Grant Seabourne Member Spotlight - April
Name: Grant Seabourne
Where do you work?: First Financial Trust & Asset Management Co.
What’s your job title/what do you do?: Trust Officer
Where are you from? I grew up in Mount Pleasant, Texas.
If you’re not from Abilene, how long have you lived in the area and what brought you here? I moved to Abilene in the fall of 2008 to attend Hardin-Simmons University (HSU). I played tennis competitively growing up, and I wanted to continue playing in college for Hardin-Simmons. I was also drawn to HSU for their reputable physical therapy program; although I didn’t end up pursuing physical therapy as a career. I graduated from Hardin-Simmons in May of 2012, I began working for First Financial Bank in July, and I have been in Abilene ever since.
What is your favorite thing about living in the Big Country? Several people have asked me recently why I’ve stayed in Abilene, as opposed to moving to Dallas, Austin, etc. My reactionary response is that Abilene, as a city, offers everything that I need. I’m an outdoor enthusiast, and I’ve found that Abilene and the surrounding area offer ample opportunity to enjoy the outdoors. I’ve also found that Abilene offers unique advantages to young professionals, in that the city is large enough to offer opportunities in a diverse set of career paths, but it is small and cohesive enough to allow young professionals the opportunity to both establish a reputation for themselves, as well as build lasting relationships in the community. While there is no lack of competition in the professional realm, there is also a unique sense of teamwork and unity among the young professionals in the area. I believe this is due, at least in part, to the culture of the community.
What do you do in your free time? Over the years as I’ve lived in Abilene, I’ve learned that the Big Country offers plenty of things to do, if you’re willing to look for those things. Since moving to Abilene in 2008, I’ve adopted many hobbies including mountain biking, kayaking, photography, woodwork, and target shooting. I’m always excited to go on a new adventure, and usually the problem is deciding between a kayak river trip, or exploring a new mountain bike trail. My wife and I enjoy working on projects around the house together, traveling, and spending time with each of our families.
What does being an Abilene Young Professional mean to you? To me, being an Abilene Young Professional means being involved, and learning to grow professionally with a community of like-minded individuals. Involvement in AYP encourages members to step out of their comfort zone, meet new people, and build relationships in the community. Abilene Young Professionals not only offers the opportunity to meet new people, but it also provides the consistency necessary to foster growth of those relationships over the years. Being an Abilene Young Professionals means that you have the opportunity to not only meet someone new, but to stay in contact with them over time, learn about their career path and their goals and share in the insight and professional development that comes from that relationship. What organizations (non-profit) in town do you choose to support and why? I currently serve on the board of directors for Connecting Caring Communities (CCC). I have also had the opportunity to work with United Way of Abilene through the United Way Loaned Executive program, and I’ve been involved with Junior Achievement for several years. It has been an amazing experience to see how each of these organizations positively impacts the community in a unique way. Connecting Caring Communities focuses on building meaningful relationships that foster safe, caring, and whole communities. I support the mission of CCC because I believe that teaching people to open themselves to neighbor-to-neighbor relationships can have lasting and far-reaching impacts. Through my experience working with United Way of Abilene, I learned how the organization supports its partners by focusing on education, income, and health in the community. United Way presents an opportunity to diversify your charitable donation among a group of non-profit organizations that have all been reviewed and approved by United Way. I support the mission of Junior Achievement – not only because I believe that we should invest in the future leaders of Abilene – but also because I think that many children in elementary, middle, and high school have unrealized potential that they may be able to discover and apply to the betterment of their future with the correct guidance and encouragement. That, to me, is an invaluable aspect of the work that Junior Achievement accomplishes in our schools. I hope to increase my involvement with organizations such as these in the years to come.
What’s the last book you read or what’s your favorite book? My favorite book is Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell
What’s something you’re passionate about and why? In addition to my marriage, family, and outdoor pursuits, I’ve found a passion in the work that I do for First Financial. As I mentioned earlier, when I came to Abilene to attend Hardin-Simmons University, I wanted to one day have a career in physical therapy. I had a strong desire to have a career in which I helped people get better, or at least made an impact on those around me. As I moved away from that path and began a career in banking, I thought I had permanently set aside those aspirations. However, I quickly realized that the work we do can in fact have a significant impact on the lives of individuals in our community. My recent transition to working in the area of trust and asset management has even furthered this belief. Many individuals who come to us neither have the time or the inclination to manage the intricacies of the various situations they are faced with, and in an industry that can be extremely technical, it’s very fulfilling to be able to provide assistance in a professional, relational, and transparent way.
