Currently resides in: Bergheim, Texas
Position: President of Kim Tindall & Associates, LLC
Member since: 1982
Graduated from: Angelo State University, BBA, San Angelo, Texas; Stenograph Institute of Texas, Abilene, Texas
Theory: Sten Ed
How did you learn about the career?
My mother looked into the profession when I was in 6th grade. I visited Stenograph Institute in Abilene, Texas, with her, and at that moment, I knew that I was going to be a court reporter when I grew up. The machine and the shorthand mesmerized me.
What has been your best work experience so far in your career?
Opening and growing Kim Tindall & Associates to the point where a national publicly-traded company purchased us in 1997. Then, becoming a high ranking employee with that company, and helping it to grow to the point of a very large acquisition. After which, re-opening Kim Tindall & Associates in 2006 and offering our services nationally.
What surprised you about your career and why? Would you tell us about that experience?
I knew that I would always be hearing testimony about subjects that I knew nothing about, but I never (in my wildest dreams) thought court reporting would be so educational. We learn a little about so very, very much. We “hang out” with some of the greatest minds on this planet, and we get the opportunity to memorialize their thoughts and feelings. When I was a baby reporter, one of my first depositions was of a renowned neonatologist in San Diego. After the deposition, she gave us a tour of the neonatology unit. I was overwhelmed by the babies that weren’t even four inches long, hooked up to wires and tubes, but surviving. I will never, ever forget that day!
What are you most proud of in your career? Can you tell us what that experience was like?
Being appointed by the Supreme Court of Texas to sit on the Court Reporters Certification Board from 2001 to 2006. Then, once again, being appointed by the Supreme Court of Texas to sit on the seven-member Advisory Board to the new Judicial Branch Certification Commission in 2014.
What advice or tips would you offer to new reporters?
Find a mentor. Let them help you through the first few years. Keep learning and reading. You can never know too much, and you never know when that knowledge will come in handy in our profession. Don’t become apathetic. Stay “tuned in” by joining your associations, learning the issues that we face, and make up your own mind about how you feel regarding those issues. Don’t be a follower. Be a leader!
Did you overcome a challenge in your career? Could you tell us about that experience?
The most challenging thing in my career may be a bit different since I have been a firm owner most of that time. The biggest (and most sad) challenge I have faced is the division that the “contracting” debate brought to the profession. When we should have been helping our schools recruit students, we were in-fighting. I hope it is not too late to right this wrong, and I am doing my part in the community by giving a presentation entitled “Court Reporting 101” to legal professionals and students hoping that it will generate interest in our profession.
Have you accomplished something not related to your career that you would like to relate?
I am very active in the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society and was the 2014 National All Star Woman of the Year. Because of this honor, I have traveled and spoken at several functions for LLS, helping them raise money to fund research to find a cure. Recently, I was given the honor of being named one of the top Women Leaders in San Antonio by the San Antonio Business Journal.
