DI People: Comerica, Bank of Texas, Kimberly-Clark, and More Make Executive Moves

Across North Texas, companies are promoting and hiring people to take on leadership positions within their organizations.

Dallas Innovates covers prominent personnel moves in Dallas-Fort Worth businesses and nonprofits—from the newest startups to well-established companies. Here are the people moves tied to innovation and technology in the region.

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Comerica Asset Management Group gets a new chief investment officer

John Lynch

John Lynch has been named chief investment officer of Comerica Asset Management Group by Dallas-headquartered Comerica Incorporated.

Comerica Asset Management Groupis the investment management division of Comerica.

The financial services company said that Lynch will be in charge of Wealth Management’s investment and asset management businesses, investment research and strategic asset allocation. And, he will chair the Wealth Management Investment Policy Committee.

Lynch has more than three decades of experience, most recently serving as chief investment strategist with LPL Financial. He’s also held roles at Wells Fargo and Wachovia.

Mandy Austin to lead Dallas market for Bank of Texas

Mandy Austin

Oklahoma-based BOK Financial Corporation announced that Mandy Austin has been promoted to market president at Bank of Texas in Dallas.

The financial services company said Austin joined Bank of Texas back in 2006. She started as a member of the management training program and quickly rose in the Corporate Banking group, most recently serving as Corporate Banking manager.

In her new role, Austin will head operational and business development efforts for Bank of Texas and its lines of business for parent company BOK Financial. BOK Financial said Dallas is its fastest growing market, with around 500 employees.

“This is an exciting announcement for Bank of Texas,” Norm Bagwell, EVP, BOK Financial Regional Banking and CEO at Bank of Texas, said in a statement. “Mandy is a natural leader with impressive banking skills and experience. She is uniquely qualified to help deliver the entirety of our offerings to the Dallas region.”

Kimberly-Clark names Gustavo Ghory its chief supply chain officer

Gustavo Ghory

Gustavo Ghory has joined Dallas-based Kimberly-Clark Corporation as senior vice president and chief supply chain officer, effective July 1.

Ghory will be responsible for: procurement, manufacturing, transportation, continuous improvement, sustainability, and quality, safety and regulatory operations. He joins the global personal care corporation with more than 35 years of experience in the consumer products goods industry, previously working at Procter and Gamble and SmarterChains.

“Gustavo is an outstanding global leader and I am confident that his extensive experience will help us improve the value we deliver from our world class global supply chain operations,” Chairman and CEO Mike Hsu said in a statement.

Wingstop appoints a chief technology officer

Stacy Peterson Androes

Dallas-headquartered Wingstop Inc, which operates and franchises more than 1,400 locations globally, has made Stacy Peterson Androes its chief technology officer.

Androes previously served as chief experience officer, but departed Wingstop in 2019. She returns as CTO to “fortify digital investments domestically and expand the strategy to international markets as the brand continues to scale and grow.” Wingstop has a goal to digitize 100 percent of transactions.

“We’re thrilled to welcome Stacy back to Wingstop,” Chairman and CEO Charlie Morrison said in a statement. “Stacy laid the digital foundation for the incredible growth we’ve experienced over the past five years and is widely-recognized in the industry as being a digital pioneer. Under Stacy’s leadership, we will continue innovating in the tech space and capitalize on the incredible momentum we’ve seen recently as a result of our digital investments.”

Baylor Scott And White Dallas Foundation President moves to special advisor role

Baylor Scott and White Dallas Foundation announced that its president, Rowland “Robin” Robinson would be transitioning to a new role as special advisor.

MySweetCharity reported that during is tenure, Robinson helped make the Foundation’s Celebrating Women one of the most-supported events.

Until a successor is announced, Baylor Scott And White Health Chief Policy And Community Affairs Officer Kristi Sherrill Hoyl will oversee day-to-day operations.

Kelvin Baggett

Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson has made Dr. Kelvin Baggett the the COVID-19 Health and Healthcare Access Czar for the City of Dallas.

Reported by CBSDFW, Mayor Johnson was frustrated about the lack of coronavirus testing available in the city. It will be Dr. Baggett’s role to work with Dallas County, the city hospitals, the private sector, faith leaders, academic institutions and the task force on economic recovery.

He is a physician trained in public health and business who currently serves as managing director of Posterity Capital Group and senior advisor to Pharos Capital Group.

The intent is to ensure all communities have access to testing and background tracing. “This is an all hands on deck situation and it has been from the start,” Mayor Johnson said.

Caddis gets a new leader

Lance M. Hardenburg

Dallas-based healthcare real estate investment firm Caddis has made Lance M. Hardenburg managing partner following the news that former CEO Jason Signor left to pursue other opportunities.

Our sister publication D CEO has more:

Hardenburg joined the company in 2017 as Executive Vice President and General Counsel and was most recently the Chief Operating Officer of Caddis.

Hardenburg will manage the day-to-day real estate portfolio and will be an internal advisor to management and leadership.

“It’s been a privilege to help guide Caddis into a nationally recognized healthcare real estate investment firm since its inception and I’m honored to take on a new role to further the firm’s trajectory,” said Hardenburg via release. “Under the guidance of executive leadership, our talented team is very well positioned strategically. We are enthusiastic and confident about the future of our organization.”

Prior to his work with Caddis, Hardenburg spent more than two decades as a transactional attorney with Hallett & Perrin, P.C. and Gardere Wynne Sewell LLP.

Access Physicians CMO named to committee

Dr. Saurin Patel

The Texas Medical Association has added Dr. Saurin Patel, chief medical officer at Access Physicians, to its Committee on Physician Distribution and Health Care Access.

Will Maddox covers the story:

The group studies the healthcare workforce and its impact on access while promoting healthcare careers.

“I’m honored to be appointed to this committee to be a part of vital work to analyze health care workforce trends and bring telemedicine as one solution to the forefront,” said Patel via release. “From my work with Access Physicians, I know firsthand how medically underserved areas can be transformed through the power of telemedicine. Increasing the number of specialists takes years, and that is time that underserved areas do not have. Telemedicine puts specialty care in those communities today.”

The committee analyzes the distribution of healthcare workers when compared to demographics and disease incidence, encourages practice opportunities in underserved areas, and targets minority students and those in rural areas to educate them about health careers.

“Dr. Patel embodies the values of service, leadership and clinical excellence that Access Physicians is founded on,” said Dr. Chris Gallagher, CEO of Access Physicians via release. “His contribution to the Committee on Physician Distribution and Health Care Access will be invaluable.”

Earlier this year, Patel was appointed by Governor Greg Abbott to the Governor’s Broadband Development Council, which is intended to provide rural areas increased access to broadband internet.

Fort Worth Now appoints a director and task force

Jarratt Watkins

Fort Worth Business Press reported that Fort Worth Mayor Betsy Price made Jarratt Watkins director of Fort Worth Now.

For the timebeing, Watkins will take a leave of absence from his practice at Kelly Hart & Hallman.

Fort Worth Now is an economic recovery and growth task force that is currently leading the community’s response to COVID-19. The group intends to stabilize and restore local businesses. In his new role, Watkins will lead daily operations.

“This is a public-private partnership spearheaded for the next year of economic recovery and growth initiative,” Price said during teh announcement. “As COVID-19 has wreaked havoc on businesses, our way of life, and our economy, Fort Worth Now will lead a strategic effort to not only recover Fort Worth businesses, but to take Fort Worth to new economic heights.”

Reddy Vineyards adds an executive winemaker

Lood Kotze

Lood Kotze has joined Reddy Vineyards, a pioneer of Texas grape powers, as executive winemaker and viticulturalist.

Kotze joins Reddy from a custom winery in Sonoma, California. He’s a veteran of the industry, having worked with wine for 16 years.

Centennial appoints Chuck Taylor to SVP of client services

Dallas-based Centennial Real Estate has made Chuck Taylor its senior vice president of client services to launch a new third-party services division.

The new division is intended to deliver property and asset management and leasing and marketing services to shopping center owners and investors. Taylor, who has more than three decades of relevant experience, previously worked at Madison Marquette.

CrossFirst Bankshares makes moves

George Jones

George F. Jones Jr. has handed off the role of CEO and president at CrossFirst Bankshares Inc. to Mike Maddox, the CEO and president of CrossFirst Bank.

With the move, Jones will become vice chairman.

BPSJET names new CFO

Erik Cooper

Southlake-based BPS Just Energy Technology LLC has made Erik Cooper its new chief financial officer, rounding out its senior leadership team.

In his role, Cooper will oversee finance and accounting corporate functions. He has around 20 years of experience, previously working in capital markets, corporate banking, corporate development, acquisitions, investment banking, and strategic planning.

“BPS JET is growing at a dynamic rate, and Erik’s experience in financial operations and background in agriculture and technology make him a great fit for our executive leadership team,” Bravis Brown, CEO of BPSJet, said in a statement. “We were impressed with Erik’s principled approach, and he will prove critical to seizing on opportunities ahead of us and help us reach our long-term vision. More than that, Erik’s character and integrity make him an ideal match for our company culture.”

Kibo adds a chief operating officer

Brian Wilson

Dallas cloud commerce innovator Kibo has made Brian Wilson its new chief operating officer.

In his new role, Wilson will oversee customer success to ensure that Kibo continues delivering highly personalized end-to-end customer experiences. Kibo said he will also lead post-sale implementation and delivery, professional services, support and customer renewals.

“We are extremely fortunate to have an outstanding, seasoned executive of Brian’s caliber on the Kibo leadership team,” CEO David Post said in a statement. “Brian exemplifies Kibo’s core value of ‘customers for life’ as demonstrated throughout his career accolades—this makes him the perfect champion for client success. I know Brian will be a tremendous leader as we continue to not only provide the industry’s leading cloud commerce solutions but serve as a strategic partner to our valued customers.”

Wilson brings more than two decades of client enablement leadership in enterprise software to the company. Most recently, he was vice president of services and support and SVP of customer success at Zenoss.