Though best known for being the CEO of Energy Transfer Partners, there’s a lot more to Kelcy Warren than his public persona, and it starts with his childhood.

Kelcy Warren was born in the small town of Gladewater, Texas in 1955. The son of a ditchdigger and the youngest of four boys, he didn’t have a lot of money growing up, but his family was a peaceful one. His father was an involved parent who went to his children’s football games. His mother was a local Boy Scout leader, and she made sure to instill good values in not just her own sons but every child who passed through her door. For example, she had personally never received her high school diploma, so she emphasized the importance of education to everyone.

The Warrens were also a churchgoing family. “If the church doors were open, we went in,” Kelcy has commented. They attended Baptist Church several times per week and twice on Sundays.

One area where the family struggled was money. Despite living frugally, they were still a household with four growing boys, so they never had quite enough to live comfortably. Kelcy began taking on odd jobs by the age of 12. Kelcy’s father even took on a second job delivering newspapers in the early hours of the morning.

Eventually, through hard work and self-discipline, Kelcy Warren was able to rise up beyond his family’s circumstances. He made good grades and was accepted into the University of Texas at Arlington in their engineering program. He started dabbling in energy-related businesses. Over time, he became the chief executive officer (CEO) of Energy Transfer Partners, a position that he still holds today.

Kelcy Warren is proof that you can overcome the odds with the right mindset, the right values, and the right direction in life. See related link for additional information.

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