Michael grew up in Wichita, Kansas as the second of two sons. He graduated Summa Cum Laude from Kapaun Mt. Carmel Academy, the same high school attended by his father in the sixties. Michael moved to Kansas City in 1996 to attend Avila University as a double major in Communication and Theatre. Michael graduated Summa Cum Laude from Avila in May 2000 with a BA in Communication, emphasis in Media Production, and a minor in Theater. Michael received the Dallavis Award for outstanding graduate from the Communication department. The most important thing Michael would take away from Avila however, would be his relationship with Art graduate Amy Young, whom he'd met two years earlier. The two would marry in 2004, and currently reside in Kansas City.            

Michael's first job was as master control operator and audio engineer for Time Warner Cable Kansas City's Metro Sports. Less than a year later, Michael moved on to become a member of Video Post Production's shooting staff, and spent the next three years as a Digital Cinematographer and Studio Manager. Michael spent the next 3 years shooting video across the globe, through Asia, South America and all throughout the northern hemisphere. After Video Post closed it's doors in 2003, Michael and long-time friend Cameron Pierron founded Wish Creative Group, a Post Production company based in Kansas City MO. After Cameron chose to depart in 2005, Michael rebranded the existing business as Ballyhoo Pictures, and shifted the focus from editing to whole-show production, including writing, shooting and editing. Ballyhoo Pictures is located in the historic River Market district of downtown Kansas City.