I graduated with a degree in Hotel and Restaurant Management from the University of Houston in 1973. After a combined 15 years of experience in the hospitality industry, I wound up in Memphis, TN. as the assistant controller and credit manager for the Peabody Hotel. While working during the day, I went to the University of Memphis in the evening taking accounting classes. This gave me enough hours to sit for the CPA exam, which I passed in 1993.
In 1994, I began working at the Union Central Life Insurance Co. as an agent for insurance and wealth management. In 1997, I left the agency and formed my own company, Butcher Financial Services.
In 1994, I served as a Vice President for the International Assn. for Financial Planning in charge of programming. I am a Past President of the local CPA society (2005-2006). I am a past chairman of the Insurance Committee for the TSCPA.
In my spare time, I enjoy running and training for marathons. I have completed 35 marathons in 27 states and my goal is to run one in every state. I also train for the MS 150, which is a 150 mile bike ride to raise money for Multiple Sclerosis and have been the Treasurer for the Memphis Hightailers Bicycle Club for 6 years, which I had to gave up to be a caregiver for my wife. I am, also, raising money for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation for a 102 mile bike ride beginning in Santa Fe this coming November. This will be my 6th year to ride 100+ miles for the JDRF in different states.
I have been married for 37 years to Lynn and have two children, Bonnie and Clark. Bonnie is a graduate of the Univ. of Alabama in Tuscaloosa and lives in Willits, CA. She is an event coordinator for a winery while Clark is a competitive cyclist and runner. He coaches running and cycling to clients interested in running longer and faster and cyclists who wish to race, and is the owner of Victory Bicycle Studio and Pedaltown Cycling in Memphis, both on Broad Ave.