Name & Graduation Year, Major/Minor:
Eric Cannon, 2006
Finance and Accounting double major

Who you are (describe what makes you you):
I’m a genuine person that calls it like I see it. I’m a believer in hard work and having fun while you do it. If you’re going to do something, be great at it!

Biggest accomplishment since graduation (career, community, personally):
My greatest accomplishment is my family. I have two sons who just turned 2 and 3 (yes, they are 12 months apart), and my incredible wife who is also a Horned Frog. There is nothing more important or rewarding than the privilege of becoming a husband and father.

My accomplishments within the community include having the opportunity to serve at Prestonwood Baptist Church as a member of the Prestonwood Foundation Board. Additionally, I recently accepted a board position with ServingHIM International Healthcare Ministry as their Treasurer.

My biggest career accomplishment was getting recognized by Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA) for my efforts in financial transparency in local government. I was invited to speak on that topic at the 2015 National Conference in Philadelphia.

Favorite thing about being a TCU alum:
My favorite thing about being a TCU alum is being part of the TCU community-it’s really a big family! The TCU community is such a tight network, and everyone is always willing to help each other out in any way they can. I really enjoy traveling for sporting events such as bowl games or the College World Series because the fans who support TCU by traveling to those games are the die-hards and they bleed purple. Those are my kind of people.

Favorite memory while in school at TCU:
I had entirely too much fun while attending TCU! The memories I made are too many to list. I enjoyed having professors that really cared and knew me as a person. I enjoyed being a member of Phi Gamma Delta fraternity. I enjoyed living in Fort Worth, and I enjoyed attending football and baseball games. I made lifelong friends and I met my wife-so I obviously did something right!

How has TCU prepared you for post-graduate life?
One of the things that I noticed when I entered the workplace as compared to my peers was the level of accountability I assumed for my work and performance. My professors at TCU had high expectations of our performance and weren’t shy about expressing them. They made sure we showed up on time, participated in class and discussions, and most importantly executed at our maximum capabilities. If we didn’t deliver the quality of work that was expected, our professors said something. You aren’t just a number at TCU—your professors know you by name and they care about you. That level of dedication and attention produces excellent results from the students, and then translates to the workplace.

What were some of your favorite things about campus and Fort Worth?
I grew up in a small country town outside of Austin, and it took about 10-15 minutes to get to the closest grocery store. I enjoyed living in Fort Worth because I got the best of both worlds—the amenities of a big city that still feels like a small town. The TCU campus was beautiful and just gets more impressive each year as something new is added or renovated. I walk through campus today and I am blown away—it makes me very proud and appreciative to know that the value of my degree is being well maintained.

How do you stay connected with TCU and what’s been some of the things about TCU that you have been most proud of since your graduation?
My wife and I are season ticket holders and can be found at every TCU home game. Attending TCU sporting events is definitely the way we stay connected most frequently. Something that makes me very proud of TCU is that even with a tremendous amount of success and notoriety with the growth of our Athletics program, our coaches and administration have remained true to their values and ethics. The standard for behavior from anyone representing the university makes me incredibly proud to be a Horned Frog.

Where can we find, follow and friend you (or your company)?
I’m the Chief Financial Officer for the City of Allen, we have a Council meeting on the 2nd and 4th Tuesdays of the month, so you can live stream the meeting online if you are into that kind of thing. Also, I make some special appearances of my wife’s lifestyle blog, Red Lips and Nails by Brianna Cannon, for a feature called Money Management Monday. Otherwise, you are welcome to connect with me on LinkedIn or follow me on Twitter (@TCU_Cannon) where I am always engaging in sports news.