North Texas pioneers talk about local history

When you look around at your town or city; do you ever think about those who came before you and the contributions they made to the place you call home? Many of the features in our orbit are taken for granted as though they just fell into place randomly. Au Contraire! The roads we travel on, the parks we enjoy with our children, the marvelous structures that adorn the landscape, the commercial areas that make shopping more convenient and a panoply of other amenities are the result of long term planning by visionaries.

If you’ve been in this area for at least a few decades you’ll remember when the roads were in need of expansion and there wasn’t a grocery market, a home services center, or a restaurant within miles. Although some residents would opine that it was better when North Texas was more of a rural destination, many others are understandably grateful for the positive growth that has made their lives more comfortable. Every town or city must grow or become stagnant and get left behind, as their neighboring municipalities prosper. It’s not the growth that makes residents fearful, it’s the quality of the growth.

If you’re fortunate enough to elect prudent leaders who have the talent, vision and executive ability to plan properly, you’ll look back with pride on your discerning choices. Whether it’s the development of DFW Airport, just minutes away; Gaylord Texan, an entertainment hub in Grapevine; Lakeside Community and the River Walk in Flower Mound; or an array of other amazing additions to the area, they all began with an idea and the leadership to carry it to completion.

To highlight some of the leaders who pioneered much of the spectacular landscape in our orbit, I arranged a video interview with David and Peter Stewart, whose family has a long and industrious history in North Texas; Scott Tarwater, President of Newstream Hotels and Resorts; Tony Jeary, owner of the Results Center in Lakeside; and William Tate, the longest serving Mayor of Grapevine. The 3-part interview took place at the Results Center in Lakeside, a think tank and business strategy consulting group known as Tony Jeary International. Tony Jeary is an author, entrepreneur and career builder for some of the world’s top achievers.

As a history buff, I was thrilled to do this interview and to be in the same room with these giants of industry. Listen closely to this educational journey into the past, coming from people who didn’t get it second hand; they lived it. I hope the residents of North Texas and beyond enjoy the history imparted on this video, even half as much as I did.