Autobiography - The Galindo Group

Ram Galindo THE MAKING OF AN AMERICAN Page 234
Judith Vernon from Evant as chairman of the board, the first woman ever. She is a most
capable former corporate attorney who not only agreed with the essential points of my
vision for the BRA but also had the courage and time to implement them.
She led the organization through a metamorphosis from a sleepy surface water
operator, no-growth and paralyzed bureaucracy to a dynamic driver of economic
prosperity. By ensuring that Texas’ water needs in the future will be served within the
watershed, and perhaps even outside our own basin, we helped set up the state for
continued progress. This effort took not only vision but also changing most of the
executive personnel at the top, which was not fully supportive of our views. We needed
executives willing to accept responsibilities that were not even considered before. If the
BRA had not done so, it is my opinion that in a few more years it would have put itself
out of existence by becoming totally innocuous. Very generously, Judy allows me to
take certain pride of authorship in the work that she has so successfully accomplished.
Only in retrospect it appeared clear to me that when I lost my bid to lead the BRA in
1995, I had really been given an opportunity to concentrate in my private business
affairs. As I recount in Healthy Mind in Healthy Body (Chapter 3), one of the issues that
at the time was becoming critical to me was Aerofit Health Fitness Center. Although of a
different nature than the pressures that almost sank me in the 1980s, the pressure from
the uneven competition I received from Texas A&M University was threatening my
financial survival again. One of the components of my struggle for survival was the
formation of a strategic industry group that would magnify my concerns by resonating
with the voices of many other businesses similarly affected.
It was fortunate for Texas health fitness club owners that entrepreneurs in other parts of
the nation had already confronted comparable experiences. Under the most able
leadership of John McCarthy of Boston, they had formed what by then was the
predecessor of the International Health and Racquet Sports Association (IHRSA). I
have seen John take IHRSA from a fledging group of clubs to a truly globe-spanning
organization that represents the world’s health fitness club industry. John is not just a
rare high-level leader, but also one of the most visionary and innovating persons I have
ever met. He always seems to be one step ahead of events, and, amazingly, always in
the right direction. Busy as he is, he has never failed to take his valuable time to support
our efforts to form a Texas organization similar to his, but with a more domestic focus.
As I wrote in Healthy Mind in Healthy Body (Chapter 3), it was Fred Brownson who
encouraged me to start the effort to unify Texas health club owners. I also received the
encouragement of Dan Allen, a visionary and hard-working insurance agent from San
Antonio. Dan pointed out to me how he could sell insurance to many clubs cheaper than
to just one. Considering the high cost of insurance, this was a good incentive to
organize. In December 1994 I began calling a few colleagues I had met at IHRSA’s
conventions. In addition to Fred’s, I had a positive response from David Cardone, owner
of the Memorial Athletic Club of Houston, Joe Holt, owner of the Corpus Christi Athletic
Autobiography.doc 234 of 239