D CEO January/February 2023

JANUARY/ FE BRUARY 2 02 3

CEO

THE INNOVATION ISSUE

North Texas trailblazers show they have the imagination, resiliency, and grit it takes to come out on top.

F E AT U R I N G :

WWW.DCEOMAGAZIN E.COM

68 finalists in The Innovation Awards 2023

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2023

$7. 95

David C. Williams, Assistant VP of Automation, AT&T

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POWER TO TRANSFORM. Taking the next steps in your business’s journey requires strategic road mapping paired with a deep industry understanding. Whitley Penn’s experienced advisors possess the knowledge and insight to help you reach your organizational goals. Start transforming today by visiting whitleypenn.com/consulting.

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Munck Wilson Mandala 25

Y

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Munck Wilson Mandala.

Book smarts.

Street smarts.

Battle ready.

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“ We wanted to build a firm around technology clients.

We saw the potential in North Texas and the rest is history.”

—Bill Munck, Managing Partner

12/12/22 3:49 PM

Trials

54

Technology

Transactions

Litigators

21

Texas Super Lawyers in 2022

35

Registered Patent Attorneys

20

100

Top 20 Jury Verdict in Texas

Top 100 Verdict

TopVerdict.com, 2021

National Law Journal, 2021

$2.3 BILLION Tyler Technologies, Inc. Acquires NIC Inc.

1k+ Combined years of Technology experience

50+

M&A and Financing Transactions Annually

55

STEM Degrees

We are the difference | munckwilson.com Dallas | Austin | Houston | Waco | Los Angeles | Miami

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12/12/22 3:50 PM

Join us at the

Go Red for Women Luncheon February 24, 2023 Omni Dallas Hotel Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death for women – claiming the life of 1 in 3.

The Go Red for Women movement empowers women to take charge of their health by learning their family history, knowing their numbers, and understanding the warning signs and risk factors for heart disease or stroke.

Taking these proactive steps could mean more precious time for women.

Time to be sisters, partners, mothers, leaders, and friends.

Together, we can inspire significant impact on the American Heart Association’s mission to prevent heart disease and stroke in women. Let’s put our hearts into it and Go Red for Women.

Go Red for Women is nationally sponsored by

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Go Red for Women, 2023 Dallas Chair

Jennifer Durbin

VP & Chief Human Resources Officer Commercial Metals Company

Scan for sponsorship information or to purchase tickets https://new.event.gives/911902

North Texas Go Red for Women Cause Sponsor

Dallas Go Red for Women Platform Sponsor

12/13/22 11:03 AM

Featuring The Southwest's Largest Silent Wine Auction

2023 Wineries ADDAX Wines Alexander Valley Vineyards Annadel Estate Winery AXR Napa Valley Baldacci Vineyards Ballentine Vineyard Barnett Vineyards Blue Farmes Wines Celani Family Winery Cornell Vineyards Covert Estate Domaine Paul BLANCK Elyse Winery Egelhoff Wines FE Wines Frias Family Wine HALL Winery and WALT Wines Institution Winery J. Bookwalter Jeff Cohn Cellars Knights Bridge Winery Lerner Project Lombardi Wines Merry Edwards Modus Operandi Morgado Cellars Palmaz Vineyard Paul Hobbs Peju Province Phifer Pavitt Post Parade Revana Estates Saint Helena Winery Silver Ghost Wines Standard Deviation Wines Stone Edge Terra Valentine Torii Mor Three Sticks Winery W&J Grahams Port Wines Zeitgeist Cellars

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Côtes du Coeur is the Dallas Division of the American Heart Association's premier gala event. This year-round celebration is a culmination of community and company leaders alongside a unique collection of renowned wineries and chefs. All unified for the American Heart Association's mission to be a relentless force for a world of longer, healthier lives.

2023 Côtes du Coeur Chairs

Anne Chow & Bob Moore

In its 31st year, following a record-breaking year, Côtes du Coeur annually welcomes over 1,000 attendees, 40+ wineries and 8 celebrity chefs. Côtes du Coeur boasts one of the largest fine wine auctions in the Southwest, serves the ultimate in fine dining cuisine from local celebrity chefs and has raised over $55 million in mission investments.

Scan for more information on tickets and sponsorship.

DallasWineAuction.com

12/13/22 11:03 AM

CYCLENATION DALLAS

MAY 11, 2023 | 4:00-8:00 P.M. | PEGASUS PARK

REGISTER TODAY www.cyclenation.org/dallas

CycleNation is more than a day – it’s a movement empowering people to be healthy while funding vital research to eradicate stroke.

We ride for those who can’t, for those who have lost their lives and for those who are still writing their comeback stories. And we ride together. With each push of the pedal, we are connecting hearts, minds and bodies for one purpose - to save lives.

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12/12/22 2:35 PM

APPLIED DIGITAL Building the Next-Generation of Digital Infrastructure

NASDAQ: APLD AppliedDigital.com 3811 Turtle Creek Blvd. Suite 2100 Dallas, TX 75219

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12/14/22 9:45 AM

Young Latino Professionals of Dallas Our goal is to provide a space for professional development, access to resources, and authentic and powerful connections for young Latino Professionals in the DFW area.

650 Fort Worth Avenue. Suite 250, Dallas, TX, 75208 | theconcilio.org | 214.818.0481 | concilio@theconcilio.org

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CONTENTS J A N U A R Y/ F E B R U A R Y 2 0 2 3

VO LU M E 1 7 | I S S U E 1 1

Catalyze Dallas’ Tricia D’Cruz unleashes the value of dormant intellectual property.

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The Power of Resiliency When faced with seemingly insurmountable challenges, these four North Texas innovators refused to give up. story by KELSEY J. VANDERSCHOOT portraits by JONATHAN ZIZZO

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Building a Dental Dynasty P H OTO G R A P H Y BY J O N A T H A N Z I Z Z O

Zimbabwean-American entrepreneur Sulman Ahmed aims to create the Starbucks of dentistry. story by WILL MADDOX portrait by NATALIE GOFF

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CONTENTS

12 EDITOR’S NOTE

DOSSIER 1 9 YO U N E E D T O K N O W

Vipin Nambiar, HN Capital Partners 22 MEET THE 500

Warren Tranquada, AT&T Performing Arts Center

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2 2 L O C A L LY S O U R C E D

Nicole Craven and Alexis Smith, Après Hours

24

24 AG R I B U S I N E S S

Meredith Ellis, Integrity Beef Alliance 2 6 O N T H E TA B L E

Mark Faber, Texas Motor Speedway

FIELD NOTES 43 LEADING OFF

4 4 R E A L E S TAT E

A rundown of the good, the bad, and the ugly trends to watch in 2023.

46 ON TOPIC

Jean Claude Tissot of Coca-Cola Southwest Beverages, Tamela Thornton of Urban Land Institute DFW, and Chris Calandro of Big Game USA share their key leadership strategies.

56

AG R I B U S I N E S S M E R E D I T H E L L I S ; A R T O F S T Y L E R E B E C C A P A T T O N ; P U R S U I T S J A S O N M C C A N N ; W E L L T R AV E L E D W A T E R F A L L R E S O R T , A L A S K A ; R O OT S F A R Z A D V A H I D

Bob Pryor, NTT Data

48 THOUGHT LEADER

Melanie Shaffer, Talent Suite

OFF DUTY 51 ART OF STYLE

Amelia Lettieri, RancH20 52 SNAPSHOT

Christian Rodriguez, Charles Schwab Premier Bank 54 PURSUITS

Jason McCann, Vari 54 MEMORABLE RIDES

Area C-Suiters tell us about the first vehicle they ever owned.

CEO

5 6 W E L L T R AV E L E D : WAT E R FA L L R E S O R T, A L A S K A

Melissa Stewart, Winstead PC

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58 ROOTS

Farzad Vahid, Fornida, ZaynTek, and Habitat Commons 72 END MARK

Karl Hoblitzelle

J A N U A R Y/ F E B R U A R Y 2 0 2 3

THE INNOVATION ISSUE

North Texas trailblazers show they have the imagination, resiliency, and grit it takes to come out on top.

F E AT U R I N G :

68 finalists in The Innovation Awards 2023

54

David C. Williams, Assistant VP of Automation, AT&T

ON THE COVER:

David Williams of AT&T, photographed by Jonathan Zizzo.

DCEOMAGAZINE.COM

12/16/22 10:45 AM

Services with service.

Experience that just-right balance of technology and relationships to make managing your finances both easy and personal.

Erin Davis edavis@bankoftexas.com

Bank of Texas and BOK Financial® are trademarks of BOKF, NA. Equal Housing Lender

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. ©2022 BOKF, NA.

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LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

‘The Grandest of Experiments’

Companies often miss out on innovative opportunities because they're overwhelmed with daily challenges and operations.

If you're ready to transform your business, retain top talent, and strengthen your competitive advantage, contact us today.

We'll show you how.

Robert Gardner, CEPA, CFEd® Business Continuation Advisor Who Business Owners Trust www.GardnerWallace.com

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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

GardnerWallace.com/Business

before handing off the gavel to “force of nature” Arcilia Acosta, the CARCON Industries president and CEO who takes the helm of the Dallas Citizen Council for 2023, outgoing chair Rob Walters, partner at Gibson Dunn, took a moment to make a parting plea at the organization’s annual meeting in December. I believe his thoughts deserve a wider audience, especially as we set intentions for the new year. So, I’m using this space to share his message: “Our nation is on the cusp of perhaps the grandest experiment in human history. And that is, will American democracy—will our nation evolve into the very first non-majoritarian multi-ethnic, multi-racial, multi-religious democracy in the history of the world?

And the truth is that we in Dallas and North Texas will play a central role in this grandest of experiments. Because 21st century America is a nation of city-states. And this region will soon be America’s thirdlargest city-state, its third-largest urban area, and the epicenter of business between the coasts.

“We are a microcosm. In many ways we are the essence of this experiment. We come from across the world, we arrive with little— we are the 21st century’s huddled masses. We are immensely diverse, we are talented, we are determined, and we are driven. And therein lies the opportunity. As business leaders, we know the imperative of growth. But more fundamentally, we know the imperative of inclusive growth. Our workforces depend on it. Our markets depend on it. Our customers depend on it. Innovation itself depends on it. But most important, our very democracy depends on it. And what that means is that all of us—not just some of us—must have a decent and fair chance to succeed and to prosper.

“With all of its infirmities and all of its excesses, democratic capitalism has proven the greatest vehicle of freedom and wealth creation the world has ever known. And by serving at the vanguard, we business, we business leaders, we can—and we must—lead in this evolution to a more perfect democracy.”

Christine Perez Editor

DCEOMAGAZINE.COM

12/12/22 1:59 PM

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P U B L I S H E R Noelle LeVeaux EDITORIAL EDITOR Christine Perez EXECUTIVE EDITOR Brandon J. Call MANAGING EDITOR Ben Swanger ONLINE MANAGING EDITOR Kelsey J. Vanderschoot SENIOR EDITOR Will Maddox CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Richard Alm, W. Michael Cox EDITORIAL INTERNS Alyssa Fields, Chris Goodwin, Briana Musgrove

ART DESIGN DIRECTOR Hamilton Hedrick STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER Elizabeth Lavin

A DV E R T I S I N G SALES MANAGER Rachel Gill ADVERTISING DIRECTOR Rhett Taylor SENIOR ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES Cami Burke, Haley Muse MANAGING EDITOR OF SPECIAL SECTIONS Jennifer Sander Hayes BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT Palmer McGraw

MARKETING & EVENTS MARKETING DIRECTOR Gigi Ekstrom MARKETING COORDINATOR Natalie Swaim ADVERTISING ART DIRECTOR Katie Garza EVENTS PRODUCER Madeline Alford EVENTS MANAGER Anja Matukic EVENTS INTERNS Miracle Ellison, Guadalupe Gomez

AU D I E N C E D E V E LO P M E N T SENIOR MANAGER Sarah South EDITORIAL PROGRAMS MANAGER Sarah Masquelier SPECIAL PROGRAMS COORDINATOR Jade Osseck RETAIL STRATEGY MANAGER Steve Crabb MERCHANDISER David Truesdell

D I G I TA L HEAD OF DIGITAL OPERATIONS Katrina Witherspoon LEAD CAMPAIGN MANAGER AND AD OPERATIONS Riley Hill DIGITAL DESIGN ASSOCIATE Andrea Chavez SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER Melissa Neely

PRODUCTION DIRECTOR John Gay COORDINATOR Grace John PHOTO RETOUCHER Jasmine Green

BUSINESS CONTROLLER Sabrina LaTorre SENIOR ACCOUNTANT Debbie Travis ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLE COORDINATOR Jessica Hernandez EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT DIRECTOR Patricia Martin IT TECHNICIAN Luan Aliji OFFICE MANAGER Will Smith RECEPTIONIST Phoebe Chew

HOW TO REACH US MAIL 750 N. Saint Paul St., Ste. 2100, Dallas, TX 75201 MAIN OFFICE 214-939-3636 WEBSITE www.dmagazine.com/dceo The magazine assumes no responsibility for the return of unsolicited manuscripts.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR feedback@dmagazine.com CURRENT SUBSCRIPTION 800-732-9673 or subscriberservices@dmagazine.com NEW SUBSCRIPTION www.dmagazine.com/requestdceo ADVERTISING 214-939-3636 x 128 REPRINTS 214-939-3636 CUSTOM PUBLISHING 214-540-0113 SUBSCRIPTIONS 11 issues for $54 in the United States, possessions, APO and FPO; $70 per 11 issues elsewhere. Please provide old and new addresses and enclose latest mailing label when inquiring about your subscription.

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

CERTIFIED AS A WOMEN-OWNED SMALL BUSINESS BY WOMEN'S BUSINESS COUNCIL SOUTHWEST

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DCEOMAGAZINE.COM

12/9/22 11:44 AM

INNOVATIVE BANKING BUSINESS

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PlainsCapital.com 214.252.4000 © 2022 PlainsCapital Bank. Member FDIC. PCB802051727

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AGENDA

Jason McCann, Jake McCann, Ryan Welch, Kim Welch, Cari McCann

KFM Engineering & Design

The Vari team

The Real Estate Council’s FightNight Addie Ludwig, Jeremy Duggins, Kristi Waddell

Meg Fullerton, Jensen Samuels, Cole Collins, Jena Scott

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

on thursday, september 29, a sold-out crowd of more than 1,400 helped TREC Community Investors raise $1.8 million and the 2022 Associate Leadership Council raise $143,000 at the organization’s annual FightNight event. Held at the Hilton Anatole, TREC is comprised of 2,000 commercial real estate professionals and 600 member companies who spark community transformation by lending their expertise, building connections, and raising funds. Over the years, FightNight has grown to become one of the largest annual philanthropic events in DFW, uniting the who’s who of the commercial real estate industry. Since its inception in 1989, it has raised more than $26 million. This year’s theme, Breaking Ground, celebrated 100 years of Dallas as a groundbreaking community. ALC class members Katie Park (PGIM Real Estate) and Cory Fowler (JLL) led the class in raffle ticket sales and donations.

TREC’s Associate Leadership Council Class of 2022 Chad West, Tennell Atkins, Adam Bazaldua, Jaime Resendez

Shawn Todd, Jeff Swope, Ben Davis

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Lindsay Wilson, Craig Wilson

Scott Hoffman, Kelly Ansley, Brandon Jones, Crystal Turk, Davis Sugg, Melissa Eastman

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12/12/22 2:00 PM

AGENDA

Daryl Dorsey, Jennifer Dorsey

Travis Myers, Roderick Marshall, Tyler Poage

Savannah Franklin, Jasmine Tobias Yuki Whitmire

Corporate Counsel Awards 2022 d ceo welcomed a crowd of more than 200 to its 13th annual Corporate Counsel Awards. The event was held at On The Levee and brought together corporate counsels, managing partners, and other professionals to celebrate those whose work over the past year has distinguished them from their peers. D CEO Editor Christine Perez and Senior Editor Will Maddox announced the winners in nine categories, with help from Chris Trowbridge and Dania Duncan Moreno of Bell Nunnally.

Among the honorees for 2022: Steven Dietz of Siemens Digital Industries Software, Steven Roth of Parkland Health, Jayne Rothman of Integrity Marketing Group, and Angela Lilly of Glazer’s Beer and Beverage.

Thank you to our longtime title sponsor, Bell Nunnally, and our premier sponsor, Lynn Pinker Hurst & Schwegmann, for their support.

Ashley Yen

Yvette Ostoloza, Cas ey Moore, Angela Zambrano

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

Steven Dietz, Patricia Dietz

Daniel Hayes, Chris Trowbridge

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Thai-Ian Tran, Steve Roth

Integrity Marketing Group team

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12/9/22 11:48 AM

A heart for supporting STEM programs It’s been 20 years since we opened the first North Texas hospital dedicated solely to cardiovascular care. Since then, we’ve been a proud supporter of STEM programs in our local schools and community—investing in today’s youth to develop the healthcare heroes of tomorrow.

Then and now, serving our community and caring for our patients are at the heart of everything we do.

BSWHealth.com/HeartDFW 1.844.BSW.DOCS 621 N. Hall Street Dallas, TX 75226 Notice Regarding Physician Ownership: Baylor Scott & White Heart and Vascular Hospital is a hospital in which physicians have an ownership or investment interest. The list of the physician owners or investors is available to you upon request. Physicians provide clinical services as members of the medical staff at one of Baylor Scott & White Health’s subsidiary, community or affiliated medical centers and do not provide clinical services as employees or agents of those medical centers, Baylor Health Care System, Scott & White Healthcare or Baylor Scott & White Health. ©2022 Baylor Scott & White Health. KCS-04586-10/22

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DOSSIER TRENDS

to

WATC H

a n d

NORTH TEXAS NEWSMAKERS

YOU NEED TO KNOW

Meet Dallas’ Next Major Placemaker HN Capital Partners’ Vipin Nambiar is a driving force behind some of the buzziest hotels in Dallas. story by BRANDON J. CALL photography by JONATHAN ZIZZO

DCEOMAGAZINE.COM

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DOSSIER

A

aesthetics matter. just ask vipin nambiar, the founder and managing partner of HN Capital Partners. His growing $1 billion portfolio of popular, design-centric concepts includes local hotspots like the W Hotel, Virgin Hotel, and, most recently, the Mansion on Turtle Creek, which was acquired in September 2022.

“All of our investments have a hospitality play,” the 42-year-old says. “Hospitality is a great tool to activate districts and bring people together in a way office buildings or warehouses can’t.”

Born in Mumbai, India, Nambiar studied architecture at The University of Texas at Austin. But instead of pursuing a career in design, Nambiar earned an MBA in finance and applied economics from The University of Chicago’s esteemed Booth School of Business.

He cut his teeth in real estate as a managing director at Hunt Investment Group and Hunt Realty, working with billions in institutional capital flow before founding HN Capital Partners in 2017. (The H and N in his company’s name informally stand for Hunt and Nambiar, as his former employer is an investor in his firm.) “Real estate is my first love,” he says. “But I also had an entrepreneurial drive to start my own company.”

The idea of placemaking is a guiding principle for Nambiar. Instead of focusing on individual sites or buildings, HN Capital Partners takes a district-style approach to development. It is a blueprint that has paid dividends for his company in Austin and Los Angeles—and one that he’s looking to replicate here in Dallas with in-

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“Hospitality is a great tool to activate districts and bring people together.”

VIPIN NAMBIAR

vestments and assets in Victory Park, the Design District, and Turtle Creek neighborhoods.

Austin’s Red Bluff development includes an 81,000-square-foot office and retail building that adds to East Austin’s vibrancy. A brewery, retail, restaurants, and a forthcoming waterfront resort will further elevate the area, Nambiar says.

Meanwhile, in L.A., Hotel Per La has garnered press and acclaim for the adaptive reuse of the historic Giannini Building—a 12-story 1921 office building originally home to Bank of Italy that HN Capital Partners converted into a 241-room boutique hotel. Last fall’s grand opening included the debut of a ground-floor restaurant, Per L’Ora, and a daytime café and market, Café Ora, to help increase downtown L.A.’s cultural richness.

Whereas most developers focus on shorter three- to five-year plays, Nambiar says he seeks out high-quality assets and thinks about them in 15-year terms. “We like to get in there and get scale in urban areas. The more we do, the more value we can create for investors in the long term.

Capitalize the project correctly, don’t overleverage yourself, and have partners willing to take the long-term approach with you—that’s our formula for success.”

It’s a winning strategy that helps his firm resist volatile economic cycles. It also allows Nambiar to look at macro trends—like the changing demographics of U.S. travelers—to ensure success.

He says his company is developing, operating, and investing in hospitality for the future.

Most developers build existing hotel inventory for Baby Boomers who seek consistency in their hospitality experience. HN Capital Partners prides itself on being a lifestyle developer focusing on the needs and demands of Millennial and Gen Z consumers, Nambiar says. “The next generation of consumers are looking for something that feels totally different and unique,” he says.

“We see consumers moving away from existing inventory in most major cities, and we want to be purveyors and creators of the new generation of hospitality product.”

DEALMAKER

The Life of the Neighborhood MANSION ON TU R TLE C R E E K

Rosewood Hotel Group converted the 1925 residence into a hotel in the early 1980s.

Nambiar says his firm plans to preserve the charm and history of the property while also investing in updating amenities for the modern luxury traveler.

DA LLAS D E S I G N D I STR I C T

HN Capital Partners owns 43 acres of prime real estate in the neighborhood. “We love the showroom business, and we think it creates a wonderful canvas to bring more highquality architecture and activation to the district,” Nambiar says.

W H OTE L I N V I C TO RY PA R K

In partnership with Dallas-based Dunhill Partners, HN Capital Partners is in the middle of a $21 million renovation of the property that Nambiar says is a “re-energizing” effort to update furniture, fixtures, and amenities for the Marriottmanaged property.

DCEOMAGAZINE.COM

12/12/22 2:37 PM

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12/12/22 3:46 PM

DOSSIER

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

A Boozy Buzz

MEET THE 500

WARREN TRANQUADA President and CEO AT &T P E R F O R M I N G A R T S C E N T E R

after more than 13 years with the new jersey Performing Arts Center, Warren Tranquada moved to North Texas in May 2022 to take the top spot at the AT&T Performing Arts Center. In making the move, he cited Dallas’ national reputation as a thriving cultural hub.

Tranquada takes the helm at a time when the pandemic has forced performing arts organizations to rethink what it means to appeal to visitors and patrons. “We learned that audiences wanted to be more engaged with artists, the arts, and each other,” he says. “We can use that going forward to create much more meaningful experiences.”

EDUCATION: Harvard University (MBA), McGill University (BComm) BIRTHPLACE: Toronto, Ontario, Canada FIRST JOB: “I sold ski boots and goggles at a sporting goods store.”

DESTINATIONS OF CHOICE: “My father was born in Guyana, and my father-inlaw was born in Trinidad, and I have always been drawn to the cultures of the Caribbean. Trinidad is one of my favorite places to visit, with a vibrant music scene, the best Carnival in the world, and amazing food.”

HOBBY/PASSION: “I am a hockey fanatic.

I was on a team in Richardson within a week of moving to North Texas.

My kids all play. I have coached and served on a youth hockey board.

We attend games. If I am not in the Arts District, chances are I am at an arena.”

LOCAL FARE: “Although I have enjoyed many of the great finedining establishments in Dallas, my go-to when I am by myself is Velvet Taco.

The Cuban Pig is the very best thing I have eaten since moving to Texas.”

FUN FACT: “I have never had a cup of coffee. No particular reason—I just haven’t.”

FIRST CAR: “The first car I bought was a Ford Escort GT, and it spoke to my personality.

Practical, understated, value-driven, but also sporty at heart.”

WALK-UP SONG: “I’d choose ‘P-Funk (Wants to Get Funked Up)’ by Parliament. It just oozes positivity.”

MUST-LISTEN: “I love This American Life on NPR, which shares personal stories of the American experience.”

SPIRIT ANIMAL: “Chimpanzees are intelligent problem solvers, but also take the time to be silly and have fun.”

ALTERNATE REALITY: “I think I would enjoy being a professor. The combination of research and teaching is very appealing to me.”

BUCKET LIST: “I’d like to write a book, probably a science fiction novel on time travel.”

KEY STRATEGIES: “Leadership must start with listening and respecting the views of others. You will only be effective at delivering on a vision if you have engaged all key stakeholders.”

former pr and marketing mavens Nicole Craven and Alexis Smith were inspired to find a canned version of their favorite cocktail, an espresso martini, during the pandemic. “There were only hard coffees that were filled with dairy, gluten, or too much sugar,” Craven recalls. The two set out to shake up the market, creating a drink that features agave wine instead of vodka. The substitution allowed them to keep the ABV around 10 percent—low enough to sell in grocery stores—leave behind the gluten many vodkas include, and reduce sugar content. “It has that natural sweetness from the agave plant,” Craven says. She and Smith launched Après Hours in August in classic, vanilla, and salted caramel flavors. The brand is now in Total Wine & More, Goody Goody, and local specialty retailers. Nirav Tolia, the Dallas-based founder of Nextdoor, is an investor. “We love DFW,” Smith says. “It made sense to launch here, where we both were born.”

—Kelsey J. Vanderschoot

FAT H I BY J A K E M E Y E R S ; LO C A L LY S O U R C E D C O U R T E S Y O F A P R É S H O U R S

Après Hours co-founders Nicole Craven and Alexis Smith are shaking up the ready-made cocktail market with their espresso martinis.

PIVOTAL MOMENT: “I graduated from Harvard Business School at a time when traditional career paths for MBAs were largely closed off, which was a blessing in disguise. It forced me (and my fellow graduates) to really think about what we wanted out of our careers, and it made me realize that I wanted to dedicate my work to nonprofit management.”

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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12/9/22 11:31 AM

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Persuassion Skills: Respect R O G G E D U N N , C EO, R O G G E D U N N G R O U P

good customer service boils down to treating people with respect. Incorporating respect into your persuasive approach maximizes the effectiveness of your sales pitch. I suggest there are many companies with average products and services. Nevertheless, they are tremendous successes because of the quality of their customer service. Take Starbucks, for example. Ask someone, “Why do you go to Starbucks?”

They’ll say Starbucks uses only special coffee beans wrapped in gossamer paper by Tibetan monks flown over from Columbia by albatrosses. Wrong. All the beans Starbucks gets are the same ones shipped over on the same boat from Columbia to other coffee houses. Well, if all the beans are the same, they’ll say Starbucks roasts theirs in a special way. Let’s see… how many ways can you roast coffee beans?

You place the beans in roaster and heat them up.

Not exactly a unique method.

In blind taste tests, Starbucks coffee was preferred by only a few percentage points more than 7-11’s “Big Gulp” 89-cents-a-gallon coffee. Why, then, do so many people believe Starbucks coffee is far superior to 7-11 coffee? Unlike 7-11, Starbucks employees deliver coffee with a smile, and they have all their teeth. A 1970s college sociology class experiment proves the point. When patrons were checking out the books, the librarians shoved the books across the counter and said nothing. Patrons took a survey rating the books available, bathroom cleanliness, and the library’s layout. The next day, the librarians made eye contact, asked patrons if they needed anything else, and made small chit-chat. The customers’ satisfaction in all categories increased approximately 25%, even though the catalog of books available, bathroom cleanliness, and library’s layout had not changed. What changed was the librarians engaged

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the customers and gave them respect, like a smiling Starbucks barista.

I have represented Carrabba’s Italian Grill for many years. Carrabba’s has one or two greeters at its front doors. I asked Johnny Carrabba why he incurred this significant expense. Johnny told me he wants to project that Carrabba’s is not a chain restaurant, but a family restaurant where you are welcomed like a friend. He asked me how I would feel if I went to a dinner party, and when I got up to leave, the host said “goodbye,” and I had to walk myself to the front door. Johnny said that in a warm and respectful social relationship, the party’s host walks their guests to the door, gives them a hug or shakes their hand, tells them how much they enjoyed seeing them, and hopes to see them again soon.

Johnny said Carrabba’s greeters create that same type of feel-good whenever customers are leaving, so they don’t feel like they just ate at an impersonal corporate restaurant.

If you don’t believe respect is effective, try “laying on a little applesauce,” as my grandfather taught me. My son Ross and I have a contest in buffet lines to see who gets the biggest portion of food. We tell the servers, “Your hair looks nice today,” and engage them. You would be amazed at how big the portions they give us are are compared to the next customer in line who keeps to themselves.

500 N. Akard Street, Suite 1900 Dallas, Texas 75201 214.888.5000 | info@roggedunngroup.com

ROGGE DUNN represents companies, executives, financial advisors, and entrepreneurs in business and employment matters.

Clients include the CEOs of American Airlines, Baker Hughes, Beck Group, Blucora, Crow Holdings, Dave & Busters, Gold’s Gym, FedEx, HKS, Texas Motor Speedway, Texas Capital Bancshares, and Texas Tech University as well as sports figures which include New York Mets manager Buck Showalter, NBA executive Donnie Nelson, and NBA Hall of Fame coach Larry Brown.

Dunn’s corporate clients include Adecco, Beal Bank, Benihana, Cawley Partners, CBRE, Match.com, Rent-A-Center, and Outback Steakhouse.

In 2021, 2022, and 2023 Dunn was included in DCEO Magazine’s Dallas 500 list, which recognizes the most influential business leaders in North Texas.

He has been named a Texas Super Lawyer every year that award has been given and recognized as one of the top 100 attorneys in Texas by Texas Monthly (a Thomson Reuters service) and a D Magazine Best Lawyer 14 times.

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RANCHING

AGRIBUSINESS

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WILL MADDOX

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meredith ellis grew up on her family’s sprawling ranch north of denton, but she traveled extensively in her teens and 20s. At one point, she planned on becoming an FBI agent and leading an exciting urban life. Instead, she studied landscape architecture at the University of New Mexico. The experience taught her that pristine landscapes were undervalued, and she began to see her family’s land as an opportunity to impact the next generation.

Ellis now owns and runs her family’s 3,000-acre G Bar C Ranch in Rosston and is part of the Integrity Beef Alliance, a group of small and medium-sized ranchers (two-thirds of which are in North Texas) looking to raise cattle in an environmentally responsible manner.

Part of the alliance’s protocol involves moving cattle to different areas of the ranch to let the plant life recover and the carbon sequestration to occur, all of which results in raising smaller animals than industrial ranches. “Every year that I do ranching the way I do ranching, it takes 551 cars off the road,” Ellis says. The alliance provides a set of principles that are flexible and allow each rancher to make the best decisions for their land. The pillars are based on the U.S. Roundtable for Sustainable Beef, which includes addressing food security, preserving biodiversity, and practical implementation.

The alliance is a fluid group of three to four dozen members who preserve their land to be able to ranch without harming the environment and requiring expensive inputs, hoping to influence the finishing lots and larger producers where many of their cattle end up.

“Everybody tries to do some things that are environmentally sustainable but just don’t know how to go about doing it,” says Robert Wells, executive director of the alliance. “Ranching is diverse. What works in North Texas may not work in Florida. There are many different ways that you can peel the onion.”

Ellis has a herd of about 200 mother cows and sells offspring to various beef finishers. She focuses on grazing systems, herd quality, and carbon sequestration as an advocate for sustainable ranching and the benefits it provides to the planet. She says she sees value in the land beyond the beef it can produce. “Instead of seeing our ranch as a cattle operSAFE HAVEN ation, I see it as an incredibly rare, Meredith Ellis’ private national park,” Ellis says. “It’s G Bar C Ranch focuses on biodidwindling and not valued the way it versity to protect the soil and should be. The best thing I can do is sustainability of protect it and take care of it.” the operation.

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

North Texas rancher Meredith Ellis raises cattle profitably and sustainably

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DOSSIER

O N T H E TA B L E

Speedway General Manager Mark Faber Takes the Wheel The new Texas Motor Speedway leader plans to grow impact through community outreach and diversified events at the largest venue in Texas.

story by BEN SWANGER illustration by JAKE MEYERS

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life has been like drinking from a fire hose the past few months, says new Texas Motor Speedway Executive Vice President and General Manager Mark Faber, as we settle into a booth at the Starwood Cafe in Trophy Club for breakfast.

I opt for the chicken and waffles; Faber goes with a modest bowl of oatmeal. The selection mirrors where he stands in life; he simply does not want to bite off more than he can chew—just yet.

Faber is setting 2023 financial guidance and goals, analyzing personnel, and laying the foundation for where he wants to take The Great American Speedway—all while still trying to find a home in North Texas after relocating from Las Vegas in August 2022. But Faber—the second general manager in as many years—has a tall task ahead.

He must fill the hole, financially and socially that NASCAR’s All-Star weekend left when Speedway Motorsports moved the event from Fort Worth to North Carolina for 2023. According to the Fort Worth Sports Commission, events like the AllStar Race bring in around $100 million in direct spending for the region.

“It’s important to grow TMS’s revenue, but it’s also important to grow the region’s tax revenue through new events,” Faber says. “This now gives us the opportunity to do that. We recently signed a multi-year partnership with IndyCar, and it is important we become the second home for that.”

Texas Motor Speedway pushed the envelope in tech by showcasing an autonomous IndyCar exhibition race on the circuit this past November.

“There’s nothing cooler than watching new innova-

tion drive around the track,” Faber says. The venue will also host a NASCAR Truck Series event and an IndyCar Series race in 2023, alongside its two signature NASCAR Cup and Xfinity Series races.

Faber cut his teeth with the Dallas Cowboys in the 1990s, directing sales efforts for sponsorships, events, hospitality, and luxury suites. His most recent post was with Anschutz Entertainment Group as the senior vice president of global partnerships working with Las Vegas’ T-Mobile Arena—the $375 million NHL arena that opened in 2016. In 2019, T-Mobile Arena was the highest-grossing concert venue in the U.S. (with capacities of more than 15,000), reporting $164.4 million.

Faber hopes to continue his success with his allstar cast at Texas Motor Speedway. “TMS’s group has been recognized as one of the top corporate sales units in the country by Speedway Motorsports,” Faber says. “But I have a bigger goal of offering a fully integrated solution to collectively improve our community through corporate sales, ticketing, human resources, employee rewards or recruitment, and the Speedway Children’s Charities—with a focus on aiding trafficking and abuse.”

Faber is also ready to “reverse the trend” of athome sports viewing, with people getting comfortable on their couches during the pandemic. “We’re making enhancements to our concert lineup, trackside fan activations, and other extra entertainment,” he says.

Fort Worth’s concrete kingdom venue has generated an annual estimated economic impact of $300 million since 1997 and hosts approximately 300 events—from high-profile NASCAR races to high school proms—a year. Where Faber is looking to make a lasting an impact, though, is in diverse communities. “We’re working with the Mexican Consulate and area media partners to grow outreach to Hispanic and other multicultural communities. Increasing ticket sales is great, but how can we make a difference beyond racing?”

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THE POWER OF portraits by

J O N AT H A N Z I Z ZO

story by

K E L S E Y J . VA N D E R S C H O O T

opener by

DAN SAELINGER

When faced with seemingly insurmountable challenges, these four North Texas innovators refused to give up. Here's how they're helping shape the future.

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THE JOURNEY FROM “AHA” MOMENT TO MARKET LAUNCH IS RARELY LINEAR. OBSTACLES IN SCALING, IMPLEMENTATION, FUNDING, AND MORE ABOUND, AND AN ABILITY TO ADAPT AND STAY THE COURSE IS ESSENTIAL. “Resilience is the ability to draw a straight line made up of crooked marks,” says Mance Harmon, co-founder of North Texas-based Distributed ledger tech company Hedera Hashgraph. He and the 67 other finalists and winners in The Innovation Awards 2023, presented by D CEO in partnership with Dallas Innovates, have shown many forms of resiliency throughout their journeys to creating products and technology that are shaping our future. The leaders have shown an ability to beat the odds, take risks, pivot, persist, and more.

Here, you’ll read more about how our four individual category winners have defined and practiced resilience throughout their careers.

DAV I D C . WI L L I A MS , AT&T “We grew up poor, just to put it out there,” David C. Williams says about his upbringing in South Dallas. The assistant vice president of automation for AT&T remembers his dad often challenging him to read extensively before he committed suicide when Williams was 8 years old. After that, Williams watched his mother and sister suffer financial, medical, and emotional hardship. “As a kid, so many people are taught how to make $1 out of 15 cents,” he says. “A dollar out of 15 cents is

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a 600 percent ROI, and if any of us could take that ingenuity that mama taught us for 18 to 20 years of our life and apply it in our careers, we could go do something amazing.”

That’s exactly what Williams has tried to do since high school, when he first realized there was nothing he couldn’t achieve with a little hard work. His sophomore year, he was left to lead an ROTC team whose former leaders all graduated. “I’m coming off a championship year, and I didn’t want to let anyone down,” Williams recalls. He threw himself into the effort—cleaning riffles, shining boots, pressing uniforms, and learning every drill move for every position on the team.

“I just went to the nth degree, and I poured myself into that, and I think I haven’t changed since then,” he says.

After earning a marketing degree from Dallas Baptist University, Williams held several roles in operations for AT&T. With one hand, he says, he was learning the tasks of each role, and with the other, innovating to make each function easier and more efficient. “I started small, working on things that were close to me,” he says.

Williams rose to director level in 2014 and in 2020 solved one of the company’s biggest challenges: allowing customer service reps to work from home without exposing sensitive consumer information. “Although the government said, ‘Work

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AT&T executive David C. Williams was an award winner at the Black Engineer of the Year Awards 2021.

from home or shelter in place,’ the FCC said, ‘That’s cool, but you can’t make a sale, because you can’t process a credit card or a social security number through home-based employees,’” Williams says. By repurposing a few app program interfaces, he created a way for customers to communicate sensitive information to 40,000 employees via a secure text channel that confirmed identity and processed payment, without the rep seeing any identifying information.

DOUBLING Now, as the leader of the largest robotDOWN ON ics process automation program worldDIVERSITY wide, Williams oversees roughly 150 employees who drive a 5,000 percent annual ROI. The team reached nearly $800 million in operating income for 2022—an astounding fivefold increase over 2021.

And Williams has no plans to slow down. He has an even bigger trick up his sleeve that will debut in spring 2023. “I figured out a way to drive out the non-efficient components of customer service and simplified it,” he says. He is quiet on specifics but says the project is in pilot mode in Houston and will begin scaling in the first quarter of the year. Williams believes it will quickly extend beyond customer service and even beyond AT&T. “The savings are too massive for any industry to avoid,” Williams says. “It is the greatest thing I’ve ever worked on in my entire career.”

AT&T's David C. Williams has made diversity a key part of his leadership and hiring strategies.

(Roughly 3 percent of U.S. engineers are Black.) “When I think about resiliency, I think about The Avengers— the most resilient team we probably know of—doing the things that they do. None of them look alike. They don’t come from the same background.

They have different talents and skills, but they respect each other’s talents and skills as they try to solve the biggest problems in the world.

From my perspective, resiliency is often a call to double down on diversity; to me, diversity in tech works exponentially well.”

A N D RE W B E N DE R , DZS “A journey of seeing the internet grow up.”

That’s how Andrew Bender describes his career. The chief technology officer of Plano-based broadband connection company DZS left VMware, a multibillion-dollar global corporation, to take on his current role in 2020. “A lot of challenges, a lot of unknowns, and some risk factors there,” Bender says of the time when he made the leap of faith. “But to be honest, that background of uncertainty was everywhere.”

The task for Bender at DZS required moving some sizeable mountains: The company was transitioning its headquarters from the Oakland area in California, to Plano while ironing out the infrastructure needed to run a global company after nearly 20 years of growth through mergers and acquisitions.

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It would also be Bender’s first time in a C-suite seat.

“Rebuilding, creating from scratch, making something new—that’s what we’ve done over the last two years,” Bender says, “and it looks like it’s working from a metrics perspective.” DZS reported net revenue of $107 million for Q3 in 2022.

While Bender was adjusting to his new role, demand for broadband connectivity was skyrocketing, with reliable internet becoming essential for remote learning, work from home, and more. “Many times, the network wasn’t ready,” Bender says. R&D without filled whiteboards and in-person collaboration became a must, and Bender’s team had to adapt.

“We had changed everything we did to keep the business running,” he says. “Resilience is how you navigate these chang-

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Throughout his career, Andrew Bender has helped integrate several new technologies into society.

es, and success really depends on having a willingness to consider and devise new ways of doing things, because whether it’s the pandemic, or going from paper to digital, if you’re still in your horse drawn carriage, you’re not going to be part of the new society.”

Having helped society transition to new technology through his work at companies including Tekelec, NEC Corp., and Hewlett Packard—even working in early iterations of broadband technology at Manhattan-based ThruPoint during Y2K— Bender is now ready to help push the envelope again at DZS. The company recently completed a succession of product launches, including new hardware that transports hundreds of gigabits or terabits of bandwidth and a new transport switch system that aggregates traffic in multi-gigabit fiber optic networks. “Optical broadband going to gigabit, then multi-gigabit, and now 50-100 gigabit into everybody’s home is going to be possible over the coming years, making 5G a reality,” Bender says.

Now, it’s time to help the community embrace these new products, while continuing to execute and innovate. “I think we can’t stop,” Bender says.

“That’s really the expectation of our customers, and the industry, and the markets. Now, we still need to do some of the hard work of bringing those things into reality—helping customers operationalize, embrace, and implement the technology.” He adds, “It’s one thing to make a product, or a contraption, or demonstrate technology. It’s another to get it deployed out there on a national, or on a global, basis.”

His forward focus? “Creating that software-driven network in a nutshell is what we’re going to be focused on for the next several years.”

“IF YOU’RE STILL IN YOUR HORSE-DRAWN CARRIAGE, YOU’RE NOT GOING TO BE PART OF THE NEW SOCIETY.” A N D R E W B E N D E R | DZ S

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T RICIA D’CRU Z, CATALYZ E DALLAS Early in her career as a software engineer, Tricia D’Cruz faced the possibility of the company she worked for going out of business. The now founder and managing director of holding company Catalyze Dallas was serving as software director for North Texas-based telecommunications firm Efficient Networks in the ’90s when flat ethernet cables hit the market, rendering the product her team was working on useless. “We were doing local area networking technology. It was called ATM to the desktop,” D’Cruz says. “You’ve never heard of that, because it’s not a thing anymore.”

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Her team could have folded she says, but instead, they rewith consulting giant IBM and spun-out Almaden Genomics purposed the tech toward high-speed internet. “That comin 2022, a company focused on making it easier to analyze pany ended up becoming world No. 1 market share position the human genome. “I feel like we’re just hitting our stride, for the little box that goes in your closet for high-speed interwhere we’re going to be starting companies on a on a more net, based on the same technology that had failed originally,” regular cadence,” D’Cruz says. “We have more capital to put D’Cruz says. Efficient Networks subsequently was acquired to bear, so we can start some more capital-intensive projects

by Siemens for $1.5 billion in 2002, but not before D’Cruz as well. I’m super excited about what we will be doing in the led its products divisions through an IPO in 1999 and a twonext few years.” year revenue explosion from $3 million to $200 million. She became president and general manager of Siemens’ Access H U B E RT ZAJICE K , H E ALT H WILDCATTER S Solutions division after the acquisition.

Austrian native Hubert Zajicek’s journey to U.S. citizenship From there, D’Cruz held a division leadership role at Plano-based Tekelec, a global internet tech supplier, before founding and scaling numerous startups, and through her consulting firm VectorPoint helped Catalyze Dallas high-tech companies grow. Having seen the scaling founder and leader Tricia D’Cruz has process through corporate and startup vantages, she made a career realized she wanted to continue to bring new techof founding and scaling startups. nology to market but “reduce risk and go fast.”

At the same time, D’Cruz and her husband, Joe, realized there was a lot of non-strategic intellectual property owned by corporations that did not wish to scale the tech they ideated. “They develop all sorts of really amazing technology, and some of it just doesn’t end up hitting the light of day through their processes for all sorts of different reasons, especially through M&A,” D’Cruz says.

She realized if she could acquire tech at the go-tomarket stage, she would be getting heavily tested products that could be brought to market quickly.

She began by acquiring an aerospace drag technology from Lockheed Martin, which she used to form Dallas-based Metro Aerospace in 2016. The company uses the tech to help commercial and military planes fly more effectively by reducing fuel consumption. It took only two months from the agreement with Lockheed Martin to first product launch. Three years later, D’Cruz formed Alpine Advanced Materials, a Dallas-based engineering firm that uses tech purchased from Lockheed to manufacture lightweight parts for planes.

Just as things were getting underway, the pandemic hit. “We had contracts underway with some really significant commercial aerospace manufacturers to develop product, and all of that vaporized,” D’Cruz says. But her team bounced back by focusing more on space and defense and less on air travel. Catalyze Dallas recently closed a deal

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was far from straightforward. He and his American wife showed up at the consulate in Vienna with two packed suitcases for his green card interview. In the bags were eight years of phone records, samplings from more than 100 letters, photo albums—every shred of evidence that he and his wife had to prove their multicultural marriage was real.

The now CEO of Dallas-based healthcare accelerator Health Wildcatters sailed through that part of the process. But then he experienced many challenges that, at one point, had him camping overnight at the Dallas INS office. After jumping through hoops, Zajicek finally got help from a congressman, just as the stamp on his passport was about to expire.

Nearly 20 years after immigrating, the M.D. put that same

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ingenuity and tenacity to work at NTEC, a Frisco-based healthcare incubator. There, he connected with three colleagues who wanted to create a space where healthcare entrepreneurs could grow and be mentored by investors with the hope of one day scaling their startups. “Accelerators had been around, but not those that specialized in a certain industry,” Zajicek says.

The four honed in on a sustainable model. “Corporations, economic development organizations, or universities, have entities that will push innovation further, and potentially even create startups, and that’s cool. But they are generally spending money doing that,” Zajicek says. Rather than a board or governing entity, the group relies entirely on funds from private angel investors, sponsors, and family offices to support their program. Investors also invest in founder or common shares, rather than preferred shares. This higher-risk investment helps build trust from the start. “We put ourselves in the same shoes as these startup entrepreneurs on purpose,” Zajicek says. “We raised our first fund, and off we went.”

In the past decade or so, Health Wildcatters has accelerated an impressive 99 startups, that have raised a quarter billion dollars total, and seen some of its alumni go on through successful exits and a Nasdaq IPO. The latter came from Dallas-based Lantern Pharma, a biopharmaceutical company focused around clinical-stage oncology. It raised $26.3 million when it went public in 2020 and now has a market cap of more than $55 million.

Christopher Crow, leader of Plano-based Catalyst Health Network, Dave Copps, co-founder and CEO of North-Texas AI startup Worlds, Elyse Dickerson, co-founder and CEO of Fort Worth earcare company Eosera, and Lea Ellermeier, founder and CEO of several dental startups in North Texas, are among curent mentors at Health Wildcatters. Zajicek says the process builds trust and resiliency, with investors having to trust that a return will be coming and entrepreneurs needing to trust in the mentorship and guidance that they receive, knowing funding may be difficult to secure. “In the startup life, you’re going to have to knock on many doors to get the check,” Zajicek says. “They have to understand that they cannot let those things get to them.” He’s optimistic about the future, even in the face of a potential recession. “I’m fairly bullish on the fact that the people who invest in private deals understand that it’s a long term play,” he says.

O P E N E R BY D A N S A E L I N G E R / T R U N K A R C H I V E ; I C O N S : S H U T T E R S T O C K

Hubert Zajicek fought for his U.S. citizenship prior to leading accelerator Healthcare Wildcatters.

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THE INNOVATION AWARDS INDIVIDUAL CATEGORIES CIO/CTO OF THE YEAR Andrew Bender, DZS Finalist: Chris Akeroyd, Children’s Health CORPORATE INNOVATOR OF THE YEAR David C. Williams, AT&T Finalists: Matt Heydon, Toyota Financial Services; Alok Maskara, Lennox International; Heidi SoltisBerner, Deloitte INNOVATION ADVOCATE OR ACCELERATOR LEADER OF THE YEAR Hubert Zajicek, Health Wildcatters Finalists: Trey Bowles, Techstars Physical Health Fort Worth; Cameron Cushman, The University of North Texas Health Science Center; Tarsha Hearns, The DEC Network at Redbird; Jennifer Sampson, United Way of Metropolitan Dallas INNOVATIVE LEADER OF THE YEAR Tricia D’Cruz, Catalyze Dallas Finalists: George Baker Sr., ParkHub; Dave Copps, Worlds; Ben Lamm, Colossal; Prasanna Singaraju, Qentelli; Evelyn Torres-Gomez, Solaris Technologies Services

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COMPANY CATEGORIES INNOVATION IN AI AND MACHINE LEARNING Lone Star Analysis Finalists: Access Healthcare; Oncor Electric Delivery; OxeFit; Spacee

INNOVATION IN FOOD AND BEVERAGE Darling Ingredients Finalists: 7-Eleven; OneDine; Yum! Brands; Ziosk

INNOVATION IN BIOTECHNOLOGY Caris Life Sciences Finalists: Lantern Pharma; OncoNano Medicine; Taysha Gene Therapies

INNOVATION IN HEALTHCARE Mark Cuban Cost Plus Drug Co. Finalists: Catapult Health; The Heart Center at Children’s Health; Parkland Center for Clinical Innovation; Recuro Health

INNOVATION IN CYBERSECURITY Cyber Defense Labs Finalists: Cysiv; Island; Securonix INNOVATION IN DLT, BLOCKCHAIN, AND CRYPTO Hedera + Swirlds Finalists: Applied Digital; Aurox; Blockmetrix; MoneyGram International INNOVATION IN EDUCATION RoboKind Finalists: iStation; Perot Museum of Nature and Science; Plano Independent School District; ScholarShot; UWorld

INNOVATION IN MANUFACTURING AND CONSUMER GOODS Celanese Corp.

Finalists: BeautyBio; Tetra Pak; Twisted X INNOVATION IN SAAS Arcade Finalists: Botisimo; Spotio; Thryv INNOVATION IN SPORTS OpTic Gaming Finalists: GameSquare Esports; Monarc; nVenue

INNOVATION IN FINANCE Gig Wage Finalists: Bestow; Indyfin; Nada; Valor

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N ATA L I E G O F F WILL MADDOX

portrait by

From his home base in Dallas, Zimbabwean-American entrepreneur Sulman Ahmed aims to create the Starbucks of dentistry.

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I F S U L M A N A H M E D didn’t race to get to the front of the lunch line at his elementary school, he didn’t eat.

Such was life at St. George’s Catholic school in what was then Harare, Rhodesia. Once the servers ran out of chicken pies and sandwiches, there were no other options. Every kid had to hustle.

Ahmed hasn’t stopped. Today, he is the founder, chairman, and CEO of DECA Dental Group, which owns more than 150 dental offices in seven states operating under the Ideal Dental brand. The company recently got the attention of Blackstone, the largest alternative investment firm in the world.

So how did this Zimbabwean-American come to lead a dental empire in the U.S.

HARARE HOME

Sulman Ahmed’s childhood home where he lived with his parents and younger brother and sister.

MOTHER AND SON

Sulman Ahmed and his mother at Matopos National Park in what was then Rhodesia, now Zimbabwe.

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after arriving stateside with a single suitcase and fuzzy visions of movies and television shows like Baywatch?

His life is the epitome of the American Dream, but he is focused on making others’ dreams come true, too.

Ahmed balances a salt-of-the-earth everyman personality with a vision that is no less than becoming the Starbucks of dentistry, he says. He is worldly in a way that allows him to feel as comfortable talking soccer over a beer with buddies as he is at the head of a boardroom with some of the world’s most sophisticated business minds.

Ahmed’s parents were physicians born in Pakistan and moved to what was then Rhodesia before he was born because of the financial opportunities for doctors there.

The original plan was to come to Rhodesia for a couple of years and then return home, but his parents fell in love and decided to raise their family in southern Africa.

There was a small Pakistani community in Harare, but Ahmed connected with everyone. He grew up speaking Urdu with his parents and family in the home, English in school, and Shona, a local tongue, with his friends. He went to Catholic mass at school and the mosque with his Muslim family. Ahmed’s ability to assimilate and connect with his diverse classmates was one of his gifts.

“Sully was one of the lads. He didn’t stick out, but didn’t lag,” says Taffy Gutu, Ahmed’s childhood friend and classmate. “He was charming, street smart, and liked to challenge the status quo in a good way.”

Ahmed and his family lived relatively comfortably, but his world wasn’t immune to danger. He lived through the often-violent transition from White minority rule in Rhodesia to native African leadership and a name change to Zimbabwe under Robert Mugabe. Ahmed says he has a classmate who watched his parents get killed in over a farmland dispute while his friend hid under a bed.

“Things got politically bad, and anybody who could, got out of there,” Ahmed says.

If one looks at Ahmed’s life and success today, one might think he has been executing a master plan from day one. But Ahmed will be the first to admit that there hasn’t been a master plan but a series of qualities and values that have served him well. “What I learned from my childhood is that ability to hustle or go out and do something because you can’t take it for granted that someone is going take care of you,” Ahmed says.

His journey to the United States provides a clear view of that lack of a roadmap. He decided he wanted to go to school in America but didn’t know how. In his last year of school, he walked into the U.S. Consulate in Harare and asked how he could make that happen.

The consulate employee pointed to a Barron’s college guide chained to the wall, which listed each American college and its requirements. Ahmed had seen Baywatch

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“I HAVE THIS STUFF I’VE BUILT, WHICH IS GREAT, BUT IT’S NOT WORKING OUT. I REMEMBER THINKING, ‘I’M PROBABLY GOING HAVE TO FILE BANKRUPTCY.’” S U LM A N A H M E D | I d e a l D e nt a l

and told the woman he wanted to go to school where the show was filmed for what are probably obvious reasons.

She told him Florida (neither knew it was actually California), so he chose the University of Miami. The woman told him he needed to take the SAT; his last chance was in two weeks. He had never heard of the test and had never even taken a multiple-choice exam, but he did well enough to get into college and receive financial aid.

But before he left for the States, there would be one more wrinkle. Not much news about Florida made it to Harare, but when Gianni Versace was murdered outside his Miami mansion in 1997, a month before Ahmed was set to leave, his father told him Florida was too violent.

Ahmed talked his father down, but instead decided to attend the University of North Florida in Jacksonville.

••• A H M E D R E M E M B E R S landing in the Jacksonville airport and getting in line at Burger King, excited to be a real American and order fast food. But when he asked for a burger and chips in his Rhodesian accent and dialect, he was told they didn’t have any. So he pointed at the chips and said they did. “Those aren’t chips; those are fries,” the employee told him. “If you want fries, just say it that way.” Welcome to America.

His first few weeks of college were anything but ideal.

When he kept mentioning Baywatch to his roommate, he discovered that the nearby beach was on a completely different ocean from the show. During those early days, the culture shock and homesickness began to sink in, and he realized just how poorly planned this college adventure was. He wanted to go home.

On a call back home, his father took the pressure off Ahmed. His dad told him to treat it like a four-week vacation, and he could come home if he wanted. When the pressure was off, he began to make friends, leaned into his classes, and his homesickness abated. “There was no turning back after that,” Ahmed says.

Ahmed’s assimilation skills were growing quickly, and he soon realized that he wanted more diversity and vibrancy in his college experience, and found what he was looking for in UT Dallas. He transferred to UTD, and if not for that cross-country transition, Ahmed’s dental dynasty might not be based in North Texas. But as always,

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there was no master plan. “For me, it was happy-golucky,” Ahmed says. “It is all about treating people well, bringing up others through the process, and enjoying it.”

••• A H M E D G R A D UAT E D from UT Dallas with his eyes set on dental school, which he attended at Tufts in Boston. He was never happier than in the last few years of dental school, treating patients and connecting with them.

The plan was to move back to Dallas, where his parents had since relocated, and open up a practice of his own.

After finishing school, he secured funding to purchase a dental practice in Plano from a dentist ready to retire.

After working through the contractual details, he spent some time shadowing and meeting the staff at the office.

On his way out one day, one of the employees mentioned the shiny new office the current owner was building.

Ahmed was under the impression that there was a non-compete clause in the contract and was worried that the new office would take patients (and thus value) from the practice he was purchasing. After meeting with his lawyer, he was able to pull out of the deal because the other dentist’s new office wasn’t disclosed in the contract.

Like his first few weeks in America, Ahmed found himself floating in despair. He returned to North Texas without a job, still troubled by mounting dental school debt and moved in with his parents in Frisco. His dreams of owning his practice right out of school were dashed upon the rocks of a dishonest dealer, but he didn’t give up.

He worked as an associate in another office but retained the vision of doing things his way. He began to notice several aspects of what we know as a standard dental business that he thought could be done better. He didn’t quite understand it yet, but he was building the foundation for DECA Dental Group (see sidebar).

After a couple of years of work and ideation, Ahmed opened his first Ideal Dental location in 2008 in Garland while buying another practice in Corinth. In the course of 15 days, Ahmed had gone from owning zero dental practices to two. Ahmed was proud to be making his dream come true, but the timing couldn’t have been worse.

As 2008 ended, the Great Recession took hold and millions lost their jobs. For many, no job meant no dental insurance. At the time, Ahmed was $3 million in debt

Ideal Dental is shifting the focus to the patient.

ONE Ideal Dental offices are open six days a week to serve those who want to plan their appointments around work or not wait through the weekend to deal with pain. It also strives to offer new patients sameday appointments.

T WO The company schedules sameday treatments so any cavities that are discovered via a regular checkup can be immediately dealt with.

THREE Ideal Dental brings orthodontics and other specialists inhouse to help ensure quality control and streamline things for patients. All dental work has a lifetime warranty.

FOUR Like Starbucks, the chain seeks out highly visible retail settings to attract new customers. The ultimate goal is to be the first to create a national dental brand.

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But even in these darkest moments, the seeds of what would become DECA Dental were already planted, and they sprouted with a dinner at Mi Cocina in West Village.

•••

PARTY TIME

Sulman Ahmed at his 3rd grade birthday party, surrounded by his diverse schoolmates and teachers.

between school, his condo, and his business.

The startup practice wasn’t taking off as he had hoped, he was working six days a week, and at the end of 2009, he received the notice that all small business owners dread. His latest payroll checks didn’t clear the business account. So he had to move $25,000 from what was left of his personal savings to pay his employees that month.

“That was a moment where I felt like I didn’t know if I was going to make it,” Ahmed says. “I have this stuff I’ve built, which is great, but it’s not working out. I remember thinking, ‘I’m probably going have to file bankruptcy.’”

Sulman Ahmed’s journey from Zimbabwean-American schoolboy to American dental empire CEO wasn’t always smooth and straight forward.

His secret? Treating people well rather than following the master plan.

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W H E N A H M E D bought the practice in Corinth, he scheduled a meeting with the other dentist at the clinic, Dr. Shalin Patel. The two met for Mambo Taxis and Tex-Mex. Patel thought he was about to be let go to cut expenses for the new practice, but Patel wasn’t going to be too disappointed if that was the case. He had become unsatisfied with the way the clinic was being run under previous ownership.

Ahmed had other plans. The two young clinicians immediately clicked, and Ahmed began laying out his vision for changing the dental industry, prioritizing the customers, and building a national brand. Patel was inspired and all in on what was to come.

“When I heard his plans, it was refreshing and re-energizing. It got me thinking the way he was thinking,” Patel says. “I didn’t know his long-term plan for me, but I was ready to run through a wall for him.”

Patel became the first dental associate in his practice, and Ahmed has stuck with his day one colleague.

Today, Patel is a partner and chief medical officer for DECA Dental, focused on hiring and establishing the vision for the growing corporation. Ahmed and Patel powered through the early days of Ideal Dental, meeting in Corinth on Tuesdays and Thursdays, to discuss the concept and plans for growth and expansion. “We didn’t know we were building something special,” Patel says.

“We didn’t know what we didn’t know, but there was a bond between us.”

The business made it through those hectic early years and, by 2011, was growing steadily, adding locations throughout North Texas. As Ahmed had predicted, patients found the extended schedule and focus on service attractive. Employees and dentists may have needed a bit more convincing to work hours and days they hadn’t expected to be on duty, but the proof was in the pudding,

1997

2008

2009

2012

Sulman Ahmed moves from Zimbabwe to Florida to attend the University of North Florida, hoping to relive the Baywatch experience.

Ahmed opens the first two Ideal Dental offices within the span of two weeks in the Dallas suburbs during the Great Recession.

As millions of people across America lost their jobs and dental insurance, Ideal Dental was unable to clear payroll one month.

Ahmed stops seeing patients and moves into a full-time CEO role and creates DECA Dental Group as parent company of 10 locations.

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PH OTO G R A PH Y CO U RTESY O F S U LMAN AH M E D

and the busy Fridays and Saturdays were opportunities to make more money.

The business continued to grow, and in 2012 Ahmed stopped seeing patients and moved into a full-time CEO role. In 2015 the company received its first outside investment, spurring even more growth. At the time, Ideal Dental had around 800 employees in the Dallas region and, in 2016, moved outside of North Texas.

But despite the growing corporate empire, Ahmed feels that it is vital that he retain ownership and that the company be clinician-led, which separates it from many dental services organizations run by MBAs and operations experts. Ahmed and Patel at the top of the C-suite give confidence to new dentist hires who may be wary of a corporate practice.

Even in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic’s height, Ideal Dental kept growing, expanding into Florida. Then last year, Blackstone—the world’s largest alternative investment firm which had more than $951 billion in assets under management in the third quarter of 2022—came calling. DECA Dental received the highest multiple ever paid in the dental segment. If any ally can make Ideal Dental the Starbucks of dentistry, it’s Blackstone.

A major boon to the growth of DECA Dental following Blackstone’s investment was Ahmed’s introduction to Nigel Travis as a strategic advisor. Travis was previously the president and COO of Blockbuster as well as the CEO of both Dunkin’ Brands and Papa John’s International. He knows what it takes to build a ubiquitous brand.

Travis was struck by Ahmed’s charisma and business savvy. “He’s very disciplined and communicates everything that goes into building the business,” Travis says.

“What’s attractive about Sulman is that he is not a topdown leader. He listens and gets people to participate.”

Despite brushing shoulders with corporate heavy hitters, Ahmed sees his primary goal as helping others grow alongside the company. He met Patel in his company’s earliest days and still works alongside him today.

In the Corinth office, Cassie Jenkins was the original front office person. Today, she is the senior vice president of operations for DECA Dental. She isn’t alone.

Several other colleagues from the original dental office have also stuck with the company and grown with it.

“We have the people that started it and have come along for the ride,” Ahmed says. “Those people are still here, and they’ve had an opportunity to grow not only financially but also intellectually.”

These days, Ahmed spends most of his time thinking strategically and traveling to new territories. The company is opening a new Ideal Dental office every nine days and it has doubled its revenue since 2020 while maintaining double digit same store sales growth. If he keeps it up, Ahmed could make his dream, of a national dental brand, a reality.

In so many ways, Ahmed hasn’t forgotten his roots. To this day, he is an active member of a WhatsApp group text of his graduating class at St. George’s, aptly named “96 OG Tuck Shop,” with 80 schoolmates who live around the world. Although he wants to build a dental empire, people have always been first. “It gives me so much joy knowing how many lives I’ve had the chance to impact from this little concept of starting a dental office.”

ON THE ROAD

Sulman Ahmed says his mother instilled fight and perseverance into his character at a young age.

2015

2016

2017

2020

2021

2022

Ideal Dental grows to 30 locations and secures its first PE investment, though Ahmed maintains control of the company.

Now with 50 locations, the company expands beyond North Texas and into other Texas markets under the Ideal branding.

Ahmed is named EY Entrepreneur of The Year for the Southwest Region for the rapid and innovative growth of Ideal Dental.

Ideal Dental expands outside of Texas for the first time in its history. Today the company has numerous locations in seven states.

The company, now with more than 100 locations across the U.S. receives the highest multiple ever in the dental segment from Blackstone.

DECA Dental Group expands to more than 150 locations across the U.S. and is opening a new storefront every nine days.

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For over 30 years, The Real Estate Council has invested in Dallas’ greatest asset: You. Since its founding more than three decades ago, The Real Estate Council (TREC) has been a catalyst for accelerating the careers of Dallas’ commercial real estate trailblazers and developing the industry leaders of tomorrow.

We believe that relationships are the lifeblood of career success, civic responsibility, and community investment. We connect our members with one-of-a-kind industry experiences that empower them to create a positive, lasting impact on our city.

LEADERSHIP

PUBLIC POLICY

COMMUNITY INVESTMENT

1,160

60

$16.6M

Number of graduates from a leadership development program

Number of critical policy issues championed for that positively impact our industry and long-term regional economic growth

Amount invested in neighborhood revitalization efforts in the form of loans and grants

Together, with the work of our dedicated members, we continue to support our city’s economic success and positively shape our region’s future.

To learn more about TREC’s impact, or to get involved, visit recouncil.com.

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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

LESSON LEARNED

Powering Through Fear and Uncertainty Bob Pryor, CEO P H O T O G R A P H Y B Y YA R O S L AV D A N Y L C H E N K O

N T T DATA

“in the early 2000s , i led a sales pursuit for a huge it services project. the client was a major company in a precarious situation and in urgent need of operational and financial transformation. My firm’s proposal was its own form of ‘betting our company,’ with substantial risks. One of the client’s requirements to accept our proposal was for me to lead the project full-time. For the next two years, the difficulty of the project led to frequent disagreements with the client. Despite the uncertainties and sleepless nights, our team never missed a deliverable, service level, or schedule. Most days, to be completely honest, I just wanted it to end. Yet it taught me to be more patient, to compartmentalize, and to focus on things that are within my control. In difficult periods that are filled with fear and uncertainty, I often hear an REM song playing in my head: ‘It’s the end of the world as we know it.’ But I know we will find a way to get through it.” — as told to Ben Swanger

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R E A L E S TAT E

What’s Next for DFW’s Multifamily Market?

Here’s a rundown of the good, the bad, and the ugly trends to watch in 2023. story by BRANDON J. CALL

BREAKING GROUND Dallas-based Columbus Realty is developing the 257-unit Fields North project in Frisco.

T

the new year provides an opportunity for economists and analysts to look ahead. Most are optimistic about Dallas-Fort Worth’s strength as a growing metro, which provides some insulation against projected downturns. Indeed, the region added 303,700 new jobs in October for a 7.82 percent increase year-over-year, per the latest Texas Workforce Commission figures. DFW’s unemployment rate was equally encouraging, remaining at a low 3.4 percent.

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Most economists expect 2023 to end flat or slightly negative, with a mild to moderate recession in 2023 that will affect all commercial real estate asset classes. “We expect the U.S. economy will enter a recession in the first half of 2023,” an October 2022 report by Dallas-based real estate giant CBRE predicts, which is in line with forecasts from all the major industry players. “Although we do not expect a steep downturn, there are downside risks that the rapid rise in interest rates could impact financial markets.”

Retail real estate remains at a crossroads, while the future of office space remains similarly debatable. But local multifamily investments continue to perform well, according to the latest from Moody’s Analytics. And although multi-

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FIELD NOTES

family owners and investors aren’t immune to cost increases and interest rate woes, they can more easily adjust rents in real time to account for market changes. So, as we enter the new year, here are some local multifamily market trends to keep an eye on in 2023.

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

THE GOOD Although a slowdown is predicted, it won’t be a massive drop-off, industry experts predict. As demand for apartment living shows few signs of slowing, rents and occupancy remain high in Dallas-Fort Worth. According to the most recent stats from the industry database Apartment List, year-over-year rent growth remains strong at 12.3 percent, beating the state average of 8.3 percent and the national average of 7.5 percent.

According to the data, median rents in Dallas for a one-bedroom apartment are $1,244, while a two-bedroom apartment averages $1,487.

“It can be challenging to look past the convergence of negative headlines,” says Colliers’ Jörg Mast, a multifamily broker with more than 20 years of experience. “Apartment developers are still getting their deals done, despite experiencing serious headwinds from cost increases and supply-chain issues. Occupancy remains a solid 95 percent. And, as rents continue to climb somewhat slower, they are still almost 15 percent over pre-pandemic levels.”

THE BAD S2 Capital’s Scott Everett, who surpassed Blackstone as Dallas’ most active multifamily buyer in 2022, says he put a third of his portfolio on the market in July of that year and sold it by December. “I honestly thank my team for executing that so well,” he says. “We’re sitting in an excellent position right now with a clean balance sheet. I’d say today you’re going to have a tough time getting rid of anything that you haven’t owned for many years or aren’t willing to take a significant price cut on.”

Everett notes that some multifamily REITs are down by 25 percent in 2022. He also sees a slowdown on the development front in the next couple of years. “There’s still a massive pipeline of multifamily deals under construction, and I don’t see any signs of developers not being able to complete those developments that are already financed,” Everett says. “But I think rent growth has slowed a bit, and many people had to forecast aggressive numbers to get deals done. So, you’ll

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have a tough time during lease-up when those units come onto the market, and in obtaining financing on future deals and getting deals done next year as rent growth begins to cool.”

K E Y S TAT S

THE UGLY Housing affordability remains a hot-button issue for our region and state—and is something to keep a close eye on in the year ahead. Higher mortgage rates continue to contribute to declining housing affordability, meaning more Texans will continue to rent.

“The Texas Housing Affordability Index (THAI), which measures the relationship between the median family income and the required income to purchase the median-priced home in a particular locale, faced widespread declines last quarter, largely precipitated by the significant uptick in mortgage interest rates,” says Clare Losey, a research economist for the Texas Real Estate Research Center at Texas A&M University. And although housing overall is still affordable in Texas with a THAI ratio of 1.12 statewide, that number is 1.03 for the Dallas-Plano-Arlington MSA, meaning the median family may soon be unable to afford homes in our region. It’s not good news for the market overall and the throngs of people who continue to move here, but it does indicate solid ongoing multifamily demand.

$1, 244

The Market at a Glance The average price for a onebedroom apartment in Dallas $1, 487

The average price for a twobedroom apartment in Dallas 95 PER CENT

The average current occupancy for DFW’s apartment sector 3 . 4 PER CENT

The unemployment rate for DFW as of October 2022 3 03,700

Number of new jobs added to the region in October $89,000

Median income of Dallas County residents in 2022 $394,000

The median price of a home in Dallas-Plano-Irving MSA as of October 2022

COMING SOON

A $3 billion, 112acre mixed-use development is underway at the former Wade Park site.

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ON TOPIC

What key leadership strategies do you value the most? edited by BEN SWANGER

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illustrations by JAKE MEYERS

JEAN CLAUDE TISSOT

TAMELA THORNTON

CHRIS CALANDRO

President COCA- COL A SOUTHWEST B E V E R AG E S

Executive Director URBAN LAND INSTITUTE DA L L A S - F O R T W O R T H

Founder and CEO BIG GAME USA

“I strive to build a culture that is agile enough to understand the complexity of our industry without overcomplicating the process. This means our team should be able to simplify our processes and deliver solutions that benefit both the customer and the end-consumer. Additionally, I aim to maximize a culture with leaders who are authentic, approachable, and adaptable. This allows us to take care of our frontline heroes, customers, brands, and community.”

“Active listening is one of the most important strategic skills I rely on. My role with my team is to be a coach and translator, making sure we understand what is important to our members and then helping the members translate their ideas into programs or larger events.

We do a great deal of committee work, and I’ve learned that committees won’t get much done without a leader to ensure that one dominant voice doesn’t discourage full engagement.”

“I can’t stitch a football anymore; I can’t grind like our sales team; and I’m not detail-oriented enough to do our accounting.

We all need each other to make this place hum. I don’t work for a fancy reserved parking spot or make people do everything my way. I always think: ‘What’s more important, your heart, your lungs, or your brain?’ The truth is, you need all of them. We all need each other with our diverse gifts and backgrounds to move everything forward.”

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redmaplecatering.com 940.334.5513 Park City | Vail | Dallas

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THOUGHT LEADER

Inoculating Your Workforce Against Quiet Quitting

employees will continue to succeed. We can’t assume our employees will share their needs and goals with us. As leaders, we must prioritize regular check-ins with our teams and ask them meaningful questions like, “What are the current roadblocks to your success at work?” and “Looking ahead, what are your goals for yourself in this current role?”

Staffing exec Melanie Shaffer says a focus on talent acquisition and retention is, and always will be, the antidote to employee disengagement.

Q

P H O T O G R A P H Y B Y J U A N M OYA N O

2.

1.

FEED YOUR TEAM’S NEEDS BY ASKING QUESTIONS. Although current events and market forces are ever-changing, the solution to finding and keeping the best talent is the same as it has always been. Those who ask the right questions and invest the time into understanding their

uiet quitting is the topic du jour in business circles, another fallout from the Covid era, according to experts.

America’s workers are burned out by excessive workloads, unclear expectations, and lack of leadership support. After nearly 20 years in recruiting and talent strategy, I can confirm that the quiet quitting concept is not new—it just has fresh branding.

Gallup research shows that for at least the last decade, just 35 percent of workers have been truly engaged and driven by their work. This means almost two-thirds of your workforce is at risk of either leaving altogether or underperforming. But this doesn’t have to be a doomsday prediction for your company. Instead, you can turn it into an opportunity. In my years of consulting, I’ve observed that many leaders don’t take the time to truly get to know their employees. When you make talent acquisition and retention your top strategic priority, you can inoculate your company against many of the market forces that come and go. Here are three tips to get started:

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TAKE PULSE SURVEYS OFTEN AND QUICKLY SHARE RESULTS. We’ve all worked for the employer who sends out a detailed annual survey, the results of which disappear. The pulse survey is more timely and practical. Consider sending out three to five questions to all employees once per quarter. Be sure to share the results, plus your plan to address concerns, right away. When employees feel heard and seen, they are more willing to stick around during challenges.

3.

CONNECT INDIVIDUAL CONTRIBUTIONS TO COMPANY GOALS. Employees need to know how their work fits into the goals of the broader organization. Younger workers especially want to believe that their work matters.

Effective communication is key. Leadership and communication training can help managers translate big-picture goals down to how each worker helps achieve those goals. This is especally important for employees whose work is overly challenging or monotonous.

Melanie Shaffer is the founder and president of Talent Suite, a Richardson-based talent consulting firm.

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DFW BUSINESS LEADERS

ART OF STYLE

P H OTO G R A P H Y BY R E B E C C A P A T T O N

RANCH2O SPIRITS FOUNDER AND CEO AMELIA LETTIERI EMPHASIZES VERSATILITY IN HER WARDROBE

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WHAT I DO: “I run Dallas-based RancH2O Spirits. We have four canned cocktails on the market, distributed in seven states.”

STYLE ICON: “I’m half British, so my love of the monarchy naturally runs deep. Princess Diana has always had the perfect look for whatever event she was attending. She also was daring and bold with her fashion.”

ON THE JOB: “If I’m going to be visiting liquor stores, I make sure to wear outfits that are conducive to lifting and merchandising. I love to look put together, but a girl has got to be comfortable, which means I’m in sneakers.”

FASHION INSPIRATION: “The bottom line is that if I don’t feel beautiful in what I’m wearing, it will affect my confidence. When I feel beautiful, I’m unstoppable.”

SIGNING DAY

Rodriguez signed to play college football at Texas A&M out of North Mesquite High School.

STYLE DEFINED: “Comfortably classic but unafraid to make some bold choices.”

SNAPSHOT

FASHION ESSENTIALS: “An Hermés Clic bracelet— or two! You can dress them up or down.”

GO-TO LOOK: “I have an addiction to La Vie Style House. Their wraps and caftans are bold and make a statement, and I’m known to wear them everywhere.”

Finding a Place to Call Home Charles Schwab executive and former NFL player Christian Rodriguez found stability just in time.

HOW I ACCESSORIZE: “I usually wear a pair of diamond earrings, a delicate necklace, the Clic bracelets on one arm, and a Cartier watch on the other arm.”

WEEKEND LOOK: “I have three young children. If I’m with them, I’m in casual clothes that can take a beating.”

FAVORITE STORE: “Tootsies. I work with the sweetest woman, Sherry, and she’ll have a dressing room with options for me when I arrive, all perfect for every occasion.”

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christian rodriguez reached the athletic pinnacle, playing in the National Football League for the Indianapolis Colts under Head Coach Tony Dungy. But the president and COO of Charles Schwab Premier Bank muddled through an unsteady childhood to make it there.

After being born in New York, Rodriguez lived with his grandparents in the Dominican Republic for the first six years of his life. He then moved in with his mother in the U.S., but six years later she was sentenced to nearly 30 years in prison for drug trafficking. His next three years included military school and seperate living stints with his aunt and uncle. He then jumped from couch to couch with

friends until his sophomore year at North Mesquite High School ended. He came close to breaking and thought his only escape route was returning to the Dominican Republic.

But after his sophomore year, a stabilizing influence emerged in the form of his head football coach, Mark Elam. “He told me he saw something in me,” Rodriguez says. “And that was the first time anyone said that to me.” Elam adopted the teenager and the two agreed that Rodriguez would live with him and his wife for two years. Under Elam’s guidance, Rodriguez found structure. But it didn’t always come easy. “Being a person of color and living with a White family, we had adjustments to make, and we would definitely get looks,” he says.

Rodriguez went on to earn a football scholarship to Texas A&M University and his success led him to go pro. “Coach Elam taught me that if you think like a champion, and act like a champion you can become a champion—and I still carry that mindset with me today in executive leadership,” Rodriguez says. —Ben Swanger

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MEMORABLE RIDES

Jason McCann Explores Creativity on Canvas The Vari CEO’s Pollock-esque paintings convey the energy he feels and help spark entrepreneurial innovation. story by ALYSSA FIELDS

several times a week, in the wee hours of the morning, Jason McCann heads into his home art studio—a spare room with covered floors and cardboard-lined walls—to fling bright colors at a canvas. “If I’m in the flow, I’ll just go in there and paint,” he says. In 2022 alone, the co-founder and CEO of Coppell-based office furniture company Vari and its real estate sister group VariSpace produced more than 70 abstract paintings.

A self-taught artist, he began experimenting with painting in the ’90s, producing graffiti-style art inspired by the reggae-style restaurant and nightclub he owned. “I was terrible, but I liked it,” he recalls. McCann left the hobby for a while, then dabbled again roughly 10 years ago, but the passion really took hold during the pandemic. “The release and the energy I felt—it started to feel really good,” he says. “I just kept doing it.”

His Pollock-esque paintings, both colorful and muted, embody the energy he feels. “Art is just one piece of me now that’s coming out,” he says. McCann is known for his Steve Jobs-like approach to wardrobe, a technique to reduce the number of decisions in a day, but in his art studio, his vibrancy reveals itself. “It’s a little shocking because I wear black all day and I’m pretty simple,” he says. “But this allows me to be probably how I really am.”

Once he had filled up his own walls, McCann began suggesting that friends pick up a painting to donate to nonprofits such as Metrocrest Services. Then, the nonprofits started coming directly to him.

He has been asked to paint pieces for his alma matter, the University of Houston, HIGH ENERGY as well as TCU, and McCann donated this piece, titled is now working on a “In Flux” to AIA. It expresses that canvas for Make-Alife is constantly Wish Foundation. “I changing, he says.

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don’t think my stuff’s worthy, but people like it,” he says. A recent auction of a McCann original raised $2,800 for Coppell Arts Center.

He finds the creation process for both art and business to be similar. “As an entrepreneur, you are an artist,” McCann says. “You have to have that creative sense about you because you are constantly innovating and exploring.” Art has helped him feel comfortable experimenting as a leader, too. “I look at it as a space to try things, and that’s how businesses is, and that’s how we operate as a culture,” he says. Both in painting and in business, you must be prepared to take risks, fail, change, learn, and create, he adds. “You’re doing this because you’re trying to make a positive impact,” McCann says. “Some people may or may not resonate with it, and that’s OK.”

We asked area C-Suiters to tell us about the first vehicles they ever owned.

“My first car was a Nissan 240SX. It was a stick shift, and I learned how to drive it on the way home after buying it. This, in many ways, serves as a metaphor for my entire career. Do the work. Figure it out. Be bold. And above all, keep moving forward.”

E D G A R G U E VA R A

President and CEO M Crowd Restaurant Group

“My father was a race car driver, and depending on who was sponsoring his car at the time, that would determine what I would drive. My first car was a Pontiac Trans Am.” MICHELE WHEELER

CEO and President Jackson-Shaw

“I bought an old, small 4-cylinder Buick for $150 that didn’t have heat or air conditioning, but it worked. I lived in Michigan at the time, and driving in the winter from my house to my job at a tire store was very cold.”

CRAIG HALL

Founder and Chairman HALL Group

“My first car was a 1976 Chevy Chevette. You would not think of that car as an ‘off-road’ vehicle, but I proved it could be. I kept several spare wheels and tires in the back. In the winter in Pennsylvania, it got me to the ski resort with studded tires. I sold it years later for $700.”

K E N N E T H N OV I C E

President and CEO Broadway Dallas

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

PURSUITS

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12/9/22 11:44 AM

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CAPE FOX LODGE

Owned by the Saxman Village, the lodge was built by natives in 1990.

COZY SUITES

Most rooms at Waterfall Resort on the Prince of Wales Island offer views of the Ulloa Channel.

W E L L T R AV E L E D

Waterfall Resort, Alaska Reconnect with the great outdoors in the Last Frontier, one of M&A lawyer Melissa Stewart’s most memorable destinations. story by BEN SWANGER

GOLDEN HOUR

FOREST FAME

The region does not showcase the Midnight Sun, but the sunsets and sunrises are still Instagrammable.

NATIVE CUISINE Cape Fox’s Heen Kahidi Dining Room serves everything from seafood soup to elk burgers.

Alaska’s Tongass National forest is the secondlargest rainforest in the world.

BOAT BRIGADE

Waterfall Resort boasts Alaska’s largest private fishing boat fleet of 27 aluminum North River cabin cruisers.

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W

with a humpback whale breaching the water just a reel cast away, I hooked what I believed to be a boulder on my fishing line. After a 10-minute fight, what surfaced was a 100-pound halibut. It was the first fish I had caught since I was 10, but inexperience was irrelevant at Waterfall Resort on the Prince of Wales Island in Alaska. After three days of fishing, I wound up with 95 pounds of halibut, salmon, black bass, and lingcod on my return flight to Dallas.

I embarked on my journey to the Last Frontier by flying into Ketchikan, Alaska—the salmon capital of the world. Most Waterfall visitors stay overnight in Ketchikan before taking a floatplane ride to the resort, which is only accessible by sea and air, the next day. I’d recommend staying at Cape Fox Lodge, perched in the Tongass National Forest. For dinner in the resort’s dining room Heen Kahidi, the grilled pesto halibut was a standout—and it’s a recipe I’m recreating in my home kitchen for the halibut I caught.

The 30-minute floatplane ride over the collection of islands and forests is breathtaking. And landing on the glassy water just a few breast strokes from the docks at Waterfall Resort is exhilarating. At first sight, I felt reconnected with nature. Then, after checking in and being

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assigned specialized fishing gear—such as bib overalls and waterproof boots—I joined Fisher (my appropriately named fishing guide) on Boat 26 and took off for the sea. That first afternoon, my two fellow fishermen and I netted just a handful of fish. But over the next two days, we caught the maximum number of fish during our full-day outings.

The resort’s 26 rugged yet comfortable boardwalk cabins were built in 1912 to house fish cannery crew members. Since then, 66 more rooms, suites, and townhouses have been added to the property. The Tongass Townhouses host up to four guests in the two-story accommodation perched up against the forest. The Egg House Suites built over the water are also a great option.

In my downtime from reeling in the beasts of the sea, I took a 45-minute hike to a majestic waterfall deep in the forest of the 52-acre property.

For most of the hike, I walked safely behind a baby black bear. When I arrived, his mother was tearing apart a jumping salmon at the waterfall’s base—a memory I will remember for a lifetime.

I didn’t leave the resort hungry, that is for sure. Just like summer camp, dinner is at the same time for all guests each night. The buffet serves all the classic Alaskan dishes, such as reindeer sausage, elk, king crab legs, anything salmon, halibut, and more. After dinner, the Lagoon Saloon beckoned my name each night for a drink—or six. And yes, the veteran bartender, Ron, was on call to arrange shuttle service for anyone who hits their limit.

(I’m not speaking from experience.)

I also spent some downtime hitting JUMP AROUND More than 500 golf balls on the property’s lone par humpback whales 3, 175-yard golf hole that taunts with inhabit the waters of the Inside an intimidating island green.

Passage.

I left Waterfall Resort a little sore from my battle with the 100-pound halibut but refreshed in every other way by the great outdoors. Unfortunately, I didn’t catch the king salmon of the season—but if you do, you win $10,000 and a chance at a Ford F-150—but the 95 pounds of fresh Alaskan fish I’m still enjoying to this day sure makes me feel royal.

T R AV E L T I P S

The Circle of Life Winstead PC attorney Melissa Stewart set sail with 16 family members on an Alaskan cruise in 2006, and Ketchikan, known as “Alaska’s first city,” was her favorite stop. “The nature is astonishing,” she says. “The landscape is like an impressionist painting. And one of the most amazing things I’ve ever seen is the salmon leap from the river. The only thing that topped it was watching the bears catch the salmon.”

For lunch and dinner in town, Stewart says the “more dive-y the restaurant appears to be, the better the food will be—it has that New Orleans vibe to it.” Stewart’s parents planned the trip for three generations within the family; she hopes to carry on the tradition with a new Alaskan voyage for her own grandchildren, once they grow old enough.

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DUAL CITIZENS

Vahid’s sister (left photo, far right) was born in the United States and did not have to stay in Spain.

HOLIDAY CHEER Vahid (bottom photo) celebrates Persian New Year in March with his older cousin (left) and sister (right).

STRONG BOND

Vahid (right photo, center) celebrates his fifth birthday with his sister, father, and mother in Shiraz, Iran.

ROOTS

FARZAD VAHID as told to KELSEY J. VANDERSCHOOT illustration by JAKE MEYERS

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entrepreneur farzad vahid fled iran with his family during the country’s revolution in the 1980s, finding shelter in Spain before landing in Southern California. Vahid started his first company, Fornida, in 2012. Four years later, he moved to Dallas to launch a second enterprise hardware startup, ZaynTek. He added Habitat Commons, a Plano-based coworking space for creatives, last year. Here, he shares how being an immigrant has shaped him as a leader: “We had to pay $10,000 a head to have somebody smuggle us out. My parents left everything behind. I later found out that my mom was pregnant at the time. She had to get an abortion, because if we got caught, we were going to go to prison. My mom and dad sacrificed

everything for my sister and I to get out of there.

We were smuggled in a truck across the border.

When we got to Pakistan, we got to an airport, then my parents and I flew to Spain. My parents stayed with me in Barcelona for a while. They flew to the U.S., and they got to immigration, and they had expired passports. My dad told the agent the entire story of them escaping. She stamped their passports and said, ‘Welcome to the United States.’ Being an immigrant gives you that mentality where you’re never going to give up. I look at what my parents did and what they sacrificed. They came here with nothing, so if I lose it all I can build it again. I think that’s the biggest mindset difference between immigrants and people who were born here.”

P H OTO G R A P H Y C O U R T E S Y O F F A R Z A D V A H I D

Founder and CEO F O R N I DA , Z AY N T E K , A N D H A B I TAT C O M M O N S

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That’s how we keep the materials in use for as long as possible.

Learn more at gonature.tetrapak.com 1. The World Bank, What a Waste 2.0. 2. Carton packages are collected and recycled worldwide, where waste management and recycling infrastructure is in place 3. Made solely from responsibly sourced renewable or recycled materials, fully recyclable and carbon neutral.

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FEATURING

Women leading tech and innovation

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Capital One, Marissa Horne

64 Slalom

66 Thomson Reuters

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Amazon, Sandra McNeil

69 Revision Skincare

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The University of Texas at Dallas

Dallas’ female STEM leaders are paving the way for more women to enter this growing field.

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PURSUE YOUR PASSION Local STEM leaders and trailblazers offer insight and advice.

Women occupy approximately 28% of the STEM workforce and, on average, make 83 cents for every dollar earned by their male counterparts.

At first glance, these numbers are disappointing, but they are consistently improving as more young women study STEM in college and pursue careers where their expertise is rewarded with competitive pay.

And Dallas is leading the way. This progress is due, in large part, to forward-thinking companies that have made it a priority to attract and promote women in technology.

Companies that want to provide more opportunities for women in STEM and recruit the best in the industry understand that fostering a passion for STEM starts early—elementary-age to be exact.

Whether through their own programs or by joining outside opportunities, they are reaching out to young women and girls in the community and offering their expertise to either pique their interest in STEM or to help them make their way through the ranks.

One local opportunity where girls can pursue STEM-related interests is Girl Scouts of Northeast Texas’ STEM Center of Excellence, a 92-acre, $15 million hub of inspiration. A sprawling living laboratory in South Dallas, it is the first of its kind in the United States and provides year-round opportunities in robotics, computer coding, botany, chemistry, and more. Through the STEM Center of Excellence, Girl Scouts of Northeast Texas

is feeding the STEM workforce pipeline to meet the urgent need for female voices, engagement, and leadership in the fastest growing sector of the U.S. economy.

Jennifer Makins was a classroom teacher for 20 years before becoming executive director for the Girl Scouts of Northeast Texas STEM Center of Excellence. She says she saw first-hand what can happen if girls don’t have an advocate in their corner encouraging them in math and science.

They risk falling behind, or not trying at all. “We are continuing our strategic work to solve the impending workforce gap,” Makins says. “We provide access to hands-on, real-world learning opportunities that engage and excite them. These girls will go back into their classrooms and choose STEM opportunities in school and beyond. Our goal is to give them the confidence to raise their hands and solve the math problem. More than 50% of girls don’t consider a career in STEM, and we need to better understand why. We can help girls understand that, while STEM is a challenging field, they are the key to solving the world’s problems.”

“Exposing girls to the cutting-edge of science creates comfort with the subject.

Girls should learn early that they don’t have to be perfect. In fact, it’s good to get a little messy when trying new things, and it is OK to fail and try again.”

JENNIFER MAKINS, Girl Scouts of Northeast Texas STEM Center of Excellence

“If you believe in yourself and are willling to work hard, you can learn just about anything.

Stay engaged in science and math in school, which will open the door to so many opportunities. Find a role in the STEM field that aligns with your passion. Build your network and reach out to organizations that support women in STEM—there are no shortages of resource groups.”

SANDRA MCNEIL , Amazon’s FTW6

“Look for someone further along in your journey who can be a mentor, sponsor, and advocate—but who will also challenge you to push yourself harder. Others will want to travel this road, so bring them along. We all bring a different perspective and add another voice in the room.”

S A R A E AT O N , Slalom

“Fight against the forces that tell you that math is hard, or science isn’t for girls. Instead, lean into the classes that push you to think differently, to solve problems in ways that you haven’t before, and that stretch your creativity.”

MARISSA HORNE , Capital One

“Women nurture with compassion while tackling challenges with skillful strategy. These are balancing characteristics in the STEM world that are even more important with the rise of Artificial Intelligence and reliance on tech to carryout business. Girls and youth in general need to know there is a place for them in the STEM world.”

DA’ L AC I E M C C R E W, Thomson Reuters

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WOMEN LEADING TECH AND INNOVATION 2023

Marissa Horne

Vice President of Tech Strategy and Governance, Capital One

CA P I TA L O N E . C O M • @ CA P I TA L O N E • L I N K E D I N / I N / M A R I S S A H O R N E

DIVERSITY IN the executive population is a top priority at

National Society of Black Engineers, Per Scholas, Year Up, Women Who Code, Black Girls Who Code, AnitaB.org Institute, IT Senior Management Forum, and the Hispanic IT Executive Council. Local partnerships include WEDallas, Girls Inc., Bot Camp, and Girl Scouting in a School Day Dallas. Capital One understands that having more women in tech means encouraging girls in STEM at an early age.

“As I traverse the city, I’ve found that Dallas-based organizations are being intentional in including women in STEM in their workforce in ways that we have not seen historically. Indeed, we are witnessing a time where there are leadership development programs, scholarships, mentoring opportunities and support networks that are committed to building a pipeline of women in STEM,” says Marissa Horne, vice president of technology strategy and governance. “I think the Dallas-Fort Worth region has a unique opportunity to become a leading innovation hub across STEM domains, especially technology. Leveraging the power of private enterprise and university partnerships, this region has the ingredients to elevate its technology ecosystem. As this occurs, and we move further along the innovation curve, women must play an integral role in bringing this reality to life.”

BRET REDMAN

Capital One, and efforts to propel women into influential roles are coming to fruition. Women represent 50% of the workforce at Capital One and the company continues to invest in programs and policies that provide opportunities for women to expand professionally and thrive personally.

Examples at Capital One include several Business Resource Groups (BRGs) committed to developing the next generation of women leaders. They include the Women in Tech BRG which creates a space for women to see and reach leadership opportunities in tech, the Equality Allies program which raises awareness of the inequalities that women and underrepresented groups face in tech, and the empowHER BRG which creates a space for female associates to obtain support and advice while working together for the advancement of women both in and outside of the company. Recognizing the challenges women face in the technology industry, Capital One established the Women in Tech BRG to help elevate and support women technologists through mentoring, speaker training, skill building, and community partnerships. This led to the launch of Blacks in Tech and Hispanics in Tech.

In addition, Capital One has formed deep external partnerships with DFW*Alliance of Technology and Women,

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WOMEN LEADING TECH AND INNOVATION 2023

Slalom SL ALOM.COM @ S L A L O M C O N S U LT I N G

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WITHIN THE company and throughout the community, Sla-

lom remains a standout when it comes to supporting women in STEM. With over 14,000 employees across the globe—500 in Dallas-Fort Worth—women comprise a significant portion of the team and are making impactful contributions in cloud development, mobile application development, product engineering, coding, and data analytics. “There has been an intentional effort and focus to have women leaders across all levels in Slalom, from associate consultants to general manager,” says Sara Eaton, managing director. “We have focused our efforts on recruiting and retaining women in these STEM roles and are constantly looking for opportunities to give back.”

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and to help students find new opportunities,” Eaton says.

“We want girls and young women to say, ‘I can see myself in this space.’”

These efforts aren’t unnoticed. Eaton recently won a Women in Tech award from the Dallas Business Journal, and Slalom received a Women Leaders in Technology award from Consulting magazine. Slalom is visible across the country as women leaders have a presence at national STEM conferences. Says Eaton, “Slalom utilizes these networking opportunities to hire, and we are always open to looking at different ways for women in STEM to be successful.”

FROM LEFT TO RIGHT: KELLY WOOD, DEVYN KERR, CHIAMAKA AMADI, AMANDA DUNHAM, LESLEY WALLACE, TASFIA RAHMAN, NEHA KAMALIA, NAYOUNG KIM, SARA EATON, DHARENI JEYARAMAN, ASHLEY BELL, KARA COOPER, HOLLY HOWELL, NIRANJANA RAMANATHAN, ROOPAM VERMA, CARLY CARAWAY

BRET REDMAN

Slalom sponsors multiple employee resource groups within the company to help build inclusivity, celebrate diversity, and foster belonging. This group develops Slalom women’s technical and business skills, creates an inclusive and thriving community of technical thought leaders, and fosters external relationships with partners and organizations, such as Girl Scouts of Northeast Texas, Girls Who Code, and Black Girls Code. These groups also work to influence and support the pipeline of school-aged girls in the STEM field, increase representation of women in technology, and teach classes at UTD to generate excitement about STEM. “We work to promote STEM careers and skill-building

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WOMEN LEADING TECH AND INNOVATION 2023

Thomson Reuters THOMSONREUTERS.COM @THOMSONREUTERS L I N K E D I N . C O M /C O M PA N Y/ T H O M S O N - R E U T E R S

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THOMSON REUTERS is one of the world’s most trusted

providers of answers, helping professionals make confident decisions and run better businesses. Thomson Reuters’ customers operate in complex arenas that move society forward and face increasing complexity as regulation and technology disrupt every industry. Thomson Reuters has made great strides toward increasing its gender diversity, particularly within leadership roles. Thomson Reuters aspires to have 45% representation of women in senior leadership throughout its company by the end of 2022. In addition to partnering with nonprofits to create programming and opportunities that encourage girls to become involved in STEM programs, the company also

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Dallas Independent School District’s Pathways to Technology Program,” says Kelsey Jones, community relations coordinator at Thomson Reuters. “These organizations assist us with providing young women the opportunity to learn first-hand about the world of STEM and provide these young and eager students with the soft and technical skills needed to embark on their career journey into STEM. One of our main goals is to allow girls in low-income areas the exposure to STEM opportunities and to give them the start into a career that will make a lasting impact on not only their lives but the lives of their families and future generations to come.”

FROM LEFT TO RIGHT: TOSAN OJEAHERE, VICE PRESIDENT, CONTENT & SERVICES TRANSFORMATION PROGRAMS; DA’LACIE MCGREW, VICE PRESIDENT, COMMENTARY CONTENT MANAGEMENT; SUDHA ADDEPALLI, VICE PRESIDENT, CORPORATES TECHNOLOGY; NANCY HAWKINS, VICE PRESIDENT, EDITORIAL; LAURIE WALLACE, SENIOR DIRECTOR OF UX PROGRAM/ PRODUCER MANAGEMENT

BRET REDMAN

partners with AnitaB.org, a nonprofit social enterprise inciting a movement to achieve intersectional equity in the global technical workforce by 2025. AnitaB.org/365 programs empower women and under-tapped communities in technical fields, guide the organizations that employ them, and support the academic institutions training the next generation. In partnership with AnitaB.org, Thomson Reuters sponsors the annual Grace Hopper Celebration, the largest conference in the world for women in technology. “In addition to these outstanding organizations, we at Thomson Reuters have developed a partnership with various similar community partners such as Sci Tech Discovery Center, Dallas Alliance of Women in Technology, and the

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WOMEN LEADING TECH AND INNOVATION 2023

Sandra McNeil Director of Operations, Amazon

A M A Z O N . C O M • @A M A Z O N

SINCE 2020, Sandra McNeil has been responsible for the

BRET REDMAN

24/7 site operation of more than 4,000 associates at Amazon’s robotic sortable fulfillment center – FTW6. She came to Amazon after working 24 years in various STEM fields in the automotive manufacturing industry, most notably as the manufacturing chief engineer of the 2020 mid-engine Corvette program. Before that, she was a first-generation graduate, earning her electrical engineering degree from OSU, followed by an M.B.A. from the University of Dallas.

McNeil is just as focused on promoting women in STEM within Amazon as she is throughout the community. Amazon is a presenting sponsor for the Girl Scouts of Northeast Texas Leadership Institute, which empowers middle and high school girls to explore STEM education and careers.

Additionally, through the Amazon Future Engineer program, Amazon provides computer science curriculum to students at elementary schools in Dallas ISD, offers virtual fulfillment center tours to spotlight the computer science skills needed to work in operations, and provides scholarships to students from underserved communities who plan to study computer science or a related field in college. The scholarship also includes a paid internship at Amazon.

McNeil has a passion for promoting diversity in STEM and is a board member of the Women in Manufacturing National Trade Association and volunteers to support organizations focused on promoting inclusion and cultivating under-represented talent in STEM. “There is so much Amazon does to support women,” she says. “It’s all about empowerment—increasing the capacity of women to make choices to transform their careers.”

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12/9/22 3:38 PM

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WOMEN LEADING TECH AND INNOVATION 2023

Revision Skincare R E V I S I O N S K I N CA R E . C O M • @ R E V I S I O N S K I N CA R E

REVISION SKINCARE’S award-winning products are backed

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by scientific rigor, published in peer-reviewed journals, and well-respected among physician partners. A stellar executive leadership team, combined with scientifically and clinically substantiated products, enables the company to attract top talent outside, and within, STEM. The research and clinical development department team is actively networking and engaged across several scientific communities. “Revision Skincare practices ‘better science,’ which differentiates us from other skincare brands,” says Alisar Zahr, PhD, director of clinical research and clinical development. “When we formulate, not only do we have a formulation philosophy, but we have guidelines on how to achieve an efficacious and highly tolerable product.

Our team spends substantial time researching new technologies, speaking with innovative suppliers and scientists across multiple industries, and discussing with consultants globally.”

Revision Skincare promotes and fosters growth of women in STEM throughout the country, as well as within the company, through a robust mentorship program. Revision Skincare offers summer internship opportunities and has created a strategic partnership with universities to present the science of skincare to students, as cosmetic science is a field not often considered among STEM majors. “Having a STEM degree allows you to curate your career path,” Dr. Zahr says. “Generally, women in STEM want to help others and can become great lifelong mentors.”

FROM LEFT TO RIGHT: SOFIA IGLESIA, RESEARCH AND CLINICAL DEVELOPMENT SCIENTIST; GABRIELLE BITTNER, REGULATORY AFFAIRS ASSOCIATE; SAVNEET CHEEMA, SENIOR QUALITY MANAGER; ALISAR ZAHR, DIRECTOR OF RESEARCH AND CLINICAL DEVELOPMENT; TAYLOR JENSEN, REGULATORY AFFAIRS MANAGER; ELAINE ZHENG, REGULATORY AFFAIRS ASSOCIATE; OLUFUNKE BUNDO, DIRECTOR, QUALITY AND REGULATORY AFFAIRS DCEOMAGAZINE.COM

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12/9/22 3:45 PM

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WOMEN LEADING TECH AND INNOVATION 2023

University of Texas at Dallas @J I N DA L _ U T DA L L A S • @ U T DA L L A S J O N S S O N

of Texas Instruments—Eugene McDermott, Erik Jonsson, and Cecil Green—established UT Dallas as a source of advanced research. The legacy of innovation with a commitment to entrepreneurship is evident through partnerships with Blackstone LaunchPad and the Capital Factory, which have helped produce 536 startup companies in five years.

UT Dallas continues to build a future as bright as its beginnings as it continues to cultivate the next generation of thought leaders, innovators and change makers.

BRET REDMAN

THE UNIVERSITY of Texas at Dallas (UT Dallas) celebrates women in STEM. Today, UT Dallas is an internationally ranked research institution, and these two leaders from the two largest schools—the Naveen Jindal School of Management and Erik Jonsson School of Engineering and Computer Science—are a critical part of that. They set expectations and standards of equity and inclusivity to shift the narrative of women in STEM to a place of belonging. The University’s roots go back to the 1960s when three founders

FROM LEFT TO RIGHT: DR. DIANE S. MCNULTY, ASSOCIATE DEAN FOR EXTERNAL RELATIONS AND COMMUNICATIONS AND PROFESSOR OF CORPORATE GOVERNANCE; DR. STEPHANIE G. ADAMS, DEAN OF THE ERIK JONSSON SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING AND COMPUTER SCIENCE, HOLDER OF THE LARS MAGNUS ERICSSON CHAIR AT UT DALLAS AND PROFESSOR OF SYSTEMS ENGINEERING

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12/9/22 3:38 PM

Earth Day 2023 CONFERENCE APRIL 19-23 EXPO APRIL 21-23 DALLAS, TX – FAIR PARK

SAVE THE DATE | earthx.org/earthx-2023/

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END MARK

K ARL HOBLITZELLE Oct. 22, 1879–March 8, 1967

story by WILL MADDOX

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Karl Hoblitzelle and his wife, Esther Walker, contributed 42 grants that totaled more than $1 million each to various Dallas causes.

arl st. john hoblitzelle’s life changed when he worked at the World’s Fair in his hometown of St. Louis. It was there that he met several performers with plenty of talent but nowhere to perform. After the fair closed, he moved to Dallas with $2,500 to get into entertainment. He built vaudeville theaters throughout Texas in the early 1900s and founded Interstate Amusement Co. in 1905. At its height, the venture owned 160 venues, including Majestic Theater in downtown Dallas. Hoblitzelle was the first to add air conditioning to his theaters and the first to add sound in the Southwest. The company ultimately sold in the 1950s to what now is a subsidiary of the Walt Disney Co. He and his wife established the Hoblitzelle Foundation in 1942 and provided more than $252 million to Dallas causes, including 3,400 grants. Causes have ranged from medical and social services to education and the arts. In the 1950s, when it was difficult for Black Dallasites to get financing to own homes, Hoblitzelle made a $217,000 loan to the Dallas Interracial Association, which provided financing for Black buyers in the Hamilton Park neighborhood. He co-founded Southwestern Medical Foundation and helped develop the UT Southwestern campus. Buildings at the Hockaday School and UT Dallas are named for him, as is Hoblitzelle Drive in Hamilton Park.

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

Dallas’ Theater Magnate

PHILANTHROPIC IMPACT

DCEOMAGAZINE.COM

12/9/22 11:37 AM

TOGETHER, WE MAKE INCREDIBLE HAPPEN. At Children’s HealthSM we work hard to drive innovation and implement the latest in health care technology to make life better for children.

Join us in congratulating all the finalists of the D CEO Magazine 4th Annual Innovation Awards, including our very own team members.

CIO/CTO OF THE YEAR

Chris Akeroyd Senior Vice President, Information Services, and Chief Information Officer | Children’s Health INNOVATION IN HEALTHCARE

The Heart Center at Children’s Health

Learn more at childrens.com

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Growing greatness.

That’s our bank statement.

Giving back has always been part of who we are — that’s why we’re announcing the launch of the Texas Capital Bank Foundation. By investing our time, attention and money, we believe we can inspire hope and create lasting change across our state.

Through philanthropic pillars of Live, Learn and Lift, we’re establishing a series of annual Honors Awards that will give $250,000 to community leaders and organizations that are working to help Texans thrive.

Scan the code or visit texascapitalbank.com/foundation to learn about our most ambitious giving year yet.

Texas Capital Bank

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Member FDIC

NASDAQ®: TCBI

12/12/22 3:53 PM