Paul is a college graduate who served in the U.S. Army as a helicopter pilot and officer in Vietnam. He holds a B.A. in Economics, a B.S. in Safety Management and a Juris Doctor law degree. He has been married since 1970 and has 9 grown children and 21 grandchildren. His family and faith are the center core of his life.

Paul had a career in the defense industry performing Environmental Health and Safety work guiding his employer in regulation compliance and interacting with state and federal agencies on behalf of his employer for 40 years. In addition to worker safety,  he has dealt with water quality, waste water, hazardous waste, air quality, storm water and hazardous waste management issues.