Meet Brian Loughmiller, Mayor of McKinney. Serving his second term as mayor of one of Money Magazine's "Best Cities in America," Loughmiller is passionate about helping the city of McKinney reach its full potential.
The mayor moved to McKinney in 1989 and is proud to reside in the city with his wife and three children. He is a lawyer and managing partner at the law firm Loughmiller Higgins P.C., a McKinney firm specializing in family law and has been deeply involved with various committees, initiatives, and nonprofits in the city. Loughmiller served on the McKinney City Council before taking the helm as mayor for the first time in 2009.
We wanted to get to know Mayor Loughmiller a bit better, and he was nice enough to answer some questions for us:
AW: McKinney is a growing, lively community. There is much to do and thousands of people to help make decisions for. What do you do to wind down?
BL: I have many activities that I like to do to unwind from my busy schedule. These include going to my son's activities when they do not conflict with other responsibilities. He plays lacrosse and is in the McKinney Boyd Band, so I try to attend UIL Band competitions and football games during marching season.
I like to read and usually go from one book to the next. I just finished reading Dan Brown's "Inferno." I have read all of the Grisham books, Ken Follet, etc. I like to be active. I ride bikes on weekends when the weather is nice with various groups including Lifetime Cycle group in Allen, Cadence in McKinney and North Texas Multi Sport out of McKinney. I also participate in triathlons that are held both in McKinney and outside of McKinney. I used to play golf quite a bit, but not as much anymore, given my other activities when I have free time.
AW: What is it that, in your opinion, makes McKinney stand out among surrounding communities?
BL: One of the things that sets us apart is our topography. McKinney has more rolling hills and natural terrain than our neighboring cities. We also have a truly unique and original historic downtown. Our sister cities have created town centers with a historic flair, but I believe our historic downtown is one of the best in the state if not the country.
AW: What do you hope will be the legacy of your time in office?
BL: I have not thought about a legacy for my time in office. I hope that people in McKinney, whether they agreed with me on individual issues or not, would know that I try to put the interests of the City as a whole first at all times in my service as mayor. I have been lucky to serve as mayor during [a time of] exponential growth and at a time when we are building new infrastructure, creating a business climate that has brought new corporate and other commercial growth to our city and yet at the same time preserving our historic charm and commitment to quality of life.
AW: What are your top three goals for the City in 2014?
BL: My top three goals for 2014 will be for the city council to formulate a plan for development in the northern section of our city, including developing a retail strategy. I also want to see meaningful progress on our business plan for development of the Corporate Center in Craig Ranch, the Hotel Conference Center and adjacent acreage on Gateway (presentations are being given on Jan. 27), continued business development at the airport and in our light industrial sector, and formalizing plans for our Aquatic Center project that will be coming in the next couple of years.
AW: Who do you ask for advice?
BL: I receive advice from many people—some that I ask and some that freely give advice even if not asked. My main confidant is my wife, Donna. My wife is very bright, and in a lot of ways, she has the pulse of the community as well with the activities she is involved in. I value her common sense and her support of my desire to volunteer in public service.
AW: What are you most proud of?
BL: I am most proud of my family. My daughter just graduated from University of Arkansas (a semester early, yeah!), my middle son is a freshman at Oklahoma State University studying engineering, and my son, Cameron, is at Boyd High School and has done well academically. He also participates in band and lacrosse. My wife has been an active volunteer in many organizations within the school district. She has also volunteered with our church in the past.
AW: What is the best thing a McKinney resident can do to help make the city better overall?
BL: The best thing that a resident can do to help make the city better overall is to volunteer and be involved. We have several nonprofits doing ongoing projects in McKinney appointed by the city council such as the McKinney Volunteer Center as well as church-sponsored activities like Habitat for Humanity that provide opportunities to better our community.
AW: Now for the serious stuff. Where’s your favorite place to grab a burger in town? Favorite place to shop?
BL:My favorite place to grab a burger is a tough one—there are many places with good food in McKinney. I do love Square Burger downtown for the food and atmosphere. My favorite place to shop is also tough because I do not shop a lot. I like Cadence Cyclery for things associated with my bike-riding. I like Nan Lee when looking for a gift for my wife. I also go to several other shops on the Square and along US-75, depending on what I am looking for. I like the clothes selections at Belk, for example.
AW: What's the last book you read?
BL: "Inferno" by Dan Brown
AW: Favorite song?
BL: Favorite song?! I like all types of music and do not really have a favorite. Again, depending on the circumstances. I like classic rock music and the Eagles, but I also like some country-western. When I am working on briefs for my law practice, I listen to instrumental and classical music, and when I run, I like to listen to upbeat music and in some cases, film scores, like from war movies.
To learn more about Mayor Loughmiller, click here.