Faces of GRAND Prairie, A Community Podcast

Today, we have a special episode starting our third season, an interview with Cleve Doyen, co-owner and Managing Partner of Brothers Transport. Cleve is a graduate of South Grand Prairie High School, he is a veteran of the US Marines, and an entrepreneur and businessman who has now put his expertise into logistics. Cleve and I spoke over the phone about the challenges, and ins and outs of being in...

We are nearing almost 1,000 downloads - it's so very exciting! As I get ready to start Season 3, I wanted to go back through the episodes and find my favorite parts of the interviews. I want to thank you for being such loyal listeners and I hope you keep coming back for more!

Join me today in a mini-episode where I talk about things coming up in the city of Grand Prairie over the next few weeks!

Today, I welcome my guest, Robin Brown. Robin is a proud 1972 Graduate of Grand Prairie High School, and has a long history with the city of Grand Prairie. His family were the first morticians in the city, and he followed in their footsteps by becoming a funeral home director himself over 40 years ago. Robin also has an interesting hobby, he runs JFK Custom Tours in Dallas, TX, where he gives...

On today's episode we have a special out of town guest, Mr. Mike Geer. Mike is the manager of the Arasas County Airport in Rockport, TX, as well as a veteran of the United States Airforce, and was the one of the key point people in Hurricane Harvey, and in the cleanup and rebuilding of the city after. He talks with me about how he got into a career in aviation and air traffic control, what it was...

My guest today is Albert Sanchez. Albert is a co-owner and founder of Betos Mexican Restaurant, a lifelong Grand Prairie resident and graduate of South Grand Prairie High School. Today, Albert talks to me about how Betos started and the growing pains along the way. He also talks about lessons he learned as a very young entrepreneur and business owner and the transitions you go through throughout l...

Today, my guest is Managing Partner of the Texas Roadhouse in Grand Prairie, Mr. Mike Medrano. Mike has been the managing partner of the GP Roadhouse for the past 19 years - and as a sidenote, he was the first person to give me my first grown-up job with a salary when he promoted me to be his Service Manager in 2002. Mike and I go back a long time, so when I saw Grand Prairie was getting a new and...

Today, I am talking with Bonnie Cockrum, a long-time volunteer and President-Elect of the Grand Prairie Historical Organization. Recorded at the new GPHO Museum, we talk about the recently renovated building and the goals of the organization. Bonnie tells us about the importance of digitizing documents and how they set-up their digitizing room, as well as the ongoing effort to always fill in the g...

Today, my guest is the very interesting and entertaining man, Rick Herold. Rick is the retired Director of the Grand Prairie Parks and Recreation Department, and has been instrumental in creating facilities like the Epic, Epic Waters and The Summit, and events like Prairie Lights. He talks with us about graduating for North Texas and his career in parks and recreation, and also gives us some very...

Today, I am interviewing Steve Pryor. Steve is a Grand Prairie resident, an original employee of the Ticket radio station and a former GPISD School Board Trustee. He talks to us today about how he got into the radio industry and how the forum of radio has changed over the years, as well as what it is like, day to day, to be an elected official in his city. He tells us how we can get more involved...

On today’s episode, I invited Lana Kluge to talk about being an active and involved alum, as well as her super-cool job as a travel agent specializing in Disney Destinations. This episode is spotlighting our alumni associations, specifically the newly organized South Grand Prairie High School Alumni Association! Find Lana at https://www.facebook.com/lklugefamilyfuntravels/ Find the SGPHS Alumni As...

Today, my guest is Suzana Delgado-Gray, she is the Vice President of Operations and Executive Director of the Grand Prairie YMCA. Suzana has been with the YMCA for 10 years and came to our branch within the last year. She really has a pulse on our city and the needs of our families, and has some innovative and wonderful programs and initiatives she's started. I can't wait to hear what some of thos...

Mose Jordan was not only the first Black Grand Prairian, he was also the first freed slave to own land in Grand Prairie. In this episode, we discuss what we know about his life after he settled here. A big thank you to Angela Luckey for spending a couple of hours talking to me and shedding some light on some of the African-American histories of our town.  For more information on the Grand Prairie...

Today I am speaking with Chief Daniel Scesney of the Grand Prairie Police Department. Though Chief Scesney has only officially been chief for about two weeks, he's been an officer with the GPPD for 19 years. He tells us about his service as a police officer in the marines, about his career in Grand Prairie and about why he thinks Grand Prairie is truly a special place to be in law enforcement. I a...

On this mini-episode, I am bringing you announcements and giving you some homework - the good kind I promise! We discuss our upcoming episodes, new methods to listen to the podcast, we listen to our very first Non-Profit Spotlight on Lifeline Shelters voiced by SGP Senior Christian Pryor, we talk about how you can be an advertiser on the program and I have a very special shout-out to my biggest su...

Today I’m bringing you an interview with a business owner, a PhD, a wife and a mother, Dr. Rhonda Brown-Crowder. You can find her on Facebook by searching Dr. Rho on the Go! And boy, is she ever! I became Facebook friends with her a few years ago and was struck by her immense positivity and smile and loved watching her adventures as a city volunteer and parent of a special needs child in the Grand...

Welcome to this special episode of the podcast where I talk to a woman I’ve greatly admired from afar, Tammy Chan. She’s the founder, coordinator and Case Manager of the Grand Prairie Homeless Outreach Organization, a 501C3 she formed in the last 18 months. Tammy worked with the city for many years doing special projects that included Keep Grand Prairie Beautiful, Street Beautification and Job Tra...

Today, I’m bringing you an interview with Dr. Vern Alexander. Dr. Alexander is a long-time educator and leader within GPISD who I was honored to get the opportunity to sit down and talk with. He talks with me about receiving his three degrees, including his Doctorate in Education, his experience serving in the Vietnam War and the many mentors and influencers along his life’s journey. Among these i...

Listen to this great editorial comment from the Grand Prairie Daily News from December 19, 1976.  Happy holidays!! See you in 2020!

Learn a little about our founder, A.M. Dechman, on this mini-episode of faces from the past!

In this short segment, I talk about some of the Christmas events I found in our newspapers over the years. Leave us a voice message about what Christmas traditions you remember in Grand Prairie and I will put them in a podcast! If you have a Christmas tradition you'd like me to research and talk about this season, leave those recommendations too! 

Who am I and why am I doing this show? What is this podcast about? Who will be guests on this podcast? Here is a chance to hear why I started this and what I hope to discuss on this show - and YOU can be a part of it!! Find out how you can contribute to the content on this show and be one of my guests! I also go over some local holiday events you might be interested in around Grand Prairie for the...

I am so excited to welcome my guest and friend, Mayor Pro Tem Jeff Copeland! Jeff is a native Grand Prairian and graduate of South Grand Prairie High School. Jeff has worked in the title industry for his career, until a surprising turn of events led him into the world of charity auctioneering! Join me as we listen to the always colorful, always lively Jeff Copeland, recorded in the newly renovated...

Michelle Madden is an active community leader and former business owner who decided she could make a positive impact by becoming the President of the Grand Prairie Chamber of Commerce. Michelle talks to me about her business background as a graduate of Texas A&M with a Construction Science degree, transitioning from being a Realtor to working for the Chamber, how she balances being a mom with...

Listen to Grand Prairie Mayor Ron Jensen as he tells us a bit about his background, both in business and as a youth who grew up in this town. We learn about how he decided to become Mayor, what a Mayor's job is, how he runs his daily schedule of commitments and why he is so passionate about the city of Grand Prairie. Recorded in the beautiful recording studio at the Epic, this podcast with Ma...