When Kyle Borders speaks about his hometown, his pride is palpable. The 2010 Herrin High School graduate has built an impressive dual career while maintaining deep connections to the community that shaped him.

"I wouldn't be where I am today without my time at Herrin," Borders reflects. "And that's both the schools and the people in the community."

Borders' Herrin roots run exceptionally deep. Both his parents, Chris (Class of 1985) and Pamela (Class of 1989), graduated from Herrin High School. His maternal grandparents, John and Rosalie Cox Rounds, were also Herrin graduates, as was his great-grandmother, extending the family's educational legacy across four generations.

After graduating from Herrin, Borders attended Rend Lake College, where he wrestled while earning his associate's degree. He then transferred to McKendree University, continuing his wrestling career while completing a bachelor's degree in economics in 2015. His educational journey culminated with an MBA focused in finance from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign in 2024.

Today, Borders balances two distinct professional roles. As a Senior Investment Consultant with Mercer, he offers expert investment advice to institutional clients, primarily endowments and foundations with assets ranging from $100 million to $8 billion. He possesses extensive knowledge and experience collaborating with endowments, foundations, healthcare organizations, and insurance clients, demonstrating a proven track record in managing diverse investment products and fostering strong client relationships.

"Essentially what I do with those clients is they'll have, like a university endowment for example, and we advise them on how to invest the money they have," Borders explains. "Any investment related stuff—we're the point of contact for that."

While maintaining his corporate finance career, Borders and his wife Michaela (Herrin High School Class of 2012) founded Benton Park Restoration and Development in 2022. The company focuses exclusively on rehabilitating properties in Herrin—an intentional decision that allows them to work with local contractors, many of whom were Borders' high school classmates and wrestling teammates.

"We like Herrin. That's where all of our roots are," Borders explains. "A lot of the people that help us with doing this work are businesses in Herrin. Our flooring guys, those are guys I was on the wrestling team with when I was in high school. And our sheetrock guys, those are guys I was in high school with."

After living in St. Louis for nearly a decade, the Borders family returned to Southern Illinois in February 2023, settling in Makanda while maintaining their business interests in Herrin. The couple recently celebrated the birth of their third child, Johnny, who joins seven-year-old Jake and two-year-old Stella.

Borders credits several Herrin educators with instilling values that continue to guide him, particularly Dusty Mallow and wrestling coach Kelsey Lewis.

"Mr. Mallow would say, 'A lot of people that are successful have to find a good way to do the things they don't want to do when they don't want to do them,'" Borders recalls. "I still think of it to this day in the business world when I've got stuff due that I don't want to do."

From Coach Lewis, he learned accountability and responsibility—lessons that seemed demanding as a teenager but proved invaluable in adulthood. "As I get older, I understand the whys more than what I did then," he admits.

The Borders family remains committed to giving back to Herrin, having donated approximately 100 coats to Herrin schools in recent years. Their real estate company specifically targets Herrin properties for renovation, helping revitalize the community while building their business.

For current Herrin students, Borders offers straightforward advice: "Chase your dreams. There's no dream too big. And Herrin sets you up for success just like any other place does."

Having worked alongside graduates from prestigious institutions throughout his education and career, Borders remains confident in the foundation Herrin provided him. "There's nothing Herrin's missing that those guys and gals had that I didn't," he asserts. "They set you up for success."