DCEO October 2020

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CEO

A LEAP OF FAITH Meet the bold risk-takers honored in EY’s 2020 Entrepreneur Of The Year program.

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OCTOBER 2020

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FOCUSED ON THE FUTURE.

H O M E TOW N CO N N E C T I O N S . WO R L DW I D E P E R S P E C T I V E .

You lead with ingenuity and innovation. Challenging the status quo.

Pushing great ideas forward. Making our world better. Focused on the Future.

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D CEO 2020 Corporate Counsel Awards Finalist

CONGRATULATIONS! PepsiCo proudly celebrates the extraordinary contributions and innovative spirit of Aida Babalola.

Her humility, intelligence and commitment to servant leadership make PepsiCo and her community a better place.

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THE ENTREPRENEURIAL SPIRIT IS ELECTRIFYING!

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CONTENTS OCTOBER 2020

VO LU M E 1 5 | I S S U E 07

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A Leap of Faith Meet the bold risk-takers and innovators honored in EY’s 2020 Entrepreneur Of The Year program. stories by BRANDON J. CALL, WILL MADDOX, BIANCA R. MONTES, AND CHRISTINE PEREZ photography by SEAN BERRY

46

Righting the Ship Tenet Healthcare’s Ron Rittenmeyer uses his experience to lead the health system through the pandemic. story by WILL MADDOX

P H OTO G R A P H Y BY S E A N B E R R Y

STARTUP CEO Sabari Raja is co-founder of ed-tech company Nepris.

illustration by MONA DALY

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Strong Foundation In-house attorneys have moved far beyond traditional legal guidance and now play an integral role in shaping business strategy and corporate culture. story by WILL MADDOX

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CONTENTS

82

16 EDITOR’S NOTE

DOSSIER 2 1 YO U N E E D T O K N O W

Martina McIsaac, Hilti North America 2 4 S U I T E TA L K

Bill Cawley of Cawley Partners and Anne Motsenbocker of JPMorgan Chase 26 MEET THE 500

Carter Tolleson, Tolleson Wealth Management 26 FRESH IDEAS

Chevis Douville, Baublerella

Mary Chaney, The Law Offices of Mary N. Chaney 3 0 O N T H E TA B L E

Chris Tanco, 7-Eleven

70 ON TOPIC

32 ENTREPRENEUR

Jason Craven, Southern Botanical

FIELD NOTES

Alex Danza of Vonlane, Ben Lamm of Hypergiant, and Jamie O’Banion of BeautyBio share what they wish they had known earlier in their careers.

72 THOUGHT LEADER

67 TOUGHEST CHALLENGE

Charmaine Tang, J.P. Morgan Private Bank

Jon Morgan of Perry Street Communications says it’s time for executives to embrace vulnerability and humanity when communicating with employees.

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6 8 H E A LT H C A R E

Healthcare design is adapting quickly to the social distancing and safety protocols wrought by the pandemic.

OFF DUTY 75 ART OF STYLE

NeAndre Broussard, Black Menswear

Barry Nalls, AERnano Inc. 7 8 G R E AT E R G O O D

CEO

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78 PURSUITS

Marilyn Wiley, University of North Texas

A LEAP OF FAITH

8 0 W E L L T R AV E L E D :

Meet the bold risk-takers honored in EY’s 2020 Entrepreneur Of The Year program.

T H E B R OA D M O O R

Diane Butler, Butler Advisers 82 ROOTS

Dr. Hubert Zajicek, Health Wildcatters 84 END MARK

J. Erik Jonsson, former Dallas mayor and Texas Instruments CEO

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OCTOBER 2020

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ON THE COVER: Caitlin Wilson, founder of Caitlin Wilson Design, photographed by Sean Berry

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 ; Z A J I C E K C O U R T E S Y O F D R . H E R B E R T Z A J I C E K ; T H E B R OA D M O O R C O U R T E S Y O F T H E B R O A D M O O R ; D O U V I L L E C O U R T E S Y O F B A U B L E R E L L A ; B R O U S S A R D BY E L I Z A B E T H L A V I N

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2 8 T E C H N O LO GY

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9/3/20 3:02 PM

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LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

Entrepreneurial Advantage

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

Enhances EE Benefit Participation Robust Financial Curriculum Enhances EE Production Customized Financial Plans

it was a few days after sept. 11, 2001, when i came upon my oldest son, Jordan, hard at work at the dining room table. Seven years old at the time, he was making a pile of U.S. flags, coloring them on sheets of paper and drawing (more or less) all 50 stars.

Later that day, unbeknownst to me, he took his creations around the neighborhood, carrying with him a flyer that said, “Big flags: $15.

Small flags: $5.” I learned this when he excitedly burst through the front door with a fistful of cash. When I asked him to explain himself, he said, “No one can find flags in the stores—they’re all sold out. So, I knew I could sell them if I made them.”

Jordan ended up donating his proceeds to the American Red Cross.

Still, I could tell you countless other stories of his early for-profit ventures—like the Pokémon card side hustle he started when he was 8, his dog-walking enterprise at age 10, or the time I discovered he was selling his hand-me-downs to his younger brother. I don’t need research studies to tell me whether entrepreneurs are born or made.

Either way, they’re a powerful force—a spark plug in an economy’s engine, driving job growth and building the tax base. Beyond that, their ingenuity solves problems and improves our quality of life.

Entrepreneurs in North Texas have an advantage, says Debra von Storch, a former EY partner who for years led the firm’s regional Entrepreneur Of The Year program. (She retired this past summer; or, as she prefers to call it, “re-wirement.”) That’s because of the area’s rich ecosystem, “can-do, go-get-’em attitude,” and spirit of collaboration, she says. “Entrepreneurs are very connected here, compared to other regions, which tend to be more competitive. Here, it’s all about lifting up other entrepreneurs.” That has recently led, von Storch says, to a proliferation of startups—which is great for DFW’s future.

For a 13th year, D CEO is proud to profile all finalists in EY’s Southwest region Entrepreneur Of The Year program, starting on page 36. Who knows? Maybe someday my son will be among them.

Christine Perez Editor

DCEOMAGAZINE.COM

9/8/20 9:20 AM

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P U B L I S H E R Gillea Allison EDITORIAL EDITOR Christine Perez MANAGING EDITOR Will Maddox ONLINE MANAGING EDITOR Bianca R. Montes ASSOCIATE EDITOR Kelsey J. Vanderschoot CONTRIBUTING EDITOR Brandon J. Call CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Richard Alm, W. Michael Cox EDITORIAL INTERNS Elizabeth Beeck, Maria Hieber, Jenny Rudolph, Mariah Terry

ART DESIGN DIRECTOR Hamilton Hedrick STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER Elizabeth Lavin JUNIOR DIGITAL DESIGNER Emily Olson

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 MANAGING EDITOR OF SPECIAL SECTIONS Jennifer Sander Hayes DIGITAL REVENUE DIRECTOR Tracy Albertson DIGITAL AD OPERATIONS MANAGER Riley Hill

MARKETING & EVENTS BRAND MANAGER Carly Mann EVENTS DIRECTOR Bethany Kempfe ADVERTISING ART DIRECTOR Katie Garza BRAND INTERN Abrianna Davidson EVENT INTERNS Maggie Hightower, Melanie Cavendish

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 RETAIL STRATEGY MANAGER Steve Crabb MERCHANDISER David Truesdell AUDIENCE DEVELOPMENT INTERN Masha Konkov

PRODUCTION DIRECTOR John Gay DIGITAL IMAGING SPECIALIST Natalie Goff

BUSINESS CONTROLLER Debbie Travis ACCOUNTING MANAGER Sabrina LaTorre STAFF ACCOUNTANT Lesley Killen IT TECHNICIAN Luan Aliji

WEB EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Matt Goodman

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

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Kent Eastman with Simmons’ Dallas leadership team. Pictured from left to right: Pete Thompson, Steve Dalri, Laura Condley, Chris Stephens, Angella Miller, Bruce Katz, Julie Jones, Kyle Beall, Chris Doxey, Kent Eastman, Jason Hammons, Virginia Ceballos-Garcia, Tim Maiden, Jim Patterson, Jim LaFontaine, Garlon Ebanks, Craig Caldwell, Stacy Bowers

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OCTOBER 2020

DOSSIER TRENDS

to

WATC H

a n d

NORTH TEXAS NEWSMAKERS

YOU NEED TO KNOW

Martina McIsaac Is Back and Better Than Ever The CEO of Hilti North America is proof that talent and hard work can win out—even when life pauses your career. story by SHAWN SHINNEMAN photography by JONATHAN ZIZZO

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DOSSIER

M

business, and now you’re saying my experience is invalid because I haven’t worked for a few years?” she says. “It was challenging.”

Avi Kahn, who at the time was Hilti’s general manager of Canada, gave his best sales pitch. After all, the role Hilti had to offer was a step down for McIsaac. But Khan framed the discussion in terms of what they could each bring to the table and how they could learn from each other, and McIsaac saw the upward mobility potential laid out in front of her.

By 2017, she had been promoted to Kahn’s position in Canada. Then in September 2019, the martina mc isaac can still remember a company announced that Kahn, who by then call she made to her husband after a first round of was CEO of Hilti North America, would progress interviews with toolmaker Hilti in 2013. She had into a global role with Hilti Group—and McIsaac been out of the business world for nearly five years, would once more follow him up the chain of comstepping away after the birth of her second child. mand. “It’s one of the things I consider as my Now, she was exploring several opportunities. “I greatest accomplishment in my almost 16 years really, really like this place; I think it might be with Hilti,” Khan says. “Conmy first choice,” she remembers vincing her to join us ... and telling him. “And he said, ‘Do playing a part in her successful they know you’ve only been in “I GO FROM integration and growth here.”

Home Depot twice in your life?’”

BEING A This past summer, her proMcIsaac may not have been a CORPORATE gressive leadership would be master of construction, but she OFFICER AT A on full display as the pandemic knew business. Born in TenFORTUNE 200 continued to disrupt the lives of nessee but raised mainly in OnCOMPANY ... AND employees. In August, McIsaac tario, Canada, she had started helped lead a Hilti initiative to at manufacturing giant Avery NOW YOU’RE support parents with schoolDennison as an intern while finSAYING MY aged children, shaping leave, ishing up her MBA. She moved EXPERIENCE IS vacation, and work-from-home to South America for seven INVALID?” plans to help families adjust. years for the company and sped She also led a team that develup the corporate ladder. She MARTINA M c ISSAC oped working safe playbooks was VP in charge of its polyHilti North America for every job in the company, mers division when she left in information that was shared 2008, a difficult decision that with other organizations. once brought her to tears while McIsaac also wants to continue Kahn’s work in filling out the “mother’s occupation” portion of making the industry a more inclusive place, and her then-5-year-old’s school forms. she wants to be a role model, so women know the Her story now serves as proof that you can vastness of available opportunities—everything take time off in the middle of a successful cafrom engineering and supply chain to project reer and not suffer for it. But coming back was management and architecture and design. “That not all smooth sailing; a recruiter asked her what rough and tumble, hard-hat, sort of not-so-welkind of “discounts” she would accept. “I go from coming impression that I had of the industry,” being a corporate officer at a Fortune 200 comshe says, “is absolutely not true.” pany running hundreds of millions of dollars of

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LEADING

Using Her Platform

01 02 03

This past summer, McIsaac went public via LinkedIn about the need to level the playing field due to systemic racism.

She hosted a conversation with more than 1,000 Hilti employees and Shani Barrax Moore, diversity and inclusion director at UNT.

McIsaac later hosted another employee discussion called, “Workplaces that work for LGBTQ+ team members work for all.”

04

And she directed an engagement and belonging task force at Hilti to create actionable recommendations to address inequality.

DCEOMAGAZINE.COM

9/8/20 9:16 AM

Giact would like to thank our employees and clients for our continued success.

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We congratulate Melissa Townsley-Solis and Merlin Bise for being selected as finalists for the 2020 EY Entrepreneur Of The Year program.

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DOSSIER

S U I T E TA L K

REAL ESTATE DEVELOPER BILL CAWLEY AND BANKING EXEC ANNE MOTSENBOCKER DISCUSS THEIR CAREER PATHS AND WHAT MAKES DALLAS SPECIAL. edited by BRANDON J. CALL illustrations by JAKE MEYERS

cawley partners ceo bill cawley always knew he wanted to work in commercial real estate, following in his father’s footseps. Anne Motsenbocker, managing director of middle markets at JPMorgan Chase, says she’s an “accidental banker” who lucked into a finance career. They share how their experiences shaped their views on community involvement and what they think lies ahead for a city they love.

MOTSENBOCKER: “I’d love to hear your story. How did you get into real estate?”

CAWLEY: “I’m from the Midwest. I was raised in a town of about 8,000 people. Early on, I knew that I wanted to do what I am doing now. I also knew that I needed to get out of my small town; I wanted to be in a bigger market.”

MOTSENBOCKER: “And your father was in real estate?”

CAWLEY: “He was. He was more on the residential side, and some retail. My dad was my best friend. I looked up to him. I worked for him early in my career, but I made the very difficult decision to leave the family business—and this was an operation that at one time he thought I’d take over. I came to Dallas, and I

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didn’t know anyone. I always knew I wanted to be an owner, but I chose the service side of the business when I started out. At the time, tenant representation was just taking off.”

MOTSENBOCKER: “When was this?

The early 1980s?”

CAWLEY: “Yes; it was 1982. I worked for the Bass family in Fort Worth for four years. I got my bearings on their investment strategy under Richard Rainwater and David Bonderman.

I was way down on the totem pole, but I got to see how they thought.

I then started my own business in brokerage, and then eventually got into development. Actually, my first big deal was a building for Chase.”

MOTSENBOCKER: “We affectionately referred

to it as J.I.P—JPMorgan International Plaza.”

CAWLEY: “Real estate is a cyclical business.

I find myself getting more conservative as the years pass, because it’s about not losing money. [laughs] But the great thing about aging is that you learn what you’re good at. … I was reading up on you; your community involvement is unbelievable.”

MOTSENBOCKER: “I’m also from the Midwest.

I was born in Iowa and moved to Texas when I was 10. One of the nonprofits my mom was involved with was Amigos de las Américas, which eventually took me to Central America to spend a summer giving vaccinations. It changed my life because it made me really have an appreciation for this country, and it gave me a firsthand look at what

poverty looks like. … I call myself the accidental banker, because unlike you, Bill, I did not know what I wanted to do growing up. But my parents told me that they were cutting me off after graduation and that I’d better be able to stand on my own two feet.”

CAWLEY: “I love that. More parents should do that.”

MOTSENBOCKER: “At the time, it was scary and uncomfortable, but looking back now, I can see it was beneficial.

I was able to leverage one of the relationships I made volunteering with Amigos de las Américas into an internship with Texas Commerce Bank [which was ultimately acquired

by JPMorgan], and I have literally never left. It’s amazing because I feel like I’ve had five different careers in the experiences I’ve gained.

That’s one of the things I tell young people today: If you want to gain experience in management or leadership, volunteer in the community.”

CAWLEY: “I came to philanthropy later in life. A near-death

experience put things in perspective for me, and the older I get, the more I want to give back. ...

You know, we both have a mutual commitment to Children’s Medical.”

MOTSENBOCKER: “I saw that. But you know what, any of the community engagement I’ve done—whether it’s at Children’s, the United Way, or the Dallas Regional Chamber—I have always gotten more out of it than I’ve given.”

CAWLEY: “No doubt.

Serving is much better than writing a check.

When you’re involved with an organization, you can see firsthand the impact it has and the difference it is making.”

MOTSENBOCKER: “I feel so blessed to be part of the North Texas community. I’m so proud of the diversity of businesses and the way we’ve grown. That’s not to say we don’t have challenges, because we need more equitable growth.

But it feels like we have this exciting momentum right now.”

For an extended version of Suite Talk with Bill Cawley and Anne Motsenbocker, visit dceomagazine.com.

DCEOMAGAZINE.COM

9/8/20 9:22 AM

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ORIX.COM

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DOSSIER

FRESH IDEAS

Pretty In Pink Dallas entrepreneur Chevis Douville created Baublerella to clean jewelry the safe and natural way.

CARTER TOLLESON Chairman and CEO T O L L E S O N W E A LT H M A N AG E M E N T

two years after his father founded his dallas wealth management firm, Carter Tolleson joined him in the business. He climbed his way up and took the helm as CEO in 2017. Although the company has been in business for more than two decades, in many ways it’s just getting started, Tolleson says: “We have a strong foundation and recognizable brand. There are so many opportunities to work with great families and really make a difference in their financial lives.”

EDUCATION: University of Arkansas (BS-Finance) WHAT I’D TELL AN 18-YEAR-OLD ME: “Be patient and always look for opportunities when times are tough.”

TOUGHEST CHALLENGE: “I take client service extremely seriously, but culture inside the firm is equally important.

Maintaining both a strong culture and the highest level of service is a fulltime job.”

PROUD MOMENT: “We have been taking on extremely complex relationships, estates, and trusts. Our team is bright and talented. Their collaborative approach

and dedication to solving complex issues for our clients is nothing short of amazing.”

SCARY MOMENT: “Doing a leveraged buyout on First USA in 1989.”

FAVORITE THING: “What gives me the most joy in life is seeing my kids succeed and being there to celebrate their victories with them.”

LESSONS LEARNED: “First of all, never burn bridges, and second, always be prepared. The economy cycles and you will encounter good times and bad times; you need to be prepared for either.”

NONPROFIT CAUSE: “We, as a family, supported the new Family Activity Center at Highland Park United Methodist Church.

Although the church does so many amazing things, the new building is special. It provides a venue for various levels of youth ministry, amazing programs for special needs kids and adults, and the nicest gymnasium in town.”

BEVERAGE OF CHOICE: “Diet Dr Pepper” FAVORITE DESTINATION: “We love The Bahamas and get there as often as we can. My kids have made so many special memories there.”

FAVORITE SPORTS TEAM: “Go Cowboys” LAST MEAL: ”Anything Italian.

Lots of cheese and sauce, and I’m happy.”

after sizing up the competition, Baublerella founder Chevis Douville decided she could bring something new to the jewelry cleaner market and in 2015 launched a line of clean-crafted, beautifully packaged products.“I realized there was just a handful of people making jewelry cleaner, and it all looked pretty much the same,” she says. Douville’s products include rinse-free gemstone cleaner and handcrafted mitts to polish brass, silver, gold, and plated jewelry. And after her daughter got blisters, the resourceful entrepreneur created a fragrance-free balm to protect and hydrate feet. Baublerella products are sold online and shipped to 4,000 stores nationwide, plus about 10 in the Dallas area. Her packaging and natural ingredients make them stand out. “I call them pretty little problem-solvers,” she says. —Paige Walters

TO L L E S O N BY J A K E M E Y E R S ; B AU B L E R E L L A C O U R T E S Y O F B A U B L E R E L L A

MEET THE 500

MOTHER OF INVENTION

Chevis Douville’s product line includes the onthe-go gem cleaner Bling Brush and metals polisher Glitzy Glove.

FAVORITE RESTAURANT: “Mesero”

This Q&A is extended content from Dallas 500, a special edition produced

by D CEO that profiles the region’s most influential business leaders.

Visit www.dallas500.com for details.

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DOSSIER

CYBERSECURITY

Attorney and Former FBI agent Mary Chaney Helps Dallas CEOs Fight Cybercrime

P H OTO G R A P H Y C O U R T E S Y O F M A R Y C H A N E Y

story by KELSEY J. VANDERSCHOOT

a poor grade on an undergraduate business law paper CHANEY ALSO inspired attorney Mary Chaney to go to law school. “My goal when RUNS A GROUP I went to law school was to graduate No. 1 in my class,” she says. “I THAT PROVIDES needed to prove that professor wrong about me and law.” Chaney SUPPORT TO was salutatorian at Texas Southern University, but a summer internship during her freshman year proved that working with a law WOMEN AND firm was not for her. “It just didn’t appeal to me, and so, I ended up MINORITIES IN graduating law school and applying to go into the FBI.” THE INDUSTRY. She found a specialty that matched her passion: technology.

Working with the cybercrime unit in Los Angeles as a special agent beginning in 2002, Chaney was tasked with a caseload that included fraud and denial of service attacks.

When the FBI would not approve Chaney’s request for a Cincinnati transfer to be closer to her hometown and family, she found herself at a crossroads. “I was forced to make a decision, as women often do, between my career and my family,” Chaney says. “I chose my family.” She left the bureau in 2008 and began a consulting company, helping small and midsize businesses with information security.

After moving back to her home state of Ohio, Chaney went on to hold cybersecurity positions throughout the Northeast at companies like Comcast and Johnson and Johnson, but felt limited.

“I became frustrated with corporate America and trying to climb the ladder and pierce the double-paned glass ceiling that exists for minority women in that space,” she says. In 2018, she moved to Texas, where she was still licensed, and opened a cybersecurity law practice in Dallas. She also formed a nonprofit, Minorities in Cybersecurity, which provides leadership development for women and people of color in the industry. Apple is among those that hold corporate memberships in the group.

With the shift to remote work, Chaney is eager to see if more companies begin to take more of a preventative approach to cybersecurity rather than a curative one. “[Cybersecurity] should be something peoSAFETY MATTERS Chaney says busiple want to do before the breach,” Chaney ness leaders should says. “But still, people call me when there is make cybersecurity a priority before a breach or when there is a problem, more there’s a breach, but most don’t deal so than to defend against that problem or to with it until there’s a prevent the problem.” problem.

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DOSSIER

O N T H E TA B L E

Road Show: Chris Tanco Leads From the Front Lines The 7-Eleven COO’s efforts to meet franchisees where they are has paid off for the convenience store giant.

chris tanco caught my eye on linkedin.

At the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, the 7-Eleven chief operating officer was doing something out of the ordinary. He was on the ground, visiting stores across the country and sharing the plights of franchisees and store operators, as well as their inspirational stories—like a Florida story by BIANCA R. MONTES franchisee who worked with 800 other stores in illustration by JAKE MEYERS the state to feed healthcare workers.

“It was heart-wrenching at times because they were very fearful—not just themselves from a health standpoint, but for their employees,” Tanco explained as we settled in for lunch at Taco Laredo inside 7-Eleven’s West Dallas evolution store. In the early days of COVID-19, Tanco put to“IT HAS BEEN SUCH A gether a command center THRILLING TIME BECAUSE OF to assess the situation. The THE GROWTH. NO DAY IS THE focus was on stabilization— SAME AS THE NEXT.” keep everyone safe, make sure the supply chain was solid, and maintain financial stability. Financial needs were easy to identify, and by June, the company had delivered nearly $135 million in support to stores through credits, Plexiglas sneeze guards, cleaning supplies, and other necessities—early moves that prevented a financial meltdown. Tanco says that although there are many ways to gather information from afar, there’s no substitute for being on the front line.

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“The input that you get in real-time … you don’t see that when you’re sitting at the support center.

When you’re out, you’re touching things, you’re looking at things, you’re analyzing things, you’re talking to people, you’re showing them that, ‘Hey, you’re out here as essential workers and I’m going to be out here supporting you.’”

Tanco’s approach reflects his long tenure in the hospitality industry, which began decades ago when he operated three restaurants in the Philippines. “Being an entrepreneur, you feel it.

It’s your money; it’s your livelihood,” he says. “A lot of corporate people don’t understand that because they haven’t been a franchisee or haven’t been entrepreneurs; they haven’t put their own money at stake—their own blood, sweat, and tears. So sometimes they don’t realize what a franchisee is going through. I fully understand, and I can put myself in their shoes.”

After moving to the United States to pursue an MBA at the University of Virginia’s Darden Graduate School of Business Administration, Tanco spent nearly 20 years with PepsiCo’s Pizza Hut division and later its Yum! Brands spinoff before joining 7-Eleven to overhaul its international business. He moved into the COO role about four years ago. “Ever since then, I’ve been maniacal about supporting stores, supporting franchisees, and supporting our team members,” he says. Looking ahead, Tanco says he’s excited to be a part of the company’s bullish plan to double its 9,300 U.S. stores by 2027. “It has been such a thrilling time because of the growth. No day is the same as the next. They’re always different challenges; it takes a lot of energy to run a convenience business, but I love it.”

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DOSSIER

ENTREPRENEURS

He got his first mowing gig at the age of 12. Today, Jason Craven’s landscaping business is flourishing. story by BEN SWANGER

motivation can be a powerful thing. in 1989, 12 -yearold Jason Craven was desperate to earn money for a bicycle. “I “WHEN THERE’S started knocking on doors and my first lawn mowing job came A CHALLENGE just up the street from my home,” Craven says. He did a great AHEAD, RATHER job, word spread, and his business took off. In high school, he THAN RETREAT, persuaded a guidance counselor to let him leave his afternoon I LEAN IN classes early so he could go mow lawns.

AND PUSH After graduating, Craven turned his part-time hustle into J.C. Services and did lawn and yard work full time. He soon had to FORWARD.” hire a couple of employees to keep up with demand—two workers who remain with him to this day. In 1998, the company was renamed Southern Botanical. And today, about 32 years after mowing his first lawn, Craven employs more than 250 people and has a 20,000-square-foot headquarters on 5 acres of land along Halifax Street. His company beautifies some of the area’s most recognizable green spaces, including the George W. Bush Presidential Center, Southern Methodist University, Klyde Warren Park, and residential estates in the Park Cities.

“I learned a lot of lessons the hard way … I just kept injuring myself,” Craven says. After getting metal slivers in his eyes a few times, he learned to wear the right safety equipment; another lesson came when he fell out of a tree and landed on a fence. “I learned pretty quickly I was better at management than doing the work,” he says.

From the start, Craven has focused on customer service, studying approaches used by The Ritz-Carlton and Sewell Automotive Cos. He expanded into commercial properties in 2011 and a year later added tree care. He says his entrepreneurial spirit allows him to break down barriers: “When there’s a challenge ahead, rather than retreat, I lean in and push forward.”

GREEN ESCAPE

Clients of Southern Botanical include the Klyde Warren Park in urban Dallas.

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Committed to women-owned businesses in Texas TWU’s Center for Women Entrepreneurs, a program of the Jane Nelson Institute for Women’s Leadership, provides the tools that help women-owned businesses achieve success.

Business Advising Funding Networking Training

Learn More twu.edu/cwe

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ADVERTISEMENT

ASK THE EXPERT

Proactive Risk Management Rogge Dunn, Rogge Dunn Group

Who should be concerned about risk management?

Everyone should be concerned.

Understanding and implementing good risk management policies and approaches protects not only the company, but individual executives and employees in their personal lives.

What is risk management?

Most people think risk management is working with a PR firm to fashion favorable internal and external messaging when a problem arises, essentially damage control.

Good risk management is preventing a problem from occurring, not managing a problem after it occurs. If it’s predictable, it’s preventable.

Address potential issues proactively. As an employee, would you rather take time on the front end to initiate a meeting with your supervisor to be sure you understand their goals and expectations for you, or have to deal with not meeting your boss’ expectations and enduring a performance improvement plan on the back end?

You can easily eliminate one workplace risk by not dating anyone you work with.

Make that pledge and you’ve eliminated a significant workplace risk. The bottom line is you are the best risk manager your company has because you have the ability to avoid inappropriate situations that expose you and the company to risk.

What are some good risk management techniques?

Respect. Give respect to everyone. This is particularly important in the workplace.

Engage others. Listen to your coworkers, and take a genuine interest in their work, concerns, and life. People enjoy talking

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about their problems and themselves, and they respond well to someone who lends a sympathetic ear. Be humble and approachable: lose the attitude. When superstar Mickey Mantle was in Tulsa for an exhibition baseball game he went to the best restaurant in town, Jamil’s. On weekends Jamil’s patrons endured a long line. Mantle arrived and went to the back of the line. Word spread quickly that Mantle was outside. Jamil approached Mantle and said, “There’s no need for you to wait; we’ve got a table set up for you right now.” Mantle replied, “No, I will stand in line and wait my turn like everybody else.”

Today, how many sports stars and celebrities would stand in line and not accept or seek special treatment? Would you continue to stand in line, and not take advantage of “velvet rope” benefits? By not “putting on airs” you stand out as part of the team, not someone who thinks they are more important than everyone else.

By being genuine, approachable and showing others respect, you will exhibit leadership qualities that will endear you to your teammates. If people like you and admire you, you’re much less likely to become the target of rumors, criticism, and political attacks in the workplace.

What’s the takeaway?

In the stressful, fast-paced world in which we work, we tend to forget the important lessons of caring and civility our mothers taught us. Following their advice is not just the decent thing to do, it’s good risk management.

Rogge Dunn represents companies, executives, and entrepreneurs in business and employment matters. These include the CEOs/presidents of American Airlines, Baker Hughes, Beck Group, Dave & Busters, Gold’s Gym, Haggar Clothing, Halliburton Energy Services, Kinko’s, Merit Energy, Steak n’ Shake, SunEdison, Texas Capital Bancshares, Texas Tech University, Crow Holdings and Whataburger. Corporate clients include Adecco, Beal Bank, Benihana, CBRE, Cintas, DuraServ, Match. com, Rent-A-Center, and Outback Steakhouse.

Dunn has been honored as a Texas Super Lawyer every year that award has been given by Thomson Reuters Service, as one of the top 100 attorneys in Texas, and a D Magazine Best Lawyer 11 times.

Rogge Dunn is one of only approximately 25 attorneys in Texas Board Certified in Civil Trial Law and Labor and Employment Law.

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500 N. Akard St., Suite 1900 Dallas, Texas 75201 214.888.5000 info@roggedunngroup.com www.roggedunngroup.com 11 TIME BEST WINNER

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9/3/20 12:59 PM

EY ENTREPRENEUR of THE YEAR

A Leap of Faith MEET T HE BOLD RI SK-TA K E R S A N D IN N OVATOR S HON OR E D I N EY’ S 2020 ENT R E PR E N E U R OF T HE Y E A R PR OGR A M .

S O M ETIM E S , TH E CO NVICTI ON I N A N I DEA CA N B E SO STR ON G, ON E I S W I LLI N G TO RI SK

everything to make it happen. Such is the case for Greg Bird, who, despite having a family to support and no capital backing, left a partner position at an oil and gas business to launch Jetta Operating Co. And for Bryan Perkins, who put 100 percent of his net worth into Novaria Group, making it an all-or-nothing gamble. Startup CEOs must dispel the notion that entrepreneurship is sexy, says Matthew Gabriel of XRI Fountain Quail. “If your idea is not something that you are prepared to sell your car or liquidate your savings for, then it’s not enough,” he says. ¶ These are just a few of the innovators you’ll read about on the following pages as we recognize those honored in EY’s 2020 Entrepreneur Of The Year program. For a 13th straight year, D CEO is proud to profile all of the finalists in the program’s Southwest region. ¶ To select the finalists, EY assembled a panel of independent judges: Alex Danza, founder and CEO of Vonlane; Dan Flaherty, co-founder and chairman of VARI, Chris MacFarland, chairman and CEO of Masergy Communications; Teresa Mackintosh, CEO of Trintech; Raj Malik, founder and CEO of Bioworld Merchandising; Jamie O’Banion, CEO and co-founder of BeautyBio; Vanessa Ogle, CEO and founder of Enseo; and Blake Walker, CEO of Arcis Golf. ¶ All regional finalists will be honored at a virtual EY event on Oct. 7, when winners will be revealed. Those winners will go on to compete for national recognition in November.

stories by B R A N D O N J . C A L L , W I L L M A D D OX , B I A N C A R . M O N T E S , AND

CHRISTINE PEREZ

portraits by S E A N B E R R Y

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EY ENTREPRENEUR of THE YEAR

Nepris SA BA R I R A JA C EO a n d C o - Fo u n d e r

Sabari Raja grew up on a coconut farm in southern India. Although neither of her parents had college degrees, they sent her to boarding school when she was 5 because they wanted her to have a quality education. Raja’s love for learning was born. She co-founded ed-tech firm Nepris because she wanted to help create greater equity of access. The entrepreneur’s cloud-based software platform connects industry professionals with K-12 and college students in a virtual environment that offers mentoring, tours, and mock interviews. Today, Nepris serves 540,000 students—with more than 60 percent of them coming from rural and underserved communities. “We have always believed that technology can be the great equalizer—especially in education,” Raja says.

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On The Rocks Premium Cocktails “I knew MONKEDIA had made it once we got to start working with some of the big names, like the NFL, Disney, and Hamilton.”

Within a year of launch, CEO Patrick Halbert’s innovative brand caught the attention of one of the world’s largest whiskey companies. Sales were up 500 percent in 2019, with clients such as United Airlines, Whole Foods and the Dallas Cowboys selling the premium cocktail line, Beam Suntory purchased the brand in early September for an undisclosed sum. “I have worked very hard in building a brand that I believe will be an innovative way of consuming cocktails, and I hope to see it have more of a presence in retail for years to come,” he says.

N OA H C U R R A N FO U N D E R A N D C EO

Twisted X P R A SA D R E D DY C EO

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P R O D U C T S A N D H E A D S H OT S C O U R T E S Y O F C O M P A N I E S

About a decade ago, handcrafted footwear brand Twisted X was about $9 million in debt and in desperate need of a strong leader. Taking the helm, Prasad Reddy had the vision to take the company into new markets. His first big move was to go beyond boots, developing a casual line for the traditional cowboy. The next was working to better the planet with sustainable products, aiming to become carbon-neutral.

The turnaround strategy yielded an annual growth rate of 25 percent to 30 percent for the past seven years, and an EBITDA of 10 percent to 15 percent. Still, Reddy isn’t satisfied. “A true entrepreneur doesn’t believe that they have ever made it,” he says. “Once you feel that you have, you aren’t an entrepreneur anymore, but instead, a businessman wanting to make money.”

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By providing funds to people who cannot secure a loan from a traditional financial institution, such as a bank or credit union, Elevate Credit has carved out a niche in finance.

The Fort Worth-based online lender is more than a payday loan company, offering online installment of loans and lines of credit to non-

RevUnit

JA SO N H A RV I SO N | C EO

prime consumers—or individuals with credit scores lower than 700.

In the past six years, the company has served more than 2.4 million

customers in the U.S. and U.K. with $8.1 billion in capital by utilizing technology to underwrite non-prime borrowers in new ways. “Technology is already critical to what we do, but we are only in the early innings of really powerful applications of artificial intelligence and

machine learning,” says CEO Jason Harvison.

“I’m excited about continuing to leverage these tools to push the boundaries of the underwriting process because, as it exists today, the system of obtaining consumer financing fails millions of Americans.”

M I C H A E L PA L A D I N O C o - Fo u n d e r J O E SAU M W E B E R C o - Fo u n d e r

WHAT IS THE BIGGEST LESSON YOU’VE LEARNED AS AN ENTREPRENEUR? “Focus on progress, not perfection.

Even the largest companies don’t have it all figured out. Make informed decisions, but don’t wait for all the details to be ironed out.”

“Question-based management: By using the power of a well-worded question, you can manage internally and externally significantly better than when you try to dictate to others.”

“Understand your partners’ timelines, desires, and thought processes.

Take the time to do this up front when starting new ventures; everyone must be on the same page.”

PA L A D I N O

P R O D U C T S A N D H E A D S H OT S C O U R T E S Y O F C O M P A N I E S

SAU M W E B E R

A M A N DA E LM S

JA SO N M C L AU G H LI N

GREG BIRD

Fo u n d e r a n d C EO M eti s G e n eti c s

P ri n ci p a l A R CO/ M u r ray

C EO a n d P re si d e nt J et t a O p e r ati n g C o .

Presidium CEO John Griggs jokes that his firm has been an overnight success— 17 years in the making.

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Based in Bentonville, Arkansas, RevUnit creates workforce technologies that unlock the potential company employees. Founded in 2012 by Michael Paladino and Joe Saumweber, it integrates technology with cross-functional teams. The duo initially focused on consumer products but pivoted after building an application for Virgin Hotels. “When we started RevUnit, I knew leaving my comfortable job to start something new was a leap of faith,” Paladino says. “What I didn’t realize was that those leaps of faith never end.

Hiring that first employee means that you now have someone else relying on your company to feed their family. Taking on outside investment means you now have others financially vested in your success. Each of those decisions, and many more just like them, are required to grow.”

GROWTH

S T R AT E GY

NEW PLAN

ADVICE

Founded in 2003, Dallas-based Presidium has grown to almost 300 team members and 70 assets under management, valued in excess of $2 billion.

From 2005 to 2015, the company renovated multifamily assets on a large scale, redeveloping more than 10,000 units to retain a portfolio of 13,000 units.

The multifamily real estate firm recently added development to its focus, with 2,500 units either under construction or delivered in Texas and Florida.

“Stay engaged in your industry,” Griggs says. “Information and market intelligence is critical. Stay abreast of the big picture, but also hone in on the ground game.”

OCTOBER 2020

EY ENTREPRENEUR of THE YEAR

Elevate Credit

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Catalyst Health Network

HYLA Mobile Since its founding in 2009, Farmers Branchbased HYLA Mobile has worked to develop a platform that extends the lifecycle of mobile devices while also protecting the planet.

C H R I S TO P H E R C ROW P re si d e nt a n d C o - Fo u n d e r

Throughout its 11-year history, the company has repurposed more than 60 million devices, all while putting $6 billion in consumers’ pockets.

L A N C E S P IV E Y C FO

Plano-based Catalyst Health Network was founded to reduce healthcare spending by giving independent physicians the chance to stay independent and deliver more choices to patients. The network supports administrative and business solutions for physicians, sharing best practices and providing clinical care teams to help assist patients.

The company has grown 1,000 percent in the last five years. It now serves about 1,000 physicians and 1.25 million patients in Texas and Oklahoma.

Dr. Christopher Crow, co-founder and president, says that entrepreneurship is not always about the end goal.

“The journey is what it is all about … there isn’t an actual destination.

Keep an open mind to others’ perspectives and appreciate the learning opportunity that comes with it,” he says.

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“This created a win-win business model for everyone,” says president and CEO Biju Nair. “And ultimately, the environment wins as fewer de-

vices end up in landfills, adding to the already severe problem of e-waste.”

The entrepreneur says he knew his company had made it when major customers like AT&T, Verizon, Best Buy, Apple, Samsung, and Google began to adopt its solution. It was even

better when it spread to international customers like NTT DoCoMo. He advises other startup CEOs to “build your products and services like air and water—easy to consume and hard to live without. That is how you build a unique value proposition.”

DID YOU EVER FEEL LIKE GIVING UP AND, IF SO, HOW DID YOU PERSEVERE? C ROW

“You will inevitably run into obstacles that leave you second-guessing your decisions and your path forward. The key is to persevere and to keep your goals in sight.”

“Fear of failure makes you feel very weak. But in my gut, I always knew there was so much purpose in this industry and believed wholeheartedly in my vision that I couldn’t give up.”

C A LVI N CROWD E R

N A S I BA H A R TL A N D - M AC K I E

“I have never felt like giving up, but have definitely known when I was not on the right team. The pieces of an organization should easily fit together and should not be forced.”

S P IV E Y

Andrew Schaap was tapped in 2017 to take the helm of Plano-based data center provider Aligned.

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P re si d e nt a n d C EO G r i d L i a n ce

C o - Fo u n d e r T h e Tot

B E TH GA RV E Y P re si d e nt a n d C EO B G St af f i n g

GROWTH

E X PA N S I O N

GREEN

FUTURE

Under his leadership, Aligned significantly increased sales, attracted investors in a very competitive market, and added regional and global companies as clients.

Aligned also grew data center capacity in nearly all of its markets, including two new builds, with about 70 percent of its customers choosing to expand with it.

Reducing the energy, water, and space needed to operate, plus leveraging its patented cooling technology, helps improve sustainability and reliability.

“Now more than ever, hyperscalers and large enterprises are demanding highly dynamic, scalable, and future-proof data center solutions,” Schaap says.

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9/4/20 12:00 PM

EY ENTREPRENEUR of THE YEAR

D-Bat Sports C A D E G R I FFI S C EO a n d Fo u n d e r

Like many young boys, Cade Griffis grew up dreaming of playing Major League Baseball.

He was a standout All-American baseball player at Dallas Baptist University before being drafted by the Kansas City Royals in 1997. Griffis played professionally for two-and-a-half years before a knee injury forced him out of the game. But that didn’t quench his love for the sport. His baseball backup plan was to open indoor training academies—and, with his brother, Kyle, he did just that. In 2009, the brothers began franchising their successful training facilities. Today, D-Bat Academies has grown to 95 locations in the United States and nine international locations.

The company also sells sporting goods and apparel. “I have to say that what I do for a living is the most fun job in America,” Griffis says.

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Solo Stove “I believe that the most successful business leaders of tomorrow will be dedicated to social responsibility and selfless service.”

The idea for Solo Stove was born in 2010 as a simple and unique way of cooking. Under the direction of CEO John Merris, who joined the team in 2018, the Southlake-based company has seen revenue double and EBITDA nearly triple. Mostly a direct-to-consumer e-commerce brand, Solo Stove does work with a few brick-and-mortar retailers. “It was a special day when our phone rang and the REI team was on the other end of the line, calling to tell us that they had seen our product and wanted to carry our entire line in every REI across the country,” Merris says.

SA R A H J . S H A D O N IX C EO, S co u t & C e ll a r

UWorld C H A N D R A P E M M A SA N I Fo u n d e r a n d C EO

When Dr. Chandra Pemmasani was preparing to take his medical licensing exams, he found the test prep materials expensive and ineffective. So, he created case-based scenarios to guide future physicians through the process. Finding immediate success, UWorld expanded into nursing curriculum, too.

The products achieved 90 percent market penetration in the medical test prep field and nearly 80 percent in nursing.

Pemmasani knows that putting together a quality team with a critical eye is essential. “You can build your vision of success yourself, but you’ll get to your intended destination sooner if you surround yourself with good, intellectually honest people—both personally and professionally—who can check your blind spots and help you fill skills gaps you may not know you have.”

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Made of several aerospace and defense component companies, Novaria Group was founded in 2011 with the mission of improving the industry’s supply chain.

Founder Bryan Perkins saw that small parts suppliers were fragmented, and felt he could add value by bringing a sense of order and

Linear Labs Inc.

B RYA N P E R K I N S | Fo u n d e r, C EO, a n d P re si d e nt

efficiency to it all. He rolled the dice, putting his entire net worth into the venture. Each of its acquisitions more than doubled sales within the

first three years. And today, Novaria’s EBITDA margins are over 20 percent on $200 million in sales. Perkins says specialization is critical in today’s economy. “You must become a master of your craft,” he says. And despite the disruptions in 2020, he sees a silver

lining. “This will create an abundance of opportunities for us to take the company into a variety of new areas,” he says.

“The market will be challenging for a bit, but our discipline in operations and ability to acquire and scale will create a sustainable machine.”

B R A D H U N S TA B LE C EO FR E D H U N S TA B LE C TO

WHAT ADVICE DO YOU HAVE FOR EMERGING OR WOULD-BE ENTREPRENEURS? “Maintain your integrity and follow your intuition. Beware of the sharks. Do it your way and do not comprise.

Don’t worry about superficial tech startup accolades.” .”

“Dispel the notion that entrepreneurship is sexy. If your idea is not something that you’re prepared to sell your car or liquidate your savings for, then it’s not enough.”

“Do not wait, go for it now. If you wait until you are 100 percent comfortable in your decision or your ability as an entrepreneur, you will never be fully ready.”

MIKE KINDER

M AT TH E W GA B R I E L

J O H N R O BY

J I M S H O P PA

C o - Fo u n d e r a n d C EO Ve r ya b l e

C EO X R I Fo u nt a i n Q u a il

C EO, Te a l N atu ra l R e s o u rce s

P re si d e nt , S h o p p a ’s M ate ri a l H a n d li n g

B . H U N S TA B L E

F. H U N S TA B L E

CriticalStart was founded in 2012 by self-confessed security geek Rob Davis in response to 2011 nation-state breaches.

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“My advice is to never underestimate the value of experience. You don’t learn something until you’ve gone through it, gleaning important insights along the way.”

Don’t underestimate the potential impact of Fort Worth-based Linear Labs. Innovators Brad Hunstable and his father, Fred, were looking for a way to help developing countries.

“It was thought to be impossible to generate usable electricity from the slow-moving, hightorque application of a windmill,” Brad says. “But if we could, we could give these countries clean water, LED lighting, and maybe even power a water heater for villages.”

After years of research and experiments, they discovered their first linear generator that would create electricity in such applications. It ultimately led to a breakthrough in motor and generator technology. “Many energy experts around the world are calling our motors and generator the most important discovery in energy in 100 years,” Brad says.

E A R LY O N

SOLUTIONS

TA L E N T

C U LT U R E

When he was in middle school, Davis’ family had a computer that needed more storage, so he took it upon himself to create a cassette tape back-up system.

Davis launched CriticalStart because he felt those seeking cybersecurity solutions were focused on products only, not people, processes, and configurations.

In an industry with a low unemployment rate, CriticalStart focuses on crossteam collaboration and other ways to create meaningful work experiences.

Davis has built his company’s culture around three core principals: Do what’s right for the customer, don’t do things that suck, and do what’s right for employees.

OCTOBER 2020

EY ENTREPRENEUR of THE YEAR

Novaria Group

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GIACT Systems

NOWDiagnostics NOWDiagnostics is remaking the world of health testing, with the ability to test for several diseases and illnesses in minutes with just a single drop of blood.

M E LI S SA TOW N S LE Y-SO LI S C EO a n d C o - Fo u n d e r

Based in Springdale, Arkansas, the company eliminates the need to send tests off to labs and brings sophisticated medical testing to

M E R LI N B I S E C TO a n d C o - Fo u n d e r

Founded in 2004, Allen-based fintech firm GIACT Systems helps businesses detect fraud.

Its proprietary software triangulates customer data against a variety of sources and combats multiple types of payment and identity fraud.

CEO and co-founder Melissa Townsley-Solis has led GIACT Systems since its inception. Before that, she had a 17-year career in the insurance industry.

Co-founder and CTO Merlin Bise led a healthcare technology team behind the first fully encrypted, peer-to-peer video conferencing platform. Today, the duo’s products are used by 1,200 companies, ranging from sole proprietors to Fortune 500 enterprises.

“We have an incredible roadmap that will include several innovations, new products, and developments that we believe will be industry changing,” Townsley-Solis says.

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at-home consumers. Its products range from tests for pregnancy and food allergies to chronic illnesses and infectious diseases. Additional tests

are in the development pipeline. CEO and President Kevin Clark, who has ushered more than 125 products through the FDA approval process, says success hasn’t blinded him to the truth that failing is part of the process. “The fact is much of what we try will fail—it’s

simply the nature of the work we do as scientists,” he says. “The process of learning and discovery never stops. The trick to success? Don’t make the same mistake twice, and build your team with individuals of diverse backgrounds, experiences, and viewpoints.”

AS YOU LOOK AHEAD, WHAT HAS YOU MOST EXCITED ABOUT THE FUTURE? “What excites me most is never before has a technology like AI allowed us to transform business, drive sustainability, and improve customer experience at this rate of speed.”

TOW N S LE Y-SO LI S

“I’m excited about the future because we have the knowledge, tools, and capability to bring broadband internet into rural markets and bridge the digital divide that exists.”

“Expanding into Europe and South America and into adjacent markets like dance, and bringing our retail line and messages of girl-empowerment and anti-bullying to the masses.”

BISE

Omnitracs provides fleet management software for transportation and logistics companies across the globe.

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C R AI G S I LV E R M A N

B I LL BA K E R

K A R E N A LD R I D G E

C EO A ntu it . a i

C EO N ex tli n k I nte r n et

Fo u n d e r a n d P re si d e nt R e b e l Ath l eti c

MISSION

NUMBERS

PIONEER

ADVICE

Omnitracs improves productivity, reliability, routing, safety, and compliance of transportation assets utilizing Software as a Service (Saas) technologies.

With more than 1,100 employees, the Dallas-based company helps its 14,000 customers manage more than 1 million assets in 70 countries around the world.

Thirty-five years ago, Omnitracs was a pioneer in the trucking industry for its use of telematics, providing real-time GPS, traffic conditions, and more.

Chief executive Ray Greer offers this guidance for emerging entrepreneurs: “Don’t ever let anyone tell you that you can’t; surround yourself with people who can.”

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EY ENTREPRENEUR of THE YEAR

Caitlin Wilson Design C AITLI N WI L SO N Fo u n d e r

True grit often separates those with a good idea from those who take that concept and build it into a multimillion-dollar brand and business. Not classically trained, Caitlin Wilson put pen to paper while she was living overseas and unable to find great pillows anywhere online. “I wanted to create designer pillows that would be easy to mix and match and more accessible to [consumers],” she says about what has become. Her highly regarded lifestyle brand offers rugs, wallpaper, pillows, furniture, and a recently launched children’s line. Pattern and color are her forte and the foundation on which she designs her signature interiors and home décor products. Wilson has future plans to expand stores into more states.

“I love collaborating with other like-minded brands,” she says.

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Ron Rittenmeyer has worked his magic at some of the nation’s biggest companies.

But guiding Tenet Healthcare through the pandemic might be his greatest achievement yet. story by WILL

MADDOX

illustration by MONA

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F O R T E N E T H E A LT H C A R E C E O A N D executive chairman Ron Rittenmeyer, pandemic calls began at 7 a.m. each morning, finishing up at 9 p.m. or 10 p.m. On the other end of the line were physicians, hospitals, surgery centers, and government regulators. “I probably have talked to every senator in the United States,” Rittenmeyer says, only half facetiously. The leaders wanted to know what the hospitals were experiencing on the ground. New systems had to be cre-

ated to track total patients, personal protective equipment supply, COVID-19 tests, available beds, deaths, and more. “It was intense and constant. We joke that our weeks consisted of yesterday, today, and tomorrow, right? Because it kept rolling, and it didn’t stop. It was seven days a week.”

The coronavirus threat didn’t intimidate Rittenmeyer. In his varied career, which includes top posts in industries as diverse as railroads, snack foods, and truck rentals, he has helped thriving companies experience exponential growth and guided others through bankruptcy. Not one to shy away from a challenge, he is well suited to lead a healthcare company through a global pandemic.

Rittenmeyer’s humble beginnings make his leadership roles at companies such as PepsiCo, Ryder TRS, Electronic Data Systems, and others before Tenet all the more unlikely. Raised in northeastern Pennsylvania, his father drove a food truck for his own distribution company and worked as a printer. The two jobs kept him busy from dawn until midnight. Ron remembers getting up at 6 a.m. and tagging along with his dad on truck routes during the summers, making deliveries.

He earned a scholarship to a private boarding school called Wyoming Seminary, then a swim scholarship to nearby Wilkes University. In summers, Ron would hitchhike to the beach to work as a lifeguard. After graduating, he put his head down and worked to do his best at whatever task lay before him, using his managerial skills to improve performance wherever he went. When he joined Frito-Lay in 1974, he started as a shipping manager then worked his way up to hold multiple vice president roles in the 1990s. A company man for nearly 20 years, his career was about to take a turn.

In 1994, he was introduced by a friend to the chairman and CEO at Burlington Northern (now BNSF), who spoke with Rittenmeyer about an opportunity at the railroad. The CEO asked how much longer he wanted to be at Frito-Lay; Rittenmeyer said about 15 years. The CEO then asked if he wanted a different challenge. Rittenmeyer hadn’t considered leaving, but on the drive home from the meeting, made a decision that would guide the next few decades of his career. He joined the railroad and led its merchandising unit before quickly being promoted to COO. From that point forward, Rittenmeyer served in numerous C-Suite positions at various companies, rarely staying more than four years at a time. He helped spin off companies, launched IPOs, turned around performance, and walked numerous companies through bankruptcy filings. Although he rarely took a job knowing it would be a short-term assignment, the call of a new challenge was often too difficult to ignore.

Even at 73, Rittenmeyer has a spring in his step and an appetite for new challenges that make him right at home in what many might consider stressful situations. His collection of fast cars, pilot and boat captain licenses make sense given the laser focus on efficiency and quality that he brought to Tenet when he was hired as CEO in 2017.

A conversation with Rittenmeyer is simultaneously intimidating and friendly. One chooses their words carefully but also knows that those words are being honestly considered, listened to, and acted upon. His accent still has a hint of his Pennsylvania upbringing; he tends to punctuate sentences with a rhetorical “OK?” or “right?” to make sure he has an engaged audience. Sir Bill Thomas, who worked with Rittenmeyer at EDS, says the CEO focuses on putting peo-

“We joke that our weeks consisted of yesterday, today, and tomorrow, right? Because it kept rolling, and it didn’t stop.

It was seven days a week.”

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ple first. “Ron’s philosophy was that if we looked after our people properly, and if we looked after our clients properly, the rest would sort itself out, and we’d end up doing a good job for our shareholders as well.”

MOUNTING PRESSURES

In 2019, Tenet Healthcare was performing about as well as it ever had. Rittenmeyer had replaced and diversified much of the leadership. Prior to his arrival, the executive team and board were mostly White men; today, both are made up of 50 percent women and minorities. The company had just taken occupancy of a new headquarters along the Dallas North Tollway in Farmers Branch, filled with amenities and natural light. Things were going better than expected.

But then the pandemic arrived. Tenet’s hospitals have been in the center of some of the COVID-19 hot spots around the country, with facilities in Arizona, Miami, and Detroit, but they were never overwhelmed to the extent New York City experienced. Because of the pause of elective procedures, admissions dropped 30 percent in April, across the system. The hospitals had to remain open and fully staffed, ready for a potential onrush of cases, pinching the company from both ends. “Traffic went away overnight,” Rittenmeyer says. “People were afraid to go out and get any kind of medical treatment. So our business just folded overnight, just like that.”

In April, with all of those pressures mounting, Rittenmeyer and Tenet made the difficult decision to furlough 10 percent of its 113,000-member workforce. He didn’t take the decision lightly; Rittenmeyer has a history of making tough calls, turning businesses around, and doing what is best for the company. “He takes charge, and he doesn’t blame problems on somebody other than himself,” says former Nebraska Governor and U.S. Senator Joseph Robert “Bob” Kerrey, who is on Tenet’s board of directors. “He takes responsibility for what he is doing and treats people well.”

TOUGH N E G O T I AT O R WH E N RIT T E NME Y E R

was the chief executive at EDS, the company was the title sponsor of the Byron Nelson Championship golf tournament, which is hosted by the Salesmanship Club of Dallas and benefits Momentous Institute. When the club asked for volunteers to renegotiate a sponsorship contract with EDS, no hands went up; Rittenmeyer was known as a tough and aggressive negotiator. Former Addison mayor Todd Meier, who knew the EDS chief through their children, was tasked with the job. It turns out the worries were unfounded; Rittenmeyer not only saw the value of the sponsorship and the charity, he also put his negotiation skills to work with the PGA Tour to lock in the preferred dates. “Although one role he has is an almost steely-eyed businessperson who can be tough where necessary, he backfills that with a strong sense of compassion and warmth,” Meier says. “A lot of folks are one or the other, and Ron combines them.”

S T E E LY R E S O LV E

Despite making progress at Tenet Healthcare, the company and Rittenmeyer have been subject to criticism from the rank and file. In September 2019, 6,500 Tenet nurses at 12 facilities in California, Arizona, and Florida staged a one-day strike protesting working conditions and pay. In April 2020, The International Brotherhood of Teamsters, whose pension and benefits funds invest in Tenet, urged the company’s shareholders to reject Rittenmeyer’s compensation and described a lack of accountability and other high executive salaries.

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Tenet’s “CEO to worker pay ratio of 452:1, based on CEO Rittenmeyer’s $24.3 million 2019 compensation, could not be worse for a publicly traded hospital chain amid the current pandemic,” wrote Ken Hall, general secretary and treasurer of the Teamsters in a letter to shareholders. Most of the $24.3 million cited is in stock grants that Rittenmeyer is unable to vest, and, during the height of the pandemic, was worth less than half of the original $16 million value. Shareholders approved his compensation in May. Rittenmeyer is tough when he needs to be, but his lighter side endears him to many who have worked with him. “The first thing to understand about Ron is that he takes work extremely seriously, but he doesn’t take himself seriously,” says Thomas, recalling an EDS skit in which Rittenmeyer played a character at a bar who was slowly turning into a pirate every time the camera cut back to him. “He will take very difficult situations and he’ll make them tractable by the use of good humor at the right time.”

The CEO’s impact on Tenet is measurable. Prior to the pandemic, the company’s stock price had nearly tripled since he took over in October of 2017. Additionally, he has reduced annual expenses for the company by $400 million while improving quality, according to Kerrey, who is optimistic about Tenet’s future under Rittenmeyer.

“He knows where he wants to go and where he wants to take Tenet,” Kerrey says. “If you don’t know where you’re going, any road will take you there. Ron knows where he wants the company to go.”

Rittenmeyer signed a contract extension that runs through December of 2022, at which point he says he will be done at Tenet. But for the man who has his office phone rerouted to a line at his lake house to make sure he doesn’t miss a call, chances are he will find a new challenge.

What will he do when his contract at Tenet is up? “I don’t know,” he says. “We’ll see how I feel. If I feel good, I’m sure I’ll go do something else. I can never believe that I will retire and play golf.”

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C O R P O R AT E C O U N S E L AWA R D S 2 0 2 0

In-house attorneys have moved far beyond traditional legal guidance and now play an integral role in shaping business strategy and corporate culture.

STRONG FOUNDATION I N - H O U S E AT T O R N E Y F O R A L O C A L H O S P I TA L S TA N D S I N F R O N T O F A G R O U P O F

physicians during employee orientation, the word “LAWSUITS” written on the whiteboard with a big “X” through it behind him. Just below that, it reads, “Alcohol + Surgery = No-No.” “Finally, doctors,” he says, “If there is a mistake, don’t admit it to the patient. Of course, if the patient is deceased, and you are sure, you can feel free to tell him or her anything.” He gazes off into the middle distance, imagining himself sharing his deepest secrets with a now-dead patient. ¶ This questionable legal advice is the work of Theodore “Ted” Buckland, Esq., the fictional in-house counsel for New Sacred Heart Hospital on the show Scrubs. The klutzy, depressed, insecure character is called the “sad sack” by his co-workers and doesn’t have their respect. He is an inessential requirement with limited skills—a burden more than an asset. ¶ The media often portrays corporate counsels as naysaying wet blankets, brought in to make sure the company won’t get sued. But this description couldn’t be further from the truth of modern in-house attorneys. ¶ No longer are they just legal minds concerned with compliance and saying no to risky ideas. Today’s corporate counselor is often a business strategy leader who takes a hands-on role in setting the company’s overall direction.

From thought leadership and deal-making to shaping corporate culture and keeping up

story by WILL

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THOUGHT LEADERSHIP

In-house attorneys are trusted advisers to the C-Suite and board of directors, helping to mitigate risk and tackle corporate governance matters. “We are a critical and unique part of the company,” says Aida Babalola, senior legal director at PepsiCo. By addressing legal considerations at the point of decision-making, they address problems upstream, meaning there is less conflict down the line.

“We should be thought leaders when it comes to protecting the company and being at the forefront of corporate best practices,” says Ryan Haws, general counsel at KIBO. “This thought leadership requires careful planning, so legal initiatives also minimize bureaucratic friction and streamline processes.”

That involves clarifying and diffusing legal and corporate issues so leaders can make informed decisions. “Our team is built around problem-solvers who can translate and communicate the answer where the complexity of business and the law intersect,” says Gabe Vazquez, vice president and associate general counsel for operations at Vistra Corp.

For generations, in-house attorneys were fixers who helped companies clean up a messy legal quandary or quiet a litigious employee or client. Today, they are “a strategic partner whose input into business goals and priorities is valued,” says Tamera Woodard, vice president and associate general counsel at AT&T.

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Beyond corporate strategy, in-house attorneys promote diversity and create inclusive environments. And it isn’t just lip service. “I think all companies and boards need to be very thoughtful in looking at what they can do to address past disparities and promote inclusiveness in the workplace,” says Dan Kelly, vice president and associate general counsel at Vistra Corp. But the company has to do more than have a token diversity officer or board member. It takes an intentional reshaping of priorities and hierarchical structure to utilize the diverse voices in the company. “The value isn’t in just having the talent—it’s allowing the talent to do the thing that you brought the talent in to do. Having a strong, diverse set of talent in place will give you a better foundation to face what disruption throws at you,” Babalola says.

DEAL- MAKING

A significant role in the evolving corporate counsel position is lending expertise to the company’s mergers, acquisitions, and real estate transactions. These attorneys make sure their company can take advantage of opportunities to buy, sell, and grow legally and sustainably.

To do so, it is essential to build a strong team of attorneys who can help assess new business or real estate opportunities.

“The challenge is operating in the vortex of supporting the daily business while learning other businesses to assess their potential, risks, and talent,” Vazquez says.

With market stability rocked by the pandemic, corporations have to be agile and ready to strike when the timing is right. ”The greatest challenge in the past year has been handling the wide variety of legal work for a rapidly evolving company,” says Michael Wortley, chief legal officer and executive vice president at Reata Pharmaceuticals. Signing new leases, increasing loan availability, preparing and conducting public offerings, SEC filings, handling standard compliance, all while doing the work virtually, has stretched the deal-making capacity of even the most experienced attorneys.

S P E C I A L I Z AT I O N

Unlike many professions, a new position as in-house counsel can mean becoming an expert in a particular industry, where efficiency is essential. Learning the intricacies of drilling wells in the Barnett Shale, the rules and regulations governing aviation safety, or even understanding what makes two people fall in love might quickly become a corporate counsel’s responsibility. It can’t be done alone.

Collaboration is necessary when leading a team of in-house counselors to understand and communicate an industry’s legal issues. “We employ a ‘two is one’ approach where we collaborate with our colleagues to ensure a comprehensive, 360 view and analysis for legal issues,” says Woodard.

The economy is moving quicker every day, meaning a deep understanding of the industry is essential in today’s climate. Another factor also influences increased specialization in the role. During more difficult economic times, corporations reduce their outside legal spending, meaning the in-house attorneys have to become even more specialized. That specialization is crucial to reducing risk and regulatory violations and allows the lawyer to be proactive. “I am seeing a greater need for specialized in-house attorneys to staff legal departments that look increasingly like mini law firms, I expect the drive toward specialization to continue,” Haws says.

R E G U L AT O RY G U I DA N C E

For many industries, such as healthcare and energy, government regulation plays a huge role in corporate strategy and growth. Good in-house lawyers have to be up to date on the latest rules and regulations to keep the company out of trouble and guide it toward success. Stockholders, activists, and the general public are increasingly concerned with how a company governs its internal affairs and impacts the environment and society. Directors and executives are paying more attention to these issues. From police brutality protests to worries about the impact of fracking

PREVIOUS SPREAD S H U T T E R S T O C K

with the latest industry regulatory hurdles, corporate counselors are multifaceted professionals who have to jump into diverse industries and become experts post-haste, helping to guide the future of the corporation.

North Texas benefits from some of the country’s most talented legal minds who help guide the region’s myriad companies. Many of these lawyers are finalists for D CEO’s Corporate Counsel Awards, which honors the region’s most outstanding in-house attorneys, and shared insights about how their role is transforming the business community.

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and climate change, corporations can be leaders as priorities change. Not doing so could jeopardize success by running afoul of regulatory compliance, or even damaging the public image.

“We have seen legislation requiring companies to take proactive measures to address social and environmental issues that go beyond traditional financial and operational concerns,” says Jason Shyung, in-house counsel at Southwest Airlines. “In addition, we have seen consumers and investors use their influence to push corporations to address such issues, and corporations that have fallen out of step with evolving social mores and expectations have seen their value and revenue decline, due to their inability to respond appropriately.”

When it comes to North Texas companies with international business, regulatory hurdles are a completely different animal. Coordination between marketing, production, and corporate governance is essential if a company wants to do business internationally. “The process has been difficult from the get-go—from restructuring our regional corporate structure, finding counsel to help us meet a rigorous documentation standard that has not previously been applied to foreign companies and vendors, and following through with product implementations to put us in compliance,” says Chini Bose Reddy, corporate counsel at Match Group. “Throw in the time difference, and you’re in for a treat.”

Regulatory guidance is further complicated because the law moves slower than the technology and innovation that drive most industries. An in-house counsel’s job is to anticipate industry rules and regulations so the firm can be ready to adjust as new rules are put into place and stay ahead of the curve. “You also now have to be able to anticipate, or at least navigate, industry disruption at a moment’s notice,” says Babalola. “It’s going to require change-management skills; in-house counsel will have to be more flexible and agile than ever before. The law moves slowly, but the world around us doesn’t. It moves faster and faster by

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the day—we’re going to have to work hard to keep up and even harder to get ahead of the curve.”

ENTREPRENEURSHIP

Corporate counsels are also helping to develop new ideas about running the company, solving legal issues, and growing the company, while still making sure the entity is operating sustainably. These lawyers play the role of an internal entrepreneur, helping the company run more efficiently.

In 2020, being innovative means overcoming challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. Keeping operations up and running while reducing the virus’ spread, without violating employees’ privacy, is no small task. Corporate counsel teams have to be up on the latest data regarding the virus and its legal implications and communicate that information to the rest of the company, building trust along the way.

Some industries have been hit harder than others, putting talent to the test.

In-house counselors need to be able to mitigate risk to maintain operations and culture, while also identifying threats before they arrive and safe-guarding profitability. “The past few months have been one of the most­—if not the most— trying times in Southwest Airlines’ history,” says Shyung. “We have faced unprecedented threats to our business, and we are in the midst of significant efforts to save our company and preserve jobs and the legacy established by Herb Kelleher and many others.”

With all the business challenges they face, corporate counsels must balance their rational minds with creative thinking. Unprecedented conditions require new solutions. In-house attorneys are increasingly “supporting the mission of entrepreneurs with internal creative solutions and process innovation—faster, better, smarter, cheaper,” says Melissa Drennan, chief legal officer and chief compliance officer at Ryan. “Corporate lawyers are among the Picassos behind company profitability.”

CO R P O R AT E CO U N S E L AWA R D S FINALISTS 2020

O U T S TA N D I N G G E N E R A L C O U N S E L , L A R G E L E G A L D E PA R T M E N T S

Meredith W. Bjorck, HMS Holdings Corp.

Eldridge Burns, Mr. Cooper Melissa Drennan, Ryan Bryan P. Stevenson, Arcosa O U T S TA N D I N G G E N E R A L C O U N S E L , S M A L L L E G A L D E PA R T M E N T S

Kay Lynn Brumbaugh, GIACT Brittany DeGan, rewardStyle Kelvin Smith, Big 12 Conference Jenny McCarley, Brinks Home Security Michael D. Wortley, Reata Pharmaceuticals O U T S TA N D I N G G E N E R A L COUNSE L , SOLO

Ryan Haws, KIBO Shruti Krishnan, Ziosk Liz Seabury, Lucid Energy Co. Kyle Volluz, Paceline Equity Partners Noah F. Webster, Zix Corp.

O U T S TA N D I N G D E P U T Y/ A S S O C I AT E G E N E R A L C O U N S E L , L A R G E L E G A L D E PA R T M E N T S

Nora Davis, CBRE Brittany Perez, Match Group Stephanie Gause Culpepper, ORIX Corp. USA Tamera M. Woodard, AT&T O U T S TA N D I N G D E P U T Y/ A S S O C I AT E G E N E R A L C O U N S E L , S M A L L L E G A L D E PA R T M E N T S

James Bristow, EnLink Midstream Beth G. Jaynes, Mary Kay Matt Newby, Eagle Materials Gabe Vazquez, Vistra Corp.

O U T S TA N D I N G I N - H O U S E C O U N S E L

Christopher Hoffman, Toyota Motor North America Denton Muse, City Electric Supply Jason Shyung, Southwest Airlines Co. Justin Wheeler, Cinemark USA O U T S TA N D I N G U P - A N D - C O M E R

Matt Johnson, Hunt Oil Co. Chini Bose Reddy, Match Group O U T S TA N D I N G C H A M P I O N OF DIVERSITY

Aida W. Babalola, PepsiCo. O U T S TA N D I N G C O M M U N I T Y S E R V I C E

Dan Kelly, Vistra Corp.

OCTOBER 2020

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SHUTTERSTOCK

Go behind the scenes and learn the stories behind some of this year’s E&Y Entrepreneurs of the Year nominees.

Here, they reveal what it takes to become a success and why Dallas-Fort Worth is the perfect place to be an entrepreneur.

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Founder and CEO, CRITICAL START

GROWING UP, ROB DAVIS

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always had a creative, entrepreneurial mindset.

Case in point: In middle school, his family had an old computer that needed more storage, so he created a cassette tape to back up the programs. Every summer, Davis would challenge himself to learn or create something different.

Today, Davis has applied this early mindset to business. During his stint as an executive with RSA Security, Davis recognized a fundamental conflict between what organizations needed to address their security challenges and what the industry was telling them they needed. “Historically, organizations believed that investing in more technology would solve their security challenges,” says Davis. “Yet in reality, most companies

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weren’t spending enough time on security fundamentals. Companies seeking solutions to cyberattacks were focused on products only. Simply adding more technology on top of faulty security practices does not solve security issues.”

Recognizing that there’s a better way to deliver cybersecurity solutions, Davis started Critical Start in 2012, bringing to market a concept that emphasizes people, process and configuration. “Our solution changed the conversation within the industry to consider how information technology (IT) impacts business, risk tolerance, and specific threats of concern,” says Davis.

Critical Start’s managed security services, including Managed Detection and Response (MDR), incident response, professional services, and product fulfillment, helps organizations prepare for, respond to, and resolve breaches. The company’s goal is to build the easiest-to-use, quickest-to-deploy, and most effective MDR platform in the cybersecurity industry. Today, the company is experiencing tremendous growth, as firms seek help combatting today’s complex and rapidly evolving

security threats including a 101% year-overyear revenue increase in 2019, an employee count that has nearly doubled in the last 12 months to more than 200 employees, and a move to a new 33,000-square-foot headquarters to support this continued growth.

A key part of the company’s growth is a culture that puts both customers and employees first.

“When I launched Critical Start, I wanted to create a culture based on three core principles: do what’s right for the customer, don’t do things that suck, and do what’s right for our employees,” Davis

says. In addition, most important is the culture of caring that starts with Davis. This great culture is important for retention. Critical Start has an employee retention rate of 98.6% – an amazing statistic in the cybersecurity industry.

“We’re doing everything we can to create meaningful work experiences for our employees,” Davis says. “Implementing a great culture is key to business, as well as keeping our customers safe against cyberattacks and other malicious activity.”

criticalstart.com

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President and CEO, ELEVATE

JASON HARVISON WAS

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named CEO of Elevate just more than a year ago but has been with the company since 2003— long enough to play an integral role in its unprecedented success to fill an unmet market need in the non-prime lending industry. The need is the 160 million Americans who, because of their non-prime credit scores, face big obstacles when trying to secure a loan from traditional financial institutions.

Elevate leverages technology, such as machine learning, to help banks underwrite non-prime borrowers in new ways while providing responsible credit options. In short, Elevate exists so non-prime borrowers don’t have to resort to more expensive forms of financing.

Harvison is focused on operational and fi-

nancial performance, including the development and implementation of the firm’s strategic priorities. In his short stint as CEO, Harvison has already faced unforeseen challenges because of the COVID-19 pandemic. “I came in knowing how to run the day-today side of things, but I didn’t know a pandemic would hit,” he says.

“Like many, we went directly to a work-fromhome environment, and I was tasked with setting up teams to make sure we wouldn’t miss a beat running the business, especially when credit losses could spike. We not only had to get our teams in sync, but also third-parties and customer services.”

Since March, Harvison has hosted a virtual “Huddle with Harvison” every two weeks for about 500 employees to boost morale, share information, and celebrate achievements. Colleagues describe Harvison as a people-first leader—customers and employees. While many companies pay lip service to this concept, Harvison embraces it.

He is known to regularly put aside other priorities to solve customer or employee issues. He also took a noticeable stand to address current social justice issues so that all

employees felt like they were a part of the conversation. “I wanted a forum where people can speak up and be heard,” he says. “It feels right.”

Elevate educates the media and members of Congress about its mission and results.

Harvison firmly believes in Elevate’s mission to provide consumers with access to competitively priced credit and services while helping them build a brighter financial future. “The traditional way to underwrite a consumer loan six months ago has changed, and we’re now relying on new transaction data,” Harvison says. “We

now get information on consumers in real time and not by what other lenders are reporting back. We and the banks we support can expand underwriting and broaden the market we serve with additional products to take to market in 2021. I am excited about continuing to leverage these tools to push the boundaries because, as it exists today, the system of obtaining consumer financing fails millions of Americans. I am extremely proud of what we have on market today that enables us to give back to the consumer.” elevate.com

OCTOBER 2020

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CEO, MONKEDIA

WHEN CEOS HAVE

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questions about how to grow their company, where do they go? For many, the answer is Noah Curran. A CEO to CEOs, Curran, 33, is a serial entrepreneur.

Since college, he has owned a string of companies within different verticals, from publishing to logistics to fashion. He is now making his mark with his latest venture, Monkedia, an “antiagency” changing the way advertising drives business. Known as a people business, Monkedia’s focus is on helping others scale their organizations to higher revenues at better profit margins than they ever thought possible.

How? Monkedia leverages its own unique artificial intelligence, business strategy, and digital advertising to create an ROI machine

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for companies around the world. It helps organizations leverage the right methods to achieve their goals, unlocking the full potential of their business through revolutionary digital marketing strategies.

And Monkedia isn’t just helping other CEOs scale; it is also breaking its own records. The company has made the Inc. 5000 list for three consecutive years, debuting in 2018 at No. 67 worldwide and No. 1 in Texas, while also being featured in Entrepreneur magazine as one of America’s top 360 entrepreneurial companies.

Considered among the world’s leading digital advertising and marketing experts, Curran has a reputation for putting other people’s needs above his own—something his entire team supports and emulates.

“While a big part of our success comes from the artificial intelligence that we have designed from the ground up, in the end, it’s our incredible team of people who make all the difference,” Curran says. “They have pioneered some of the most unique business growth strategies in the marketplace today, and they truly care about every business we work

with like it’s their own.”

Monkedia provides a sizeable return on investment for a variety of businesses and industries of all sizes, including the start-up Greenlight Card–a debit card for kids–and established brands, such as Disney, the NFL, and Broadway’s Hamilton.

Monkedia’s client list also includes celebrities and well-known authors.

Monkedia has successfully scaled more than 1,000 companies in the past five years alone, and Curran believes this is the just the beginning.

To him, the sky’s the limit. “People are taking notice of the disruption

we are causing in the marketplace,” he says.

“We have a waiting list of companies based solely on referrals because people notice our results and the incredible relationships our clients develop with our team members. Whenever Monkedia comes alongside a company with the right mindset, we help give them the extra boost they need to reach their greatest potential.

Nothing makes this team more excited than seeing other people and organizations accomplish their dreams.”

monkedia.com

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CEO, Founding Partner, SMC SQUARED

REFRESHING. DISRUPTIVE.

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Empowering. These are just a few of the words that tech sector analysts and chief information officers across the United States use to describe Dallas-based IT insourcing company SMC Squared. A reputation reflected not only by the company’s unique service offerings, but also by its co-founder and CEO, Dr. Patricia Connolly— one of this year’s nominees for the EY Entrepreneur of the Year Award.

SMC Squared (SMC2) is an IT “insourcing” company that is challenging the typical outsourcing model with an innovative approach that provides U.S. companies with dedicated high-skill engineering teams. SMC2 acceler-

ates digital transformation and innovation, expands data science and analytics capacity and develops critical software systems for clients.

Using a unique recruit-to-fit model to attract the right talent specific to each individual client’s needs, SMC2 creates Global Insourcing Centers in India. “Our goal is to operationalize global IT engineering talent in a way that reflects USbased quality, productivity, and practicality,” Connolly says. SMC2 provides this service as a managed service offering as well as their proprietary BOT model.

The approach, which has been called a “disruptive alternative to traditional outsourcing” by industry analysts and is especially attractive to CIOs, CFOs, and CEOs looking to minimize both risk and cost for establishing global teams.

“We value the trusted role we play, helping corporate leaders to build great teams and accelerate their vision,” Connolly says. “We created SMC2 from years of experience, looking at the pros and cons of global IT and traditional outsourcing and contracting. We offer an innovative model optimiz-

es ‘local-global’ talent mix with our Global Enablement roadmap and best practices. Our goal is to be true partners, helping clients effectively build highly effective IT teams.”

Connolly and her partners founded SMC2 four years ago. As CEO of the U.S. and India SMC2 entities, she holds a unique role as a global leader. She draws on nearly three decades of executive, IT, and academic leadership to create and implement SMC2’s strategy, vision, and mission. “Moving from a start-up to a challenger position, we’re proving that

C-level leaders are looking for a strong alternative,” she says.

Connolly plays a significant role in SMC2’s success. The company’s sales reached their highest growth ever, despite the COVID-19 pandemic, and retention rates across time and client-partner teams remain at 90%. Says Connolly, “Respect, inclusion, and integrity are very important to me. I don’t want SMC2 to be viewed as just a vendor; I want SMC2 to be a true partner.”

smc2.com

OCTOBER 2020

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CEO, SOLO STOVE

SOME OF JOHN MERRIS’

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favorite memories growing up on a large ranch near Austin, Texas involved gathering around a campfire with family and friends, telling stories and simply enjoying the outdoors.

He keeps these memories in mind when making decisions and plans for Solo Stove, where he has worked as CEO since 2018 as one of the early employees.

Solo Stove has experienced explosive growth, especially as customers have fallen in love with the product and experience. The one-of-a-kind Solo Stove product line now ships to the entire U.S., Canada, and more than 15 countries around the world and distributes product from three distribution centers located in Texas, Pennsylvania, and Utah.

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Merris has played a key role in building a team that now exceeds 50 employees while propelling Solo Stove to become a direct-to-consumer phenom. While most people can identify with the same sentiments Merris feels about gathering around a campfire, it’s the smoky smell that permeates hair and clothing that sometimes keeps them from lingering around one for too long. Solo Stove is different in that it is designed to eliminate the tell-tale smell and boasts being the most portable and easiest fire pit you’ll ever own. Solo Stove also offers consumers an opportunity to personalize their stove with customized etching—a draw for commercial customers looking for an impressive marketing tool or corporate gifting.

“Our brand mission is about helping people connect around a fire and make memories together,” Merris says.

“When I met Solo Stove’s founders and saw their products, I was attracted to their push for more people getting outside, putting down their electronics, and bringing the campfire experience to the backyard. Most of our growth can be attributed to word-ofmouth referral from

those who enjoy this experience, too. People are wowed by the stove’s aesthetics and function, plus the ability to go four or more hours without their hair or clothes smelling like smoke!”

Merris been an entrepreneur all his life.

Raised by entrepreneur parents, he has always had a natural draw to taking on the seemingly impossible. After graduating from college, he started a residential alarm company and recruited a door-to-door sales team to grow the business. At its peak, it employed more than 100 employees. After earning his M.B.A. at

UT Austin and growing several other entrepreneurial ventures, he continues his passion for growth and innovation at Solo Stove, always looking for ways to help people extend their backyard space. Under his leadership, Solo Stove recently launched a new charcoal grill product at sitting height that enables family and friends to participate in the outdoor grilling experience together.

Says Merris, “Whether for relaxing or cooking, it’s all about gathering people together in the backyard again.” solostove.com

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Founder and CEO, UWORLD

GROWING UP IN INDIA, DR.

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Chandra S. Pemmasani didn’t plan to become a CEO. He wanted to be a physician. Dr. Pemmasani attended Osmania Medical College in Hyderabad after ranking 27th out of 60,000 on the medical school entrance examination (EAMCET), recognized as one of the most competitive examinations in India. After graduation, he was set to complete his residency in the United States.

All he needed was to pass the notoriously difficult United States Medical Licensing Exam (USMLE).

Undeterred by his lack of financial means, he borrowed thousands of dollars for exam prep tools but didn’t find them to be useful in providing the kind of active learning that would ingrain concepts into his mind. Several fellow as-

piring physicians were in the same position and were looking for help.

This inspired him to write 200-plus pages of case-based scenarios for the USMLE. Dr. Pemmasani sent his guide to publishers, but they told him to come back when he had finished medical training.

Wanting to help his colleagues as soon as possible, Dr. Pemmasani turned to the internet.

With the support of family and friends, he developed several online exam review products—all while maintaining his full residency schedule. At the age of 25, he founded his company, USMLEWorld (rebranded as UWorld in 2014), with his brother, Ravi, a software engineer, playing a key role in building the technology systems and managing company operations.

After completing his

residency in internal medicine, Dr. Pemmasani earned the highest percentile scores on most board examinations. He moved to Dallas in 2010, where he established the corporate headquarters of UWorld.

A company that started from a university dorm room now employs 350-plus people and has evolved into the leading force for healthcare education, achieving more than 90% market penetration in the educational segment. UWorld has since moved into highstakes preparation for other verticals, such as accounting, college prep,

finance, graduate school, legal, and pharmacy.

According to Dr. Pemmasani, the success of UWorld was built upon hard work, dedication, focus, and a passion for training future professionals well. To serve the learning needs of more individuals, UWorld recently acquired Themis Bar Review for law students, Roger CPA Review for accountants, and RxPrep for aspiring pharmacists.

UWorld intends to grow to reach a wider span of students across multiple verticals. uworld.com

OCTOBER 2020

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President and CEO, TWISTED X

WHEN YOU CREATE AN

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innovative product that people love to wear and that is also good for the environment—you have something. Prasad Reddy, president and CEO of Twisted X sensed this early on, which was a primary reason he joined the company over a decade ago. Twisted X®, named one of Inc. 5000’s 2018 and 2019 fastest-growing private companies, creates comfortable, handcrafted footwear across the lifestyle, outdoor, work, and western categories. In addition to producing footwear, Twisted X is known for cutting-edge comfort technologies, a sustainability mindset, and philanthropic roots.

The Twisted X approach to footwear starts at its core—never skimping on comfort and using technology that enhances the

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experience of any wearer; some say it’s like walking on a cloud of stylish comfort. From agricultural waste, natural resources, and recycled plastic, Twisted X uses numerous sustainable materials in their products and are constantly seeking new opportunities.

As an example, every shoe from their iconic ecoTWX® collection is made from an average of 13 recycled plastic bottles. Other natural materials include midsoles from algae and sugar cane molasses; outsoles with rice husk; and uppers leveraging cork, Merino wool, and bamboo–with a goal of utilizing other reusable materials and ecoforward processes.

“We have one planet, and we all have to take care of it in our own way,” Reddy says.

“Twisted X wants to do more. Growing up as a child in India, I learned that all human beings have a responsibility to leave this earth having made it a better place than when we came.

We not only make our footwear out of recycled materials, but also donate a percentage of our profits to humanitarian causes.”

With Reddy’s leadership, Twisted X

is on a never-ending journey to challenge the status-quo. The company is always focusing on ways to better the planet with its products and production. For examples, for every pair purchased from the ecoTWX collection, Twisted X will plant one tree in the United States. Twisted X also abides by The Arctic Shipping Pledge— vowing to not ship product through arctic waters, thus protecting our fragile ecosystem.

Reddy attributes an engaged, forwardthinking team; a product-centric focus;

and keeping the emphasis on what they know—sustainability and shoes—as reasons for the company’s tremendous growth and success. “We focus on what we know and who we are,” Reddy says.

“We can’t be something that we are not. We know footwear and how to develop and market it–this is how we grow and get better.”

twistedx.com

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ASK THE EXPERT

Emotional Intelligence Awstin Gregg, MBA, LCSW, LCDC Chief Executive Officer, Connections Wellness Group

What is Emotional Intelligence (EQ) and how is it relevant to a workplace?

In my opinion, the padlock to growth and success is unlocked by emotional intelligence.

Differing from IQ, EQ considers more qualitative indicators popularly characterized by (1) Self-Awareness, (2) Self-Regulation, (3) Motivation, (4) Empathy, and (5) Social Skills.

You can take any of these five, remove it, and the outcome is likely an underperforming department, toxic culture, and actions not propelling an organization’s mission.

Why is it important for leaders/CEOs to exhibit EQ? EQ is essential for leaders because it’s debatably the actual skill of leadership. Tenure at an organization does not make someone a leader.

Education does not make someone a leader.

Experience does not make someone a leader.

Giving them a title of Director or VP does not make someone a leader. It’s vital to ensure the people leading your team–and advancing your cause-actually have the skill of leadership, and with candor, this is what EQ represents. We’re all able to think back on the ‘worst’ person we ever reported to in an organization. Chances are, they earned that title in our book because they grossly lacked in one (or all) five areas of EQ.

What are the consequences of having people in leadership that lack EQ? The consequences are high turnover, politicized cultural dynamics, and lack of investment of the employees, to name just a few. Plus, as a CEO, it pervasively discounts the level of respect the rest of the organization, and perhaps community, has for you for endorsing a terrible leader. Ignoring toxic leadership traits is the perfect way to lose the investment of your most talented employees. Losing investment creates turnover. Turnover of talented employees, particularly actual leaders, often comes with a line of other turnovers. When this happens,

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you play the vacancy rate catch up game, while hoping the remaining employees who are picking up the leftover workload don’t leave as well. Spoiler alert, this is a very expensive outcome both culturally and financially.

Are there any training programs or ways for the CEO to practice/improve their EQ? Sure, there are incredible training programs that help draw attention and cultivate these traits, but one variable needing to be undone is the antiquated notion that CEOs must be ruthless, emotionally disconnected, and a sensationalized authority figure. Don’t get me wrong; I’m well aware the buck stops with us as CEOs, and we’re the ones typically making the painful decisions, but an opportunity exists to apply some EQ finesse in these scenarios. Ever had to let go of an employee only to have them genuinely thank you on the way out the door?

That’s one of values of EQ.

How can a CEO measure EQ within their leadership team?

I’m sure there are objective measurement instruments that can provide assessment, but my metric is rolling 12-month voluntary turnover. I’m betting if you pull that report per leader, it’ll correlate quite obviously who is unable to keep their team engaged, producing, and employed. Plus, chances are, you’re probably in the same boardroom with these individuals and already know who will score lower than others. My advice as a CEO? Your entire company is watching how you handle bad leaders. The team that makes up your company will tell their friends in the community, which means your reputation in many facets is also on the line. As a leader, it’s not enough to not do anything. Assess leaders through the lens of EQ, meticulously pick leaders with high EQ, and I have no doubt you begin leap-frogging that market competitor who seems to be ahead in all the right KPIs quarter after quarter.

Awstin Gregg is a licensed clinical social worker and holds two additional master’s degrees in business. A former hospital CEO and a current professor at TCU and Texas A&M Commerce, he was voted Social Worker of the Year in 2018, Entrepreneur of the Year in 2019, and leads Denton County’s fastest-growing healthcare organization, Connections Wellness Group, receiving 16 distinguished awards in the first two years of operation. Connections Wellness Group is a nationally accredited healthcare practice able to care for any need, from acute depression to the common cold and everything in between.

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OCTOBER 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 ,

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C O M M E N TA R Y

TOUGHEST CHALLENGE

A Conflict of Values Charmaine Tang, Executive Director J . P. M O R G A N P R I VAT E B A N K

SHUTTERSTOCK

“when i was in my mid-20s, i was working for a prominent, top-ranked team on wall Street, putting in more than 100 hours a week doing work that I absolutely loved. On 9/11, I was in my office in Midtown Manhattan, and the televisions were on. I watched in horror as the planes flew through the World Trade Center. When the towers fell, I never felt so afraid in my life and worried about my family and friends. My fiancé (now husband) was in New Jersey, and I could not reach him by phone. Virtually everyone in Manhattan evacuated and went home for the day, except for my team. We were told to work until almost midnight on the evening of 9/11, so we could ‘gain market share’ while the other banks were down. I remember going home that night and the sickening smell of smoke and metal from the towers. After thousands of people had died, I could not go back to working on a team with a leader who did not have any empathy. I resigned later that year.” —As told to Christine Perez

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H E A LT H C A R E

Adapting to a Socially Distanced World Hospitals and clinics are rethinking patient flow, flexibility, and communal spaces in the wake of COVID-19. story by WILL MADDOX

H

healthcare design walks a thin line between aesthetic appeal and clinical efficiency, all while sustaining an environment that can be easily cleaned and kept sterile. The pandemic accelerated some new design trends, such as space flexibility, as hospitals adapted to the changing nature of their patient mix. Other design features, such as public spaces that encouraged community, became less popular, as facilities attempted to socially distance patients to contain the spread of COVID-19. North Texas’ healthcare designers were up to the task, responding with guidance for current and future facilities in a post-coronavirus world.

Entrances and exits were a significant focus as the pandemic took hold, with many facilities creating unidirectional flow protocols for patients to reduce the spread of the virus. Emergency departments created separate ways in and out to minimize the spread of the virus, but other changes also needed to be made throughout the facilities.

“What caught us off guard was the need to scale rapidly and be converted with a certain amount of time,” says Jason Schroer, principal and director of health at Dallas-based HKS.

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SHUTTERSTOCK

FIELD NOTES

emergency department to create “We never imagined that we “WE NEVER a tented unit to treat COVID-19 would need to convert so rapIMAGINED THAT patients. Ensuring that patients idly and at such a large scale.”

WE WOULD feel safe is essential, especially Inside hospitals and clinics, NEED TO as more people delay care out of reception and waiting rooms CONVERT SO fear of the virus—sometimes with had to be revamped. In many RAPIDLY AND AT deadly results. “With missed care, healthcare settings, such as VA there were many anecdotes about outpatient clinics, the lobby SUCH A LARGE people who didn’t go into the and waiting rooms became a SCALE.” hospital, or they had COVID and communal space for patients to didn’t want to die alone or had an connect and socialize, says ReJASON SCHROER appendix burst,” says Erin Peavey, becca Davis, healthcare market HKS architect and design researcher at sector leader and principal at HKS. “They then became extremeLeo A Daly in Dallas. But as the market began to understand the nature of ly critical, and it was a life-or-death situation.”

Hospitals also have trended toward building the disease, the clinics removed seating and kept people out of waiting rooms. Other clinic patient patient rooms that can transition from a stanflow changes included contactless check-in and dard room to a medical surgery room or intensive care unit, with all the necessary medical patients waiting in private vehicles. The future equipment and materials at the ready. With could see the elimination of the waiting room altogether, with patients entering their exam room waves of COVID-19 patients rising and falling at directly from the outside to reduce contamination different times, flexibility is essential if hospitals want to properly treat those who need care and of public spaces within the clinic. “The less we can move a patient and have people come to them, keep staff safe. Parkland Hospital’s flexibility the less of a chance to spread stuff around,” Davis was on display as it converted patient rooms into says. “We help them think outside the box, adapt- higher acuity spaces, devoting an entire floor to COVID-19 treatment as its patient count grew. ing to the environment they are in.”

“We’ve seen the current situation accelerate trends,” says Stacey Brimmer, senior associate INCREASING ISOLATION Hospitals moved toward making their spaces for interior design and lead interior designer for healthcare practice at Corgan. less institutional in recent decades, designing areas that felt more like a boutique hotel than a hospital. But with patients worried about catching the coronavirus, healthcare designers are now focusing on easily cleaned materials and surfaces. They are more likely to make sure patients and guests regularly see the staff cleaning to reassure them that the facility is doing everything it can to keep its guests safe. Staff social areas are also being restricted, increasing isolation in an already stressed workforce. Design experts are thinking about how to support those healthcare workers while on the job without adding risk. “How do we provide intentional off-stage space for staff, places to recharge, or lounges to grab a few moments to themselves?” asks Chris Grossnicklaus, vice president and healthcare studio leader at Dallas-based Corgan.

Hospitals were already moving toward creating more flexible spaces, but the pandemic accelerated that trend. Memorial SAFETY FIRST Hospital West in Florida, New protocols are designed to protect both designed by HKS, used the patients and those parking lot in front of the who care for them.

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INVISIBLE RISKS

The air that we breathe COVID-19 spreads through droplets, but there is some evidence that the disease may be airborne as well, meaning health facilities may need to modify their ventilation systems to prevent the spread. In an HKS report about what emergency departments can do to stop a second wave, experts say that air filters need to be upgraded and negative pressure rooms should be created to make sure the air in the room isn’t carried throughout the hospital. For long-term solutions, facilities can be outfitted with systems that purge all the air from the unit, decontamination showers for those entering, and air purifiers that use ultraviolet light or peroxide.

OCTOBER 2020

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FIELD NOTES

ON TOPIC

“What is something you wish you had known earlier in your career?” edited by CHRISTINE PEREZ

070

illustrations by JAKE MEYERS

BEN LAMM

JAMIE O’BANION

ALEX DANZA

Founder and CEO HYPERGIANT INDUSTRIES

CEO and Co-Founder B E AUT YB IO

Founder and CEO VO N L A N E

“When I started my career, I thought I had to be responsible for all of the ideas the company created. Now I know that’s not true. We still pull a lot of things from my brain, but we also work with a number of excellent minds who are doing cuttingedge research and development.

I can help those ideas become a reality, and together we can take on much bigger and more exciting projects.”

“It’s the same advice I tell myself and my team every day: ‘Put your customer hat on.’ If you put yourself in the shoes of your target audience, not just at your company’s inception, but with every subsequent initiative, product, and service you develop, you will always have your answer. If it’s the right fit for your customer, it will be the correct choice for your company.”

“My best advice is to trust your instincts. You will come across many ‘experts’ during your journey. Hear them out, learn what you can, but at the end of the day, remember that nobody knows your business better than you. As founder, you have the most passion for your ideas, team, and customers.

That passion translates into an uncanny ability to know in your gut what is best.”

OCTOBER 2020

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Featured CFT for Business members: (L to R) Jessica Nuñez, Heather Capps, Kathy Hoke, Debra Brennan Tagg, Amy Stewart

SIDE by SIDE with Women Business Leaders “Our decade-long partnership is a testament to CFT’s unmatched ability to offer practical ways we can invest in our community and fulfill our core value of charity.”

- Heather Capps, President and CEO, HCK2 Partners “CFT has helped us to strengthen our commitment to the community, from our annual Family Service Day to our business-advised fund, to strategizing and serving alongside other values-based companies to create lasting impact.”

- Debra Brennan Tagg, President, Brennan Financial Services “CFT has guided our organization on the path to growing a vibrant values-based corporate culture where the spirit of philanthropy has firmly taken root, along with furnishing the opportunity to meet and form collaborative relationships with other like-minded member companies.”

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FIELD NOTES

THOUGHT LEADER

The Way Forward

2.

It’s time for executives to embrace vulnerability and humanity when communicating with employees, advises Jon Morgan of Perry Street Communications.

PORTR AIT COURTESY OF P E R R Y S T R E E T C O M M U N I C AT I O N S

M

1.

DO THE RIGHT THING— AND MEAN IT. A global health pandemic, the fresh wound of racial injustice, and divisive political leadership have led to a wave of corporate engagement on social matters. This is no longer a corporate strategy reserved for “progressive” companies; it is a business imperative. Staying silent is no longer an option.

easuring the impact of covid-19 is a sisyphean task, to be sure—an evolving target of unemployment claims, bankruptcies, and a lost decade of growth. It has turned every economic and social assumption on its head and considerably altered the social contract itself. We are all feeling our way toward a new understanding of the right balance between personal freedom and sacrifices for the greater good.

This journey also includes a reassessment of the social contract between corporate America and its stakeholders—employees, customers, investors, communities, and more. The outpouring of grief and anger in response to ongoing incidents of police brutality has lent additional urgency to the manner in which business leaders adapt, evolve, and communicate to ensure they meet the moment. Here are four recommendations for the way forward:

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EMBRACE TRANSPARENCY AND AUTHENTICITY. Increasingly, we’ve seen executives ditch businessspeak and communicate plainly and earnestly about uncomfortable topics.

CEOs who have done this well—and embraced the vulnerability and humanity that the moment calls for—will benefit from strengthened bonds with employees.

3.

BE CONSISTENT AND EMPATHETIC. Even in the best of times, transparent, candid, and timely communication with employees is vital.

It is especially true now.

Employees expect to hear directly from the top concerning substantive, strategic business decisions that will guide the future. This should be a dynamic, two-way dialogue.

4.

SEIZE THE OPPORTUNITY FOR CONNECTION. The workfrom-home revolution has accelerated years of digital advancement in the span of a few months and enabled new, novel means of fostering camaraderie— virtual happy hours, electronic town halls, and new collaboration tools. Commit these tools to your company’s muscle memory, use them moving forward, and harness the goodwill that comes from earnest, committed team members working through a crisis together.

Jon Morgan is the founder and president of Dallas-based Perry Street Communications.

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DI NE| SHOP| EXPL ORE

O v e r3 0S h o p s&R e s t a u r a n t sa t T h eS t a ri nF r i s c o

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Ryan is proud to congratulate

melissa drennan on her selection as a finalist for the D CEO Corporate Counsel Awards.

We are honored to have Melissa on the Ryan team.

1.855.RYAN.TAX | ryan.com © 2020 Ryan, LLC. All rights reserved. “Ryan” and “Firm” refer to the global organizational network and may refer to one or more of the member firms of Ryan International, each of which is a separate legal entity.

Melissa Drennan Senior Vice President, Chief Legal Officer and Chief Compliance Officer

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OCTOBER 2020

OFF DUTY THE PERSONAL SIDE

o f

DFW BUSINESS LEADERS

BIPARTISANSHIP

Broussard describes his style as “conservative, with a liberal approach.”

ART OF STYLE

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

BLACK MENSWEAR FOUNDER NeANDRE BROUSSARD LOVES PUSHING THE ENVELOPE.

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OFF DUTY

Changing the Narrative

continued from page 79

WHAT I DO: “Black Menswear is a brand that’s built around changing the narrative of Black males through visual representation.

I have the privilege of guiding and directing what we do with regard to creating content—how we take the narrative and change it.”

ON THE JOB: “I developed a love for the suits when I got into financial services. I thought, ‘OK, so if this is a requirement in my profession, how do I stand out?’ For me, it has always been the focus on the cut.”

WHAT INSPIRES ME: “It’s really all about the functionality of it: Where are all the places I can wear this to? How much conversation can be created based off of this suit? If we’re creating something that’s a little bit out there, what’s going to be the conversation around it?”

STYLE DEFINED: “Conservative, with a liberal approach. It’s a bit classic. I love doublebreasted suits, which are classic looks. At the same time, I love pushing the envelope.”

FASHION ESSENTIAL: “Nine times out of ten, I’m wearing a blazer or sport coat. Even if it’s just jeans and a t-shirt, I try to incorporate a blazer or something extra on top.”

ACCESSORIES: “I love a nice pocket square and tie. If I’m wearing a pocket square and a tie, I might not go with a lapel pin, but I do incorporate that as well. And I always wear a watch.”

WEEKEND LOOK: “I might do a suit, but I might throw on a t-shirt with it. Then I might change the suit and go from my Paul Evans to my Pumas.”

neandre broussard founded Black Menswear after becoming frustrated with the inaccurate media portrayal of Black men as criminal suspects or thugs.

“The story was always told in such a negative light,” he says.

Broussard turned toward attire and the visualization of success to help effect change. “Business, creation, creativity, empowerment, all of those things, from an attire perspective, are personified with suits.” Now, three years later, the brand’s flash mob images from across the country, including one of a young boy holding his fist in the air, have gone viral. Broussard hopes the brand will help change the narrative for future generations.

“You look at the stereotype of the Black male—the laziness, the unemployed, the absent father— all these things that society has plagued the Black male with,” he says. “This was an opportunity to say ‘How do we help just change that conversation for the positive?’”

—Kelsey J. Vanderschoot

I M AG E S C O U R T E S Y O F N e A N D R E B R O U S S A R D , A N N A N I A T E D E S S E A N D R O D C O P L I N

STYLE ICON: “I like Chris Paul of the Oklahoma City Thunder— how he infuses modern with classic. When it comes to his suit styling, he’s really focused on detail. If I had the money to buy someone’s closet, it would be his.”

Black Menswear aims to break down stereotypes and inspire future generations.

FAVORITE STORE: “I definitely love wearing my own threads. Outside of that, I would have to say I love what I get from Rich Fresh.”

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Trusted Counsel.

Actionable Insights.

Congratulations to all finalists in the 2020 D CEO Corporate Counsel Awards

C

M

from all of us at

Y

CM

MY

CY

CMY

K

Phone 972.392.8900 information@griffithdavison.com

www. g r i f fi t h da v i s o n. c o m COMMERCIAL CONSTRUCTION & REAL ESTATE ATTORNEYS

A TRADITION OF EXCELLENCE.

C O N G R AT U L AT I O N S

A VISION FOR SUCCESS. Vistra is proud to congratulate Dan Kelly and Gabe Vazquez on their well-deserved recognition at this year’s D CEO Corporate Counsel Awards for their contributions to the team.

D A N K E L LY W W W . V I S T R A C O R P. C O M

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G A B E VA Z Q U E Z

VICE PRESIDENT

VICE PRESIDENT

& A S S O C I AT E G E N E R A L C O U N S E L

& A S S O C I AT E G E N E R A L C O U N S E L

9/8/20 11:11 AM

OFF DUTY

ON THE APPROACH

Barry Nalls makes his way to a cave in the Uncompahgre Gorge near Ouray, Colorado.

G R E AT E R G O O D

PURSUITS

Conquering the Impossible For tech CEO Barry Nalls, it wasn’t his ice climbing adventures that stimulated his inspirational speeches.

Instead, it was his speeches that got him climbing.

HEADING HOME

After three days of climbing, Nalls prepares to head down the frozen canyon.

after launching his first startup in 2000, serial entrepreneur barry d. nalls went on to found VYBRANZ and co-found AERnano Inc., both of which focus on reducing company expenses and driving up profits. Despite not knowing much about mountaineering, Nalls found himself using it as a metaphor in a yearly motivational speech he gave employees. Looking to add more tension to his talks, Nalls put aside the ropes and harnesses he typically used for his presentations and made a phone call. Tom Whittaker was the first disabled man in the world to summit Mount Everest. After watching his documentary, Nalls invited him to lead a four-day training focused on team-building; Whittaker returned the favor by taking Nalls on his first outdoor climb—a 1,000-foot nighttime ascent in the wilderness of Arizona. “After that, I was hooked,” Nalls says. Five years later, he picked up ice climbing. The passion has taken him to peaks all over the world, from climbing up the famous ice walls near Ouray, Colorado to Mount Kilimanjaro—a climb he nearly didn’t complete after his body shut down 1,000 yards from the summit.

“My body let me take 21 steps. That’s it,” he recalls. So that’s how he finished—21 steps at a time. Everyone in a company will always have different skill sets, FEELING THE CHILL abilities, and goals, Nalls says. “It’s all about Nalls diligently making their 21 steps. So, I let them set their climbs a frozen waterfall in Colorado’s own goals, then I ask, ‘Now, what are you gofamous Ouray Ice Park, heading 100 ing to do and what can you do to accomplish feet straight up that?’” —Sofia Krusmark to the top.

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“One of our Leadership Texas program visits was in Amarillo, and as a part of that, we toured the Clements Unit of the state prison there. I came out of that just shaken. Without minimizing that people are in prison for a reason, the lack of hope, the lack of possibility, the lack of individuality is just staggering.

If you do something stupid, all of a sudden, you are on a path that is extremely difficult to get off of. For that prison, about 60 percent of inmates are back in prison within three years.

You think ‘This just feels so hopeless, what can I do?’

The Prison Entrepreneurship Program is one that [eligible] inmates apply for, and they select 500 men.

They go through a training program that involves life skills and business skills, as well as entrepreneurship and business planning. It is intended to say, ‘There is a path for you. There is a way for you to get a job when you get out of here. There is something you can do if we give you the right tools to do it.’ It has a roughly 7.5 percent three-year recidivism rate and a 100 percent job placement rate within 12 months for graduates of this program. They get jobs and they keep the jobs. It gives them dignity and the resources they need to be successful.”

—As told to Will Maddox

P H OTO G R A P H Y C O U R T E S Y O F B A R R Y N A L L S

UNT Business School Dean Dr. Marilyn Wiley helps those in prison find a path to dignity.

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Keynote Speaker

ANNE CHOW Chief Executive Officer AT&T Business

9/8/20 11:12 AM

OFF DUTY

MOUNTAIN ADVENTURE

Recreational packages at The Broadmoor include highflying ziplining across nearby canyons and some of the region’s best fly-fishing on Tarryall Creek.

W E L L T R AV E L E D

The Broadmoor The luxury resort in Colorado has everything one could want and more, says Diane Butler, avid golfer and CEO of Dallas-based Butler Advisers. story by WILL MADDOX

Two awardwinning courses were designed

by Donald Ross and Robert Trent Jones Sr.

SEVEN FALLS

A shuttle takes guests up to South Cheyenne Creek, which spills into seven cascading waterfalls.

080

CANYON DINING

Restaurant 1858 gives diners a unique experience on the banks of Seven Falls.

R E S O R T P H OTO G R A P H Y C O U R T E S Y O F T H E B R O A D M O O R

GOLF GALORE

WARM WELCOME

The resort offers numerous indoor and outdoor opportunities for socializing with other guests.

OCTOBER 2020

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OFF DUTY

PARTY PALACE

The sprawling resort includes nearly 800 guest rooms and 315,000 square feet of event space.

R E S O R T P H OTO G R A P H Y C O U R T E S Y O F T H E B R O A D M O O R

O

one minute, i am surrounded by bucolic tranquility, casting a line into a mountain stream in the heart of the Rockies with nothing but the whispering wind above and the gurgling creek below. The next, I am screaming, zooming down a 1,800-foot zip line at 45 miles per hour, 500 feet above a canyon floor. This dichotomy epitomizes The Broadmoor; there is something for everyone.

The resort’s guests have included presidents and titans of industry in its 100-plus year history.

Prussian Count James Pourtales bought the original 2,400-acre tract at the base of Mount Cheyenne to create the suburb of Colorado Springs and build a casino. In 1916, mining magnate Spencer Penrose acquired the 40 acres where the casino sat and developed the resort. Two years later, The Broadmoor opened to the public.

A 90-minute flight from Dallas (followed by a 20-minute drive), the resort has grown and expanded over the years, blending luxury, history, and adventure into any stay. I spent two nights at the fly fishing camp, which is about 90 minutes west of Colorado Springs, into the Lost Creek Wilderness. The lodge includes seven private cabins that sit close enough to hear the rushing

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of Tarryall Creek, which offers some of the best fly-fishing in Colorado. Our guide taught us technique and where to cast. Within 20 minutes of wading into the cool waters, I was catching fish, surrounded by towering firs and granite domes.

The lodge has access to five miles of private waters, surrounded by mountains bursting with color and rocky outcroppings.

A step up from the “camp” food one might expect, we ate Wagyu burgers, succulent pork chops, and roasted vegetables that would match anything one might find back in civilization. One morning, I took a break from fishing to flex my Old West credentials, taking a horseback ride through Eagle Rock Ranch, where the Gottenborg family runs a pasture-raised beef operation in the hills of southern Park County.

The resort offers a host of activities: high-flying ziplines, canoeing, paddle boats, falconry, a five-star spa, two PGA-caliber golf courses, a pool that overlooks Cheyenne Lake, a renowned tennis program, and 23 specialty boutiques selling everything from fine clothes to home décor. I opted for The Broadmoor’s “soaring adventures,” which entailed harnessing up and zipping across South Cheyenne Canyon, walking across shaky rope bridges suspended above rocky crags, and rappelling off a platform to land at the foot of Seven Falls, a seven-tiered waterfall.

When the daily adventures come to an end, the real decision is choosing where to eat. The resort’s 20 varied restaurants include Colorado’s only five-star eatery, the Penrose Room. My wife and I dined at La Taverne, an airy and sunlit steakhouse that sits off the main lobby, enjoying sesame-crusted seared tuna, a succulent porterhouse, and flavorful prime beef tartare, paired with a merlot.

EAST AND WEST The resort’s two courses Our expansive suite oversit in the Cheyenne Mountain foothills looked Cheyenne Lake. Other and offer some of the options include guest rooms, country’s best golf. cottages, brownstones, and a large estate house. One of the highlights of the resort is seeing everyone with their furry companions. The Pitty Pat Club, named for Penrose’s wife Julie’s adored poodle, keeps pets entertained while guests head out for the day’s adventures.

T R AV E L T I P S

Connecting on the course Diane Butler has been going to The Broadmoor since 1998, where she meets up with friends and golfs every day.

On one trip, she found a nanny for her niece after a previous appointment fell through, and that connection led to the hiring of the best assistant she has ever had. “They do a great job of creating spaces and places to make sure they are delivering The Broadmoor service that you have always known,” Butler says. “The reason to come here during the summer is to get out of the Dallas heat, play golf, and have access to great hiking and spa facilities. It’s a terrific place to create memories. There is no reason to leave.”

OCTOBER 2020

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9/3/20 10:12 AM

OFF DUTY

LONE STAR LOVE

Zajicek met his wife, Beth, while on a Rotary exchange program that traveled through Texas. Her parents hosted another student in his group.

ROCKING THE LEDERHOSEN

ROOTS

HUBERT ZAJICEK

Zajicek had a typical middleclass childhood in Austria, where his father had a general medical practice that served the neighborhood.

GOING THE DISTANCE

After dating from opposite sides of the Atlantic Ocean for seven years, Zajicek and his wife were married in 1995 after he finished medical school.

as told to PLAMEDIE IFASSO illustration by JAKE MEYERS

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“i was born and raised in vienna, Austria; I was the oldest of four siblings.

My mom was at home and my dad was a physician. He had a general practice in downtown Vienna, with a radius of about three blocks where people would come to see him. When I was 18, I participated in a Rotary Club exchange program for the summer. Our first stop was South Carolina. It was pure excitement to be in America and see how different things were. People had so much more of everything, in general. They lived in beautiful homes with their own yards. That’s not a typical way to live in Austria, unless you live in the countryside. My second stop was Texas, in Tyler. My future wife’s dad was a Rotarian, and they hosted one of the girls in my group. There were some activities we did together, and that is how Beth and I met. I was going to travel back from New York to Europe, but instead, I pushed it out a week and accepted the invitation of my future in-laws to stay at their house. Beth

and I were head over heels in love. We were separated for eight years, seven of them transatlantic.

We spent Christmas and summers and whatever other breaks occurred with each other in Austria and Texas and worked odd jobs to buy plane tickets. We got married in 1995 in Santa Fe, and we spent our first married year apart while Beth was a second-year med student at UT Southwestern.

I moved here in July 1996, right after graduating from medical school.”

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

CEO, Partner, and Co-Founder H E A LT H W I L D C AT T E R S

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9/2/20 4:17 PM

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Stay up to speed on DFW’s fast-moving business scene with D CEO’s weekly newsletter including news reports, interviews, and insights from top area execs.

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9/8/20 11:13 AM

END MARK

THE O.G. MAYOR

The Dallas Changemaker

Jonsson transformed Dallas, presiding over the city and holding leadership posts at the Dallas Chamber of Commerce and Dallas Citizens Council.

JOHN ERIK JONSSON (Sept. 6, 1901—Aug. 31, 1995)

story by WILL MADDOX

B 084

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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

ecoming mayor of dallas shortly after the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, John Erik Jonsson was tasked with rehabilitating the image of what had become known as the “City of Hate.” He shared his vision in a speech marking the first anniversary of Kennedy’s death: “Our efforts should be to build our city, not necessarily into a bigger one, but always into a better one.” Born in Brooklyn to Swedish immigrant parents, Jonsson worked as an apprentice for Alcoa then moved to Texas in 1934 to join Geophysical Services Inc. Seven years later, he bought a stake in GSI and helped transition it to the tech behemoth that became Texas Instruments, which he led as president and board chairman in the 1950s and 1960s.

Jonsson was elected mayor in 1964 and was a driving force in the development of DallasFort Worth International Airport and other major projects, including the I.M. Pei-designed Dallas City Hall and the downtown library, which is named for him. A tireless advocate for education, Jonsson also helped found what is now the University of Texas at Dallas.

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