ERCOT Powers Up a New Permanent President and CEO

Pablo Vegas has been named as the new president and CEO of The Electric Reliability Council of Texas more than a year after the previous CEO was terminated.

Pablo Vegas

Vegas will assume the job on October 1.

Currently, he is executive vice president of Merrillville, Indiana-based NiSource Inc. and group president of NiSource Utilities. He will resign from all roles with NiSource effective September 2.

Vegas replaces Brad Jones, who was appointed interim president and CEO of ERCOT in April 2021. Previous President and CEO Bill Magness was terminated in March 2021 following widespread power outages in February 2021 cause by severe winter weather.

In his new role, Vegas will earn a base salary of $990,000 annually, according to his employment agreement with ERCOT, the Dallas Business Journal reported. Vegas will also receive a one-time lump-sum payment of $247,5000 on or before December 31 and will be eligible for an annual short-term incentive payment with a target of 100% of his base salary and a long-term incentive payment with a target of $420,000 starting January 1, the publication reported.

Bank of Texas Names New CEO

Mark Wade has been named the next CEO for Bank of Texas, which has operations in Dallas, Fort Worth, and Houston. He begins the new role on January 1.

Mark Wade

Bank of Texas is part of BOKF, NA, a holding of BOK Financial Corp., a $45 billion regional financial services company headquartered in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

In a statement, the company said Wade will assume the role once longtime CEO Norm Bagwell transitions into a new part-time role after leading the Texas bank for more than 15 years.

“Mark’s industry knowledge and leadership experience make him a fantastic fit as the next CEO for Bank of Texas,” Bagwell said in a statement.

Wade joined BOK Financial in 2001 as the Dallas corporate banking manager for Bank of Texas and helped to launch the company’s healthcare banking division in Texas and formed the commercial finance group, which has grown into a national line of business for the company.

Enseo Names New CEO to Replace Longtime Leader

Corey_Rhodes

Plano-based Enseo, a technology services provider offering solutions in hospitality, senior living, and education, announced that Corey Rhodes is its new chief executive officer.

The company said that Rhodes will lead Enseo through organic and inorganic growth following a 2021 investment from H.I.G. Capital.

Rhodes was appointed following an extensive search by Enseo’s board of directors. He succeeds founder and board chairman Vanessa Ogle, who, in her more than 20-year tenure, launched the company into an integrated services provider, helped develop innovative products, and expanded the vertical markets Enseo serves.

He joins Enseo from QAD Precision, where he was president and expanded the solution’s footprint to help Fortune 500 companies, global iconic brands, and industry leaders improve their customer service by leveraging technology to respond to customer needs, Enseo said in a statement.

David Brantner [Photo: Alpine Advance Materials]

Alpine Advanced Materials Names Aerospace Consultant as New CEO

David Brantner has joined Dallas-based Alpine Advanced Materials chief executive officer, bringing with him extensive strategy and corporate development expertise, as well as experience in all aspects of finance, operations, strategic sourcing/supply chain, and digital transformation.

Brantner joins Alpine following four years of serving as a board member, consultant, and private investor in the commercial aerospace industry.

The company said that he is currently advising several P/E firms, and serves on the board of managers for NORDAM, an independently owned aerospace component company. His recent achievements as an independent consultant include the execution of multibillion dollar divestitures in direct support of the restructuring of Bombardier’s Commercial Aircraft Business, Alpine said.

During his corporate career, Brantner oversaw the development and service introduction of the industry leading PurePower Geared Turbofan family of engines while serving as president of Pratt & Whitney’s Commercial Engines division of United Technologies Corp. (now Raytheon).  

Standard Meat Co. Promotes VP/GM to Role of Chief Operating Officer

Fort Worth-based Standard Meat Co. announced that eight-year company veteran Tom Allen has been named its new chief operating officer.

Tom Allen

Standard Meat is a family-owned meat processing and packaging company with plants in Dallas, Fort Worth, Saginaw, and Ponder, Texas. As an industry leader in quality and innovation, the company is a global supplier of custom meat portioning and packaging solutions for the food service and retail industries.

“Tom has done an incredible job with our Saginaw facility,” Co-President and CEO Ben Rosenthal said in a statement. “Beginning in 2014, he served as the vice president and general manager of the facility, during which sales have almost quadrupled. His experience led us to tremendous growth in Saginaw; now, his insight and vision will focus on our entire operation and not a single facility.”

As the chief operating officer, Allen will oversee all company operations. His focus will ensure the facilities operate efficiently and effectively and are on track with Standard Meat’s strategic goals.   

LiquidAgents, StaffDNA Add Two Leaders to Shared Team

Plano-based healthcare staffing firms LiquidAgents Healthcare and StaffDNA recently added two leaders to their shared operations team. Following the additions of chief marketing and chief technology officers earlier this year. LiquidAgents Healthcare, a traditional provider of recruiter-led staffing solutions, and StaffDNA, the industry’s first self-service technology platform, said they’ve added Paul LaPier and Jake Necessary as vice president of finance and chief information security officer, respectively.

The additions come during rapid growth over the past two years. Both companies continue to add jobs at more healthcare facilities across the country, while an average of 30,000 professionals download the app per month to find, book, and manage their next healthcare job, the companies said in a statement.

“At StaffDNA and LiquidAgents, we aim to accommodate the influx of professionals who will be entering the healthcare market over the next two years, as they seek more freedom with their careers. Jake and Paul will bolster our processes, enabling us to deliver a variety of world-class services in the years to come,” said Sheldon Arora, CEO of both companies.

Previously, LaPier was vice president of finance and human resources at KonaTel Inc. and has a  history of successfully managing system implementations, specializing in the evaluation, analysis, tracking and communication of financial data.

The companies said that Necessary brings extensive experience in cybersecurity and enterprise information security management to the team. He most recently was cybersecurity architect and security practice leader at Planet Technologies.

Dallas Thrives Gets New Director to Strengthen Education-to-Workforce Pipeline

Tania Curry has begun her role as director at Dallas Thrives, a strategic initiative led in part by the Dallas Regional Chamber and The Commit Partnership to strengthen the education-to-workforce pipeline in Dallas.

Tania Curry

Curry said the organization’s goal is doubling the city’s living wage attainment in a single generation. 

“I’m pumped to be back in the education-to-workforce space to focus my work here where I call home, and I look forward to reconnecting with friends I’ve worked with in years past,” Curry said on her LinkedIn page.

Curry previously worked as a program officer at the Meadows Foundation and director of government relations at Project Lead the Way.

Dallas Regional Chamber Honors Retiring Congresswoman

Eddie Bernice Johnson

Congresswoman Eddie Bernie Johnson of Dallas, who is celebrating her 50th year in public service, was honored recently by the Dallas Regional Chamber as the first recipient of the Eddie Bernice Johnson Award that recognizes a retiring distinguished public service.

The award was presented at the DRC’s Congressional Forum. The forum also featured U.S. Rep. Colin Allred and Dallas Regional Chamber CEO Dale Petrosky.

Johnson, the first registered nurse elected to Congress, represents Texas’s 30th congressional district and she was first elected in 1992. She is not running for re-election.

Ad Agency LERMA/ Hires Senior Director

Nicole Cavin has started her role as senior director of Dallas-based LERMA/, a full-service branding and creative advertising agency dedicated to channeling creativity for good.

Nicole Cavin

LERMA/ was founded by Pedro Lerma with an emphasis on omniculturalism and a belief that it can affect culture positively by reflecting the culture of the world around us. Its clients include Avocados From Mexico, The Salvation Army, Interstate Batteries, Lifeway, Yuengling and The Home Depot.

Cavin previously worked for Interstate Batteries where she was marketing director of brand marketing, sponsorship and events. Before that she was head of its marketing department.

Rachel Alexander and Tony Constantacos

OpTic Gaming Taps Two for Director Roles

Dallas-based sports and entertainment organization OpTic Gaming, announced that Rachel Alexander has joined the company as director of sales and partnerships and that Tony Constantacos has come aboard as director of business development.

They arrive as OpTic is attracting new national and international sponsor interest and introducing more brands to the power of connecting with fan audiences of esports, content creators, digital media, and live events, the company said.

Making up part of OpTic’s growing national sales team, Constantacos will be based in Los Angeles. Alexander will work from OpTic’s Dallas headquarters. Each report to Erin Schendle, SVP of sales and partnerships, who joined OpTic in 2021.

 Alexander has two decades of broadcast, radio, and digital media sales experience, having recently worked in a senior role with TEGNA’s Integrated Audience Solutions division. Her prior experience also includes time with Cumulus Sportsradio and Infinity Broadcasting.

Constantacos is a former professional esports player who made the transition to business consulting and leadership roles at EC Innovations, Altnext, and Thunder Gaming.

Dallas Area Rapid Transit Names New Police Chief After Nationwide Search

Charles Cato has been selected as the new chief of police at Dallas Area Rapid Transit, where he will direct a team of over 250 licensed peace officers, as well as 110 fare enforcement officers and 67 support staff.

Charles Cato

His appointment came after an extensive nation search, DART said in a statement.

Cato has almost 33 years of law enforcement and leadership experience and will direct and oversee the DART Police Department including sworn officers, emergency preparedness, security services and related functions to carry out DART’s safety, security and emergency preparedness initiatives.

“His exemplary background in law enforcement, as well as his experience in developing and expanding cross-agency collaborations, provides our police department and the entire agency fresh perspectives for enhancing security in the transit system as we continue to serve the residents of the North Texas region.” DART President and CEO Nadine S. Lee said in a statement.

Texas Motor Speedway Hires Former Las Vegas Arena SVP as General Manager

Mark Faber, a sports and entertainment veteran, has joined Texas Motor Speedway as general manager, effective August 22.

Mark Faber

He will replace Rob Ramage, who has been promoted to SVP of government relations and deputy counsel.

“Mark brings more than 30 years of experience in the sports and entertainment industries to Speedway Motorsports,” Marcus Smith, Speedway Motorsports president and CEO, said in the release. “With Mark’s expertise in corporate sales, fan engagement and event management at premier facilities, we are well-positioned for The Great American Speedway to move into its next quarter-century.

Faber comes to Speedway Motorsports after spending the last 17 years with Los Angeles-based entertainment company AEG. He was SVP of Global Partnerships for T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

Before his time at AEG, Faber was SVP business operations and Midwest partnerships at the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City.

Two Leaders Join Tailwater Capital in Investor Relations, Communications Roles

Dallas-based private equity firm Tailwater Capital LLC announced that John Schaufele and Jill McMIllan have joined the firm to lead its investor relations and communications functions.

“As we continue to grow our full immersion platform in an increasingly dynamic energy industry, we’re highly focused on ensuring we have an industry-leading team firing on all cylinders to support our investors, portfolio companies and key stakeholders operating across the energy landscape,” Jason Downie, Tailwater co-founder and managing partner, said in a statement.

Jill McMillan

In the role of managing director, head of communications and public affairs, McMillan will lead Tailwater’s internal and external communications, including public affairs, marketing and media relations, strategic planning as well as brand positioning. McMillan serves on the boards of Valliance Bank Professional Advisory Board and FP Select and is a founding board member of the Dallas chapter of the Women’s Energy Network.

As managing director, head of Investor Relations and Fundraising, Schaufele will oversee all investor development, servicing, and relationship management activities for the firm. Previously, he was managing director at Freestone, a portfolio company of Tailwater focused on investing in companies enabling the transition to a lower carbon economy with an emphasis on recycling, environmental services, and disruptive technologies offering an attractive, unsubsidized economic value proposition, the company said in a statement.

Comerica Bank Names New EVP, Community Impact Manager

Dallas-based Comerica Inc. announced that Corey Bailey has been named to the new role of Executive Vice President, Head of Middle Market & Business Banking. Bailey will report to Peter Sefzik, Executive Vice President, Commercial Bank. Comerica also named Linda Nosegbe to the role of  vice president, national community impact manager. She will report to Irvin Ashford Jr., Chief Community Officer.

Corey Bailey

Bailey, a 25-year veteran of Comerica Bank, previously served as executive vice president, credit risk management & decisioning. Her new role is part of Comerica’s restructure within its Commercial Bank, which will feature two divisions focused on middle market & business banking and national and specialty business. Comerica recently announced that Mike Ritchie will serve as EVP, head of national & specialty business. These added leadership roles serve to enhance go-to-market strategies as Comerica focuses on investments toward commercial lending businesses and recent expansions into North Carolina and Colorado, the company said.

Linda Nosegbe

The Middle Market and Business Banking segments provide companies with an array of credit and non-credit financial products and services, nationally. 

In her new role, Nosegbe will help lead Comerica’s public purpose and community impact investments, including the bank’s support for Minority Depository Institutions, Community Development Financial Institutions, and oversight of special community impact projects designed to enhance our communities.  

TechGenies Expands to Colombia, Appoints Country Manager

Richardson-based global IT staffing and software delivery company TechGenies announced it has expanded to Colombia with a new office in Medellín, and appointed industry veteran David Alzate to the post of country manager.

David Alzate

The company said the move adds its operations in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Peru, Argentina, the United Kingdom, Lebanon, Pakistan, India, and the Philippines.

“A key element of our strategy, and our success, is tapping into a diverse range of skill sets and cultures around the globe,” TechGenies CEO and co-founder Ahmad Al-Amine said in a statement. “This approach allows us access to an ever-expanding talent pool, and the ability to find and hire the right talent with the right skillset at the right price to suit our clients’ unique needs.”

Alzate brings more than 15 years of engineering experience as an IT consultant, with an emphasis on innovation, commercial, management and development, Agile, and Lean startup methodologies. A native of Colombia, David has lived in the US, India, and Sweden, giving him substantial experience working across multicultural environments like TechGenies.

“Medellín is the third largest and fastest growing hub for tech talent globally, and Colombia as a whole is becoming known as one of the most affordable markets in the region, so we’re looking to expand to Bogota, and Cali as well,” Alzate said. “Access to those high quality, but affordable resources will expand our capabilities and reach, which will undoubtedly benefit our clients.”

Stream Data Centers Names New SVP

Dallas-based Stream Data Centers has named Mike Lebow as its new SVP of location strategy and development.

Mike Lebow

Stream is an industry leader in delivering data center experiences to global enterprise and hyperscale clients.

The company said that in his role, Lebow will lead all aspects of the pre-construction project lifecycle, from market analysis, site identification and acquisitions, to zoning, permitting, utility upgrades and interconnections.

Stream added that Lebow’s wealth of experience will directly support Stream’s mission to find high-quality sites and deliver capacity to our customers when and where it’s required. Concurrently serving as co-founder and partner of Headwaters Site Development, an independent affiliate launched in 2022 in partnership with Stream, Lebow’s industry expertise will ensure that Stream customers will have access to well-vetted sites in the most advantageous and desirable markets in the Americas.

Runway Growth Capital Names Dallas Managing Director of Life Sciences

California-headquartered Runway Growth Capital LLC, a provider of growth loans to both venture- and nonventure-backed companies seeking an alternative to raising equity, announced that it has hired Brannon Morisoli as managing director, Life Sciences.

Brannon Morisoli

Operating out of Dallas and reporting directly to Life Sciences Managing Director Igor DaCruz, Morisoli will focus on investments in the life sciences industry, structuring flexible debt capital solutions for borrowers that will enable them to stay focused on achieving their business goals, Runway said in a statement.

“Life sciences continues to be a strong area of focus for Runway. Brannon’s sector expertise, origination experience, and vast life sciences network, makes him an ideal fit to continue growing the practice,” DaCruz said in a statement.

Morisoli was previously a director at SWK Holdings, where he focused on providing innovative capital solutions to a broad range of healthcare and life science companies.

Read more in our story.

Kainos Capital Promotes Two to Senior Associates

Dallas-based food and consumer-focused private equity firm Kainos Capital announced that Mike Perloski and Jacob Spitz have been promoted to senior associate roles.

“The professional development of our people is the most important investment we make, and we continue to thoughtfully build and cultivate talent in our investing and operating functions,” Andrew Rosen, Managing Partner of Kainos, said in a statement.

Perloski joined Kainos in 2020 from Credit Suisse, where he was an analyst in the Financial Sponsors Group and Spitz joined Kainos in 2020 from Wells Fargo Securities, where he was an analyst in the Mergers & Acquisitions Group.

Kainos Capital is a middle-market private equity firm with an exclusive focus on the food and consumer products sectors.

New MedCore Employees

MedCore Partners Adds 12 Employees in 12 Months

MedCore Partners, a healthcare and senior living commercial real estate company, has hired 12 new employees within the past 12 months, including Amber Ashford, Matt Batcher, Brett Flaten, Mike Galindo, David Hua, Sundeep Jeste, Neil Naiser, Court Powell, Jordan Sibley, Melissa Thaxton, Scott Walker, and Leah Yates.

Ashford brings a wide range of experience in accounting, management, and business operations. Since joining, she has successfully launched the company’s investor portal and is continuously working on partner initiatives to support MedCore with its extensive growth.

Batcher is an experienced senior accountant who began his career in public accounting as an auditor at BDO, where he gained invaluable exposure to a broad range of clients and technical accounting issues. This role expanded his knowledge and skillsets in dealing with the day-to-day and complex accounting/reporting challenges.

Flaten joined MedCore to oversee and direct all design and construction activities from site selection through the final licensing and commissioning of our healthcare and senior living projects. He has over 25 years of development and construction experience including healthcare, senior living, and mixed-use developments across 20 states, totaling over $700 million in assets.

Galindo joined MedCore to oversee and direct the development of healthcare and senior living projects from inception to completion. He began his career in architecture and transitioned to healthcare development in 2016. Since then, he has development projects throughout Texas and Florida with over 2.5 million square feet of real estate, valued at over $600 million.

Hua brings extensive accounting knowledge to the MedCore accounting team as assistant controller for the Senior Living division. Hua began his career in public accounting and later transitioned into private accounting, working for international, mid-size, private equity backed and Fortune 500 companies in Corporate and Structure/M&A accounting roles.

Jeste brings a successful history in both operations and asset management to MedCore’s Senior Living platform. Jeste has more than 20 years of experience in the senior living industry.

Naiser joined MedCore with a primary focus of overseeing all asset management activities at the company. Bringing nearly 10 years of senior living experience, Neil has successfully directed the oversight of business plan implementation and refinance of more than 45 bridge loans, mezzanine loans, and preferred equity investments on value-add multifamily, healthcare, and senior living projects, comprising nearly $1.9 billion in total asset value.

Powell joined MedCore’s brokerage team and brings over 12 years of experience in commercial real estate and commercial finance throughout the state of Texas. He has completed over $200 million in commercial debt and equity transactions including retail development, multifamily, and medical office building investments.

Sibley joined MedCore as General Counsel and brings over a decade of legal experience in real estate, finance, and corporate matters. He has extensive transactional experience in real estate development, acquisitions, dispositions, and complex joint ventures. Prior to joining MedCore, Sibley was employed by both national and regional law firms after having served as general counsel for a family office in Dallas.

Thaxton joined MedCore’s accounting team to assist with corporate and construction accounting. Melissa has spent over 12 years in progressive accounting roles in both small and large multi-entity organizations with the DFW nonprofit sector.

Walker is a healthcare real estate project management and construction veteran. He has directed the design and construction of over two million square feet of hospitals, medical office buildings, outpatient facilities, and senior living projects.

Yates oversees all aspects of facilities management and administrative duties to maintain positive productivity of MedCore operations. Leah has over six years of experience in sales and team support.

Allata Hires Former Brinks Data Scientist as Senior Associate

Colton Daville has joined the Allata team in Dallas as senior associate.

Colton Daville

Daville has spent the last five years focused on analytics and machine learning within the tech industry. Before joining Allata, Daville was a data scientist at Brink’s Home Security. 

Allata is a strategy, architecture, and enterprise-level automate processes through custom technology solutions. application development company focused on helping clients enhance or scale business opportunities, create efficiencies, and automate processes through custom technology solutions.

Besides its Dallas office, the company has offices in Boise, Idaho, and Phoenix, Arizona. efficiencies

Andrew Widmer (left) and Brandon Dunn [Photo: Cadence Bank]

Cadence Bank Promotes Two for Dallas Corporate, Middle Market Teams

Cadence Bank, based in Houston and Tupelo, Mississippi, announced that it has promoted two commercial bankers to lead its corporate banking and middle market teams in Dallas. It has named Andrew Widmer as EVP and senior managing director of middle market banking and Brandon Dunn as EVP and managing director of mid-corporate banking.

The company is continuing to expand in North Texas following its merger with BancorpSouth in 2021. Cadence started building out a team in Fort Worth earlier this year.

Widmer is focused on family-owned or sponsor-backed companies with $50 million to $500 million in revenue across industries. Dunn said the upper-middle-market and corporate clients include larger private companies and some public companies, the Dallas Business Journal reported.

BancorpSouth merged with Cadence Bank in October in a $6-billion deal, in which BancorpSouth was the surviving company, but was renamed Cadence Bank.

Teach for America Dallas Names Fundraising Leader as SVP of Regional Development

Teach for America Dallas announced that Rea Foster will be stepping into the newly created role of SVP of regional development on its development team, effective September 6.

Rea Foster

The announcement said that as a dynamic organizational and fundraising executive, Rea is uniquely positioned to lead this new team and regional fundraising model.

During her tenure, Foster has raised nearly $100 million for Teach for America across every revenue stream and in two different regions, DFW and Washington, D.C. Foster steps into this role with an exceptional track record of fundraising results and a deep expertise in the art and science of fundraising, the organization said.

Teach for America is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to enlist, develop, and mobilize as many of the nation’s most promising future leaders as possible, as well as grow and strengthen the movement for educational equity and excellence.

Boards

UT Dallas’ Center for BrainHealth Announces Board Leaders

Center for BrainHealth, part of The University of Texas at Dallas, announced that David Jacobs will succeed Roger Gault as its board chair, beginning September 1. Lindsay Wilson will assume the vice chair position.

Both are longtime BrainHealth advocates and will bring a diverse skillset in business and philanthropy to help advance the center’s mission in new and creative ways, according to a statement by the center.

David Jacobs

Jacobs and his wife, Cher, have been part of BrainHealth’s board for more than 10 years. He has worked as an investor, consultant, and business adviser since his retirement from E2M Partners, the real estate investment fund management firm he co-founded and led in multiple roles. He serves as a board member of World Affairs Council of DFW and Blanks Printing & Digital Imaging Inc. and is a past president and current member of the Real Estate Financial Executives Association and The Real Estate Council of Dallas. He has also served on multiple nonprofit boards.

Lindsay Wilson

Wilson has been a BrainHealth board member for the last three years. She is co-president, executive managing principal, and interiors sector leader at Corgan, a Dallas global architecture and design firm. She works closely with organizations to design human-centered workplaces rooted in principles of health and wellness. She is a board member of the North Texas Chapter of the Make-A-Wish Foundation as well as serving on the board of Corgan.

From left: Surface Protection Industries’ Robert C. Davidson Jr., retired Army Major General Tammy S. Smith, and CEO,, Aspen Institute’s Domenika Lynch. [Photos: TMNA]

Toyota Motor North America Adds Three to Diversity Advisory Board

Plano-based Toyota Motor North America has appointed three new members to its North American Diversity Advisory Board (DAB), the company announced. Robert C. Davidson Jr., CEO of Surface Protection Industries; Domenika Lynch, executive director of the Aspen Institute Latinos and Society Program; and retired Army Major Gen. Tammy S. Smith joined the board at the beginning of August.

“Toyota’s core philosophy of Respect for People is part of our DNA and is reflected in our long-standing commitment to diversity and inclusion,” said Sandra Phillips Rogers, senior vice president, corporate resources and chief diversity officer, TMNA. “The addition of Robert, Domenika, and Tammy bring powerful voices to the DAB which will help us continue developing a diverse and inclusive workforce and innovate our business to be ready to meet the challenges of the future.”

Created in 2002, Toyota’s Diversity Advisory Board plays an integral role in fostering a more diverse and inclusive company culture, Toyota said in its statement. Working closely with the organization’s senior leadership, the advisory board, which is led by former U.S. Secretary of Labor Alexis Herman, helps drive adoption of best practices and ensures executive accountability, Toyota said.

Davidson was chairman and CEO of Surface Protection Industries, a paint and specialty coatings manufacturing company he founded in 1978. Under Davidson’s leadership, the company grew to become the largest African- American-owned manufacturing company in California. Previously, Davidson co-founded and served as Vice President of Urban National Corporation.

Lynch is the executive director of the Aspen Institute Latinos and Society Program, with the mission of empowering Latino communities and promoting long-term economic growth and resiliency.

Smith served in the Army for 35 years. In her final role, she was military adviser to the Assistant Secretary of the Army (Manpower and Reserve Affairs) at the Pentagon where she designed and implemented Army-wide policy and provided oversight for the Army Quality of Life portfolio. In 2012, shortly after the repeal of Don’t Ask/Don’t Tell, Smith was promoted to Brigadier General, gaining visibility as the US military’s first openly LGBTQ+ General/Flag officer.

In addition to Davidson, Lynch and Smith, the Advisory Board is composed of Alexis Herman, Jyoti Chopra, Howard W. Buffett and Gilbert Casellas.

Downtown Dallas Inc. Adds JBJ Executive to Board

Noa Dowl has joined the Downtown Dallas Inc. board of governors as the representative of JBJ Management. Dowl is senior vice president of JBJ Management, a strategic consulting and public affairs firm.

Noa Dowl

In 2019, Dowl was selected as a “Millennial to Watch” by Dallas Weekly and was nominated as Minority Business Advocate of the Year by the DFW Minority Supplier Development Council. In 2020, he served as inaugural chair of the auxiliary board for the AT&T Performing Arts Center.

According to a statement, Dowl’s role identifies, develops, and evaluates marketing strategies based on knowledge of establishment objectives, market characteristics, and other factors while establishing and maintaining effective working relationships with clients, government officials, and media representatives. He coordinates marketing activities and activations to promote products and services for clients and observes and reports on social, economic, and political trends that may impact them, the statement said.

Dowl also leads the Equity Compliance Division ,which records data and administrative documents concerning minority, women, disadvantaged, and/or small business enterprises compliance efforts for large agencies.

Grant Thornton Exec Joins Board of Association of Corporate Growth

Grant Thornton’s Dallas Director, Tony Banks, has been elected to the board of directors of the Association for Corporate Growth.

Tony Banks

Banks previously was president of ACG’s Dallas-Fort Worth chapter and, has over 25 years of experience in private equity, business development, and mergers and acquisitions He said in a statement that he plans to use this experience to expand ACG’s membership and enhance awareness of the organization within the private equity and investment banking communities.

“I’ve always had a passion for developing leaders within the M&A space and having a seat on the board of this incredible organization allows me to do precisely that,” Banks said.

Banks has been a director with Grant Thornton’s Dallas office since 2017, the same year he began his tenure as president of his local ACG chapter. Previously, he was director of business development at Hein & Associates for more than seven years, and before that, he worked in investment banking and private wealth advising for JD Ford & Company and Goldman Sachs, respectively.

Flowserve Names New Member of Board of Directors

Irving-based Flowserve Corp., a provider of flow control products and services for the global infrastructure markets, announced that Ken Siegel has been elected as an independent director and a member of the audit committee and finance and risk committee of the board.

Ken Siegel

“Ken’s deep experience in corporate development, mergers and acquisitions, and strategic planning will be extremely valuable as we continue to position Flowserve for long-term growth through our Diversify, Decarbonize and Digitize strategy,” said Scott Rowe, Flowserve president and CEO.

Siegel is a senior vice president at Loews Corp., where he is responsible for monitoring the performance of Loews’ operating businesses and focuses on strategic planning, mergers and acquisitions, corporate development, and financing activities.

He is a member of the board of directors of CNA Financial Corporation, a publicly traded subsidiary of Loews, also serves on the board of Altium Packaging, and is the chairman of the board of Boardwalk Pipelines.

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