My name is Martin Carrascosa, though most of the community knows me as Marty. I have deep East Texas roots. I was born nearby in Mount Pleasant, Texas, to Karen and Marcelo Carrascosa. My mother—now Karen Smith—has been a familiar face in Mount Vernon for more than 50 years through her work as a hairstylist, and my father came to the United States in 1968. I am a first-generation American with proud roots in Argentina.

I am a graduate of Mount Vernon High School, having attended school here from kindergarten through graduation. After high school, I attended Stephen F. Austin State University, where I earned a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration with a minor in Communications. While there, I was actively involved in the Alpha Tau Omega fraternity, serving on multiple committees, and I remain a supportive alumnus to this day, committed to helping shape future leaders.

Following graduation, I moved to Houston and began my career in sales, primarily serving the oil and gas industry with a focus on downhole drilling tools. After building a successful book of business, in 2006 I transitioned into management roles within the oil and gas services sector along the East Coast. It was during this time that I met my wife, Cassandra Hofmann. We have been together since the very first day we met—now just shy of 20 years.

As my career grew, so did our family. While I traveled extensively throughout New York, New Jersey, and the Eastern Seaboard, Cassandra began an incredible career in education. Together, in a one-bedroom apartment, we welcomed our first two children, Rylan Gabriel and Brynleigh Michelle.

In 2014, with two children, a couple of U-Haul trucks, and a lot of hope, we began a new chapter. We returned to Texas—home for me and a new adventure for my wife—and settled in Houston, where we welcomed our third child, Emery Rose. I joined Toolex Inc. in Houston as Vice President of Operations, where I led internal manufacturing refinements, automation, and systems upgrades. After producing strong results during a market retraction, I was promoted to Vice President and ultimately became President of the company, holding full P&L responsibility and traveling throughout the U.S. and abroad. I later led negotiations for the sale of the business to an international firm and remained on as an advisor.

In 2020, as COVID swept across the country and our family continued to grow, we made the decision to return home to Mount Vernon. We purchased land inside the beltway, built a home next door to my mother, and completed our forever home just in time for the arrival of our fourth child, Sawyer James.

There is something deeply nostalgic about knowing that where I lay my head each night was once “home plate” for the boys and girls of Hunnicutt Street—our very own sandlot. Today, my children play in the same neighborhood where I was raised and attend the same schools I once did. We wouldn’t have it any other way.

Around this same time, Cassandra and I acquired a small business and quickly expanded to three locations. After a period of growth, we sold our business interests, and I served as an advisor to a handful of firms in the U.S. I am also honored to serve as a City Councilman for the City of Mount Vernon. Giving back to the community that gave me so much has always been important to me, and public service allows me to do just that.

With my skills, education, experience, and deep family-oriented values, I believe I can help create a positive and lasting impact on our city’s future.

To this day, our family of six remains on Hunnicutt Street, nestled among grandmothers, relatives, friends, four cats, and two dogs. Our days and nights are filled with chauffeuring our kids to football, cheer, ballet, and whatever else life throws on the calendar—and we are grateful for every minute of it.

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