Altruism with vision, success with humility and philanthropy with impact – these are all traits people strive to demonstrate in their lives.

These also are the traits nearly every person who has met Terry and Susan Lyons says they naturally embody.

Terry is the founder of Academic HealthPlans (AHP), the market leader in student health insurance. However, his business success did not come overnight. Rooted in what Susan describes as “humble beginnings,” Terry leaned on his family, business relationships and accounting education from Texas Tech University to build his career into what it is today.

“I think the one thing that has brought me success in business is that I look forward, I look down the road to see what is changing and what is happening,” Terry said. “Part of success is always looking to what you are going to change. We have to think bigger, find more people, more experienced people in what we're doing.”

If you go back to the beginning of Terry's journey, you would find yourself in Gainesville, Texas, where he grew up. He started college at what is now North Central Texas College, a community college in his hometown. During his first two years of college, he had a part-time job at a local machine trucking company doing accounting work.

“I was a first-generation student,” Terry said. “My parents didn't go to college and had limited resources. My parents gave me a small check and said, ‘Here, make it as far as you can go.'”

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