DI People: Jacobs, Stream Data Centers, ECI Software Solutions, Make 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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Dr. Nino Kharaishvili joins Jacobs

Nino Kharaishvili

Dallas-based global engineering firm Jacobs has announced that Nino Kharaishvili, MD, MBA, PMP, CMAP, has joined the company as principal of the Health System Resilience practice.

In her new role, Dr. Kharaishvili will be on the company’s Federal & Environmental Solutions team. She brings more than 15 years of healthcare systems consulting experience to Jacobs, including work for the U.S. Department of Defense and the Defense Threat Reduction Agency’s (DTRA) Biological Threat Reduction Program (BTRP).

According to Jacobs, at DTRA, she developed a risk risk assessment tool now used in more than 25 countries. It’s intended to analyze a country’s vulnerability to naturally occurring, accidental, or nefarious release of weaponizable infectious pathogens.

The announcement comes at a time when, during the COVID-19 pandemic, Jacobs recognizes that the future requires more resilient, holistic solutions to improve public health.

“Dr. Kharaishvili strengthens our already impressive healthcare services team and brings a new depth of health security expertise, a broad-based understanding of emergency management, and a global consulting portfolio that will be a tremendous asset in leading our Health System Resilience practice,” Jacobs Federal & Environmental Solutions SVP and General Manager Tim Byers said in a statement.

Stream Data Centers welcomes Ron Chandler

Ron Chandler

Stream Data Centers, a Dallas-based leader in data center solutions, has appointed Ron Chandler as its director of Information Security & Compliance.

Chandler has more than 30 years of experience as an information security leader, according to Stream. Previously, he was a technical security and operational consultant to large enterprises and government agencies.

In his new role, Chandler will be tasked with ensuring Stream customers remain a step ahead of cyber and compliance threats within the industry.

“As an organization that serves global enterprises and hyperscale providers, compliance is paramount, and failures are unthinkable,” Chandler said in a statement. “I am looking forward to leveraging my compliance and security vulnerability management experience at Stream.”

ECI Software Solutions gets a new chief marketing officer

Traci Johnson

Cloud-based management solutions provider ECI Software Solutions has made Traci Johnson its chief marketing officer. She’s been with ECI for nearly 20 years.

Previously, Johnson was SVP of Global Communication and Brand, in which she focused on global marketing strategies. Now, ECI said Johnson will be tasked with building the company’s brand, creating value for customers, and driving global digital marketing and demand generation strategies.

“Traci has built an impressive career here at ECI, bringing talent, leadership, a positive attitude and an unwavering dedication to our company and customers with every role she’s held,” CEO Ron Books said in a statement. “There is no one more suited to take on this critical executive leadership role and, based on her previous track record of providing superior leadership and strategic vision along with the ability to execute, we fully expect that she will provide exactly what we need for this next phase of growth.”

Amy Britton is Envision Dallas’ new VP of development

Amy Britton

Amy Britton, a veteran fundraising and grants expert, is the new vice president of development for Envision Dallas.

Envision is a national leader in employing those who are blind or visually impaired. In Britton’s new role, she will create a comprehensive fundraising plan for the company, which includes individual and corporate giving, major gifts, events, and grants.

She previously served as director of development for Texas and the Great Plains Region at Michigan State University. She has more than 16 years of experience with nonprofits.

“Amy’s passion and commitment to excellence makes her an incredible asset to Envision Dallas at a pivotal time when we are entering the next phase of our organization’s progression,” Michael Monteferrante, president and CEO of Envision, said in a statement. “Her contributions as an ambassador for Envision Dallas will be instrumental in helping us achieve our strategic goals to improve the quality of life for people with visual impairments.”

In January, Dallas Lighthouse for the Blind officially changed its name to Envision Dallas, a move that formalizes its relationship with Wichita, Kansas-based Envision. The move adds the 88-year-old agency to Envision’s locations in 11 states.

AspireHR adds to its leadership team with

Joe Ho

Jeremy Amos

Dave Fazio

AspireHR has announced three significant additions to its senior leadership team: Joe Ho as chief financial and operations officer, Jeremy Amos as chief delivery officer, and Dave Fazio as chief technology officer.

AspireHR is a Dallas-headquartered provider of cloud-based Human Capital & Experience Management solutions. CEO and President Kevin Chase said the new executives will further make the company a market leader in delivering world-class solutions.

Ho will lead AspireHR’s finance, legal and commercial operations, HR, corporate strategy, internal change management, and training. Amos will be responsible for solution implementation services, with a focus on new innovation and high quality client value. And Fazio will lead the company’s product development and business technology support organizations.

Coinciding with the leadership announcement, AspireHR launched a revamped corporate website to display its new brand and employees-first marketing campaign.

Alpine Advanced Materials gets a new VP of business development

Col. Willie Coleman

Col. Willie D. Coleman is now the vice president of business development for Alpine Advanced Materials’ Defense and Commercial sectors.

Alpine works with enterprises in aerospace, military and defense, outdoor products, and sports. The Dallas-based company designs and manufactures custom-engineered components that are said to be stronger and lighter.

Coleman has more than two decades of experience as a defense acquisition professional and project manager. Most recently, he was a career Army Officer in Infantry and Acquisition, specifically as Deputy for Acquisition and Systems Management with the Pentagon Army Secretariat.

Alpine said in his new role, he will be tasked with growing the market share for the company’s military aviation grade thermoplastic nanocomposite.

“Col. Coleman brings a deep understanding not only of defense and armaments in general, but also of the needs defense professionals face when sourcing suppliers to develop the best solutions,” Joe D’Cruz, executive chairman, said in a statement. “His experience working at the executive level in defense will further our close collaborations with sales and engineering teams to understand and design the highly performing solutions they need.”

PrimeMyBody welcomes Lina Orellana Zimbron to its corporate team

Lina Orellana Zimbron

Carrollton-based PrimeMyBody, which focuses on the hemp wellness industry, has hired Lina Orellana Zimbron as its vice president of culture. The move is intended to strengthen the brand’s identity.

As hemp and CBD gain momentum, Zimbron will be tasked with supporting PrimeMyBody’s growth across the U.S., Mexico, and Japan, as well as enterining into Latin American markets and beyond.

She brings a vast experience in executive marketing and sales, business training, and operation management. Most recently, she was the corporate engagement manager for Fuxion BioTech.

“We have become a world-class leader in the hemp industry and we need people with world-class experience to add value to our existing corporate team,” CEO Paul Rogers said in a statement. “Lina has opened markets around the world, from Russia to Columbia—overseeing affiliate relations, entity creations, product registration, translation services, and more.”

Amy Yoon named VP of finance, secretary at Calloway’s Nursery

Amy Yoon

Calloway’s Nursery, Inc, a longtime garden center chain serving Dallas-Fort Worth and Houston, has added Amy L. Yoon as its new vice president of finance, secretary.

Most recently, Yoon worked at a Carrollton-based manufacturing company as controller. She brings more than 13 years of experience in accounting to her new role.

“Amy Yoon is a valuable asset to our company, and she has been an excellent addition to our management team,” Marce Ward, CEO and president, said in a statement. “We are very excited to have Amy move into this new role to help our business move forward.”

BOK Financial, parent company of Bank of Texas, adds Mark Wade as an executive director

Mark Wade

BOK Financial’s Commercial Banking division has a new executive director: Mark Wade, a longtime employee of Bank of Texas.

Wade will manage the division from the company’s Dallas office. There, he will manage Commercial Banking, which includes serving owner-managed companies and nonprofits with $5 million-$50 million in revenue. It’s one of BOK Financial’s largest lines of business.

Most recently, Wade was president and COO of Bank of Texas. He joined the company in 2001 as the corporate banking manager in Dallas. He also launched the company’s healthcare banking division in Texas and formed the Heavy Equipment Group (now Commercial Finance), according to the announcement.

“Across our eight-state footprint, it is clear that we have a strategic opportunity to grow this segment. Banking privately held, owner-driven businesses is at the core of who we are at BOKF,” Norm Bagwell, executive vice president and regional banking executive for BOK Financial and CEO for Bank of Texas, said in a statement. “Mark has been serving the banking needs of businesses and business owners for more than 35 years. Mark’s experience and leadership make him a natural fit to drive this effort.”

Rocky Mountain High Brands, Inc announces numerous changes

Rocky Mountain High Brands, Inc, a Dallas-based lifestyle company that specializes in heath and wellness products, have announced a series of officer and director changes.

According to a release, the changes are: David M. Seeberger has been named president and CEO; Michael Welch has been named COO, and remains Chairman of the Board; Charles Smith has been re-elected to the Board of Directors and will serve as president and CEO of a new subsidiary, Rocky Mountain Productions, Inc.

With the acquisition of Raw Pharma, LLC, which grew the company into manufacturing, Rocky Mountain decided to reallocate responsibilities.

“The hand sanitizer business is a three-prong business. The company must establish a supply of bottles and caps at a reasonable cost available in a reasonable time frame, a supply of hand sanitizer gel, and a co-packing facility. The acquisition of Raw Pharma provides us with the co-packing facility,” Seeberger said in a statement. “We are establishing relationships with strategic partners for a steady supply of both bottles and caps and hand sanitizer gel. With the demand in the marketplace, we are already creating a pipeline of opportunities to generate revenue from our facility.”

MedeAnalytics promotes Scott Checkoway to CIO

Scott Checkoway

Richardson-based MedeAnalytics has promoted Scott Checkoway to its chief information officer, where he will oversee the company’s Support Center of Excellence.

MedeAnalytics is a leader healthcare analytics software-as-a-service. The Support Center of Excellence encompasses the company’s tech infrastructure, architecture, and product support.

According to the announcement, Checkoway has two decades in experience in health IT strategy development, system customization, project management, and leadership. Before joining MedeAnalytics in 2018, he was director of IT operations at Allscripts. Prior to that, he worked at McKesson in a number of positions.

Checkoway originally joined MedeAnalytics as VP of technology operations and support. In his new role, he will be tasked with taking the company’s SaaS operations to the next level.

“Scott has been instrumental as an innovative and strategic IT leader for our company,” MedeAnalytics CEO Paul Kaiser said in a statement. “His expertise and vision have already proved invaluable to our clients and associates.”

Cantey Hanger Partner accepted to a prestigious group

Ryan Valdez

Cantey Hanger LLP Partner Ryan Valdez has been accepted to the international Federation of Defense & Corporate Counsel, dubbed an “inspired community of vetted defense counsel (and) exceptional leaders.”

Valdez has vast experience in representing Fortune 500 companies. As an experienced trial and appellate lawyer, Cantey Hanger said Valdez has worked with local and regional businesses and individuals in complex commercial disputes.

His practice focuses on: insurance coverage, fraud, breach of contract, restrictive covenant enforcement, homeowners associations, employment practices and discrimination, products liability, and negligence.

“I am honored and humbled to join such an esteemed professional trade association made up of peer-reviewed, premier defense and corporate counsel industry executives,” Valdez said in a statement. “I look forward to honing my litigation and leadership skills through the FDCC’s unparalleled programs, knowledge sharing and active collaboration among its membership.”

Shermco Industries appoints a new VP of Data Center and Construction and VP of National Accounts

Tom Kennedy

Irving-headquartered Shermco Industries has made two executive changes. Tom Kennedy will transition to vice president of Data Center and Construction and Tom Tener to vice president of National Accounts.

From its more than 30 locations, Shermco provides electrical testing, maintenance, commissioning, and repair services to companies in utility, industrial, energy, and more.

Previously, Kennedy was Shermco’s VP of National Accounts, but moved to his new role with Tener’s appointment. Now, Kennedy will be more focused on the growing data center sector. Tener will lead strategic business and sales planning, the national account and operation team, and more.

Curantis Solutions adds Deb Merricks as chief sales officer

Deb Merricks

Software solutions provider Curantis Solutions, LLC announced that Deb Merricks is its new chief sales officer.

Addison-based Curantis focuses exclusively on the hospice and palliative care sector. Merricks brings more than two decades of experience as a healthcare sales executive to the company, specifically in the post-acute information technology space.

Most recently, she was a senior sales executive role with Cerner Corporation. But, Merricks began her career as an ER nurse.

“Deb brings us the ideal mix of talent and experience to take our innovative end-to-end hospice and palliative care solutions to hospice companies who need the efficiency, operational insights, and compliance they provide,” John Carreker, CEO and founder, said in a statement. “As part of our executive team, she will play a critical role in steering strategy and policy for the organization, as well as managing the sales team and executing Curantis Solutions’ sales plan for business development and revenue growth.”