His Story

Brother to Deanna, husband of 25 years to Natalie, and father to three sons who are already forging impressive paths of their own, Chet Kenisell is a family man at his core. His oldest son is pursuing business studies at Austin Community College, while his twins, both 18, are excelling as freshmen at Texas A&M University in Engineering and Texas Tech University in Architecture. Recently promoted to “Pops,” his almost one-year-old granddaughter has quickly become the center of his world, and she has him completely wrapped around her finger.

Chet’s foundation in music and performance began early. He studied piano from kindergarten through junior college and later performed as a lead singer in bands alongside his sister, Deanna. A former homeschool student during his middle school years, he understands firsthand the value of alternative learning paths and personalized education. In high school, he was active in choir and theater, performing lead roles in productions such as Hello, Dolly! and Oliver!

He later transitioned into video, media, and production, building a career that blends creativity with technical precision. Over the past two decades, Chet has worked with global organizations including Baker Hughes, GE, Snow Software, and Flexera, where he specialized in instructional design, learning systems, and large-scale training development.

In addition to his corporate work, Chet also served as President and CEO of a multi-location franchise of Gigi's Cupcakes. He successfully operated retail storefronts in Texas for over a decade, bringing together leadership, operations, customer experience, and team management at a high level.

Outside of his professional work, Chet is an avid comic book collector and lifelong fan of storytelling in all its forms. In 2023, he served as the lead organizer of SpawnCon, a fan-driven comic book convention in Denver, Colorado, bringing together a passionate community of creators and collectors. His love of entertainment extends into film as well, where he maintains a cloud-based movie library so extensive it would make Netflix jealous.

At Future Hitmakers Academy, Chet serves as Assistant Director and leads the program’s e-learning experience. He designs and builds the daily quizzes, interactive content, and reinforcement tools that help students retain and apply what they are learning from industry professionals throughout the week.

Known as the “tech guru” of the family, Chet is the one everyone calls when something isn’t working. He is also the one who quietly ensures everything runs smoothly behind the scenes. Whether managing systems, troubleshooting in real time, or enhancing the student experience through technology, he brings both reliability and innovation to every aspect of the Academy.

And while his professional experience spans industries and disciplines, one moment stands out above the rest. Early in his career as a news cameraman in Lubbock, Chet chased a tornado which he captured live, on-the-air. Days later, he received a thank-you note from a family who had seen the coverage, taken shelter, and credited that moment with saving their lives.

It’s a reflection of who Chet is at his core: someone who shows up, pays attention, and does the work that matters. Often behind the scenes, but always with real impact.