When Paul was 10, his father was elected to the state Senate, serving for 26 years. Ken Hollis passed away unexpectedly in Sept. 2010 after a brief illness. When Paul was 18 his mother suffered a crippling injury. She died in 2007. Both Ken and Judy left a legacy for their children – not in material wealth but by giving their children a sense of place and a desire to serve.

Paul held his first job – for a lawn care service – at age 13, and worked through high school as a restaurant busboy. After studying martial arts for many years, Paul attained his black belt in karate and worked during college as an instructor, teaching karate students the discipline, focus and drive he had learned both from his parents and from his own martial arts instructors.

After graduating from LSU in 1994 with a degree in political science, Paul put his passion for history and coin collecting to work in the private sector, becoming a specialist in rare coins for Louisiana’s largest coin dealer. At age 29, he launched his own firm, Paul Hollis Rare Coins, and has built a national reputation in a business that knows no boundaries.

Paul met Ashley Tastet in 1996, and they married a few years later. In 2003, Paul and Ashley Hollis had their daughter, Bree, and in 2006 the family settled near Mandeville.

He is an active member of St. Timothy United Methodist Church.