our events: PC’s YOUNG LEADERS
PCT Presents The 2016 Honorees for
Who’s Gonna Fill Their Shoes?
Don Allen Power Drive Award Stephen Gilchrist
Before he started full-time in the car business in 2009, Stephen Gilchrist was
going to be a banker.
“I wanted to be a banker coming out of TCU with a Bachelor’s of Business
Administration in Accounting. I wanted to prove I could do something else
without my parents’ help,” he said. “But in the back of my head, I always
knew I wanted to work with my dad.” Starting at Volkswagen in 2013, he
worked from the ground up and successfully got it up and running. Now he is
the Executive Manager for SouthWest Nissan, Volkswagen, and Mitsubishi.
But it’s not just business to him. “Whether car business or business in
general, it’s about people. You’ve got to have a good team and help them
grow and follow their dreams,” Gilchrist said.
On the question of how he served his community, Gilchrist was all smiles.
“It’s how I was raised. Dad has always been generous and willing to support.
The reason we’re successful is the community we’re in,” he said. “We’ve
always wanted to be able to help our community grow and make sure it’s a
vibrant community [in which] to live and work.”
The Zan Prince Community Leadership Award - Sharena Gilliland
MAY 2016
PA R K E R C O U N T Y T O D AY
A licensed attorney, Sharena Gilliland practiced civil litigation law and was
very good at it. She gave up her private practice in 2011 to serve the people
of Parker County as District Clerk. Sharena grew up in the Texas Panhandle.
When she was in high school her family moved to Stockville, MS.
As a young lawyer, Sharena came to the Parker County District Courts building
to handle a court case. She met Shawn Gilliland who was in law enforcement.
He is now an investigator for the Parker County District Attorney’s Office. He’s
also Sharena’s husband. “I met Shawn at the same District Courts Building
where I work now,” Sharena said.
She loves being Parker County’s District Clerk because, “I like being in a
position to help attorneys and parties to lawsuits,” she said. “I love helping
them navigate through the system.” Her aspirations for the future are pretty
basic. “I’d like to continue doing this for years and years,” Sharena said. She is
a big believer in giving back to the community.
“We’re very involved in our church, First Christian Church of Aledo,”
Sharena said. “I’m also very active in Bush Legacy Republican Women and
Aledo Education Foundation.”
The Gillilands have a 9-year-old and a 6-year old. “So we’re always on the
go,” she said. “In my free time I like to chill out and just read a good book.
And I’m a nerd. This is an election year so I’ve been following all the electionrelated news on television.”
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