Published: October 01, 2008 12:35 am      

Going global: Lessons learned at PHS helped jumpstart career

Where are they now? feature

A small-town education did big things for Palestine High School 1976 graduate Marcus Lee, who is celebrating his recent promotion to Director of Global Branding within a multi-billion dollar insurance company.

Lee was a student at Palestine Independent School District from the fourth through 12th grades, graduating third in his class and as the top male student academically.

He earned his bachelor’s degree from Stephen F. Austin State University in 1981 and, after several years in the marketing business, was recruited by the Argo Group, a publicly traded international insurance and reinsurance specialty underwriter.

“We have office locations throughout the United States, our reinsurance division is based in Bermuda and we have a Lloyd’s syndicate in London,” he said.

Lee was promoted to his current title after just over three years with the company, and is currently taking the organization through a complete corporate identity transformation to keep pace with Argo Group’s rapid expansion into worldwide underwriting and financial markets.

“Last year, we merged with a company and also made some key acquisitions of a few others,” Lee said. “It was the right time to re-brand this newly transformed enterprise.

“I was promoted to coordinate this effort and, in going forward, to ensure the integrity of our brand,” he explained. “My team and I have changed the name and logo symbol, re-branded all of the company’s Web sites, launched an international print advertising campaign, have coordinated an aggressive media relations campaign and put a great deal of effort into employee training programs of our ‘new’ company.”

Some of the other traditional projects Lee oversees are the annual report, investor relations materials, the company’s three major corporate events including the annual conference and the individual marketing plans and Web sites for its 10 operating companies.

“Also, every time Argo Group makes another acquisition, my team and I are entrusted with converting and integrating that new company into the global brand system,” he said.

Lee’s favorite part of his job is playing on an international level.

“It has expanded my view of the world and I am very comfortable being a citizen of the world,” he said. “I have a desk in San Antonio, one in Bermuda and one in London.

“I enjoy the travel, have met some incredible people and been exposed to fantastic cultures and beautiful places,” he added. “I also like the fact that I am challenged to use all of my talents — creativity, leadership, communication skills, conceptual strategy, execution and a hard work ethic.”

Lee has no regrets about attending school at Palestine, and feels that the education he got there only aided in his success.

“I am very happy that PHS was the size it was — large enough to get the benefits of a big school and a good education but small enough to know everyone,” he said. “I always felt safe, supported and rewarded all through my school years in Palestine.”

While attending PHS, Lee played varsity tennis, was a member of the National Honor Society, was in the school choir and played the lead in the high school musical, The Music Man. He was voted most talented, working on the yearbook staff and drawing editorial cartoons for the school paper.

“I was very active with First Baptist Church in high school,” he added. “Although not through PHS, I took private art lessons from grades 4 through 12.”

Lee’s favorite teacher was tennis coach and eighth grade world history teacher Marley Styner.

“He was stern and strict but made the subject interesting and vibrant,” Lee said about Styner. “Even today, I have retained many facts and dates from his class.

“It’s funny how that knowledge comes back around,” he added. “Since I have begun to work around different parts of the world, I am visiting the places he taught us about.

“London, in particular, is replete with historical places and thanks to Mr. Styner I appreciate them more than maybe I would have otherwise.”

Lee reported enjoying all his classes at PHS, but was particularly interested in math and English, the knowledge from which has come back around in his current career.

“Much of what I do is both an art and a science, requiring creativity and communication skills but also tied to metrics, strategies and formulas,” he said. “A quirky thing about me was that I loved the grammar part of English as much as literature. I actually enjoyed diagramming sentences.

“And once again, this has paid off,” he continued. “When I’m working on projects like the company’s annual report, it’s fairly career-threatening to let a grammatical error slip through when writing the Chairman’s letter to the shareholders.”

While he liked everyone in his class, Lee said that most of his high school friends were those he attended church with and were usually older or younger than himself.

“David, Dan and Darryl Stevens were, and still are, good friends,” he said. “I had a crush on Susie Nichols but, of course, who didn’t?”

One of his very best friends, he said, was Jill (Herod) Harris, who later became assistant principal at PHS.

“She passed away a few years ago prematurely and it was a great loss for the entire community,” Lee said. “She was a wonderful person and I know that many people in Palestine and at the high school still remember her humor and kindness.”

Lee’s parents, John and Mary Lee, still live in Palestine as does one sister and one niece. He tries to come home four to five times a year and enjoys visiting the old haunts of his teenage years and remembering the simple fun he had back in the day.

“I’m very proud to be from Palestine,” Lee said. “I think I am grounded, well-rounded and still have those simple values I learned there: integrity, honesty, kindness, optimism and the ability to still have a great deal of fun without much outside influence.

“In Palestine I learned to make friends, keep friends and be a good friend.”

Outside of work, Lee still plays tennis, paints and rides his bike through the Hill Country. He enjoys writing and being with family and good friends.

“Travel will always be a big part of my life, too.” he said. “My big dream is to see all four of the tennis grand slam events — I've ticked the U.S. Open off my list but hope to visit Wimbledon, Roland Garros and Rod Laver Stadium one day.”

In passing on wisdom to future Palestine graduates, Marcus advises that students learn to speak and write correctly, to work hard and expect to pay their dues.

“Frankly, you just will not excel to the top levels in the corporate world if you do not learn to speak and write correctly,” he explained. “E-mail/text message acronyms are culturally fun, but young people are beginning to think it is okay to let that vernacular roll over into formal communications.”

In his career, Lee has done everything and oftentimes not always so glamorous things when “paying his dues,” including washing tires on a bus for a photo shoot, building an entire parade float by himself overnight for one of his ad agency’s accounts and fetching for the rich and famous.

“I see a frustrating attitude with young people we hire out of school and our interns,” Lee said. “They expect an awful lot walking in the door and are not willing to work as hard as they need to.

“Pay your dues, folks, before you begin to expect any payoff. Do what you have to do.”

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To submit ideas for “Where are they now?,” contact Mary Rainwater at mrainwater@palestineherald.com or call 903-729-0281.