DCEO January/February 2021

Meet the 51 changemakers who are disrupting business in North Texas—and beyond.

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021

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Transforming the way we do business.

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M a k i n g B O AT S B E T T E R i s P e t e r’ s j o b.

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Peter Bosma Quality Control Engineer | Tigé Boats | Abilene

S TAY SA F E , T E X A S

When COVID-19 reached Texas, Peter Bosma and the team at Tigé Boats made 55,000 plastic face shields to protect healthcare workers.

Today, the company is back to making boats, but Peter is still protecting himself and others by working safe. At Texas Mutual, we’re proud to be on the job with Peter and 1.5 million other hardworking Texans every day. See Peter ON THE JOB at texasmutual.com/onthejob. © 2 020 Texas Mutual Insurance Company

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IN A COMPETITIVE WORLD, THE QUALITY OF YOUR TALENT DETERMINES IF YOU WIN IN YOUR BUSINESS

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12/9/20 11:46 AM

CONTENTS J A N U A R Y/ F E B R U A R Y 2 0 2 1

VO LU M E 1 6 | I S S U E 0 1

20 CYBERSECURITY CEO Former “ethical hacker” Tiffany Ricks launched her company, HacWare, in 2019.

Meet the changemakers who are disrupting businesses in North Texas—and beyond—in our 2021 Innovation Awards program. story by CHRISTINE PEREZ photography by SEAN BERRY

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

The Golden Age of Innovation

The Tax Man Cometh After a hardscrabble upbringing, Brint Ryan built a fortune by saving companies big bucks on their taxes. Here’s how he battled his way to the top. story by BARRY SHLACHTER

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CONTENTS

6 EDITOR’S NOTE

DOSSIER

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

James Fripp, Yum! Brands 14 MEET THE 500

Tom Long, Energy Transfer 1 4 L O C A L LY S O U R C E D

Meli Hands 1 6 O N T H E TA B L E

Shayan Zadeh, Pier 1

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FIELD NOTES

39 OPPORTUNITIES AHEAD

Anne Chow, AT&T 4 0 R E A L E S TAT E

42 ON TOPIC

Michael Ablon of PegasusAblon, Hilda Galvan of Jones Day, and Wyman Roberts of Brinker International on the outlook for their industries in 2021.

4 4 B U S I N E S S M A N AG E M E N T

G. Bradford Bulkley offers up succession plan tips for midsize and family-owned businesses.

OFF DUTY 47 PURSUITS

Chad Houser, Café Momentum

T R AV E L C O U R T E S Y O F G R A N D S O L M A R L A N D ’ S E N D , R O OT S C O U R T E S Y O F O S S A F I S H E R , P U R S U I T S BY J O N A T H A N Z I Z Z O , ST YLE COURTESY OF S T U D I O 1 1 D E S I G N .

E-commerce defined DFW’s real commercial real estate market in 2020. What does the future hold for the sector?

54

47

50 STYLE

Kellie Sirna, Studio 11 Design 5 2 M U S T- R E A D

C-Suiters share their favorite books.

5 2 G R E AT E R G O O D

Bruce Graham, Both Ends Believing

Meet the 51 changemakers who are disrupting business in North Texas—and beyond.

5 4 W E L L -T R AV E L E D : CABO SAN LUCAS, MEXICO

Darren James, KAI Enterprises

68 004

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Ossa Fisher, Istation 68 END MARK

The Adolphus Hotel

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ON THE COVER: W. Alexander Holmes of MoneyGram International, photographed by Sean Berry

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12/14/20 11:12 AM

LEAD BY EXAMPLE For 40+ years Godwin Bowman has been recognized by courts, its clients and fellow attorneys for their dedication, teamwork, and commitment to diversity. Godwin Bowman believes in leading by example and sets examples by leading.

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12/9/20 11:48 AM

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

The Risk of Losing Cultural Adhesion

PLAN. WORKSITE FINANCIAL RETIRE. EDUCATION ENJOY.

Gardner Wallace specializes in lifeexperienced cycle financial planning The team at Gardner Wallace Financial Solutions and delivering worksite provides a wide array of financial financial are solutions to education. their clients, We working closely with them Financial to identify CFE Certified needs, develop appropriate Educators® trained to deliver solutions and implement a plan financial Contact that evolvesliteracy. with them throughus all life stages.

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SECURITIES OFFERED THROUGH KESTRA INVESTMENT SERVICES, LLC (KESTR A IS), MEMBER FINR A/SIPC. INVESTMENT ADVISORY SERVICES OFFERED THROUGH Securities offered through Kestra Investment Services, LLC (Kestra IS), member KESTRA ADVISORY SERVICES, LLC (KESTRA AS), AN FINRA/SIPC. services A F F I L IInvestment A T E O F Kadvisory ESTRA I S . Goffered A R D Nthrough E R W Kestra A L L A Advisory CE Services, AS), F I N ALLC N C (Kestra IAL SO L Uan T Iaffiliate O N S IofS Kestra N O T IS. A FGardner F I L I A TWallace E D WFinancial ITH K E S T R A I S O R K E S T R A A S .

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

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

what a difference a year makes. last january, we had no inkling of the peril we were about to face. North Texas was riding high after the brisk relocation and expansion activity of the previous year, and we had every reason to think it would continue.

We never dreamed that just a few weeks later, we’d be quarantining in our homes and figuring out how to work remotely.

As of this writing, coronavirus cases continue to spike, and most of us at D are still working from home. But the promise of the vaccine and the stability it will bring is real. Once again, DallasFort Worth is poised to rebound from hardship faster than other markets. Based on recent conversations I’ve had with economic development and real estate execs, corporate relocation activity has already begun picking up—big time. I had one such discussion today with my old boss, Ran Holman. He was sharing the news that he had left Cushman & Wakefield, the real estate shop where I once worked, to take the helm of Texas operations for Newmark.

I asked him about his outlook for the local office market, and he made a thought-provoking point: “Never in our careers have we been able to unravel the workforce from the workplace,” he said. “It’s not the physical office that we miss; it’s the people. We have never been able to look at those things independently because they’ve always been intertwined.”

In the past year, we’ve learned that it’s not the physical space that’s important to us—it’s the bonds we’ve created with colleagues.

That need for a physical human connection will be instrumental in a restabilization of our office market—something Ran thinks will start slowly but quickly build momentum by midyear 2021. “Most of us are in offices because we need to collaborate and be a part of something,” Ran said. “The longer people stay remote, the more risk there is of losing cultural adhesion.

There may be some changes in the way we use space, but the office market isn’t going away. ”

Christine Perez Editor

DCEOMAGAZINE.COM

12/15/20 11:33 AM

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

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

A DV E R T I S I N G ADVERTISING DIRECTOR Rhett Taylor

INNOVATORS IN HIGHER EDUCATION Dallas Baptist University joins D CEO and Dallas Innovates in recognizing Dr. Matt Winn, Vice President for Information Technology/Dean of Online Education for leading innovations in online education and information technology.

DBU has been a leader in online education for over 20 years. Dr. Winn’s recent innovations in online and remote course delivery ensured minimal disruption in learning for DBU students due to COVID-19.

DBU offers over 30 master’s degrees and two doctoral degrees, including: • MS in Information Technology & Management • MS in Management: Supply Chain • Master of Arts in Leadership • Ph.D. in Leadership Studies DBU’s business programs are accredited by the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP).

www.dbu.edu/graduate

ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER OF PROFESSIONAL SERVICES Kym Rock Davidson SENIOR ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES Cami Burke, Haley Muse MANAGING EDITOR OF SPECIAL SECTIONS Jennifer Sander Hayes DIGITAL REVENUE DIRECTOR Tracy Albertson DIGITAL AD OPERATIONS MANAGER Riley Hill CLIENT OPERATIONS MANAGER Palmer McGraw SALES MARKETING MANAGER Rachel Schoellkopf

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

AU D I E N C E D E V E LO P M E N T DIRECTOR Amanda Hammer COORDINATOR Sarah Nelson DATA ENTRY SPECIALIST Jae Chung RETAIL STRATEGY MANAGER Steve Crabb MERCHANDISER David Truesdell AUDIENCE DEVELOPMENT INTERN Masha Konkov

PRODUCTION DIRECTOR John Gay PHOTO RETOUCHER Natalie Goff

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

WEB EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Matt Goodman

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

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

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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 CHIEF OF STAFF Rachel Gill FOUNDER Wick Allison

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12/8/20 12:29 PM

Trusted advice in uncertain times.

The COVID-19 outbreak is an evolving crisis. That’s why we want to keep you up to speed on the latest tax and accounting updates as we innovate solutions to help your business stay nimble and mitigate the pandemic’s economic effects.

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NORTH TEXAS NEWSMAKERS

YOU NEED TO KNOW

Yum! Brands James Fripp Leans Into Paving the Way COURTESY OF Y U M ! B R A N D S

He got his start working behind the counter at a Taco Bell restaurant. Now, he’s in the global C-Suite at parent company Yum! Brands. story by WILL MADDOX

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DOSSIER

A

a car pulled into a drive-thru at a taco Bell in Council Bluffs, Iowa, late one weekend night in 1987, and the customer demanded that no Black people make his food, yelling a racial slur into the speaker. The store’s general manager, a Black man named James Fripp, spoke to the customer when he pulled up to the window. After more obscenities and a demand to see the real manager, he sped off.

Another Black employee on the shift that night shared how impressed he was by how poised and calm Fripp remained in the face of bigotry and hate. The employee told him, “I don’t believe that you just handled that the way you did. I would have lost my mind and probably have said something bad and gotten fired.” Fripp responded, “And then, they would have won.”

It was a turning point for Fripp, who last year was named chief equity and inclusion officer of Yum! Brands, the company behind Taco Bell, Pizza Hut, KFC, and The Habit Burger Grill— with more than 50,000 restaurants in 150 countries. It’s a global role that has Fripp reporting directly to the CEO. That pivotal 1987 experience helped solidify his mission to hire more minority employees and mentor those who are working their way up

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in their careers. “If they’re an underrepresented minority, sometimes they just haven’t had the opportunity,” Fripp says. “What I wanted people to know is, you matter and you can be successful.”

The Air Force brat’s first job was making tacos as a team member at a Taco Bell in Nebraska. After a number of promotions, he took what he thought would be a temporary post in human resources for the company, but he had found his calling. The position became permanent, and he worked his way up running Taco Bell’s national HR efforts before joining the parent company and ascending to his current C-Suite role.

Fripp’s restaurant experience helps him connect with employees he meets in the field and get insights from them to address issues that may arise. In the spring of 2020, he was working on efforts to add more women leaders and improve diversity in the corporate positions when the pandemic hit; Fripp worried that equity and inclusion would take a back seat to the health crisis.

But the deaths of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, and Breonna Taylor pushed these issues back into the spotlight. “Everything that we had planned on do“What I ing just expedited to warp wanted speed,” he says.

For Fripp, equity is about people to more than just having the know is, you right percentage of employmatter and ees of different groups. He you can be focuses on building authentic relationships that lead successful.” to trust, which opens channels between employees and creates a more equitable and inclusive environment. He embraces relationships with younger minority coworkers and is always looking for ways to mentor them and lean into the responsibility of being a Black business leader. “I don’t necessarily show up for me,” he says. “I show up for them. And I find when I show up for them, I’m actually a better version of me.”

C A R E E R PAT H

Staying Power A look at James Fripp’s 40-year climb up the corporate ladder.

TACO BELL 1980 Restaurant Team Member 1983 Assistant Restaurant GM 1986 Restaurant GM 1988 Market Training Manager 1992 Multi-Unit Manager 1995 Field Talent Acq. Manager 1997 Assoc. HR Manager 2000 HR Manager 2004 Director of HR 2007 Director of Field HR

YUM! BRANDS 2011 Senior Director of Diversity & Inclusion 2019 VP of Diversity & Inclusion 2020 Chief Equity & Inclusion Officer

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12/15/20 9:49 AM

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12/9/20 11:48 AM

DOSSIER

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

Sanitizing With Style MEET THE 500

THOMAS LONG Co-Chief Executive Officer ENERGY TR ANSFER

this month, former cfo tom long moves up to a co-CEO role at Energy Transfer. The global, diversified oil and gas company was co-founded by Kelcy Warren, who is shifting to an executive chairman role. Long will lead the company with another longtime exec, Mackie McCrea. An industry veteran, Long joined Energy Transfer after it acquired his former employer, Regency Energy Partners. As CFO, he oversaw the merger of Energy Transfer Equity and Energy Transfer Partners in 2018.

EDUCATION: Lamar University (BA-Accounting) BIRTHPLACE: “St. Joseph Hospital in Houston” FIRST JOB: “I started out in the accounting group at Texas Eastern Corp in 1979. I quickly learned that I needed to develop a clear vision of my desired longterm career path.”

BEST ADVICE: “Get up every day with a sense of purpose and end every day with a sense of accomplishment.”

WHO I ADMIRE: “I have been very fortunate to have had a number of mentors throughout my life who have inspired me, but overall, I would say my mother, who successfully raised six kids.”

DINNER PARTY: “If I could dine with any two DFW

execs, I’d choose Herb Kelleher for his sense of humor and former President George H.W. Bush for his service to our country.”

I LOVE MY: “Smart home system, which allows me to control everything from my phone.”

2020 TAUGHT ME: “How to survive in a foxhole”

PROUD MOMENT: “The merger of Energy Transfer Equity and Energy Transfer Partners into Energy Transfer. The consolidation of our partnership has significantly increased our financial strength.”

FUN FACT: “My first calling was to be a race car driver. I may still try that someday!”

ADVICE FOR AN 18-YEAR-OLD ME: “Follow your passion; don’t worry about the rest, just get up every day enjoying what you do.”

NONPROFIT CAUSE: “I’m partial to several children’s charities, including the DPD’s Share the Shoes program, which is supported by Energy Transfer. The joy on the faces of these children when they get a new pair of shoes is incredibly touching. I also like the fact that it is very local.”

DESTINATIONS OF CHOICE: “I love the Galapagos Islands. My wife and I also love to go to an island in Honduras whenever we get the chance.”

SCARY MOMENT: “Cliff jumping into water”

LAST MEAL: “I’d request sushi with a nice red wine.”

BUCKET LIST: “I’d like to go on a Mediterranean cruise with a small group of friends.”

dissatisfied with hand sanitizers that were harsh on their skin—and noses—Dallas executives Maria Sideris and Vanessa Thanos took it upon themselves to create a product they would want to use.

Drawing from their corporate expertise (Sideris is head of North America sales development for Qualtrics and Thanos is a VP at Pegasus Foods), the duo co-founded Meli Hands earlier this year. Their luxury hand sanitizer is packaged in glass cobalt blue bottles to honor their Greek heritage and cleverly sports an evil eye charm. The fragrant product pairs aloe vera, vitamin E, and essential oils with alcohol to deliver a nourishing and effective solution. It secured a copackaging relationship, is on shelf space at Swoozie’s, and is on track to generate $100,000 in revenue this year. The business partners, who have five young children between them, say they’re incredibly driven.

“We don’t take no for an answer,” Thanos says. — Bianca R. Montes

LO N G BY J A K E M E Y E R S ; T H A N O S A N D S I D E R I S C O U R T E S Y O F M E L I H A N D S

As the pandemic rages on, Maria Sideris and Vaness Thanos’ Meli Hands fills a market gap.

HANDS-ON ENTREPRENEURS

Meli Hands’ Vanessa Thanos, left, and Maria Sideris.

TOUGHEST CHALLENGE: “There are too many to name.”

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

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DOSSIER

O N T H E TA B L E

How Shayan Zadeh is Driving a Retail Renaissance at Pier 1 The co-founder of Zoosk is overseeing the home décor brand’s reinvention as an e-commerce force.

when shayan zadeh left iran to attend the University of Maryland, his parents hoped he would become a doctor. Zadeh never made it to medical school, but he has become a healer of sorts, fixing broken brick-and-mortar retailers. story by KELSEY J. VANDERSCHOOT The former CEO of New Jersey-based clothier illustration by JAKE MEYERS Dressbarn is now at the helm of the new e-commerce iteration of Pier 1, which recently moved its headquarters from Fort Worth to Dallas.

Due to the pandemic, we could not share a meal, something that typically happens for this “On the Table” feature. But Zadeh spoke highly of excursions with his new colleagues to CBD Provisions, Nick & Sam’s, and Taqueria La Ventana, as we talked “WHAT I’VE FOUND IS I GRAVITATE about his plans for Pier 1. He TOWARD THAT STEEP RISE.” was a program manager and software engineer for Microsoft before co-founding dating app Zoosk (which Sparks Networks acquired for $258 million in 2019) with his grad school roommate, Alex Mehr.

Now, Zadeh has joined Mehr’s latest enterprise, Retail Ecommerce Ventures (REV), a holding company that reinvents struggling retail brands as online enterprises. Along with Dressbarn and Pier 1, its acquisitions include Linens ’N Things, Franklin Mint, RadioShack, and, most recently, Stein Mart. A sounding board for Mehr during REV’s ideation phase, Zadeh says he revels in ex-

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plosive growth opportunities. “What I’ve found is that I gravitate towards that steep rise,” he says.

He initially invested in REV’s acquisition of Dressbarn, then became the brand’s CEO. Mehr and his business partner, Tai Lopez, “kind of roped me into running the company,” Zadeh says. Dressbarn, which had 650 brick-and-mortar stores and an online presence that accounted for 20 percent of sales at the time of its acquisition, has experienced 100 percent quarterly growth since its relaunch this past spring.

REV purchased Pier 1 after it filed for bankruptcy. Following his Dressbarn success, Zadeh will now work his magic at the popular home décor brand. He says Pier 1’s customer loyalty and quality products are what attracted him and the REV team. “It’s a brand that the customer has an emotional attachment to, and that’s very valuable,” Zadeh says.

That affinity helps REV achieve the consumer conversion needed to shift acquired brands to a fully e-commerce model. It is not as simple as moving old inventory online. Converting to e-commerce opens up Pier 1 to an expanded inventory—what Zadeh calls “an endless aisle.” The back of that digital aisle, where the new, quirky, one-off pieces lie, offers an opportunity to broaden the brand’s audience, and online data enables personalized experiences. “Now, we can show you a Pier 1 specially made for you,” Zadeh says.

He believes the reinvented company will perform well. “We are in the early innings,” he says, “but from what it looks like, I think Pier 1 is going to blow [previous REV successes] out of the water.” If that pans out, augmented reality shopping and new inventory subcategories, such as home appliances, may be on tap as the relaunch gains steam. “Really, the sky’s the limit,” Zadeh says.

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12/10/20 1:57 PM

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ASK THE EXPERT

Building Personal Relationships William A. Munck, Managing Partner, Munck Wilson Mandala

As a business leader, you emphasize the importance of building personal relationships.

Why do you feel this is so important?

I grew up in a blue-collar neighborhood where I had my own paper route and various other jobs up to and through college. Through my work and family life, I developed many personal relationships I hold dear to this day. When I came into the legal field, I already understood the fundamentals of how to build personal relationships and I believe that is a vital skill for anyone in business. As the leader of our firm, I want to see the skills I learned and developed growing up passed down to the next generation of leaders at my firm. I believe our success depends on it.

What is the secret to developing good personal relationships?

Turn off work mode. When you are meeting a new person through a nonwork environment, enjoy the moment. Whether you are at a concert or a sporting event, find similar likes, ask them what they enjoy doing during downtime, if they have kids, where they grew up, who their favorite sports team is. This “out of work” mode allows you to get to know the person and gives them a chance to learn more about you. The important thing to remember is to be authentic. Healthy relationships are developed over time and build because you enjoy each other’s company, or you have common likes or tastes or similarities that connect you. If you take the pressure off yourself to sell, you will be surprised at what value you may find from enjoying each other’s company.

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How do you teach professionals the importance of building personal relationships?

We focus on meeting regularly and sharing experiences and ideas together so that we can learn and grow from each other. In our meetings we share updates on new connections we have made and how those connections happened. Some of our attorneys have young children, so they are developing personal relationships through their kids’ events. Some of our attorneys are in ski clubs or book clubs, so they are developing personal relationships through their passions.

What works and what does not work when you are coaching someone on developing personal relationships?

Asking someone who is not Type A to become a social butterfly is unrealistic. You must identify what assets your talent has and use it. For each person you are coaching, you should sit with them and assess what their assets are for developing personal relationships. What do they like to do? What does their spouse or partner like to do? What activities do they enjoy that would present an opportunity to invite others to join them? What we emphasize when we coach is that relationships happen outside of wanting something from each other. They happen when you enjoy activities and share similarities.

We all have things we enjoy doing and finding others who enjoy them with you leads to you building personal relationships. When you have good personal relationships, you have a network of success.

William A. Munck is managing partner of Munck Wilson Mandala, a technology-focused law firm headquartered in Dallas with offices in Austin and Los Angeles.

Munck has been leading the firm since the late 1990s. MWM attorneys offer full-service counsel in the areas of intellectual property litigation, complex commercial litigation, intellectual property portfolio development, corporate transactions and securities, and employment law. Munck Wilson Mandala represents clients from start-ups to Fortune 50 companies.

Learn more about the firm at munckwilson.com.

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Meet the changemakers who are disrupting business in Dallas-Fort Worth—and beyond.

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easier, better, faster, and cheaper. They solve problems, cure ills, reduce inequities, and drive economic growth. Thankfully, with its rich talent base, access to funding, and business-friendly culture, there’s no better place to innovate than Dallas-Fort Worth.

The region’s rich legacy in the arena dates back to the 1950s, when Jack Kilby invented the integrated circuit at Texas Instruments. Since then, and accelerating in recent years, North Texas has just strengthened its reputation as an innovation hub. To help recognize successes, D CEO teamed up with our colleagues at Dallas Innovates in 2020 to launch The Innovation Awards. We expanded the program this year, honoring 51 companies and individuals in a variety of industries. Winners will be revealed at an event in late January. Read on, and be inspired.

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TALENT AND DIVERSITY One of the greatest economic development tools North Texas has is access to a deep base of employees. This category recognizes companies that cultivate talent in North Texas and help employers enhance their D&I efforts.

KANARYS Co-founded by Mandy Price, CEO, and Star Carter, COO, Kanarys has changed how diversity, inclusion, and equity are measured and how corporate efforts are implemented. “Innovation means creating unique systems in order to open up new possibilities in an industry-changing it for the better,” Price says. “It’s bringing together ideas that will improve our society.”

NPOWER TEXAS A nonprofit that provides free tech education for military veterans and their families in underserved communities, NPower Texas operates with the deep support of AT&T. “Innovation is all about response,” says Russ Medina, executive director of NPower Texas and U.S. Army (ret). “The incredible potential for veterans is what drives our work.”

WORK SHIELD Dallas-based Work Shield offers an unbiased solution for reporting, investigating, and resolving workplace harassment and discrimination. It helps empower employees, lower risk, and preserve corporate culture. “We constantly encourage our team to use their ingenuity to adapt our solution to the continuously changing workplace and cultural landscape,” says Founder and CEO Jared Pope.

I NNOVATI ON I N T E C H NOLOGY

“The future is bright for CrateBind to continue working with major players in technology and promising startups that are capitalizing on the challenges and opportunities coming out of 2020.”

“Genetic therapeutics.

It’s possible that in my children’s lifetimes, we’ll see most cancers eliminated, heart disease and diabetes minimized, and gene-driven, heritable diseases eradicated.”

“How dating cultures around the world are beginning to understand the power of online dating. Every culture is different, and building innovative products to meet those needs excites our team.”

“Creating a legacy for my family to be proud of, and to inspire young girls to know that they can do it someday, too. There is room for us all to make a difference—we just need to put in the work.”

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

WHAT HAS YOU MOST EXCITED ABOUT THE FUTURE?

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BA L A N C E D

Balanced Media | Technology connects gamers, developers, researchers, and foundations to take on huge issues, from terminal illnesses to education. “The world needs it, our children deserve it, and now is the time to bring purpose to play,” Atkins says.

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Tony Goodman, the entrepreneur behind Ensemble Studios and Robot Entertainment, has helped establish North Texas as an epicenter for mobile gaming with PeopleFun. “So much of our strength comes not just from working hard, but working together,” he says.

Kumar

NARALA

A B IA

STARTUP INNOVATOR OF THE YE A R

ABIA has created a new enterprise software technology category of process intelligence. Its co-founder and CEO, Kumar Narala, rates North Texas 10 out of 10 on the innovation scale.

“It’s one of the most conducive locations for startups and growth,” he says.

A S S E T PA N DA Tom

WITH ASS E T PA N DA , R EX KU R Z I U S A I M S TO D O MI N ATE TH E

SaaS sector by helping organizations effectively manage their fixed assets.

He says he has learned that being a leader is not about being the smartest or hardest-working person in the room. “My journey has led me to believe that the only durable competitive advantage a company will ever have is its culture,” Kurzius says. “The world is saturated with competing companies; what sets one apart from the other is its ability to build a culture that empowers people.

Companies gain a competitive advantage by establishing a strong work-life balance and giving people creative freedom to work on their own terms.”

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W H IT E

P H Y N D TEC H N O LO G I E S

What Amazon has done with product SKUs, inventory, and location availability, Dallas’ Phynd Technologies is doing with healthcare services, says Tom White, CEO. “Together, we collectively are ushering in the digital future of healthcare,” he says.

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CYBERSECURITY

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she saw first-hand how hard it was for companies to protect themselves against phishing attacks. She began looking for a tool that would help protect them but found that none existed. So, she decided to build one. Ricks launched HacWare in 2019, supported by a team of experts with four decades of cybersecurity, software, and data science experience. “I am excited that we are solving the root cause of cybersecurity problems head-on,” she says. “We are using innovative A.I. technology to solve the social engineering problem at scale and making it easier for businesses to adopt our technology.”

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Rob Davis founded Critical Start to protect companies from cyberattacks while reducing their risks.

He found that many were making big tech investments without addressing underlying issues.

Critical Start is deliberate about how it innovates, Davis says: “There is an enormous opportunity cost to innovation that isn’t closely aligned to the strategy of the company.”

Based in Plano and led by Milind Borkar, co-founder and CEO, Illuma Labs is bringing advanced A.I. and machine learning-powered fraud detection software to the financial industry and aims to expand it to other sectors, such as healthcare. Its flagship product, Illuma Shield, was developed with $2 million in R&D contracts with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

Bhavani Thuraisingham has built a culture of innovation at the Cyber Security Research and Education Institute, of which she serves as founding executive director. “Innovation is at the heart of civilization, and it means everything to me,” she says. I’m excited about the integration of quantum computing, cybersecurity, and A.I. and data science— that is the future.”

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HEALTHCARE Healthcare in Dallas-Fort Worth is a $52 billion economic force, representing about 15 percent of the local economy.

This category recognizes innovation in the industry, from pharmaceuticals and medical devices to research and biotech.

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INNOVAT IO N IN

BENEF IT MALL BenefitMall developed an internal digital platform before the pandemic, allowing it to help its network of 20,000 brokers and 140,000 businesses handle an unprecedented number of benefits changes. “We were able to step seamlessly into a virtual environment as shutdowns began,” says Scott Kirksey, CEO.

CARIS LIF E SCIEN C E S Led by Chairman and CEO David Halbert, biotech innovator Caris Life Sciences is a pioneer in precision medicine. The Irving company sequences 22,000 DNA genes, 220,000 RNA genes, and proteins for every patient to reveal a molecular blueprint that leads to more precise and personalized treatment decisions.

CENT ER F OR BRAI N HE A LTH “We are headed into a ‘brain economy’ that depends on our capacity for innovation, emotional intelligence, and flexible adaptation,” says Stephen White, executive director of the Center for BrainHealth’s Brain Performance Insitute. It has developed a revolutionary way to measure the brain’s health and performance.

PARK LAND CENT E R F O R CLINICAL INNOVATI O N Spun out of Parkland Health and Hospital System in 2012, PCCI has been key in providing analytics for COVID-19 management. “The innovations we brought to the table this past year have naturally advanced our mission to help the underserved populations in North Texas,” says Steve Miff, president and CEO.

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REAL ESTATE As a top national real estate market, it’s no surprise that North Texas has become a hub for innovation in the industry, both in the residential and commercial sectors. This category recognizes disruptors who are leading the way.

DOTTID Founded in 2016 by CEO Kyle Waldrep, Dottid streamlines the leasing process. In 2020, it became the first proptech company accepted into the Microsoft Teams app store, and its Dottid Mobile went from beta to an enterprise platform in just eight months. “Sometimes, the best innovations solve the simplest problems,” Waldrep says.

H O M E M ATC H X Stephen Lewis started Homematchx, a matchmaking service that connects buyers and sellers, in January 2020. His goal is for it to become the “online dating” of residential real estate. Lewis says he has learned there is no ideal time to launch a product or service. “We’re figuring out how important it is to jump off the cliff and assemble an airplane on the way down,” he says.

REFINERE Real estate is the largest industry in the world and a company’s No. 2 expense, says Ryan Turner, who launched RefineRE in 2017 to help global occupiers leverage big data into big deals. The innovator says he has learned to embrace failure. “It’s what led me to start RefineRE in the first place,” he says.

“I couldn’t be more thankful for those early failures that led me here.”

ROOMORED Farrukh Malik is constructing a new reality for homebuilders with his revolutionary 3D platform, Roomored, a virtual platform that lets homebuyers visualize different floorplans and customizations, do video “fly-throughs,” and more. “I’m excited about Dallas and the thriving tech and startup community here,” Malik says. “It’s no longer a community in its infancy.”

I NNOVATI ON I N T RANS P ORTAT ION

WHAT’S THE BIGGEST LESSON YOU’VE LEARNED? “This past year has led me to think more about how to balance the growth of our company with the ongoing need for a culture of innovation, including an openness to new ideas.”

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“I’ve learned to not be afraid to take risks.

Putting yourself in unfamiliar territory brings out innovation. It challenges you to think differently, be creative, and find solutions.”

“As Mike Tyson once said, ‘Everyone has a plan—until they get punched in the mouth.’ We must always be ready for change and ready to take a punch and keep on moving.”

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DA N K E S R E IT E R

DA LL A S R EG I O N A L C H A M B E R

As senior VP of research and innovation for the DRC and co-founder of Dallas Innovates, Duane Dankesreiter connects entrepreneurs, innovators, researchers, and the business community.

“I’m excited about the buzz and momentum we have right now as a region,” he says. “We are seeing a convergence of emerging technologies that aligns well with industry diversity.”

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Duane

Dr. Hubert

ZAJICEK

H E A LTH WI LD C AT TE R S

INNOVATION ADVOCATE O F THE YE A R

The U.S. is “unique in its ability to enable innovators to execute on ideas,” says Dr. Hubert Zajicek. A native of Austria, he made the most of that environment in 2013, when he co-founded Health Wildcatters, a remarkably successful seed accelerator he now runs. “The innovation I see in digital health, even applied to pharma or medical devices, is stunning,” he says.

M c K I N N E Y E CO N O M I C D E V E LO P M E N T CO R P. CORP OR AT E R ELOC AT I ON S M AY H AV E STA L L E D L AST Y E A R ,

but McKinney Economic Development Corp.’s Innovation Fund, which launched in January 2020, helped lure a flurry of new tech headquarters and startups to the city. Overseeing it all was Danny Chavez, senior vice president at the MEDC. “Through 10 months of progress, we have seen the capability reach an international audience, close deals in targeted industries, and cultivate growth with a high conversion rate of success, all during a global pandemic,” he says. “The results this year have been incredible to watch and have showcased the potential of our fund moving forward.”

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led by T Y L E R S H I N TY LER SHIN SWOR E HE’D N EV ER G ET I N TO F O O D S E RV I C E . Growing

up in Seoul, South Korea, he watched as his mother, who ran restaurants there, put in the long hours the industry often requires. But after moving to the U.S. and working in corporate finance, he ultimately migrated back to familiar territory with Revolving Kitchen—like co-working for chefs. When COVID-19 hit, and restaurants began focusing on to-go versus in-person dining, Shin’s ghost kitchen concept really took off. “We leverage economies of scale to drive down capital requirements and increase operational efficiencies,” Shin says. “To date, Revolving Kitchen has helped more than 50 business owners realize their dream and expand their food companies.”

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MOMENTUM A DV I S O RY CO L L E C TI V E

Former schoolteacher Merrilee Kick disrupted the packaged cocktail industry when she launched BuzzBallz/Southern Champion in the mid2000s. Last year, when duty called, she switched gears and began producing much-needed hand sanitizer. “Running a business is good,” she says. “But creating things and watching nothing become something is really a rush.”

Jim Stevens joined Golden Chick as a franchisee in 2018 and a year later was named president. He pioneered a deal to become the first quick-service restaurant to sell the iconic Fletcher’s Original Corny Dogs, created a modular building plan, and opened a Golden Chick at Globe Life Field for the World Series. The end result?

“2020 was a record year,” Stevens says.

Chad Houser has garnered wide recognition for creating Café Momentum, a nonprofit restaurant to help at-risk juveniles find a pathway to employment. Now, his Momentum Advisory Collective expands the concept and takes it nationwide. “My priority in social innovation must center around creating ideas for lasting change,” Houser says.

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North Texas is known as a hotbed for energy, technology, and professional services. But it’s no slouch when it comes to manufacturing, too. This category recognizes innovators that are reimaging the way things are made.

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INNOVAT IO N IN

MANUFACTURING AND CONSUMER GOODS

BPS T ECHNO LOGY Argyle-based BPS Technology addresses big global issues like food insecurity and energy production by drastically reducing the amount of chemicals needed across myriad industries. “A scientific advancement with this type of broad-reaching implication could have a tremendous impact,” says CEO Bravis Brown.

K IMBERLY- CLARK Founded in 1872 and led by Michael Hsu, the $18.5 billion Kimberly-Clark makes everything from Kleenex tissues to Huggies diapers. It constantly looks to innovate its products and practices, and launched an ambitious sustainability strategy in 2020, aiming to halve its environmental footprint in the next decade.

VARI After revolutionizing the workplace with its sit-stand desks, Coppell-based Vari has segued into “Space-asa-Service” with its new VariSpace platform, which puts flexible options in a multitenant campus environment.

“It’s a perfect time to find new ways to serve others and build great companies,” says Jason McCann, CEO.

SWISS AMERICAN C DMO Carrollton-based Swiss American was founded in 1988 to make skincare products inspired by an innovation discovered in Switzerland. It transitioned to a contract developer and manufacturer and now has more than 350 employees. “Finding solutions to unmet needs will fuel the future in our industry,” says CEO Phil O’Neill.

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CORPORATE INNOVATOR O F TH E Y EAR

Innovation is often associated with entrepreneurs and the startups they launch. But there is plenty of disruption happening in big businesses. This category recognizes leaders driving innovation in corporate settings.

E LY S E D I C K E R S O N ,

EOS E R A

With her multimillion-dollar biotech company, Eosera, Elyse Dickerson continues to gain market share in the ear care industry, doubling sales every year since its first product was launched. She recently developed a new product to clean AirPods and other earbuds. “It launched in November, and we couldn’t be more excited,” Dickerson says.

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After COVID-19 hit, Will McClay, vice president of player personnel for the Dallas Cowboys, had to figure out how to hold a draft, build a team, and prepare for the season—virtually. “We rolled up our sleeves and just figured out how to be our best in an environment that was different from anything we have had to deal with before,” McClay says.

JOHN OLAJIDE,

A X XE S S

Just 26 years old when he founded Axxess, John Olajide has revolutionized the home healthcare industry by helping providers leverage technology for everything from staffing to revenue cycle management. “Innovation springs from a willingness to look at something without bias, and I challenge myself to do that every day,” Olajide says.

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In a dozen years, Sanjiv Yajnik has helped catapult Capital One’s financial services division from 51 team members in 2008 to nearly 5,000. He also drove development of the company’s innovation center in Plano. “Along with its challenges, the current environment brings amazing opportunities to reimagine financial services,” Yajnik says.

CI O/CTO OF T H E Y E AR

WHAT DOES INNOVATION MEAN TO YOU? “It means disrupting the current way of thinking. …

One must be comfortable with experimentation, encountering missteps, and using those missteps to grow creative energy.”

“Innovation is that spark of awareness and vision, combined with a willingness to take risks and do the hard work necessary to see that vision completed.

For most people, innovating is a scary thing.”

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“Innovation has two aspects—disruptive innovation, which reshapes industries and transforms business models, and continuous innovation, making sustainable and impactful improvements.”

“To me, innovation means doing something that wasn’t possible before, or even just bringing an organization up to speed. Sometimes, it is just a fresh look at a business practice and working to improve it.”

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ImpactX Partners offers a credit-building loan service to help customers prop-up lagging credit scores without going further into debt.

“Innovation starts with being curious and paying attention to how people are solving problems for themselves,” says Co-founder Frank Santoni.

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PAY R IX Boruch Greenberg, co-founder of Frisco-based Payrix, says we should all be excited about the future.

“I believe we are still in the first inning of a nine-inning digital revolution,” he says.

Backed by Jerry Jones’ Blue Star Innovation Partners, Payrix aims to “reimagine the digital economy.”

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Craig Scheef founded Texas Security Bank to serve entrepreneurs. He eschewed brick-and-mortar locations and invested in a digital platform. He also leveraged A.I. bots to execute nearly 1,000 PPP loans. “Through a combination of innovation and brute force, we succeeded,” Scheef says.

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curve when it came to innovation and risk. MoneyGram International decided to break the traditional model. “About four years ago, we began putting major emphasis on our digital innovation,” says W. Alexander Holmes, chairman and CEO. “We set out to disrupt ourselves—reengineering our products, processes, and customer service strategies with a startup mindset and agile approach.”

The company, which operates in more than 200 countries and territories, is now fully digitally enabled. “We’re the first to use both blockchain technology at scale and utilize cryptocurrencies to move money across borders,” Holmes says.

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ZIRTUE Peer-to-peer lending app Zirtue makes it easy for friends and family members to lend and borrow money while keeping a paper trail of how much is owed. Its impact could be profound, says Dennis Cail, co-founder and CEO, by helping to “close the wealth gap nationally and abroad.”

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Brint Ryan is making real estate investments in his hometown of Big Spring, including a dramatic redo of the historic Hotel Settles.

The

Tax Man Com A young Ryan with his younger sister, Natalie, and their puppy.

The G. Brint Ryan College of Business at UNT, so named in 2019, after Ryan made a record-breaking $30 million gift to his alma mater.

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Ryan was presented with UNT’s Wings of Eagles Presidential Award in 2017 for his longtime and robust support of the university.

Cometh

After a hardscrabble upbringing, Brint Ryan went on to build a fortune by saving companies big bucks on their taxes. Here’s how he battled his way to the top. story by

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b r i n t rya n a n d h i s b a n d m at e s w e r e

grooving at Big Spring High’s senior talent contest.

But near the end of their five-song set, the amplifiers suddenly quit, and the music died. Maybe the hard rock was too raucous or the lyrics too suggestive for the Bible Belt community—“We’re gettin’ funny in the back of my car; I’m sorry, honey, if I took you just a little too far... By morning you’ll be mine, yes, all mine…” Whatever the case, a government teacher named Tommy Adams cut power to the mics and Ryan’s rhythm guitar, as the class president and his garage band covered Van Halen’s 1978 hit, “Feel Your Love Tonight.”

It’s hard to silence Ryan now.

The Washington Post calls Ryan a Republican mega-donor with outsized influence. He made a news-grabbing run for the Dallas City Council and built his Ryan LLC into a thriving tax consulting firm with nearly 3,000 employees in 50 countries, generating an estimated $630 million in revenue for 2020.

In one notable case, the firm clawed back more than $100 million in taxes overpaid by Texas Instruments.

The goal is to make Ryan LLC globally branded “as the Amazon of tax,” the company’s founder says over iced tea at his 20,000-square-foot home, an estate on Strait Lane that’s tax-appraised at $17.9 million.

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A young Ryan with boxing gloves he received for Christmas.

Last year, Ryan was the recipient of the prestigious Horatio Alger Award, which recognizes “personal initiative and perseverance, leadership, commitment to excellence, belief in the free-enterprise system and the importance of higher education, community service, and the vision and determination to achieve a better future.” Cited was Ryan’s overcoming a difficult, working-class upbringing.

His teenage parents had eloped to Mexico to marry. Both abused alcohol, which led to arguments and physical violence, states a remarkably frank company biography. Ryan and his sister picked up the drinking habit, too. A DWI accident would leave her wheelchair-bound—a wakeup call for Ryan that was tragically reinforced when his mother was run over and killed by a drunk driver. Sober since November 1990, Ryan says, “I felt I was headed down the same path.”

A seventh-generation Irish-American, George Brinton “Brint” Ryan was the eldest of four children.

His mother sold insurance. His father, a gas plant worker, had played on a state champion basketball team and pushed Ryan into sports. But he was never the athlete his dad wanted. He loved music, and when he asked for a $145 eight-track stereo, Ryan was told to get a job, sparking a tireless work eth-

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ic. He threw papers for the Big Spring Herald, then sacked groceries at Safeway. In college, he worked 20 hours a week at a Piggly Wiggly, getting hired as a bag boy and ending as an assistant manager.

Ryan attended North Texas State (now the University of North Texas), which would change the trajectory of his life. But it wasn’t an easy transition.

“I was scared to death, I mean absolutely scared to death,” he says of arriving in Denton as the first in his immediate family to attend college. “It was 1982, and I didn’t know a soul. I was sitting there, a kid from Big Spring in this new world, looking at the backgrounds of other people.” Not until then did Ryan realize where his family stood on the socio-economic ladder. “It was truly intimidating,” he says. “I was so focused, I poured myself into my work. When I got a 3.9 my very first semester at North Texas, I was so upset because—you know what?—I made a B in Phys. Ed. That blew my 4.0. I got a four-point my next semester.”

When he left for college, Ryan couldn’t wait to put Big Spring in the rearview mirror of his secondhand Buick. (“I wanted to get out of there; I wanted to get away from my dad,” he says.) But the prodigal son returned decades later to restore the Hotel Settles, a 1930s, 15-story edifice that towers over the city. (See sidebar on page 35.)

At UNT, Brint Ryan took advantage of a fiveyear program that earned him both a bachelors of science degree and masters in accounting. And he has repaid the school for what it gave him, perhaps more than anyone. A regent appointed by former Gov. Rick Perry, he pledged $30 million in

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

With his proud parents, Virginia and George, after graduating in 1988 with dual B.S. and mater’s degrees in accounting.

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After Ryan gave the iconic Hotel Settles in Big Spring a massive, $31 million renovation, the property reopened in 2012.

2019, a record gift for the state school. As a result, the department where he once studied is now the G. Brint Ryan College of Business.

David Wolf, UNT’s vice president of university advancement, recalls the time he approached Ryan for support. “I did not intend to solicit a naming gift that day,” Wolf says. “We did always know that Brint would be the first we would ask.” Nonetheless, he let the idea slip, saying, “The College of Business should have G. Brint Ryan as its name … let’s dream about that.”

Ryan was “super enthusiastic,” Wolf recalls, quoting him as saying: “Let’s talk about that, let’s focus on that.” They spoke several times a week over two months, and the gift evolved in such a way that it would provide funds to be matched by research grants over the years, creating a multiplier effect.

M YST E RY MA N “Who the hell is this Ryan LLC?” Peter Reilly, a Forbes tax blogger, recalls asking himself last year.

“If they were a CPA firm, they’d be in the top 20, and I would have heard of them.” A PR company had pestered Reilly to cover an acquisition by the firm, but the reporter found Brint Ryan himself more intriguing. “He built one of the biggest accounting firms without being an accounting firm by doing arcane state and local tax things. Lots of money involved, but no one understands them.”

It was not a direct path for the hard-charging West Texan. At UNT, Ryan enjoyed tax work and was recruited by Coopers & Lybrand (now PwC).

Involuntarily transferred from a federal tax position with the firm to its new state tax section, Ryan

Hometown Hero Decades after leaving Big Spring, Brint Ryan returned to invest in and reinvigorate its downtown.

Despite his enormous success, Brint Ryan has remained largely under the radar in his industry.

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After reconnecting with old friends at a 20-year high school reunion in 2002, prodigal son Brint Ryan decided to help his hometown by saving the historic Hotel Settles. Acquired by the city in foreclosure, the iconic property had been left derelict for three decades.

Several deals to revive it had failed, and it was continually raided by teenaged vandals, including the police chief’s son, once tracked down by Brint’s brother, Kris.

Ryan snapped up the property for $75,000.

As the renovation went along, its budget mushroomed from $9 million to $31 million,

with Ryan deciding to create a first-class, destination hotel, with a restaurant, cocktail lounge, landscaped pool area, and a posh penthouse suite designed for his family’s needs. Soon, a plaza next door, Reunion Park, will be graced by bronze sculptures of Ryan, his wife Amanda, their five daughters, and a dozen other relatives. Big Spring covered $3 million of the restoration, and various tax incentives added $15 million, Ryan says. Still, skepticism in town was rife that he’d finish the four-year project, let alone ever make a profit. But, fortuitously, the hotel reopened in 2012, when West Texas crude was $94

a barrel—a boon to the region, says Jeff Trigger, who served as a project consultant.

Even Trigger thought it would be lucky for Hotel Settles to break even, says architect Norman Alston.

But the property has been profitable every year until 2020, when COVID-19 and oil prices proved a double whammy, Ryan says. Kris Ryan, who was selected by Brint to manage the complicated restoration, despite having no relevant experience, proved more than up to the task, Trigger says. And now, the quietly competent brother is restoring a slew of other crumbling landmark properties Ryan has since acquired.

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was dispatched with scant preparation to Waco to reduce taxes for a food processor. He succeeded, largely by getting in the face of a veteran auditor with the Texas Comptroller’s Office for eight weeks.

Ryan convinced the auditor, Joe Tom Black, that a conveyor belt should be exempt because it creates a hexagonal pattern on the bottom of chocolate bars as they traveled from a molding machine to a packager, making it part of the untaxed “manufacturing” process. In the end, the company’s $102,000 tax assessment was reduced to practically zero. “I think Black had had enough of being in front of this snotty-nosed kid who wouldn’t give up, who would argue every single transaction,” Ryan says.

The young accountant found his calling in reverse audits. “I kept tossing bean bags—every argument I could think of. If you prepare well and don’t give up, and you just fight until it goes all the way to the end, you can have real success. You can bring real value to clients.”

When his supervisor, Chris Collis, left C&L, and other senior staff were transferred, Ryan was left in charge of 600 employees—but without the title or the commensurate salary. He also found himself “nurse-maiding” a new boss. Meanwhile, Collis had opened a small CPA firm and signed up clients, “but had no one to do the actual work.” At 27, Ryan joined Collis. It was 1991, and Mean Green they scored early by saving a clipride: Ryan, with ent $350,000 in taxes, earning Scrappy the Eagle, proudly sports the new partners a $60,000 fee. his school colors at a University “It was the biggest check I had of North Texas ever seen in my life,” Ryan says. football game.

Major Milestones 1964

George Brinton “Brint” Ryan is born in Big Spring.

1988

Graduates from UNT with dual B.S. and master’s degrees and takes a job with Coopers & Lybrand (now PwC).

1991

Launches the predecessor to Ryan LLC with Chris F. Collins; goes on to buy out Collins’ interest in 1993.

1998

Ryan & Co. PC shifts from CPA firm to state and local tax consulting firm.

2006

Acquires the historic Hotel Settles in Big Spring.

2008

Launches the firm’s PAC to support “probusiness, pro-taxpayer” political candidates and office-holders.

2009

Appointed to UNT System Board of Regents by former Texas Governor Rick Perry.

2018

Toronto’s Onex Corp. takes a 42 percent stake in Ryan LLC, which is valued at more than $1.1 billion and ranks as the world’s largest business taxes firm.

2019

Gifts $30 million to UNT’s College of Business, which now bears his name.

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By the end of 1993, the renamed Collis & Ryan had scaled up to 15 employees, but Collis wanted to spend weekends on the fairway rather than at the office. “I was fed up, tired of doing all the work,” Ryan says, and finally told Collis: “If you don’t want to be part of this anymore, I’ll buy your interest out.”

A profanity-infused confrontation erupted when Ryan handed him a dollar figure scribbled on a Post-it. “You little son of a—I’ll fire you,” Collis responded, Ryan says. But the following Monday, Collis smilingly accepted a revised offer. The 29-yearold Ryan and his partners had cobbled together $250,000 to buy the firm and create Ryan & Co. (renamed Ryan LLC in 2007).

The year 1993 was a milestone for another reason. Smitten by an SMU graduate hired on a temporary basis, Ryan invited her to lunch. Amanda Sutton hardly said a word, but let it slip that her longtime boyfriend was backpacking in Europe that summer. “The only thought that went through my mind was, ‘I’ve got three months,’” Ryan recalls. “I was seven years older. She probably thought I was an old man.” Using “every persuasive skill I possessed,” Ryan won her over by summer’s end. The couple married and went on to have five daughters.

Years later, Ryan asked his wife if she was glad she accepted that lunch invitation. “As I recall it,” she replied, “you weren’t all that successful until we met.”

G LO BA L EXPANSION Ryan LLC shed its CPA practice and set itself apart by brazenly approaching clients of major accounting firms, offering to ferret out hefty tax refunds on a contingency basis of about 30 percent, not the usual hourly fee. “The interesting thing about the business is, it does well when times are good,” Ryan says. “It does extraordinarily well when times are bad.”

But it hasn’t been all home runs. While expanding around the world, Ryan LLC pulled out of Latin America because of myriad difficulties. In Mexico, for example, it found vast overpayments of value-added tax at one company. “But it has this crazy rule that if you file a refund claim, they can audit your books, and can go back 10 years,” Ryan says. Then there was a bizarre standoff with a prospective U.S client. Ryan LLC sued Advanced Micro Devices for refusing to try to recoup $30 million in overpaid taxes identified by the Dallas firm, thereby depriving it of a huge fee, according to a 2012 article in The New York Times.

The two parties settled out of court.

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Crediting UNT with transforming his life, Ryan wants to do whatever he can to help build a world-class business program at the school.

Like attorneys able to finance a judge’s election campaign, little stops Ryan LLC from pouring millions into war chests of successive Texas state comptrollers and gubernatorial candidates, among others. Or from hiring former comptroller John Sharp and the deputy executive director of Gov. Rick Perry’s Texas Enterprise Fund, which benefited many Ryan clients. And the firm hasn’t been shy about touting its clout. “At Ryan & Co., we don’t just react to Texas tax changes. We engineer them,” reads a company brochure, quoted by The Dallas Morning News in 2005.

Ryan entered the political arena himself in 2009 with an astonishingly brutal run for Dallas’ District 13 seat. By far the city’s costliest council race, Ryan spent more than $1 million of his own money—$170 per vote received. At one point, he sued his opponent, businesswoman Ann Margolin, for slander, libel, and defamation, and asked a court to gag her with a restraining order. He wasn’t enraged over Margolin digging up Ryan’s 16 speeding tickets, including one for hitting 104 mph in a 60-mph zone.

It was her citing a $482,000 tax lien on his home.

Ryan said it was an IRS error—and a year later, the agency issued an apology for the mistake. The sparring candidates settled out of court during the race, with Margolin agreeing not to bring up the lien again. Ryan got 43 percent of votes; Margolin, who spent less than $200,000, won with 57 percent.

Having set politics aside, Ryan continued to drive exponential growth at his company. The firm’s end-to-end tax services platform includes tax recovery, consulting, advocacy, compliance, and technology. It serves clients in all major industries, from blockchain and cryptocurrency to utilities. It also has a group that works on credits, incentives, and site selection, and in October 2018, hired Maher Maso, the former mayor who helped engineer Frisco’s remarkable growth, as principal.

That same month, Toronto-based Onex Corp. acquired a 42 percent stake in Ryan LLC for $317 million; at the time of the transaction, the firm’s valuation was set at $1.1 billion. Ryan said in a statement, “In recent years, we’ve significantly expanded our business, adding new service lines and growing our premium client roster. With the backing of Onex, we’ll continue this momentum.”

Ryan LLC also has grown its reputation as a culture pioneer in the financial services industry. The movement was sparked when Kristi Bryant handed

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in her resignation at the firm a dozen years ago. At the time, she had no idea she was triggering a radical makeover of the company. Planning to wed in March 2008, she and her fiancé had decided that her long hours at work would not a compatible marriage make. Sixty to 80-hour workweeks were not uncommon. “I was overwhelmed and overworked,” she says. “Things were coming to head.”

In Brint Ryan’s own words, the firm had gained a reputation as a “sweatshop,” where 50-55 hours a week were mandatory, and anything more was worn by employees as a “badge of honor.” But not Bryant.

To Ryan’s credit, he asked if they could discuss her decision, telling her, “Hey, if you want to stick around, let’s tackle this together.” After some coaxing, she laid it out; it was a stunning blow for the CEO. “The moment caused me to take inventory of what was changing,” Ryan says. “It pushed us to think big, to challenge our way of doing work.”

What evolved was myRyan—a system-wide flextime platform. The move was at least five years ahead of competitors. “What we didn’t fully appreciate was just how revolutionary the idea was,” Ryan says. Bryant agrees. “It was a major shift,” she says.

MyRyan is a system built on trust, where people can work from home, as long as they meet goals and connect on Zoom meetings, she explains.

If Ryan LLC’s Glassdoor rating is any indication, the approach is working. It currently polls 4.6 out of 5 overall, with Brint Ryan given a 98 percent approval rating as CEO. Bryant, now a principal who will mark her 19th year at the firm in 2021, is not surprised. “Brint’s draw is his transparency, his ability to bring the firm together, to have us aligned with the same goals.” After all, destinations are reached much easier and faster when everyone is rowing in the same direction.

“If you prepare well and don’t give up, and you just fight until it goes all the way to the end, you can have real success.”

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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 ,

a n d

C O M M E N TA R Y

OPPORTUNITIES AHEAD

The Pathway to Renewal Anne Chow, CEO AT &T B U S I N E S S

SHUTTERSTOCK

“i believe that 2020 is a year that was destined to happen in some ways. it has pushed us to begin finding solutions to problems—racial, social, and economic—that we’ve put off addressing for too long. I also think the year helped to shine a light on the power of our humanity, especially when we act as one, whether it’s as a family, local community, team, organization, or company. Our world has been affected by the pandemic, and as a result, we have been anchored on our common denominator—that we are all part of the human race—embracing our flaws, our strengths, our skills, our experiences, and learnings. Importantly, we’re aligned in our mission to move through crisis into recovery, return, and, ultimately, renewal. … The converging crises are compelling us to see the world differently, to act differently, and to engage differently. It is time for us to come together and make real progress—socially, economically, environmentally, technologically, and more.” —As told to Christine Perez

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MEGA MARKET

Every $1 billion in e-commerce sales translates to about 1.25 million square feet of industrial space.

R E A L E S TAT E

DFW’s Industrial Sector Is on Fire E-commerce defined the region’s commercial real estate market in 2020. Here’s a look at what that means for the future. story by BIANCA R. MONTES

when a global pandemic shined a light on supply chain shortfalls, it was good news for Dallas-Fort Worth’s industrial sector. Already one of the top markets in the country, COVID-19 boosted leasing and development activity. Demand came primarily from e-commerce tenants, third-party logistics firms (3PLs), and food and

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beverage users. They helped drive up rental rates and push vacancies to near all-time lows.

The pandemic led to a spike in online sales, already seeing steady year-over-year gains since the Great Recession. This spike advanced what distributors refer to as “just in case” inventory and created a surge in demand for warehouse space, says Chris Teesdale, executive vice president at Colliers International. And it shows no sign of slowing. “I don’t see the demand for industrial space going away, nationally,” he says. “And if you look at North Texas, there are huge benefits to being in our market, and a lot of companies have recognized that. The question is, what will the next five years look like?”

Industry experts say trends to watch focus on technological improvements, like the automation advances happening at Hillwood’s AllianceTexas, plus higher ceiling heights and ongoing shifts in

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FIELD NOTES

supply chain strategies from a just-in-time inventory system to a just-in-case inventory system.

North Texas is already positioned well to succeed and continues to attract large users, thanks to the region’s central location, robust workforce, pro-business environment, and extensive transportation and distribution network.

The challenges come in development. “Almost every industrial developer in the U.S. is looking at land in our market—or is already here,” Teesdale says. “The challenge they are having is trying to find sites where they can position themselves for a building. … All the land sites are blocked up.”

Denton has been a hot market. Lowe’s recently leased one of the largest available blocks of warehouse space in the area, a nearly 650,000-squarefoot building. One challenge Denton faces is a lack of utility infrastructure needed to support further development. Another big sleeper that has come to life locally is Midlothian, thanks to recent work on State Highway 360. Sunrider International broke ground late last year on what will be a $56 million 1 million-square-foot manufacturing facility in the Ellis County city.

Southern Dallas also is coming on strong, driven by access to Interstate 20 and the International Inland Port of Dallas. A game-changer will come from a new multimodal container terminal at the Plaquemines Port, about 80 miles south of New Orleans, which is expected to come online in 2023. Union Pacific is planning parallel lines running directly from the port to South Dallas.

When that’s up and running, it will push products to the Central U.S. and offer another alternative to shipments coming from the West and East coasts. Dallas developer Champion Partners recently announced plans for a 416,000-squarefoot warehouse on Cleveland Road, just south of I-20, and Amazon just leased a 1 million-squarefoot distribution center in that same area.

I M AG E S C O U R T E S Y O F H I L L W O O D

SUPPLY CHAIN SHORTFALLS

Due to its underlying fundamentals, Dallas has long been a strong industrial market, where bold developers aren’t shy about building on spec.

They’re grappling, though, with how to respond to supply-chain disruptions. Tim Feemster, CEO and managing principal at Foremost Quality Logistics, says decisions focus on the shortfalls of the just-in-time approach, where you could squeeze out inventory and have just enough because demand was relatively predictable. “Well, guess what, demand is not only relatively unpre-

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dictable, but so is the ability even to manufacture and to distribute,” he says. “This has shaken up the world from that lean inventory perspective.”

So, what does that mean? It means increased demand, higher clear heights in warehouses, and building distribution sites closer to consumers— because, frankly, distributors cannot replenish inventory fast enough.

Amazon may be the big logistics story of 2020 (the company is estimated to occupy about 12 million square feet of space in North Texas), but companies like Walmart, Target, and HEB are also doing big things in technology to become more efficient and automated, says Bill Burton, executive vice president at Hillwood, developer of the massive AllianceTexas in Tarrant County.

This will result in “a lot of technology and automation delivered between fulfillment centers and store sites,” he says. It also means that older buildings that were once perceived to be somewhat obsolete could be refreshed as last-mile delivery centers. “You might not have seen that value five or six years ago,” Burton says.

Transportation will continue to be a critical factor in leasing decisions. It makes up about two-thirds of supply chain costs; rent makes up about 5 percent to 8 percent, and wage and labor costs are a little higher. Advancements in automation could also play a bigger role in mitigating those costs, Burton says. “We have the goods with transportation because of the BNSF intermodal and the airport; now you layer on autonomy, it makes your operation significantly more efficient,” Burton says. “We are trying to get in front of it and be a major player in the arena.”

BY THE NUMBERS

A RecordBreaking Year A recent research report from Cushman & Wakefield shows that by the end of 2020’s third quarter, industrial tenants in North Texas had absorbed more than 21 million square feet—the largest three-quarter gain in the region’s history. Submarket hotspots were DFW Airport (1.8 million square feet), AllianceTexas (1.3 million square feet), and Great Southwest (950,361 square feet). What makes the absorption numbers doubly impressive is that developers added a whopping 23 million square feet of local industrial space in the first nine months of the year. Nearly 24 million square feet remain under construction; southern Dallas is leading the market, with more than 5 million square feet of space underway.

IN THE AIR

Advancements in air mobility strengthen DFW’s appeal. Big players like Bell, FedEx, Amazon, and UPS are all located at AllianceTexas.

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ON TOPIC

As we head into 2021, what is the outlook for your company and industry? edited by WILL MADDOX

042

illustrations by JAKE MEYERS

MICHAEL ABLON

HILDA GALVAN

WYMAN ROBERTS

Principal PEGASUSABLON

Partner-in-Charge Dallas J O N E S DAY

President and CEO B R I N K E R I N T E R N AT I O N A L

“Dallas will continue to grow with an in-migration accelerated in the post-pandemic environment.

Neighborhoods that succeed will be those whose real focus is on a sense of place; places providing each of us a feeling of meaning, personal identity, access, and relevance. If the ’80s and ’90s were about mass-commodification, successful real estate in the ’20s will be about placemaking—being responsive to our cultural desires for mass-personalization.”

“The legal industry has seen increased activity driven by issues related to COVID-19, including employment, regulatory, and intellectual property issues. The resulting economic uncertainty has led to more disputes between parties and a corresponding increase in litigation. Some practice areas, however, are experiencing a decrease in activity due to the uncertainty, including M&A, energy, and whistleblowerbased investigations.”

“I’m confident about the future of casual dining. By leveraging scale, technology, value, and convenience, all while prioritizing safety, Brinker and its brands saw an increase in off-premise guests. With the launch of It’s Just Wings, the industry’s first virtual brand at its scale, we embraced off-premise.

We’ll continue to use digital and direct channels to build awareness and drive traffic, whether it’s in our dining rooms or to-go.”

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ownership succession, and consider necessary changes to the company’s capital structure.

BUSINESS MANAGEMENT

Figuring Out Who’s the Boss

2.

INVOLVE YOUR BOARD. Succession is probably the most difficult topic to raise with a founder, which makes it an important focus for the (ideally, independent) board of directors. Waiting for a CEO to fall seriously ill or a top executive to leave for a competitor is a recipe for disaster. At that point, overhanging urgency and emotion can hinder effective decision-making.

Successions don’t have to be dramatic. The worst thing you can do is not plan for them, says business adviser G. Bradford Bulkley.

H

SHUTTERSTOCK

3.

1.

COMMIT TO A SUCCESSION PLAN. A succession plan is a critical directive for a business aimed at benefiting all shareholders. It’s a process, not just a document or flow chart. It defines the desired outcome, key benchmarks, and how to achieve those benchmarks.

Strategies contemplate management, as well as

bo’s emmy award-winning drama succession tracks the lives of media magnate Logan Roy and his four children as they spar over control of the company’s future. But it need not be that contentious, says G. Bradford Bulkley, president and founder of Bulkley Capital. He says the key to succession planning is placing interests of the enterprise above those of any individual or family member. Chasing personal interests can derail even the most vibrant companies. Many private and family-held business owners act as though they’re going to live forever, neglecting to properly plan for what a smooth and effective transition will look like when they are ready to move on. When a key executive exits the business, passes away, or retires, critical questions of ownership and operations need to already be answered. Companies caught flat-footed can prematurely be put into play, and a lack of readiness will be reflected in reduced enterprise value.

Not having a clear succession plan can lead to dysfunction and jeopardize the future success of companies that make up the heart of the U.S. economy. Bulkley offers these four tips:

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COMMUNICATE. A well-conceived plan must be effectively communicated to a company’s key constituents, primarily senior management and shareholders, as well as banks or other lenders, if appropriate. The communication should be documented and ongoing, conducted at the plan’s creation and with annual reviews by the board.

4.

CONTROL THE TIMING OF EVENTS. Managing the timing of events, such as raising capital or selling a business, is often a function of having financial alternatives, which maximizes enterprise value.

These alternatives come in the form of readily available capital and the ability to finance, refinance, and re-capitalize. This also provides the luxury of waiting for the best time to exit—when there is a good market with multiple suitors for the business.

G. Bradford Bulkley is president and founder of Bulkley Capital, a Dallas firm specializing in middlemarket transactions.

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OFF DUTY THE PERSONAL SIDE

o f

DFW BUSINESS LEADERS

IT’S THE CLIMB

Chad Houser says his favorite workout is “just as mentally stimulating as it is physically stimulating.”

PURSUITS

Scaling New Heights Café Momentum’s Founder, CEO, and Executive Chef Chad Houser is passionate about rock climbing. story by KELSEY J. VANDERSCHOOT photography by JONATHAN ZIZZO

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nonprofit restaurateur chad houser discovered rock climbing during his search for a form of exercise that could meet the demands of his busy schedule. “I used to play hockey a lot,” he says. “I just didn’t want to go through the commitment of signing up for a league because my travel schedule was so busy.”

Houser worked as a chef for 17 years before selling his stake in Parigi in 2012 to launch Café Momentum, where he serves as CEO and executive chef. The popular Dallas restaurant helps at-risk juveniles find a pathway to employment through 12-months of on-the-job service industry training. When it came to working out, Houser wanted an activity that was both physically and mentally demanding to take his mind off operations and expansion plans. He and his wife discovered indoor rock climbing a few years ago and decided it would fit the bill.

“What I love about it is it is just as mentally stimulating as it is physically stimulating,” he says.

Each route provides new athletic challenges and puzzles that he enjoys solving. “Climbing a wall is not just about sheer strength,” Houser says. “It’s about gravity and your core and positioning

yourself appropriately on the wall. I love the problem-solving component of it.”

Before the pandemic, Houser was working out between three and five times a week at Summit Climbing Gym, a local chain, and scaling walls wherever business took him. “I always look up gyms wherever I’m traveling to,” he says. “It’s my source of entertainment while traveling.” Houser especially enjoys climbing slab routes—those on inverted walls that require extra balance and focus. Regular climbs and intense focus provided escape during hectic, pre-COVID growth.

More recently, Houser launched Momentum Advisory Collective to serve as the parent company for Café Momentum and drive a nationwide expansion of the concept. The goal is to have programs in 30 other cities in the next 10 years.

For now, he’s giving himself some grace in as he works his way back into his climbing passion.

That includes a goal to start tackling routes listed even higher on the V Scale, which climbers use to measure the difficulty of a route. “That would push me a little further,” Houser says.

He and his wife also look forward to a time when their 1-year-old son can join them in their pursuit. We’ve joked that “maybe we can get a junior climbing wall in here and start young,” Houser chuckles.

ON THE MENU

Continuing to Build Momentum Since Café Momentum opened in 2015, more than 750 at-risk youth have participated in its internship program. These juvenile offenders have a recidivism rate of just 15 percent— much lower than the state’s average of 43 percent. This has saved taxpayers an estimated $34 million in prison expenses. Located in the heart of downtown, Café Momentum is consistently named one of the best restaurants in Dallas and is supported by more than 20 local farms and ranches. Beyond the flagship eatery in downtown Dallas, it operates two food trucks—Baldo’s and Ruthie’s, both of which are often seen parked outside Klyde Warren Park. Café Momentum also offers catering.

HANGING ON

Houser once climbed up to five times a week.

He plans to ease back into it post-pandemic.

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FOR DESIGNER AND STUDIO 11 CO-FOUNDER KELLIE SIRNA, FASHION IS INSPIRATION.

STYLE ICON: “I’ve always been a Rachel Zoe fan. I love her ethos about kindness and girl power. Her clothing line consistently offers a mix of staples and fun, playful pieces.”

FASHION ESSENTIAL: “My work bag, which has every travel essential imaginable. Pre-pandemic, I traveled almost every week, visiting projects across the country. My makeup bag is crucial for midday refreshes, as I run from construction sites to client meetings.”

GO-TO LOOK: “A blazer, white V-neck, and jeans, with a large vintage necklace or belt. For meetings, a great pair of heels, and for running around, tennis shoes. My go-to accessory for taking my look from day to night are David Yurman’s large hoop earrings.”

HOW I ACCESSORIZE: “If the outfit makes its own

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statement, I downplay the accessories. Sometimes, the accessories are the statement. My favorite pieces have been found at vintage jewelry stores anywhere from New Orleans to Argentina.”

WEEKEND LOOK: “Running from speaking engagements to project sites to sporting events with my boys means keeping an extra layer on hand is key. In my car, I keep a blazer and a leather jacket for quick day-to-night transitions. ” FAVORITE STORES: “The fit and craftsmanship of Rag & Bone make the brand timeless in my book.

For a playful approach to colors and patterns, I love Alice + Olivia’s eye-catching collections. When I’m traveling and in need of a last-minute look, Saks Fifth Avenue is a reliable resource. Because we don’t have a Saks in Dallas, when I’m visiting a city that has one, I try to make a point of doing a quick run-through. I love the way they merchandise their stores and lay out their collections. As creatives, fashion in all its forms is a source of inspiration.”

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P H OTO G R A P H Y C O U R T E S Y O F S T U D I O 1 1 D E S I G N

WHAT I DO: “As co-founder of Studio 11 Design, I guide our firm as we bring our hotel, restaurant, and residential clients’ visions to life.”

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WE GIVE IT OUR EVERYTHING, BECAUSE KIDS CAN DO ANYTHING. Children’s HealthSM is honored to have Chris Akeroyd named as a finalist for CIO/CTO of the year in The Innovation Awards 2021 by D CEO. None of this would be possible without our entire team working together to make life better for children.

Chris Akeroyd Senior Vice President, Chief Information Officer, Children’s Health

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12/10/20 9:47 AM

OFF DUTY

M U S T- R E A D

Executive Book Club

G R E AT E R G O O D

Area C-Suiters tell us the one book they think everyone should read—and why.

“The First 90 Days by Michael D. Watkins. It’s a great reminder that when you’re starting a new position, you’re not expected to have all the answers. You should allow yourself the freedom to ask questions—be willing to listen, learn, and then act. I’ve also learned that the job you are hired for may not be the job you will have forever. I started out in our travel department and then moved into IT, but I was always curious about learning new areas.”

Z AC K H I C K S | Toyot a C o n n e c te d N o r th A m e r i c a

“Chasing Daylight: How My Forthcoming Death Transformed My Life by Eugene O’Kelly, who died of a brain tumor in his early 50s. The book is one of the most inspiring reads, especially for hardworking and driven leaders.”

C H A R LI E VO GT DZ S

“The Accommodation: The Politics of Race in an American City by Jim Schutze. Everyone in Dallas should read this book.

We cannot be our best until we learn about and acknowledge our history and combat the systemic inequities that exist.”

C H A S IT Y WI L SO N H E N RY C ECO Envi ro n m e nt a l C o r p .

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“The Power of Positive Thinking by Dr. Norman Vincent Peale. The title of the book says it all. Whether in business or just life in general, positive thinking—a positive attitude—is fundamental to happiness and success.”

“The Obstacle Is the Way

by Ryan Holiday, which was recommended to me by our CFO, Craig Storey. I’m in the middle of it right now, and the book is helping me to power through this storm. It’s definitely a must-read.”

M E LI S SA R E I FF

JA S O N M CC A N N

“Moneyball by Michael Lewis is a must-read. It isn’t just a sports book. It has applications in just about every facet of decision-making. Everything has some sort of value, and it can be quantified. Plus, most assets don’t love you back.”

“Generations: The History of America’s Future by William Strauss and Neil Howe.

It explains how society has cycles, but we’re always progressing upward. It tells the history of America through the lens of generational theory.”

KEN HERSH

TR A M M E LL S . C ROW

T h e C o nt a i n e r Sto re

G e o rg e W. B u s h P re si d e nti a l C e nte r

Va r i

E a r th X

“Both Ends Believing was founded as an advocate for children, to help move them from institutions in the developing world to families of their own. The group began asking why there were so many children still in institutions, orphanages, or government-run homes. They were told, ‘We don’t have any data; we’re doing all this with paper. We’re trying to follow a process to safely place the children, and we just can’t do it with any speed.’ That set them on a path to find a technology partner. We were able to put together a small team at Tyler Technologies to build a prototype in 2015 that completely digitizes those records. We’re capturing everything that we know about the children and all their biographical information. We also built a module that allows each country to build a plan for that child. The third component is registering the families that want to adopt children. We showed it to country representatives as part of Both Ends Believing, and they loved it. We offer it for free. The Dominican Republic tripled the number of adoptions domestically that were done the first year they had the system.” —As told to Will Maddox

COURTESY OF B O O K P U B L I S H E R S

Tyler Technologies executive Bruce Graham provides a digital boost to international adoptions.

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Outstanding Health System Innovator

Winjie Miao, Senior Executive Vice President and Chief Experience Officer, Texas Health 2020 Award Recipient

Outstanding Collaboration

Texas Health Frisco and UT Southwestern 2020 Award Recipient

Outstanding Health System Volunteer Nell Martin, Texas Health Dallas

CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR 2020 D CEO MAGAZINE EXCELLENCE IN HEALTHCARE FINALISTS AND AWARD RECIPIENTS. On behalf of everyone at Texas Health and the communities we serve, thank you for your heroic efforts and dedication to excellence in healthcare.

Outstanding Community Outreach Texas Health Community Impact, Texas Health

1-877-THR-WELL | TexasHealth.org

Outstanding Wellness Program

Healthy Education Lifestyles Program, Texas Health

Outstanding Health System Texas Health

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Doctors on the medical staffs practice independently and are not employees or agents of Texas Health hospitals or Texas Health Resources. © 2021

12/9/20 4:08 PM

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WATER’S EDGE

The Grand Solmar Resort at Land’s End boasts pools that overlook the Pacific Ocean.

EAST CAPE PIONEER

The Four Seasons Resort Los Cabos at Costa Palmas is the brand’s first Cabo property.

W E L L T R AV E L E D

Escape to Darren James’ favorite getaway, on the southern tip of the Baja California peninsula. story by ART STRICKLIN

GOLF NIRVANA

The 18-hole championship course at the Four Seasons leverages Cabo’s seaside terrain.

BOTTOMS UP

A fresh pineapple basil margarita, served up at the Grand Solmar at Rancho San Lucas Resort.

SWEET TREAT Mediterranean and Mexican cuisines inspire Pícaro’s menu at Rancho San Lucas.

ROOM FOR R&R

The ocean-view suites at Rancho San Lucas range from 828 to 2,038 square feet.

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P H OTO G R A P H Y C O U R T E S Y O F R A N C H O S A N L U C A S , G R A N D S O L M A R A T R A N C H O S A N L U C A S , G R A N D S O L M A R L A N D S E N D R E S O R T & S PA , T H E F O U R S E A S O N S L O S C A B O S C O S TA PA L M A S .

Cabo San Lucas, Mexico

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P H OTO G R A P H Y C O U R T E S Y O F R A N C H O S A N L U C A S , G R A N D S O L M A R A T R A N C H O S A N L U C A S , G R A N D S O L M A R L A N D S E N D R E S O R T & S PA , T H E F O U R S E A S O N S L O S C A B O S C O S TA PA L M A S .

The Grand Solmar at Land’s End offers access to both nightlife and the famed El Arco rock formation.

M

mexico’s cabo san lucas and nearby san Jose del Cabo have been luring Texans for decades, as they’ve morphed from sleepy fishing villages to international golf and recreational resorts. The region, on the southern tip of Mexico’s Baja California Peninsula, is now totally reopened in the wake of COVID-19. The timing was perfect for my recent visit, with two spectacular resorts opening just in the last year or so.

The stunning Four Seasons Resort Los Cabos at Costa Palmas, situated on the overlooked and unspoiled East Cape side of the region, marks the brand’s Cabo debut. It’s the first from Four Seasons to include a marina and offers more than two miles of untouched beachfront on the Sea of Cortez—offering a swimming experience that’s much calmer than beaches on the peninsula’s wave-pounded western side. There are also six resort pools and upscale spa and fitness facilities.

The resort’s on-site dining also shines. Estiatorio Milos has already gained a reputation as one of the finest Mediterranean seafood restaurants around, led by global chef Costas Spiliadis. Trust me, there is nothing better than looking over the day’s local catch, selecting the one you want, and

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telling the chef how you’d like it prepared, as I did. Other great food options include the casusal Casa de Brasa all-day eatery and Limón, farmto-table al fresco dining, surrounded by a lemon tree grove. Poolside dining also is available.

For big golf fans like me, the resort offers access to a Robert Trent Jones II-designed, 18-hole championship golf course. It takes advantage of the natural surroundings and offers spectacular desert and ocean views. I opted for a golf package that included food and beverages from Lucha Libre cantina and Bouchie’s Café, which sits next to a pro shop and Jones’ expansive 30,000-squarefoot putting green.

Another 18-hole course, Rancho San Lucas, also takes advantage of Cabo’s terrain. Designed by golf legend Greg Norman, its layout is a brilliant examination of the massive dunes, towering mountains, and sparkling ocean. Although the region has no shortage of opportunities for firstrate golf, this newcomer quickly rises to the top of the list. The course also offers a luxury residential community, in addition to an exclusive resort.

For accommodations, check out the seaside suites at Grand Solmar at Rancho San Lucas, which range in size from 828 to 2,038 square feet. And for in-house dining, you can’t go wrong with the fresh catch or ceviche at Anica; named after the first settlement of Baja California Sur, it incorporates traditional tribal cooking techniques. The more casual Bacari has several “theme” nights throughout the week and rotates its menu accordingly.

If you want the full 24/7 Cabo party experience, Grand Solmar Land’s End Resort is the place to stay. Situated near the region’s coastal rock formations, where the Sea of Cortez meets the Pacific Ocean, and Playa del Amor (Lover’s Beach), it’s also within walking distance of the city’s entertainment district.

It’s clear that Mexico’s best golf region has gotten even better, and that’s an excellent problem to have.

T R AV E L T I P S

Unwinding in Warmer Climes KAI Enterprises President Darren James knows what he wants out of a getaway—easy access to water. And the warm, crystal-clear bay in Cabo San Lucas offers the perfect environment for the busy architect to relax and recharge. Rooms with a view are a must in paradise, says James, who also serves as chair of the Dallas Black Chamber of Commerce and Fair Park First. “It’s incredible to wake up and see the ocean,” he says. He likes to rent a jet ski and explore the coast from the water. He also enjoys living like a local and embracing a “no rush” mentality. “Just have an open mind and be prepared to have fun,” James advises. —Bianca R. Montes

LUSH LINKS

Golf legend Greg Norman designed the Rancho San Lucas course at the Four Seasons Resort.

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CHRISTMAS IN SWEDEN

Ossa Fisher in her mother’s arms, with, from left, her grandmother, father, and sister, circa 1979.

SUMMER SOLSTICE

Fisher, at right below, with her sister and mother, who’s wearing a Midsummer wreath.

ISLAND GIRL

Fisher and her family spent summers exploring the Swedish archipelago, often sleeping on the islands.

ROOTS

OSSA FISHER

as told to JENNY RUDOLPH illustration by JAKE MEYERS

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as president and coo, ossa Fisher runs e-learning company Istation, which has become even more crucial as schools shift to remote learning during the pandemic.

She credits her passion for education to her upbringing in America as a dual citizen with Swedish roots. Here, she shares her story: “Some of my fondest memories are of Swedish summers spend in Stockholm. My parents owned a small sailboat that we would take out every weekend and sail through the Swedish archipelago. There are thousands of islands, and we would often sleep on one of them during the weekends.

When I was 4 years old, my dad was recruited by a California technology company, and we moved to America. We continued speaking Swedish at home; being bilingual helped me into adulthood, in terms of communication. When I went back to Sweden as an exchange student in college, people

told me I spoke Swedish fluently, but they knew I wasn’t Swedish because I laughed so loudly. Sweden has a more reserved and modest culture, and I enjoyed the boisterous nature of Americans. …

My husband was very keen on Sweden from the beginning; we have visited every summer since our children were born. I always look forward to the multigenerational celebrations during Midsummer’s Eve. The tradition is to pick flowers, spend the morning making wreaths and then the afternoon singing and dancing around the maypole. The June holiday celebrates the summer solstice. ... Sweden is still a large part of me, and that’s what is wonderful about being American— you can enjoy your past and celebrate your history but still feel fully American, as well.”

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

President and COO I S TAT I O N

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You’re the company you keep.

Make sure D CEO is part of your 2021 planning, and align yourself with the best in the business.

March: Power Brokers + 2021 Real Estate Annual Space Reservation: January 22 April: Commercial Real Estate Space Reservation: February 19 May: Finance + Faces of North Texas Business Space Reservation: March 26 June: Women Leadership + State of Healthcare Roundtable Space Reservation: May 14

Ample digital opportunities, special sections, and custom sponsorships available as well.

Contact president and publisher Gillea Allison to get started: Gillea@dmagazine.com or 214-939-3636.

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12/10/20 10:28 AM

We proudly invest in women Women make up more than 50% of the employees at Bank of America. We proudly continue to recruit and invest in helping women succeed within our organization. Outside, we support the economic empowerment of women in our communities and all around the world.

Through programs like the Women’s Executive Development program, we empower women to develop their skills and talents to prepare them for leadership roles.

Our ongoing work to invest in women means supporting women business owners and putting into action the belief that female entrepreneurs are fundamental to driving strong, healthy economies.

Through our partnerships with Vital Voices, the Cherie Blair Foundation, the Tory Burch Foundation, Kiva.org and the Bank of America Institute for Women’s Entrepreneurship at Cornell, we’ve helped more than 35,000 women entrepreneurs in over 80 countries advance their businesses.

©2020 Bank of America Corporation | 3213949 | TEMP-08-20-0200

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WOMEN LEADING TECH AND INNOVATION Though still too small in number, Dallas’ female STEM leaders are fiercely working to lay the ground for more women in the field.

WOME N MAKE U P M O R E TH A N H A L F the total workforce, yet only 25 percent work in the tech industry—even when STEM jobs have grown 79 percent since the early 1990s. When it comes to STEM, there remains an under-addressed gender gap in opportunity and pay. Fortunately, the Dallas business community is working hard to elevate the profiles of women in senior technology and innovation roles and build the pipeline of the future.

CONTENTS

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STAC EY MA RX AT & T

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Achieving a new standard in STEM starts early—elementary age, in fact. Studies have shown that girls often express an interest in STEM at around age 11, but by age 15 they have lost interest. Why?

Girl Scouts of Northeast Texas’ STEM Center of Excellence engages girls in STEMrelated study and careers at an early age.

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Lack of female mentors and hands-on experience, as well as gender inequality in the STEM field, says Stacey Marx, president, AT&T National Business & Channels. “We are seeing some positive trends across the tech industry, but there is still work to do,” she says. Marx has been impressed with improvements, including more focus on leveling the playing field, more efforts around training and diversity, and more attention given to women in STEM. “When we celebrate and promote women leading in tech, we’re showing girls what’s possible and encouraging them to pursue their interests,” she says.

One place girls have plenty of opportunity to 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’s the first of its kind in the United States and provides yearround 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.

“As you look at stats and research, we are starting to see more women go into STEM careers, such as certain life sciences and math, but when you look at areas like computer science and engineering, the numbers have decreased, which is the opposite of what we want to see,” says Jennifer Bartkowski, chief executive officer of Girl Scouts of Northeast Texas. “What we are hoping to do is connect with girls in the K-12 phase, so they remain interested in STEM. We have found

that colleges don’t always teach to girls in ways that they think and learn, and some work environments don’t support women staying in STEM. When we can build girls’ confidence, self-esteem, and excitement about STEM early, they will stick with it—even when it becomes hard.”

A harsh light has been shined on the lack of women in STEM, creating a frenzy of activity designed to encourage girls and young women to enter and stay in the tech field, address the discrimination in hiring practices, and provide female mentors and role models to demonstrate success, says Valerie Freeman, CEO of Imprimis.

“Even though a much larger percentage of college computer science majors are women, they are underrepresented in all STEM fields—but especially in the fields of AI, machine learning, data science, cybersecurity, and software programming,” Freeman says. “The number of female CIOs and CTOs in big firms in the U.S. has increased by a few percentage points but only to around 20 percent. Strides will continue to be made as long as CEOs and boards of directors focus on cultural change, which involves reducing barriers for women, providing support for diversity initiatives, eliminating harassment, and including women in opportunities for advancement.”

Among the reasons girls and young women avoid studying STEM and seeking careers in these fields is a subtle and early message from society that STEM jobs are for men, not women. The numbers tell the story, as only 13% of engineers and 26% of computer scientists are women. While companies often find value in diversity and want to add more women to their workforces, many young women who are initially interested in math or science aren’t always aware of the wide variety of STEM career paths.

“This can lead them to switch majors before they graduate,” says Katie Mills, treasurer of the Dallas Society of Women Engineers. “Exposing young girls to the many flavors of STEM careers as well as providing mentoring to students and young professionals can help to build the pipeline for a more equitable future STEM workforce.”

Hattie Hill, president and CEO of the TD Jakes Foundation, says there is an unconscious and systemic bias within our country’s education system that pushes girls away from science and math, even when they show an interest. Plus, there are few female role models. “If young girls, especially young girls of color, can’t or don’t see

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people that look like them in STEM careers, it’s much more difficult for them to even consider these careers in the first place,” Hill says. “If companies are serious about diversity and inclusion, they need to make recruiting, hiring, and promoting women a priority, not just a talking point. The talent is out there. We just have to focus on closing that gap.”

According to a recent study by SmartAsset, the top cities for women in tech are Baltimore; Washington, D.C.; and Arlington, Virginia. Dallas ranked 54 of 59 cities in the study, even though Texas ranks second in the country for tech jobs.

Despite this disappointing number, women leaders in STEM fields are beginning to sense a shift in the right direction in the Dallas area. For instance, the Dallas Regional Chamber recently formed a permanent Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Council and hired its first Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion senior vice president. More women are moving into senior leadership roles in some of Dallas’ largest, most innovative tech companies. Many companies are incorporating ways for women in tech to learn and practice the skills they need for advancement, including corporate boards programs and formal mentoring programs.

The transformation has been slow, but Dallas is quickly gaining speed. “There is so much opportunity in Dallas, from large corporate headquarters to an increasingly significant number of startups peppering the landscape with innovation,” AT&T’s Marx says. “Businesses need technology more than ever to propel themselves into our new virtual world, and they need tech experts to help guide them.”

Sounds like a great job for a woman.

The goal of D CEO’s Women Leading Tech and Innovation initiative is to showcase executive women paving paths in critical roles in STEM across Dallas-Fort Worth, elevate the work of the business community in building the pipeline, and demonstrate the need for more diversity in these senior roles.

Please join D CEO on February 17, 2021, for a virtual breakfast panel, featuring a conversation with several women leaders in tech and innovation and a special spotlight on efforts by the Girl Scouts of Northeast Texas. You can find more information and reserve a ticket at dmagazine. com/womentech.

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FORGING A PATH:

Advice From STEM Trailblazers and Leaders “Use your network and your resources. There are a lot of classes, schools, and businesses ready and willing to train the next generation of female tech leaders. By talking with other girls and sharing your story, you’ll help close the gender gap and encourage others to do the same. The more visibility real women in tech get in the world, the higher the chance that a young girl will come across it and find inspiration.”

“Don’t be afraid to be a trailblazer.

It may be hard and you may feel like quitting along the way, but when you think you can’t do it, or you aren’t good enough, hold onto this piece of advice my mother gave me: Everyone gets up in the morning and gets dressed, just like you.”

STACEY MARX AT&T

“Determine what problems you want to solve, and then explore opportunities that allow you to think about those problems. Don’t worry about titles or money. Take a job, learn from it, and apply that knowledge to the next job. Keep an open mind and jump in with both feet. You’ll notice if a job doesn’t connect with your personal mission statement, it won’t be a good fit.”

“Explore as many different areas of STEM as possible to determine interests. There are coding bootcamps, robotics academies, and drone workshops. The proliferation of STEM educational programs for young people of all ages bodes well for future increases in the number of young girls interested in pursuing STEM careers.”

VALERIE FREEMAN Imprimis

“Nearly any problem you want to solve in the world today will have a science, technology, or math solution. STEM is changing the world, and if you want to have your hands in it and make a real difference, that’s where you will need to be. Ask questions. Science is all about trying and failing—that’s how we get it right.”

HATTIE HILL TD Jakes Foundation

CLAIRE ALDRIDGE UT Southwestern

“Study what you are passionate about, and a career will work itself out, as education is a gift in and of itself. If you’re trying to follow a script in the early stages, you’ll miss opportunities.”

ELLEN DOWD Dialexa

JENNIFER BARTKOWSKI Girl Scouts of Northeast Texas

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STACEY MARX Presi de nt , AT& T Nat i o nal Bus i ness & C h a n n e l s

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Stacey Marx’s story is proof that anything is possible for women in tech. As a child, she couldn’t imagine going to a big city, much less living and working in one. Marx grew up in a small midwestern farming town where she practiced public speaking in a barn, standing on a ladder, and talking to cows. Her parents’ strict “no TV” rules fueled her love of literature and thirst for knowledge. In a town where everyone knew everything, Marx quickly learned how to get along with all types of personalities and the importance of relationships.

She considers relationships and a strong personal network keys to career success and happiness. Her focus on people and passion for problem solving have helped propel her into successful careers in both finance and sales. She now leads a team of thousands of business professionals who support 95% of AT&T’s business customers nationwide.

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BRAVOTECH BravoTECH salutes its own women in technology. It takes a talented team of people to make a company successful, and these women are a critical part of the Bravo team that has been recognized multiple times by the INC. 500/5000 and Dallas 100. BravoTECH also gives back to the community through involvement with technology organizations; mentoring through UTD and Technology Ball, the company’s own golf tournament raising funds for STEM education; and of course the Girl Scouts of Northeast Texas. Valerie Freeman, CEO of BravoTECH, was a Girl Scout, former board chair of the GSNETX, and former Girl Scout Woman of Distinction awardee. BravoTECH, celebrating its 25th Anniversary, is thrilled to shoot this photo at the amazing Girl Scout STEM Center of Excellence in Dallas.

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QUINCY PRESTON Publ i s he r and Edi to r i al Di re cto r, Dallas I n n ova tes

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The year 2020 tested and transformed us.

“Technology has been a lifeline,” says Quincy Preston, publisher and editorial director of Dallas Innovates, a publication built to tell the stories about Dallas-Fort Worth gamechangers and disruptors. The pandemic fast-tracked a digital transformation that was already underway. “That every company is a tech company has never been more true,” she says. A collaboration with the Dallas Regional Chamber, Dallas Innovates will continue to lift innovators’ voices as breakthroughs in 2021 continue. Expect even more experts in this region to solve challenges of the future. “We’re seeing more emphasis on diverse voices—different backgrounds and perspectives for new ideas and innovation,” she says. Stay tuned as Dallas Innovates tells the stories of women who lead by example and serve as role models for the next generation of leaders. “It takes diverse voices to drive growth through innovation,” Preston says. “We won’t be resting on our laurels in this region, because the future is now.”

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ELLEN DOWD Se ni o r Par t ne r & Head of G row t h , D i a l exa

Ellen Dowd brings more than two decades of experience to Dialexa, where she fuels the growth of the company’s future. Throughout her career, Dowd has helped dozens of Fortune 1000 companies drive results and disrupt their industries through technology. Dowd says she fell into the tech field, working for a major consulting firm at the beginning of the dot.com boom. “I got a taste of what it was like to be on the leading edge of innovative solutions that seemed impossible only a few years before,” she says. Since then, Dowd has made a career out of building businesses around those innovations. Dowd is proud to be a female leader in a field where she can take risks and apply her passion. “Progress shouldn’t equate to complacency,” she says. “I am inspired to see more women in tech, but now we need to see those same women in the boardroom.”

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

DIALEXA.COM L I N K E D I N . C O M /C O M PA N Y/ D I A L E X A FAC E B O O K .C O M / D I A L E X A @DIALEXA

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WOMEN LEADING TECH AND INNOVATION

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

CLAIRE ALDRIDGE, PH.D. Asso ci ate Vi ce Pres i de nt fo r Co mm e rc i a l i za t i o n a n d Busin ess Deve l o pm e nt , U T So ut hweste r n M e d i ca l Ce n te r

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

Dr. Claire Aldridge is a STEM leader who inspires those around her, especially women also working in this space, whether in labs researching the treatments of tomorrow or VCs and philanthropists investing in life sciences. Her positions in technology commercialization, working with disease-specific nonprofits, development and venture philanthropy work, and biotech and life sciences investing all led to her serving today as a liaison between scientists and the community. She thrives when communicating about broadening the pipeline of commercialization opportunities for UTSW. “It is amazing to work in a field where you get to think about the breadth of the science and how it can make people’s lives better,” Aldridge says.

“I enjoy discussing the impact of science – what it could solve and where we can take it – so philanthropic individuals can understand what their gift could mean, including changing the trajectory of a disease. At its core, this work is about serving patients and saving lives.”

UTSOUTHWESTERN.EDU/TECHDEV FAC E B O O K .C O M / U TS W N E WS @UTSWNEWS

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12/11/20 12:56 PM

Connect with the most powerful business leaders in North Texas.

The Dallas 500 is an annual publication featuring the most influential leaders across North Texas. Purchase the 2021 edition today and get to know the top executives shaping their industries and our economy.

ON SALE NOW AT:

DALLAS500.COM

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END MARK

A CUT ABOVE

For more than a decade after it was built, the 22-story Adolphus Hotel was tallest in Dallas.

BEERMEISTER

Royally Haunted THE ADOLPHUS HOTEL Opened in 1912

story by ELLIE BEECK

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ince opening its doors to the public in 1912, the Adolphus Hotel has been the pinnacle of luxury in Dallas.

Built on Commerce Street in the heart of downtown by St. Louis beer titan Adolphus Busch, it’s designed in a Parisian Beaux-Arts style, complete with exterior gargoyles flanked by the heads of Greek gods. Royal guests throughout the years have included Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Phillip, as well as the king of baseball, Babe Ruth. On the National Register of Historic Places since 1983, The Adolphus also is known as a hotbed for paranormal activity. Guests have reported hearing the wails of a jilted bride who, according to legend, took her life on the 19th floor after being stood up on her wedding day in the 1930s. History does indeed link the hotel to several gruesome deaths in the early 20th century. Despite its ghostly past, The Adolphus, which now operates as part of Marriott’s Autograph Collection, remains a pillar of grandeur for the city of Dallas.

B U I L D I N G C O U R T E S Y O F D E G O LY E R L I B R A R Y , S O U T H E R N M E T H O D I S T U N I V E R S I T Y , G EO RG E W. CO O K DA LL A S/ TE X A S I M AG E CO LLE C TI O N

Adolphus Busch built his brewery fortune in St. Louis before investing in Dallas real estate.

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A DATA CENTER COMPANY

EXPANDS THE SIZE OF ITS CLOUD

W I T H A L I T T L E H E L P F ROM

Texas Capital Bank takes great pride in helping entrepreneurs and business owners realize their dreams. By providing capital and business expertise to privately held companies, we’ve grown into one of the most successful banks in the U.S., consistently recognized by Forbes as one of the Best Banks in America. What can our bankers do for the business that you built?

Doug Mangum, Executive Vice President doug.mangum@texascapitalbank.com

Stuart Edwards, Senior Vice President stuart.edwards@texascapitalbank.com

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Member FDIC

www.texascapitalbank.com

NASDAQ ® : TCBI

Texas Capital Bank, N.A.

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