Guest exits board

Outgoing WISD Board President Mike Guest holds a plaque in his honor with his wife, Shannon, and family at the April 20 WISD Board of Trustees meeting, his final as president.

Melissa Winn/The Community News

And for 12 years, that shaped how he approached each agenda item. 

On Monday, April 20, he led with his heart one last time, and said goodbye to board members, staff, and the community with his family by his side. 

“If you’re wondering what I’ll be doing, this is it right here,” Guest told the audience as he held his grandson, who hugged him tightly around the neck.

Prior to his final meeting, Guest said in a phone interview that he never planned on serving for as long as he did but that it was his “honor” to do so. 

“I always felt that God was calling me to do it as kids have always been our focus,” Guest said of he and his wife, Shannon. “But it’s time to let the next generation take over and continue to lead us.”

Guest was originally elected to the WISD board in 2014. He served under two superintendents — Dr. Jeffrey Hanks and Dr. Beau Rees — and helped pick Rees’ successor Dr. Sean Scott, who takes over in just a couple of months after Rees retires. 

“Beau has made an instrumental impact on my life and is one of the most amazing people that I have ever met in my life,” Guest said. “I am honored to be able to call him my friend.”

When asked what his proudest moment of his tenure was, Guest mentioned the district’s continued strong financial standing, boasting one of Texas’ lowest tax rates for a 6A district, its facilities and, most notably, its Career and Technical Education (CTE) program. 

“College is always key but we were missing an important group of students, I felt, by solely focusing on that,” he said. “As a manufacturing guy myself, it’s important to have the people to build things too and be able to make a good living doing it.”

Alpha Systems Manufacturers Representatives, of which Guest owns and is president of, represents several manufacturing companies across the U.S. 

His biggest disappointments? One was the failure of a total $189.3 million bond in November 2025 that would’ve lowered the tax rate, not raised it, had it passed, and given the district the ability to fund various projects. Another is the political narrative against public schools.

“With as good as we’d been as stewards of the taxpayers’ money, I’d have hoped we built enough trust to get it across the finish line,” he admitted. “But we serve at the pleasure of this community and their voices were heard.”

As for what’s next, Guest said he isn’t done serving the community but that he will take some time to figure out where he can do the most good before picking his path. 

“I was brought up with a servant’s heart and it’s never been about me,” he said. “I hope when all is said and done, though, that I’ve made a difference.”