Situated closely between Downtown and the familiar neighborhood of Lakewood, sits the Swiss Avenue Historic District. Boasting beautiful early 20th century architecture and a history as rich as its residents, this district is a sight to behold.
As I travelled through Old East Dallas, eventually making the turn into a corner lot on Swiss Avenue, that exemplified elegance with its wide outdoor steps leading to the front door and a plentiful array of front facing windows illuminating natural light into the foyer, I was
greeted by the owners of this beautiful home, John and Elise Willding (while - ding).
Both successful by all metrics in their respective careers, I had scheduled time to sit and learn more about John (henceforth referred to as Willding), and his time as a corporate securities attorney in Dallas. I was searching to discover how the upbringing and experiences of his time in the military, education from universities like Southern Methodist (SMU), Rutgers, and Harvard, and connection to powerful business leaders paved a way for him to grow into one of the best deals attorney's in the state.
The Background
Willding has strong ties to Dallas, despite having traveled to five continents and nearly forty countries throughout his life. He was born and raised in the Dallas area, receiving his early childhood education within the Dallas Independent School District before enlisting in the United States Army immediately out of high school.
"I attribute a lot to my parents. I had older parents, and so there was one generation removed from the greatest era and the greatest people, so I grew up very patriotic."
It's evident in speaking to Willding that the patriotism he garnered at an early age blossomed into a sense of loyalty as a working professional. That loyalty shines through in the way he describes his alma maters, clients, and political party.
After serving as an active duty member of the U.S. Army, Willding would attend SMU, which he described as the nicest school he'd ever seen, before receiving a scholarship to attend Rutger's law school in New Jersey.
While attending law school, Willding remembers the keen interest he took in having to argue both sides of a case. He recalled this as a defining moment in his life, as it provided him the opportunity to learn about recognizing perspectives from opposing point of views.
"I think that we're so divided in this country now because people don't ever try to think about it from the other point of view."
During his law school days, there was no abundance of free time, as Willding took full advantage of the vast array of educational programs that the Northeast had to offer. While still serving in the Army reserves and attending law school full time, Willding would take the train 7 hours to Massachusetts where he took night classes as part of Harvard's Public Policy graduate degree program.
A few years later, Willding would eventually graduate with his law degree from Rutgers and his Master of Liberal Arts with a concentration in Public Policy from Harvard University, before heading back to Dallas to embark on the beginning of an illustrious career as an attorney.
Life as a Lawyer
"I'm a deal lawyer, I help people buy and sell companies," Willding exclaimed as I asked about his professional career.
It's evident through speaking with Willding that his job encompasses so much more. From advising boards of directors on their fiduciary duties, to setting up investment trusts, and yes - buying and selling companies - Willding has done it all over his twenty-three years as a corporate attorney.
"I try to be authentic in everything I do. I think that whether people like me or don't like me in my profession, I believe they respect me because I don't make statements based on whether I think its going to be better for me and my career or a particular audience. I just try to think about the question and answer honestly."
As someone running their own business (small as it may be) I was particularly interested in the value he brings to his client's entrepreneurial ventures. Willding often finds his workdays being vastly different from those prior as, at its core, his role is to be an expert and consultant to any challenge or opportunity a business is confronted with.
Some of the best advice shared by Willding was in regard to how young professionals can open up new doors by expanding their network. In an unorthodox yet brilliant way, Willding elevated his career at a faster pace than his peers by starting his monthly networking event "Last Tuesday at the Ritz."
Early on as an attorney in big-law, it's not uncommon that you're working long hours, deep in the weeds of legal documents or financial deal analysis. However, Willding recognized an opportunity during this period of his life. He believed that if he could make his partner's life easier by bringing work to the firm as a young associate, that he would be rewarded for it down the line.
"Last Tuesday at the Ritz" was Willding's successful attempt at meeting friends, co-workers and future clients that he could bring to his firm. For twenty-three years and counting Willding has hosted a happy hour on the last Tuesday of every month at the Ritz-Carlton in Dallas. An event with only three rules - no sponsors, speeches or nametags.
Willding describes it as a rewarding experience for both himself and those that join. A comfortable and amiable environment that allows professionals to mingle and enjoy light conversation that could turn into opportunities down the road.
Loyalty to Dallas
Born out of Texas oil money, Swiss Avenue, where John and Elise Willding reside, was the first paved road and first street to get electricity in Dallas. Most of the homes being constructed in the early 1900s, this street stands alone in Dallas with its historical status. Willding was proud to discuss the history that this landmark street offers.
In 1901, in Beaumont, TX, Spindletop oil was hit and created wealth that had never before existed in Texas. With that wealth, created Swiss Avenue. The first house being constructed in 1905 and the last the month the stock market collapsed in 1929. Five of the original owners of what is now ExxonMobil, Magnolia Oil, lived on Swiss Avenue.
Before beginning our interview, Willding graciously took me on a tour of his home while providing the history in every detail of his residence, which previously belonged to one of the original geologist of Magnolia Oil.
While entering the dining room, Willding candidly stopped and described to me how you can tell when a home was built before 1930. By quickly looking at the screws placed along the side of the doorframe, he explained how the common Phillips-head screwdriver wasn't invented until the early 1930s. This just further emphasizing the history of this 1914 home with it's flat-head screws.
As a reader, I caution you to not misconstrue the beauty of Willding's home as a product of an easy life or consistent wealth. Throughout our conversation, the dedication to his career and consistent work ethic were evident and certainly the root of his success.
"I had no money - at all. I went to college on the GI bill. I got a full academic scholarship to Rutgers. I paid for my Harvard education on my credit card."
After 20 years of consistent payments, only then, was Willding free from the burdens of student loan repayment - a major challenge he sees as part of our education system.
Dedication to Country
Having recently returned from a trip to the Republican National Convention, prior to our interview, Willding had top of mind his opinion on all the forces shaping our country. In a refreshing and insightful manner, Willding described his reasons for being such a vocal and steadfast Republican.
Democrats such as Bill Clinton and Barrack Obama previously garnered the support and vote of Willding, but over recent years, his experience as an attorney illuminated through as he decided to take a more objective approach to the problems facing our country.
"Our country is in decline and our country is suffering from it. I think of America in the modern day as being the foundation of the world and if the world is the brick and mortar then it's dependent on the foundation."
Having worked extensively with the Trump family's businesses over the years, Willding exclaimed his support for the 2024 Presidential candidate and hopes that his policies and dedication to country shine through in his words and actions through the rest of the campaign. More than anything, Willding hopes for all U.S. citizens to be well-read and well-informed as they head to the polls this November.
The conflict occurring throughout the world such as Israel/Hamas and Ukraine/Russia are of particular interest for Willding, as he believes that it's previously been America's responsibility to provide stability in times of war.
"We benefit so greatly from the sacrifices that my father, my brother, and so many great American patriots [did by] putting their lives on the line. It's unthinkably difficult what they did so that they could free the world. It gave America a standing in the world that we don't have anymore."
What Is John Willding Thinking About
Of the many challenges facing our country, Willding shared a few that are top of mind for him each day.
The first of these being the ever-increasing intrusion of artificial intelligence in our daily lives. He described his prediction of a future where children turn to their computer for an unverified answer generated by a machine in defiance of their parents instructions.
In a similar breath, Willding believes the ability for big tech companies to censor the free speech of individuals on their platforms will continue to play a major role in the division of our democracy.
He mentioned that however Machiavellian it may seem, the government and big tech are likely working together in many regards. Leaving American citizens in a continuing state of distrust. What does it really mean if we bring tech leaders to Capitol Hill and no consequences are enacted as a result?
Wrapping Up
During my conversations with Willding, I felt like I was constantly learning something new. His high level of intelligence coupled with his friendly and approachable demeanor leave no question as to why he's become such a successful individual.
At the root of all of the education and career aspirations, lie a family man who enjoys going to church with his wife on Sundays followed by a round of golf at his favorite course. Time spent with his nieces and nephews are regarded as his favorite times of the week and he loves to relax with a good read - usually about an ongoing development in the political world.
Willding mentioned during the interview that he would be remiss not to give credit to his wife, Elise. He exclaimed how,
"She is an engineer, a Harvard MBA, sings in the Highland Park Methodist choir, works in private equity and maintains multiple entrepreneurial ventures."
I aspire to have a sense of self and a confidence like that of John Willding. The invitation to his home made the interview that much more special and I thank him for the warm welcome. Lastly, I appreciate the time he took to sit down and have a candid conversation with me about his journey and hope that the nuggets of wisdom nestled within this article shed light on an opportunity for someone else.
Vinny Hale
Awesome article and video interview! Thank you to Mr. Willding and his family for their service to our country. 😊