I recently found myself with my first “you’re famous” moment the other day while shopping at Lowe’s. A young couple who recently moved to Midland from Houston came up to me and said, “Hey, you’re the Maybe in Midland-Odessa guy. We love your page and to see all the new places coming and work you’re doing to make things exciting.” It was quite the moment for me.
With that fame also comes the dark side of it as well. You know you’ve made it when rumors about you begin to flood the community. I didn’t think that this level of new celebrity status would come so soon.
To address the speculations:
I want to clarify that I am not receiving any compensation from the Hotel Santa Rita of Midland for promoting their new project. Despite the wishful thinking, like everything else on this page, I don't get paid by anyone for anything.
Contrary to rumors, I am not planning to run for council in the upcoming election. As mentioned on my page, my focus lies in the development of both Midland and Odessa. Working from a single district in one city limits the opportunities I've helped create in collaboration with developers, retailers, and government entities like the City of Midland, Ector County, MDC, and MOTRAN.
As a native Midlander, I take pride in my roots, having graduated from Midland ISD (Midland High) and pursued education at Midland College, UTPB - The University of Texas Permian Basin, and Texas Tech University. Except for my time in Lubbock for school, I've remained dedicated to Midland-Odessa throughout my career.
My professional journey started in nonprofits, focusing on education and student engagement. I then spent time in the oilfield with a family-owned company before dedicating the last decade to working with employers on business strategy, talent management, and leadership development. Currently, I work for the world's largest professional services firm, specializing in risk, strategy, and people.
At the core of my endeavors is the goal to assist local businesses of all sizes in attracting, retaining, and developing their people. This mission prompted the launch of my page in April 2018, with a history of promoting economic development dating back to 2011.
By making Midland-Odessa a more attractive community, I contribute to my overarching goal of supporting local businesses. Talking to people who have moved here and decided to stay, citing their love for the people and the growth, reinforces the positive impact.
Since the page's inception, I've built a network of partners locally and nationally, spanning government entities, chambers of commerce, transportation alliances, and media outlets. The intention behind this page has always been to tell a better story of Midland-Odessa, attracting new places in entertainment, retail, and restaurants.
My commitment to this endeavor stems from a genuine desire to enhance the community, without any financial motivation. In the last 5.5 years, I've been fortunate to share the story of Midland-Odessa nationwide, speaking to state legislators and members of Congress about grassroots efforts in economic development.
Beyond this page, I lead a multifaceted life as an entrepreneur, podcast host, filmmaker, author, keynote speaker, and media personality. While I am driven to see our communities thrive, it seems that for some, there's no sympathy for the devil.