Three Dallas business leaders—Allie Beth Allman, Curtis C. Farmer, and Dale Petroskey—were honored by Junior Achievement of Dallas at its annual Dallas Business Hall of Fame fundraising gala Feb. 22 at the Omni Dallas Hotel.

Now in its 27th year, the gala raised a record-breaking $1.25 million to support the organization’s mission to inspire and prepare young people for success in a global economy.

JA Dallas students introduced each Dallas Business Hall of Fame honoree.

Myles Davis, a senior at Leadership Prep School in Frisco, introduced Allman, executive director of the board and founder of Allie Beth Allman & Associates, who shared three points that paved her way for business success.

“Every day when I wake up, I thank God for my good health and positive attitude,” Allman said. “Second is hard work. There is never a short cut to success. It takes hard work and effort. Finally, respect. I believe that leadership is all about finding the balance between being kind and firm.”

Honorees and key participants at the Junior Achievement of Dallas annual Dallas Business Hall of Fame fundraising gala. [Photo: Brad Newton/Grant Miller Photography]

Mason Gutierrez, an eighth grader at Dallas Hybrid Preparatory at Stephen J. Hay in Dallas, introduced Farmer, chairman, president and CEO of Comerica Inc. and Comerica Bank. Farmer thanked his mentors, family, and colleagues and also gave advice to the students in attendance.

“There is no better time than today to begin your leadership journey,” Farmer said. “Be bold, be curious, and be relentless about your passions. The world needs trailblazers and change-makers just like you.”

Samara and Samone Anderson, eighth graders at Solar Preparatory School for Girls in Dallas, introduced Petroskey, president and CEO of the Dallas Regional Chamber.

As one of nine children, Petroskey said he saw how his father took a leap of faith and started his own furniture company that grew to 10 stores, enabling Petroskey and all of his siblings to graduate from college and build successful lives.

“I’m incredibly proud of the work we do at the Dallas Regional Chamber. We’ve been recognized as the number-one chamber in the United States, and that is thanks to an all-star team,” said Petroskey, who also recognized Junior Achievement and its role in helping students make, save, and invest money at a young age.

Dia Wall, WFAA-TV anchor/reporter, served as the event’s emcee.

Student of the Year and ‘our next generation of leaders’

Stephen Tigh, JA Dallas board chair, and Keshia Bruno, JA Dallas VP of Educational Impact, announced Palak Patel as the 2025 Student of the Year. A senior at Plano East Senior High School, Patel was selected from a pool of more than 100 applicants for her outstanding academic achievements, leadership and commitment to community impact. She received the Sandi Smith Scholarship, a $10,000 award to support her higher education journey at Texas A&M University.

“Junior Achievement has helped me sharpen my technical skills and learn to apply…One of the most valuable lessons I’ve learned is that challenges and failures aren’t roadblocks—they are steppingstones to growth,” Patel said.

Tax solutions company Ryan was the presenting sponsor of the Dallas Business Hall of Fame.

“Every dollar raised tonight will help Junior Achievement reach even more scholars, like Palak, in North Texas. Together we can help them step into their future with confidence ready to lead and make a difference. Let’s take a moment to celebrate the incredible work of Junior Achievement of Dallas, the business leaders and partners who make this possible, and most importantly, our next generation of leaders,” Chairman and CEO Brint Ryan, a past laureate, said at the event.

“Financial literacy, entrepreneurship, workplace readiness. These are important lessons we teach students. Junior Achievement alumni are more likely to have a college degree, higher earnings and start a business. Let’s dream big and go big for our students, for your businesses and for our region,” said Chris LaTurno, president and CEO of Junior Achievement of Dallas.

Dallas Business Hall of Fame and JA Dallas

The Dallas Business Hall of Fame raises funds to help JA Dallas to provide local students with learning experiences in financial literacy, work readiness, and entrepreneurship.

Over the past 70 years, JA Dallas has reached nearly 1 million students across the region with learning experiences in financial literacy, workplace readiness and entrepreneurship.

Last year, JA Dallas brought more than 100,000 students hands-on, immersive experiences to help them build the skillsets and mindsets needed to achieve and lead. More than 2,500 corporate and community volunteers guided and inspired the young people during experiences delivered in more than 200 schools and with nonprofit partners in Dallas, Denton, Collin, and Kaufman counties.

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