Steve Gamel

Cooper Middleton has always had a passion for bees. When he was 5 years old, he eagerly stood side-by-side with his grandpa, Bob Traill, who had a staggering 16 hives on his Argyle property and seemingly knew everything there was to know about beekeeping. Every day, they'd suit up and wander out to the hives together, add and rotate frames, check brood patterns, maintain equipment, and even harvest, filter, and bottle sweet honey.

From 1980 to 1983, Carrico, a former investment banker who'd moved his family from Michigan to Texas in 1974, was Double Oak's sixth Mayor. For nearly three months during that stint, he was also the Chief of Police and the Town Judge.

Dr. Audrie Ousley and longtime optician Jackie Elliott have fitted more than their fair share of customers with reasonably priced, high-quality eyewear over the years. And if there's been one piece of feedback they and their staff at Ousley Vision hear time and again, it's that while people appreciate exceptional vision, they love pairing it with the perfect frames.

Some of Spencer Dupré's earliest childhood memories were of him occasionally tagging along with his mother at work. Mom was a busy pharmacist, so it wasn't out of the ordinary for them to be in hospital settings for various appointments. Spencer certainly wasn't overwhelmed by the environment, and he knew how to stay out of the way while the grown-ups cared for their patients. But as he took in his surroundings, he couldn't help but notice how no one looked like they really wanted to be there.

Flower Mound resident Yves Lafortune has competed in his fair share of Ironman events, 100-mile runs, and national-level triathlons over the years. And if you ask him if he plans to do more, he wouldn't hesitate to say yes. Clearly, the challenge isn't finding the passion or commitment to keep going. As a lifelong athlete, he's got plenty of that and then some.

Many would say Blake Terry had it made. Before jumping into the health insurance industry and opening his own firm six years ago, he spent nearly 20 years managing golf courses. That's right—every day, his office consisted of rolling fairways, perfectly manicured greens, long, friendly chats with course members in the pro shop, and some of the most scenic views imaginable.

If there were ever a stereotypical name for a hometown podiatrist, Dr. William Stephens may have it. The longtime Justin native and proud owner of Arise Foot and Ankle has the kind of name you'd expect to see on the front door of a cookie-cutter medical practice, complete with sterile walls, framed foot and ankle diagrams, and a doctor in a white coat and sensible shoes.

That's what Flower Mound residents Ryan and Steven Lair found out when their dad recently attended a group dinner event at Lewisville Lighthouse Church. During a conversation with the pastor Richard Brunson, he noticed the aging Formica kitchen countertops and suggested transforming the space with architectural surface films that replicate the look and feel of premium materials like granite.

Jason HeLal didn't stumble into the insurance game. Quite the contrary, he majored in it at UNT—knowing full well that helping friends, neighbors and everyone in between find the right insurance for their needs was exactly where he belonged.