DI People: McLaren, Cyber Defense Labs, ResMan, and More Make Moves

Across North Texas, companies are promoting and hiring people for leadership positions.

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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McLaren, The Americas gets a new president

Nicolas Brown

Automotive manufacturer McLaren, The Americas, which is set to move its headquarters to Dallas early next year, has appointed Nicolas Brown as its new president of the Americas region.

Brown has been serving in the role on an interim basis sine July following the news that current President Tony Joseph was stepping down. Brown originally joined McLaren as VP of sales in May 2019 after a 16-year career with the BMW Group. At McLaren, he has played a key role in assisting the U.S., Canadian, and Latin American markets in securing a balanced inventory across the retailer network.

“Nicolas has already proven himself to be a great asset to our business in the Americas,” George Biggs, global commercial executive director, said in a statement. “We look forward to him leading the team in our biggest global market, as the company moves into its second decade and beyond.”

Cyber Defense Labs names a new CTO

Jason Lobell

Dallas-based Cyber Defense Labs, a cybersecurity services firm that helps companies reduce risk across their business environments, has promoted Jason Lobell from managing director of cyber managed security services and deputy chief technology officer to chief technology officer.

Lobell joined Cyber Defense Labs in 2019. Since, he has overseen the firm’s security operations center, developed innovative cybersecurity solutions for businesses, and leveraged state-of-the-art technologies for cybersecurity services that detect and remediate threats. Before joining Cyber Defense Labs, Lobell was the director of security operations and services at Comcast.

“Jason Lobell has extensive global experience in building and operating enterprise grade technology and cybersecurity solutions,” Jason Cook, president of Cyber Defense Labs, said in a statement. “You add to this his trusted team leadership style, as well as his innovative record in designing, building and operating services that address the needs of our client-partners, he is going to make a great addition to our already strong leadership team.”

ResMan shakes up its leadership

Michael Dunn

Plano-based ResMan, a property management platform provider, has formed a new leadership structure to position for heightened growth. Michael Dunn, Elizabeth Francisco, and Nick Olsen will now guide operations, strategy, and innovation as part of the larger executive team.

Chief Operating Officer Michael Dunn has been appointed to the position of CEO, succeeding Paul Bridgewater. In his new role, Dunn will be responsible for day-to-day operations and business growth, executing ResMan’s vision to help property managers operate more efficiently.

President Elizabeth Francisco will continue in her current role, but take on new responsibilities to support expansion goals in the residential and multifamily property management market. Francisco will also lead client advocacy efforts.

Nick Olsen, who has served on ResMan’s technology development for more than a decade, has assumed the role of chief technology officer. Olsen is responsible for all tech and engineering resources, research, and development.

“A customer-first approach and commitment to innovation drive everything Michael, Elizabeth, and Nick do at ResMan,” Lisa Stinnett, CEO of Inhabit IQ, parent company of ResMan, said in a statement. “Elizabeth is a sought-after voice in property management and her unique passion and insight continue to be a North Star for ResMan. Similarly, we’re fortunate to benefit from Michael’s operational expertise and Nick’s technical vision that set ResMan apart in the industry.”

ClubCorp names a chief marketing and innovation officer

Jim Berra

Dallas-based ClubCorp, the leading owner and operator of private golf and country clubs, has added Jim Berra to its team in the newly created role of chief marketing and innovation officer.

Berra will now lead all owner and operator of private golf and country clubs across ClubCorp’s portfolio of private clubs. He will also oversee the full suite of marketing capabilities, which includes brand strategy, communications, social and digital media, web development, consumer insights, and product innovation. He joins ClubCorp from Royal Caribbean International, where he served as chief marketing officer.

“Jim’s track record of driving growth and injecting energy and innovation into leading brands will be vital to fueling ClubCorp’s future growth and furthering our mission of bringing people together through extraordinary experiences to build meaningful relationships,” ClubCorp CEO David Pillsbury said in a statement. “We are thrilled to have Jim join the team and further accelerate how we go to market, build our brands, and enhance the incredible experiences available at our more than 200 golf and country clubs, city clubs, and stadium clubs.”

Excellarate gets a new CFO

Rob Howe

Excellarate, a global technology services and solutions company that offers product engineering in finance, insurance, and healthcare, has named Rob Howe as its chief financial officer.

Howe has some 25 years of experience in the financial sector, most recently serving as a financial consultant for several venture- and private-equity-backed portfolio companies. Prior to that, he was the head of corporate strategy and director of financial planning and analysis as Liquidnet. In his new role, Howe will be responsible for all elements of finance and accounting, business intelligence, and overall business operations.

“We’re thrilled to welcome Rob Howe to Excellarate as CFO,” Excellarate CEO Nick Sharma said in a statement. “His deep and extensive experience in leading financial operations and business operations for enterprises at any stage will make an immediate impact as we continue a period of company growth. I’m confident Rob will provide strong leadership and is an excellent addition to the Excellarate team.”

Dallas-based software development company Synerzip merged with Pennsylvania-based Prime Technology Group, a global tech services provider, back in December. In May, the combined company launched globally as Excellarate.

Dallas College names a new DEI leader

Jasmine Parker

Dallas College has appointed visionary strategist Dr. Jasmine Parker, who has designed and executed organizational DEI efforts at various higher education institutions, as its new senior director of diversity, equity, and inclusion.

A native of Oak Cliff, Dr. Parker is known for her contributions to the national conversation on community, belonging, equity, and leadership. Most recently, she was the director of diversity and inclusion for the Berklee College institutional system. At Dallas College, she will lead social responsibility, diversity, equity, and inclusion area priorities. One of her first collegewide initiatives will be organizing a December panel discussion to honor National Human Rights Month.

“We are excited to have a new senior director for diversity, equity and inclusion who brings a wealth of expertise, is a Dallas native and who has already been part of the Dallas College family,” Marisol Romany, Dallas College chief social responsibility and inclusion officer, said in a statement. “Jasmine’s background and familiarity with Dallas College will enable us to better serve one another and our community by working with diverse groups, businesses, employers and industry partners that represent, advance and support DEI initiatives.”

Arlington Economic Development Corporation names an executive director

Broderick Green

After an extensive national search with The PACE Group, the Arlington Economic Development Corporation, a nonprofit that helps local companies grow and generate job opportunities throughout the Arlington metro area, has named Broderick Green as its new executive director.

Green has more than 13 years of experience in economic development, most recently serving as senior manager of economic development for Amazon in Washington, D.C. Before that, he led the business development efforts for the JAXUSA Partnership in Florida. Green has been recognized by multiple economic development organizations for his innovation and impact on economic development.

“Broderick’s credentials, experience and personality make him an excellent leader for economic development in Arlington,” Arlington City Manager Trey Yelverton said in a statement. “He has demonstrated success in all facets of economic development, business development and community leadership. We are very excited to have someone of his ability leading AEDC.”

5G LLC names a COO

John Morgan

The board of directors at Rockwall-based 5G LLC, an aggregator of Class A and B institutional real estate for rooftop wireless adoption, has appointed John Morgan as its chief operating officer.

Morgan has more than 25 years of experience in the telecommunications and IT industries. He is a founding member of the Telecom Infrastructure Project initiative, which supports the industry’s adoption of disaggregated hardware and software platforms. Prior to joining 5G LLC, he was a member of the Facebook (now Meta) Connectivity leadership team, where he oversaw the development and deployment of OpenWiFi and indoor connectivity solutions.

“We believe that John is the ideal candidate to lead the next chapter of 5G LLC’s growth as we redefine the relationship between technology and real estate. John has a strong record of innovation, execution and operational excellence,” 5G LLC CEO Matt Davis said in a statement. “Given John’s background in building new organizations, applying technology to scale, and optimizing business processes, we believe he is the ideal COO for driving our success.”

Envy Gaming adds new sales directors

Katie Kristiansen

Dallas-based esports and entertainment company Envy Gaming is expanding its sales and partnership team by bringing on Katie Kristiansen and Kenneth Trader as sales directors.

Kristiansen joins Envy after serving in sales roles at sports, entertainment, and licensing brands. Most recently, she worked with sponsoring brands, such as Canva and Budweiser, at Hashtag Sports.

Trader has more than a decade of experience in sales, sales training, and brand consulting. He previously operated a sales coaching and consulting service, and worked at TriNet leading key sales initiatives and national accounts.

Ken Trader

“Katie and Ken are bringing experience and valuable leadership to our team as we diversify what we have to offer to partners and brands with OpTic, Envy, the Dallas Fuel, a live events business, a growing creator network that spans lifestyle content and gaming, and more all under one roof,” Erin Schendle, SVP of sales, said in a statement.

The appointments follows the news that Envy completed a merger with Frisco’s OpTic Gaming.

The deal represented the union of two historic organizations and their leaders—who have been longtime friends and gaming rivals.

Alpine Advanced Materials grows its team

Blake Headland, Cody Mittino, Jeremy Smith, and Nathan Hamontree [Photos: Alpine Advanced Materials]

Dallas-based Alpine Advanced Materials, a pioneer in lightweight thermoplastic nanocomposites, has added four employees in business development and supplier quality: Nathan Hamontree, Blake Headland, Jeremy Smith, and Cody Mittino.

Hamontree, Headland, and Smith will serve as business development managers; Mittino as a supplier quality engineer. All will support the company as it continues to grow across the aerospace, defense, and outdoor products markets.

Hamontree joins Alpine from RECARO Aircraft Seating, where he served as regional sales director, a sales engineer lead, and project engineer; Headland from TheCrimzonGroup, where he was principal and sales director; Smith from Franklin Products, where he was a sales engineer; and Mittino from Vestas Wind Systems A/S, where he was process excellence manager.

“Nathan, Blake, and Jeremy bring rich experience in aerospace and materials perfectly tailored to Alpine’s role in the market, and have the insatiable appetite needed to drive our growth, while Cody does the same in the technical space,” Alpine President Roger Raley said in a statement. “We’re excited about how each fits our culture, and are confident they’ll help us rapidly proliferate our materials and design services into more markets and applications.”

Ryan brings on an SVP for its Center of Excellence

Jennifer Whitten

Dallas-based global tax services and software provider Ryan has added Jennifer Whitten to its team as senior vice president for the Center of Excellence.

Whitten is a well-known leader in business transformation, process improvement, policy writing and adherence, and governance. He has previously led quality, project management, and cross-functional teams to develop and execute large-scale business transformational changes. Most recently, he herved in various quality assurance and operational risk roles for Caliber Home Loans, loanDepot, and Mr. Cooper.

“I’m thrilled to have Jennifer join our team and help launch our new COE department,” Ryan Global President and Chief Operating Officer Ginny B. Kissling said in a statement. “Her experience in operational efficiency and years spent refining the team member experience will bring better processes and policies to our organization, which enhances the value we provide to our clients around the world.”

StatLab adds to its board of directors

Kim Kelderman

McKinney-based StatLab Medical Products, a developer and manufacturer of diagnostic supplies and equipment for the anatomic pathology market, has appointed Kim Kelderman to its board of directors.

Kelderman is an industry veteran who currently serves as president of the diagnostics and genomics segment at Bio-Techne. In all, he has more than 25 years of healthcare experience, which includes more than two decades of serving in executive positions that successfully led to the growth of startups and billion-dollar business units. Before Bio-Techne, he led three different businesses at Thermo Fisher Scientific.

“We are very excited to welcome Kim to our board and anticipate an immediate impact on our company and executing our patient care and growth strategy,” StatLab CEO Mike Karsonovich said in a statement. “Kim oversaw significant growth at Bio-Techne, and I am confident we will benefit from his guidance as StatLab continues its fast-paced growth.”

Match Group’s Andy Chen moves to Glassdoor

Andy Chen

Andy Chen, who has spent the past 11 years in leadership roles at Dallas-based Match Group, has been tapped to serve as the new chief product officer at Glassdoor.

At Match, Chen led product, innovation, and business development. Most recently, he was the senior vice president of +1Labs, the company’s innovation team. Before that, he co-founded travel technology startup, Traxo. At Glassdoor, the global leader in insights on jobs and companies, Chen will lead the product, design, and community teams, while overseeing strategy and execution across the full suite of job seeker, employee, and employer products.

Dallas Museum of Art names a chief marketing and communications officer

Brad Pritchett

The Dallas Museum of Art has appointed 20-year marketing and communications veteran Brad Pritchett as its chief marketing and communications officer, effective Jan. 3, 2022.

Pritchett has spent the past 15 years in leadership roles at prominent nonprofits. He joins the DMA from the American Heart Association, where he served as vice president of marketing and communications for the North Texas region. Before that, he was the senior director of marketing and communications at the Dallas Theater Center. At the DMA, Pritchett will lead overall brand strategy, digital and social media strategy, and creative campaigns and advertising.

“We are excited to welcome Brad to the DMA, and back to the Dallas Arts District, after a notable career leading the marketing and communications programs at two stellar institutions and many years of dedicated volunteer service,” Dr. Agustín Arteaga, the DMA’s Eugene McDermott director, said in a statement. “His fantastic interpersonal skills, thought leadership talents, and demonstrated devotion to fostering artistic creativity and delivering community impact are certain to elevate the DMA’s goals and expand our successes in the coming years.”

Capital Factory sees changes

Bryan Chambers, Chrissy Liotta, and Helena Krusec

Numerous leadership moves have been made at Capital Factory, the center of gravity for entrepreneurs in Texas.

Chrissy Liotta has been named the venture partnerships manager. Based out of Dallas, Liotta will manage the relationship between corporate and government partners within the Capital Factory ecosystem. She previously was a senior legislative assistant for the U.S. House of Representatives.

Bryan Chambers, co-founder of Capital Factory’s Texas Fund, Partners Fund, and Texas Startup Manifesto, is has moved from VP of ventures to president. In his new role, he manages a team responsible for sourcing and evaluating technology startups for Capital Factory’s programs and investment.

Helena Krusec, who has been with Capital Factory for around three years, is leaving Capital Factory to step into a new role with AFWERX and AF Ventures. She has been integral to the firm during her time, serving as venture associate, senior corporate venture associate, and eventually senior venture partnerships manager.

“For the Dallas community, I’m really not going anywhere and y’all will be sure to see me around the local Capital Factory ecosystem as we open up in Q1 2022,” Krusec wrote on LinkedIn. “You’ll be seeing a lot of me here, so don’t you worry.”