Member profile: Mary Massey, Volunteer Coordinator
Mary Massey, our new Volunteer Coordinator, has an amazing list of accomplishments, including everything from developing patents to road racing in her red Mazda Miata. She joined Impact San Antonio in 2020 and the board of directors in late 2021. Here’s what she has to say about her busy life and her involvement in Impact San Antonio.
How and when did you first hear about Impact San Antonio?
(Member) Jody Nash was introduced to me a few years ago when I began planning my career transition. I was looking for a corporate board position in the field of nutrigenetics, which is understanding genetic variations that affect the body’s response to different foods and nutrients. Jody and I had lunch together, and she told me about Impact SA, the most wonderful group of accomplished women.
Who or what inspired you to join?
Jody hosted me at Kickoff, and I was overwhelmed at the accomplishments of previous grant award winners. I vowed to become a member that evening. I love talking with others — friends, colleagues, family members — about the variety and importance of our grants.
What work have you done in Impact SA before becoming Volunteer Coordinator?
After I joined, I volunteered for what I thought was being a greeter, only to get a phone call from (Member Engagement Chair) Roxi McCloskey Morris. She is a powerhouse! Our phone call lasted more than an hour, and we talked about everything under the sun, including the marvelous work of Impact SA. I joined the Member Engagement Committee. On the Zoom committee calls, I offered ideas and business experience. I marveled at the cohesiveness, mutual respect and enthusiasm of the leadership: Sandy Marquez, Susan Sheehan and Roxi.
Why did you decide to become Volunteer Coordinator?
Roxi asked me if I would join the board as chair of the volunteer program. I thought it would be an opportunity to learn from these women. I want to make it easy for women to help Impact SA fulfill its mission. Members want to know how their skills, passions and talents can be put to best use. Committee chairs and board members need more volunteers to perform tasks. My job is to establish an easier process to make these connections. Developing the process is real-time: locating and matching current volunteers as needs arise, learning the existing requirements, and finding shortcuts as well as knowledge gaps.
Tell us a bit about your career at Southwest Research, including your interest in education and the patents you have received.
I’m a chemical engineer with 40 years in research and development. Much of my work has been designing and implementing physical systems to make new materials. I’ve been awarded 16 U.S. patents for some of my contributions. For example, I invented an alternative method for cleaning equipment used in oxygen-rich environments so fewer ozone-depleting chemicals would be needed. Many people and opportunities have enabled my education and career. I try to give back by talking with students about career fields, encouraging people to pursue engineering careers, and being an industry advisor to university groups.
And finally, when did you become interested in road racing? Where have you raced?
As a technology company with hundreds of engineers, Southwest Research has a plethora of car enthusiasts. And of course, many have taken professional driving and racing courses. Listening to their stories and hearing about the fun got me to ask if I could take part. The answer was yes! So, 15 years ago, I “raced” in the local autocross group and became a much better driver with improved control of my vehicles. At age 50, I learned to ride a motorcycle and enjoyed the freedom, but never felt comfortable enough to race or go off-road with it. Five years ago, the Big Bend Open Road Race captured my attention. I backed out the first year but attended the event to observe. I was wait-listed the second year. The third year, I was offered a navigator position in a friend’s car and discovered the nuances of the race. Then I got a racing spot in April 2020, only to have it canceled due to the pandemic. My first race was April 2021 in the 95-mph class, and the second was in October 2021 in the 100-mph class. Both classes have a minimum speed of 75 mph and maximum of 124 mph. The winner is the car that averages closest to the target speed over a 118-mile route on State Hwy 285. My navigator Kris Moore was key to our success. We got first place in October, averaging 99.9995 mph — off perfect by 19 milliseconds!