Jerry grew up in Southern Indiana and was a college cross-country and track athlete. He finished his collegiate career with one school record and four top five performances.

An engineer by trade, he is a small business owner and inventor. His analytical and logical nature combined with his athletic talent created an instant affinity for adventure racing.

In his nearly 30 adventure races all over the world, he has four first place finishes and six top ten finishes.

His most notable finishes are a sixth place finish in the 2001 USARA National Championship Race and a 22nd place finish, out of 70 teams from around the world, in the grueling 2002 Subaru Primal Quest race, billed as the most competitive adventure race in the world.

His professional and racing background have proven invaluable in the planning and production of events. He prides himself in creating new innovative ways to mentally, physically, and emotionally challenge his fellow adventure athletes.