Dublin graduate Mayra (Lopez) Hagood has traveled the world, built a successful career in human resources, and started a family in Dublin. She’s worked hard for everything she has, and is grateful for her parents making it all possible.
“My greatest source of inspiration is the hardships that my parents went through coming from Mexico just to get here,” she said. “Now, they have such a successful life; it’s like night and day from how they grew up. And it’s like, how am I going to fail if my parents set me up for success already?”
Hagood graduated from Dublin High School in 2010 and went to Ranger College to earn her associates degree. Throughout college, she worked as a bank teller at First National Bank, and by the time she graduated she had moved up to the position of new account supervisor.
She’d intended to go on to get her bachelors, but ended up sticking with her full time job. “As the new account supervisor, I was overseeing my department and three different branches, so I didn’t continue going to college, because I was already where I wanted to be,” she said.
In an average week, Hagood would help customers open new personal and professional accounts, safe deposit boxes and trusts. “I would make sure that everything was opened correctly and were in compliance with regulations, and that we have all the proper documentation,” she said.
Hagood enjoyed working at the bank, especially the relationships she had with her coworkers. In 2020, though, she and her husband decided to move so he could go to work in the oilfield. She quit her job and they got ready to leave, but the pandemic threw a wrench in their plans and the Hagoods ended up staying put.
Hagood began looking for another job, and soon found a position as a receptionist at Prime Metal Buildings and Components. Over the next four-and-a-half years, she worked her way up to her current position of human resources associate.
In an average week, Hagood wears many hats. “Prime is growing so fast; we’re opening stores in different locations, and we’re hiring people,” she said. “It’s a lot of onboarding, benefits, being really personable with all of our employees. We have over 200 employees, so [my job] is really maintaining that relationship, allowing them to feel comfortable to come to you and with any questions that they have, or any changes that they need to make.”
In addition to working with personnel, Hagood also oversees the reception area, helps with logistics, and helps plan the company’s yearly employee appreciation party. She also often works as the company’s translator. “In our whole office, I’m one of two people that speak Spanish, so I do a lot of translating for Spanish speaking employees,” she said.
She loves her coworkers at Prime, too, and enjoys helping them in an HR capacity. “I get to form relationships with so many different people, so many new hires and existing employees,”she said. “They’re just such a hard working bunch. When you work around so many hard working intelligent people day in and day out, you’re like, ‘Oh, I want to be so smart like them.’” “I plan on staying here [at Prime] as long as I can,” Hagood said. “I love my job. I don’t see myself leaving here, because they do such a good job at taking care of you.”
Hagood lives in Dublin with her husband of ten years Zach Hagood, who works as a firefighter in Stephenville. The Hagoods have a son and a daughter, Cooper, 8, and Mason, 5. Hagood’s parents, Chris and Maria Lopez, live in Dublin too.
“My mom has been such a blessing,” Hagood said. “She has watched both of my babies since they were teeny tiny, and now both of my kids are in school.”
Hagood spends much of her time with her family, taking her kids to sports practice and other activities. “They get one childhood,” she said. “So if I have to be exhausted so they can have a wonderful childhood for a few years, so be it.”
While she loves being a mother, Hagood sometimes feels overwhelmed by the amount of work required to work full time and raise children. “We live in a world that is not mother friendly,” she said. “We can’t live in a single income household anymore. That’s just not feasible. But it’s just exhausting being a full time employee and a full time mother. Society expects you to be both and never complain and never be tired, and it’s like, ‘I just want a nap.’” When she has time to herself, Hagood also enjoys working out, and is currently earning her yoga certification to teach. And she does get to sneak in a nap every now and then. “Napping is my number one favorite thing in the whole world!” she said.
Hagood’s advice to Dublin graduates is to follow their gut about where they want to end up, whether that means leaving Dublin or sticking around.
“I’ve gotten this a lot: ‘Oh, you never left Dublin,’” she said. “And it’s like, I never moved out of Dublin, but I’ve traveled the world. My views have changed a lot, and my opinions have changed a lot over the years. I feel like I’m very open minded. Just because you don’t leave your small town doesn’t mean that you can’t always grow and be better and realize that the world is a really big place.”
Where are they now chronicles what Dublin graduates have done since high school. If you have any suggestions for other grads, email publisher@dublincitizen. com.