Prior to serving in the Missouri Legislature, Representative Hardwick was a supervisory attorney as a Department of the Army civilian, a Special Assistant United States Attorney, and served as an Assistant Prosecuting Attorney for Pulaski County, Missouri. He was the City Prosecutor for St. Robert, Missouri, and taught courses as an adjunct professor in political science, business, philosophy, and law. He is the Chairman of the Sustainable Ozark Partnership and serves as a commissioner on the Missouri Military Preparedness and Enhancement Commission.

Representative Hardwick served as an enlisted soldier and officer in the Missouri National Guard and U.S. Army. He led combat route clearance patrols in Baghdad, Iraq. He has served in leadership positions including platoon leader, company commander and battalion commander. He is a graduate of Officer Candidate School where he was selected for the Leadership Award. Representative Hardwick graduated with honors from the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College located at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas where he earned a skill identifier as a strategist.

Born in Rolla, Missouri, Representative Hardwick is a graduate of Dixon High School. He received his bachelor's degree in Classics from the University of Missouri and Juris Doctor from the University of Missouri School of Law in Columbia, Missouri.