Biography
Born at KU Medical Center in Kansas City, Phil and his parents moved to Haysville, Kansas in 1960. Phil graduated from Campus High School in 1974 and went on to Washburn University receiving a Bachalor of Business Arts degree with an emphasis in accounting. In 1979 Phil attended Oklahoma City University School of Law graduating in 1983 and passing the Bar exam on the first attempt. Since January 1, 1984 Phil has practiced law as a sole practicioner consentrating his practice in Criminal Defense and Traffic cases while working from time to time in most areas of the law.
Phil and his wife Suyapa have 4 children Vivian, 26, Carol, 21, Lauren 8 and Derek, 7. Suyapa was born in Honduras in Central America and Phil met her when he was trying to repair a school bus for 2 US doctors who operated a large children's shelter and Suyapa was the only one who could translate the technical information necessary to fix the bus. Later she attended Wichita State University while Phil was in law school and they were married upon Phil's graduation. All their children have or continue to attend the same schools that Phil did in Haysville.
Phil was president of the Wichita Pachyderm Club for 8 years from 1995 to 2003. He is currently serving as a Kansas State Senator being appointed in 2003 and elected in 2004. His term expires in 2008. He represents the 26th Senate District which includes Derby, Goddard, Cheney, Clearwater, Mt. Hope and his home city of Haysville among others. His political experience goes back more than 2 decades beginning as a precinct committeeman in 1984. He was on the executive committee of the Sedgwick County Republican Party in 1992-1996, and has served as a state Republican Party central committeeman for over a dozen years. Described in Governing Magazine as a conservative strategist, Phil engineered the first successful override of a governor's veto in over a dozen years. The governor vetoed legislation regarding right to carry which Phil rallied support to override the Governor's second Veto in the 2007 legislative session. Known mainly in here in Kansas as a gun right's activist, Phil's career protecting the second amendment began immediately after his graduation from law school.
In 1992, Phil spearheaded the pilot project for the National Rifle Association in Grass Roots Political Development in our 4th congressional district race. In 1993 Phil was able to persuade the Wichita school board to adopt the Eddie Eagle Firearms Awareness Program district wide. In 1993, the National Rifle Association named him political activist of the year. In 1994, the pilot program of the election volunteer coordinator for NRA was implemented in over 300 congressional districts and was a significant factor in the republican revolution in 1994. In 1995, Phil was elected to the National Rifle Association's Board of Directors where he served with other members such as United States Senator Larry Craig, Congressman Bob Barr, Congressman John Dingle, and of course Charlton Hesston.
Phil also served as chairman of the Kansas Second Amendment Society, a political action committee, which is still active in Kansas politics as well as being a former president of the Kansas State Rifle Association, the NRA's affiliate for Kansas. Phil has worked in over 100 campaigns, including the 1994 and 1996 races for the 4th congressional district, helping to defeat Congressman Dan Glickman the 18 year incumbent in what the Chicago Tribune deemed the biggest upset in the United States in 1994. Phil and his wife Suyapa continue to be members of the Wichita Pachyderm Club and on Precinct Committees today.
Intrests and Hobbies
Member National Association of Watch and Clock Collectors. Collecting mainly men's cronographs and Bulova Accutrons. Wood working Phil enjoys this hobby when time allows but that has not happened for the last few years. Antiques and French porcelain also yake some of his interest Antique Cars Time has not been available for Phil to do the work he needs to do on his old Porsches and he now is working on 2 Mitsubishi 3000gt's a 1991 VR-4 that appears to have dropped a valve and a 1993 3000gt SL that is about to become his daily driver. Phil also has a restored 1956 Chevrolet Bel Aire in Storage and hopes to get it going in time for the parades next year.