D CEO March 2020

T W I N S I N R E A L E S TAT E

Working with family has its challenges.

Imagine doing it with your twin.

Identical twins D E ’ O N (left) and D E ’J UA N CO L L I N S

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Wa r r e n i s c l e a n i n g u p Te x a s – a n d K E E P I N G I T S A F E.

Warren Paynes | Lead Residential Driver | Texas Disposal Systems, Inc.

Warren Paynes doesn’t just make Texas a cleaner place — he makes it a safer place. As a driver for Texas Disposal Systems, he knows that driving safe protects him, his route partner and everyone around them. He stays focused, performs inspections on his vehicle and puts his cell phone away.

Warren takes his driver safety training seriously, and that’s why Texas Mutual is proud to support him and all the Texans who make the road their workplace. Texas Mutual is changing the way workers’ comp works for you. See Warren ON THE JOB at WorkSafeTexas.com/OnTheJob. © 2 019 Texas Mutual Insurance Company

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113 acres of lush green space

Sidney Moncrief | Addison resident | NBA Hall of Famer | Moncrief One Team

a nationally-recognized start up incubator

a strong sense of community

the busiest general aviation airport in Texas

it all in 4.4 square miles

It all adds up to

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When you have everything you need to work, play, and live your best life in 4.4 square miles, the benefits really start to add up. Learn more about Addison with Addison Economic Development at AddisonED.com | 972.450.7076

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SOLD $725M

$32.5M

$59.5M

$21.5M

$45M

$17.136M

$43.9M

$16.562M

$40M

$13.85M

$39.95M

$13.5M

$34.22M

$8.75M & COUNTING

I N F O @ I C O N . G L O B A L | 2 1 4 . 8 5 5 . 4 0 0 0 | W W W. I C O N . G L O B A L

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ALCOA’S SANDOW LAKES RANCH

Listed at

$250M

• 45 miles from Austin, TX | 32,000± acres •

EST. OVER $200 MILLION IN NET REVENUE OVER THE NEXT 10 YEARS • CAP RATES | CURRENT 4.1% | YEAR 5 9.6% | YEAR 10 10.6% •

HIGH INCOME PRODUCING 8,000± ACRE DEV. SANDOW LAKES BUSINESS AND INDUSTRIAL PARK • COMMERCIAL • INDUSTRIAL • RESIDENTIAL MASTER PLAN • • EXISITING: GREEN ENERGY • TECH & DATA • INTERMODAL • SOLAR •

EST. $200 MILLION LAND VALUE ALONE • GROUND & SURFACE WATER RIGHTS & DEVELOPABLE LAND •

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ALCOA’S SANDOW LAKES RANCH • DFW | 165 miles • HOUSTON | 115 miles • SAN ANTONIO | 110 miles • AUSTIN | 45 miles

NOTABLE SALES • 2019

$43.9M

$39.95M

$40M

$32.5M

SULPHUR BLUFF RANCH

THE RESERVE

KB CARTER RANCH

KC7 RANCH

AVAILABLE • 2020

LELY RANCH

$36.52M 66,388± acres

PECAN PLANTATION

$27M 1,500± acres

FOX CANYON RANCH

$23.9M 7,700± acres

TERRY BRADSHAW QUARTER HORSES RANCH

744± acres

I N F O @ I C O N . G L O B A L | 2 1 4 . 8 5 5 . 4 0 0 0 | W W W. I C O N . G L O B A L

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A

TEXAS DESTINATION FOR

Keri Samford, Executive Director of Development 972.624.3127 • edc@thecolonytx.org • www.TheColonyEDC.org

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SECTION NAME

CONTENTS MARCH 2020

VO LU M E 1 3 | I S S U E 1 0

CULINARY CEO Restaurateur Hunter Pond says he takes an aggressive but careful approach to growth.

P H OTO G R A P H Y BY J U S T I N C L E M O N S

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Survival Skills

Stacking Bread

Double Agents

Power Brokers 2020

How growing up in Pablo Escobar’s Medellín shaped American Leather’s Veronica Schnitzius.

Hunter Pond took a single East Hampton Sandwich Co. shop and built a $32 million restaurant empire.

Some of the most successful leaders in Dallas-Fort Worth real estate just happen to be identical twins.

D CEO reveals its annual list of the region’s top commercial real estate professionals.

story by CHRISTINE PEREZ photography by SEAN BERRY

story by BIANCA R. MONTES photography by JUSTIN CLEMONS

story by BIANCA R. MONTES photography by TREVOR PAULHUS

research by AMANDA SALERNO

MARCH 2020

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CONTENTS

18 EDITOR’S NOTE

DOSSIER 2 3 YO U N E E D T O K N O W

Tony Joseph, McLaren Automotive 2 6 S U I T E TA L K

28 MEET THE 500

Kit Sawers, Klyde Warren Park 2 8 L O C A L LY S O U R C E D

Tisha Vaidya, Pratiksha Jewelry 3 0 O N T H E TA B L E

Daniel Moon, Sam Moon Group 32 OFFICE VISIT

Bill Shaddock, Capital Title of Texas

FIELD NOTES 67 TOUGHEST CHALLENGE

Diane Butler, Butler Advisers 6 8 H E A LT H C A R E

The blossoming medicinal cannabis market gets a boost from Texas lawmakers.

70 ON TOPIC

Robbie Briggs, Briggs Freeman Sotheby’s International Realty; Curt Farmer, Comerica; and Nina Vaca, Pinnacle Group on the top traits of an executive team

OFF DUTY 75 ART OF STYLE

Matrice Ellis-Kirk, RSR Partners

72 THOUGHT LEADER

Trudy Bourgeois of The Center for Workforce Excellence on making diversity and inclusion an imperative

7 6 G R E AT E R G O O D

Ken Webb, Dallas Citizen Homeless Commission 78 PURSUITS

Amir Meghani, Grand Time 8 0 W E L L -T R AV E L E D

Andre Staffelbach’s Zürich, Switzerland 82 ROOTS

80 010

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MARCH 2020

Thear Suzuki, EY 84 END MARK

Oil tycoon Haroldson Lafayette “H. L.” Hunt Jr.

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S U Z U K I C O U R T E S Y O F T H E A R S U Z U K I , E L L I S - K I R K BY J I L L B R O U S S A R D , S W I T Z E R L A N D BY G O W I T H S T O C K / S H U T T E R S T O C K . C O M

Dan Noble of HKS Inc. and Robert Shaw of Columbus Realty Partners

ON THE COVER: Real estate finance pros De’On Collins (left) and De’Juan Collins, photographed

by Trevor Paulhus at Botanist, Dallas.

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Donald E. Godwin CHAIRMAN/CEO; BOARD CERTIFIED IN CIVIL TRIAL LAW

Stefanie Major McGregor CO-CHAIR COMMERCIAL/ BUSINESS LITIGATION SECTION

WITH YOU

EVERY STEP OF THE WAY Side by side, we tackle the toughest litigation and appellate issues you face.

Don’t take a step without us.

GODWIN BOWMAN

PC

GODWINBOWMAN.COM | 214-939-4400 | DALLAS

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P U B L I S H E R Gillea Allison EDITORIAL EDITOR Christine Perez MANAGING EDITOR Brandon J. Call SENIOR EDITORS Will Maddox, Bianca R. Montes EDITORIAL PROJECTS MANAGER Amanda Salerno CONTRIBUTING EDITORS Richard Alm, W. Michael Cox EDITORIAL INTERNS Sooha Ahn, Audrey Dedrick

ART DESIGN DIRECTOR Hamilton Hedrick ART MANAGER Morganne Stewart STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER Elizabeth Lavin

A DV E R T I S I N G ADVERTISING DIRECTOR Rhett Taylor ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER OF PROFESSIONAL SERVICES Kym Rock Davidson SENIOR ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES Cami Burke, Haley Muse BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATE Sabrina Roy MANAGING EDITOR OF SPECIAL SECTIONS Jennifer Sander Hayes

MARKETING & EVENTS EVENTS MANAGER Corinne Sullivan BRAND MANAGER Carly Mann MARKETING ASSOCIATE Caitlin Petrocchi ADVERTISING ART DIRECTOR Katie Garza

AU D I E N C E D E V E LO P M E N T DIRECTOR Amanda Hammer COORDINATOR Sarah Nelson DATA ENTRY SPECIALIST Jae Chung NEWSSTAND CONSULTANT The Centofante Group

PRODUCTION DIRECTOR John Gay MANAGER Pamela Ashby DIGITAL IMAGING SPECIALIST Natalie Goff PRODUCTION INTERN Ramisha Sattar

BUSINESS CONTROLLER Debbie Travis ACCOUNTING MANAGER Sabrina LaTorre STAFF ACCOUNTANT Lesley Killen BILLING & COLLECTIONS COORDINATOR Jessica Hernandez HR/PAYROLL COORDINATOR Esmeralda Hernandez IT TECHNICIAN Luan Aliji ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT Molly Sentmanat

WEB EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Matt Goodman ONLINE MANAGING EDITOR Shawn Shinneman JUNIOR DIGITAL DESIGNER Emily Olson WEB EDITORIAL INTERNS Cecilia Lenzen

MAIL 750 N. Saint Paul St., Ste. 2100, Dallas, TX 75201 The magazine assumes no responsibility for the return of unsolicited manuscripts.

WEBSITE www.dmagazine.com/publications/d-ceo MAIN OFFICE 214-939-3636 | ADVERTISING 214-939-3636 x 128 | REPRINTS 214-939-3636 SUBSCRIPTION SERVICES For immediate assistance, call 214-939-3636 x 232.

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Please provide old and new addresses and enclose latest mailing label when inquiring about your subscription.

For custom publishing inquiries, call 214-540-0113.

D M A G A Z I N E PA R T N E R S CHAIRMAN Wick Allison EDITOR-IN-CHIEF AND CEO Christine Allison PRESIDENT Gillea Allison CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER Thomas L. Earnshaw CHIEF OF STAFF Rachel Gill

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DISCOVER A NEW NEIGHBORHOOD STOP A uniquely curated mix of crafted cuisine, local shopping and endless entertainment.

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OPENING SPRING 2020 IN FARMERS BRANCH s h o p s a t m u sta n g sta t i o n . c o m

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DISCOVER

FARMERS BRANCH

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AGENDA

Jim Hinton, Natalie Wilkins, Kristi Sherrill

Delanor Doyle, Michelle Davison

Grace Miller, Dr. Alan Jones, Dr. Ann Marie Warren

Excellence in Healthcare d ceo magazine and d ceo healthcare hosted its sixth annual Excellence in Healthcare Awards on Nov. 19 at Fashion Industry Gallery in Dallas. Nearly 200 healthcare professionals joined to celebrate achievements and innovation in the industry. Among the award recipients were 2019 Lifetime Achievement honoree Dr. Stephen Mansfield and Outstanding Healthcare Executive Ron Rittenmeyer. A big thank you to our title sponsor, Hall Render, premier sponsors Baylor Scott & White and StratiFi Health, and to Blue Fire Total Catering.

Karen Rankin, Katie Cox

Marilyn Mansfield, Dr. Stephen Mansfi eld

Jack Seal, Anthony Placencio Barclay Berdan, Jim Scoggin

Jennifer Parker, Monte Parker, Letitia McGruder

Tammy Webb, David Berry, Jean Storey

Tenet Healthcare

Ryan Eason, Amy Maynes

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P H OTO G R A P H Y BY B R E T R E D M A N

Christian Puff

Karen Rankin, Adam Wear, Steven Cain, Ash Abuesesh, Karen Pinkstaff, Katie Cox, Ashley Bartholomew, Anthony Placencio

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2/3/20 2:19 PM

Advertisement

GIVING HOPE A HOME

Architectural rendering

The American Cancer Society is honored to be recognized, together with our partner Baylor Scott & White Health, with a 2019 D CEO’s Excellence in Healthcare Award for our partnership to build the American Cancer Society Gene and Jerry Jones Family Hope Lodge community in Dallas.

The 40,000-square-foot facility at the Trudy and Don Steen Family Campus, which includes 50 guest suites, will offer a free home away from home for cancer patients and their caregivers who must travel for treatment. One of more than 30 Hope Lodge communities across the country, the Dallas facility will open in 2021.

For more information, please call 214-819-1232. cancer.org/hopelodge 1.800.227.2345 ©2020, American Cancer Society, Inc.

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AGENDA

Joan Kuehl, Pam Casson, Karen Potter

Whittney Gryfinski, Holland Behn, Emily Gros

Coco Chang, Jason McCann

Debra Von Storch, Morgan Watson

Daniel Scott, Krystle Campbell

Hilary Waters, Randy Smith

Kenton Kisler, Samuel Palomares

Diana Stevens, John Lawrimore, Susan Fojtasek

JC Elliott

Mike Hansen

celebrating the innovators driving change in dallasFort Worth, D CEO partnered with Dallas Innovates to present The Innovation Awards on Jan. 7 at The Tower Club in Dallas. More than 300 guests gathered to celebrate honorees, including Innovator of the Year Alanna Cotton of Samsung America, Startup Innovator of the Year Vaidyanatha Siva of DocSynk, and CIO/CTO of the Year Madhuri Andrews of Jacobs. A special thank you to Duane Dankesreiter of the Dallas Regional Chamber, Joe Beard of Perot Jain, and Bill Sproull of Tech Titans, who joined our editors in judging the hundreds of nominations we received.

Thanks also to our title sponsors, Munck Wilson Mandala, Point B, and Vaco Dallas.

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Vaidyanatha Siva, Prabhakar Reddy

Larry Mandala, Matt Anderson

Wayne Lynch, Byron Davis, Zach Vinduska, Bill Floyd

P H OTO G R A P H Y BY B R E T R E D M A N

The Innovation Awards 2020

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LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

Lessons On City Year With Bobby Lyle

PLAN. RETIRE. ENJOY.

The nonprofit is an effective tool in tackling one of Dallas’ biggest economic development challenges: education.

Pictured left to right: Patrick K. Wallace, ChFC®, CFEd®; Frances Gardner, CFP®, CFEd®, CDFA™ Robert Gardner, CEPA, CFEd®, LUTCF; Andrew Gardner, CFP®, CFEd®

972.833.2565 gardnerwallace.com yourteam@gardnerwallace.com Securities offered through Kestra Investment Services, LLC (Kestra IS), member FINRA/SIPC. Investment advisory services offered through Kestra Advisory Services, LLC (Kestra AS), an affiliate of Kestra IS. Gardner Wallace Financial

P H OTO G R A P H Y BY E L I Z A B E T H L A V I N

The experienced team at Gardner Wallace Financial Solutions provides a wide array of financial solutions to their clients, working closely with them to identify needs, develop appropriate solutions and implement a plan that evolves with them through all life stages. Because no two individuals or businesses are identical, the Gardner Wallace team crafts customized plans to help you meet your unique goals.

it was a dreary january day when i pulled up to o. w. holmes, a DISD middle school in Oak Cliff, but it was brightened by the cheery smiles of the red-jacketed City Year members who greeted me at the door. I had been invited to learn more about City Year by Pam Gerber, a civic leader who has been involved with the program for three decades and who helped launch it in Dallas about five years ago.

Among the handful of others also there for the City Year info session: business leader and philanthropist Bobby Lyle, a supporter who was interested in an outcomes update. “I’m a numbers guy,” he says with a smile, as we walked toward the meeting room.

An AmeriCorps initiative, City Year places young adults (18-25 years old) in schools as “student success coaches” to help disadvantaged youth. There are now 80 coaches deployed in DISD, reaching more than 6,500 elementary, middle, and high school students. Members are paired with specific teachers and become “near peer” role models and advocates for the students. An added bonus: Half of City Year Dallas alumni choose to stay in the area after graduation, with many going on to become teachers.

Program director Ruthie Umberger gave an update on dramatic improvements in grades and attendance. One school saw its graduation rate increase from 17 percent to 50 percent. Those results are why companies like Celanese, Deloitte, AT&T, and others support City Year. And why a numbers guy like Lyle does, too. “Changes of this nature are extremely beneficial to our students, their families, and the entire community,” he says. “Everyone wins!”

Christine Perez Editor

Solutions is not affiliated with Kestra IS or Kestra AS.

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2/4/20 3:33 PM

214.294.4400 YOUNGERPARTNERS.COM

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ADVERTISEMENT

ASK THE EXPERT

Protecting Equity for Founders, Partners, and C-Level Executives Rogge Dunn, Rogge Dunn Group, P.C.

How do I ensure I receive my hard-earned equity?

Like most things in life, you can avoid or minimize problems by planning ahead. This is especially important when you are taking less in salary and bonus in return for future or contingent equity. The first step is to negotiate hard over a proposed equity and obtain legal protection before you enter into a partnership, LLC, or accept employment. If you will be employed as an employee-owner, take time to investigate the “comps” showing market compensation paid to similar execs. Make sure that future equity, which is a “bet on the come,” has a significant upside to make up for your below market executive pay.

Should I have a departure game plan?

Yes. Before you sign up, be sure you can achieve your end game goals. While partners may have agreement on the entity’s direction at the outset, things may change and partners’ disagreements on plans for the company, mergers and acquisitions, additional funding rounds, and activist shareholders often lead to equity grabs.

When that happens, your past achievements can mean little to fellow founders, the acquiring entity, or PE firm taking control. If the equity plan and your contracts do not safeguard your equity, you are at serious risk or will be forced to pursue an expensive lawsuit. The equity plan should protect you from improper dilution. Be sure your equity automatically vests if your role as a partner, member, or executive ends. Or, at

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least, limit forfeiture scenarios. Equity should automatically vest if you become disabled or die. The equity plan should address what happens when a change-in-control, capital call, or additional funding rounds occur.

What are the advantages of equity instead of a higher base and bonus?

Equity compensation aligns the interests of partners and executives with the organization.

It also addresses shareholders’ concerns with excessive compensation, since it links pay to performance. Further, equity compensation may provide you with favorable capital gains treatment. However, some “cash equivalent” equity such as “phantom stock” may not create capital gains tax treatment. Have your CPA advise you regarding the tax treatment of the proposed equity.

What’s the risk of not thinking about promised equity right now?

Countless well-intentioned partners get busy working during the start-up or honeymoon phase and never get around to papering their deal. Then when a CIC, capital infusion, or liquidity event occurs, they lack anti-dilution protection or the legal rights to preserve their equity.

What is the takeaway?

A small amount of planning now protects your equity in the event of a CIC, or a falling out with your partners or the board of directors.

Rogge Dunn represents executives and entrepreneurs in business and employment matters.

These include the CEOs/ presidents of American Airlines, Beck Group, Dave & Busters, Gold’s Gym, Hagger Clothing, Halliburton Energy Services, Kinko’s, Texas Capital Bancshares, Texas Tech University, Trammell Crow Holdings, and Whataburger. Corporate clients include Adecco, Beal Bank, Benihana, CBRE, Cintas, CVS, Match. com, Rent-A-Center, and Outback Steakhouse. Dunn has been honored as a Texas Super Lawyer every year that award has been made by Thomson Reuters Service, one of the top 100 attorneys in Texas, and a D Magazine Best Lawyer 11 times. Executives and companies who need the power of a trial attorney hire Rogge Dunn.

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500 N. Akard St. Suite 1900 Dallas, Texas 75201 214.220.0077 dunn@trialtested.com www.roggedunngroup.com

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MARCH 2020

DOSSIER TRENDS

to

WATC H

a n d

NORTH TEXAS NEWSMAKERS

MCLAREN USA

CEO Tony Joseph was employee No. 1 when the brand was relaunched in 2011.

YOU NEED TO KNOW

Tony Joseph Knows Fast Cars And he is bringing the North American operations of British supercar maker McLaren Automotive to Coppell. story by SHAWN SHINNEMAN photography by JONATHAN ZIZZO

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DOSSIER

tony joseph aims to establish mclaren in North America for the long haul. As he transitions his team from its former home base in New York, the automotive industry veteran has turned his attention toward the future.

Joseph, who was employee No. 1 when the brand relaunched in 2011, says Dallas was one of two preferred locations identified by a KPMG search. Ease of travel—there are now 27 dealerships to tend to across the United States and Canada—was among the factors that tipped the scales. “Coming here and visiting Dallas a few times, it became a no-brainer for me,” he says.

Joseph also notes that the new facility, located in 30,000 square feet in Coppell, is six times the size of the one in New York—at roughly the same price. Sales have grow by double digits every year since 2011, when McLaren sold its first car under the brand relaunch. It grew 12 percent from 2018 to 2019. So it’s time to staff up.

“We literally have fewer employees than we have dealers right now,” he says. “We need to continue to grow our team.”

A move became imperative because of how McLaren is growing, as well. For one, there’s suddenly a preowned market to serve. Plus, future growth will come in part by better serving the 7,500 existing stateside McLaren owners. Ultra luxury carbuyers tend to expect better regular service than what your run-of-the-mill car company might provide. But they also tend to want to gather and talk about their vehicles, test them out on a track, and hear about what they’re capable of.

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“What we see is our customers are very much into the events, the lifestyle component of the brand,” Joseph says. “They want to get together with each other, they want to talk cars, they want to do track events.”

A big part of any luxury brand’s allure is exclusivity, and Joseph says the company has no plans to add manufacturing, even as it nears the capacity of the 6,000-car capabilities of its plant in the U.K. “The goal is always to have one less than the market wants,” he says. “We’ve had some successes and we’ve slipped a little bit.”

Even with production inching toward capacity, McLaren did announce a new ride in 2019.

The GT, which sits just a few feet from Joseph on this day inside a Park Place dealership, has something no other McLaren does. It can fit your golf clubs. “It’s a brand-new segment for us,” he says. “It could literally be an everyday driver.”

Which means you might see more McLarens on Dallas streets soon. The city has been aware of the brand as long as any—Dallas was McLaren’s top market by sales in 2013, its second full year in business. (Today, it remains in the top 10.)

“I’m excited about the move to Dallas,” Joseph says. “New York, when we launched, was a good place to launch. There’s no question we outgrew that market—we were in a high-rise. The new facility allows us to better support the network as a whole.”

Accelerated Growth

Every vehicle is handassembled at the McLaren Production Centre in Woking, Surrey, England.

McLaren made its first U.S. sale in November 2011. It began with nine dealerships that year and will reach 29 locations in the U.S. and Canada by the end of 2020.

The company sold its 5,000th car in North America in April 2018 and has since passed the 7,500 unit mark. Among U.S. markets, Dallas ranks No. 8 for new McLaren sales.

MCL AREN GT COURTESY OF M C L A R E N A U T O M O T I V E ; ICONS S H U T T E R S T O C K

T

FRESH IDEAS

THE NEW MCLAREN

GT debuted at the Geneva Motor Show in May 2019.

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DOSSIER

S U I T E TA L K

URBANISM EXPERTS ROBERT SHAW AND DAN NOBLE TALK MOBILITY, SMART DEVELOPMENT, AND KNITTING THE CITY OF DALLAS BACK TOGETHER. edited by BRANDON J. CALL illustrations by JAKE MEYERS

robert shaw began his career as a first-round draft pick for the Dallas Cowboys, but the CEO of Columbus Realty Partners has gained more fame as a walkability pioneer and for his many multifamily and mixed-use projects in the region. Dan Noble, CEO of HKS Inc., runs one of the country’s largest architecture and design firms and is an influential voice for smart development. D CEO brought the two executives together for a lively conversation at HKS’ downtown Dallas office.

ROBERT SHAW: I read a little about you and see you went to college at North Dakota State. How did you go from there to where you’re at today?

DAN NOBLE: Well, I grew up in Aberdeen, South Dakota, and graduated from North Dakota State in Fargo.

SHAW: You saw the movie Fargo?

NOBLE: I did, and it’s not too far from the truth.

[Laughs.] From an early age, I knew I wanted to be an architect. I wanted to design and get things built. But I didn’t know all of the other things that went into architecture: the psychology, the sociology …

SHAW: … managing clients?

NOBLE: Well, I’m not sure you ever really learn that. [Both laugh.]

After graduating from

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architecture school, I moved to Dallas in 1983.

My girlfriend at the time—now my wife—was here. I didn’t know any of the architecture firms, so I went to the American Insitute of Architects and applied to the one with the most design awards.

It was HKS. I interviewed, got the job, and stayed. ... What about you?

You came here from Tennessee?

SHAW: Yes. I played football there. It was my passion. I came here when I got drafted by the Cowboys in 1979.

NOBLE: And first round?

That’s kind of unusual for linemen.

SHAW: It was pretty unusual. I worked really hard and had my football career going. Then, in my third year, we were playing in San Francisco.

I pulled out to pick up a block and blew out my knee. I knew instantly that it was a serious

injury, and I never played another down of football.

NOBLE: How did you get into development?

SHAW: I went to work for a friend who was developing condos. I started shadowing as an assistant superintendent, and then became a superintendent. And then in ’87, I went to [my former Cowboys teammate] Roger Staubach and asked him to be my business partner. Around that time, I read the two books that most influenced my life: The Death and Life of Great American Cities

by Jane Jacobs and Christopher Alexander’s A Pattern Language.

NOBLE: Two of my favorite books.

SHAW: Everything was being overbuilt then. No need not met. We were doing housing, and it

was eye-popping how oversupplied singlefamily was. Nobody was doing urban. And that was the big idea.

NOBLE: What year was this?

SHAW: It was ’87.

Urbanism didn’t exist; you just had to make it up as you went and look at what other cities were doing. We started with 132 units in Uptown.

NOBLE: And what a transformation. When I came here, State Thomas Historic District was all single-family houses­—no multifamily.

SHAW: Looking at it today, it’s pretty obvious, because you had the urban core and then you had the wealthiest ZIP codes in Dallas. Uptown was the area in between.

It wasn’t rocket science.

NOBLE: And now here we are, the fourth largest metropolitan area in the United States, and within the next few years, we will probably be the third largest. We have an opportunity to grow organically in the ways of the older neighborhoods. I’m particularly interested in those that already have that fabric: East Dallas, Deep Ellum, the Cedars, and Oak Cliff.

SHAW: And White Rock Lake—what an amenity.

Talking about East Dallas and connecting it back into the downtown, what needs to still be done?

NOBLE: Tearing down I-345 would help immensely.

It’s a response to a bigger issue, which is understanding connectivity.

SHAW: Developing Dallas for the automobile spread the city apart.

Today, a lot of what we both are working on is knitting it back together.

NOBLE: We’re talking smart development.

What can the people that live right now do to make it where people 60 years from now look back and say, “That was enlightened.”

SHAW: Are you optimistic for our city’s future?

NOBLE: I am. I’ve got a lot of confidence in this city. I tell people this may be the best spot on the planet. We’ve got the business climate. We’ve got smart people who move here. What a great palette to work with. I’m very, very bullish.

For an extended video version of Suite Talk with Robert Shaw and Dan Noble, visit dceomagazine.com.

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DOSSIER

L O C A L LY S O U R C E D

A Girl’s Best Friend MEET THE 500

KIT SAWERS President K LY D E WA R R E N PA R K

fundraising veteran kit sawers left the chief development officer role with United Way of Metropolitan Dallas in 2018 to help Dallas’ Klyde Warren Park bloom.

Since taking the helm, she has increased attendance and created several new events, such as the Memorial Day Music Fest. Up next: an expansion of the urban greenspace. About 1.5 acres are planned to the west, with construction starting in 2021.

EDUCATION: Southern Methodist University (JD), University of Virginia (BA) FIRST JOB: “I was a junior counselor and instructor at the Hockaday School’s tennis camp. I learned that a tennis tan does not go well with a bathing suit.”

WHOM I ADMIRE: “My stepmother, Midge Richardson, was the editor-in-chief of Seventeen magazine from 1975 to 1993, after being a nun in California for 20 years and appearing in both Little Rascals and Shirley Temple movies as a child. She taught me that work can be incredibly interesting and finding a job that you are passionate about makes it much more fun.”

PROUD MOMENT: “I am thrilled with the increased attendance

the park has seen over this past year.”

FUN FACT: “My dad, Ham Richardson, was a Rhodes scholar and also the No. 1-ranked tennis player in the United States in the 1950s. He played on the U.S. Davis Cup team and won the U.S. Open (doubles) in 1958, before it was called the U.S. Open. He also reached the finals of the Australian Open with his mixed doubles partner, Maureen Connolly, ‘Little Mo.’” FAVORITE PET: “I have a golden retriever named Max, after the dog belonging to Dr. Seuss’ Grinch. He is the most loving dog on the planet, but he hates other dogs.”

NONPROFIT CAUSE: “I learned the importance of giving back early on in life. Growing up, United Way and several nonprofits

played a vital role in supporting my family, specifically my sister, who required special medical attention. These nonprofit organizations gave my family the care, education, and resources we needed. Having personally benefited from the selflessness of others, I know the impact individuals can make by giving back.”

BEVERAGES OF CHOICE: “Water, Diet Coke, and rosé or Chardonnay” BUCKET LIST: “I have always been fascinated by Russian literature and history and really want to visit St. Petersburg and Moscow.

I loved the movie Dr. Zhivago when I was a little girl, have read a lot about the Romanov dynasty, and studied Dostoevsky, Pushkin, and Tolstoy in college.”

LOOKING AHEAD: “I am excited to see what life looks like in four years. Klyde Warren Park’s expansion will be complete, my older daughter, Annie, will have just graduated from college, and my younger daughter, Elizabeth, will have just graduated from high school.”

tisha vaidya launched pratiksha Jewelry after leaving a job on Wall Street in 2015. With her salary at a real estate investment company in New York City, Vaidya began upgrading her wardrobe, shoes, and handbags. When it came to jewelry, though, she noticed that her choices were either ultra-pricey or costume.

“We’re challenging the notion that your only option is Tiffany’s or Cartier, or that you’ve got to know a guy,” Vaidya says. Pratiksha specializes in rings, pendants, necklaces, earrings, and bracelets crafted in solid 14- to 18-karat gold with ethically sourced diamonds and gemstones. Perhaps most notable is the company’s online marketing campaign: #ToMeFromMeLoveMe, challenging the old-school mindset that women have to be gifted jewelry. “We’re here to champion and empower women to make those purchasing decisions,” she says. —Brandon Call A LITTLE BLING

Pratiksha products range in price from $75 to $2,500.

S AW E R S BY J A K E M E Y E R S ; P R AT I K S H A C O U R T E S Y O F P R A T I K S H A J E W E L R Y

Pratiksha Jewelry cuts out the middle man by marketing its gems directly to women.

This Q&A is extended content from Dallas 500, a special edition produced by D CEO that profiles the region’s most infulential business leaders. Visit www.dallas500.com for details.

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DOSSIER

O N T H E TA B L E

Sam Moon Group’s Daniel Moon shoots for the stars The second-generation leader helps his family’s company move beyond wholesale retail to luxury hotels.

it would be easy to assume that after graduating from SMU’s Cox School of Business, Daniel Moon would have stepped into a role with the family company. Its Sam Moon Trading accessories stores had become fixtures in North Texas, story by BIANCA R. MONTES attracting both local shoppers and out-of-town illustration by JAKE MEYERS visitors. But instead, his father insisted he attend law school—a decision rooted in an unfortunate experience in Nashville, where a ground lease lawsuit left the elder Moon bankrupt. “My dad lost everything because of that lawsuit,” Moon says, as we mull over the menu at Oma, an Asian eatery inside the Renaissance Dallas at Plano Legacy West. A self-confessed foodie, he interrupts his story to lean in and ask, “Do you like flavorful food?”

When I nod yes, he suggests we share a bowl of crispy Brussels sprouts Hyatt Regency Frisco dressed in a syrupy chili sauce. (I’m Opens: 2020 glad he did; they were delicious.)

Hyatt Place Fort Worth/ After graduating from the Dedman Alliance Town Center School of Law, Moon became general Opens: 2020 counsel for Moon Group. In the last Hyatt House several years, he has led a transforMetropark Square mational change at the company.

Opens: 2020 Between bites of our salads—mine a JW Marriott Arts District tangy beet and goat cheese; his salmOpens: 2022 on over kale—Moon shares how the family went from wholesalers to ho-

Hotels on the Horizon

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teliers, with a collection of Marriott properties now in the mix.

By 2013, the family had opened eight Sam Moon Trading stores but was beginning to feel the impact of the Amazon effect. “We started seeing same-store sales go down, like literally in all the stores,” Moon says. “So we decided to take a pause and see if this was an anomaly year.” During that time, his parents began to consider adding trophy real estate assets to their portfolio. They started with the Coyote Ridge Golf Club and then a full-service hotel—the $120 million “WE’RE ONLY Renaissance hotel, GOING TO MOVE which opened in 2017.

FORWARD ON Its success led the Moons to develop four FUTURE HOTEL additional hotel projDEVELOPMENTS ects throughout North IF WE THINK Texas. Combined, they THEY’RE A add up to nearly 1,000 GRAND SLAM.” rooms. Three are slated to open this year.

The fourth, a JW Marriott, is being built atop a 10-story parking garage in the Arts District, across from the recently renovated Trammell Crow Center. It will make its debut in 2022.

The family plans to continue along the hospitality path—with caution, Moon says. “We’re only going to move forward on future hotel developments if we think they’re a grand slam,” he says. “If they’re all doing amazing, then we will probably pursue additional opportunities. If it’s hit and miss, maybe we take a look and say, ‘Well, why are some of these not as great as some of the others?’ and try to figure that out before we do the next project.”

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A NEW DESIGN DISTRICT EXPERIENCE OFFICE SPACE AVAILABLE STARTING 2ND QUARTER 2020 FOR MORE INFORMATION CALL OR TEXT 972-449-7975 | DD@quadrantinvestments.com

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DOSSIER

OFFICE VISIT

BILL SHADDOCK Owner and CEO C A P I TA L T I T L E O F T E X A S

story by CHRISTINE PEREZ

1. MOTHER AND SON “This photo with my mom, Hulda, is very special to me. The values and ideals she taught me serve as the cornerstones of my business. … She was no fan of big shots.”

P H OTO G R A P H Y BY H O Y O U N G L E E

a native of orange in southeast texas, bill shaddock came 2. TWO GREAT MEN “This is a photo of Babe to Dallas to practice law. He got into the title business in 1987 and Ruth at Yale, autographed has grown what began as a one-man operation into the country’s

by President George largest independent title company, with nearly 100 branch offices.

Bush—41. Two great men.”

Plano-based Capital Title of Texas has a stronghold in the Lone Star State, but Shaddock has his eye on national expansion—and has been making big hires and acquisitions toward that goal. Targets include Phoenix, Philadelphia, Chicago, Oregon, and states in the Northeast. “It’s going from a regional operation to a national company, and we have the people in place to make that happen,” Shaddock says. “But we’re never going to be a top-down company; we’re always going to focus on servant leadership.” His various entities, including Capital Title, generate about $125 million in annual revenue.

3. TCU CORNER “The centerpiece of this display is a miniature cast of a giant horned frog sculpture a couple of other guys and I donated to the school. It sits in front of Amon G. Carter Stadium.”

4. HOMETOWN PRIDE “This is a print celebrating Orange, Texas, my hometown. It reminds me of my roots.”

BEST FRIEND “This is a tribute to my dog, Lucy, who I dearly loved. She died at the age of 16.”

5. LEATHER HELMET “This is signed by Slingin’ Sammy Baugh, an AllAmerica quarterback for TCU in the 1930s. It’s a smaller version of the leather helmet he wore.”

6. BROTHERS “This is one of my favorite photos of me with my older brother, Peter. He runs Shaddock Homes, which has been in business for more than 50 years.

7. LANDSCAPE “This is one of several pieces I have that were painted by my Aunt Nell.

She was a prolific painter and lived quite a life.”

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Seven-year-old Veronica Londoño was fast asleep when she was awakened by a ferocious blast that blew out her bedroom windows.

She would later learn that the Medellín Cartel, led by the notorious Pablo Escobar, had bombed the house of a government official who lived nearby. Escobar’s drug war was heating up in Colombia— and hitting close to home.

From that moment on, everything changed.

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American Leather President Veronica LondoĂąo Schnitzius began her career in the furniture industry as an intern.

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“It was extremely dangerous,” says Veronica, who tacked on her married name of Schnitzius in 2012. “We could play outside during the day but we couldn’t leave the house after it got dark. It was a different world at night.

“There were bombs and kidnappings and other violence.

No one in my close family was ever hurt, but there were people I knew—neighbors—who weren’t so lucky.”

The drug war hit close to home in another way, too.

When Schnitzius was young, her father became addicted to cocaine, and her parents divorced. When she was about 8 years old, she recalls riding in a car with a friend when they came to a stoplight and encountered a man who was begging on the street. It was her father.

“I still have those memories,” she says. “It gave me the determination that I never wanted to struggle.”

Her parents eventually remarried, after her father spent four years in rehab. He went on to graduate from college and become a CPA. Schnitzius says she learned a great deal from her childhood experiences.

“I just started talking about all of this not too long ago, but this is my past—it’s who I am,” she says. “My experiences gave me that grit.”

That grit has taken Schnitzius from the violent streets of Medellín to the rolling hills of southern Dallas, where she serves as president of luxury furniture maker American Leather. Her appointment in October 2017 was the latest in a string of promotions she has received since joining the company 15 years ago as a mechanical engineer.

Engineering was a career she picked at an early age. She had dyslexia and struggled to read but had no problems memorizing math tables and was a whiz with numbers. A school friend mentioned that engineers do a lot of math. “Anything that didn’t require a lot of

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A 90-day supply of leather is always kept in stock, to ensure a 30day delivery promise.

reading and writing, that’s what I wanted to be,” she says. “And that’s what I did.”

Her parents scraped up enough money to send Schnitzius to study in a foreign country so she could learn another language. She chose Canada. While there, she secured an internship at The Leather Center in Dallas. It led to a full-time job in August 2001.

But just seven months later, the company filed for bankruptcy. Schnitzius was desperate to find work that would fulfill the obligations of her H-1B visa, but few companies were hiring in the aftermath of 9/11.

A friend suggested that she reach out to the competition, so she gave American Leather a call.

K EEPI NG I T LEA N Bob Duncan had done some consulting work for The Leather Center before deciding in the early 1990s to launch a furniture company of his own. The young engineer saw an industry that was rife with inefficiencies. Incorporating Japanese-style lean manufacturing concepts would give his new American Leather an edge, he believed, by enabling it to deliver custom furniture to conSchnitzius sumers within 30 days instead of says American Leather makes the typical wait times of two to four about 425 custom pieces months. And that’s exactly the way of furniture it has played out. every day.

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FA M I LY P H OTO C O U R T E S Y O F V E R O N I C A S C H N I T Z I U S

Schnitzius as a child in Colombia, with her brother, Juan Carlos, and maternal grandparents.

American Leather made its first sale in 1992, operating out of borrowed space. It generated $150 million in sales last year and produces between 400 and 500 pieces of furniture a day from its 350,000-square-foot headquarters and manufacturing facility near Mountain Creek Lake. Despite the company’s name, about half of its sofas, sofa-sleepers, and chairs are clad in fabric, including high-performance brands like Crypton and Sunbrella.

Duncan wasn’t looking to add to his team, but Schnitzius was connected to a friend from his Leather Center days, so he agreed to meet with her. “She was very impressive,” he recalls. “There are some people that you interview and you just go, ‘Wow.’” Like Duncan, Schnitzius was an engineer and a fan of operational efficiencies. And she knew the furniture business. Duncan decided to have her take a personality test American Leather was using to screen potential new hires. “It came back that she would be a terrible fit,” Duncan says. “I had her retake it in Spanish, and it came back with the exact same results. I hired her anyway, and that was the last time we used that test.”

Schnitzius started out in engineering, but it didn’t take long before her drive and natural curiosity led her to other areas. A turning point came when she

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was working on a factory project and got into a quarrel with a maintenance chief. She went to the plant manager for advice. He told her: “You have to leave the nice lady home tomorrow and bring the real you.

Are we clear?” Not long after, at 24 years old, she was put in charge of the cutting department.

“Some on the team were not happy, but you just have to learn to work in different situations,” Schnitzius says. “One advantage I had was that I loved soccer, and they did, too. So that became our bond. I had to find a way to connect with the guys, and sports was an easy way to do it.”

From there she was named assistant plant manufacturer, which put her in a customer role with the product development group. One day, Duncan called her into his office. “I hear you don’t like the way things are going in product development.” She said, “Nope.”

He said, “OK. Now you’re in charge.”

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Hardwood frames provide the foundation for the company’s sofas, chairs, and other pieces of furniture.

The shift gave Schnitzius a chance to learn about the sales side of the business and interact with customers like Crate & Barrel and RH (formerly Restoration Hardware). Engineers aren’t always able to easily make that shift. “As it turns out, Veronica was extremely capable,” Duncan says. “She began working with all of our major accounts, and they loved her.

It also gave her the opportunity to grow as a leader.”

Success led to her being named vice president of operations, then chief operating officer, and, most recently, president. Schnitzius says hands-on experience in all areas of the business has helped her understand the needs and perspectives of the different departments. And this, in turn, has given her credibility with workers. “At the end of the day, we work for the employees in the factory,” she says of her servant leadership style. “If I’m not here, it really doesn’t matter; we’re still going to ship everything. But if the sewers aren’t here, nothing gets out the door.”

American Leather workers handcraft each piece of furniture. 1) A sewer trims selvedge. 2) All items go through a thorough quality assurance process. 3) Routers cut frames, while brushes

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ROBUST BASE OF BUSINESS Schnitzius calls Duncan one of her “two angels.” The other is American Leather CEO Bruce Birnbach. He joined the company in 2013 after 20 years with Rowe keep the wood each hide. PeoFurniture, including six as dust and small ple train for up particles in the to nine months president. “Bob is an engicutting area to become so they can be nesters. 5) neer, so we think very simsucked into Thread colors the dust colare carefully ilarly,” Schnitzius says of lection system. selected to Duncan. “We see things in 4) Nesting match every technology is hide and fabric.

Excel spreadsheets. Bruce is used to yield 6) Unidirecthe maximum tional webbing more sales, merchandising, amount of is applied to all and marketing; he hates beleather from seating orders.

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ing in a box. I get the processes from Bob and the no processes from Bruce. I’m very lucky.”

Duncan, who now lives in his native South Texas, handed off day-to-day operations to Birnbach and Schnitzius a few years back. Their jobs have gotten much bigger, with American Leather, backed by private equity firm Capital Partners, recently acquiring three furniture companies. In October 2016, it bought Lee Industries. Lee also caters to high-end retailers, but its furniture is more traditional, versus the modern and contemporary lines of American Leather. Both will continue to operate under their well-known brands.

“It would be like if Chanel bought Gucci,” Birnbach says.

In December 2017, it acquired Brookline Furniture, which primarily serves the hospitality industry. And in April 2019, it bought BenchMade Modern, an online retailer. Combined, the four entities generated $320 million in revenue last year.

“It has allowed all three companies to be better versions of themselves,” Duncan says. “We have done a lot to create this robust base of a business, and I’m excited to see the team distraction-free to focus on all of the opportunities there.”

T H E ‘A P P L E ’ O F F U R N I T U R E Among the greatest opportunities: a focus on innovation. Birnbach says American Leather wants to create unique products and be “the Apple of furniture.”

The innovation lab within its Dallas headquarters is deliberately situated away from the product testing area. “It’s about using technology to create the furniture of the future,” he says.

Schnitzius, whom he calls “V,” is an ideal partner for driving the company forward, Birnbach says.

American Leather recently moved to a matrix organizational structure, where reporting relationships are set up as a grid, versus the traditional hierarchy.

The move allows Schnitzius to focus on her true passion: operations. Since being named president, she has worked to incorporate processes in all areas of the business and find data points for everything that can be measured. “I always say, ‘In God I trust; everyone else, bring me data,’” she jokes. Schnitzius also added more reporting, going from monthly updates to weekly and sometimes daily reports and doing more in-depth tracking of things like sales by category. Data helps identify what needs more attention and reveal where opportunities lie, she says.

Among her proudest achievements is initiating a robust health initiative that culminated in the opening

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BRAND APPEAL Backed by the private equity firm Capital Partners, American Leather has made three big acquisitions in the last several years.

Here’s a breakdown of new brands.

LEE

INDUSTRIES Based in Conover, N.C., and acquired October 2016. Known for its design and customization of curated traditional to transitional lifestyle furniture.

BROOKLINE

FURNITURE Based in Archdale, N.C., and acquired in December 2017.

Known for producing upholstered furniture targeted to the hospitality market.

of a new wellness center, where employees can work out, attend nutrition classes, and get free personal training. An avid runner and triathlete, Schnitzius also launched a company-wide 5k event and helped develop a Biggest Loser-style program.

WO R L D O F O P P O R T U N I T Y As an immigrant at American Leather, Schnitzius is hardly alone. Her direct reports come from four countries—India, Denmark, Mexico, and the United States.

All told, American Leather’s 600 employees hail from 23 countries, and their national flags proudly hang from the ceiling of the company cafeteria. “Other companies ask how we’re able to have all this diversity,” Schnitzius says. “It’s like asking how you ride a bike.

You just get on and pedal.”

Duncan, whose wife’s family came to the United States from Taiwan, says he has always admired the determination of immigrants. “It’s a controversial topic, but people who are willing to leave everything behind and start a new life are very motivated,” he says.

“Our amazing first-generation immigrants, in both manufacturing and management, have been a big part of the company and culture we’ve built.”

With Schnitzius, he says, that drive has played out in her career at American Leather and the way she has fearlessly gone into different areas of the company.

Schnitzius says she is grateful for the opportunities she has been given—and hopeful about what the future holds, particularly for her daughter, Hannah: “She thinks she A leather picker pulls can be anything she wants to be, and hides needed I’m going to support that. I want her for the day’s orders. The to know as a girl and as a Hispanhides will be inspected for ic and American woman, she has a quality before place in the world.” they’re used.

BENCHMADE

MODERN Based in California and acquired in April 2019. Known as a technology-based custom sofa company that lets customers buy online.

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story by

BIANCA R. MONTES photography by

JUSTIN CLEMONS

S TA C K I N G BREAD SINCE OPENING HIS FIRST E AST H A M P TO N SA N DW I C H CO. I N 2 0 1 2 , H U N T E R P O N D H A S B U I LT A $ 3 2 0 M I L L I O N R E S TA U R A N T E M P I R E .

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Vandelay’s flagship East Hampton Sandwich Co. opened in Highland Park in 2012.

Ask Hunter Pond what he’s good at, and the 32-year-old restaurateur will give you a quick response: making money.

“That’s ultimately the message we perpetuate and what we are known for,” he says.

“It’s tough to make money in the restaurant business, and we know how to make money—and we’re having fun doing it.”

Since opening his first East Hampton Sandwich Co. in Snider Plaza in 2012, Pond has turned a $400,000 investment into a company that’s expected to generate more than $32 million in revenue this year. Leveraging a passion for travel and researching food trends, Pond has filled some gaps in the local dining scene, growing beyond sandwich shops to include raw bars (Hudson House) and an Old Hollywood-style steakhouse (the just-opened Drake’s).

Up next: Pond and his Vandelay Hospitality partner, Kyle Brooks, are bringing the taste of Nashville hot chicken to Old East Dallas.

When he first opened East Hampton Sandwich Co., media reports made much

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of the fact that Pond was a law school dropout who once washed dishes at Eno’s Pizza Tavern. What those stories left out, however, is that he graduated from Texas Tech with a degree in entrepreneurship and never aspired to practice law. “When I decided to go to law school, it was merely because I graduated from college in the middle of the recession and there were no jobs to be had,” he says. “It was bottom-of-the-barrel pickings.”

Once in law school, he didn’t feel the fire he thought he would. In fact, he was miserable, and didn’t want to suffer through contracts and torts if he wasn’t going to practice law. His parents, who had sacrificed to give him an educational foundation in the Park Cities, weren’t pleased.

Still, Pond quit law school, moved home, and began writing a business plan for a restaurant that sold made-from-scratch sandwiches. Thanks to his entrepreneurship studies, Pond knew how to organize operations and crunch numbers. And thanks to a nearly universal love of meats and cheeses stacked between fresh bread, he figured he had an idea that would catch on. And he was right.

He also knew his business-first approach would serve him well. “That’s a tricky area where a lot of young people in the restaurant business get caught,” Pond says. “They have a strong imagination and a strong base of culinary knowledge; however, the business side of things is incredibly different and more complicated and uses a much different side of your brain. That’s one of the fortunate things for me. I was better at that side than I was the creative side. Once I was able to home in on the creative side of it, it gave me a dangerous combo. That’s why the original East Hampton worked out. And that’s why investors, when I was raising money, bought in—because they could tell that what I lacked in experience I made up for in business knowledge.”

That doesn’t mean mistakes weren’t made or that his youth wasn’t a factor. After all, how many 24-year-olds are launching their own real estate or restaurant enterprises? Pond’s strategy was to start small— Hudson House debuted in 2017 in with that first sandwich shop in 2012—and build his reputaHighland Park. A tion. By the end of 2019, he had eight East Hamptons, two Hudsecond opened in Addison, and one son Houses, and the newly opened Drake’s. He also had plans in Lakewood is for the chicken shack. coming soon.

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Drake’s, which just opened in Bluffview, was inspired by Old Hollywood steakhouses.

ESCA L ATI NG R E V E NUE Vandelay Hospitality’s sales, which have been brisk from the start, continue to gain momentum.

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After some “silly mistakes,” Hunter Pond’s restaurant group is flourishing.

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I N T E R I O R A N D E X T E R I O R I M AG E S C O U R T E S Y O F V A N D E L A Y H O S P I T A L I T Y

The fledgling Hudson House chain is a nod to raw bars found in New York’s Hudson Valley.

“It all boils down to operations and your reputation as an operator,” he says. “That’s what customers respect; that’s what the landlords respect. When we opened Hudson House—and we opened it as strongly as we did—it solidified our reputation as not just young creative guys, but young creative guys who can really operate a business. Once we developed that reputation as operators, we were shown more respect in every regard.”

Pond acknowledges that his Highland Park upbringing gave him a leg up. Not because he came from a wealthy family—he didn’t—but because the opportunity to have access to influential neighbors is one of the advantages of living in the area. The relationships he formed have been important, Pond says. “And I have to give credit to that.

Whenever I was starting off, I had a business plan and about $2,000 in my checking account, and went out to raise money. Most people who don’t have those sorts of introductions—people like to use the word ‘connections’; I think it’s a tacky word. It’s really an introduction, and then you’re lucky to get a coffee, and then you’re lucky to get a follow-up meeting. I mean, it’s a grind. I bootstrapped that sucker,” he says, laughing.

Although much of Pond’s and Vandelay Hospitality’s success can also be credited to a knack for bringing trendy concepts to food-obsessed Dallasites, the young entrepreneur has been careful to consider the counsel of an all-star list of mentors, including former Brinker CEO Doug Brooks and Ray Washburne, owner of Highland Park Village and Mi Cocina-parent MCrowd Restaurant Group. The two, he says, took him under their wings early in his career and provided candid advice. Pond fondly remembers the day Washburne walked into East Hampton Sandwich Co. and shook his hand.

“He was very kind to me and opened his door and told me to reach out if I ever need any advice,” Pond says. “It’s easy to find people who have this-is-what-I-did, don’t-dothat advice. It’s different for someone to go to multiple lunches with you, multiple breakfasts, have you over to their home, and really open their arms to you. Those relationships are incredibly rare, and I’ll always be indebted to those two guys for that.”

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Although he hasn’t heeded every recommendation, Pond says he holds fast to input, especially when Brooks told him not to follow tradition too closely or shy away from forging his own path. “A constant thing he always told me was to push the envelope and be creative. Don’t always try to look at my career or anyone else’s career and play it by the book. But, at the same time, be careful. It’s like, be aggressive, but be careful; it sounds like an oxymoron, but it always rings true.”

With his hospitality group flourishing, Pond says he didn’t always listen to institutional guidance like location matters and don’t grow for the sake of growing. “My biggest mistake early in my career was not heeding that advice,” he says, referring to the closing of two East Hampton Sandwich locations at Montrose and The Star. “And, I’ll be honest, we made a lot of silly mistakes negotiating leases early on, too. Fortunately for us, they didn’t become problems because our stores were doing well. But in hindsight, some of the deal terms we negotiated in terms of personal guarantees and silly stuff like that, I wish I had back, just because I know that we were taken advantage of.”

When it comes to the next project, Pond says he always looks to first determine if an idea will resonate in Dallas. After a trip to Los Angeles, where he fell in love with the vibe of old-school steak lounges, he knew the “When my business concept would interest his friends and the Bluffview partner, Kyle Brooks, came in and bought neighborhood where he parked Drake’s. It is nothing like out my former partner, the already thriving classics, he says. “There are Nick & it was such a godsend Sam’s, Al Biernat’s, and Bob’s—the iconic steakhouses I that when we were sitlove and respect and have grown up with—I don’t want ting there talking about to compete with them. But [Drake’s] is not what they do. what we were going to rename the company, we … The focus isn’t about 96-day dry-aged wagyu from said we always wanted Australia, corn-fed and massaged-by-monks steak. It’s to remind ourselves to just a damn good steak that’s USDA prime. And we’re have fun. When we were not overcharging anyone. It’s really a party. And that’s in college, we watched a what I wanted, especially living in the area.” crazy amount of Seinfeld and still to this day drop The same can be said for Lucky’s, his Nashville hot a number of one-liners chicken concept that will open this spring on Gaston from the show. [Vandelay Avenue in the heart of Old East Dallas. This will also be Industries was a made-up Vandelay’s first time to purchase the land beneath the company where Jerry building—an idea Pond says will allow the company to Seinfeld and George Constanza once purported pivot should the restaurant fail. “Even if the hot chicken to work.] It’s incredibly is only a fad—it turns out to be the next poke—at least special to Kyle and me, we own the real estate, and we can make a move,” he and it allows us always to says. “The other players who will be leasing their spacremember that we were es, they’re not going to have the same opportunities.” friends first.”

What’s In A Name?

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Some of the most successful leaders in Dallas-Fort Worth real estate just happen to be identical twins. working with family has its challenges. imagine doing it with

your wombmate. We talked with four sets of identical twins who have embraced their status as multiples while making a name for themselves in the competitive landscape of commercial real estate. Whether it’s developing residential communities like Phillip and Donald Huffines or commercial projects like Fort Worth sisters Jessica Miller and Susan Gruppi; negotiating deals like Cushman & Wakefield brokers Dean and Mark Collins; or doubling their networks while at competing firms like De’On and De’Juan Collins, the synergy these siblings share is a powerful tool that has propelled their careers. story by BIANCA R. MONTES p h o t o g ra p h y b y T R E VO R PAU L H U S

photographed on location at B O TA N I S T, DA L L A S

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J LL AN D I NVE SCO R E AL E S TATE

DE’ON AND DE’JUAN COLLINS

TWO OF A KIND

De’On (left) and De’Juan Collins grew up in Lubbock and graduated from Texas Tech in 2006 with finance degrees.

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De’On Collins and De’Juan Collins don’t work in the same office. And that isn’t something either of them is trying to change. Just like their wardrobe, the finance-focused brothers say working for firms that have long-standing relationships allows them to double up on resources. “We end up in conversations in rooms that we aren’t even in,” De’Juan says. The duo also has had the opportunity to work with each other on a handful of deals—and fondly recall their first one. “Because our companies have such a longstanding relationship, it was just kind of business as usual, but for us, it was monumental,” De’On says. “I remember we went out and had a closing celebration with just the two of us.” And although they know the commercial real estate industry can be cutthroat, the two say they bring their a harmonious approach to the table—a lesson their mother long ago instilled in them. “Our goal was to make sure that whatever we did, we were always synergistic and not competing,” De’Juan says.

“Where’s the fun in competing for a deal, a project, a piece of business when you’re the winner, but your brother’s the loser?”

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M2G VE NTU R E S

SUSAN GRUPPI AND JESSICA MILLER Susan Gruppi and Jessica Miller don’t subscribe to the concept of twintuition. But the Fort Worth sisters known for their ability to breathe new life into old buildings agree that they’ve spent the past three decades finishing each other’s sentences and use body language as a form of communicating. “It’s not really a superpower; maybe it’s more like an old couple type of thing,” Susan says with a laugh.

But that old married partnership idiom has been a forward force in their careers. Well, that and an abiding work ethic instilled in them by their entrepreneurial parents. “I know that seems kind of cliche, but I never realized working your ass off was a skillset until I got into the working world and realized some people are resilient and born to work their butt off and others aren’t,” Susan says. Working with a twin also can bring with it high highs and low lows, Jessica says. “Our successes are bigger because we get to share them, and our failures are worse because we get to share them.”

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PEAS IN A POD

Susan Gruppi (left) and Jessica Miller say they are innovators who use real estate as a platform to inspire.

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CU S H MAN & WAK E FI E LD

DEAN AND MARK COLLINS BROKER BROS

With clients like Chewy.com ClubCorp, Dean (left) and Mark Collins are among the region’s top tenant reps.

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growing up on a ranch in salina, dean collins and his twin brother Mark learned early on that your reputation is your business.

That philosophy and a strong work ethic has played a big role in the Collins’ success in commercial real estate. Their identical faces make them marketable. “Twins are more memorable, right?” Dean says. He joined Cushman & Wakefield in 2006. Two years later, Mark followed. They didn’t work together at first, but became partners in 2012. “It has been a great move,” Mark says. Why does it work? That’s simple, they say; they stay in their own lanes. Dean and Mark both specialize in corporate advisory services, with Mark taking the lead on industrial clients and Dean targeting office users and tech companies. The brothers say they tend to be the yin to each other’s yang. “Some days when I might be hot over one particular topic, he’s cooler and calmer,” Mark says. “And then it will be vice versa the next time something comes up.”

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H U FFI N E S CO M M U N ITI E S

PHILLIP AND DON HUFFINES

HOME MAKERS

Phillip (left) and Don Huffines focus on placemaking at their residential development company.

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Twins Phillip and Don Huffines have a hard-and-fast rule when it comes to running a business together: Don’t talk about personal life on the job. “It creates more trust because sometimes those questions can lead to judgment,” says Phillip, the elder brother by three minutes.

Trust, the brothers say, is the foundation of why their business relationship works and why their company has left a successful imprint on multifamily and masterplanned communities across Dallas-Fort Worth. After all, who are you going to trust more than your twin? “You have that unconditional trust of your business partner, and that’s very, very rare in the business world,” Don says. The brothers, who have worked to solidify their separate personalities since having the collective name “twin” as youths, also focus on their individual strengths in business.

Don focuses on acquisitions and underwriting and Phillip on the implementation and execution of those acquisitions. As a bonus, the brothers say they don’t have to sugarcoat anything when working together.

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SECTION NAME

POWER BROKERS

2020

The Top Commercial Real Estate Professionals in Dallas-Fort Worth ME THO D O LO G Y : We asked the leaders of North Texas brokerages to tell us who

generated the most revenue for their companies in 2019. The number of names they were allowed to submit was based on their total numbers of licensed brokers, with a couple of exceptions for equal partners. In all, executives at 83 firms employing nearly 2,000 brokers participated. Members of the 2020 Class of D CEO Power Brokers are presented below in alphabetical order, by area of specialty.

COMMERCIAL PROPERTY SALES Adam Abushagur, Marcus & Millichap Mark Allen, Greystone John Alvarado, CBRE* Tiffany Angelle, Colliers Jared Aubrey, CBRE Michael Austry, CBRE Randy Baird, CBRE Daniel Baker, CBRE Doug Banerjee, Greysteel Brandon Beeson, Edge Realty Partners Eric Beichler, Mohr Partners, Inc. Lizzy Blake, Colliers Edward Bogel, Davidson Bogel Real Estate Ford Braly, Marcus & Millichap LeAnn Brown, Silver Oak Commercial Realty Jonathan Bryan, CBRE Tom Burns, Berkadia Gary Carr, CBRE* Jud Clements, Cushman & Wakefield Jonathan Cooper, Venture Commercial Maureen Kelly Cooper, Cushman & Wakefield Chris Cozby, CBRE David Davidson Jr., Davidson Bogel Real Estate Robert Denninger, Marcus & Millichap Chris Deuillet, CBRE David Disney, Disney Investment Group Lynn Dowdle, Dowdle Real Estate Jeremy Faltys, CBRE Jaclyn Fitts, CBRE Nick Fluellen, Marcus & Millichap Todd Franks, Greystone Chris Gomes, Marcus & Millichap Pamela Goodwin, Goodwin Commercial Trip Green, The Woodmont Co. Andrew Gross, Matthews Real Estate Investment Services Tom Grunnah, Younger Partners

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Jay Gunn, Berkadia Stephen Hemphill, Mohr Partners, Inc. Robert Hill, CBRE* Taylor Hill, Berkadia Bard Hoover, Marcus & Millichap Michelle Hudson, Hudson Peters Commercial Bob Ingram, Mohr Partners, Inc. Will Jarnagin, Berkadia Jamie Jennings, Stream Realty Partners Brandon Karr, Marcus & Millichap Jim Kelley, Champions DFW Commercial Realty Drew Kile, Marcus & Millichap Lane Kommer, Henry S. Miller Company Scott Lake, Davidson Bogel Real Estate Beth Lambert, Cushman & Wakefield Chad Lavender, Newmark Knight Frank Eddie Liebman, Weitzman Lon Lloyd, Champions DFW Commercial Realty Ryan Maconachy, Newmark Knight Frank Mart Martindale, Edge Realty Partners Mike McDonald, Cushman & Wakefield Daniel Miller, Rubicon Representation Jake Milner, Davidson Bogel Real Estate Jonathan Napper, Cushman & Wakefield Marty Neilon, CBRE Brian O’Boyle Sr., Newmark Knight Frank Matthew Otte, Whitebox Real Estate Rob Pipkin, Mohr Partners, Inc. Jerad Rector, Worldwide Commercial Ken Reimer, Venture Commercial Matthew Rosenfeld, Weitzman Casey Schaefer, CBRE Derek Schuster, Weitzman Al Silva, Marcus & Millichap Trent Smith, Mohr Partners John St. Clair, Younger Partners Wilson Stafford, Edge Realty Partners

Creighton Stark, Colliers Jack Stone, Greysteel Shawn Street, Younger Partners Ryan Thornton, CBRE Joey Tumminello, Marcus & Millichap William Vonderfecht, CBRE Michael Ware, Berkadia Bart Wickard, Newmark Knight Frank Michael Ytem, Younger Partners John Zikos, Venture Commercial DATA CENTERS Brant Bernet, CBRE Bo Bond, JLL Ali Greenwood, JLL Chris Herrmann, CBRE Curt Holcomb, JLL Bryan Loewen, Newmark Knight Frank INDUSTRIAL PROJECT LEASING Joshua Barnes, Holt Lunsford Commercial John Brewer, Transwestern Matt Carthey, Holt Lunsford Commercial Stephen Cooper, NAI Robert Lynn Tony Creme, Hillwood Matt Dornak, Stream Realty Partners Jeff Givens, Transwestern Reid Goetz, Hillwood Adam Graham, Lee & Associates Kurt Griffin, Cushman & Wakefield John Hendricks, CBRE Tom Hudson, Hudson Peters Commercial Kacy Jones, CBRE Blake Kendrick, Stream Realty Partners Steve Koldyke, CBRE Seth Koschak, Stream Realty Partners David Martin, Capstone Commercial Real Estate Group Nathan Orbin, Cushman & Wakefield Brian Pafford, Bradford Commercial RE Services Larry Robbins, Capstone Commercial Real Estate Group Joe Santaularia, Bradford Commercial RE Services Canon Shoults, Holt Lunsford Commercial Susan Singer, Bradford Commercial RE Services Nick Talley, Bradford Commercial RE Services Steve Trese, CBRE Ken Wesson, Lee & Associates Brock Wilson, Bradford Commercial RE Services INDUSTRIAL TENANT REP Chad Albert, NAI Robert Lynn Blake Anderson, Savills Studley Chris Armstrong, Fischer

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POWER BROKERS

2020

Reid Bassinger, Lee & Associates Josh Bays, Site Selection Group Steve Berger, CBRE Ryan Boozer, Stream Realty Partners Dan Cook, Cushman & Wakefield Keenan Cook, Mercer Co. Andrew Crites, Newmark Knight Frank J Holmes Davis IV, Binswanger Bill de la Chapelle, Rubicon Representation Jacob Dreyer, Capstone Commercial Real Estate Group Tyson Erwin, NAI Robert Lynn Adam Faulk, Newmark Knight Frank Trey Fricke, Lee & Associates Brian Gilchrist, CBRE Andy W. Goldston, Citadel Partners Allen Gump, Colliers Jim Hazard, esrp Corby Hodgkiss, Mercer Co. Summitt Hogue, Rubicon Representation Melissa Holland, JLL Todd Hubbard, NAI Robert Lynn Matt Hyman, Duke Realty Scott M. Jessen, Citadel Partners Craig Jones, JLL Elizabeth Jones, JLL Ryan Keiser, CBRE Seth Kelly, CBRE Greg Lance, Cushman & Wakefield Nathan Lawrence, CBRE Art Leichner, Newmark Knight Frank Chris Mason, Newmark Knight Frank Tom McCarthy, JLL Mike McElwee, Avison Young Jeff Mercer, Mercer Co. Jeremy Mercer, Mercer Co. Mark Miller, NAI Robert Lynn Michael Newsome, NAI Robert Lynn Tom Pearson, Colliers Ward Richmond, Colliers Chris Robinson, Fischer Travis Sapaugh, CBRE Brian Sapp, Fischer Bob Scully, CBRE Dan Spika, Henry S. Miller Company Michael Stanzel, NAI Robert Lynn Brad Struck, esrp Chris Teesdale, Colliers Randy Touchstone, JLL Matt Troutt, Altschuler and Co. Tim Vogds, CBRE Tom Walrich, Lee & Associates Randy Wood, Duke Realty Rich Young Jr., Rich Young Co.

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OFFICE PROJECT LEASING Steve Aldrich, Hillwood Trae Anderson, Younger Partners Ben Appleby, Dogwood Commercial Brandon Avedikian, Holt Lunsford Commercial Dennis Barnes, CBRE Paul Blight, Glacier Commercial Realty T.D. Briggs, JLL Shannon Brown, CBRE John Brownlee, JLL Theron Bryant, Transwestern Bob Buell, Fults Commercial Real Estate Austin Busse, Dogwood Commercial Kim Butler, HALL Group Debi Carter, Capstone Commercial Real Estate Group Tony Click, Crescent Real Estate Michael Collins, MedCore Partners Richmond Collinsworth, Bradford Commercial RE Services Cynthia Cowen, HALL Group Sean Dalton, Younger Partners Ben Davis, CBRE James Davis, NAI Robert Lynn Mike Dement, Altschuler and Co. Chris Doggett, JLL Jeremy Duggins, Cawley Partners Nathan Durham, Transwestern Jeff Eckert, JLL James Esquivel, JLL Ryan Evanich, Stream Realty Partners John Fancher, Cushman & Wakefield Andy Folmer, Rich Young Co. Trevor Franke, JLL Allison Johnston Frizzo, Gaedeke Group Tracy Fults, Fults Commercial Real Estate Brad Gibson, HALL Group Eric Goodwin, Champions DFW Commercial Realty Duane Henley, Transwestern Burson Holman, Granite Properties Barbara Houlihan, JLL JP Humphrey III, Advisors Commercial Real Estate Matt Hurlbut, Transwestern Robert Jimenez, Granite Properties Russ Johnson, JLL Sarah Hinkley Kennington, Thirty-Four Commercial Marijke Lantz, Billingsley Co. J.J. Leonard, Stream Realty Partners Addie Ludwig, Cawley Partners Holden Lunsford, Holt Lunsford Commercial Clint Madison, Cushman & Wakefield Terrence Maiden, Russell Glen Garrett Marler, Younger Partners Jackie Fraker Marshall, CBRE Sam Meginnis, Altschuler and Co.

Justin Miller, Transwestern Aarica Mims, Granite Properties Travis Moore, Dogwood Commercial Daryl Mullin, JLL Lauren Napper, Cushman & Wakefield Tommy Nelson, CBRE Marsha Parkin, Crescent Real Estate Kathy Permenter, Younger Partners Janice Peters, Hudson Peters Commercial Elliot Prieur, Gaedeke Group Joel Pustmueller, JLL Gini Rounsaville, JLL Matt Schendle, Cushman & Wakefield Chuck Sellers, Avison Young Geoff Shelton, Holt Lunsford Commercial Blake Shipley, JLL Trey Smith, Cushman & Wakefield Grant Sumner, Avison Young Chris Taylor, Cushman & Wakefield Tim Terrell, Stream Realty Partners Sara Terry, Stream Realty Partners Kristi Waddell, Cawley Partners Hannah Waidmann, Harwood International Luke Walter, Thirty-Four Commercial Russ Webb, Silver Oak Commercial Realty Kelly Whaley, Harwood International Matt Wieser, Stream Realty Partners Worthey Wiles, Lincoln Property Company Jeff Wood, JLL Chris Wright, JLL Jake Young, Lincoln Property Company John Zogg, Crescent Real Estate OFFICE TENANT REP Baron Aldrine, CBRE Brooke Armstrong, JLL Robbie Baty, Cushman & Wakefield John Beach, Newmark Knight Frank Duke Biggers, Swearingen Realty Group Robert Blount, JLL Jihane Boury, Colliers John Briggs, Cresa Jim Buddrus, Swearingen Realty Group Jordan Buis, CBRE Scott Bumpas, Cresa Greg Burns, esrp Mike Cleary, CBRE Alex Coe, Cresa James C. Cooksey, Newmark Knight Frank Randy Cooper, Cushman & Wakefield Russell Cosby, JLL Peter Danna, CBRE Harlan Davis, CBRE

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THE DIFFERENCE IS NIGHT & DAY. CLASS AA SPACE REINVENTED.

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TRAMMELLCROWCENTER.COM

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SECTION NAME

POWER BROKERS

2020

Larry Denisoff, Weitzman David Ditchman, Cresa Jeff Ellerman, CBRE John Ellerman, CBRE Travis Ewert, Colliers Searcy Ferguson, CBRE Simon Figg, Morrow Hill Matt Flory, Ryan and Bell Realty Partners Sharon Friedberg, Fischer Lawrence Gardner, OMS Strategic Advisors Mike Gosslee, Cushman & Wakefield Jim Graham, Newmark Knight Frank Art Green, Avison Young Michael Griffin, Transwestern Scott Hage, JLL Evan Hammer, Whitebox Real Estate David Harris, Whitebox Real Estate Will Haynes, Colliers Bret Hefton, JLL Andrew Hegmann, Fischer Jonathan Hill, Morrow Hill Nora Hogan, Transwestern Kyle Jacobs, Rubicon Representation Steve Jarvie, esrp Granville Jenkins, Swearingen Realty Group Chris Joyner, Fischer Kelley Kackley, JLL Mike Kay, CBRE Whit Kelly, Transwestern Greg Langston, Avison Young Nick Lee, NAI Robert Lynn Kyle Libby, MedCore Partners Torrey Littlejohn, JLL Preston Lynn, CBRE Dallas Margeson, Transwestern Alexis Martinez, Rubicon Representation Conor McCarthy, JLL Bill McClung, Cushman & Wakefield Jeremy McGown, JLL Jon McNeil, JLL Chris Mims, Swearingen Realty Group Bob Mohr, Mohr Partners, Inc. Jayson Montoya, NAI Robert Lynn Chris Morrow, Morrow Hill Scott A. Morse, Citadel Partners Dan Paterson, Swearingen Realty Group Luke Paterson, Swearingen Realty Group Colt Power, NAI Robert Lynn Grant Pruitt, Whitebox Real Estate Sam Pruitt, Site Selection Group Phil Puckett, CBRE Terry Quinn, Avison Young Steve Rigby, CBRE Damian Rivera, esrp

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Bob Robbins, Banner Commercial John Roper, CBRE Daniel Rudd, Colliers Chelby Sanders, CBRE Christopher Schafer, esrp Steven Schneider, Site Selection Group Brettany Schovanec, Fischer Jenny Schreiner, Altschuler and Co. Jade Scott, Whitebox Real Estate Brad Selner, JLL John Shaunfield, Newmark Knight Frank Jeff Sheehan, Site Selection Group Sebastian Sheetz, Ryan and Bell Realty Partners Kent Smith, NAI Robert Lynn Elizabeth Solender, Solender/Hall Inc. Mary Stoner, Colliers Cameron Tapley, Swearingen Realty Group Steve Thelen, JLL** Sanders Thompson, Transwestern Tamela Thornton, E. Smith Advisors Eddie Tillman, Avison Young Maschera Ursey, Cresa Ted Uzelac, Fischer Billy Vahrenkamp, Colliers Clay Vaughn, CBRE Jordan Wade, Transwestern Lee Wagner, Site Selection Group Howard Watkins, Transwestern Seth Weinstein, Newmark Knight Frank David Wetherington, Colliers Josh White, CBRE King White, Site Selection Group Brian Whittington, Avison Young Warren Willey, CBRE Carlie Wilmes, Fischer John Wolf, Newmark Knight Frank Mitch Wolff, Newmark Knight Frank Mike Wyatt, Cushman & Wakefield RETAIL David Adams, The Woodmont Co. James Anderson, STRIVE Derek Anthony, The Woodmont Co. Will Balthrope, Marcus & Millichap Kevie Beard, Venture Commercial Thad Beckner, Inroads Realty Randy Bell, Real Capital Investments Mason Bishop, Transwestern Jeff Brand, Brand Partners Mike Cagle, Inroads Realty Connor Chauncy, Morrow Hill Eric Deuillet, Structure Commercial Bryan Dyer, The Woodmont Co. David English, Ridge Pointe Commercial Real Estate

Steve Ewing, Edge Realty Partners Rich Flaten, CBRE Chris Flesner, RESOLUT RE Josh Flores, Edge Realty Partners Robert Franks, JLL Adam Gottschalk, STRIVE Steve Gray, Advisors Commercial Real Estate Chris Green, Edge Realty Partners Steve Greenberg, The Retail Connection Dawn Greiner, SRS Real Estate Partners Tyler Grisham, Edge Realty Partners Tim Henson, Venture Commercial Darrell Hernandez, CBRE Benjamin Hines, Venture Commercial Rudy Janecka, Champions DFW Commercial Realty Ryan Johnson, SRS Real Estate Partners Farhan Kabani, Marcus & Millichap Jeff Kittleson, CBRE Vincent Knipp, Marcus & Millichap Chad Kurz, Matthews Real Estate Investment Services Taylor LeMaster, Inroads Realty Larry Leon, Venture Commercial Philip Levy, Marcus & Millichap Steve Lieberman, The Retail Connection Jon McDaniel, NAI Robert Lynn Michael Meaden, JLL Rose Meza, Segovia Retail Group Gretchen Miller, Weitzman Mark Miller, Hillwood Troy Morgan, Structure Commercial Luke Mullen, Brand Partners Scott Muller, CBRE Jonathan Najjar, Morrow Hill Mark Newman, JLL Tom Paredes, Foremark Ltd. Jennifer Pierson, STRIVE Amy Pjetrovic, Venture Commercial Susan Ridley, The Retail Connection Kornel Romada, Segovia Retail Group Scott Rose, Structure Commercial Kyle Rozell, STRIVE David Schnitzer, ASCEND Commercial Real Estate Brian Sladek, RESOLUT RE Karla Smith, CBRE Jamie Streeter, The Retail Connection Terry Syler, The Retail Connection Mitch Traub, The Retail Connection Jason Vitorino, STRIVE Jack Weir, The Retail Connection Steve Williamson, Transwestern Luke Wilson, The Retail Connection David Zoller, Weitzman *Now with Newmark Knight Frank **Deceased

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Commercial Real Estate is Serious Business.

We Deliver Excellence!

COMMERCIAL TEAM

WWW.CAPITALTITLECOMMERCIAL.COM

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SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

EXECUTIVE CORPORATE TRAVEL GUIDE

c-suite executives demand expedience, compatibility, and luxury when it’s time to close the deal in-person­—anywhere in the world—or when planning a corporate retreat or business meeting. Dallas’ top executive and corporate travel partners soar above the rest, getting execs where they need to be and meeting each request in style.

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SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

DALLAS LOCAL & LOYAL TAC - The Arnold Companies, parent company of TAC Air, relocated its headquarters to Dallas in 2011 and is among the largest fuel wholesalers and aviation service providers in the country. The company is celebrating its 55th year and continues its growth with the recent opening of its flagship FBO on Dallas Love Field.

TAC Air - DAL dal.TACair.com

TAC AIR - DAL Dallas Love Field Airport 7701 Lemmon Avenue, Suite 100 Dallas, Texas 75209 214.214.7701 dal.TACair.com dalfbo@tacair.com

with consistently exceptional customer service, TAC Air - DAL provides today’s most sophisticated businesses and travelers the support they require when utilizing private aircraft with unparalleled security, exclusivity, and convenience.

The Star Skyline private event center and executive board room, modern pilot’s lounge, private ramp access, secured courtyard entry, on-site customs, concierge services, and all the expected amenities accentuate the convenience of the updated and modern executive terminal. The impeccable service is emphasized by the training, employees’ years in the industry, and accomplishments of the seasoned ground service team.

TAC Air - DAL has a total of over 200,000 square feet of occupied space, out of the 300,000 square feet of the Braniff Centre. The aviation facilities include 128,000 square feet of hangar space and 12,000 square feet of office space. Phase 2 hangar development consists of an additional 47,000 square feet of hangar and office space currently under construction and to be complete by summer of 2020. Future plans include phase 3 of an additional hangar development.

THE BRANIFF CENTRE HERITAGE When it came to determining where to build Dallas’ newest and most exclusive Fixed Base Operation (FBO), the location of the historic Braniff Operations and Maintenance Base at Lovers Lane and Lemmon Avenue became a unique opportunity to mix aviation, office, and retail space. It is located on the east side of the airport for easy access to the aviation facilities. An additional 100,000 square feet in office and retail space are being finished out to provide the most unique FBO experience in the country.

Steeped in aviation history and centrally located within Dallas-Fort Worth, the Braniff Centre at Dallas Love Field is home to the premier FBO on the airfield developed for those looking to experience true luxury in private air travel. The new Braniff Centre provides today’s most discerning travelers with all the modern amenities they need while still paying homage to the mid-century modern architecture of the 1958 Braniff Terminal.

FROM LEFT TO RIGHT:

Large ramp and hangar space capable of accommodating a Global Express. Interior features luxury mid-century modern architectural design.

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SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

FROM LEFT TO RIGHT:

Celebrity Cruises’ Soltice at sea, and Kasey Roberson, market sales representative for Celebrity Cruises

Celebrity Cruises Launch a New World of Possibilities at Sea

celebrity cruises offers everything you need to plan the most successful events in Europe, Alaska, and the Caribbean—more than 300 destinations around the world. Choose among 14 ships, from the luxurious new Celebrity Edge—just named one of the World’s Greatest Places by Time magazine—to Celebrity’s mega yachts in the Galapagos, a bucket-list experience for your top performers.

Make some waves. Winner of Best Cruise Line in the 2019 Stella Awards, Celebrity is waging The Celebrity Revolution, a $500 million modernization of its entire fleet, with new suite experiences, redesigned staterooms, and more. For foodies, Celebrity offers the most awarded wine list at sea, and its culinary experience extends from ship to shore excursion via Chef’s Market Discoveries, where guests taste their way through destinations, led by a Celebrity chef.

Travel in good company. Planning events with Celebrity means teaming up with a company that works to make the world a better place. It sponsors

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the Miami Beach Pride Parade, and it partners with Best Buddies, which helps people with disabilities integrate into the workforce.

Showing a strong commitment to the environment, the company partners with World Wildlife Fund and Galapagos National Park. To support girls worldwide, it partners with Malala Fund.

Plan your best events. Inclusive packages include dining, activities, and everything else for the easy planning of seamless events.

Throughout the fleet, venues with advanced audiovisual equipment are included.

On Celebrity Edge and her new sister Celebrity Apex (debuting 2020), meetings and events rise to the next level. The transformational Meeting Place includes a pantry, bar, and office space. You can book The Theatre, blurring lines between presenter and audience; Eden, the grandest interior space Celebrity has ever designed; Rooftop Garden, a living urban playscape; and Magic Carpet, raising the bar 13 stories over the open sea.

Celebrity invites valued partners to attend its MICE Advisory Board, and Celebrity Edge is clear evidence that the company incorporates their recommendations. With so many tools for planners, you’ll throw your most spectacular events on Celebrity ships. celebritycruises.com 817.899.8388

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FROM LEFT TO RIGHT:

Dallas Love Field

Dallas Love Field’s Garage C opened in October 2018. The refurbished sculpture, “Venture,” by Alexander Liberman has become a focal point for the garage and airport.

dallas-lovefield.com

dallas love field is the airport of, by, and for the citizens of Dallas. Owned and operated by the City of Dallas at no cost to taxpayers, Dallas Love Field hosts more than 16 million passengers annually from its location seven miles from downtown.

DAL’s exponential growth in terms of passengers and operations since 2014 has led to an airport that looks nothing like the one that once housed service members, now-defunct airlines, and even an ice-skating rink.

The airport opened the 4,000-space Parking Garage C in November 2018. With features such as

open space indicators and speed ramps, the garage is geared toward modern travelers. DAL’s parking garage prices start at low at $7 per day and are always available.

Moderately sized and with just one ticketing area, one security checkpoint and one baggage claim, Love Field has created a seamless traveling experience for business travelers, families, and occasional vacationers. It’s this ease of travel that led to Love Field earning the 2019 Airport Service Quality Award from Airports Council International.

Get into the airport for free, park for cheap, and breeze through check-in when you fly Dallas Love Field, which is leading the evolution of the airport experience.

Owned and operated by the City of Dallas, Love Field’s (DAL) mission is leading the evolution of the airport experience. We do this by creating innovative airport experiences, promoting safety and comfort, valuing our employees, recognizing our unique role in the Dallas community, contributing a positive economic impact and developing & maintaining our facilities – including the new Garage C. DAL parking garage rates are as low as $7/day.

For more information visit www.dallas-lovefield.com.

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2/12/2019 10:16:57 AM DCEOMAGAZINE.COM

2/3/20 2:46 PM

2020 Leadership Forum & Awards Dinner

Thursday, April 30th, 6:00 - 8:30pm | Omni Dallas Hotel, Dallas Ballroom

Co-Chairs

LAURA MAXWELL

NINA VACA

Senior Vice President, Supply Chain, Frito-Lay North America

Keynote Speaker: Adriana Gascoigne Author, Tech Boss Lady and Founder and CEO, Girls in Tech

Chairman & CEO, Pinnacle

The Leadership Forum & Awards Dinner is a cornerstone of our Leadership Initiative - an initiative that seeks to increase the number of women in leadership positions in all sectors and at all levels. During this celebratory and uplifting evening, high profile corporate and community leaders gather together for engaging conversations, including the presentation of the prestigious Maura Women Helping Women and Young Leader Awards.

Maura Women Helping Women Award Recipients

DANA BLANKENSHIP Blankenship Change Consulting, LLC CEO & Founder

TRACEY DOI Toyota North America Chief Financial Officer

BEVERLY HILL Gendercide Awareness Project (Gendap) Founder & President

KATHLEEN LAVALLE Dallas CASA President & CEO

JENNIFER STIMPSON The Hockaday School Educator

Young Leader Award Recipient Purchase your table or sponsorship at www.txwf.co/lfad2020registration 214.525.5311 | events@txwf.org KARLA GARCIA Dallas Independent School District Board Trustee

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The Dallas CPA Society is now TXCPA Dallas, but our brand is backed by the same commitment to connect, protect and advance our members. TXCPA Dallas continues to serve Dallas area CPAs in all the ways we always have.

Plan to join TXCPA Dallas at

Monday, May 4, 2020 Omni Frisco at The Star

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MARCH 2020

FIELD NOTES

N O R T H T E X A S B U S I N E S S A D V I C E , A N A LY S I S ,

a n d

C O M M E N TA R Y

TOUGHEST CHALLENGE

Rebuilding A Company I Had Sold Diane Butler, Principal P H OTO G R A P H Y BY T I M R O B E R T S / G E T T Y I M A G E S

B U T L E R A DV I S E R S

“after building butler burgher group with co-founder david burgher, we sold it in 2007 to the country’s third-largest title insurance group, LandAmerica Financial Group. When the financial crisis hit, it caused catastrophic issues in LandAmerica’s core business, which led it to file for bankruptcy in November 2008. It was extremely painful personally, as I felt an enormous responsibility to our former employees and longtime clients. I decided to try to reestablish the business; getting the team back together was intense and all-consuming. But by May 2009, with the support of loyal clients and vendors, Butler Burgher Group was up and running again with 62 employees. The challenge of reestablishing BBG was formidable; we focused on strategic growth through investments in people, technology and operations, sales and marketing, and bestin-class service. Within five years, we had approximately 200 employees in 25 offices nationwide.

We were all glad to have our jobs and company culture back.” —As told to Sooha Ahn

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FIELD NOTES

H E A LT H C A R E

Growing Presence The blossoming medicinal cannabis market gets a boost from Texas lawmakers. story by WILL MADDOX

T

texas is one step closer to joining the 34 states where medicinal marijuana is legal after state legislators passed a law written by North Texas Republican representative and registered nurse Stephanie Klick to expand the conditions that can be treated with medicinal cannabis. Although the law narrowly defines which conditions can be treated with medicinal marijuana, it is a significant expansion.

Five years ago, Klick authored the first Compassionate Use Act, which said that medicinal marijuana administered via oil or inhaler could treat only those with intractable epilepsy. The new bill expands access to patients with terminal cancer, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, ALS, autism, and other seizure disorders, allowing them to be treated with THC, the main psychoactive compound found in marijuana. The expanded diagnoses could mean an uptick for the small but growing cohort of growers, providers, and retail businesses in the THC and CBD markets.

Morris Denton is the CEO of Austin-based Compassionate Cultivation, one of just three state-licensed companies that grow cannabis, and he says the new law will have a major impact on the number of patients covered and the physicians who treat them. He estimates there are around 150,000 patients with intractable epilepsy in the state, but the new bill could expand

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FIELD NOTES

the THC patient base to more than a million. “It will give doctors and patients more in the playbook,” Denton says. “They want to be able to have as many different options as they can.”

Compassionate Cultivation is a manufacturer of THC and CBD products that grows the plants, processes the chemicals, packages, and distributes the medicines and oils from their facility.

It was the first dispensary in Texas to provide medical cannabis to a patient under the newly expanded conditions—an Austin woman being treated for non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma—and legislation is paving the way for their growth.

M A R I J UA N A : J A M I E C H U N G / T R U N K A R C H I V E ; M A P : S H U T T E R S T O C K ; C H A R T S O U R C E B U S I N E S S I N S I D E R

A NATURAL ALTERNATIVE

Dallas physician Dr. Mary Caire’s understanding of medicine and the use of nonpharmaceutical medicines has changed with the times. After a double residency in physical medicine and rehabilitation and internal medicine, she grew her practice to include functional medicine, seeing the importance of diet, hormones, and other natural substances to better treat chronic conditions.

Caire practices with LifeSpan, a preventive, integrative medicine practice in Dallas, and has seen the impacts of medicinal THC on her patients. A woman with lymphoma who was receiving aggressive chemotherapy was having difficulty staying hydrated and getting proper nutrition while undergoing treatment because of the nausea caused by the chemotherapy. She was also experiencing pain and fatigue. “She got everything traditional medicine had to offer and it failed,” Caire says.

When the new law passed, Caire began to prescribe oil with THC for the woman, and she saw many of the negative symptoms subside. THC improved the patient’s appetite and reduced the pain, and the improved nutrition allowed the chemotherapy to have a greater impact. Not only does THC help treat patients suffering from grave conditions, it can be used for pain and replace addictive opioids. The patient’s most recent scan revealed positive steps toward recovery.

While the legislation is a move in the right direction, Caire thinks more flexibility is needed to best address patients’ needs. “We are being told by the legislature with no medicinal experience how much of certain compounds we can use because they want to have some control over the amount that is prescribed,” she says. “We need the flexibility to compound it for their needs. The people who know what is best for that patient are the physician and the patient.”

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THINKING GREEN

Texas remains behind many other states when it comes to the legalization of medicinal cannabis with THC, but it is home to a booming market for CBD oil, which extracts the cannabinoids from hemp and marijuana. Another law passed this summer adds clarity to which CBD products are legal in Texas. Hemp Business Journal reports that the CBD market will grow from an estimated $202 million in 2017 to $2.1 billion in 2020, but because there is a lack of clarity about whether CBD is a medicine, dietary supplement, or food supplement, oversight of these products leaves providers and retailers wanting standardization.

Co-owners of retail chain CBD Kratom David Palatnik and Dafna Revah run 33 locations nationwide and six in DFW, and agree with the need for more rules. They have their own rigorous lab standards and would embrace additional oversight. “We would like to have industry standards across the board that everyone follows,” Platanik says. “Medical professionals will feel better about recommending it.”

There is still a long way to go for Texas to catch up with the rest of the country in the use, regulation, and legalization of medicinal marijuana and other products, but expanded future looks inevitable. For those treating patients who could benefit from added legalization, the transition can’t come soon enough. “I think we need to change the conversation and be open-minded,” Caire says. “We took an oath that we would do the best we can, do no harm, and put the patients’ interest first. This substance meets all the criteria that we strive for with our patients.”

N E W L AW S

2019 Texas Marijuana and CBD Legislation House Bill 3703 expands the number of conditions that can qualify for medical cannabis oil, allow the three state dispensaries to expand, and establish a research program to study the effects of cannabis as a medical treatment.

House Bill 1325 establishes a federally approved program for farmers to grow hemp as an industrial crop and expands the hemp products that can be legally purchased in Texas to any hemp products with less than 0.3 percent THC.

States Where Marijuana Is Legal Eleven states and the District of Columbia have adopted expansive laws.

LEGALIZED RECREATIONAL AND MEDICAL MARIJUANA LEGALIZED MEDICAL MARIJUANA

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FIELD NOTES

ON TOPIC

What are the top traits you look for when hiring for your executive team? edited by BRANDON J. CALL

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illustration by JAKE MEYERS

ROBBIE BRIGGS

CURT FARMER

NINA VACA

CEO B R IG GS FR E E MAN SOTH E BY ’ S I N T E R N AT I O N A L R E A LT Y

CEO COME RICA

CEO P I N N AC L E G R O U P

“Attitude, of course, is No. 1. We are a small organization serving a large populace of agents and clients, so all our employees must be flexible, other-centric, intuitive, hardworking, smart, and good listeners. Everyone must see a little gray. Being black and white and rule-oriented doesn’t work well with entrepreneurial, independent contractors—which real estate agents are. I strongly believe in collaboration, and in an everchanging environment like real estate it takes a village of skill sets.”

“First, I determine if the individual is a good fit with Comerica’s culture.

Second, he or she must possess essential leadership capabilities: putting the customer first, the ability to inspire and influence their teams, a drive for results, disrupting the norm and challenging the status quo, and leading with innovation. Lastly, leaders at Comerica understand that the customers we serve want, need, and expect us to be communityminded and socially responsible. I believe this is true for all companies.”

“The first trait that everyone must have, but especially my executive team, is an entrepreneurial spirit.

We’ve been growing rapidly for 23 years and are always looking to innovate, create, and make changes.

I also look for a fire in the belly, that burning desire to make an impact, to learn new skills, and to contribute in any way possible. The third thing is humility. As an entrepreneurial company, you have to be ready to do whatever is needed, whenever it is needed, wherever it is needed.”

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THOUGHT LEADER

More Than Lip Service The Center for Workforce Excellence founder and CEO Trudy Bourgeois gives guidance on making diversity and inclusion an imperative at your company.

1.

HAVE COURAGEOUS CONVERSATIONS. Talking about gender, race, and privilege in the workplace is not easy.

Identifying personal biases is difficult work. But nothing is ever going to change until we start taking the conversations around diversity and inclusion and making them front and center. In a company, fiscal performance is everybody’s job. Nobody would ever say that you’re going to give innovation or collaboration to just one division of the company.

So, too, it must be for diversity and inclusion.

2.

G

MAKE IT A PRIORITY. In research I did for my book, Equality: Courageous Conversations About Women, Men, and Race to Spark a D&I Breakthrough, we surveyed 25,000 people and asked: “Where is diversity and inclusion on your radar screen? Is it part of your leadership agenda?” More than 80 percent said, “It’s not on my agenda.” When Beyoncé was looking for a manufacturer for her shoe line, she talked with Reebok, Nike, and Adidas. But when she walked in to the meetings, she noticed that few at the table looked like her. Because of that, Nike lost out. Reebok lost out. Adidas won. We don’t have to be Beyoncé to stand up for what’s right.

oldman sachs is no longer doing ipos for companies with all-male boards. Procter & Gamble has said it would take on race relations by hosting town hall meetings. Deloitte is ditching its employee resource affinity groups in favor of empowering managers to become more inclusive—and holding them accountable for building a more well-balanced company. Walmart, J.P. Morgan, and other large corporations are now requiring more diversity in their supplier programs. These are just a few examples of a gradual shift in the conversation around diversity and inclusion happening for corporations nationally. But right here at home, there’s still a very real need to move with a sense of urgency. Change cannot happen without being intentional and purposeful. Here are four recommendations for bringing D&I to the forefront in your organization.

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3.

BECOME UNAPOLOGETIC. Too much of today’s conversation around diversity and inclusion is finger-pointing. We need to stop pointing the finger at white men and blaming them because cultures aren’t inclusive. We all have power seats. We’re just not using them. We need to get to a place where we become unapologetic about the focus that needs to be placed on leveling the playing field. A 2018 report on gender equality out of the U.K. says that if we continue at the same rate on the same course that we’re pursuing right now for equality, it’s going to take 214 years. That’s unacceptable.

4.

MOVE BEYOND THE RHETORIC. As a CEO, it has to be personal for you. You need to feel the injustice of your daughters growing up and starting their careers earning just 78 cents on the dollar of their male colleagues. If it doesn’t reach that space in the depth of your soul where you’re appalled by the injustice, you won’t do anything.

You’ll say a lot of things like “people are the most important asset,” but they will be empty. At the end of the day, you have to be willing to do the hard work to wrestle with your own biases until you choose not to allow those biases to cloud the way you see somebody who’s different than yourself.

Trudy Bourgeois is founder and CEO of The Center for Workforce Excellence and a national leader on diversity and inclusion.

DCEOMAGAZINE.COM

1/30/20 9:52 AM

THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX Enjoy award-winning restaurant-style hospitality at your next corporate event.

For more information contact: 214.571.5733 DallasEvents@wolfgangpuck.com WOLFGANGPUCKCATERING.COM

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AT&T PERFORMING ARTS CENTER NASHER SCULPTURE CENTER UNION STATION • REUNION TOWER PEROT MUSEUM OF NATURE AND SCIENCE VERIZON THEATRE AT GRAND PRAIRIE YOUR LOCATION OF CHOICE

1/29/20 2:06 PM

READY TO GET DOWN TO BUSINESS? GO PUBLIC. â„¢

CEO on KERA invites you to the table as renowned journalist Lee Cullum interviews prominent chief executives from North Texas and beyond. Go to explore leadership styles and ethics. Go for insight into what makes companies successful. Go for the engaging conversation. Go Public.

HOSTED BY LEE CULLUM NEW EPISODES AIR THE FIRST FRIDAY OF EACH MONTH FULL SCHEDULE AT KERA.ORG/CEO

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MARCH 2020

OFF DUTY THE PERSONAL SIDE

o f

DFW BUSINESS LEADERS

ATTPAC CHIEF

RSR Partners’ Matrice Ellis-Kirk also is chair of the AT&T Performing Arts Center.

ART OF STYLE

P H OTO G R A P H Y BY J I L L B R O U S S A R D

FOR BUSY EXEC MATRICE ELLIS-KIRK, STYLE IS DRIVEN

BY SIMPLICITY AND PRACTICALITY.

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continued from page 75

OCCUPATION: “I’m the Dallas managing director of RSR Partners, an executive search and leadership consulting firm.”

STYLE GOALS: “Simple, elegant, with an element of surprise.”

ON THE RUN: “I travel a lot and need clothing that can get through an airport without setting off alarms.”

NEVER WITHOUT: “My eyeglasses and a cashmere scarf. I love strong, chic, and fun glasses in a variety of colors, and a scarf is both beautiful and functional.”

GO-TO LOOK: “A black suit. Whether paired with a crisp white shirt, a bold-colored shell, or sequins, it has never let me down.”

ACCESSORIES: “Because I tend to have more monochromatic looks, I do enjoy accessories—a necklace, bangle bracelets, or beautiful hoop earrings. I also love adding a great pair of shoes or boots and a lovely bag.”

WEEKEND LOOK: “On weekends, I am very casual and mostly in flats, unless we have an event to attend, and then I get help with my makeup and look.”

FAVORITE STORE: “I am not a good shopper.

My husband, Ron, has great taste and picks out fantastic pieces. That said, Sonya and John at Stanley Korshak know my style and will push me out of my comfort zone. The team at Neimans also does a fantastic job of selecting items that fit me and my tastes. On my travels, I enjoy local shops.”

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G R E AT E R G O O D

A Voice for the Homeless Corporate and securities attorney and FBFK shareholder Kenn Webb was appointed by former Mayor Mike Rawlings as the first chair of the Dallas Citizen Homelessness Commission. “homelessness is so significant in Dallas. It is an intractable, multifaceted problem that requires a lot of different issues to be addressed. The commission helped create a bus service now administered by CitySquare that provides bus loops connecting the shelters with other key locations.

We also worked with shelters to expand capacity and add additional beds, because they are usually full.

There isn’t enough affordable and supportive housing for a homeless person to move into; the logjam illustrates how interconnected all these problems are. My involvement on the commission has taken quite a bit of time away from developing my career, and that is something I have to balance. But that doesn’t discourage me from doing it, because life is bigger than what you do in the office.”

—as told to Will Maddox

P H OTO G R A P H Y BY B I L LY S U R F A C E

STYLE ICONS: “Women and men with a simple, sleek, elegant style. My early influences were driven mostly by what I saw on television: icons like Diahann Carroll, Audrey Hepburn, and Jackie Kennedy Onassis.”

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PURSUITS

WATCH COMPANY CEO AND ENTREPRENEUR AMIR MEGHANI HAS A PASSION FOR SOCCER

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he chose family over career and returned to Dallas work for his father’s retail watch shop.

It was an unlikely launchpad for an entrepreneur, but in 2008 he founded watch brand JBW when he commissioned a few hundred high-end watches and sold them to rappers, other musicians, and influencers. The platinum, gold, and diamond-studded

watches eventually adorned the wrists of everyone from Deion Sanders to Lil Wayne. Meghani then co-founded BREDA with his sister Shabeena.

The more understated brand took off around 2014, and last year both brands saw annual growth of 40 percent. The company employs 25 people in its Dallas offices and partners with retailers like Nord-

strom, Macy’s, and Urban Outfitters.

Through it all, the beautiful game has been a beacon for Meghani’s business, with teammates making social and business connections and offering real estate guidance. “You are in the moment, with the homies, and having fun,” he says of soccer. “It can also be a huge stress reliever.”

—Will Maddox

P H OTO G R A P H Y BY B I L LY S U R F A C E

When Grand Time CEO Amir Meghani moved to Texas from Pakistan in 1990, soccer became a lifestyle, allowing him to travel the country to compete in tournaments. “Soccer became this extension of my identity within my friends and family,” he says.

After school at New York University, he was on the verge of a lucrative consulting job when

DCEOMAGAZINE.COM

2/3/20 2:50 PM

CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR 2020 DCEO POWER BROKERS

Managing Director

Tom Burns

Managing Director

Jay Gunn

Senior Director

Taylor Hill

William Jarnagin

Michael Ware

972.458.6833 tom.burns@berkadia.com

972.458.4589 jay.gunn@berkadia.com

972.458.4591 taylor.hill@berkadia.com

972.458.6868 will.jarnagin@berkadia.com

972.458.6841 michael.ware@berkadia.com

Senior Director

Senior Director

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PRIME LOCATION

The beautiful Hotel Schweizerhof sits across from the train station and along Bahnhofstrasse.

WALKABILITY

A tram drives along Bahnhofstrasse (left), one of the priciest streets in Europe.

The River Limmat traverses through Zürich (right).

W E L L -T R AV E L E D

Zürich, Switzerland Dallas designer Andre Staffelbach’s home country offers a tantalizing mix of the old and new.

CITY SCENES

(Clockwise, from far left) cobblestone-paved alleys, an aerial view of Zürich, and inside Predigerkirche church.

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TABLESIDE PREP

One of the city’s best restaurants is Italian eatery Orsini, which is tucked into the Savoy Baur en Ville.

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S TA F F E L B AC H I L LU S T R AT I O N BY J A K E M E Y E R S . P H OTO S BY S H U T T E R S T O C K , BAHNHOFSTR ASSE G O W I T H S T O C K / S H U T T E R S T O C K . C O M AND COU RTESY OF Z Ü R I C H T O U R I S M M E D I A , S AVOY B AU R E N V I L L E , A N D H OT E L S C H W E I Z E R H O F.

story by CHRISTINE PEREZ

OFF DUTY

S TA F F E L B AC H I L LU S T R AT I O N BY J A K E M E Y E R S . P H OTO S BY S H U T T E R S T O C K , BAHNHOFSTR ASSE G O W I T H S T O C K / S H U T T E R S T O C K . C O M AND COU RTESY OF Z Ü R I C H T O U R I S M M E D I A , S AVOY B AU R E N V I L L E , A N D H OT E L S C H W E I Z E R H O F.

I

i’ve been infatuated with switzerland ever since I watched the movie Heidi as a young girl.

I first had a chance to visit a few years ago and recently made a return trip—not to the eastern Alpine region where Heidi was set, but to the cosmopolitan city of Zürich. A banking and finance powerhouse, immeasurable funds flow through the city to investments across the globe.

So, as one would expect, it’s home to some of the most exclusive hotels and shops in the world.

For accommodations, the five-star Savoy Baur en Ville can’t be beat. It offers immediate access to the business district, Zürich’s Old Town, and Bahnhofstrasse. One of the most expensive retail streets in all of Europe, Bahnhofstrasse connects the city’s train station with Lake Zürich. Take time to explore both sides of the street, even if it’s just to window shop at Chanel and Hermès and other high-end boutiques or the many fine jewelry and watch stores. Don’t miss the clock-and-watch museum at Beyer Watches & Jewellery, the oldest watch shop in Switzerland. Also be sure to get your chocolate fix with mouthwatering truffles or pralines from Confiserie Sprüngli or Läderach.

For an equally appealing shopping alternative, visit the shops and cafes tucked into the

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cobblestone-paved alleys of the nearby Niederdorf along the banks of the Limmat River. Also take time to experience the art and architecture of the historic churches of Zürich, especially the dual-steepled Grossmünster and Fraumünster, which features a crypt museum and beautiful stained-glass windows by the artist Chagall.

Zürich’s reputation for exceptional service is reinforced throughout the city but is especially felt at the Savoy, which also houses the magnificent Italian restaurant Orsini. (I’m still dreaming of its truffled pasta.) A few steps away, enjoy traditional Swiss cuisine like wiener schnitzel or sliced veal at Zunfthaus zur Waag. For more casual fare, it’s worth standing in line at Sternen Grill for its bratwurst and Bürli (hard roll) with spicy mustard. Sit on the balcony for some of the best people-watching around, or get your brat to go and cross the street to sit along the river.

Most people speak English in Zürich, and it’s very easy to get around. Beyond its pure walkability, the city is connected by a web of trams, cable cars, buses, and trains. I spent a couple of nights at the lovely, convenient, and affordable Hotel Schweizerhof, which sits on Bahnhofstrasse directly across from Zürich Hauptbahnhof (Zürich HB), the largest railway station in Switzerland. The train station—the site of Zürich’s Christkindlimarkt (Christmas market) in late November and December—is an absolute marvel. And it makes the city a terrific home base for quick visits to other European destinations.

I took a high-speed train to Paris to see a Toulouse Lautrec exhibit and was back in time for a late dinner. Milan is a three-hour trip away; Munich, about five hours. Of course, there are plenty of beautiful places to explore within Switzerland, too, like Bern and Geneva or Lucerne or Interlaken—especially if you want to hike or ski. All are to the south and west of Zürich. Or you could head about east to the region known as Heidiland, and perhaps relive some childhood memories of your own.

T R AV E L T I P S

Art, history, and walkability DALLAS DESIGNER Andre Staffelbach was born in Chur, Switzerland, and studied and worked in Zürich before moving to the U.S. in 1962. He and his wife, Jo Heinz, maintain dual citizenships. “I love the civility in Zürich, the safety, the diversity of the people, and that it is a walking city,” Staffelbach says. “Also, the quality of dining, the history, and the access to art—Zürich was home to the Dada movement.” He recommends Kunsthuas Zürich and other museums, as well as the legendary Kronenhalle brasserie. “It’s an absolutely amazing restaurant and has the most incredible art collection,” Staffelbach says. “The bar next to the restaurant also has bluechip art all over the walls.”

TRUE MASTERPIECE

The legendary Kronenhalle, which opened in 1924, features original art by world-famous painters.

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YOUNG SCHOLAR

A studious Suzuki would go on to receive a leadership scholarship to Southern Methodist University.

CHILD OF WAR

After fleeing Phnom Penh with her family in 1975, Suzuki was one of many children who lived in refugee camps.

EARLY YEARS

Suzuki and classmates at Fannin Elementary in Dallas. She repeated third grade at her teacher’s insistence, for the “betterment of Thear’s English.”

THEAR SUZUKI Americas Advisory Talent Leader EY

as told to SOOHA AHN illustration by JAKE MEYERS

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“i was born in 1973, two years before the Cambodian genocide. By 1975, the Khmer Rouge had won the civil war and taken over the country.

Families like mine were forced to leave Phnom Penh in April of 1975. Nothing was the same after that. My family had to survive by hiding in disintegrating huts in jungles and performing manual labor in labor camps. I can still vividly remember trembling in a ditch, petrified by the sound of guns firing off in every direction.

I arrived in Dallas in 1981.

Fannin Elementary took me in as a war refugee. My first impression was that I was a stranger. And then a saint of a teacher named John Gallagher came to the rescue.

With a Cambodian-English

dictionary in hand, he helped my family learn to read and write. I went on to become student body president of my high school and was awarded a leadership scholarship to SMU. After graduating, I set my eyes on medical school, but decided to work first to save money and applied to the first job that caught my eye. That was the start of my consulting career.

I have served as EY’s Americas advisory talent leader since 2018. My mission is to inspire courageous actions in others so they can lead more impactful lives. I have blunt conversations with aggressors who pollute the workplace atmosphere and strive to increase diversity and gender equality. I also try to help pave the way for women in leadership through the Orchid Giving Circle, the Dallas initiative of the 2020 Women on Boards, and the Texas Women’s Foundation Economic Leadership Council. Most important, as the mother of four sons, I have been sculpting their views on respecting women from the moment they were born.”

I M AG E S C O U R T E S Y O F T H E A R S U Z U K I

ROOTS

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2/3/20 11:41 AM

END MARK

H.L HUNT stands in front of Dallas’ Mount Vernon estate on White Rock Lake.

Today, the home has a vintage bowling alley and a 12-car garage that doubles as a basketball court.

Founding a Dynasty H A R O L D S O N L A FAY E T T E “ H . L . ” H U N T J R .

February 17, 1889—November 29, 1974

story by WILL MADDOX

O 084

MARCH 2020

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FROM THE COLLECTIONS OF THE D A L L A S H I S T O R Y & A R C H I V E S D I V I S I O N , D A L L A S P U B L I C L I B R A R Y

il tycoon haroldson lafayette Hunt Jr. was born in Illinois in 1889, the youngest of eight children, and had no formal education. He made his way to Dallas in 1930 after using poker winnings to secure the title to the East Texas Oil Field, the largest and most prolific oil field in the contiguous United States. He married Lyda Bunker and had seven children with her, and lived in a mansion on White Rock Lake, which was styled after George Washington’s Mount Vernon. He would go on to become one of the eight richest people in the country and father 15 children with three wives, one of whom was said to be a secret bigamous relationship. He was fiercely anti-Communist and once penned a Utopian novel in which he argued that votes should be apportioned by wealth. Several of his children would go on to make names for themselves: Lamar created the Super Bowl, Caroline founded Rosewood Hotels and helped pioneer Uptown, Margaret became a major Dallas philanthropist, and Ray launched and continues to lead Hunt Oil Co.

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