Don Owens

Matthew John Lankenau - Friend of The Day - 11.30.11 (read more)

Few people are as brave as Matt.  He and his bride left everything they knew in Texas to serve in the mission field of Berlin, Germany. They aggressively followed God's calling on their lives and headed to a foreign country to work.

Matt is a survivor as well.  He came close to death's door in a car accident years ago that he worked through back to full recovery. 

He has used the challenges in this life to spur him on in the pursuit and concern for others.  He genuinely does care for others. 

I covet his friendship and the brief dinners and coffee chats I get to have with him when he's in town. He has a beautiful family and is a blessed man.

Alan Parchman - Friend of The Day - 11.29.11 (read more)

If you know Alan, you will wholeheartedly agree, he is one of the nicest guys around.

I met Alan when we were buying radio for our business years ago.  We ran a schedule on WBAP.  Alan served at WBAP for what I think was 25 years.  He's now over at the Balcom Agency.

Even when we were not a client, he showed the greatest kindess, and never gives up pursuit of a client.

No matter the situtation, positive or negative, he is consistenly kind.  A rare quality indeed. I have tried to imulate his character, but I fall short of the bar he has set.

Asif Pirmohammad - Friend of The Day - 11.28.11 (read more)

Passion is contagious, and Asif's passion for his business and his committment to help others is clearly seen.

I have the great pleasure of working with Asif and others on his company's board throughout the year.  All the projects I've seen him work on are done with a great amount of zeal.  When he tells you about a new campaign, website, billboard, or business adventure the excitment is off the scale.

In addition, he committs a lot of his personal time to assist in the causes of Partnership in Action a part of the Aga Khan Foundation USA.  I had the pleasure of joing him  at last years Partnership in Action Run in Houston.  He ran around introducing me to everyone, telling me about the things that were being done to help others, and sharing with me some of the exciting things about his faith.

It is exciting to serve him and his team in business, and a great pleasure to know him,  

Lance Koppa - Friend of The Day - 11.25.11 (read more)

I got to know Lance when we were in college, even though we attended the same high school. 

Lance knows how to have fun, but he also has clear drawn lines on what is acceptable behavior.  This has always made him a class act.

He's a man that always puts others before himself. 

He sets goals and accomplishes them. He has extreme self discipline. He is a leader of many and shows kindness to anyone that crosses his path, even the criminals he arrests. I've met few people that are as fair as Lance, or as forgiving. He has offered me forgiveness on a few occasions.

 Lance has been a dad now for two weeks to young Elliot.  He is going to make a great dad.  I am proud to know him.

 

Mark Hall - Friend of the Day - 11.24.11 (Read More)

If you have a friend that challenges you to be better, then you have found a friend indeed.  Mark does not allow me to get away with generalities. He pushes me to have exercised thought and to be prepared to articulate well. 

He asks questions that open the door of doubt at times.  This opens my mind up enough to irritate the nerves and send me to study and meditation to ensure I have drawn right conclusions.

He's the kind of dad I wish I had been when my kids where young.  He's engaged and dedicated to his family. It's fun to watch all of them together.

He's always up for an adventure, even if it is a bit dangerous.  Mark joined Darrin Kirby and I this summer as we all ran with the bulls in Pamplona, Spain together. Epic!

Mark has a unique skill set of which I am envious, and he employs them well everyday in our business.   I am proud to work with him, and call him a friend.  

Donny Barrett - Friend of the Day - 11.23.11 (read More)

You may think you are a patient person, but next to Donny Barrett, you're not.  He is the most committed and patient person I know.  He has persevered through many challenges and has come out of them with more faith.

He is incredibly giving.  He works hard. He gives of his time for others. I admire him a great deal.

I've had the good fortune of joining him on numerous adventures  from snowshoeing in Colorado, four wheeling in New Mexico, and camping all over the place. He's a father of two great kids and always wants what is best for them. He's been committed to the youth of our church as well.

Donny is the type of friend everyone wishes they had.  I am grateful.

 

Charles Brinkman III - Friend of the Day - 11.22.11 (read More)

CLB3, gave me my first professional job -  the chance to work in radio as an intern in 1989 and be around the industry.  This would lead to my first paid gig in radio.  If not for Chuck, I would not be where I am today. 

Chuck knows radio better than anyone.  Its history and maybe its future.  He has a voice that is a gift.  At 70 years old, he still sounds like a 30 year old on the air. 

A couple of years ago he pushed through a stroke.  I watched him as he had to struggle just to stand again in the hospital. CLB3 hasn't let a stroke stop him. 

He is a father of three girls and two boys, including CLB4. I'm sure now he has a bunch of grandkids as well.

As a III myself, it seems I was destined to serve other III's, including Chuck and Al Boenker III. And interestingly enough, we all have sons that are IV's.

When I worked with Chuck I was a young, know-it-all kid,  He put me back in my place a couple of times, and I am grateful he did.  I learned a great deal from him. 

If you ever take Chuck to lunch though, don't sit out on the patio.  He has a great dislike of birds :).

Appreciate you CLB3 - thanks for giving me an opportunity.

 

Aaron Hall - Friend of the Day - 11.21.11

I felt Aaron should be the first of this because he has defined friendship so well for me over the past couple of years. While many pastors and pastors wives have defriended me on FB, or just dropped out of my circles, Aaron has stayed in, engaged, and offered thought, encouragement, rebuttal, and grace. 

Aaron is a pastor in West Texas, a stand up man, a father of four beautiful girls.  

Aaron is not a Kool-Aid drinker, he's a thinker.  He builds disciples, not one time converts. He puts his actions where his mouth is and is committed to a people group in West Texas, and in Africa, where he has returned year after year. 

He has encouraged me, called me out when he disagrees, has forgiven me, and is willing to lock horns when it matters.  A pastor that stays engaged in a friendship when you disagree with him, is a pastor indeed. 

Today Christendom is full of pastors that are 'Sunday Preachers', 'Picked Rule Followers', 'Discount Takers', 'Ordained Fools',and Pious Protestant Popes'.

Aaron is a speaker, thinker, doer, discipler, debater, pursuer, forgiver, and lives out the faith is a real and believable way.

I am grateful for his friendship, leadership and correction.