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Every Last Word
Dallas Innovates’ signature series capturing what leaders across North Texas are saying — in their own words — about innovation, impact, and what’s next.
Photo: Dayne's Craft Barbecue
The Last Word: 2 DFW Restaurants Make the Top 10 in Texas Monthly’s 2025 ‘Top 50 BBQ Joints’
by David Seeley | May 29, 2025
Ashley Weaver and her husband, Dayne Weaver, have smoked themselves up a place of honor in Texas barbecue lore. Their Aledo restaurant, Dayne's Craft Barbecue, just cracked the Top 10 in the famed, every-four-years Texas Monthly Top 50 BBQ Joints list. By ranking No. 7, Dayne's joins Fort Worth-based Goldee's Bar-B-Q as the only North Texas BBQ joints in the Top 10. (Goldee's, which ranks No. 3 in 2025, made it all the way to the top in 2021 by ranking No. 1.)
by Quincy Preston |
May 28, 2025
“Because we know that an investment in a woman is an investment in her family and in her community.”
Karen Hughes White
President and CEO
Texas Women’s Foundation
…speaking at the organization’s Leadership Forum and Awards Celebration earlier this month....
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by David Seeley |
May 22, 2025
Paige Bueckers has been in great demand since being drafted No. 1 overall in the 2025 WNBA draft by the Dallas Wings. Sadly, Sherwin-Williams' Radiant Lilac SW 0074 hasn't been much in demand at all. In fact, it's the brand's least popular color, with the fewest gallons created in 2024. Now, in an innovative marketing spin, AT&T is promoting Radiant Lilac as its "The Loneliest Color"—and hoping Bueckers will make it as hot as her shooting hand.
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by David Seeley |
May 21, 2025
Conner—a serial entrepreneur, investor, and chief payment and logistics officer at Just Park U.S.—took part in the recent reopening of Dallas' historic Reverchon Park Baseball Field, following a multi-million-dollar renovation that has "restored it to greatness."
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[Photo: chendongshan/istockphoto]
The Last Word: On CFT’s North Texas Gives to Animals Campaign May 15‑30
by David Seeley | May 15, 2025
May is National Pet Month, and to help make sure local pets are healthy, safe, and homed, the Communities Foundation of Texas (CFT) is presenting North Texas Gives to Animals, a fundraising campaign through the NorthTexasGivingDay.org platform.
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by David Seeley |
May 14, 2025
The chess world will turn its brainy gaze to North Texas on October 4, when "Checkmate: USA vs. India" hits the boards at Esports Stadium Arlington. The global chess showdown will feature five-time U.S. Champion Hikaru Nakamura taking on the current World Chess Champion, India's Gukesh Dommaraju—along with other headline-grabbing pairings.
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by Quincy Preston |
May 13, 2025
Our urban green space hosts a colony of ecological superheroes—aka bats—working tirelessly to pollinate plants and control pests while most humans are fast asleep.
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by David Seeley |
May 8, 2025
Last Thursday, SPARK! Dallas—a nonprofit that aims to ignite creativity in children through a fully immersive, hands-on learning environment—celebrated its 10th anniversary with a SPARKtacular fundraiser event. More than 160 guests attended, bid on silent auction items, and enjoyed appetizers and beverages at the home of Leigh and Bryce Williams. The goal: raise funds to help children learn about creativity. And as today's Last Word shows, SPARK! Dallas Executive Director Meg Bittner has high hopes for what that mission could lead to.
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UTD Big Idea winners Orikeda Trashi (left) and Ikeda Trashi. [Photo: UTD]
The Last Word: Twin Chemistry Students Win First Prize at UTD’s Big Idea Competition
by David Seeley | May 6, 2025
Ikeda and Orikeda Trashi took home $12,000 in the April 16 UT Dallas Big Idea student competition for Biodelivera, a platform that delivers cancer therapy directly to tumors using using "virus-like particles." In the alumni track, the top prize went to Brice Sokolowski for his sweat-evaporating Vaucluse Backpack Ventilation Gear.
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by David Seeley |
May 1, 2025
American Airlines and Dallas Fort Worth International Airport unveiled plans Thursday for the airport's sixth terminal—Terminal F—that will enable both to "continue growing together." American and DFW have increased the planned investment in Terminal F to around $4 billion—aiming to create what will be DFW’s "signature terminal experience," operated entirely by American Airlines.
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by Dallas Innovates | Staff Report |
Apr 29, 2025
Capital One has long positioned itself as a technology company that does banking, not the other way around. But what’s lesser known—even inside tech circles—is that the company now has a growing enterprise software business selling commercial cloud tools to other organizations.
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by David Seeley |
Apr 24, 2025
Manthripragada is just one of countless leaders in business, investment, innovation, philanthropy, academia, environmental advocacy, and more who've been speaking and connecting at this weeks's EarthX2025 Congress of Congresses, which runs through Friday at the Hilton Anatole in Dallas. During the event's E-Capital Summit, Manthripragada spoke with MassChallenge CEO Caitlin Reimers Brumme,
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Inside the high-tech Sam's Club store in Grapevine. [Photo: Sam's Club]
The Last Word: Sam’s Club Exec on Grapevine Store’s Use of Computer Vision, Scan & Go Tech, and More
by David Seeley | Apr 17, 2025
Since it reopened last October, the Sam's Club store in Grapevine has been a peek into a whole new retail future. Instead of waiting in lines at cash registers, customers use Scan & Go technology to pay for items with a phone app. AI and computer vision are used to keep store shelves stocked. Automatic floor cleaners keep things spiffy. Other upgrades include a vertical tire carousel and automated forklifts. And if shoppers get hungry, a robot in the cafe will be happy to make them a pizza.
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by David Seeley |
Apr 10, 2025
The University of Texas at Dallas has been redesignated as a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cybersecurity for cyber research for its “innovative and impactful” research contributions and its educational programs that train new generations of cybersecurity professionals.
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by David Seeley |
Apr 9, 2025
The IF/THEN initiative from Lyda Hill Philanthropies has had a major impact on spectators who've viewed its installation of 3D-printed statues of women “STEM rockstars." Now a new push is underway to make an impact online through IF/THEN's website, which has been newly redesigned by Dallas-based Tegan Digital.
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by Quincy Preston |
Apr 8, 2025
“Welcome to the private debut of the Dreams Experience Academy—or as we call it, somewhat provocatively, DEA,” said Chris Gannett at the launch event at the Kessler in Oak Cliff last week.
The student-powered, purpose-driven nonprofit, co-founded by hip-hop icon The D.O.C., aims to unlock creative talent and open doors into the $3 trillion media, entertainment, and tech economy.
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