It's a Wonderful Life

PRESIDENT'S COLUMN

BY DAVID COURREGES, UNIVERSITY FEDERAL CREDIT UNION

My most favorite holiday movie of all time is unequivocally one of the greatest works in cinematic history. The story is that of a conflicted businessman whose life is changed by a series of events culminating in a bountiful cavalcade of seasonal spirit that leaves the viewer with an ensuing feeling of fullness of heart. Beloved by many, if not all, that movie is, of course, Elf.

Also moderately high on my list is the Frank Capra masterpiece It’s a Wonderful Life, which is based on the short story “The Greatest Gift” by Phillip Van Doren Stern … which is based on Charles Dickens’s A Christmas Carol. If you don’t know the story, a conflicted businessman’s life is changed by a series of events that culminate in a bountiful … cavalcade … of … seasonal ... spirit ....

Though in reality Dickens intended his novella to be a commentary on the social attitudes of his fellow countrymen toward poverty—a truly important topic—for the purpose of this article we’re going to stick with the theme of life-changing events. I do so because a few weeks ago I was asked an oddly specific question by a future lawyer: “What are the three most significant events that shaped your leadership journey?” Well, here they are!

EVENT #1: Mr. Speaker

As I may or may not have disclosed previously and will undoubtedly pontificate upon again, I was painfully shy as a child. My introversion persists, but it was never more evident than the entirety of my first year at The University of Texas. Prior to attending the University, the largest class I had ever been a part of consisted of 76 students— the entire China Spring High School Class of 1995. A close second was a government class I took at McLennan Community College, with maybe 30 students. Suddenly, every class I was in had a minimum of 100 students, and those were the ones designed to be more “intimate.” By my third semester I hadn’t found my place in college and really hadn’t forged a path on which to build a future. That changed in the spring of 1999, when I enrolled in Dr. Janice May’s Legislative Simulation Course, which focused on the Texas House of Representatives.

Dr. May’s class was one of those “fun” courses that most government majors wanted to take—as evidenced by the 200-student enrollment and an equally large wait list. In the class, each student was assigned a role, including members of the House, lobbyists, the press, administrative staff, and more. We were to research each position and engage as though we were that person.

When I showed up to my second class, I learned that I was assigned a role as a member of the House. During the same class, we, the members of the House, were expected to come together and elect a Speaker who would preside over the class for the balance of the semester. I still believe it was intended as a cruel joke, or at the very least an act of indifference, but my friends Alice May and Matt Gulledge decided at the last second that they would nominate me—and I won!

A few weeks ago I was asked an oddly specific question by a future lawyer: “What are the three most significant events that shaped your leadership journey?”

Over the next four months, I learned how to speak to large groups without fear, negotiate, and really love the legislative process. Most importantly, the class laid the foundation for a career that I have really enjoyed. There is significantly more to this story, including an infamous interview, an internship, and a career in and around the Texas Legislature, but I reserve that for another day.

EVENT #2: Someone Unexpectedly Believed in Me

In the spring of 2003, I was a first-year law student at St. Mary’s University School of Law and had joined the Student Bar Association as a Section Senator. My first election was an uncontested triumph for the ages!

Quite frankly, I loved SBA! It gave me the opportunity to meet significantly more students and alumni than I would have otherwise and to participate in some unique opportunities. It certainly helped a mediocre law student get the most out of the law school experience as possible.

As elections for the 2003- 04 officers and senators were approaching, I decided to run for senator again and began to think about which of my classmates would be best equipped to lead us as executives. I immediately decided on my friend Chris Gee to run for vice president (a position traditionally held by an incoming 2L). He was well-liked, smart, and seemed to take his duties as a 1L Class Senator seriously. I thought his leadership would help make the SBA better and my own experience more enjoyable.

When I approached Chris about running for vice president, he politely declined and insisted that I run instead. My introverted nature would not allow me to believe he was serious. He then thoughtfully laid out the reasons why I should run, which included the phrase, “I believe in you.” In retrospect, that was a little overthe-top for a law school student council election, but it that was the first time anyone outside of my mother, girlfriend (now wife), or a teacher had ever told me such a thing. It still means a lot. Thank you, Chris Gee!

As a side note, the election gave my wife Erin the opportunity to devise the most ingenious campaign slogan of all time: “Be Courageous, Vote Courreges.” The following year she also came up with “Once Courreges, always Courageous! Vote Courreges!”

EVENT #3: That One Person in Austin

In 2006, I was back in Austin. I had recently passed the bar exam and was working for a second time at the Texas House of Representatives. Erin and I had just gotten married, and we decided that it was time for me to leave what I had grown comfortable with and try to find a job outside of the pink dome. My first call was to Al Hartman, the associate dean of law alumni relations at St. Mary’s University. My question was simple:

The next week I found myself having lunch with the now- Judge Crump who was at that time the president-elect of the Texas Young Lawyers Association (TYLA). The topic of looking for new employment never actually came up. Rather, Judge Crump spent most of the hour telling me about TYLA and a new project she was working on called “They Had a Dream Too.” Within a month, I found myself presenting “THADT” to the entire senior class at Bowie High School along with Justice Dale Wainwright, and again to the seniors of Travis High School with Professor Norma Cantu. I was hooked!

Over the next few months, Judge Crump would introduce me to countless people and invite me to participate in multiple public service events. One of the first individuals she introduced me to was Austin Young Lawyers Association (AYLA) President Shannon Meroney, who would invite me to serve as the Legislative Liaison for the AYLA board of directors. I have remained a member of the AYLA or Austin Bar boards of directors in some capacity ever since.

Memories from 2006: David Courreges, Judge Karin Crump and Professor Norma V. Cantu, current Chair of the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights.

Photo courtesy of David Couregges

There you have it! The three most Walter Hobbs/George Bailey/ Ebenezer Scrooge (the good Ebenezer, not the pre-revelation Ebenezer) Hallmark Channel moments of my personal leadership journey. As you can see, these are true moments in time that none of the parties I’ve mentioned could have possibly have known would have such a profound impact on my life, both professionally and personally. Heck! How could they? I didn’t know either! They were simple words and minimal effort, but each word and act has meant the world to me. With that …

Merry Christmas, movie house! Merry Christmas, Emporium! Merry Christmas you wonderful old Building and Loan! Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to each and every one of you! AL

David Courreges is senior corporate counsel at University Federal Credit Union.