Houstonian Entrepreneur Nic Phillips is currently Vice President and a Founding Member of The Ideal Electric Company (formerly Hyundai Ideal Electric Co.), returning the company to private ownership following the acquisition from Hyundai Heavy Industries Co. Ltd. in 2017. The company celebrates more than 120 years and today is the last 100% American-owned, vertically integrated, full-line manufacturer of specialty electric motors, generators, condensers, converters, switchgear, power systems, and controls up to 50,000 horsepower for every application, on-shore and off-shore, worldwide.
Nic’s journey began at a remarkably young age with his first career in high-performance lighting technology, driven by a passion for lighting theatrical shows, ballets, television, architecture, and grand-scale spectaculars. At just nineteen, he made his mark at The Kennedy Center, and by twenty-one, he was designing a world premiere at the prestigious American Ballet Theater. Recognized as the youngest ever in Lighting Dimensions Magazine’s “Ten Top Under Thirty Professionals Shaping the Lighting Industry,” Nic’s creative prowess extended into visionary development and campaigns with leading lighting companies such as OSRAM/Sylvania, Philips Signify, Selecon, and Prism Projection. His diverse experience includes collaborations with Mexico’s foremost entertainment companies, Grupo CIE/OCESA, and the cutting-edge live experience laboratory COCOLAB with a portfolio featuring national events like Mexico’s 2010 Bicentennial, the 2012 G20 Summit, Mexico’s longest-running original musical “Mentiras,” and the iconic band TIMBIRICHE’s 35th Anniversary “Tour Juntos.”
In 2008, Nic Phillips co-founded CultureMap.com, a groundbreaking digital media platform that revolutionized access to real-time, hyper-local, and culturally relevant news across Texas. His entrepreneurial spirit and vision were instrumental in the platform’s successful expansion into major markets, including Houston, Austin, Dallas, Fort Worth, and San Antonio. CultureMap served as a vibrant hub for established and emerging content creators, significantly impacting the media landscape by applying nimble technology with a dynamic community of voices and ideas with immediacy and authority.
Nic is passionately committed to enriching communities, profoundly inspired by his supportive wife and two young daughters, who fuel his core beliefs in the transformative power of business, media, and the arts in fostering learning. His leadership spans both for-profit and non-profit boards, including roles as Past President of the Texas Auto Writers Association and advisor to the Center for Performing Arts Medicine at Houston Methodist Hospital. Nic’s work in the entertainment industry has garnered numerous awards, and he has been acknowledged with enterprise accolades such as Houston Business Journal’s 40 Under 40 and featured in Cadillac’s Spirit of Innovation campaign. As an alumnus of the Texas Lyceum, Nic continues influencing and inspiring action across diverse public policy spheres and governmental affairs.