TRIBEZA

Jack McDonald | Chairman & CEO, Perficient

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I guess you could say that Carla and I have a stormy relationship. But not in the way you might think. Rather, we were brought together by a big tropical storm that hit New York City in the fall of ’96. On the evening that Carla and I met, I was scheduled to join some friends after work at the Monkey Bar, a well-known watering hole in Midtown Manhattan that first opened in the 1930s. My office was just a few blocks away, so I trudged over through the wind and rain. My pals, on the other hand, were coming up from Wall Street, so they needed to take taxis, which were in short supply that night.

Thank goodness for tropical storms and scarce taxis! Because, as I waited that hour or so for my friends to arrive, I quite literally met the woman I’d been waiting for all my life.

Carla was out that night to console a friend who had just lost her job. As Carla and her friend stood there talking and I stood there waiting, our eyes met, and I had what I have to say was a primal response. I was hit by what the Sicilians call “the Thunderbolt.” And any allusion to that night’s stormy conditions is completely unintentional.

At the risk of sounding clichéd, for me it really was love at first sight. Her beauty bowled me over. But, then, when I discovered that she was also smart, funny, and down to earth, I was completely smitten. Well, one thing led to another that October evening. My friends eventually arrived and we all ended up having dinner together. After dinner, I walked Carla to the door of her apartment building (the storm clouds had parted) and then hopped in a cab and headed home. As soon as I walked in the door, I picked up the phone, called Carla, and told her I loved her. Crazy, right? Except that I knew it was true. And 12 years later I love her more than ever.

I always say I hit the jackpot that night. And those of you who know Carla know what I mean. She’s a very special woman. She’s a rare and remarkable combination of brains and beauty, strength and compassion, and sexiness and elegance. Her sense of style is legendary and she fills our life with beauty in too many ways to count. She has given us the most precious gifts, our two daughters, and I have watched in amazement as she has created for our girls a world of love and learning and possibility.

She’s also a savvy businessperson who achieved tremendous success first in the New York PR world and, for the last seven years, as the hardworking and successful founder of a thriving PR firm here. Regardless, Carla always finds time to be a strong and tireless advocate for people in need and an indefatigable fundraiser for a host of Austin’s nonprofit organizations. Whether it’s raising money for dropout recovery charter schools or offering to fund an emergency relief program for struggling Central Texas artists, Carla is always there.

In the time I have known Carla, I have never (never!) seen her refuse a friend’s request. Carla has been the subject of a number of stories in the press about her life, her career, her leadership role in our community. After each story, there are letters and e-mails from young women inspired by her example. She has always taken the time to reach out to these women and serve as a mentor. For these reasons and more, Carla is the love of my life, my best friend, and the first person to whom I turn for guidance and support.

Our love has grown stronger over time because it’s based on passion and partnership. We have both steam (the good kind!) and mutual respect. And it sure helps that we love talking to each other. To this day, I look forward to long drives with Carla to see friends or family in Houston or Dallas because it means two or three hours together just to talk.

I feel incredibly lucky to have met Carla. I cannot conceive of another person with whom life’s journey could be half as sweet. Being with her has changed my life—and I will never feel quite the same about love—or rainstorms—again. ■

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