do you have a guilty pleasure? Every once in a while, I like to treat myself to one of those Dove Bars, or the almond crescents dipped in chocolate that the Blue Colony sells. They are to die for.