Lessons in Leading in a Small Texas Town

My Dad just won an award as the Veterinarian of Choice in Ellis County Texas for 2020. As I saw the award, I was so excited for my father of course, and excited for the community and clients that trust their family members to his and the clinic’s care.

I want to share a real story about the leadership and selflessness my Dad gave to the community over the years, and how that impacted his business, and even us kids. This isn’t a story that is shared very much, but it is one that I have internalized, and use to inspire the best out of me. Like most kids with caring parents, I look up to my parents, and hope that I can be half the person they are.

In 1984, I was born, and shortly after, my family uprooted from Monroe, Louisiana to Midlothian, Texas. This was Dad’s first job out of vet school and a new journey for the Rook family of 6. Midlothian, at the time, was a small Texas town with farmers and small businesses. Dad coached little league for all of us kids, had to leave for emergency vet calls, and both he and my Mom helped raise kids in our neighborhood. It was common.

In 1996, Midlothian had grown enough, that Dad wanted to open his own vet practice. This news and idea did not set well with the other vet family at that time, which I get – it’s competition to an extent; however, looking back, the community really did need two facilities and options for their animals. I remember in the midst of all the falling out as Dad wanted to leave that practice, he walked away from all the finances he was entitled to and had earned over the years of the practice and took nothing. He had not built a building, had not purchased land, and we were broke!!! I learned to love beans and cornbread!

Prior to Dad leaving, and some of the dissention in the practice was that Dad offered free service to kids in the community participating in FFA animal projects. He volunteered as the vet at the Mesquite Rodeo, and served people in the community who may not have had the finances to afford services at that time. This led to a heavy reliance on Dad, not just in Midlothian, but in Ellis County.

The community came together within that same year that Dad walked away. A person in town offered a very affordable deal on land, the zoning group worked to zone the property for the clinic, and construction workers volunteered their time to build the clinic. I remember walking to the clinic after school would end, and there would be a team of welders in the back putting together stalls for horses and cattle, runs, chutes, kennels, surgery tables and exam rooms. Dad was seeing animals in the waiting room, and even outside in the people’s trucks. All of this was offered and done at no cost to our family. These people came together to serve this man who was selfless to them over the years.

Out of college I went to work at the clinic, and Dad hired me to clean cages, wash stalls, clean floors and the trash. Oh man, with a college degree, are you kidding me?!?! It didn’t take long and I realized the importance of what I was learning, and building character in the right way through tough work. I can tell you, I appreciate everything that comes in with having a clean facility, presentable attitudes, and a supported staff. On more than one occasion, Dad would be cleaning cages alongside of me. He still helps out this way to this day! I watched him work for years as my responsibilities grew at the clinic, and he continued to provide the same quality of service to the community.

Fast forward, and I was back in Midlothian after maybe 3 years living in Indiana, I think it was 2016, and I walked into the local feed store to get a pallet of food for our cattle at Dad’s request. When I stepped to the counter, the gentleman said, “no sir, this is on me.” I asked what he meant as there were hundreds of dollars on that pallet, and I owe him that. He responded, “Son, your Dad has given to this community so much, and if I added up all the dollars he has saved me and my family with our critters, I would owe him 10 more pallets. So believe me when I say, this is on me.”

He obviously doesn’t do these things to get this in return. It is a part of him and his character. I had a long talk with him as an adult a few years ago about the lessons I’ve learned just watching him with other people. I told him, early in my adulthood, I would not have walked away from the money that was owed at the first clinic. I would not have exposed myself to the risks and setting a precedent of practicing free services in some cases.

I shared with him in that conversation, that watching him over those years, I would now do the same thing he did and does. He was so proud, and shared his thoughts, that his hardest job was raising his kids to have great character and be selfless in their endeavors with the community. Not for reciprocity, but because they have genuine and caring hearts.

His staff has the same mentality, and I am truly fortunate to have had the growth and education at that clinic. I intend to be that same model of character, and genuinely serve our communities and those around me. Congrats to that team, and what an honor that the clients know they get the experience of working with the veterinarian of choice in that small part of Texas.