A too long history of Jeremy
I was fortunate to be raised in a loving, middle-American family as the oldest of four kids. Born in Texas, I spent most of my childhood in Nebraska, before moving to Allen, TX, where I graduated from high school. I played football in high school until I realized my size and ability were better suited for speech and debate. That experience taught me how to process information fast, think on my feet, and communicate effectively—skills that have shaped my career ever since.
After high school I earned a Navy ROTC scholarship to the University of Oklahoma without fully understanding the opportunities it would unlock. I majored in Communication before commissioning as a Naval Officer. Selected for flight training at NAS Pensacola, I quickly realized that becoming a pilot wasn’t going to come naturally. My peers had dreamed of flying their entire lives, while I had barely considered it before. I struggled through primary flight training, battling airsickness and working harder than ever just to keep up.
Things finally clicked when I selected helicopters. The switch marked a turning point—I no longer was airsick and, more importantly, began to genuinely enjoy flying.
Heidi and I had been friends since high school, though we didn’t start dating until college. Despite living hours apart, we made it work and got married shortly after she graduated from nursing school. This year we will celebrate 17 years married, she has continues to be a key to my success.
My first Navy assignment took us to San Diego, CA, where I joined HSC-8 and deployed multiple times to the Middle East aboard the USS John C. Stennis. I had the opportunity to see the world, work with incredible teams, and learn the value of leadership under pressure. It was also during this time that Heidi and I made our first real estate investment—a house-hacked fourplex in San Diego. That deal sparked my interest in business ownership and laid the foundation for what would come next.
After San Diego, I was assigned to NAS Whiting Field in Milton, FL, as a helicopter instructor pilot with HT-8. I expected to be there for three years, but we stayed for over a decade. During that time, I flew more hours than I ever imagined, continued investing, and earned my MBA from the University of Florida.
Our daughter Lily was born in December 2015, and soon after my time in the Navy made a strange twist. Instead of deploying unaccompanied overseas, I was extended in Pensacola as an instructor until I finished my active-duty commitment.
In 2017, I completed my active commitment, and joined the reserves. Shortly after switching to the reserves I was asked to take on full time orders. What was supposed to last a few months turned into four years of full-time service where worked on the team responsible for selecting, acquiring, and developing the training curriculum for the Navy’s new training helicopter, the TH-73A Thrasher.
While working full time in the reserves, I continued investing in and growing our commercial real estate portfolio, focusing on larger projects and learning to manage both investors and employees. In early 2020, after years of collaborating on deals, my business partner Bob Preston and I officially launched Climb Capital. We focused on finding overlooked opportunities in mobile home parks and multifamily properties, then in 2021, we pivoted to destination campgrounds and RV parks, recognizing a growing niche market.
In 2021, Climb Capital began to look at how to expand into operating businesses, making our first investment in Velocity Restorations, a luxury restoration company specializing in classic trucks and SUVs. In 2022, I transitioned to focus on Velocity full-time, stepping into executive roles including as CEO in 2023 to help scale the business. What started as a six-month interim position stretched into over two-and-a-half years. During that time we grew Velocity into the country’s largest restorer of classic vehicles and made the INC 5000 fastest growing companies.
Our family also continued to grow. After Lily, we welcomed Dexter in 2017, Maxwell in 2020, and Huxton in 2022. As our kids got older, Heidi and I began to think about where we wanted to put down roots long-term. In 2024, we made the move back to Texas to be closer to family and start the next chapter of our lives.
Today, we call Plano, TX, home where you can find us flying as a family, swimming and bike riding, serving at church or hanging out with family and friends. We’re focused on creating community, raising great kids, and searching for a small business to help transition into its next chapter.
