Mike was raised on a tobacco/cash crop farm in Elgin County, Ontario, where the family also ran a farm-supply company.
Mike started his career as a salesman for Future Farm Supplies in the Aylmer/Tillsonburg area after graduating from Ridgetown College, majoring in Ag production and management.
In 1980, Mike purchased Future Farm Supplies. In 1995 he sold the retail portion of the business and rebranded it as Future Transfer Co. Inc. In time, Future Transfer grew into the largest ag chem & seed logistics/formulation company in eastern Canada. In 2011, Mike expanded the company with the Formation of BlueStar Distribution with John Lansink, ultimately selling the business to Univar Canada in 2015.
Following the sale of Future Transfer, Mike formed GP Capital, which focuses on leasing equipment, and investing in property and small companies. He is also managing partner of several smaller companies including family-owned Tillsonbrands Inc. and MyMotors.ca.
Mike and his wife Trish live in Tillsonburg, Ontario, where they enjoy working with family, spending time with their three grandchildren and collecting classic cars and trucks.