DI People: ParkHub, OrderMyGear, and Naturally Slim Make Leadership 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 people moves tied to innovation and technology in the region.

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ParkHub hires Wickstrum as VP of sales operations

Cliff Wickstrum

Dallas-based B2B parking technology provider ParkHub has hired Cliff Wickstrum as its vice president of sales operations.

He will report to Laurens Eckelboom, ParkHub’s chief revenue officer, to improve systems and processes integral to ParkHub’s business development.

“ParkHub is data-driven from the core. We continually seek strategies to enhance our approach so that we can do the same for our clients and prospective partners,” George Baker, founder and CEO of ParkHub, said in a statement. “The fulfillment of this role speaks directly to that aim, and we are delighted to leverage Cliff’s proven experience.”

Wickstrum previously was vice president of sales operations and effectiveness at ParkMobile.

OrderMyGear appoints Downing as vice president

Dustin Downing

Dustin Downing has been appointed the vice president of product and marketing by OrderMyGear, a Dallas-based group e-commerce company.

In this newly-created role, Downing is expected to be responsible for spearheading the platform’s innovation, user experience enhancement, and the development of OrderMyGear’s product roadmap.

Downing will also be responsible for building and refining the marketing department within OrderMyGear.

Naturally Slim appoints Butler chief executive officer

Rob Butler

Rob Butler has been appointed as the new CEO by Naturally Slim, the Dallas-based digital health company focused on metabolic syndrome (MetS) reversal, diabetes prevention, and weight management.

The appointment is the next phase of Naturally Slim’s planned growth strategy, according to a statement.

Butler, the former CEO of Maestro Health, plans to work closely with the Naturally Slim management team to further improve and grow its digital weight management and metabolic syndrome reversal program to create an ecosystem to improve participants’ overall health, according to a statement.

RAVE Restaurant Group taps Solano as new CEO

Brandon Solano

Brandon Solano has been named CEO of Dallas-based RAVE Restaurant Group, Inc.

The company owns, operates, franchises and licenses 261 Pie Five Pizza Co. and Pizza Inn restaurants, along with Pizza Inn Express kiosks domestically and internationally.

Solano succeeds Scott Crane, who left the company in July, according to a statement. Most recently, Solano was the chief marketing and digital officer of the fast-casual concept Pei Wei Asian Kitchen.

Freeman promotes Johnson to executive vice president

Michelle Johnson

Dallas-based event marketing services provider Freeman has promoted Michelle Johnson to the position of executive vice president.

Johnson was previously Freeman’s senior vice president and chief information officer.

She joined Freeman in 2009 as the vice president of application development, and was promoted to senior vice president and CIO in 2012 after effectively leading a team responsible for the company’s application development, support, and delivery, according to a statement.

Marsalis takes over as president and CEO of Plano Chamber

Kelle Marsalis

After conducting a national search, the Plano Chamber of Commerce stayed in-house for its new president and CEO, naming Kelle Marsalis to the top spot.

Marsalis has been the Chamber’s interim president and CEO since July, after former Plano Chamber President Jamee Jolly resigned from the top position in June to become senior executive director of the Plano ISD Education Foundation.

In February, Marsalis was named to the newly-created vice president position. She brings more than ten years of chamber experience in membership, talent, and economic development to the position, including roles with the Rockford, Illinois Chamber of Commerce; Stillwater, Oklahoma Chamber of Commerce; and the Dallas Regional Chamber, according to a statement.

Fort Worth Chamber taps Gengelbach as president

Brandom Gengelbach

Brandom Gengelbach has been named president of the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce.

He succeeds the retiring Bill Thornton, who recently celebrated his 30th year with the chamber. Thornton’s retirement is effective July 7, 2020.

“His 18 years of experience with numerous chambers and the strong community relationships he has forged in the Fort Worth region have prepared him to take on this role,” Lonnie Nicholson, chairman of the Chamber Board and CEO of EECU, said in a statement about Gengelbach.

Before coming to Fort Worth, Gengelbach was president of the public-private Maury County Chamber and Economic Alliance in Tennessee.

HealthMine names Lung as COO

Amy Lung

Amy Lung has been appointed as chief operating officer at HealthMine, a Dallas-based health action engagement company.

Lung is an expert in driving improvements through data-driven engagement strategies, according to a statement.

She has experience working between health plans and provider organizations, and has designed improvement programs for several healthcare organizations.

Repairify names Covington as its new CFO

Teresa Covington has been appointed chief financial officer at Repairify, Inc., a cloud-based automotive technology and diagnostic services provider headquartered in Plano.

Covington will join Repairify’s senior leadership team and lead the company’s global finance operations, according to a statement.

She brings more than 20 years of C-level experience with publicly-held and privately-owned companies. Previously, Covington was the head of the global finance organization at AeroVironment, a tech company in aerospace and defense that designs, manufactures, and distributes unmanned aerial vehicles.

Caregiver, Inc. names Landry as its first COO

Beth Landry

Caregiver, Inc., the Fort Worth-based provider of services to adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities, has named Beth Landry as its first chief operating officer.

Landry is expected to have operational oversight of each of Caregiver’s four markets: Texas, Tennessee, Ohio, and Indiana. All state leaders will report directly to her, according to a statement.

Landry joined Caregiver in January as the Central Region Group President for Tennessee, Indiana, and Ohio.

Houston Black Chamber honors astronaut with Lifetime Achievement Award

Dr. Bernard Harris, Jr.

Dr. Bernard Harris, Jr., the first African American astronaut to perform a spacewalk, was honored recently with a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Greater Houston Black Chamber of Commerce.

Harris is president and CEO of the National Math and Science Initiative, a Dallas-based nonprofit organization seeking to increase U.S. students’ access and achievements in math, science, and English courses.