Each week, the Shreveport-Bossier Journal’s Tony Taglavore takes to lunch a local person – someone who is well-known, successful, and/or influential, and asks, “What’s Your Story?”
By TONY TAGLAVORE, Journal Services
“None of my members want to travel with me. I am a bad luck traveler.”
For example, there was the time flying back home from a real estate conference in San Diego, with a scheduled connection in Dallas.
“You take off over water, then you obviously have to do a U-Turn and come back over the continental United States. We took off that day, and the plane didn’t turn around.”
Hmmm . . . .
“The plane finally turned, and we were going up the coast. I knew something was wrong.”
“Ladies and Gentlemen,” the pilot announced. “We had a problem on takeoff. Actually, two problems. Number one, the wheels will not come up. Number two, the flaps will not come up.”
Yep. Sounds like a couple of problems, all right.
“Unfortunately, we’re not going to Dallas. We’re going to land at LAX (Los Angeles International Airport).”
LAX has the longest runway on the west coast.
“(The pilot) cannot put the flaps in another position and use the air resistance to slow the plane down. He also doesn’t have a lot of control over the plane.”
So, the plane flew “low and slow” for three hours, dumping fuel in case there was a crash landing.
“He hits the landing on this long runway, and all he’s really got is gravity and a hand brake.”
But those were enough. The plane stopped at the end of the runway. Then came the fire trucks.
“’Oh, this is great!’ Then we realize they’re approaching us with hazmat suits on and holding radar guns. We find out later they are measuring temperature, because we can’t go close to the terminal because they’re afraid the heat from the plane and the wheels will light the gas fumes.”
Scott Hughes, Chief Executive Officer and Association Executive for the Northwest Louisiana Association of Realtors, told me that story – and his story – during lunch at place he chose, Imperial Cathay. Scott had Sesame Chicken, Steamed Rice, Hot Celery Soup, and water with lemon. I enjoyed Sweet and Sour Chicken, Fried Rice, Egg Drop Soup, and water with lemon.
“I could write a book on my travel excursions . . . . I could sit here for two hours and tell you travel stories.”
Born in Bryan, Texas (“I am an Aggie by birth, but really and LSU fan”), Scott knows a thing or two about going places. As a military child, he lived all over the United States, and in three foreign countries. “When I was 18 years old, I had lived in 19 different “homes”.
“You learn to make friends quickly. Unfortunately, you probably learn to not make deep friendships because people are going to come and go. At one point, I did six different schools in six years. I got very good about meeting people. I got very good about being social, although I am probably not as social as people think I am.”
At his German-based high school, Scott played several sports but excelled in cross country.
“There was a time when I was a fairly elite distance runner.”
And those Frankfurt American versus Berlin American competitions were memorable. Well, at least the trips were.
“We had to get on a train at night and ride the slow train through East Germany, into the free part of West Berlin. We would get up in the morning, do our competition, and at night, we would take the slow train back through the dark to East Germany, because they wouldn’t let you see anything. We used to joke that Berlin High School had the greatest homefield advantage in the world, because everyone who went to play them had to come in at night on the train, compete that day, and leave that day by train.”
While overseas, the son of a U.S. Air Force Lieutenant Colonel – Scott was one of three children – became interested in politics.
“You’re living on a military base in Europe and get ready to leave the base, which you were allowed to do, and a 19-year-old marine is standing there with a rifle, or an Army guy, says, ‘Not a good day to be an American.’ In those days, that was code red for ‘Be Careful’ . . . .
When it was time for college, Scott could have gone to several schools. But he and his family were back in Bossier City – Scott’s father had once been stationed at Barksdale Air Force Base. Tired of moving, Scott went to Centenary College, earning a business major, a Master of Business, and a minor in accounting. He also ran cross country, played volleyball, and was a cheerleader.
“There aren’t many of us in the country who have earned three Division 1 (athletic) letters.”
Several times during our conversation, Scott mentioned his love for – and commitment to – community. Some 40 years and four careers later, he is still here. Scott has worked in advertising, architectural marketing, K-12 school policy as Executive Director of Alliance for Education, and since 2011, as a real estate executive.
But don’t ask Scott if he can show you that three bedrooms, two bath charmer you saw for sale.
“I have 1600 members and 200 brokers who know real estate. They list and sell. They know what they do. I run the businesses for them. I run the CE (Continuing Education). I run government affairs. I run the (Multiple Listing Service, a database of property listings). I, to this day, don’t know where all the subdivisions are . . . . I can tell you what prices are doing and which way interest rates are going. I have an MBA. But I don’t really know the specific pricing in a neighborhood. I don’t know what’s for sale on a given day. That’s not what I do. I really try to stay in my lane.”
Sometimes – especially during an election year – Scott travels in an additional lane. Remember his interest in politics? (Scott once ran for the state legislature – his only campaign – and missed the runoff by 240 votes). For 18 years and without pay, Scott has been a political analyst for a local television station. Scott also provides political analysis for a local radio station. He accepted both opportunities on two conditions.
One: He doesn’t get paid.
Two: “I’m not going to be controlled by anybody. I get to say what I want to say. No one is going to be in the background saying, ‘You can’t say this. You can’t say that.’”
I felt Scott could talk about real estate, and politics, the rest of the day. But the time had come for me to ask my final question. As always, what is it that someone could learn from his life story?
“For most of us, we’re going to go to work every day. Decide what you want to do and do something you like. It’s not necessarily important you make all the money in the world. I think it’s important you make money because you have to live. But I’ve reached a point in my life where I think it’s more important that you enjoy the work you do . . . . Years ago, I decided whatever I was going to do all day long, I wanted it to matter. I wanted it to be something I enjoyed doing. I wanted it to be something that was interesting.”
Four careers and a whole lot of travel stories. Interesting, to say the least.
Do you know someone with a story? Email SBJTonyT@gmail.com.
The Journal’s weekly “What’s Your Story?” series is sponsored by Morris & Dewett Injury Lawyers.