Name: Tom Herod

Place of birth: Born in Slaton, Texas, near Lubbock.

Family: My daughter plays volleyball, runs track and has the lead (Buttercup) in the KidsActing production of “Princess Bride” is in the seventh grade at the Khabele School. My wife is an attorney in the Health Law Section of the University of Texas System’s Office of General Counsel.

Education: I have a bachelor of arts degree in government, a master’s in degree in film production from UT and was a Directing Fellow at the Center for Advance Film Studies at the American Film Institute in Los Angeles.

Occupation: I tell stories with words and pictures that move and entertain, or you could say that I help clients tell their stories using video and film production, from concept and script to screen.

What’s your career ambition? I’m doing it. Making films (or I guess today you would say digital images that move inform and entertain.

Civic or other nonprofit activities: I am a Girl Scout leader and an actor.

What qualities in people draw you to be their friend? I drink a mean cup of coffee (and enjoy craft beers a lot, too). If others share these interests, I’m gonna like ‘em.

What person do you feel had the biggest impact on the Westbank area and why? I think Dave Claunch is a super mayor.

The one thing I’d like to change about the Westbank is: Add some more lanes of traffic at the approach to Redbud Trail and Westlake Drive intersection, so cars can choose their direction long before getting to the stop sign. If everyone is turning left and you want to turn right (or vice versa) why have to wait on all those folks who are going a different direction than you?

Most significant or interesting job: Which of your civic-oriented accomplishments make you the proudest? As chairman of the West Lake HIlls Transportation Committee (no longer serving), we helped make sure sidewalks will be part of the Bee Cave expansion that is coming soon. All the girls in our Girl Scout troop earned their Bronze Award and are now working on their Silver Award during their middle school years (The Gold Award—Eagle Scout equivalent—will be earned in high school).

Excluding family members, who influenced you most and why? Rod Whitaker (author “Trevanian”) was an inspiring film professor at UT; Tony Velonni was also inspiring at AFI. Both taught me how to tell a story, to create dramas (and client films) that move and motivate people.

What is one interesting fact about you that people probably don’t know? I ran the New York City Marathon, two months after 9/11 took down the twin towers.

What is your fondest childhood memory? Playing Little League baseball on the team my dad coached. Oh, and breaking 40 for nine holes so my dad would get a new set of golf clubs. Or was it, fixing my first dinner for my mother when I was 6. It was instant jello, instant pudding and a can of green beans.

A bad habit I have is: Not answering questions succinctly and rambling on and on and on so that I never get to the point, or something like that. Or maybe it’s….

If the world were silent for 30 seconds and all ears were turned to you, what would you say? Love is the answer, no matter what the question. Play nice with each other.

My pet peeve is: People reaching adamant conclusions based on their point of view and prejudice without paying any attention to facts.

Most exciting or dangerous thing I’ve ever done: I rafted down the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon. No, that’s wrong – having a 13 year old daughter. That’s both exciting and dangerous.

If you were stranded on an uninhabited island, with no means of communication or escape, what is one item that you would you like to have? Water. Assuming there is water, then food. Assuming there is water and food, a good knife. Assuming I need no food, water, tools or shelter, some good sun tan lotion. Just teasing -probably a journal.

How would you like to be remembered? He was a good guy.