Issue link: https://tmcpulse.uberflip.com/i/723999
t m c » p u l s e | s e p t e m b e r 2 0 1 6 24 24 SPOTLIGHT Q | Take us back to the very beginning. Where were you born and raised? A | I was born in Hereford, Texas. Let me start by saying it's a very glamorous place, in the Texas pan- handle, near Amarillo. There's maybe 15,000 people on a really good day, and it's named after the Hereford white-faced cow. It's feedlots, the beef capital of the world. My mom's family business was farming and ranching, so my grandparents had lots of farm and ranch land. My dad was a banker, so we lived in the "city." I did spend time on the farm and in the country. We knew almost everybody in the town. What's so fun is I often meet people who know somebody from Hereford, because if you say, 'Hereford,' of course they remember and say, 'Oh, you must know so-and-so,' and invariably I do know the name. I have a brother, two years older than me, and a sister who's four years younger. Q | Did either of your siblings also follow in your father's footsteps and pursue a career in banking? A | My sister worked for Chase, in the investment bank, as an analyst after undergrad, and then when it was time for her to go back to graduate school, instead of going to business school she went to culinary school. She and my brother are actually both trained chefs. Neither is a professional in that field now, but it's a little intimidating if you're in the kitchen together. My mom is basically Martha Stewart and the two of them are trained chefs and I'm not, but I can follow a recipe. Q | Tell me about your parents. A | My father was in local banking at Hereford State Bank, what we would call consumer and small business banking—the friendliest man in town who knows everybody. It was perfect for him and he did it until he retired. Now his favorite thing to do is go to Hereford State Bank on Fridays and serve popcorn to the customers that come in the lobby. I always say he's the public relations arm of the bank. My mom is an amazing role model for me. She is among the smartest people I know, and she is definitely the most resource- ful. There is nothing she can't do. My parents raised us to have a strong work ethic and to be responsible and resilient. Q | When did you leave Hereford? Was it university that took you out of your hometown? A | I went to Texas A&M because I loved the Aggie traditions and values and I thought I would get a good education. During my junior year at A&M, I was in business school and I thought I wanted to do an internship in banking and finance, so I went to a GINA LUNA, managing director for JPMorgan Chase in the Houston region and immediate past chair of the Greater Houston Partnership, spoke with William F. McKeon, executive vice presi- dent and chief strategy and operating ocer of the Texas Medical Center, about leadership styles, work-life balance, and the benefits of living and working in Houston.