Entrepreneurship @Mays - Spring 2022

TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY

MAYS BUSINESS SCHOOL | SPRING 2022

ENTREPRENEURSHIP

› JENNIFER MCFERRIN-BOHNER Director, McFerrin Foundation

ENTREPRENEURSHIP @MAYS

FROM THE INTERIM DEAN:

LETTER OF APPRECIATION DEAR MAYS COMMUNITY: I hope this message finds each of you doing well and enjoying all activities this time of year brings!

are involved, and with other stakeholders as well, than is the case today.

With homage to the saying that “time passes quickly,” I want to note that I am completing my 18th year as a member of the Texas A&M University and Mays Business School communities. In so many ways, it is difficult to imagine that this is the case.

Stated simply, the reason for the decisions I am describing is that Mary Ann and I are now ready for the “next phase” of life. We truly look forward to many exciting new adventures during retirement!

My wife, Mary Ann, and I feel so very blessed and fortunate to be a part of Mays and Texas A&M. The opportunities to serve here truly are the highlights of my 45-year career. In addition to being a member of the Department of Management faculty since July 2004, I have had the privilege of serving as Head of the Department of Management, Interim Head of the Department of Management, Interim Executive Associate Dean, Executive Associate Dean, Associate Dean for Research and Scholarship, Acting Dean, and now as Interim Dean. I have enjoyed all of these positions and the opportunities to serve the Mays Business School family each one provided. My commitment while serving has been to strive continuously to demonstrate our Aggie Core Values.

As you may know, Mary Ann and I decided recently that I will conclude my service as Interim Dean on May 31st of this year. I will then retire from the university on August 31, 2022. I have never had more pride about Mays Business School and the impact we are having on students, Texas A&M University, the worldwide communities of scholars with whom we

This issue of @Mays is of particular interest to me. I’ve dedicated a reasonably large percentage of my research efforts throughout my career to studying strategic entrepreneurship. When the topics of strategic entrepreneurship and strategic entrepreneurs continued to surface, our team decided to create an @Mays edition around these important topics and the possibilities flowing from them. Please enjoy learning about the various interdisciplinary aspects of Entrepreneurship @Mays—and please share your thoughts with us and others through your social media of choice. Just search “Mays Business” to find the appropriate channel.

Thank you for the opportunity to be a part of this unique and stimulating community and to join you in “advancing the world’s prosperity.” I will joyfully share in the many accomplishments you will record while working together in the coming years.

With sincere appreciation and good wishes to all, Duane

CONTENTS 04 entrepreneurship research

08 entrepreneurship practice

14 current student entrepreneurship

24 former student entrepreneurship

40 entrepreneurship outcomes -Dr. R. Duane Ireland, Interim Dean of Mays Business School and University Distinguished Professor of Management

"The Full-Time MBA program gave me the confidence to stand up in front of the room and pitch my business."

-Clara Orlean, Class of ’20, Founder ClaraTech

@MAYS EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Blake Parrish, Director of Marketing, Communications, and Public Relations MAYS MARKETING COMMUNICATIONS TEAM CREATES @MAYS Alex Giles, Kiri Stanford, Hiroko Sumikura; Student Assistants: Caroline Harper, Sara Munoz, Lauryn Woods, and Sachin Varghese CONTRIBUTING WRITERS/EDITORS AND CONTENT Kyle Ackerman, Ashley Deutser, Haley Hart, Dr. R. Duane Ireland, Missy Lund, Dorian Martin, Blake Parrish, Lara Robertson, Shanna Spencer, Kiri Stanford, Hiroko Sumikura, Lauryn Woods, Ben Wiggins CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS/VISUALS Mandy Ahr, Alex Giles, Butch Ireland, Michael Kellett, Hiroko Sumikura, Jack Thompson, Austin Miller SHARE YOUR FEEDBACK Please share your feedback with us in your channel of choice using #MaysBusiness or email us at marcomm@mays.tamu.edu

mays.tamu.edu © Mays Business School 2022

ENTREPRENEURSHIP RESEARCH

-Dr. Michael Hitt, University Distinguished Professor Emeritus and Professor Emeritus of Management 4

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ENTREPRENEURSHIP RESEARCH

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mazon and Priceline.com each captured the public’s attention in the 1990s with groundbreaking success; yet soon thereafter, these companies’ trajectories diverged from each other, suggesting a new paradigm in management.

Mays Business School’s Dr. Michael Hitt and Dr. R. Duane Ireland tracked the divergence of these companies and many more in their exploration of strategic entrepreneurship.

“There’s a lot of uncertainty out there that can’t be predicted. Just look at our recent pandemic. Today, I believe very strongly that all firms need to be engaged in strategic entrepreneurship by being strategic and entrepreneurial, whether they are large or small or in any industry. They have to be, if they are going to stay in existence.”

-Dr. Michael Hitt, University Distinguished Professor Emeritus and Professor Emeritus of Management

LESSONS FROM CUTTING-EDGE ENTREPRENEURS The pair began to research what was emerging among entrepreneurial companies that were shaking up the marketplace. Amazon began as an online book business with a large on-demand inventory and no brick-and-mortar stores. As its entrepreneurial model proved successful, Amazon’s leaders strategically identified new horizons. “Amazon expanded into music and many other areas,” Hitt said. “The company

ENTREPRENEURSHIP RESE ARCH

entered more and more markets and now, as a huge firm, has overtaken many industries.”

exploit and explore simultaneously results in strategic entrepreneurship.”

Yet, Hitt noted that Amazon’s success story is the exception, not the rule. Other entrepreneurial companies, such as Priceline.com, offer a cautionary tale about what happens when leaders disregard strategy. The online travel business offered a unique entrepreneurial model that, in its early stages, was more successful than Amazon. “Priceline was wildly successful with its reverse auction system,” he said.

“This model was good for the airlines at that time.

They were flying with empty seats that they couldn’t recoup, so that was lost revenue.” However, other companies began to copy its model. “Priceline still exists today, but they have many other online competitors, some bigger and more successful,” Hitt said. “In comparison, Amazon kept innovating and staying ahead of the curve.”

The researchers also believe large firms that are strategic must increasingly be entrepreneurial to thrive in the rapidly changing environment, Hitt noted. “A lot of big firms become leaders in their fields, and then they rest. They take less risk because they have been successful and decide to stay with what they have—but today, you can’t do that. You have to continuously be entrepreneurial.”

THE IMPORTANCE OF THE PIVOT What sets successful entrepreneurial ventures apart is the ability to be both innovative and strategic. Hitt noted, “If you look over a longer term, you have to consider your competitive landscape. You may have no competitors when you start because you’re so unique, but if you’re successful, you’re going to invite competitors. Those companies that have staying power are the ones that tend to be more strategic.”

Ireland pointed out that strategic management and entrepreneurship seek to create different types of behavior. “Through strategic management, firms engage in advantage-seeking behavior. They attempt to exploit their current competitive advantages to achieve success and outperform competitors. In entrepreneurship, firms engage in opportunity-seeking behavior. They explore the external and internal environments to specify the competitive advantage they will need to achieve success and outperform competitors tomorrow or at some point in the future,” Ireland said. “Combining these actions to

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TAPPING AN EMERGING FIELD The field of strategic entrepreneurship began to emerge in the 1990s, and by 1999, the Mays professors had enough data to write a book chapter on the topic. In 2001, the pair collaborated in creating a special issue of the Strategic Management Journal focused on strategic entrepreneurship.

With research in this area of study continuing to expand, Hitt helped launch the Strategic Entrepreneurship Journal (SEJ) in 2007. Dr. Dan Schendel, Purdue University professor emeritus of management and SEJ’s founding editor in chief, worked closely with Hitt on the journal’s launch.

Schendel shared, “The interest and importance of entrepreneurship was needed as an offering of the Strategic Management Society, and as a service to our members and an outlet for research in the field.” This academic journal’s influence has grown to the point that the Financial Times now recognizes it among the top 55 business journals.

The study of strategic entrepreneurship continues to expand across the globe. “Duane and I were the catalysts that started this initially, but there now are many, many others who work in the field,” Hitt said.

“Because of the work that has been done by many others, strategic entrepreneurship has become a very vital and active field academically but also from a practical standpoint.”

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Ireland agrees. “Both the short and long-term outlook is very positive. Researchers continue to examine questions and issues related to strategic entrepreneurship,” he said.

“Moreover, the Strategic Entrepreneurship Journal, which was established for the purpose of publishing strategic entrepreneurship-related work, is becoming stronger and more widely respected.”

MOVING INTO PRACTICE The study of strategic entrepreneurship has become a mainstay in the Department of Management’s undergraduate programs. Hitt, now a professor emeritus, initiated the strategic entrepreneurship class, which guides students, including those from other Texas A&M colleges, on how to develop a strategic entrepreneurial venture. This class offers Aggies the chance to learn how to launch a business.

While the term “entrepreneurial” often is equated with start-up companies, Aggies who plan to work with traditional companies also benefit from this class as they learn how to add value to their employers. “We encourage them to keep the mindset of being strategic and entrepreneurial. Always look for better and new ways to do things,” Hitt explained. “Obviously, as an entering new young employee, they can’t immediately make changes on their own, but they can suggest new ideas and help companies see how they can be more entrepreneurial and more innovative, or be more strategic considering what competitors may do or how they may react.”

THE FUTURE OF STRATEGIC ENTREPRENEURSHIP Both Ireland and Hitt expect this area of study and education will continue to grow, especially with the increasing rate of change as well as global repercussions from events, such as the pandemic and war. Additionally, economic and societal changes are increasing the need for leaders who are well-versed in both entrepreneurship and strategic thinking to guide public organizations such as non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and higher education institutions.

Ultimately, a strategic entrepreneurship mindset is increasingly critical for organizations of all kinds in the future. “There’s a lot of uncertainty out there that can’t be predicted. Just look at our recent pandemic,” Hitt said. “Today, I believe very strongly that all firms need to be engaged in strategic entrepreneurship by being strategic and entrepreneurial, whether they are large or small or in any industry. They have to be, if they are going to stay in existence.”

“When engaging successfully in strategic entrepreneurship-related practices, firms increase the likelihood of being able to compete successfully today, tomorrow, and in the future.”

-Dr. R. Duane Ireland, Interim Dean of Mays Business School and University Distinguished Professor of Management

Research will play a critical role in helping organizations understand how to use strategy and entrepreneurship in the world’s rapidly changing, disruptive, and oftendisorienting environment. “Today, organizations face increasingly complex and rapidly changing conditions while engaging in competitive battles. Having a solid and robust understanding of strategic management practices, tools, and techniques along with possessing a highly developed set of entrepreneurial insights is critical to identifying paths to follow to achieve success given the competitive realities,” Ireland said. “The primary benefit of research in this area is that when engaging successfully in strategic entrepreneurshiprelated practices, firms increase the likelihood of being able to compete successfully today, tomorrow, and in the future.” ◊

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EN P R TA RC ET PI CR EE N E U R S H I P PRACTICE

-Jennifer McFerrin-Bohner, Director, McFerrin Foundation

ENTREPRENEURSHIP PRACTICE

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ith his name prominently emblazoned on Aggie sporting venues and academic departments, Artie McFerrin ’65 made a substantial philanthropic impact that is easily seen across Texas A&M’s campus. Yet, McFerrin’s most farreaching contribution to both Texas A&M and the state of Texas is housed at Mays Business School—the McFerrin Center for Entrepreneurship.

“The McFerrin Center aims to produce the highest quality Aggie entrepreneurs who are equipped with the experiences and mindset to allow them to solve the biggest problems of today and tomorrow.”

-Jennifer McFerrin-Bohner, Director, McFerrin Foundation

Creating an educational environment that combines the entrepreneurial can-do spirit with the Aggie Core Values, the McFerrin Center is molding the next generation of transformational entrepreneurs. While the Center offers a lasting legacy honoring the visionary McFerrin, who died in 2017, the family’s entrepreneurial contribution to Mays continues.

Now McFerrin’s daughter, Jennifer McFerrin-Bohner, has stepped into the lead role.

As part of the McFerrin Center’s Advisory Council, McFerrin-Bohner brings to the table her own experiences from working in entrepreneurial settings and with entrepreneurs, as well as her father’s wisdom.

“It is no secret that entrepreneurship is the key driver of our economy. Wealth and a vast majority of new jobs are created by small entrepreneurial businesses started and run by entrepreneurially minded individuals. Entrepreneurs are also the innovators who find new solutions to world problems,” she said.

“The McFerrin Center for Entrepreneurship serves as the hub of entrepreneurship across Texas A&M’s campus, and is open to all students, faculty, and staff. There are programs for every spectrum of practicing business and for all stages of being an entrepreneur.”

HEADING WEST Like other entrepreneurs, McFerrin-Bohner marches to the beat of her own drum—and that trait began emerging early in her life. Growing up in a suburb of Houston, she became an elite water polo player and was determined to compete at the collegiate level.

Texas A&M didn’t have an NCAA water polo team, so she decided to attend the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA), receiving one of the first women’s athletic scholarships for that sport. After earning her bachelor’s degree at UCLA, McFerrin-Bohner remained in California to attend graduate school at Pepperdine University.

Those decisions mean that she’s among only a handful of McFerrins who do not have an Aggie ring. Yet, her

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family’s close ties to Texas A&M greatly influence her.

“My parents love Texas A&M and everything that the university encompasses. From the unique culture and traditions that Aggies share, to the sporting events that bring people together, they just enjoy being a part of Aggieland,” she said, adding that she remembers wearing black trash bags as the family watched Aggie football games from Kyle Field’s third deck during rainstorms.

Even McFerrin-Bohner’s current LinkedIn profile reflects her affinity for Aggieland. In the education section, she proudly lists Texas A&M right under UCLA and Pepperdine—along with the disclaimer “born and raised an Aggie … happen to not get a degree there.”

A SLIGHT DETOUR Despite her father’s early influence in entrepreneurship, McFerrin-Bohner was not initially convinced that she wanted to join the family business after college graduation. When McFerrin offered her a position at one of his companies, his hard-headed daughter declined. “I can make it on my own,” she remembers telling him. “But then, after a while, I started thinking, ‘They’re pretty successful, and all these people want to teach me everything they know and how to run a business.’ I finally caved in.”

In 2003, she joined South Coast Terminals, a McFerrin family business where her father and brother Jeff didn’t have an onsite presence. She remained with the company for close to 15 years, performing roles in every function of the organization.

serve to this day, and was recognized as an Outstanding Alumnus in Chemical Engineering,” she said. “As my dad began spending less time with the day-to-day operations of the businesses, he enjoyed spending more time developing the leadership of Texas A&M and supporting initiatives to increase A&M’s impact. We could talk for days, strategizing and identifying issues, finding ways to solve them, and mentoring leaders inside A&M. Then he began putting his money into those programs that he wanted to help shape and grow.”

The family’s significant philanthropic support can be seen across Texas A&M’s campus, including the Artie McFerrin Department of Chemical Engineering, the McFerrin Athletic Center, the Cox-McFerrin Basketball Center, the Thornton-McFerrin Coaching Academy, and support for the Parsons Mounted Cavalry. The family also has created over 45 gifts for buildings, faculty chairs, and programs across the campus, most of which bear the names of impactful faculty, donors, and leaders. “He lived a life of service,” McFerrin-Bohner said. “We are so proud that his impact will continue for generations.”

After selling his initial company, KMCO, in 2012, Artie McFerrin built an office in Kingwood, Texas. His daughter joined him and began learning how to oversee the various family-owned companies and the different types of investments. In addition to working alongside Jeff to run the family office, McFerrinBohner continues to manage the Foundation and The McFerrin Collection.

MOLDING AGGIE ENTREPRENEURS

In 2009, she also joined the McFerrin Foundation as managing director, strengthening the family’s already strong ties with Texas A&M. “It wasn’t until my dad joined the 12th Man Foundation’s board and my mom served on the College of Education and Human Development Advisory Board that I started becoming more involved with the university. My brother Jeff McFerrin ’92 also was named to the Chemical Engineering Advisory Board, where he continues to

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Artie McFerrin, who earned a degree in chemical engineering, spoke often about the influence Texas A&M had on his life. “My dad credited his experience at A&M as a vital steppingstone in both his personal and professional successes,” McFerrin-Bohner said.

“His time in the Corps of Cadets helped to develop his grit and teamwork skills and taught him how to strive for excellence.”

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The businessman eventually was drawn to the idea of making a significant investment to support Mays work—but before that happened, the father and daughter team did their homework. “My dad and I worked together for months on what we felt A&M needed in an entrepreneur center before endowing and naming the center,” she said. “It was challenging because there is not a blueprint to create an entrepreneur, and each college we studied manages their centers differently.”

Ultimately, believing that a concentrated effort to develop Aggie entrepreneurs could build on Texas A&M’s history and bring something different to the marketplace, the family made their decision. The Center for New Ventures and Entrepreneurship was renamed McFerrin Center for Entrepreneurship in 2017, prior to Artie McFerrin’s death from leukemia.

“My father wanted to elevate Aggie entrepreneurship to the next level and ensure the next generation of Aggie entrepreneurs could find their passion and hone their skills while still students,” McFerrin-Bohner explained.

“Our country’s future is dependent on the decisions our leaders make—and the health of our economy is based on decisions that our business owners make.”

-Jennifer McFerrin-Bohner, Director, McFerrin Foundation

The McFerrin Center, which remains an internationally respected leader in entrepreneurial education, now serves more than 1000 students and 1500 former students through 30 unique programs. “A great way to describe the McFerrin Center’s programming is that it creates the scaffolding for the entrepreneurial mindset,” McFerrin-Bohner explained. “This allows Aggies to learn faster and in a safe environment. They get to experience business, learn from missteps, shift, and recover from mistakes, and ultimately learn how to think like an entrepreneur.”

The McFerrin Center has expanded and extended its services to Aggies outside of the business arena—and created programs that are steeped in practice, with a significant emphasis on mentorship. “It takes grit, bravery, and constant learning to run a business.

The earlier one gets mentoring and practice, the quicker they can start impacting the world,” McFerrin-Bohner explained. “We liken the example to a doctor in medical school who never saw a patient or a cadaver, who only had academic training. How could they perform a successful surgery, or identify problems

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in real time? How could they be a good physician without hands-on experience, mentoring and support?

The McFerrin Center programming offers this equivalent of medical residencies to anyone who wants to practice business.”

ENTREPRENEURSHIP FOR CHANGING TIMES

said McFerrin-Bohner. “Working with individuals from different backgrounds, cultures and college majors allows for a problem to be dissected from multiple perspectives. It allows the practice of working with people who think differently and for ideas to be scaled for the whole population, whether it’s creating a prototype, marketing plan, app, or service.”

FULFILLING HER FATHER’S LEGACY

As the United States continues to experience the “Great Resignation,” the McFerrin Center has helped position Mays Business School to assist Aggies and others as they pursue the next stage of their careers.

“This is a significant time where the McFerrin Center can offer mentoring, networking, and continuing education about each step of the business’s growth,” she said. “Having a safe environment to learn how to identify problems, find solutions, and practice all aspects of business will accelerate the growth of the entrepreneur’s mindset.”

To that effect, the McFerrin Center is focused on increasing its offerings that are specifically tailored to individuals at mid-life who are starting businesses. “In 2018, research from Harvard established that the average age of all U.S. entrepreneurs at the time of founding was 42,” McFerrin-Bohner noted. “This suggests that many Aggie entrepreneurs enter the job market at graduation and then cultivate their entrepreneurial passions over a long period of time before they feel ready to launch their own businesses.”

The McFerrin Center’s programs—such as McFerrin on Tour—can help these budding older entrepreneurs build their network and develop the skills and confidence to become successful earlier in life.

Additionally, the McFerrin Center also assists Aggies who are working in more traditional job settings to learn “intrapreneurial” skills so they can help their current employer be more effective.

“Regardless, the McFerrin Center aims to produce the highest quality Aggie entrepreneurs who are equipped with the experiences and mindset to allow them to solve the biggest problems of today and tomorrow,”

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Over the past five years, McFerrin-Bohner’s work with Mays Business School and the McFerrin Center has deepened. “I am so fortunate to be able to work with such talented and passionate people inside Mays and to collaborate with supporters of Mays who are nothing short of brilliant,” McFerrin-Bohner said. “The talent and professional mastery of those who give back to the university is a major part of what makes Texas A&M so great.”

In advising Mays and the McFerrin Center on emerging opportunities, McFerrin-Bohner regularly reflects back on her father’s lessons. “WWAD—What Would Artie Do?—still enters my head every week. He knew how to think—to think big and to think long-term,” she said.

“His legacy is all of ours, and we want it to have a lasting impact long after we are all gone.”

Ultimately, she wants his namesake center to equip future business leaders to thrive, which contributes to the world’s prosperity. “Our goal is to work with Texas A&M leaders and talented former students to enhance programming to prepare the future leaders and business owners of America. Our country’s future is dependent on the decisions our leaders make—and the health of our economy is based on decisions that our business owners make,” McFerrin-Bohner said.

“We want to equip these entrepreneurs—no matter what stage they’re in—with the knowledge and skills so they can join the next generation of successful Aggie business leaders. I know that my father would be so proud of the integral role that the McFerrin Center is playing in making these entrepreneurs’ dreams a reality.” ◊

CURRENT STUDENT ENTREPRENEURSHIP

Search Online: mays career exploration night

CURRENT STUDENT ENTREPRENEURSHIP

MAYS FRESHMEN CAREER EXPLORATION NIGHT

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his year, Mays Business School held its first Mays Freshmen Career Exploration Night as part of a new initiative that will give companies an opportunity for early engagement with Mays students. As part of BUSN 101 Introduction to Business, the Wehner Building and Cox Hall were filled with freshmen ready to make a great first impression on representatives from ExxonMobil, H-E-B, Goldman Sachs, PwC, Dell, and more. Experience the halls of Wehner filled with eager learners in the YouTube video (on the left). ◊

WATCH THE IMPACT

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CURRENT STUDENT ENTREPRENEURSHIP

-Joseph Escobar, Class of ’22

CURRENT ENTREPRENEURSHIP STUDENT ENTREPRENEURSHIP PR AC TICE

THE REVEILLE FUND STARTUP INVEST, MANAGE, AND GROW A REAL INVESTMENT PORTFOLIO.

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ising star in the investment community and senior finance major, Joseph Escobar '22, talks about student-managed multimillion-dollar funds, starting an online marketplace, and becoming a managing partner for the Reveille Fund. Watch and learn more about the Reveille Fund. ◊

“Keep your house in order in terms of saving and credit card debt before you think about investing…”

ABOUT THE REVEILLE FUND The Reveille Fund is a multimillion-dollar student-managed investment fund at Texas A&M University, funded by the University of Texas/Texas A&M Investment Management Company (UTIMCO). The Fund uses in-depth analysis and fundamental research to assemble a long-only equities and Exchange-Traded Fund (ETF) portfolio with the goal of outperforming the S&P 500 Index.

This program is high-conviction, pure handson experience for students who are dedicated and passionate about investing, managing, and growing a real investment portfolio— before they even earn their degree. Students are responsible for managing the portfolio in its entirety, analyzing and selecting individual securities, and monitoring the portfolio performance.

INTERESTED IN THE REVEILLE FUND? Connect with Program Coordinator, Amy Clark: aclark@mays.tamu.edu

Joseph Escobar, Class of ’22

WATCH AND LEARN MORE

Search Online: reveille fund

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CURRENT STUDENT ENTREPRENEURSHIP

LEARN BUSINESS

BY DOING BUSINESS

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art of the MS Business program, the Integrated Business Experience (IBE) course allows students to learn business by doing business. This course allows students to create community while seeing what it’s like to build and run a business from the ground up.

Experience the showcase in the YouTube video (below). ◊

WATCH AND LEARN MORE

Search Online: mays integrated business experience

INTEGRATED BUSINESS EXPERIENCE SHOWCASE

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CURRENT STUDENT ENTREPRENEURSHIP

MEDICINE AND BUSINESS

TEXAS A&M MD + MBA PROGRAM The Texas A&M MD + MBA is an integrated five-year

dual-degree

program

that

provides students the skills needed to take on leadership roles in various healthcare industries. With a focus in management, finance and healthcare operations, graduates from this program are equipped to excel in healthcare entrepreneurship, strategically grow and manage teams, and lead large medical organizations.

Career options for an MD-MBA graduate: • Hospital / Healthcare Administration • Entrepreneur (Private Practice Owner) • Healthcare Executive • Non-profit Management • Healthcare Business Consultant

WHY AN MD AND MBA?

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on of an entrepreneur and nurse practitioner, Jeswin Vennatt ’21, has always been interested in public health and business. His innate passions led him to pursue both an MD and MBA degree. Now the Chief Marketing Officer of Olera, Jeswin is doing just that. He’s using his expertise to take the burden off of caregivers by eliminating ambiguity in the eldercare industry. ◊

INTERESTED IN THE MD + MBA PROGRAM? VISIT tx.ag/MDplusMBA

WATCH THE IMPACT

Search Online: mays md and mba 22

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-Jeswin Vennatt, Class of ’21, Chief Marketing Officer of Olera

“I had an interest in business and medicine… an episode on Mays MasterCast gave me a better idea of how it would look…”

-Jeswin Vennatt, Class of ’21, Chief Marketing Officer of Olera

FORMER STUDENT ENTREPRENEURSHIP

-Clara Orlean, Class of ’20, Founder ClaraTech

THE FAMILY BUSINESS

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lara Orlean ’20, sees the entrepreneurial influence of her family emerging strongly in her career path. The recent graduate of Mays Business School’s Full-Time MBA Program (FTMBA) has created ClaraTech, which aims to empower older adults through technology training and support.

In February 2021, Orlean left her full-time job at ExxonMobil to devote herself to ClaraTech after increasing demand. Nine months later, Orlean won the services category of the Lift-Off Houston Business Plan Competition.

GETTING HER BEARINGS After studying Global Supply Chain and Operations Management as well as Business Management at the University of South Carolina, the sixth-generation Texan joined Gexpro in a rotation program.

"The Full-Time MBA program gave me the confidence to stand up in front of the room and pitch my business."

-Clara Orlean, Class of ’20, Founder ClaraTech

Eventually, Orlean decided to pursue an MBA, a dream sparked by her father. “My father has always been very entrepreneurial. He started his own law practice and is a real estate investor in his free time in Fort Worth. He’s always looking for new ways to fill an unserved need,” she said. “I knew that my undergraduate degree only would get me so far in the corporate arena—or it would just take a long time to rise in the ranks and get promoted the natural way. An MBA helps you fast track.”

STARTING A NEW CHAPTER The young professional decided to commit to the fulltime 18-month program at Mays Business School in College Station. She quickly found that the program was preparing her to level up her business knowledge and skills. “I took basic business courses in my undergraduate degree, but the Full-Time MBA (FTMBA) program at Texas A&M took that subject matter to a deeper level,” she said. “I learned to look at things from a manager’s perspective. I was able to connect my learnings and prior work experience, connections that would be very useful in my career.”

Orlean believes the FTMBA provided a strong foundation for her entrepreneurial venture, even though she wasn’t aware she would be launching a business at the time. “The practical knowledge I gained in the FTMBA coursework has allowed me to succeed as a new business owner. I understand my financials and know how to speak to them in pitch competitions @MAYS MAGA ZINE SPRING 2022

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and business meetings,” she said. “My critical thinking skills, self-awareness, and ability to work with others have improved—skills that have been extremely helpful as a new business owner.”

THE AGGIELAND ENVIRONMENT She credits the FTMBA program with creating a special camaraderie among her cohort, which continues to this day. “From tailgates to football games, to intramural sports, and nights out in Northgate, we really grew as friends.”

She also found time to become involved in key Mays leadership roles. “I really enjoyed giving back to the program by serving on the MBA Association Board and working in the admissions office for the FTMBA program,” Orlean said. “I loved talking to prospective students, helping them through the application process, showing them around Aggieland, and celebrating with them when they were accepted into the program.”

As an added benefit, she met her husband, Alex Orlean ’11 ’20, in the FTMBA program. She noted that the FTMBA’s assessments helped her better understand the complementary nature of her own personal work style as well as that of her husband. “We found that we worked really, really well together,” she said. “When there was conflict on the team, we worked through it together.”

FINDING HER OWN PATH After graduation, Orlean joined ExxonMobil, where she worked in procurement for the transportation and logistics team. But the COVID-19 pandemic soon forced the company into lockdown. Orlean began working from home and re-evaluating the type of career she wanted to have.

A few months later, her mother-in-law, Terri Orlean, reached out for advice on how to organize the various Zoom links for meetings. Her mother-in-law began advertising Orlean’s skill and counsel to her friends, who all needed help. “I started helping older adults with tech before work and during my lunch breaks. There was such a need for a service here that wasn’t being offered.”

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Orlean launched ClaraTech in October 2020—and five months later she left her full-time job to concentrate on building her new venture. Orlean develops a tailored technology plan for each client, identifying the best technology for a specific situation and then training the older adult on how to use it. In some cases, this technology supports older adults who have mobility or hearing impairment.

Over the past year, she’s refined her business model based on what she’s learning from multiple datapoints.

While she continues to work primarily with individual older adults, Orlean also has received invitations to train care providers and employees of small businesses.

She also is initiating technology workshops in Houston-area retirement communities, where she sees as a huge gap. “Tech education is not provided at retirement communities, and I really believe it should be,” she said. “People want them to learn, but nobody’s taking the time to show them how to use their iPhone or how to FaceTime.”

INCREASING TECH LITERACY Realizing the growing opportunities for ClaraTech, Orlean decided to participate in the Lift-Off Houston Business Plan Competition. Her pitch in the services category earned her first place and $10,000 to cover costs associated with growing her business—and she credits the FTMBA program for preparing her for the intense competition. “The FTMBA program gave me the confidence to stand up in front of the room and pitch my business,” she said.

Orlean is grateful for how her family and her “chosen family” from Mays FTMBA Program have influenced her life, both personally and professionally. She wants to remain connected to Mays to reciprocate—and keep learning. “We had our annual reunion for the FTMBA program called Brisket Bowl, back in October of last year and had about 20 of our classmates come from all over the country to be together. It was like we didn’t skip a beat.” ◊

SEC TION TITLE

Professional MBA – Houston

My MBA Story

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Executive MBA – Houston

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FORMER STUDENT ENTREPRENEURSHIP

-Tara and Todd Storch, Class of ’91

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“When you have an Aggie Ring, you immediately have a bond with Aggies everywhere. So many of these Aggies came

OUTLIVING YOURSELF

to our side to carry us during those dark days of grief and have celebrated with us in times of joy and success.”

-Todd Storch, Class of ’91

T

ara ’91 and Todd Storch ’91 have embraced a life of entrepreneurship. Their most recent project emerged in the aftermath of great tragedy, when the couple’s eldest daughter, Taylor, died in a skiing accident on a family vacation in March 2010.

The couple chose to donate their daughter’s organs to give life to others. “Out of all the hard decisions we were making, saying yes to organ donation was an easy one. Taylor was such a giving child that we knew she would have wanted to help others if she had the chance,” Todd said.

Taylor’s organs saved five lives. Realizing the need for more organ donation registrations, the Aggies created a 501(c)(3) named Taylor’s Gift Foundation.

FROM WEST TEXAS TO AGGIELAND Both Tara and Todd have West Texas roots, Tara from Abilene and Todd from Sweetwater and Midland.

The couple’s paths first crossed during a Business Analysis class taught by Professor Louise Darcey.

“Todd sat behind me, and I thought he was cute, so I passed him a note saying something silly, I’m sure.

Passing notes was the 1988 form of texting,” Tara remembered with a laugh.

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The couple gives special credit to the College of Business Administration Fellows program (now the Mays Business Fellows) for increasing their professional opportunities. They pointed to the Business Fellows’ week-long trip to New York City and the professional speakers as opening their eyes to the wide range of possibilities they would have after graduation.

Tara worked at Kraft for three years before shifting to advertising at KPLX radio. However, she didn’t hesitate to step away from corporate life after giving birth to the couple’s daughter Taylor in 1996.

OUTLIVE YOURSELF Everything irrevocably changed in 2010 after Taylor’s death. Tara, Todd, and their children (including Ryan ’21, and Peyton, a nursing student at Texas Tech Health Science Center) never had a conversation about organ donation before Taylor’s death. Yet when they were approached by a nurse about considering organ donation, Tara and Todd said yes without hesitation.

Even in their initial heartbreak, they realized that their decision honored Taylor’s legacy. “We’ve heard many beautiful stories about Taylor over these last 11 years on how kind, caring, and respected she was. She was truly loved by others and had a true gift in lifting others up that was mature beyond her years.”

Seeing the impact of their decision on the rest of the family and close friends piqued their curiosity to learn more about organ donation. The couple was surprised to learn that only 2% of Texans were registered as organ donors in April 2010. As true leaders and entrepreneurs, the couple stepped into this gap to encourage organ donor registrations. That decision also included Todd resigning from Center for Sales and Strategy (CSS) to start a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, Taylor’s Gift Foundation. It quickly became a national award-winning non-profit, winning “Best New Charity in the Nation” by the Classy Awards after only one year of existence.

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The couple began sharing their story to help other families in the same devastating situation. “The pain of losing Taylor was very difficult to talk about publicly when I first started doing speaking engagements, but I found that sharing our story was also helping others,” Tara said. “Sometimes, hearing from someone who has walked a very difficult path, but still has joy in their life, can help others who are in a dark place find some hope. That was the spark that helped me continue.”

The family’s experience continues to grow Taylor’s Gift, which uses the marketing tagline “Outlive Yourself ” to encourage individuals to consider the power of organ donation. “When people think of organ donation, they usually think of death. But organ donation is all about life,” Tara said. “Outlive Yourself is all about leaving a lasting difference in the life of others, and organ donation can be a beautiful way to outlive yourself.”

REACHING OTHERS The couple wrote a book titled, “Taylor’s Gift: A Courageous Story of Giving Life and Renewing Hope” about their experience, which was a best-seller and won “The Most Inspirational Book” at the Books for a Better Life Awards in New York. Additionally, they began to increase organ donor registrations and helped others discuss organ donation more openly. This happened through national features on Good Morning America, The Today Show, The Ellen DeGeneres Show, and People Magazine. They were honored with being People Magazine’s “Heroes Among Us” for their efforts surrounding the importance of organ donation.

Todd and Tara also realized that they needed something creative to make Taylor’s Gift more tangible. The couple reached out to OPI, which agreed to create OPI “Taylor Blue,” a nail color that was inspired by Taylor’s beautiful blue eyes.

FORMER STUDENT ENTREPRENEURSHIP

Unsurprisingly, the Storches relied on the Aggie Network for assistance. Near the top of the list was Hans George ’91, another Business Fellow and Todd’s fraternity brother and first roommate after college.

George, who was a vice president at Nike, helped champion the company’s creation of “Outlive Yourself Socks” that incorporated the “Taylor Blue” color and five stripes to symbolize the individuals who were saved by Taylor’s gifts of life through organ donation.

The proceeds of the sales support Taylor’s Gift Foundation and Taylor’s Place at the new Southwest Transplant Alliance Organ Recovery Center.

The Storches also have come full circle personally in relation to the class where they initially met. “In 2016, we were on a campus tour with our son, and we called Professor Darcey to let her know that because of her class, we met, got married and now have a son who was going to be an Aggie,” Tara said. “Then our son, Ryan ’21, who was in the Business Honors program in marketing and a Maroon Coat, had Professor Darcey before she retired. It was just amazing to us that our son had the same teacher as we did at the business school!”

The non-profit continues to evolve, as Todd stepped into the role of chairman emeritus and Tara took on the role as the volunteer President. Tara continues to speak regularly at different events around the nation, sharing the heartfelt story of her daughter’s legacy. The next chapter of Taylor’s Gift also is broadening to start providing emotional support to families who have donated their loved ones’ organs through their Kindred Hearts Program, a partnership with Heritage Health Solutions. Johns Hopkins University and NYU have also partnered with the foundation on a pilot program and research study about the Kindred Hearts Program.

Years ago, the Storches had to make the best out of a devastating situation, so they decided to focus on the good. “The good was that Taylor saved lives and so we decided to create something to honor her legacy and keep her spirit alive, while helping others,” Tara said. “Our sweet girl is still impacting lives to this day.”

ALWAYS READY TO RETURN Now married for 28 years, Tara and Todd remain firmly committed to both Texas A&M and Mays Business School. Both are regular speakers at various Texas A&M events, including Fish Aides, Muster in Texas and Arkansas, Mays Business School marketing and non-profit classes, Business Fellows and fraternity and sorority meetings. Tara was on the board of the Aggie Women network while Todd serves as a member of Mays MS Marketing Advisory Board. “It’s been such a joy to give back,” said Tara, who received the Aggie Women Network’s Legacy Award for her work with Taylor’s Gift. “Whenever we’re asked to do anything to help at A&M, we do everything we can to be there.”

FOCUSING ON THE GOOD

Despite enduring one of the life’s most difficult crises, Tara and Todd have found ways to thrive professionally and personally. Both credit their faith for their strength and Texas A&M for creating a strong business foundation that has helped them succeed in a variety of professional roles where they were able to leverage change as entrepreneurs. They also are thankful for the power of the Aggie Network. “When you have an Aggie Ring, you immediately have a bond with Aggies everywhere,” Todd said. “So many of these Aggies came to our side to carry us during those dark days of grief and have celebrated with us in times of joy and success.”

By contributing their time and talents to Mays Business School and Aggieland, they are outliving themselves by making a lasting difference in the lives of Aggies across the globe. ◊

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FORMER STUDENT ENTREPRENEURSHIP

-BG Joe E. Ramirez, Jr. Class of ’79, USA (Ret.)

-Nicole Peele, Texas A&M EBV Graduate

FORMER STUDENT ENTREPRENEURSHIP

ENTREPRENEURSHIP BOOTCAMP FOR VETERANS

E

ntrepreneurial journeys are as varied as the entrepreneurs themselves. Nicole Peele’s entrepreneurial path began in her 40s following a 21-year career in the military, bringing her from the East Coast to the McFerrin Center for Entrepreneurship.

Born and raised in Mount Olive, North Carolina, Nicole experienced what’s considered a rite of passage for those growing up in the area—working at the Mt. Olive Pickle Company each summer while in high school. For a young adult growing up in this small town, there were three primary paths to choose following high school—staying in the area to work for the pickle company, moving off to attend college, or joining the military.

At 18, Nicole joined the U.S. Army. “I’d never been out of North Carolina, and they sent me straight to Germany.” Over the next 12 years, she would go on to serve in various other roles within the North Carolina

“We are so incredibly proud of our EBV program, what it’s grown to become, and the veterans who have shown up, been vulnerable, worked hard, and really been able to grow their businesses in a way that they can be proud of.”

-Blake Petty '98, Executive Director, McFerrin Center for Entrepreneurship

National Guard (NCNG), the United States National Guard headquarters, and the Army.

In 2009, Nicole began to learn about holistic health and wellness while recuperating from a fall and subsequent surgeries, leading to the idea to start her own wellness program. Just prior to her medical retirement in 2013, she launched her wellness program with a target market of other females transitioning out of the military who were seeking a way to prioritize their health absent the structure and rigor found while in the service. It was this business—her first business—that Nicole would bring to the McFerrin Center’s Entrepreneurship Bootcamp for Veterans (EBV) program in 2018 to hone her entrepreneurial skills, focus her efforts, and work to develop a thriving business.

TURNING VETERANS’ BUSINESS DREAMS INTO REALITY Nicole first heard of EBV while at Combined Arms, a non-profit that connects transitioning veterans with specified services and resources. By leveraging the skills and knowledge gained through their military service, EBV brings veterans together with mentors, educators, professionals, and other “vetrepreneurs” to provide courses to teach the language of business, entrepreneurship, and the steps and skills necessary to create and sustain a small business.

Texas A&M’s Mays Business School initially hosted and sponsored the EBV program, raising private donor funds to support the program and its participants each

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year. In 2017, the Reynolds and Reynolds Corporation established a $2 million endowment with the center, solidifying EBV as a staple of the Aggie Entrepreneurial Ecosystem, guaranteeing that veterans could continue to participate in this life-changing experience—free of charge—indefinitely.

Since its inception at Texas A&M in 2008, the Aggie EBV program has grown from just one cohort each year to two per year and has served nearly 300 veterans in total, with approximately 25 participating in each cohort. From all EBV programs across the U.S., 79% of graduates have started or continued to grow their own business, and 92% of those are still in business today.

Executive Director Blake Petty ’98 joined the center in 2014 and later oversaw its transition to the McFerrin Center for Entrepreneurship, following a $10 million gift from the Artie ’65 and Dorothy McFerrin Foundation. “We are so incredibly proud of our EBV program, what it’s grown to become, and the veterans who have shown up, been vulnerable, worked hard, and really been able to grow their businesses in a way that they can be proud of,” he said.

THE JOURNEY TO COLLEGE STATION Although Nicole is now a strong advocate for the EBV program and works to encourage and recruit other veterans to participate, she herself was initially hesitant to apply. The program requires four weeks of online coursework leading up to a one-week residency held on campus in College Station. With two daughters still at home, Nicole did not think she could make it work.

It wasn’t until her oldest daughter, Zalekia, who lived in Atlanta, called her with an offer to take time from work, fly to Texas, and stay with her younger sisters.

Nicole submitted her application and began her EBV journey in 2018.

During the drive for the residency, Nicole began to second-guess her place in the program. “Here I was, with pink and blue locs, going to Texas A&M, and I

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thought there was no way I was going to fit in, find my place, be accepted. No way I was going to fit in ‘that box,’” she recalled. But it didn’t take long, and Nicole was proven wrong.

“I got there, and it was just amazing, mind-blowing.

Every day ended up being better than the day before with more information and more support,” she said.

As she continued to recount the experiences she gained and connections she made that week, she lit up with another memory. “At one point, Blake [Petty] pulled me aside into a separate room with a phone, and I was told I had a call coming in,” she explained, her expression displaying her feelings of confusion at the time. That phone call was from Dr. Nancy Dickey, director of the American Medical Association from 1997 to 1998, who held various roles within Texas A&M Health at the time.

“I was talking with the first female director of the American Medical Association! I was floored. I was done,” she said through a smile. Nicole had previously been thinking of her health and wellness business in much smaller, simpler terms, but already EBV was forcing her to think bigger. The conversation continued with Dr. Dickey talking her through the medical considerations of the industry into which her business was venturing.

A WALL TO CLIMB OVER While going through “outprocessing” leading up to retirement, many service members are taught, especially in the D.C. area, to focus on strengthening their resumes and striving for a civilian job within the government following retirement. Nicole watched others become overwhelmed and frustrated with job prospects in the civilian world. It wasn’t until she connected with EBV that she saw a path for veterans to get connected to resources and capitalize on the skills, many of which they learned in the service, to then launch and run a business on their own.

FORMER STUDENT ENTREPRENEURSHIP

“It was so overwhelming because [at EBV], nobody was telling me to work on my resume to just find a job.

Instead, they were telling me, ‘Let’s take what you’ve done and learned, and let’s make a business out of it.’

It was all so much to process, and I’m thankful every day for it.”

FROM A CURIOSITY TO A PASSION Although Nicole came to EBV with her health and wellness business, it wasn’t long before she pivoted to something new. “My mom had really bad eczema on her hands and had tried so many different creams and lotions, including steroids, trying to find something that offered relief,” she explained. “I had seen an interest in and a shift toward natural products, and I thought, ‘I can make a body butter. I can do that.’” And from there, JP Luxe—named for her mother, Jean Peele, whom she lost to breast cancer in 2002—was born.

“And I started doing that. I learned how to do that. I got a Ph.D. from YouTube University.” Following more learning, testing, and user discovery, JP Luxe grew into a small-batch, all-natural personal care line featuring soaps, creams, lotions, body washes, beard cleansers, and more.

THAT WORLD-FAMOUS AGGIE NETWORK Through the McFerrin and Aggie networks, Nicole has continued to find her way along her entrepreneurial journey. As an EBV graduate, Nicole is included in all future communications from the McFerrin Center geared toward Former Students, including an invitation in the fall of 2021 to participate in a new program, McFerrin On Tour, which aimed to connect Aggie entrepreneurs across the state.

While networking, she struck up a conversation with Keith Holley ’03, a partner at Method Architecture, the three-time Aggie 100™ honoree that designed the venue in which the event was being held—Buffalo

Bayou Brewing Company. Keith suggested Nicole explore making soaps using their beer. She’s since met with brewery staff, educated herself about beer and its ingredients, and has gone on to not only work with Buffalo Bayou, but has also collaborated with two other Houston-based breweries, 8th Wonder Brewery and Distillery and Eureka Heights Brewing Company, to make products featuring their brews.

Rob Van Til ’91, founder and managing partner of two-time Aggie 100™ honoree River Aggregates, has continued to foster a relationship born from a fiveminute icebreaker that same evening. Soon after EBV, Nicole realized her business was growing and she needed more space, so she reached out to Rob for advice about finding a bigger space. “He immediately told me, ‘No, Nicole, that’s not your next step. You’ve got to learn how to scale.’”

“All I knew was that I was busting at the seams in my current space,” she said, “But Rob connected me with other mentors and showed me that in business, it’s all about how to scale, so that I can grow in a way that’s sustainable.”

Nicole couldn’t quite get the next line out without being overcome with emotions. “I don’t know in what other world or other opportunity I would have ever been able to cross paths with someone like Rob,” she said through tears. “We run in different circles, including different business circles. In what world does a university I didn’t graduate from give me access to all of these things? The connections I’ve made through A&M, McFerrin and EBV, and the experiences that I’ve gained to help me grow my business … it has all been a blessing. It really has.”

Nicole is continuing to set new goals for her business and lean on the Aggie entrepreneurial network, of which she is undoubtedly a vital player, to meet and surpass them.

To learn more about EBV, including how to apply or sponsor a veteran participant, visit ebv.tamu.edu. ◊

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COMBINING LUCK AND HARD WORK Adam C. Sinn, Class of ’00, Owner Aspire Commodities 36

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FORMER STUDENT ENTREPRENEURSHIP

A

$10 million gift—and a pledge for an additional $10 million—from Adam C. Sinn ’00, owner of Aspire Commodities, will help Mays Business School’s Department of Finance enhance the quality of education it provides and offer financial support to undergraduate and graduate students.

“I applaud Mr. Sinn’s willingness to invest in our university,” said Dr. M. Katherine Banks, president of Texas A&M University. “Contributions such as these not only help elevate the department but provide a brighter future to our students for generations to come. We appreciate his support of our mission.”

In recognition of Sinn’s gift through the Texas A&M Foundation, the department has been renamed the Adam C. Sinn ’00 Department of Finance. “On behalf of Mays Business School, I want to extend a heartfelt ‘thank you’ to Mr. Sinn for his extremely generous support,” said Dr. R. Duane Ireland, Interim Dean.

“Through Mr. Sinn’s gift, we will have opportunities to continuously increase the value of our students’ educational experiences. The type of support we

"Contributions such as these not only help elevate the department but provide a brighter future to our students for generations to come. We appreciate his support of our mission."

-Dr. M. Katherine Banks, President, Texas A&M University

are receiving from Mr. Sinn reflects the unique relationship between Mays Business School and Texas A&M University with former students.”

INVESTING IN STUDENTS Sinn’s gift includes $7.5 million for undergraduate and graduate scholarships to assist finance students whose financial challenges might prevent them from attending college. The gift will support students from Sinn’s hometown in Hoopeston, Illinois, and nearby Cissna Park, Illinois, as well as those from Dorado, Puerto Rico, where he maintains a residence today.

If there is an insufficient number of eligible finance students from those regions, a portion of Sinn’s gift will benefit Aggies enrolled in Mays’ Trading, Risk and Investments Program (TRIP). Sinn’s gift will cover part of participants’ graduate fees as well as a portion of their undergraduate tuition.

“Considering that the cost of education is increasing for most graduate programs, this gift will allow us to

FORMER STUDENT ENTREPRENEURSHIP

provide a significant level of financial support to TRIP students across the program annually,” said Mays Reliant Trading Center Director Detlef Hallermann ’89, who serves as the TRIP director. “This is a monumental achievement.”

transferred, including one who enrolled in Texas A&M—and Sinn quickly followed. “Texas A&M was exactly what I was looking for. I liked the culture and the camaraderie,” he said. “It was an easy place to flourish, and I liked the college town environment.”

POWERING SUCCESS

But he also discovered Texas A&M was harder academically, and he found himself in the mid-tier of students scholastically. He said, “I decided that if I couldn’t get the grades, I would beef up my resume.

I had three internships, was involved in several organizations, and held jobs while I was a student.”

In addition to the current gift, Sinn pledged an additional $10 million gift to be funded over the next five years in support of student and faculty success initiatives in the department.

Prospective student interest in the department’s programs is also increasing. More than 1,000 Aggies are enrolled in finance programs for the 2021-22 academic year, a 30% increase over the past five years.

The remaining portion of Sinn’s gift will support the department’s efforts to recruit top faculty and create and expand these types of innovative programs.

Funds may also support the Master of Science in Finance, career development offerings, educational travel opportunities, etiquette dinners, and training in personal skills.

LUCK AND HARD WORK Sinn grew up in Hoopeston, Illinois, which like many Midwestern small towns, particularly those not proximate to an interstate, had its share of successes and struggles in the 1980s and 1990s. Sinn’s work ethic was bolstered greatly by his parents and grandparents, who he described as being part of “hard-working Middle America,” and his role models for hard work. Sinn’s father started a small business as an electrician and his mother performed office functions for the business.

Sinn first set his sights on Southern Methodist University. However, he soon realized that he didn’t feel at home at SMU. Several of his college friends

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After graduating with his bachelor’s degree in finance in 2001, Sinn wanted to pursue a career in trading, following in the footsteps of his grandfather, who bought and sold livestock in his family business. He briefly worked in accounting and finance jobs before stepping into energy trading. “People sometimes end up in a spot due to sudden life circumstances,” said Sinn, who now operates one of the largest speculative trading firms in the commodity market. “It’s what you do with that situation that can determine the course of your future and whether you reach the next level.”

Sinn’s endowment will help students avoid taking on student loan debt. “I want others to not have a financial burden so they can attend the best university on the planet,” he said, adding that these scholarships will also help position finance students to be successful in their lives after college. “I hope to lay the foundation so that at some point in time, these students can bet on themselves like I was able to do.”

Mays faculty, staff, and students appreciate his commitment to selfless service as he opens doors for the next generation of Aggies. “He wants to give people an opportunity,” Hallermann said. “He’s got an unbelievable talent for trading power and electricity, but when he looks around, his focus is always, ‘How do I help people get to where they need to be?’” ◊

Houston + College Station Options Transform into a leader with a master’s degree from Mays Business School. Earn a Full-Time MBA in College Station to make a career pivot with confidence. Or, elevate your career without putting it on hold with an Executive MBA, Professional MBA, or MS in Analytics at the Houston CityCentre location.

Visit mba.tamu.edu to learn more about MBA Programs.

Visit mays.tamu.edu/ms-analytics for more about the MS Analytics Program.

#getabettergig

ENTREPRENEURSHIP OUTCOMES

TEXAS A&M’S MCFERRIN CENTER FOR ENTREPRENEURSHIP ACHIEVES HIGHEST ACADEMIC HONOR

T

he McFerrin Center for Entrepreneurship at Texas A&M University is pleased to announce it is joining an elite group of academic entrepreneurship centers as the newest recipient of the Nasdaq Center of Entrepreneurial Excellence Award. Bestowed upon McFerrin Center leadership at the 2021 Global Consortium for Entrepreneurship Centers (GCEC) annual conference in Baltimore, MD, this award recognizes the dedication and impact the McFerrin Center has made in serving the entrepreneurial community at Texas A&M across Texas and beyond.

Founded in 1999 and a center of excellence at Mays Business School, the McFerrin Center serves as the campus-wide hub for entrepreneurship at Texas A&M, the core of a flourishing entrepreneurial ecosystem.

Central to its mission is the belief that anyone can be an entrepreneur, and that successful entrepreneurial skills are best developed through cross-disciplinary and experiential learning. Embodied in the variety of experiences and programs offered, the McFerrin Center has become established as a leader in

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co-curricular education, applied research, and community engagement in entrepreneurship. Specific accomplishments recognized by the Nasdaq award include: •

•

•

McFerrin Center’s annual offering of 30 unique programs and engagement of 14,000+ students from across 13 different Texas A&M colleges and A&M System campuses, along with countless other alumni, non-student, and veteran entrepreneurs.

Leading innovations in entrepreneurial curriculum through the launch of the Master of Science in Entrepreneurial Leadership (MSENLD), an online Graduate Entrepreneurship Certificate (pending approval), as well as many other individual courses and modules taught across campus by the McFerrin Center team.

Support of world-class research initiatives that have resulted in over 20 research publications and recognition of research faculty with multiple prestigious awards within the last five years.

ENTREPRENEURSHIP OUTCOMES

Shanna Spencer ’03, Assistant Director Blake Petty ’98, Executive Director, McFerrin Center for Entrepreneurship

•

•

Engagement of multiple corporate and community partners, such as the Brazos Valley Economic Development Corporation, along with a robust mentor network of over 220 individuals from a variety of fields and professional backgrounds.

Achieving long-term financial support, including a $10M naming gift from the McFerrin family, a $2M endowment by Reynolds & Reynolds Corporation for the Texas A&M Entrepreneurship Bootcamp for Veterans program, and numerous other grants, sponsorships, and charitable donations.

Created in 2000 by Nasdaq in association with GCEC, this Excellence Award honors select centers that have made and will continue to make enormous contributions in advancing entrepreneurship as the force in economic growth throughout the world. It is

the highest honor that a university entrepreneurship center can receive.

When asked what this award means to the Center, Executive Director Blake Petty responded, “The McFerrin Center for Entrepreneurship has a small but fierce team doing amazing and impactful things across the entire university, and beyond. We are both humbled and proud to receive this recognition of excellence in our efforts.”

The Nasdaq Center for Entrepreneurial Excellence Award adds to a number of other recognitions that the McFerrin Center has earned in recent years, including GCEC’s 2020 Award for Exceptional Contributions in Entrepreneurship Research and consistent rankings in the top 30 institutions for both undergraduate and graduate entrepreneurship programs by Princeton Review. ◊

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SEC TION TITLE

ENTREPRENEURSHIP OUTCOMES

#1

Fortune’s 2022 Best Online Master’s in Business Analytics Programs

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-Shadi Kilani, Class of ’21

ENTREPRENEURSHIP OUTCOMES

MS ANALYTICS #1 OVERALL, PER FORTUNE

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ccording to Fortune magazine, Mays Business School at Texas A&M University has the #1 online business analytics program in the

With over 300+ data science/analytics programs in the nation, students have many options. Texas A&M’s MS Analytics offers a formal education led by prestigious faculty to 65 students each year.

“We are so pleased to see our program recognized at the national level,” said Jerry Strawser, Associate Dean for graduate programs. “This ranking reflects the outstanding efforts of our program leadership—Myra Gonzales and Javier Aldape—as well as the faculty and staff who create a valuable learning experience for our students.”

“In today’s challenging and rapidly changing global markets, firms gain significant benefits by using sophisticated tools and techniques to analyze, interpret, and use data in competitively relevant ways,” shared Dr. R. Duane Ireland, Interim Dean. “Our MS Analytics program presents learners with opportunities to develop skills through which they can help their firms succeed by working with data effectively. We are thrilled for our MS Analytics program to receive Fortune’s number one ranking! Congratulations to our outstanding students and to our faculty and staff who collaborate with them.”

country.

MS Analytics program director Myra Gonzalez shared, “As a young, quickly growing industry, we are committed to the mission of Mays Business School: to be a vibrant learning organization that creates impactful knowledge and develops transformational leaders. We designed our program to be an inclusive learning environment, while also focusing on an excellent customer experience (CX) through our cohort model. Those efforts, in addition to our quality faculty and curriculum, have enabled a strong graduation rate launching excellent data leaders into the marketplace.”

Texas A&M’s MS Analytics program is currently accepting applications for the fall 2022 cohort.

Visit mays.tamu.edu/ms-analytics for an overview. To request more information, contact Javier Aldape, Program Manager at 979-845-2149 or jaldape@mays.tamu.edu. ◊

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