GROUNDED
IN COMMUNITY AND GOOD DEEDS
F
rom the time I was a sophomore in high school, I lived
by myself in the small Texas town of Throckmorton,
having inherited a 500-acre ranch and 1,800 acres in life
estate. My father died when I was 15 and I like to say I was raised
by the town of Throckmorton, especially the coaches and
agriculture teachers. Mostly ag teachers, really, since I wasn’t that
great an athlete! They were the first ones to help me understand
that you won’t be judged by the hand you’re dealt, only by the way
you play that hand.
The land has taught me many lessons, for which I am grateful.
I own a ranch with 57,000 acres, and have enjoyed some
financial success in the oil industry and other business ventures.
Ranching teaches you basic common sense. It’s a very practical
business, and you learn that the better care you take of the land,
the better it cares for you. The land teaches you to be a good
steward of everything you touch. At Scott & White, we have to
be good stewards too. Sometimes, we could take the easy way
out—but what we do needs to be done the right way if we’re
going to provide the best healthcare in the country, and take care
of tomorrow.
A lot of people have taught me along the way, helping me with
successes as well as challenges. Giving back to others, and to our
community, is very important to me. By far, my greatest blessing
is my family. My wife, Billie, and our children, Trent and Meggan,
are my priority. But I do have a great passion for Scott & White.
Part of that is because our son received a proper diagnosis at Scott
& White when he was a baby, and we want everyone to have access
to the same quality of care we’ve experienced over the years.
Big plans for a dear friend
You can’t ask for money if you don’t want to be the very best.
When I got here about nine years ago, Scott & White was raising
only about $1 million per year. That wasn’t enough. But we’ve
changed that culture. That’s the single thing I’m most proud of
during my service on the board.
I knew I wanted to do something big for Scott & White, but
it wasn’t until Glenda Vasicek, who directed the Executive Health
Program, was diagnosed with cancer that I knew what it was.
Glenda was a great friend of mine. I told her that Scott & White
needed a cancer treatment center and if she would let me put her
name on it, I’d do a matching gift to help fund it.
We raised $16 million from 2,200 people. People give to
people, and she had built incredible relationships during the 40
years she worked here. We got a $25 gift from a working cowboy
and gifts of millions. They gave because of Glenda. That changed
philanthropy here forever.
Campaign and community commitment
Philanthropy is the most selfish thing you can do in life. It makes
you feel better about yourself than anything else you can do. The
first time I walked through the Glenda Vasicek Cancer Treatment
Center, it was 6:30 a.m., just before a board meeting. Nobody
knew who I was, but the nurses there were so kind. They told me
about how people can get state-of-the-art treatment with dignity
under the worst of all conditions. Thinking that I had something
to do with that, I cried. I’ve never felt better about myself than at
that moment.
Time is the most valuable thing we have in this life, and I don’t
want to waste it. Even if we ruin our reputation or lose our money,
we can eventually earn those back, but not time. I give a lot of time
and resources to Scott & White, and the truth is I want something
back. I want it to be the best healthcare provider in the country.
And that’s what we’re all working to do.
Whoever you are, whatever your level of financial success,
you’re going to feel better than you ever have if you’ll involve
yourself with a cause that makes things better for humanity. ■
www.sw.org | Winter 11 THE CATALYST
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