“It is very rewarding to help a business owner reap the benefits of a lifetime of work through a strategic sale or transaction. I really enjoy working with clients on their individual destinations for their businesses.”
– Steve Kesten, Shareholder, Business Group Chair
“Life is an adventure to be lived!” may just be the life motto of BoyarMiller Shareholder Steve Kesten.
From scuba diving the ocean depth to snow skiing a mountain summit, Steve and his wife Vanee spend their free time traveling and enjoying many sporting activities. They celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary last year scuba diving the Great Barrier Reef off the coast of Queensland in northeastern Australia. The reef is the largest living thing on Earth, visible from outer space, and is home to countless species of marine life.
“Scuba diving is an exhilarating experience and opens your eyes to an amazing ecosystem,” said Steve. “We’ve done more than 250 certified dives. The undersea world is full of fascinating sights. You can be focusing on a coral reef and see small colorful fish, and then a bull shark may swim by you. Each dive is different and offers new glimpses of the undersea world.”
Each client is different too, and Steve enjoys guiding his clients on their personal business journeys.
“It is very rewarding to help a business owner reap the benefits of a lifetime of work through a strategic sale or transaction. I really enjoy working with clients on their individual destinations for their businesses,” said Steve. “That is one of the reasons I transitioned to business law.”
Formerly a trial lawyer for several years, Steve then served as general counsel for a venture capital firm for four years when a friend introduced him to BoyarMiller. There has been no looking back since he joined the firm 16 years ago and became shareholder in 2003. He currently chairs the Business Group.
Born in West Virginia, Steve’s family lived in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and Joliet, Illinois, before making their way to Texas. He graduated from Clear Lake High School and holds a bachelor’s in business administration from the University of Texas and a J.D. from the University of Houston Law School.
Steve is on the board of directors of the Association for Corporate Growth and previously served as president. He is a member of The Entrepreneurial Institute and is a graduate of the spring 2017 class of the Center for Houston’s Future, which works to further the region as a top global community.
The Kestens will enjoy the holidays in Houston. Shortly thereafter, they plan to scuba dive with friends at a new destination – the Dutch island of Bonaire located about 50 miles off the coast of Venezuela.
Whether he is charting a new adventure or guiding a client on their business challenges, Steve dives into the project with enthusiasm and dedication that directs the way to the perfect destination.
