The Luminex operations couldn’t run smoothly without accurate budgeting, forecasting, and reporting. Misty Spacek, Manager of Budget and Financial Analysis, is part of the team that makes sure all the dollars and cents line up. She attended Texas State University, majoring in communication design/art advertising, but later shifted her career path to accounting and finance. She joined Luminex in 2012.
Q: What are your responsibilities at Luminex?
A: Mainly it’s budgeting, which we start in July and finalize in December each year. Throughout that period and the remainder of the year, I also work on forecasting, financial analysis, and reporting. I handle the operating expenses and help establish a three-year strategic plan for Luminex. I work directly with the managers, directors, VPs, and executives of the company, so I get a great overall picture of what’s going on.
Q: What did you do before this job?
A: I’ve been in accounting and finance for about 17 years. Before joining Luminex I handled budgeting for the Electric Reliability Council of Texas, and before that, I worked in accounting and finance for Plainview Software, Dell Financial Services, and Texas A&M University.
Q: Was there much of a learning curve when you joined the life sciences industry?
A: Finance and accounting are not industry-specific, but you do have to have a good understating of the direction the industry is headed to budget accordingly. We invest a lot of money in research and development, so it’s important to understand timing issues and the products we will be marketing.
Q: What drew you to Luminex?
A: I was referred to Luminex by a couple of people: one was a VP of the company I had worked with prior, and the other was a friend of mine. I liked the biotech industry – R&D in the life sciences industry is intriguing and ever-changing.
Q: If you weren’t a financial analysis manager at Luminex, where would you be?
A: I would do event planning. I love planning weddings, parties, and events, and have done more than a dozen weddings for family and friends of mine. It is something I really enjoy!
Q: If you could solve any clinical or genetic challenge, what would it be?
A: My main focus would be on cancer diagnosis or diabetes because they’ve affected close family members.
Q: What is something about you that no one at Luminex knows?
A: I grew up in a really small town here in Texas named Dime Box. There were 12 people in my high school graduation class. Being from a small school, I played every sport. I made it to state competitions in high jump and received scholarship offers for volleyball. I wish I still had that athletic ability!
Q: What is your favorite thing to do in Austin on the weekend?
A: I have three young kids who are all involved in sports, so most of the time I’m at a baseball or softball field. When I have free time, my husband and I like to visit local wineries and listen to live music.
