River City Six – Kim Rowell
Meet Kim Rowell, vice president of Cox Communications (www.cox.com).
Tell us a little about your business.
For our residential customers, Cox Communications enables life’s most important connections by providing internet, video, voice, and Homelife products and services. For our business customers, Cox Business and Cox Media provide business solutions, managed cloud services, internet, voice, video, and marketing and advertising solutions, so that they can focus on their core business growth and success.
How did you get started in the business?
My undergraduate degree is in electrical engineering. I was one of about 10 women in my graduating class. The university I attended also had a great recruiting program. The semester before graduation, I had four job offers. At the time, I chose the offer and company that provided the most diversity of roles, the greatest growth potential, was based in technology and was well established and financially stable. At the time, it also didn’t hurt that my dad, his cousin and an uncle were also in the telecommunications industry.
Tell us a little about your family.
My husband Bill and I have been happily married for 27 years. While we were not blessed with children, we have five amazing nieces that are an integral part of our lives. We are so proud of all of them! My sister Susan and her husband Jeff live in Kansas City. My parents, Mike and Nancy, live in Excelsior Springs, MO. Bill’s brother Doug, his wife Kathlyn, and two of our nieces live in Indian Trail, NC.
What is your favorite thing to do on a day off?
We love all types of outdoor activities—hiking, biking, golf, just anything that keeps us moving! I also love yoga and Pilates; Bill doesn’t have the same fondness for these activities that I do.
What is your favorite quote or the best piece of advice you’ve ever received?
My favorite quote is by Dr. Maya Angelou, “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” I try and live by this quote.
If you could choose only one descriptive word to be remembered as, what would it be?
Integrity.
If you could choose any other profession to be successful in, what would it be?
Either a teacher or health care professional. Both professions require selflessness, a view greater than your own, compassion and continual learning. They require the giving of yourself to create or provide for the greater good.
What is your favorite book or the last good book you read?
I love to read. One of my favorite books is The Red Tent by Anita Diamant. I just finished reading, The Alice Network by Kate Quinn and am currently reading Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln by Doris Kearns Goodwin.
What is your favorite movie?
My Fair Lady, the original from 1964 with Audrey Hepburn.
What is your favorite TV show?
There are so many out there right now. I’m going to go with The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. It’s smart, funny and slightly irreverent. I can’t wait to binge-watch season 4, which like many other things in 2020 has been delayed because of the pandemic.
If you could have dinner with one famous person from the past or present, who would it be?
I would rather have a dinner party and invite several from the past and present, to discuss current social issues and injustices in hopes of finding some potential solutions.
If our readers would like to contact you, how should they do so?
(402) 943-1179; kim.rowell@cox.com; www.cox.com.