Every year, we shine a spotlight on the men, nominated by our readers, who positively impact our community through their contributions in business, philanthropy, and leadership. It's our honor to present the 2024 Cypress Men of Distinction.
Trey Patterson
Owner & Dentist, Towne Lake Dentistry
I was born and raised in Houston. After graduating from Texas A&M University I completed dental school and residency in San Antonio. Since then I have been practicing dentistry in Cypress. I started Towne Lake Dentistry in 2020 and have the privilege of practicing daily with my sister, Dr. Lynsey Hackler. My wife, Kathryn, and I are parishioners at Christ the Redeemer and are the proud parents to two girls and a newborn boy.
What was your first professional job and how did it influence who you are today?
I was a dental assistant while in college. It allowed me to get comfortable with patients in pain and allowed me to see the positive influence that a dentist can have on patients.
What positive influences did you have growing up?
My mom influenced me as a child by encouraging me to be involved in many activities and to excel in my academics.
How is Towne Lake Dentistry positively impacting the community?
We are able to serve all ages for preventive or cosmetic care. I have seen kids younger than 1 and as old as 98 in one week!
What is your favorite thing about living/working in Cypress?
Cypress is a very diverse community with a very polite community. Even though we all come from different upbringings everyone gets along great and has an easy going nature.
Adeeb Khalfe, Ph.D
Owner, Movement Evolution
I’m the owner of Movement Evolution, a strength and Conditioning Specialist, and serve as a Team Physical Therapist for the Houston Texans. I am also Lead Faculty at the Institute for Athlete Regeneration, where I travel the country to teach courses on dry needling, manual therapy, and advanced sports rehab to chiropractors, athletic trainers, and physios.
I’m a native Houstonian, went to Baylor University, and then got my doctorate in physical therapy from Angelo State University. In 2020, I opened Movement Evolution, a private practice in Cypress where we specialize in helping athletes and active adults workout and play sports without pain. My wife and I love the Cypress area and have a two year old son who keeps us on our toes!
What was your first professional job and how did it influence who you are today?
One of my first jobs was actually working at a T-mobile store. I learned some valuable communication skills there, which translate into my ability to connect with people in my current role. Every job can offer valuable lessons and personal growth opportunities.
What positive influences did you have growing up?
My parents and extended family. My parents moved from Africa to America in 1986. They had a strong work ethic but always put family first and were very active in the community; all of this gave me a great foundation of values. Growing up playing sports instilled a discipline in me that I will always have. Every coach and teammate taught me something valuable, not only as an athlete, but as a person.
How is Movement Evolution positively impacting the community?
We are not your typical physical therapy clinic. We don’t care about your insurance, or whether you’ve met your deductible. We care about the person who walks in the door. We focus on getting to know you, making you feel better quickly, and then bridging the gap between strength and conditioning rehab, and sports/performance.
Whenever we hear about a client scoring a goal after months of knee pain, or a mom who is able to run around with her kids again because she doesn’t have back pain anymore; these are the positive impacts we strive to make in the community.
At the end of the day, I want Movement Evolution to be Cypress’s primary care provider for musculoskeletal issues-– hearing success stories always makes our work worth it!
Kirk Eaton
Associate Athletic Director, CFISD
I grew up in Amarillo and attended Texas Tech. My wife, Kris, and I moved to Cypress in 1998. She went to work as a fourth-grade teacher, and I was hired as a teacher/coach at Cy-Falls High School. Our daughters, Katelyn and Karlee, attended school from kindergarten through high school in CFISD. Both are college graduates of Texas Tech University; Katelyn works in the Cancer Research Lab at the University and Karlee is graduating from Nursing School in August. My wife is retired from education and is an owner of Cypress based My Simply Chic boutique. After coaching at Cypress Falls HS from 1998 to 2015, I moved into the CFISD Athletic Department as an Associate Athletic Director. After 30 years in education I will be retiring in June and going to work for the Cypress based business consulting firm TVI MarketPro3 and CEO Will Allen. It has come full circle for me, as Will is a former player from Cypress Falls.
What positive influences did you have growing up?
My biggest influences in my life were my parents, Mac and Shirley. My dad was the first college graduate in his family and went on to work as a Federal Agent and retired as a county judge. My mom is one of the most positive people I’ve ever been around and like her I am a true optimist. I’ve grown the most as a person because of my wife and daughters. I understand more than I thought I ever could about love, grace, and mercy because of them.
What is the best advice you’ve received and who was it from?
Some of the best advice I ever received was from former CFISD Superintendent Mark Henry. We were discussing how big the scope of our job was in the Cypress community. He told me the key was to make sure all people matter in CFISD. It feels like our world is becoming more cynical and divided every day. Once I stopped worrying about a person’s political alignments, background, or differences my experiences started changing. I began to be a servant leader that effected more change for those around me.
How is role with CFISD positively impacting the community?
CFISD Athletics oversees 14,000 student athletes, 700 coaches, and over 4,000 athletic events. Our department has established a foundation centered around academic excellence, athletic excellence, and community support. Athletics in our community is more than just a game, it is about using competition to teach “life” to our student athletes.
Rick Skinner
Financial Advisor, Edward Jones
I am a native Texan from San Antonio and lived four years in Corpus Christi before moving to Houston in 1982. I have lived in the Cypress area since 1985. I have a BS in Business and Commerce from the University of Houston-Downtown and an MBA in Financial Management from Westwood College
My beautiful best friend and wife Liz and I have two grown children and five grandchildren. The grands range in age from 17 to 2-1/2. They keep us busy and we love attending all their events.
I have had several careers including 21 years in the industrial safety distribution sector as VP of Quality & Operations for North America; 3 years as Plant Manager in a high-end graphic packaging business; Ten years in higher-education as a college Campus President and Regional VP and serving Cypress as a Financial Advisor with Edward Jones for the past 11 years.
Liz and I are very active at Cornerstone Methodist Church where we have served since 1997. I currently serve on the board for the Cy-Fair Houston Chamber of Commerce and served the previous seven years on the board for Shield Bearer Counseling Centers.
What positive influences did you have growing up?
Some of my most influential people in my life growing up were my Dad, Mom and Grandmother and several coaches. My Dad never said go make straight A’s or be the star athlete but always do your best in everything you do and I continue to live by that advice and I shared it with my children and grandchildren. It has served me well.
What is the best advice you’ve received and who was it from?
In line with what my Dad shared with me, the best advice I received early in my career was from the famous coach Lou Holtz. 1) Do the Right Thing 2) Do the Very Best You Can 3) Treat Others the Way You Want to be Treated. My best lessons in life are patience and perseverance. Never give up.
How is your role with Edward Jones positively impacting the community?
At Edward Jones our purpose is to partner for positive impact - to improve the lives of our clients and colleagues, and together, better our communities and society. I love what I do to help people reach their goals and improve their lives and those who they love.
What is your favorite thing about living/working in Cypress?
The people of our awesome community. It has a small town feel even though we are approaching a million people in this unincorporated area of northwest Houston. We love it here. No matter where we go, we run into people we know.
Jonathan Chang
Pastor of Discipleship, Cypress Bible Church
I’m a son of Taiwanese immigrants and love all things Houston, pop culture, and authentic Chinese food. My wife is Jennifer and we have two children, Jade (16) and Jonathan (14). I like to call myself an old school 'Cypress-ian' as I grew up in Ravensway and went the route of Wee-Wuns, Millsap, Arnold, and Cy-Fair. The only time that I have been away from Cypress was to attend Baylor University. I received my Masters in Christian Education from Dallas Theological Seminary in 2017 and am beginning the process of entering into doctoral studies from the same.
What positive influences did you have growing up?
My dad, Francis Chang, is a significant influence in my life. He showed me why and how a consistent walk with Jesus gives you strength to navigate life. He showed me the importance of loving your wife in a selfless manner and that being a parent was hard work, but worthy work in how he helped raise me and my two sisters. He demonstrated to me the importance of having a good character along with a strong work ethic.
What is the best advice you’ve received and who was it from?
My friend Jack Martin challenged me over fifteen years ago that when being part of a church (even the local community) our purpose isn't only take or consume, but to serve and help build-up. That resonated with me and transformed the way I approach and think about life.
Recently, this season of life has had its ups and downs, but my friend Mike McGinty (a missionary to Japan) encouraged me with the Japanese phrase, “Ippo Ippo” This means step-by-step. Everything in life is about taking little steps instead of huge leaps. Little steps eventually become the size of huge leaps. Trust that God will lead you and guide you, step-by-step.
How is your role as Discipleship Pastor at Cypress Bible Church positively impacting the community?
Having lived in Cypress my whole life, I truly feel comfortable asking friends and strangers; “How is your soul?” As a pastor (with many shortcomings) I truly try to emulate how Jesus would love people and live among people. That is why it is important to me to not just ask the stereotypical, superficial questions.
What is your favorite thing about living/working in Cypress?
I love that I am still living and serving in my hometown. I have loved watching Cypress grow in size and diversity while still maintaining the feeling of being a small town (especially the food scene). I believe God’s calling for me to work at Cypress Bible Church allows me to minister in a community that I love deeply.
Cameron Dickey
President & CEO, Cy-Fair Federal Credit Union
What was your first professional job and how did it influence who you are today?
When I was first hired as a teller, initially, it was just a different kind of job…new challenges and vocabulary. But I learned pretty quickly that I liked it and there were opportunities to grow. I also liked the professional environment and wearing slacks, dress shoes, and a dress shirt to work. After several months in that position, my boss went on vacation for a week. When she came back, she had a mountain of things on her desk to catch up on. I took the initiative to learn and she taught me a lot. The next time she went on vacation, she came back to a much smaller pile of things. Later that year, she nominated me to the management training program, and that was the start of my 27-year career in financial services. The biggest lessons I learned; make yourself indispensable, take the initiative, look for gaps and provide solutions, and work harder and longer than others…those lessons have served me well throughout my life.
What positive influences did you have growing up?
I had the best parents possible…very smart, kind, multi-talented, hard-working, and good role models. They encouraged creativity, individuality, and self-confidence while giving us a framework of love, right and wrong, empathy and faith. My parents were examples of people who worked hard, stretched themselves by trying new things, and had strong work ethics. They also questioned things, pushed for changes when needed, and helped people when they were struggling. My Mom and Dad and all that they taught us are absolutely the biggest positive influences in my life.
How is your role at Cy-Fair Federal Credit Union positively impacting the community?
I have the honor of leading Cy-Fair Federal Credit Union, a not-for-profit financial institution owned by our account holders. Our organizational vision statement is to; “Write good into the life stories of those around us.” While the actual vocabulary of that vision is only about five years old, the underlying values of empathy, community engagement, and recognizing that every person has a story that we can positively impact with intentionality and kindness… that has been a part of CFFCU from the very beginning. This is what makes Cy-Fair FCU such a positive force for good in our community.
What is your favorite thing about living/working in Cypress?
Cypress is a BIG area with a lot of people, but it has some wonderful qualities that feel like a small town. My kids and I have said repeatedly over the last eleven years, moving to Cypress changed our lives in so many positive ways. After eleven years in Cypress and at Cy-Fair FCU, my favorite thing about living and working here is that I no longer know where the credit union’s vision and my own personal vision diverge. They’ve become one and the same…to write good into the life stories of those around us.
We extend a special thanks to Paul Miller and The Union Kitchen Towne Lake Boardwalk for hosting our photoshoot. TheUnionKitchen.com