Derek is a Louisiana native who graduated from the University of Arkansas with a degree in Business Marketing. He also has a Professional Land Management Certification from the University of Houston. In previous years, he has worked as a land broker in the oil & gas industry, managing the acquisition of mineral leases for the purposes of oil & gas exploration. Since then he joined a local development company as a Land Acquisition Manager for the purpose of residential and commercial development. In April 2019, he started his own development company, D & H Development, and acquired his real estate license to better serve his clients.