Member Spotlight - October 2015 

MEET PRSA AUSTIN CHAPTER MEMBER: Thomas Greer 

What do you currently do for a living? Director of Communications for the Texas Association of School Business Officials – we serve the members who run the finance & operations of Texas public schools.

What did you want to be growing up? A professional athlete like Hakeem Olajuwon, Earl Campbell or Nolan Ryan – why couldn’t I be 6’11, 250lbs?

What motivated you to pursue a career in the communications industry? It evolved from a regulatory affairs position I had at Time Warner Cable. I gravitated to media, writing, sponsorships more than reviewing franchise agreements and dealing with consumer complaints – imagine that.

Where are you from? Where have you lived? We were a military family so we moved around the country. I came to Texas as soon as I could – Houston, San Antonio, Austin. 

What college(s) did you attend? University of Texas at Austin

What was your first job in PR/communications? Public Affairs Specialist at Time Warner Cable

What is your best piece of advice to your fellow PR practitioners? We keep hearing how everything has changed, but relationships are still what matter the most.

What is your most memorable experience as a communications professional? I remember preparing emergency communications for Y2K in my role at Time Warner Cable. I was a bit surprised and a little disappointed that nothing much came to pass. The electricity and computers still worked. The planes still flew in the air. If you were worked at HEB, you just had to restock the bottled water.

What publication/book/blog do you recommend others read (professionally or personally)? Empire of the Summer Moon – a book about the Comanche Indians, Quanah and Cynthia Ann Parker and the Texas Rangers. It was a fascinating book about events that happened all over Texas. The Comanche Warrior tribe’s influence on the West cannot be overstated. Even back in their peak, American settlers had no idea how the Comanches operated. The Comanche Nation totally dominated the Southern Plains and the US and Texans had no idea. They just lumped them in with all the other Natives – many of which were victims of the Comanches themselves. An amazing story with lessons relevant to today – specifically related to the problems with dehumanizing others and making decisions based on biased intelligence.

What is one of your favorite quotes? “Everybody has a plan until they get punched in the mouth” – Mike Tyson

What Austin brands or companies do you think are doing a good job in communications/marketing? I’m a loyal Alamo Drafthouse patron. I overlook their imperfections, because I can see them trying to communicate all the time for the betterment of the customer experience. They are also focused on the movies, the menu, humor and fun. You want to go there and have a beer with them.

iPhone or Android? I wish I could afford to not have one. I think that’ll be a goal of mine someday. But iPhone.