Bruce grew up in Tawas City, close to the shores of Lake Huron where the city limit met the country. His life revolved around woods, water, wild life and sun rises. When he was old enough to drive, his adventure and respect for nature increased considerably as 100,000 acres of Huron National Forest became his extended playground. Camping, hiking, canoeing, hunting and fishing filled his life and cultivated an awe for the outdoors. Boy Scouts taught him survival skills and plant identification. As a senior in high school, he worked for a local FTD florist where he propagated Easter Lilies, Christmas Poinsettias, Geraniums and Tropicals while maintaining the greenhouses and grounds.
In the fall of 1976, Bruce enrolled at Northern Michigan University with no specific agenda. Other than to acquire some gen eds, it was the beautiful landscape of the Upper Peninsula and shores of Lake Superior that summoned him to Marquette. It was here that an Admissions Counselor changed the course of time forever by introducing him to Ornamental Horticulture and Landscape Technology. Bruce’s career was birthed and a lifelong quest to unite passion with dreams had begun. From the fall of 1979 to the spring of 1982 he completed an Associates Degree in Landscape Technology at Oakland Community College in Auburn Hills. He then established a freelance design service that generated over 6 million dollars in residential and small commercial landscape sales. In 1991 his freelance services became Champion Land Design, Inc., a self owned and operated landscape design/build business.
In the summer of 1985, Bruce welcomed Jesus Christ into his life which brought a whole new understanding and perspective for the artistic gifts, passions and love of nature that were playing such a large role of his life.