Hometown: Little Rock
Present City: Dallas
Education: BA and MBA, Baylor University
Tell us about your family.
Paula is my wonderful wife of 28 years. We have two children, Garrett and Kathryn, and are blessed to be guardians for Sher Moo Ku. Garrett is a Senior at Baylor, Ku is a Junior at Austin College and Kathryn is a Junior at Lake Highlands High School. My mother-in-law, Carole Jean Abernathy, lives with us along with her dog, Lucy. Our yellow lab, Zeus, rounds out the crew.
How about your work or volunteer life?
I left NorthMark Strategies this year, where I was COO and SVP of Global Real Estate. I’m seeking God’s guidance as to the right path ahead. I volunteer with the Boy Scouts of America and am treasurer of the LHHS Theater Booster Club. It’s been fun working with the theater directors and learning all that goes into their performances!
Favorite hobbies?
I love running, cycling and swimming and try to compete in a couple races a year. I also enjoy reading and being out in nature, especially hiking and fishing.
What are your favorite places to travel?
I’ve had the opportunity to travel a lot in my career and at various times have worked in nine countries. My favorite place to vacation is anywhere in the mountains. Our family loves to ski, and some of my favorite memories are skiing with Paula and the kids.
What brought you to Wilshire and when?
We came in 1998 after visiting several churches in Dallas. We were drawn to Wilshire because of its progressive stance, its focus on teaching and missions and the way we were welcomed from day one.
Where are you engaged at Wilshire?
I teach Youth Sunday School and am involved in various mission activities. I recently started working with Wilshire’s Rental Assistance Program, which was created in 2023 and is doing some amazing work helping those who are struggling to remain housing stable.
Tell us about your faith journey.
My father is a retired minister, so I grew up in the church. My faith was largely black and white growing up. I have since learned that uncertainty is OK; that seeking and sometimes not knowing for sure is normal; that a faith which is growing is a faith that is questioning. A quote from the movie Conclave speaks to this: “Certainty is the deadly enemy of unity.”
What is something interesting most people would not know about you?
My left arm is shorter than my right by about two inches.