Meet Michael White, a previous student of Tice Elementary, Cunningham Middle School, and a 1997 graduate of North Shore High School. Michael grew up in the Pine Trails area. At the age of 17, while a student at North Shore High School, Michael was fortunate to encounter mentors who began cultivating his mindset, which led to the greatness he did not know existed. 

Michael’s strong work ethic coupled with his ambition has continually led him down a creative path. He landed his first job at 15, working at Sonic and then Sam’s Warehouse. At 19, Michael became a bank teller and, over the next five years, worked his way up to an officer in the treasury management department. He left the bank to begin his own business - a mobile car detail service. Michael did very well his first year as the boss; however, in March of 2005, he was introduced to the electricity deregulation industry and has not looked back.

 Michael has been a broker for 10 years in the electric deregulation industry. Today, his firm has grown into one of the most notable and innovative brokerages in Texas. He and his business partner currently have offices in Dallas, Fort Worth, Houston, Corpus Christi, McAllen, and Laredo. The company even has a presence in Philadelphia and New York. Additionally, the company owns a popular, growing lifestyle brand, Ready Every Second, which symbolizes living life and being ready when opportunity arises. He states his core belief is, “When preparation meets opportunity, it equals success.”

For years, Michael has wanted to give back to the community that gave so much to him, and now he can. He continually sees qualities in himself in teens who are searching for purpose in life, and he is grateful for the people who have made a difference in his life. In June, he opened a Mixed Martial Arts, Jiu-Jitsu, and fitness facility located on Woodforest Boulevard near Normandy. His goal is to raise champions from the east side of Houston. He believes becoming a champion in anything you do begins with the right mindset, which could be cultivated through MMA and Fitness. The gym's name is RISE MMA & Fitness, and it is located at 12730 Woodforest Blvd.

GPISD is very fortunate to have one of its own giving back to the community in such a dynamic way. We wish Michael continued success in his brokerage business and with RISE MMA & Fitness. We look forward to hearing all about his future!