Ross is a fifth-generation Canadian and, through his mother’s family, a fourth-generation Abbotsford resident.

Ross’s maternal great-great-grandparents were among the early settlers of Matsqui Prairie. His paternal grandparents were Mennonite immigrants from Russia who eventually settled in Abbotsford in 1951.

Those family stories shaped a strong belief in hard work, service, and the responsibility to leave a community stronger for the next generation. Ross and his wife Kelly, a teacher, have been married since 1992. They raised their daughters, Ashley and Alexandra, here in Abbotsford.

Outside City Hall, Ross enjoys hiking, biking, skiing, snowshoeing, and running. He has competed in road races and half marathons and completed his first full marathon in 2014.