Meet The A-Team

Founder & CEO

Luke grew up an Army brat, but his family's farms in Grayson County, VA were constants in his life. He spent his childhood camping, fishing, hiking, and hunting. He barely graduated from Virginia Tech in 2013, but somehow commissioned as an Army Infantry Officer. During his second deployment to Afghanistan, he discovered powerlifting and competed in several Army competitions. On that deployment his started his MBA but dropped out the first day. He figured the best way to learn business was to start one, so he launched HLE. He lives with his beautiful wife Caroline in Colorado Springs, CO. They have a young son, two dogs and a very annoying cat.  

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He's 5'7 and thinks he's in charge. 

Chief of Operations

Caroline grew up on a horse farm in the foothills of the Smoky Mountains. She spent her early years fishing, camping, and spending time in the outdoors. Once Caroline met Luke, she quickly became immersed in hunting culture. She's an elementary school teacher by trade, but is staying home with their first child. Caroline runs all the day to day operations and order fulfillment for HLE.

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If there is a mistake with your order, it's her fault. 

Chief Executive Assistant

Podcast Producer

Carter grew up in North Georgia and from a young age had a passion for fishing and the outdoors. He was introduced to hunting as a freshman in college and had been hooked ever since. He has hunted in many states including black bear in Alaska, mule deer and antelope in Wyoming, ducks in Arkansas and North Dakota and most often, whitetail in his home state. With hunting has come a passion for cooking wild game and sharing it with others.

Carter is a high school history teacher in John’s Creek, Ga where he teaches AP US history, AP Psychology, and World History. He also coaches several sports including cross country, tennis, and swim team. He lives on a small farm with his wife and 1 year old girl where gardening and self sufficiency are important.

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Carter really likes rosemary. 

Podcast Guest Coordinator

 Chief of Manufacturing

Derick grew up in the backwoods of West Virginia.  During his youth he played football, baseball, and wrestled and spent time learning to hunt from is uncle and grandfather.  After high school, Derick attended Fairmont State University and graduated from the Physical Therapist Assistant program.  He wanted more and enlisted in the Army.  He was assigned as a medic to 3rd Ranger Battalion and spent his entire military career there.  While on his last deployment, Derick decided to give knife making a try when he got back home.  He instantly fell in love with the art and transformed this side project into a full-fledged business.  Derick is the HLE resident blacksmith/bladesmith, medical SME, and has been a frequent guest on the podcast.

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Derick hates ranch. 

Trailer Park Jesus

Caleb is one of the most spectacular men on the team. The mullet has stolen the hearts of many. Caleb was raised heavily in the outdoor life. Always surrounded by hunting, fishing, bull riding and spent many days watching his grandfather farm the family land. He spent 5 years in the Marine Corps in Jacksonville, nc where he learned how to saltwater fish and bow hunt, securing his first black bear kill which was also his first bow kill. Now he resides down in spring, Tx in constant pursuit of the next hunting season. He also has a passion for body building and plans to continue in the sport until he essentially dies.

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Caleb resembles a juiced up Joe Dirt.

WWTPJD 

brand manager

Garrett grew up in the Houston, TX area, spending his time in the outdoors. He graduated from Texas A&M with a degree in some sort of engineering. After college, he discovered Strongman and has been an avid competitor ever since. He's currently on his way to earning his pro status.   

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If Garrett had actually written this, it would be much longer because no one likes to rant & ramble, quite like Garrett. 

Chief of programming

Pete comes from a small town outside of Midland, TX, in the land of Friday night lights.  He grew up playing football and powerlifting, but realized he had to learn how to run once he got to the United States Military Academy. 

There he commissioned as an infantry officer in the Army and spent the next four years at Fort Campbell, KY in 3rd Battalion, 187th Infantry Regiment (Rakkasans) in the 101st Airborne Division. 

While there, he met and deployed to Afghanistan with Luke, Andrew, and Pat. 

After Fort Campbell, Pete dove into strength and endurance training.  He has since run three marathons and twice attempted to total 1500 lbs and run a sub-four-hour marathon in the same week – 1388# and 4:19 is his personal best.  He is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist, a strength and endurance coach, and the author of the HLE training programs.

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Pete clearly likes to write about himself.  West Pointers amirite?

Podcast Co-Host

Perry grew up in rural Appalachia with his brother and fellow team-member Evan, where the Blue Ridge Mountains afforded plenty of opportunity to foster a lifelong passion for the outdoors.  Activities such as backpacking the Appalachian Trail, canoeing and fishing the New River, and hunting on the family farm cultivated an interest in natural places and natural things that led him to study Wildlife Biology and Forestry at Virginia Tech.  Perry now works as an Environmental Consultant in North Carolina, where he lives with his wife and two children.  Perry is also the co-host of the HLE podcast and hopes to provide an honest approach to the everyman hunter and landowner striving to improve their property and their hunting skills. 

Perry is notorious for showing up late with 3 beers for himself. #fuckperry

Team Member

Evan grew up in Western North Carolina spending most of his time in the outdoors really centered around hunting and fishing. He was blessed with access to the family’s farm in southwestern Virginia. This farm has great whitetail hunting and a historic cabin that the boys still use as a base camp today.

Evan has a beautiful daughter he is raising in the outdoors.

He is a Special Operations EOD Tech with 28th EOD and has deployed numerous times in support of the 75th Ranger Regiment.

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He’s the resident HLE groundhog killer and doesn’t speak too good. Luke rewrote most of his bio.

Partnership Coordinator

Ashley grew up in a small town outside of Manhattan, KS. In her younger years she enjoyed spending time with her father hunting coyotes, deer, turkey, and pheasants. As she got older, weekends filled with tournaments and evenings filled with practices. Growing up she played soccer, softball, volleyball, and track. She went to college to throw Javelin at Baker University where she qualified nationally. Post college years she competed in the women's physique division - placing first overall, and bringing home the title of best abs. She plans to compete again, this time in the wellness division. Almost any of her free time is spent at the gym or meal prepping…but she also enjoys hiking/anything outdoors, co-ed rec leagues, drinking good whiskey, or binging netflix. She also finds time to enjoy fishing and hunting the uplands of Iowa. 

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Ashley is fond of gym selfies in the bathroom mirror. 

Legal Counsel (sorta)

John has spent the last decade fishing for numerous fish species all over the rivers and streams of the East Coast region as a passionate and avid fly fisherman. John’s first fly fishing trip was when he was 13 and he has pursued the sport aggressively ever since. Today, John ties in his knowledge of Western New York streams with the demands of fishing in remote and backcountry locations around the Rocky Mountains. Practicing catch and release fly fishing, John aims to share the benefits of sustainable fisheries to anyone wishing to learn how to access the sport of fly fishing.

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John's only committed relationship is with his dog, Nixie. 

Team Member

Fuck James. 

AKA "Ron Jitter"

Jon is an Army Officer currently stationed in Florida. He commissioned as an Infantry officer  and grew up in upstate New York as an avid water fowl hunter. As an adult, he has fully immersed himself into all things hunting and fishing. He has most recently taken up spearfishing down in Florida. 

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Jon lost his front tooth on a sidewalk in Raleigh, NC.

Team Member

Andrew is an Army Officer currently stationed in Florida. He commissioned as an Infantry officer from the USMA and is an avid hunter and fisherman. He has recently taken up bowhunting and spearfishing with Jon. 

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Andrew and Jon are married as far as the VA is concerned. 

Team Member

Anthony is a professional strongman and strength and conditioning coach. In 2020, Anthony won 1st Place at America's Strongest Man in the 105kg weight class. He lives with his wife and his children in Lancaster County, PA. He's an avid hunter and outdoorsman.

Anthony is  a very big fella with small calves.