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rofessionalism and personality seem to be a perfect pairing for Lute Sullins, owner and broker of Tejas Real Estate in Gatesville, Texas. In the highly competitive field of real estate, high energy and customer service are important keystones to set any business apart. With an exuberance to conquer and make the most of life, faith, family and giving back to the community are Lute’s priorities. Lute has deep seeded roots in the area dating back to 1895 through a family ranch. Growing up, his parents, Ronnie and Sharon Sullins helped instill in him the importance of those roots, and the responsibility those deep connections to the community demand. His father and mother have been an integral part of the community in many ways and have helped Lute, through their own example to understand the importance of interpersonal relationships, which is something he prides himself on. After attending school in both Oglesby and Gatesville, Lute obtained a Bachelor’s Degree in Finance from Tarleton State University in 2010. With that degree, he planned to follow his father into banking. Lute’s father and three other community mainstays had purchased a bank, and Lute saw one of his biggest life influences flourishing in a respectable career. It seemed only natural, with finance degree in hand, to follow in the same career path as his father. Lute feels that his opportunity at Tejas Real Estate was nothing short of “divine intervention,” and is very thankful for a conversation he had with his dad. What began as a normal day, and a normal father and son conversation wound up being a huge turning point in Lute’s life. After working in the banking field for some time at both another bank and later his dad’s, Lute recalls his father noticed he didn’t seem as happy as he could possibly be. Lute says, “it didn’t feel like banking was my calling.” He and his dad talked about the idea that at times, life may change one’s intended directions. His dad relayed that even himself had began school for a veterinarian degree, and that wasn’t his own calling. He made necessary changes along the way which meant later in life he ended up in banking. Lute could actually find himself on the same path, going to school for finance and ending up making a change to a different career as well. Lute had always had an interest in real estate after a college course sparked his interest, and his father happened to mention a family friend, Gaye Sadler, had mentioned to him that she was considering selling her real estate busi4 Our Hometowns | Volume 2 Issue 3
