PeopleNewspapers 20 Under 40

PeopleNewspapers A SUPPLEMENT TO PARK CITIES PEOPLE AND PRESTON HOLLOW PEOPLE

APRIL 2020

2B April 2020 | People Newspapers | 20 Under 40

PROUD TO PRESENT OUR 20 UNDER 40

I

SAVANNAH SIMS Education: Trinity Christian Academy

By Dalia Faheid

People Newspapers

W

hat do you want to be when you grow up? Even as a kindergartener, Savannah Sims’ answer was anything but frivolous: She wanted to be a surgeon just like her neighbor.

Savannah, now a senior at Trinity Christian Academy, said that while her path has taken a few detours along the way, it has ultimately led her back to her kindergarten dream.

After becoming discouraged into choosing a more practical career as a middle schooler, the high schooler rediscovered her love for medicine while thriving in her math and science classes.

Before serving the community through medicine, Savannah chose to help in other ways. For the past six years, she’s volunteered with VNA Meals on Wheels. Along her pet food delivery route, Savannah enjoys the positive expressions of people she meets.

“By bringing pet food, I enable the clients to serve the friend that comforts them amidst hardship,” Savannah said. “I have loved contributing to both the behind

FOLLOW MORE ON

18

the scenes work and the deliveries that make Meals on Wheels such a beneficial program for the Dallas community.”

She’s also gotten office experience, interning at Phlox Capital Management, where she assisted with finance and client service.

As a varsity cheerleader and senior class president, Savannah has excelled in balancing academics, family, friends, and community service, a skill that’s enabled her to be a National Merit Finalist and

KRISTIN J. PHOTOGRAPHY

President’s Volunteer Service Award recipient.

“I have learned that a balanced schedule is vital to performing well and enjoying each day.”

Savannah hopes to inspire girls just as her younger self was inspired by her neighbor, Dr. Vivian Dimas, to become a surgeon.

Sustaining her lifelong desire to make a difference in the community, Savannah has learned to trust her kindergarten self after all.

Q : What do you love most about your community?

A : From witnessing my mom talk to an old high school

friend as if a day hadn’t passed, to living in the house my grandmother grew up in, to winning the Fourth of July Park Cities Parade bike decorating like my mom did decades earlier, Dallas overflows with connections, community, and traditions. I appreciate how a community that values tradition also embraces progress.

SOCIAL MEDIA

like to say being a journalist is about as close to being a professional student as you get in the real world because I learn something from everyone I interview.

That being the case, there are few better ‘teachers’ in fields ranging from law, technology, education, and business than you find in the Park Cities and Preston Hollow communities and, more specifically, among the 20 young professionals our newspapers’ panel selected to include in our 20 Under 40 special section this year.

Some themes that have emerged for me since I began covering the Park Cities and Preston Hollow communities last year are the drive the residents have to achieve their goals and their willingness to help their neighbors. I got to witness the generosity in our communities firsthand shortly after I joined the staff in October in helping to cover how groups like the Park Cities Dads Club fundraised for Dallas ISD students impacted by the tornado.

In short, I’ve been very impressed by the community and the young professionals our panel selected, and we’re proud to share them with our readers.

Speaking of drive…one of our selections this year was a race car driver before he started his own real estate development company at 28. He’s kept his metaphorical pedal to the metal to grow his company since then.

Other standouts among our picks this year are entrepreneurs changing the game in the technology space with mobile apps.

In addition to the 20 young professionals highlighted, we also feature two Trinity Christian Academy students heading full steam ahead toward careers in STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art, and math) fields as Youth on the Rise.

Rachel Snyder, Deputy Editor

rachel.snyder@peoplenewspapers.com

For the full Q&A’s of the honorees and more 20 Under 40 content, follow us online at peoplenewspaper.com and on our Instagram page @PeopleNewspapers.

Help share content – and even your own rising stars – by using #peoplenewspapers20under40

VICTORIA FEUR

20 Under 40 | People Newspapers | April 2020 3B

Virginia Tiernan

The Ace Agency Education: Harvard College The Episcopal School of Dallas

21

Virginia Tiernan is one busy lady.

After she graduated from the Episcopal School of Dallas in 2017, Tiernan interned for U.S. Sen. John Cornyn and former Speaker of the House Paul Ryan in Washington, D.C. There she gave tours of the U.S. Capitol building, facilitated correspondence, directed guests at events like the State of the Union address, and conducted policy research.

After a gap year, Tiernan started at Harvard College, where during her second semester, she started her company, the Ace Agency. The company combines the roles of professional modeling and advertising agencies to help small-to-medium-sized businesses advertise products with professional models at

reasonable prices.

“My goal is to democratize high-quality e-commerce content for fashion companies of all sizes. I have created content for 19 brands across the United States, several which are based in Dallas,” Tiernan said.

Her company was selected as a fall 2019 and spring 2020 participant in the Harvard Venture incubation program at Harvard Innovation Lab, which includes startups from all Harvard graduate schools and the undergraduate college. It was a semi-finalist in the Harvard President’s Innovation Challenge.

“Marketing has changed more in the past 10 years than it has in the past 100 years, and small to medium-sized fashion brands have a high amount of competition with companies with large followings and substantial marketing budgets,” Tiernan said. “I wanted to offer fashion brands of all sizes the same quality marketing tools and democratize advertising on Instagram.”

She hopes to be either an investor at a private equity or venture capital firm in the future or working on another startup in the future.

Q: What was your first job, and what did you learn from it?

A: My first job was working as a summer camp counselor called Camp Invention at The Episcopal School of Dallas, when I was 15 years old. The job taught me the value of patience and how meaningful it feels to give back to students through teaching.

Additionally, the camp encouraged innovation for third graders, which means so much to me, considering that my most prominent passion is entrepreneurship.

to opening my own studio and, at times, I doubted that I had the talent, the skills, or the resources to be able to see this dream to fruition,” he said. “I hope that I am able to look back on this accomplishment as the first of many, but will never forget the drive, determination, and struggle that it took to get me there.”

He said he hopes to open more locations of the Forge franchise in the future.

“I hope to be an integral part in making Dallas and the Park Cities the go-to-market for health and wellness practitioners,” Osteen said.

Kyle Osteen

The Forge on Dyer Education: Texas Tech University

35

Kyle Osteen, wanting to help his clients reduce their pain, researched therapies and, eventually, started the training, performance, and recovery studio The Forge on Dyer in 2019.

“After 10 years of building my clientele, working on my technique, and obtaining certifications in NeuroKinetic therapies, a client and Park Cities resident, Hugh Jones, offered to partner with me to create The Forge on Dyer,” Osteen said.

His experience as a personal trainer and neuromuscular therapist and his research led him to create whole-body wellness regimes that combine movement and neuromuscular therapy.

“I did not have an easy or linear path

Q: Which leadership skills were the most challenging for you to develop, and why?

A: There are many, many experts practicing in the health and wellness field, and it can be difficult to be confident in your own practice when there are studies that can prove your methods right and other studies that can prove your methods wrong. It has been a process of constant learning, and I can be a confident leader in this industry because I know I will never settle for the answers I found yesterday in a pursuit to continue to discover more about the body and share that knowledge with those around me.

Q: Where is the best place in the Park Cities or Preston Hollow for a power lunch – what do you order?

A: A “power lunch” for a personal trainer means something a little different – my goto is True Food Kitchen, and I’m ordering the Poke Bowl. I love that they offer a wide variety of healthy, nutrient-dense food that tastes great.

“ Divorce can happen to anyone. I guide clients through the process, protecting them, their interests and their goals.”

4B April 2020 | People Newspapers | 20 Under 40

Megan Sterquell Goldman Sachs Education: Rutgers University -New Brunswick

31

Megan Sterquell wasn’t born in Texas, but she got here as soon as she could.

“I grew up on the East Coast, and the move was a big one for me,” she said. “It was the catalyst, though, that propelled me to where I am now and continues to bless my life. I’ve even been lucky enough to have my parents move out here this past summer.”

Sterquell started her career in private wealth management, helping tech and digital media clients scale their companies, go through exit activities, and manage their wealth post-transaction.

She moved to Texas about six years ago and started work with global investment bank Goldman Sachs.

Sterquell quickly got involved through Junior League and Dallas CASA. “This year I’m also fortunate to be part of the Emerging Leaders in Philanthropy Cohort at Communities Foundation of Texas,” she added. “I always love meeting new people and learning about different things going on in the area. I do have to give credit to my husband, who is a native Highland Park guy, and introduced me to the wonderful community when I had just moved here and met him.”

Q: What was your first job, and what did you learn from it?

A: I was counting down the days until I was old enough to get my first ‘real’ job. I worked at a local movie rental store in my hometown in New Jersey (obviously way before the Netflix days). I quickly realized a job without some type of incentive comp was not for me, and I shifted

to roles where I could earn myself more based on my efforts.

Q: Where do you see yourself and/or your career 10 years from now?

A: It’s tough to get specific in this question because life isn’t usually a straight line. Broadly though, I hope to be helping people in unique ways and raising a loving and fun family with my husband, Tommy.

Q: Which leadership skills were the most challenging for you to develop, and why?

A: Self or team promotion to the proper audiences. You and your team can be doing wonderful things, but if the right people don’t know about it, it’s the tree falling in the woods question. I had always let my work speak for itself, which is important, but it’s also important to give that work the stage to be heard.

Q : Tell us about your involvement in the Park Cities and/or Preston Hollow communities?

A : The kindness and generosity that pulses through them is wonderful. Since moving here, I’ve been a

member of Junior League and have become very involved with Dallas CASA. This year I’m also fortunate to be part of the Emerging Leaders in Philanthropy Cohort at Communities Foundation of Texas. I always love meeting new people and learning about different things going on in the area.

-Megan Sterquell

Suresh Narayanan

34

Aerospace Quality Research and Development Education: SMU Cox School of Business

Suresh Narayanan’s first job was working for his parents in their aviation business in Miami.

Now, he’s COO of Aerospace Quality Research and Development, an engineering firm his brother, Raj, founded in 2002.

“I saw firsthand what it was like to be a business owner,” Narayanan said. “Being a business owner was not always easy, but I witnessed how my parents worked non-stop to keep their small business growing. I saw challenges they experienced from theft and downturns that make me a far better business owner now. I learned how important it was to focus on your people, process, and product and never get complacent.”

Aerospace Quality Research and Development grew from a startup business with two employees to 60 employees. It added a military

division in 2018 that specializes in fighter jets to help U.S. Navy and Air Force pilots train.

“I am not afraid to challenge the status quo in an industry that typically struggles with change and outside the box thinking,” Narayanan added.

Narayanan also works to give back to the university that helped him become a successful entrepreneur. “(The SMU Cox School of Business MBA) program inspired my drive to be an accomplished entrepreneur in the aerospace industry that would never stop grinding for my people and my business,” he said. “I learned grit and grew tremendously from the challenge of growing a startup, getting my pilot’s license, all while finishing grad school.”

Mike’s Pizza before moving back to Dallas with his wife in 2018 and founding Western Addition. The Italian-inspired restaurant Il Bracco, which opened in 2019 at the Plaza at Preston Center, is the first restaurant concept to open in the Western Addition portfolio.

“Of all the places my career has taken me, Preston Hollow is the first where I found neighbors and friends who supported one another to build a true community,” Quick said.

Il Bracco has also been involved in charity fundraisers since the eatery opened.

Quick hopes Western Addition opens more restaurants soon.

Q: What, to date, has been your most impressive or rewarding accomplishment in both your professional and personal life?

A: 1. Professionally company milestones are important. Recently we hit 60 employees, which is an awesome milestone that I am proud of. We are continuing to grow and are on track to surpass that in a few months!

2. Another accomplishment I am proud of this year is becoming part of an organization of leaders called YPO. It is an honor to be part of such a prestigious business community at a young age.

3. Personally, my most rewarding accomplishment is becoming father to my son, Ace, in March 2018. I thought I had drive before, but our son Ace exponentially increased my drive to have a positive community and business impact so he can grow up and be proud of his dad. Being able to bring my wife, Amber, and son, Ace, around my business and airplanes is something that makes all the hard work worth it. It also completely changed my perspective on what work/life balance really is.

Q: What was your first job, and what did you learn from it?

A: When I was 16, I was the coach of our middle school club water polo team.

Teaching the younger guys not only about the game but how we conducted ourselves at a travel tournament or hotel taught me a tremendous amount about leadership.

Robert Quick

Il Bracco Education: SMU Culinary Institute of America

32

Robert Quick’s foray into the restaurant business started when he was a cook at the Dallas Country Club after an injury forced the end of his football career at SMU. “At the Dallas Country Club, I learned that restaurants provided the rush of competition I had missed and that my mom had taught me pretty darn well,” Quick said.

He attended the Culinary Institute of America in St. Helena, California, and worked as a ‘Chef de Partie’ at Ad Hoc and Bouchon before working as a kitchen manager with Hillstone Restaurant Group. He took on a leadership role as president and co-owner of Mountain

Q: If you could buy a book (or rent a movie) for your neighbor, what would it be and why?

A: The French Laundry Cookbook. The book changed my life personally and, more importantly, changed the way a lot of people thought of how a kitchen could and should operate. Clean, efficient, and respectful to the product and to each other.

Q: What is your favorite local store?

A: Scardello – They have the best se-

lection of great cheeses and butters anywhere in the area or even the metroplex.

VANESSA GAVALYA PHOTOGRAPHY

20 Under 40 | People Newspapers | April 2020 5B

Katie Samler

Goranson Bain Ausley Education: St. Mary’s University School of Law

38

While a student at Baylor University, Katie Samler mentored a child in the foster care system, an experience that inspired her to practice family law.

“I saw firsthand how the legal system helped her, and I knew I wanted to do some type of child advocacy work in the future,” said Samler, who’s now a partner at the Goranson Bain Ausley law firm.

She’s been practicing family law for about 12 years.

Samler also is heavily involved in the community, serving on the Armstrong Bradfield Preschool Association and the

dining services.

“Since (starting at the Preston), I have been a part of the Saint Michael’s Farmers Market every summer and run a booth that used all fresh ingredients from the vendors that are present to do a chef demo recipe of the day,” Rogers said. “I have catered at some very extravagant parties in Dallas, and we even catered a wedding this past year as well. I love being part of community events like the Snider Plaza Tree Lighting Ceremony. We had such a great time.”

She hopes to open a coffee shop someday.

Weekday School at University Park United Methodist Church Parents’ Association boards. She was co-chair for the 20192020 ABPA Homes for the Holidays tour, which raised $90,000 for the elementary schools. Samler will be the ABPA kindergarten co-chair for Bradfield Elementary and president of the board of the Weekday School Parents’ Association for the 20202021 school year.

“I love the people, the small-town feel of the Park Cities, and sense of community here,” she said.

Samler hopes to continue her community involvement and her work advocating for families in the future.

Q: If you could buy a book (or rent a movie) for your neighbor, what would it be and why?

A: The Def ined Dish cookbook – an amazing book by a wonderful local author, blogger, and Instagrammer. My neighbors are both amazing cooks based on meals we’ve shared together, treats they’ve brought us, and recipes we’ve exchanged, so I know they would appreciate this beautiful book with delicious and new recipes.

Q: What is your favorite local store?

A: Interabang Books. I also love Lay-

ette, Hip Hip Hooray, A to Z Monogramming, and Toys Unique.

Q: Where is the best place in the Park Cities or Preston Hollow for a power lunch – what do you order?

A: I love the Mediterranean Tuna Salad from R+D Kitchen and the Chicken Paillard from Le Bilboquet.

Savannah Rogers

24

Formerly of The Preston of the Park Cities Education: Johnson & Wales University

From the time she was a child cooking with her grandmother, Savannah Rogers knew she wanted to be a chef.

“She used to teach me so many dishes, and we’d cook for hours together. From that very young age, I told myself I wanted to do this for the rest of my life,” Rogers said. “I just remember how happy everyone would be when they took a bite of her food and how food always brought people together and spread joy no matter the occasion.”

She started as a sous chef at the Preston of the Park Cities retirement community in 2018 and worked her way up to director of

Q: What was your first job, and what did you learn from it?

A: My first job was in a senior living community as a cook/server. I worked in Keller because my grandparents lived there, and the chef was eager to have a hungry want-to-be culinary student in the kitchen.

I learned so much about mise en place. I learned how to plan ahead and work as a team, much like I had in my sports days. The job was so rewarding working with seniors.

Giving back to those who gave to us years before has always resonated with me. It’s why I’m in the industry that I am now eight years later.

Q: If you could buy a book (or rent a movie) for your neighbor, what would it be and why?

A: I would always recommend Kitchen Confidential by Anthony Bourdain. He was a pioneer of my industry, and his words ring true to the industry of the trials and rewards a chef will go through in their journey to culinary excellence.

6B April 2020 | People Newspapers | 20 Under 40

Geoff Bailey

37

Oncor Electric Delivery Education: University of Texas University of California Los Angeles

Geoff Bailey once told one of his mentors, T. Boone Pickens, that he hoped to run an energy company.

Now, as the chief of staff to the CEO and vice president of strategy and emerging issues at Oncor Electric Delivery, he’s well on his way to achieving that.

Bailey worked in politics at the time of that conversation, and Pickens encouraged him to go back to school.

“And with that, I put the ball in motion to go back to business school at the McCombs School of Business at the University of Texas at Austin and got my MBA,” he said. “It was a memorable conversation

and one that took my career in a completely different, exciting, and rewarding direction.

“I have been overwhelmingly blessed in my career, with both rich experiences and incredible mentors. I have had the opportunity to learn from great leaders in the Dallas business community like T. Boone Pickens, Allen Nye, and Bob Shapard. Those leaders empowered me with great opportunities to learn, fail, grow, and lead.”

Bailey’s passion for public service also continues as he serves on the board of Vogel Alcove, which works to provide food, clothing, counseling, and other support for homeless children in North Texas. He also serves on the state’s Unauthorized Practice of Law Committee, which works to ensure people aren’t taken advantage of by frauds claiming to give

legal advice.

He said he remains a Scots sports fan and can be seen taking his son to Not Just Soccer to stock up on Highland Park sports gear.

Q: What was your first job, and what did you learn from it?

A: My first real job was bagging groceries at Albertson’s when I turned 15. I was blessed to have parents that modeled hard work each and every day. That job helped to reinforce why it’s important to have a strong work ethic and the dignity that comes with it.

Q: Where do you see yourself and/or your career 10 years from now?

A: Ten years from now, I hope to be a better husband, father, and more involved in the community.

Q : What do you love most about your community?

A : I love that the Park Cities is a safe and nurturing place to raise a family. This community is just like a small

town, dropped in the middle of a big city. From Friday night Scots games to carriage rides in Highland Park Village at Christmas, there is a great sense of community and friendship in the Park Cities. Your neighbors become like family.

-Geoff Bailey

Lane Conner Fuzse Education: SMU University of Oklahoma

39

Lane Conner is following in his parents’ entrepreneurial footsteps.

As a youth, he conducted product demontrations for his family’s company at the Dallas Trade Mart.

“As I grew, I had many jobs – sales, stocking, working the warehouse, building the showroom, etc.,” he said. “I was able to watch my parents and the way that they interacted with Conner and Company. It was like it was a third child for them… I believe that my drive comes from watching what they did, how they built it, and their success.”

In his 20s, Conner worked as a sales and operations manager for Park West Gallery, which managed the art auctions on

the Royal Caribbean cruise line, Holland America Line cruise line, and Sandals Vacation Club. But, the 2008 recession brought another new beginning for his career.

“When the recession hit, it hit our industry incredibly hard. I moved back to Dallas at 30 years old. I literally had to start over in a new industry that I knew nothing about at an entry-level position,” Conner said.

Within a year of joining Century Payments, he was leading the inside sales group.

Conner worked as a director of business development for First American Payment Systems for a couple of years after that before starting Blue Star Payment Solutions under the Dallas Cowboy and Jones’ family umbrella in 2014.

After Blue Star was sold in 2015 and became Stack Sports, Conner founded Fuzse, a financial technology organization that specializes in working with mobile apps, custom software, and web development firms.

“I learned that working for someone else always meant that you rely on someone else to make decisions that so deeply impact your life,” he said. “I love working for myself as I am the only one to blame if Fuzse fails.”

Conner is also the president and treasurer of the Mayor’s Star Council Board of Directors. The Mayor’s Star Council is a nonprofit organization that trains Dallasites between the ages of 25 and 40 that impact the city through arts/entertainment, business, education, government, hospitality/tourism, media, religion, and the social sector, and more, on leadership.

Q: If you could buy a book (or rent a movie) for your neighbor, what would it be and why?

A: A Message To Garcia by Elbert Hubbard. It is about taking initiative and being accountable for your work.

Pretorius hopes to continue practicing family law and increasing her community involvement in the future.

Specifically, she hopes to do more work involving women’s and children’s issues.

“Having just welcomed our daughter, on Oct. 3, 2019, an issue area that has been very eye-opening is the importance of access to prenatal care and early childhood development,” Pretorius said.

She also wants to help increase access to public parks.

“I think trails and public parks are part of the heart of any community, and I hope to continue to serve in this area in a larger capacity either through representation or fundraising,” Pretorius said.

Sally Pretorius

KoonsFuller Family Law Education: SMU Dedman School of Law

35

Sally Pretorius’ passion for family law took hold while watching her mother go to court without an attorney against her father in an attempt to get more child support for her brother.

“She went up against an attorney who is now one of the most sought after and knowledgeable attorneys,” Pretorius said. “She didn’t prevail, but sitting outside that courtroom inspired me to help others like her. Because of that memory, I am a family law attorney and always try and keep a pro bono case on my docket.”

She’s practiced family law for 10 years and, during her time at KoonsFuller, has worked on complex cases involving challenging child custody matters and high net worth individuals.

Q: Tell us about your involvement in the Park Cities and/or Preston Hollow communities?

A: Within the local community, I serve as the training vice president for the Junior League of Dallas, sit on the Board of Directors for the Dallas County Advocacy Center, will be a co-chair for the Family Place Partners Card for 2020, and sit on the board for the Friends of Northaven Trail also serving as the events chair.

Q: What do you love most about your community?

A: I love that our community is full of so many up and comers right alongside the more established members of our community. It’s always fun to be talking to someone young, old, or middle-aged and learn that they live just across a major street and that they share memories in some of the places that we are creating memories in. I also love that everything is so centralized. We really are the heart of Dallas, as you can access any part of the city within the half-hour (pending traffic).

20 Under 40 | People Newspapers | April 2020 7B and knew then that I wanted to be the one that got paid to think about and find solutions to the tough questions,” she said.

Kreick made the career switch to practicing as a healthcare transactions and regulatory compliance attorney with Haynes and Boone about seven years ago.

Now, she’s one of 74 attorneys board certified in health law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. She’s also offered pro bono legal services and represented clients through the Dallas Volunteer Attorney Program.

Kreick hopes to be a partner at Haynes and Boone and have a leadership position in the firm’s healthcare and life sciences practice group in the future.

Jennifer Kreick

34

Haynes and Boone Education: SMU Dedman School of Law

While working as a project manager at an electronic medical records company, Jennifer Kreick discovered she enjoyed learning about and addressing patient privacy issues.

“The patient portal software automatically allowed a parent or guardian to access their child’s medical records, but this meant the minor’s sensitive information could potentially be disclosed to the parent (such as contraceptive medications, HIV or STD test results, or substance abuse treatment),” Kreick said. “It was the legal department that got called to weigh in on these issues and figure out the best way to address them.

“I thought these issues were fascinating,

Q: What was your first job and what did you learn from it?

A: I got my first real job the summer after I turned 18 as a waitress at a local pizza place in the town where I grew up. I think I did everything I possibly could do wrong – spilling drinks, forgetting to put orders in, severely damaging a wine bottle while trying to open it with a corkscrew at the table.

The manager of the restaurant was always calm and professional, even in front of angry customers when he had to smooth over my mistakes. Needless to say, I didn’t make very much in tips. I learned a lot about customer (or client) service, and what a skill managing customer relations really is.

Q: If you could buy a book (or rent a movie) for your neighbor, what would it be and why?

A: Bringing Up Bebe by Pamela Druckerman.

C

M

Y

CM

MY

CY

CMY

K

Shawn Edwards

RBC Tennis Championships of Dallas & T Bar M Racquet Club Education: UNT

37

five years before he started with the T Bar M Racquet Club.

“I will continue to do my part to assist the RBC Tennis Championships growing into one of the top sporting and social weeks in Dallas annually, but I also see myself involved in other events both in Dallas and beyond,” he said.

Edwards hopes to expand his philanthropic impact in the future to raise money and awareness for organizations like the Isner Family Foundation, Susan G. Komen Dallas County, the Maureen Connolly Brinker Tennis Foundation, and the Dallas Tennis Association’s DTEA programs.

He said he was also particularly heartened by how the community came together to help with the recovery effort after the October tornado.

Q: What do you love most about your community?

A: Seeing how well the community came together and pitched in when hit with the devastating tornado this past October. It really took the entire community banding together to pick up the pieces and clean up our neighborhoods.

Q: What was your first job, and what did you learn from it?

A: Working as a busboy for a catfish restaurant. I learned a lot about hard work and the foodservice industry, but I also learned that I hate tartar sauce.

Shawn Edwards found a way to combine his love of tennis with his passion for creating innovative events.

He is part of the management team at T Bar M Racquet Club and is tournament operations director at the RBC Tennis Championships of Dallas.

“As far as (the professional accomplishment he’s most proud of ), it has to be seeing our tournament on national television on the Tennis Channel last year. It has been great to see how the event has evolved since 1998,” he said.

Q: What is your favorite local store?

A: Celebration is great. We eat there Edwards worked as a sports journalist ParkCitiesPeople_Grain_4.9x7.pdf 1 3/13/2020 10:13:42 AM and in the insurance industry for about monthly and have for years.

8B April 2020 | People Newspapers | 20 Under 40

Dr. Lyndsey Harper

Rosy Education: University of Arkansas

38

As an obstetrician-gynecologist, Dr. Lyndsey Harper encountered plenty of women facing struggles in the bedroom.

To help them more easily find answers to their sexual health questions, she made the leap from medicine to entrepreneurship.

The Preston Hollow resident worked in private practice for seven years and, in 2018, founded Rosy, an app-based platform that provides resources for women struggling with low libido and sexual dysfunction. “(Patients) were looking to me for solutions, and I didn’t have the training on how to adequately address the issue,” Harper said. “When I began searching

for answers, I soon realized the resources for my patients and for physicians were sparse. So, I decided I would do something about it and come up with a modern solution for the millions of women who are facing these challenges in silence.”

Users sign up using the app, are prompted to take a quiz to assess their sexual wellness, and are presented with educational videos about causes of decreased sex drive, and ways to increase their desire.

Harper said the change from working as a physician to starting a technology-based company had its share of challenges.

“I went to school for 12 years to become a doctor, and with a startup, you are quite literally taking it day by day. I have learned to break away from moments of self-doubt and keep my focus on the bigger picture,” Harper said.

She hopes to grow Rosy into a global platform that provides access to sexual health resources.

“In 10 years, I see a world where women can talk about and prioritize their sexual health without shame or embarassment,” Harper said.

Q: Where is the best place in the Park Cities or Preston Hollow for a power lunch – what do you order?

A: I would say that the best place for a power lunch is Flower Child. The atmosphere itself just makes me happy. It’s full of positive energy and bright colors, and they have a simple menu of healthy options. I usually order the Flying Turkey wrap, and my kids love the grilled chicken and mashed potatoes.

Cindy Revol

Perot Jain Education: Columbia University University of Texas

36

Cindy Revol is using her love for science sparked at Highland Park High School as a principal at Perot Jain, an early-stage tech venture capital investment firm.

“That means I get to spend my days meeting with incredibly smart and talented entrepreneurs learning about the coolest new technologies and incredible ways these individuals are applying these technologies to solve business problems,” Revol said.

Before starting at Perot Jain, she worked as a product manager/data scientist at Flatiron Health, a tech startup based in New York. Before that, she worked in healthcare consulting at Analysis Group, public

market investing at Taconic Capital Advisors, and investment banking at Goldman Sachs.

“When I moved to New York after college and met my now-husband while I was working there, I assumed I wouldn’t be coming back. But fortunately, the stars aligned, and we are now residents of Highland Park,” Cindy said. “I am still close with many of the same friends I had in high school, and many of us are back in the Park Cities raising our children. It is fun to go to Scots games on Friday nights to support our team and re-live some fond memories.”

She’s a member of the committee that launched the first-annual Venture Dallas conference, Gen Next Dallas, and the La Fiesta Guild of the Park Cities.

Q: Where do you see yourself and/or your career 10 years from now?

A: I definitely see myself still in Highland Park. I’m not going anywhere. As for my career, this is hard for me because I’ve always had a five-or-10 year plan, and this is the first time in my life where I don’t have an idea what might be next. My career has provided such rich opportunities to grow and learn, and I’ve discovered that at this point in my life, it’s impossible to truly plan because a lot of my success has been about opportunity and timing. But if I have to make a plan, I would love to still be working with my team at Perot Jain. I hope to become a partner and help build out what the next iteration of this family office will be. I am excited for the unknown and what amazing paths I might go down as I help continue to build our young company. as a tenant rep broker.

He found a certain comfort level with risk was helpful in both racing and real estate.

“I was young and had a good pipeline of deals and thought, ‘Will there be a better opportunity than now to go out and take a risk on my own company?’ And for me, the biggest risk is not taking a risk,” he said.

Ames hopes to continue to push boundaries in real estate.

“In 10 years, we’re going to be building buildings that change skylines. If you’re going to have ambitions, they might as well be big ones,” he said.

Austin Ames Gulf Corporation Education: University of Mississippi

34

You could say Austin Ames lives life in the fast lane.

Ames started Gulf Corporation, a full-service real estate development and investment company, at 28, but his first job was in the auto racing world with NASCAR. “I don’t think there’s any business as tough as the racing business. There’s only one thing that matters – winning. And I love that,” he said.

After a stint in the racing world in North Carolina, Ames returned to his native Dallas and began his real estate career

Q: What, to date, has been your most impressive or rewarding accomplishment in both your professional and personal life?

A: For me, it’s continuing to survive and thrive. I started Gulf Corporation with $2,700 to my name, and in just under five years, we turned that into a portfolio of over $140 million in properties.

I’m proudest that we did it the hard way, the honest way. No one can say we cut any corners. As a private company, we never borrowed a dime or left anyone in the lurch. That’s a big deal for me.

Q: Tell us about your involvement in the Park Cities and/or Preston Hollow communities?

A: Growing up in Highland Park, my family always has and continues to donate and volunteer with Brother Bill’s Helping Hand. Brother Bill’s provides food, healthcare and education programming to those in need in West Dallas.

20 Under 40 | People Newspapers | April 2020 9B

ALAN FANDRICH Education: Trinity Christian Academy

By Dalia Faheid

People Newspapers

W

hile visiting an event showcasing AI (artificial intelligence) technology in Tokyo, Alan Fandrich imagined what the future of innovation might hold and decided he had the power to shape it himself.

The Trinity Christian Academy student’s passion for technological advancement soon motivated him to build a desktop computer.

Alan then learned his efforts could make a difference in an organization while working as a programmer at an educational software company.

“It became immediately apparent that I would have to learn to be efficient and manage my stress well, or I would be overwhelmed quite easily,” he said.

Every week, Alan operates the soundboard

17

and projector at Grace Bible Church to ensure services run smoothly.

“I’m glad to have been able to expand my skillset and learn something new that I love doing,” he said.

When he’s not volunteering or working, Alan takes pride in being a musician and athlete.

“To say that I was an all-state musician for orchestra one week, and then to go and win a state championship for wrestling the next is pretty exciting. The hard work that I put in during my years of high school and even before, has paid off.”

In the future, Alan envisions a life of creating novel technologies.

“I’ll want to be working on technology that the world hasn’t even seen yet. I want to be the leading force in a new revolution that will come about in our lifetimes,” he said.

Q : If you could buy a book (or rent a movie) for your neighbor, what would it be and why?

A : I would buy The Reason I Jump: The Inner Voice of a

LAB PHOTOGRAPHY

Thirteen-Year-Old Boy with Autism by Naoki Higashida because it explores the mind of a child with special needs and explains what they are truly thinking. I think everyone needs to understand what it means to live with some sort of mental handicap.

Family law.

It’s all we do.

Congratulations to Shareholder Sally Pretorius* on being named to Park Cities People & Preston Hollow People’s Dallas “20 Under 40” list for 2020.

Plano | 5700 W. Plano Parkway, Suite 2200 | Plano, Texas 75093 | 972.769.2727 *Board Certified in Family Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. Principal Office in Dallas.

10B April 2020 | People Newspapers | 20 Under 40

Andrea King

To Be Like Me Education: West Virginia University

38

Andrea King’s passion for helping people started in high school when she saw how a physical therapist helped improve her grandfather’s quality of life.

“The (physical therapist) obviously enjoyed his job, and my grandfather enjoyed his time in therapy (mostly!) and made improvements in his quality of life,” she said. “Seeing that win-win situation where the (physical therapist) and patient benefited and had fun inspired me to go down the road I’ve been on.”

King worked as a physical therapist herself before she started her current job with the new Park Cities-based To Be Like Me. The nonprofit provides interac-

Q:

tive experiences meant to increase understanding and awareness of those with different abilities.

“The support To Be Like Me has had from community members has been tremendous,” King said. “It makes me proud to be a part of a community that so often goes above and beyond to help.”

King gives back to the Park Cities community, in turn, by serving as a deacon at Highland Park Presbyterian Church and on the University Park Elementary PTA. In the fall, she’ll be the PTO president-elect for Highland Park ISD’s fifth elementary school, Boone Elementary.

Q: What was your first job, and what did you learn from it?

A: My first official job ever was as a hostess at Texas Roadhouse in my small hometown in West Virginia. I never

imagined I would actually end up in Texas, though. Being a hostess at a restaurant that often had an hour or more wait taught me how to be organized, how to manage people’s expectations, and to genuinely smile. It’s harder for people to get upset with you when you genuinely are smiling and enjoying your job.

Q: If you could buy a book (or rent a movie) for your neighbor, what would it be and why?

A: Our neighbors have twin girls like us, though theirs are several years younger.

I remember those days well, so first, I’d offer to babysit so they could actually watch a movie. I always enjoy storylines involving twins, and The Parent Trap is a classic. It shows how special that twin bond is but that we parents should be aware of the mischief that close bond could result in.

What do you love most about your community?

A : My favorite part about our community is how we rally around people in need. I’ve seen our neighborhood

pitch come together in a big way to support people within and well beyond our community. On a smaller scale, I’ve seen moms organizing meal, carpool, or childcare calendars and kids having lemonade and bake sales to help others. It takes a village.

-Andrea King of local causes, specifically within the Jewish community, of which I am a member,” Karr added. “As we have expanded into the Park Cities, specifically with the opening of our latest clinic in Snider Plaza, we have sought to identify opportunities to give back to the local community which has already shown to be loyal to us, and upon whom we rely for our success.”

He hopes to continue to expand his urgent care business and buy a home in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, in the future to spend time with family, enjoy the outdoors, snowboard, camp, and hike.

specializes in neuropsychological assessment of medically complex children, adolescents, and young adults, as well as those with neurodevelopmental disorders such as ADHD, autism, and learning disabilities.

Holland’s work led her to become the youngest ever elected member of the Texas Psychological Association (TPA) Board of Trustees in 2013, then to be elected president of TPA in 2019.

“It was an honor to have so many of my colleagues trust me to lead this statewide professional organization at such an early stage in my career,” she said.

Over the next 10 years, Holland expects to continue her recent work as an expert witness in lawsuits involving possible brain injury to a child as well as her legislative advocacy on issues like mental health and education.

Dr. Alice Ann Holland

Children’s Medical Center Dallas Education: Stanford University UT Southwestern

34

During the summer after her sophomore year at Stanford, Alice Holland did an undergraduate research fellowship in molecular neuroscience at UT Southwestern and realized what she didn’t want to do.

“The lab director, Dr. Colleen McClung, was studying the molecular mechanisms underlying bipolar disorder, using mouse models,” Holland recalled. “Among the many things I learned that summer was that I didn’t want to spend my life killing mice!

“That led me to seek out a career that would allow me to apply my love of neuroscience to helping children directly,” Holland said.

Now, as a pediatric neuropsychologist, she

Q: What do you love most about your community?

A: I didn’t think I’d move back to Dallas after college, but now I can’t imagine leaving.

You can’t beat Preston Hollow for a comfortable, livable neighborhood — we often walk to dinner — combined with such easy access to the perks of living in a big city. My husband and I are big Stars fans and love being able to quickly pop down the Tollway to games. It’s also nice living so close to family and...friends.

Q: What was your first job, and what did you learn from it?

A: My parents’ neighbor, Vatana Watters, was kind enough to hire me to do odd jobs one summer at the headquarters of her wedding gown design company, Watters & Watters....I’m very grateful for the customer service skills I learned there, which are really valuable for any medical professional. It also was inspiring to work at a company where the owner/ CEO and most senior leaders were all women.

Nick Karr

Sinai Urgent Care Education: University of Michigan Wayne State University

38

Watching his mother struggle with kidney failure inspired Nick Karr to help others and led him to co-found Sinai Urgent Care, which recently opened in Snider Plaza.

“Watching the battles with her health, while she worked full-time as a single mother raising my sister and me, gave me an appreciation for the silent health struggles faced by many,” Karr said. “It was this experience, along with my desire to help, which was the impetus in my becoming a physician.”

Since he came to Dallas from a suburb of Detroit, he’s sought to give back to the community.

“I have taken an active role in support

Q: What do you love most about your community?

A: Coming to Dallas from the suburbs of Detroit was a bit of a shock. The sheer size of the DFW (area), in terms of population (as well as its continued growth), was definitely not something I was prepared for. Yet within Preston Hollow and the Park Cities, I have been amazed at the ability to feel as though you are part of something smaller and intimate: a real community. No doubt, this is my favorite part of where I live and why I can’t ever imagine calling somewhere else “home.”

Q: What, to date, has been your most impressive or rewarding accomplishment in both your professional and personal life?

A: Professionally, it’s been the process of growing a successful business that employs dozens of employees, while providing for the healthcare needs of thousands of patients each month.

Personally, seeing my children have developed into the strong-minded, curious, and independent people they are today has been the greatest joy of my life.

20 Under 40 | People Newspapers | April 2020 11B

Joshua Furrh

39

Tomahawk Land Resources Education: Western State Colorado University of Texas

Joshua Furrh is always looking to expand his horizons.

Furrh began his career in the oil and gas industry in 2007 as a landman with Four Sevens Energy and eventually was tasked with building the land department of Birchman Land Services in 2013. Birchman merged with Tomahawk Land Resources in 2017, and he currently works in marketing and business development for Tomahawk.

“That light bulb started to flicker when I realized how much I enjoyed working with other people, learning about the oil and gas industry and sharing the knowledge I gained with others,” Furrh said.

Q: What was your first job, and what did you learn from it?

A: Starting in high school, I worked with Mountain Hideout and in college with Whole Earth Provisions and then Orvis. This led me to a professional career in the outdoors, working in the fields of snow skiing, hiking, hunting, and fly-fishing.

Working in the outdoor industry gave me many rewarding life lessons from survival to simply just having fun. I used these lessons, which led me on an expedition in 2002 through the Outward Bound Hurricane Island School, completing 30 days of hiking from Southern Germany to Northern Italy and then sailing for 31 days from Northern Germany to Southern Portugal — at the same time, earning college credit through Western State Colorado University. Later, taking these life lessons and starting my career and the oil and gas industry.

Q: What, to date, has been your most impressive or rewarding accomplishment in both your professional and personal life?

A: Professionally, the relationships I have gained throughout my industry and community.

Personally, the marriage to my wife, Whitney, and the birth of our son and daughter.

BRANDON WADE

He’s become involved with the Touchdown Club of Dallas, benefiting the Ashford Rise School of Dallas.

He hopes to continue to travel with his family and explore new opportunities in the oil and gas industry in the future.

Catherine Maurer Ursuline Academy of Dallas Education: Davidson College SMU

39

Catherine Maurer, as an alumna and in her career, remains true to her school.

As the chief development officer at Ursuline Academy of Dallas, Maurer focuses on her alma mater’s fundraising and community engagement strategies.

“I know that the enriching experience I had as an Ursuline student was made possible because a caring community of parents, alumnae, and f riends invested time, wisdom, and financial resources in the Ursuline mission. It is a privilege for me to serve in a role that perpetuates this spirit of community involvement on behalf of today’s students,” she said.

Maurer said she quickly learned she enjoyed connecting people with nonprofits.

“In both (the Corcoran Gallery in Washington D.C. and the Meadows Museum at SMU), I worked in event management organizing lectures, concerts, and other programs that invited the community into these organizations.

At some point, it dawned on me that nonprofit organizations thrive only as a result of community involvement, and I began to think about career paths that allowed me to help connect people to the organization and its mission,’ she said.

Q: What do you love most about your community?

A: Given what I do professionally, I continue to be impressed by how deeply the spirit of generosity runs here in Dallas. The culture of philanthropy is strong, and it’s energizing to see nonprofit organizations that are able to do great work and fulfilling their mission because so many community members support those efforts through volunteerism and philanthropic support.

Q: What was your first job, and what did you learn from it?

A: I worked as a program coordinator at a museum in Washington, D.C., where I had the privilege of working for a woman who was considered an industry pioneer. She was relentless in her attention to detail, and I quickly learned that this is an essential skill set when working in customer service, which is the backbone of all nonprofit organizations.