Alan Tompkins, President, Board of Directors
I defy anyone to write a SHORT summary about Alan Tompkins, president of Pegasus Theatre’s Board of Directors. This talented man has so many facets that it’s virtually impossible to cram them all into one article. But I’ll give it a good try. (Be sure to read all the way to the end or you’ll miss the uber cool bluegrass music connection! See www.BluegrassHeritage.org or AlanTompkins.com for details.)
I’ll start with Alan’s most important role, that of devoted father to Jessica (a stunning, vivacious 5-year old, soon to be SIX, as she’ll tell you) and loving husband to Julie (a stunning, vivacious woman of an indeterminate youthful age). If you’ve seen them together, you’ve seen the depth of devotion that Alan has to his family.
And that’s pretty amazing, given how many other things vie for Alan’s time! He is a talented corporate lawyer and manager of legal affairs with an impressive 25+ year track record that includes:
- So many degrees I refuse to list them. And he’s a CPA.
- Multiple awards for excellence, including designation as a “Texas Super Lawyer” by Texas Monthly for several years running. He won’t show me his cape.
- Numerous publications in the SMU Law Review, the Journal of Business Strategy, the Journal of Accountancy, and Practical Accountant.
- Chairmanship of state and local bar sections.
- An adjunct professorship in business law and accounting at SMU for five years.
With such an intense legal career, Alan’s commitment to community service is even more impressive. He has served on or currently serves on no fewer than nine boards with missions ranging from crime to White Rock Lake to theatre. So we are truly blessed to have him as the president of Pegasus Theatre’s Board of Directors!
Alan started his tenure with Pegasus sometime in the 1990s, pouring cokes as a volunteer. But his talent is hard to hide, so it wasn’t long before he was invited to join our board. And it didn’t take long after that to see that he was perfect for the leadership slot. Alan has seen the theatre through a lot (financial struggles, the closing of our Main Street space, our rise from the ashes at The Eisemann Center), and his support has never wavered.
Then somewhere along the way, Alan discovered a new passion: bluegrass music. This has opened up a whole new world and a creative outlet for an entirely new talent! Highlights of Alan’s amazing bluegrass adventure include:
- Creating a new non-profit, the Bluegrass Heritage Foundation, whose mission is to preserve and promote the heritage of bluegrass music in America, especially Texas.
- Inspiring a loyal fan base to help him put on bluegrass music festivals across Texas, including annual festivals in Wylie and Farmers Branch, among others.
- Gaining national recognition for his festival work, his deep bluegrass connections, and his own musicianship on multiple instruments. He’s produced an album of his work, and if you ask nicely, you might get a copy!
- Hosting two weekly bluegrass radio programs on 95.3 FM, on Sundays from 10 am-noon and from 9-11 pm.
- Meeting so much bluegrass “royalty”, he should have a knighthood by now.
That’s Alan! And when you set aside all the rhetoric, at his core, he’s also just a good decent unpretentious guy with whom it is an honor to serve.
So check out his websites at AlanTompkins.com and BluegrassHeritage.org for more information. And if you ever get a chance to hear him play, grab it!