About Candidate Ken Mathews

I bring a lifetime of real-world experience leading organizations large and small, always with a focus on accountability, efficiency, and results. My career spans from running small private businesses—where every dollar mattered and payroll had to be met week to week—to holding full operational responsibility for a multibillion-dollar-per-year global enterprise headquartered in Germany.
 

My work ethic was shaped early. At just 14 years old, I went to work to help support my family while my father battled cancer, a fight he tragically lost the following year. Throughout junior high and high school, I attended school during the day while working a full-time night job and two part-time jobs on evenings and weekends to help keep the household afloat. I worked as a cook at McDonald’s, cleaned and operated a full-service gas station overnight, and held retail jobs at Kmart and RadioShack. No task or job was beneath me, and I still believe today that we should never ask someone else to do a job we wouldn't do ourselves...
 

After high school, college was not immediately financially possible, so I enlisted in the military reserves. Upon returning from training, I enrolled in the police academy and began my career in law enforcement. To support my family, I worked extra overnight security assignments while serving as a police officer. My law enforcement career took me through local, state, and federal roles, where I saw firsthand both the best and worst of human behavior—and gained a deep understanding of public safety, government systems, and the importance of sound leadership.
 

I later returned to college, earning degrees in Public Administration and Urban Studies, followed by advanced degrees in Business Administration and Criminology.
 

Eventually, I transitioned to the private sector, managing a nationwide security services company and discovering a passion for information technology. I went on to develop software used for emergency services dispatching and real-time vehicle tracking. That technology was acquired by IBM, which also brought me on to lead the team. The division was later sold to a global German firm, where I led international teams and operations for more than a decade.
 

After leaving that organization, I founded three Texas-based small businesses focused on information technology, video surveillance, and security services. While I remain the owner, I have stepped away from day-to-day operations to focus fully on this campaign.
 

Volunteering & Community Service
Service to others has always been a core part of my life. Since junior high, I have volunteered with youth programs, special-needs and foster shelters, Christian ministry outreach, and elder-care advocacy. I have taught reading, math, and religious studies to inmates in state and local jails—working with individuals committed to choosing a better path forward.
I have also been an active member of several community service organizations, including Kiwanis International and Volunteers of America.