Dustin Carlyle Earnest

age: 30 | Chief Financial Officer | Tri-State Iron and Metal Company

Dustin Earnest is a true family man. “As a father of two energetic young boys, Callaway and Carlyle, my interests and activities are limited in scope but grand in enjoyment,” he laughed. “My primary hobbies include rolling around on the playroom floor with my boys while teaching them how to do puzzles, building train tracks, and constructing obstacles for toy jeeps to climb. Activities like 4:30 a.m. workouts and Wednesday date nights allow me to spend dedicated time with my beautiful wife, Britt. We both also share a special interest in our faith. My wife and I teach our Sunday school class together, which has been a blessing for our spiritual growth and maturity.”

In addition to co-teaching at Sunday school, Dustin serves his church, Williams Memorial United Methodist, in other ways, including as a board member for the Williams School. He also volunteers with the church’s Community Cafe, a twice- monthly event that feeds hungry people in the area. Outside the church doors, Dustin is the Texas Exes Texarkana Chapter’s President-Elect. He has also been chosen as a Celebrity Artist for next year’s Women of the Arts Party with Picassos. 

Best advice you’ve ever received:

“THIS IS THE BEGINNING OF A NEW DAY. YOU HAVE BEEN GIVEN THIS DAY TO USE AS YOU WILL. YOU CAN WASTE IT OR USE IT FOR GOOD. WHAT YOU DO TODAY IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE YOU ARE EXCHANGING A DAY OF YOUR LIFE FOR IT. WHEN TOMORROW COMES, THIS DAY WILL BE GONE FOREVER; IN ITS PLACE IS SOMETHING THAT YOU HAVE LEFT BEHIND... LET IT BE SOMETHING GOOD.” —COACH MACK BROWN GAVE EVERY PLAYER A LAMENTED CARD TO PUT IN THEIR WALLET WITH THIS QUOTE FROM AN UNKNOWN AUTHOR

Far from a stay-at-home parent or full-time volunteer, Dustin spends his weekdays at his job as CFO of Tri- State Iron and Metal, a career he finds deeply satisfying. “I enjoy analyzing how things work and building well designed things,” he explained. “In my role, I have the opportunity to use my expertise to analyze and refine structures or processes for the purpose of advancing the company’s goals. Understanding a company and having the ability to make positive changes is very fulfilling.”

Looking to the future, Dustin is excited to see his children grow up. “I look forward to coaching their sports teams and helping them with school projects,” he said. He dreams of family volunteer projects in the community as well as mission trips abroad. Individually, Dustin hopes to become more involved in local and state governmental bodies. And, if things ever slow down, he’d like to work on his golf game. 

Name something about you that very few people know:

“I played football but am allergic to grass, and I now work in the metal industry but am allergic to nickel.”