Board member profile: Steven Meisel

Managing Partner, FG1 Capital

After graduating from the University of Kansas with a finance degree, Steven Meisel returned to his hometown of Dallas and launched his career in investment banking. He later ventured out into the energy business, first working for a large, public company and then with a small startup.

After a successful exit, Steven and his business partners, including his childhood best friend, founded FG1, a generalist private equity firm “that’s invested in everything from real estate to small operating businesses, with a focus on Texas and surrounding states,” Steven said. He also serves as a senior advisor for the Canadian Pension Plan’s sustainable energies group.
No matter where his career has taken him, his home and heart remain in Dallas—where he was raised and where he and his wife, Alex, are now raising their own family: Daniel, 7, and Morgan, 5. Recently, Steven shared what makes him excited to go to work every day, and what led him to serve on the Baylor Scott & White Dallas Foundation Board.

No matter where your education or career has taken you, you’ve always returned to Dallas. Why?

I was born in New Orleans and grew up in Dallas. I like to be outdoors, hunt, fish and play golf—hobbies that are difficult to pursue in other areas. It’s good to be home with my family and friends and the Texas culture. We have a ranch in East Texas, and we try to spend as much time as possible there, hunting, fishing, swimming in lakes—all the things. Kids’ sports also dominate our lives. When we’re not doing kids’ sports, we enjoy being outdoors and traveling as a family.
Dallas—Texas in general—is a pretty tight-knit community where people really care about each other. I see that reflected in the work happening at Baylor Scott & White.

What gets you excited about going to work every morning?

One of the most rewarding things is helping other people be successful. It’s fun to bring our expertise and partner with other entrepreneurs and see them succeed. I’ve also had several employees who have been with me for almost a decade, and it’s rewarding watching them succeed alongside us.

How did you initially become involved with the Baylor Scott & White Dallas Foundation Board?

My dad passed away 10 years ago of a heart attack at the age of 63. After he passed, Hal Hickey, CEO and president at Exco Resources and Dallas Foundation board member, took me under his wing. I’ve grown up with his kids. He encouraged me to get involved with the Foundation, and I got to know several people on the team, like Tim Moore and Craig Foster, and learn more about the mission. That led me to serve on the Foundation board and it’s been a real honor.

Why are you passionate about advancing the Baylor Scott & White mission?

My family couldn’t afford great health­care services, and I didn’t grow up with the means to support organizations financially. I’m blessed that I’m able to be more philanthropically minded, and it’s important to me to see our dollars being used to support initiatives that improve access to medical care for underserved populations.