The TCU Management Club invited Mayor Mattie Parker to campus to provide leadership insights, share the value of mentorship, and discuss Fort Worth’s growth as a regional business hub.
October 24, 2025
By TCU Neeley School of Business
The Neeley School of Business at Texas Christian University welcomed Fort Worth Mayor Mattie Parker for an evening conversation with the TCU Management Club, drawing students across campus to the Shaddock Auditorium to learn more about leadership from a key city executive.
Mayor Parker shared her personal leadership journey and a strategic vision for Fort Worth as an emerging business hub. The mayor discussed how Fort Worth maintains its character as a "big city with a small- town feel" while experiencing significant growth and development.
Throughout the conversation moderated by TCU Management Club President Wesley Hill, Parker emphasized the collaborative nature of municipal leadership, highlighting partnerships with TCU and other higher education institutions across the region. She stressed the importance of regional cooperation, noting that the success of surrounding cities contributes directly to Fort Worth's prosperity and the strength of the North Texas economy.
“I have attempted to start initiatives in our office that I think are long lasting well past my time as your mayor that will make sense in a transition, no matter who decides to lead the city in the future, or who is elected,” Parker said.
Those plans include expanding green spaces throughout Fort Worth and improving healthcare access for pregnant women to reduce infant mortality – efforts that align with the Burnett School of Medicine at TCU and a shared commitment to community wellness.
Hill said he was especially interested in Parker’s stories about her background of growing up in a small town, and the way Fort Worth embraces being a big city with the advantage of small town connections.
Parker credited mentors who shaped her leadership philosophy, including former Fort Worth Mayor Bob Bolen who taught her to "leave things better than you found them," and former Mayor Betsy Price, whom Parker served under in various capacities, including as chief of staff.
Parker closed with a message from her recent State of the City address: "Great cities aren't just built on roads, bridges and buildings, but on the stories of its people."
She emphasized that Fort Worth's continued development centers on honoring the narratives and experiences of its residents.
The TCU Management Club hosts monthly events featuring industry leaders, executives and public officials to provide students with insights into leadership and professional development.
