Texas LAND•Spring 2017

County. Over time, Mock negotiated a deal where the sellers
were able to relocate and purchase a larger ranch and the
buyers added a key piece to their legacy ranch, on which they
established long-term conservation goals.
“We were able to help everyone involved ensure their land
legacy,” Mock said. “They each had a piece of Texas to call
their own—a place where their stewardship would leave a mark
for the future. It just doesn’t get much better than that.”
A Family of Businesses Built on Family
Hard work is Kasey Mock’s not-so secret ingredient for success.
“I had the best parents ever; they taught us value of hard
work while we were growing up on a small farm in Kyle,” Mock
said. “My twin brother and I had our first job outside of the family
when we were seven years old. We hoed cotton for a neighbor.”
The Mock twins and their younger sister spent their
formative years in livestock show rings. The trio wanted to be
competitive at the major shows, but their budget didn’t allow
them to buy the elite animals necessary to get the judge’s nod.
The youngsters assessed the assets of their small operation,
which included 80 Boer-cross goats, 15 sows and a handful of
show cattle.
Led by brother Kevin, they set out to learn the show industry
and put together brood stock that allowed them to produce
high-quality prospects. By the time his sister, who is four years
younger than the twins, made it to high school, the family team
was raising animals that consistently earned her spots in the
winner’s circle, including a Reserve Grand Champion at the
Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, and in the all-important
sales at every major livestock show in the state. In the process,
they also created a business that positioned Mock’s twin to go
to the top of that industry, producing champion livestock for
young people across the nation.
“In life, you can either see challenges or opportunities,”
Mock said. “You can wish for it or you can work for it. In our
family, working trumped wishing.”
After graduating from high school in nearby Kyle, Mock
headed to Stephenville. At Tarleton State University, he
earned his Bachelor of Science in Agriculture Services and
Development, a degree designed to prepare students for
ag. careers in either teaching or outreach education such as
AgriLife Extension.
“Initially, I accepted a job in Extension and I learned a
lot about team management, scheduling and the resources
available to landowners,” Mock said. “But opportunities in
private land industries called more loudly and quickly got my
attention.”
Something, well actually, someone else had already gotten
his attention. When Mock was a senior, he was attending a Bible
study where he crossed paths with a freshman from Lometa
named Elizabeth Maddox.
“Although I didn’t know her very well, I was smart enough to
know that I couldn’t let her get away,” Mock said.
The young couple married and made their home in Hays
County. Elizabeth earned both her Bachelor’s degree and her
Master’s from nearby Texas State University. Today, though, she
is the work-at-home mother of two-year-old Maddox West who
will be joined by a baby sister in May.
“She’s the best mother I know,” Mock said. “My family
inspires me to deliver my best every day.”
While Mock is driven to be successful for his family and his
clients, he knows that success can be a two-edged sword if not
managed properly. To that end, he relies on a piece of wisdom
he received as part of the KWRI team: “what you focus on
expands.”
“Essentially, it is a reminder that as businesspeople we have
to focus only on the core activities that bring us closer to our
goals,” Mock said. “By keeping focused, you make the most of
your time, which in turn gives you time back to spend with the
people you cherish.”
When Mock isn’t building a business, he and Elizabeth serve
at their church and enjoy the outdoors together doing things
like backpacking and hunting elk in Colorado.
Mock said “I think about this daily—’If today were the last
day of my life, would I want to do what I am about to do today?’
- Steve Jobs. For me, the answer is yes.”
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