Today we’d like to introduce you to Kyzyl Tenpenny.
Kyzyl, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I grew up in Woodson, Arkansas, a small country town of just over 400 people where everyone knew each other and family stories stretched back for generations. That environment gave me a strong sense of belonging, community, and pride in where I came from.
At 14, my life changed when my father was in a tragic car accident on Valentine’s Day. For months I watched him fight for his life in the hospital before he passed away. As the youngest of three boys, that loss cut deep. My mother, who had worked for the Department of Correction until a disability forced her to retire, carried a heavy burden, and I felt the responsibility to step up. Even as a teenager, I wanted to be her strength and not a burden, so I poured myself into school, leadership, and every opportunity I could find.
That determination carried me forward. I became a first-generation college graduate at the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff, where I was a dedicated student athlete, a campus leader, and held leadership roles across various organizations including Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., all while serving as a United States Marine. My deployment to Senegal during U.S. Africa Command’s Western Accord mission sharpened my ability to lead in high-pressure situations, lessons that became the bedrock of my career.
Today I serve as a Director at Pinkerton, advising Fortune 500 companies and global organizations on protecting their people, operations, and reputations. That career positioned me here in Memphis, and it was in this city that I gained the fire to put pen to paper. Memphis reminded me of the power of resilience, history, and community, and it inspired me to write my children’s book, Daddy Daddy, Son Son. What began as my own story of loss has become a way to give hope and reassurance to children and families navigating some of life’s hardest moments.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
The road has not been smooth. Writing Daddy Daddy, Son Son meant revisiting some of the deepest emotions of my life. As the youngest child, I had a very close bond with my father. On Valentine’s Day, I was in the car behind him with my mother when the accident happened. I saw it happen. I felt it in my heart. I then spent months visiting him in the hospital before we lost him. With my siblings already out of the house, it was often just me and my mom carrying that weight. That bond made the loss especially heavy, and writing about it brought all those memories rushing back.
The hardest part was putting into words the feelings I had kept buried. The sadness. The confusion. The long nights wondering how to move forward without my dad’s smiles, his laugh, and his wisdom. At the same time, it was also about remembering the good — the trampoline games, the encouragement, and the reassurance that even when I stumbled, he was there to help me back up. The pain was real, but so was the love, and I wanted both to live in the story.
I know my story isn’t mine alone. There are children everywhere carrying the same questions I once carried, and I wanted this book to meet them where they are. To remind them they are not alone.
So while the journey of writing was painful, it was also healing. Each page became a reminder that love is stronger than loss. And if this book can help even one child feel less alone, more reassured, and a little braver in facing tomorrow, then every struggle was worth it.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I live in Memphis and serve as a Director at Pinkerton, one of the world’s most historic companies in risk management, investigations, and security. In this role, I support Fortune 500 companies and global organizations on how to protect their people, operations, and reputations. My clients, many headquartered across Tennessee and Arkansas, span industries such as healthcare, retail, manufacturing, finance, logistics, and pharmaceuticals. Much of my work centers on workplace violence prevention, labor disruptions, insider threats, executive protection, investigations, and business continuity.
What I am most proud of is the trust I have earned in high-pressure moments. Organizations call when the stakes are high, and in those moments, I serve as both a solution and an advisor, bringing clarity, calm, and strategies that leaders can act on with confidence.
Service has always been in my DNA. My father was a Marine, and his example influenced me long before I ever put on the uniform myself. When I joined the Marine Corps and later deployed during U.S. Africa Command’s Western Accord mission in Senegal, I carried forward not only the discipline and leadership I had been taught, but also the values of sacrifice and perseverance I had seen modeled at home. That foundation still shapes how I lead today.
Beyond my professional work, I am deeply proud of my children’s book, Daddy Daddy, Son Son. Writing it was my way of transforming personal tragedy into hope and creating something that reminds children who lose a parent or role model that the bond of love never disappears.
I was also honored as one of the Fifty Under 50 Outstanding Young Alumni by the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff/AM&N National Alumni Association. I serve as an officer with the UAPB Memphis Alumni Chapter, focusing on mentorship, scholarships, and creating opportunities for students and young professionals. In addition, I founded The Young Alum Inc., a nonprofit whose mission is to connect, empower, and inspire UAPB’s young alumni to continue building a legacy of service and leadership.
What sets me apart is the intersection of global leadership and personal impact. I have the ability to shape global risk management strategies that executives can execute while also staying rooted in community, mentorship, and service. I can help organizations navigate crises that span industries and borders, but I can also be a resource for a child who has lost their father, reminding them of the power of love and connection. That dual responsibility to lead globally and to serve personally is at the heart of who I am.
Can you tell us more about what you were like growing up?
Growing up in Woodson, Arkansas, a small town, meant being surrounded by close-knit neighbors and family stories that went back generations. Everyone knew everyone, and that sense of community gave me a strong foundation early on.
As a child, I had a joyful and creative spirit. I loved being outside, riding bikes, jumping on trampolines, and racing home before the streetlights came on. Some of my fondest memories are the simple ones with my parents: early mornings spent fishing, singing along to Al Green on the porch, wandering through the woods with my dad, or tossing a baseball back and forth in the front yard. Saturdays were for cleaning, and Sundays always began with church. Together, those moments taught me to embrace both adventure and simplicity, while grounding me in discipline, faith, and family.
My walk with Christ has anchored me since childhood and continues to influence how I live, lead, and serve today.
When I became a teenager, everything changed after my father’s accident and my mother being medically retired from her career. As the youngest of three boys, I felt a responsibility to grow up quickly and be a source of support at home. Even in that season, I was known for being kind-hearted, motivated, and driven. I poured myself into school and stayed active in band, choir, sports, drama, FBLA, and ROTC, always striving to give my best and prepare for the future.
Looking back, I was the kind of kid who cherished what I had, leaned on God, and stayed focused on becoming the best version of myself. Those qualities became the foundation for everything I pursued later in life.
Pricing:
- 12.00
Contact Info:
- Website: https://a.co/d/cdWxqQb
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_kyzyl/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kyzyl-tenpenny-212163152/
- Other: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/daddy-daddy-son-son-kyzyl-tenpenny/1147847238
