Today we’d like to introduce you to Hang Bower.
Hang, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
My life story begins with my mom and dad escaping from Saigon in 1975 when I was six months old and my sister was a year older. We stayed with family until we could be reunited with our parents and brother.
My story, as it relates to my career, begins with how my family has always stressed the importance of education, working hard and self-reliance. Our mom passed away when I was 15 years old, and my brother, sister and I each worked two to three jobs while we were in high school, college and while in graduate school for living expenses and to pay for school. We truly learned the value of living each day to the fullest.
After graduating with my B.A. degree in biology from The University of Texas and while pursuing my M.A. degree in human resources management from The University of Houston, my regional vice president created a hybrid role for me in human resources and management. After 10 years at Luxottica Retail, I was recruited to Brinker International as one of their regional human resources managers. I then went onto a top 5 consulting and accounting firm for the next seven years and became the Chief Human Resources Officer and Diversity Chair.
Following my departure from industry roles, I found that I love serving clients on all things business and people related. I now serve clients as co-owner and partner at Ethos Consulting LC, a talent management and executive search firm.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I have been incredibly fortunate to have incredible mentors who helped me along this journey. Even with a lot of support and help, the road has not always been smooth. My biggest advice is to trust your gut instincts. When something does not feel right, gather data, ask more questions, seek advice (even when it is hard to hear), and then make informed decisions. You can still be nice while asking questions and asking for additional information!
I am grateful for the strong women who helped me find a voice throughout my career. They were there and made it a very safe place to share fears and worries and also there when we needed to jump into action.
Please tell us about Ethos Consulting LC.
I love my work because I get to focus on helping clients achieve their goals. Day-to-day, I get to talk to clients about their lives, career moves, company moves, organizational structures, what are they trying to achieve, how could we make it better, what does the future look like, what should it look like, etc.
I am most proud of being able to work with people who truly want to make a difference in the community and in their companies. I specialize in finding unique matches for positions for my clients. Clients tell me I am different and known for truly caring about who they are, what their goals are and continuous connections. I have known some of my colleagues and clients for decades – some from my first internship 25+ years ago.
Are there any apps, books, podcasts or other resources that you’ve benefited from using?
There are so many resources that have helped me – frankly, too many to list. I read a lot and daily. One book that helped me during a difficult time was Antonio Damasio’s (2003) Looking for Spinoza: Joy, Sorrow, and the Feeling Brain.
Damasio’s presentation of the importance of knowing the differences and relatedness between emotions and feelings is brilliantly illustrated. I found it to be an extremely worthwhile read to those interested in the biological, intellectual, and emotional makeup of human beings.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.ethospractice.com
- Phone: 2812228967
- Email: hbower@ethospractice.com
Image Credit:
Eugene Drake
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