Celebrating Father’s Day with Austin FC and Kendra Scott
As we honor dads this June, we spoke with Austin FC defender, Brendan Hines-Ike, and Kendra Scott CEO, Tom Nolan, about how they each approach the role of fatherhood
Happy Father’s Day! In light of honoring the dads of Austin, long-time partners Austin FC and Kendra Scott celebrated Father’s Day together with a surprise-and-delight campaign for deserving fathers. At the home game on May 28, Kendra Scott surprised a handful of dads with gifts. From there, Austin FC’s Brendan Hines-Ike surprised fans with a video on the importance of being a father, a social delight.
We wanted to learn more about Brendan and his family, so we spoke with him, as well as Tom Nolan, the CEO of Kendra Scott, about their approaches to fatherhood.
Q&A with Brendan Hines-Ike, FC Austin Player
Brendan Hines-Ike is a 29-year-old defender, originally from Denver, Colorado, who joined Austin FC in February 2024. Prior to his time with Austin FC, he played three seasons of collegiate soccer with Creighton University and one for the University of South Florida. Brendan began his professional career in the Swedish Allsvenskan with Örebro SK in 2016. Brendan had his first goal contribution since joining Austin FC on May 25th against San Jose Earthquakes, earning him Major League Soccer (MLS) Team of the Matchday bench for his role in the team’s 1-1 away draw, his first Team of the Matchday honor of 2024.
How do you best balance your time on the field and off with family?
I treat the balance as two different lives. I have my professional life with soccer, and as soon as I get the job done, I go home to my personal life, which is a role I take more seriously: being a father and husband. I try not to overlap the two and not let one get in the way of the other. By keeping them separate, it allows me to do the two roles the best way I can.
What is your favorite family activity in Austin?
We went to Barton Springs for the first time this last weekend, which was a new experience for our family. My daughter enjoyed the hot temperatures combined with the cold water. Our go-to is the pool next to our house, where we spend hours during the afternoon.
Austin is often voted a great place to raise a family. In your opinion, what makes Austin such a great place to raise kids?
Diversity. As parents, we want our daughter to be exposed to people from all over the world. We want her to understand that people have diverse backgrounds and upbringings and learn how to get along with others. It is important for her to know she can be herself and unapologetic when she is around people who are different from her. We noticed that as soon as we moved to Austin, we loved it from that standpoint.
Q&A with Tom Nolan, CEO of Kendra Scott
Tom Nolan is the CEO of Austin-based fashion-meets-philanthropy lifestyle brand Kendra Scott. His role as CEO allows him to continue managing the business and strategy while integrating the brand’s core pillars of fashion, family, and philanthropy into every consumer touchpoint. Tom received his MBA from The University of North Carolina’s Kenan-Flagler Business School and holds a BA in Business, Finance, and Communications from Fordham University, where he played baseball and golf. He currently resides in Austin with his wife, Alexandra, and four children and was Austin Business Journal’s 2023 Best CEO Awards winner.
How do you best balance your time in the office and off with family?
Operating as CEO of Kendra Scott leaves little downtime, but the moments I do get, I dedicate completely to my wife and kids. Whether it’s going to dinner, attending my son’s golf tournaments, or simply enjoying a night in with the family, I cherish these times.
What is your favorite family activity in Austin?
Having four kids of varying ages is hard, so whenever we’re all together, it’s a win. Recently, we’ve been taking our daughters to catch their favorite artists at Moody Center, and we’ve really enjoyed that. Truthfully, it doesn’t matter where we are or what we’re doing; I just love being with my family.
Austin is often voted a great place to raise a family. In your opinion, what makes Austin such a great place to raise kids?
Austin is an incredibly vibrant city with so much to offer—from hiking to spending time at the lake to catching a comedy show to exploring diverse culinary options, there’s something for everyone. My family and I have called Austin home for the past eight years, and it has truly become our home away from home.
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