John William Braden, Jr.

Jay Braden grew up in a military family. His father served in WWII and was recalled for duty in the Korean War. As a youth he lived in Baltimore and Fort Meade, Maryland; Tokyo, Japan; Fort Bliss, Texas; and Indianapolis, Indiana. He played Little League baseball and, in high school, wrestled and played tennis. He like board games such as chess and those involving tactics and strategy. At Purdue University he was a member of its rowing team (Crew). College summers were spent working for the Indiana State Highway Commission. Ultimately he earned a BSCE and MSCE (soils engineering) from Purdue and an Ed.D from Florida State University.