SOME BACKGROUND .....

Cris was born at Fort Lee in Petersburg, VA when his father and pregnant mom were stationed there as a Captain in the Army Reserves.  Oklahoma and Texas are his families’ roots but they spent 2 years in Chicago and 2 years in Columbus before coming to Washington in 1974. 

As a result of his IBM father taking a new position in Bethesda, Md, the Dean family of 6 kids relocated to metro Washington, DC.  Cris attended Winston Churchill HS in Potomac, Md playing varsity baseball for 2 seasons.  After graduation in 1977, he attended Gordon College in Weham, Mass where he played varsity ice hockey.  In 1979, he transferred to James Madison University in Harrisonburg, VA where he double majored in Political Science & Public Administration - desiring to go into politics.  After graduating from JMU in 1982, Cris returned to Washington and worked as the Executive Office Manager of a political campaign office in Arlington.  When the election were over in November, Cris was offered a position of Personal Assistant to a US Senator from Virginia, holding that position for 3 years before being promoted to Deputy Press Secretary.

In January 1987, Cris and his fiancee, Linda Ecken from Annapolis, MD got married.  Cris left the Hill to work as a consultant to Apple Computer, Inc. assisting in the start-up of their Gov’t Affairs Office in Reston, VA.  In late 1987,  he decided to leave Apple and pursue a career in real estate.   Cris & Linda have 4 terrific kids:  Celie 21, Carter 18, Lacey 17 and Zac 13.  While being in metro Washington since 1974, Cris has lived in Potomac, Alexandria, Arlington, Georgetown, Falls Church and presently in McLean for the last 13 years.

He and his family enjoy so much of what Washington and the mid-Atlantic have to offer in history and beauty, and on many occasions have taken day trips to Williamsburg, Annapolis, the Shenandoah Valley, Richmond, Gettysburg, mid-Atlantic beaches and Virginia's western and Maryland's eastern shores of the Chesapeake Bay.  (Linda’s family is one of the original settlers in Annapolis and the Eastern Shore, and supposedly related to Captain John Smith - wow!)

Cris and his family attend McLean Bible Church, where close to his heart are ministries that care for our military wounded, and their families, as well supporting Children’s ministries such as Jill’s House and Children’s Miracle Network.  He loves the Nationals, the Caps and cheers for an NFL team that is not liked throughout metro Washington!  (He’s loyal and will always be.)   

One thing in particular Cris and family enjoy doing is heading downtown to walk or just sit and enjoy the beauty and quiet of the National Mall and the monuments.  It's a special, special place that we're able to call "Home."  Ice cream at Thomas Sweet in Georgetown isn't bad either!