Born in York County, Pennsylvania, he attended the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine and specialized in bovine reproduction for nearly 40 years, as well as serving 20 years on faculty at the University of Pennsylvania. He started breeding Angus in 1947 and established the Bellemonte herd in 1955 in Virginia. He served as Virginia Angus Association president and completed two terms as an American Angus Association director, and also was elected president in 1976.