Early Years
I was raised in Alexandria, Virginia, in the shadow of the Pentagon, the son of a preacher and a special education teacher. I graduated in 1986 from T.C. Williams High School, later made famous by the film Remember the Titans. As a child, I spent much of my time in the Boy Scouts and earned the rank of Eagle Scout.
Life at Sea
Having grown up in a heavily military community, I set my sights on service and entered the U.S. Naval Academy after high school. Following graduation from the Academy, I served aboard the USS Elrod (FFG‑55). During that time, I deployed in support of Operation Desert Storm in 1991, Operation Sharp Guard in the Balkans in 1993, and Operation Support Democracy in Haiti in 1994.
Road to Columbus
After leaving the Navy, I attended business school at the University of South Carolina, which led to a role in the production department at Audi in Ingolstadt, Germany. Along the way, a chance encounter with a young woman named Kathja changed everything; before long, I had three children and found myself driving a minivan. While my work at Audi was deeply rewarding, I felt drawn to the environment of a smaller company and joined the Swiss‑based Georg Utz Group. At Utz, I led the company’s entry into the United States market, a journey that ultimately brought us to Columbus in 2003.
Hoosier Life
More than twenty years later, Kathja and I can still be found on Junco Drive, where we raised our twin sons, Finn and Jannis, and our daughter, Johanna. Over the past two decades in Indiana, I have run three factories, served seven years at City Hall as MPO Director, and spent four years at the Indiana Economic Development Corporation. Since our arrival in Columbus, Kathja has served as a preschool teacher at our church, a role she continues to this day.
Final military chapter
In 2005, I joined the Indiana Army National Guard. I deployed with the 76th Infantry Brigade in 2008 in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and, in 2018, returned to the Middle East for a third deployment with the 38th Sustainment Brigade in support of Operation Spartan Shield and Operation Inherent Resolve. I retired in 2022 with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. We are proud to say that our son Finn, now an officer in the United States Marine Corps, is carrying forward the Anderson family’s tradition of military service into its fourth generation.
Small Business
With my military service behind me, I was able to pursue a lifelong dream: owning and building my own business. That dream became reality when we acquired Leatherique Restoration Products and moved the company to Columbus. As a small business owner and manufacturer, I put a lifetime of leadership, operational, and problem‑solving experience to work every day. I understand firsthand the importance of a stable, business‑friendly environment that allows companies to invest, create jobs, and grow responsibly.
years military service
14
years City & State service
14
years manufacturing experience
25
