Mentor Program
The Mentor Program is a partnership of the Neeley Entrepreneurship Program and the award winning TCU Chapter of the Collegiate Entrepreneurs Organization (CEO!). In this program we match students from our CEO Club with some of the top business owners in the region. Students meet regularly with their mentor and learn what it takes to be successful in business and in life.
How To Get Started
The Mentor Program is facilitated through the Neeley Entrepreneurship Program (NEP). TCU CEO members interested in capitalizing on mentor opportunities should contact David Minor in suite 309 of the Steve and Sarah Smith Entrepreneurs Hall.
To signup, please click here.
The mentors participating in the program include the following:
Jeff Alexander
Principal
Private Equity Partners
Mr. Alexander is a Principal at Private Equity Partners, an investment firm focused on growth capital financings, buyouts, and recapitalizations of privately held businesses. He serves as a director of several private companies and he manages capital invested directly and indirectly across a broad array of asset classes. Mr. Alexander was formerly a management consultant for McKinsey & Company. He holds a BA in Economics from Williams College, and an MBA from the Stanford University Graduate School of Business.
Larry G. Autrey
Managing Partner
Whitley Penn
Mr. Autrey is the Managing Partner of Whitley Penn, a full-service accounting and professional services firm. Mr. Autrey provides tax, business valuation and consulting services, and also focuses on the wholesale, retail manufacturing, and profit enhancement practices. Prior to Whitley Penn, he was a Senior Manager for Ernst & Young LLP. Mr. Autrey graduated with a BBA in Accounting and Finance from Texas Tech University and is a Certified Public Accountant. He is also Accredited in Business Valuation (ABV) by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants.
David Boenker
CEO
Bana Box
Mr. Boenker is CEO and partner in Bana Box, a packaging business that manufactures corrugated boxes, foam internal packaging and wood packaging. Mr. Boenker, his siblings and his father grew the business from a $500 investment 12 years ago to $40 million in sales revenue today. David serves on the Board of Directors for the West Texas Chapter of the Young Presidents' Organization.
David M. Breedlove, Jr.
Managing Director
The Private Consulting Group
Mr. Breedlove, a Financial Advisor, is the Managing Director of The Private Consulting Group and an advisor to Empowered Wealth (www.privateconsulting.com & www.empoweredwealth.com.) He is also engaged with the launch of FundCorp, an auction platform for the Life Settlement Industry. He holds a BBA in Accounting and an MBA from Texas Christian University and was a four year letterman for the TCU Football Team.
William Brentlinger
President
Seville Farms, Inc.
Mr. Brentlinger is President of Seville Farms, Inc., a wholesale plant company he founded in 1993. Seville Farms caters its growing operations to large retailers, like Home Depot and Wal-Mart. Mr. Brentlinger is a 1988 graduate of Texas Christian University with a Bachelor Degree in Business Administration. In 1999, he was awarded the Ernest & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award.
Nolanda Butler
CEO & COO
National Business Network, Inc.
In 1974, Ms. Butler co-founded National Business Network, Inc., the first network in the nation to produce and syndicate nationally live financial news programming. She also built Channel 33-TV Dallas/Fort Worth. Ms. Butler was the former special communications consultant for the Regan White House, assisting the newly formed governments of Poland and Hungary in developing privatization strategies. She was twice named Woman of the Year by the Democratic National Committee for her contributions to the community, in advancing women and minorities in the marketplace.
Tim Carter
http://www.unitedwaytarrant.org/home/index
President & CEO
United Way of Metropolitan Tarrant County
Mr. Carter has successfully led both profit and non-profit organizations. Prior to his current position with United Way, Mr. Carter was President and CEO of the Harris Methodist Health Foundation, providing philanthropic support for capital projects and programs related to health care. He was formerly the President and Chairman of JP Morgan Chase Bank in Fort Worth. Mr. Carter chaired the 2000 United Way Campaign and was past chairman of the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce.
Pete Chambers
http://www.diamondh.com/
President & CEO
Diamond H Recognition, L. P.
Mr. Chambers has owned Diamond H Recognition since 1997. Diamond H provides employee recognition services to large companies throughout the nation and is as an outsource solution for employee service award programs. Diamond H was recognized as the Small Business of the Year for Tarrant County in 2005. Mr. Chambers was recognized in 2004 as one of the Fort Worth Business Press' Ò40 under 40Ó most influential people and is a Past Chairman of the West Texas Chapter of the Young Presidents' Organization. Mr. Chambers is a 1992 graduate of TCU in Organizational Communications.
Tom Chambers
Chairman
Chambers Interests
Mr. Chambers is the retired Chairman and CEO of Chemical Lime Company which he founded in 1966. Currently he serves as the Chairman of Chambers Interests. He serves on the board of directors of several privately held companies and charitable organizations, including the Neeley Entrepreneurship Program. He is also a member of the World Presidents' Organization. Mr. Chambers earned a B. A. and a J. D. from the University of Texas at Austin. His son, Pete, also a business owner, is a TCU graduate.
Chad E. Cline
http://www.tarranttech.com/
President
Tarrant Technology Partners, LLC
Mr. Cline is the President, principal shareholder and founder of Tarrant Technology Partners, LLC, an information technology consulting firm serving clients in Fort Worth and the surrounding areas. Tarrant Technology, formerly WinPro consulting, LLC, provides a broad range of IT related services to small businesses. Mr. Cline was formerly the Director of Information Technology for Justin Management Company, a part of the Justin Industries family of companies. Mr. Cline is a 1981 graduate of TCU. His wife, Brenda, is a 1982 TCU graduate and a current TCU trustee.
David A. Corbin
President & CIO
Corbin & Company
Mr. Corbin is the President and CIO of Corbin & Company, a registered investment advisor based in Fort Worth, TX. The firm manages money for wealthy individuals, pension plans, foundations, and endowments. Corbin & Company has been recognized by leading industry publications and ratings firms as one of the best in the country. Mr. Corbin was recognized as one of the Fort Worth Business Press' Ò40 under 40Ó most influential people. Mr. Corbin received his B.S. in Economics from TCU and is a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA).
John Cockrell
http://www.cockrellprinting.com/
President
Cockrell Printing
Mr. Cockrell has been President of Cockrell Printing since 1989. He was part of the original founding of Cockrell Printing in 1964 and worked his way up handling every aspect of the printing business. He actively served in leadership positions in the printing industry in Texas and is a Past Chairman of the West Texas Chapter of the Young Presidents' Organization, as well as a current member of the World Presidents' Organization. Mr. Cockrell received a BBA from TCU in 1969 and is a Viet Nam veteran.
Jeff R. Dillard
http://www.cobraogc.com/index.asp
President
Cobra Energy Company, L. L. C.
Mr. Dillard serves as President of Cobra Energy Company, L. L. C. and Cobra Oil & Gas Corporation. He serves in a leadership capacity on the boards of several organizations in the energy producing industry. Mr. Dillard is also a co-owner of Falls Distributing Company, a wholesale distributor for Anheuser-Busch Inc., a director of Property Damage Appraisers Inc., and an organizer, shareholder and director of Fidelity Bank in Wichita Falls. Mr. Dillard holds a BBA from the University of Texas at Austin, specializing in Petroleum Land Management.
Michael B. Evans
http://www.reata.net/with_flash.html
Managing Partner
Reata Restaurant
JMK Holdings Management Co., Ltd.
Mr. Evans is the Managing Partner of the Reata Restaurant, an upscale dining establishment with locations in Fort Worth and Southern California. He also has interests in the aviation, manufacturing and agriculture industries. He is a TCU graduate, class of 1989, with a degree in Finance and Accounting. Mr. Evans is a Past Chairman of the West Texas Chapter of the Young Presidents' Organization.
G. L. (Larry) Frymire
http://www.frymire.com/
President
The Frymire Company
Mr. Frymire is the President of The Frymire Company, an award winning general contracting firm located in Fort Worth. He has been very involved in his industry and the community by serving on many non-profit boards, including being President of the Texas Boys' Choir and past President of the local chapter of the Associated General Contractors of Fort Worth. He is a graduate of the University of Texas at Austin with a degree in Architectural Engineering.
Joey Goss
http://www.cheldanhomes.com/
CEO
Cheldan Homes
Mr. Goss is the owner and CEO of Cheldan Homes, a privately-held, production new home construction firm he founded in 1992. With a primary clientele of first-time homeowners, Mr. Goss's forte is a simplified consumer approach to new home ownership with a systematic approach to superlative client care. Mr. Goss has more than twenty years experience in the residential construction industry.
Joseph E. Gearheart
http://www.gearheartconstruction.com/
President
Gearheart Construction Co., Inc.
Mr. Gearheart is a 37 year veteran of the general contracting business. He founded Gearheart Construction 24 years ago, specializing in custom residential construction. Recently, he started a new division of his company to do very high quality home maintenance. Mr. Gearheart is a BBA graduate from Texas Tech university, MBA from TCU, with an additional 60 hours in science and engineering.
Ash Ryan Huzenlaub
http://www.ashco.tv
Managing Director
Ashco Group, LLC
Mr. Huzenlaub, is a member of the Neeley Entrepreneurship Program's Board of Advisors. He is the Managing Director of Ashco Group, LLC and served as the turnaround Chairman and CEO of Emergisoft Corporation from 2002-2006. Prior to Emergisoft, he was employed by Berlwood Five Ltd, a Texas based private equity fund. In 1997, he completed The Independent Study of Entrepreneurship by studying entrepreneurs in the US and UK. He holds a BBA Degree in Finance & Marketing with an emphasis in Entrepreneurship from TCU (1998).
Raymond H. Kingsbury
http://www.ancorholdings.com/
Executive Vice President
Ancor
Mr. Kingsbury is Executive Vice President of Ancor, an entity that provides capital and management resources to growing middle market companies. He serves as Chairman of Peak Capital, a real estate investment company. Mr. Kingsbury was a former Chairman and CEO of Exhibit Dynamics, a company providing exhibition and trade show service to corporate clients and prior to that was Senior VP with Chase Bank of Texas. Mr. Kingsbury graduated summa cum laude from the University of Texas at Austin and was ranked number one in the School of Business.
Mike Markwardt
http://www.legarefurniture.com/
President & CEO
Legaré Furniture
Mr. Markwardt is the President and CEO of LegarŽ, LP, an original designer/importer of innovative Fun-To-Assembleª home office furniture. Prior to that Mr. Markwardt was President & CEO of Fort Worth-based Encon Industries, a family business he grew into the world's 2nd largest supplier of ceiling fans, selling over 30 million units into 20 worldwide markets. His development of strong supplier relationships in Southeast Asia and his pioneering sales and distribution efforts literally created the European ceiling fan market.
Terry Montesi
http://www.trademarkproperty.com/
CEO
Trademark Property Company
Mr. Montesi, CEO, founded Trademark in 1992 and Trademark has since developed over 2.5 million square feet of retail space. Mr. Montesi is a principal in entities that own over 50 Blockbuster Video stores in the U. S. Mr. Montesi was formerly a principal and co-founder of Huff, Brous, McDowell & Montesi, Inc., Fort Worth's largest commercial brokerage firm. Mr. Montesi holds a BBA from the University of Mississippi and an MBA from the University of Texas.
John Pergande
http://www.insurezone.com/
Chairman & CEO
InsureZone
Mr. Pergande founded InsureZone in 1998. InsureZone provides sales and service to insurance agents and brokers, enabling an agent to quote, bind and service an insurance policy online. Mr. Pergande is also a partner in Buena Ventures Associates, an early-stage venture capital partnership. Mr. Pergande was former Chairman and CEO of INSpire Insurance Solutions, a provider of outsourced policy management and claims services and he was CEO of Pyramid Services, a developer of claims processing software. He holds a BA in Political Science and Economics from Yale and an MBA from Northwestern University.
J. Russell Reid
http://www.higginbotham.net/
President, CEO & Chairman
Higginbotham & Associates, Inc.
Mr. Reid is the President, CEO and Chairman of Higginbotham & Associates, the nation's 86th largest independent insurance brokerage firm offering a full line of insurance and financial services. With relationships with more than 300 insurers, Higginbotham has been the Òsingle source for a secure futureÓ for thousands of individuals and businesses since 1948. The company has six locations in Texas with Fort Worth the headquarters. Mr. Reid holds a BBA in Insurance from the University of North Texas and is involved in the leadership of many non-profit boards in the community.
Walt Reynolds
http://www.reynoldsonline.com/asp/index.asp
President
The Reynolds Company
Mr. Reynolds has been President of The Reynolds Company since 1998. The Reynolds Company is a regional electrical supply distributor with 17 locations in Texas and Louisiana. The company is currently listed in the top 20 electrical wholesalers in the US. Under Mr. Reynolds' leadership, The Reynolds Company has expanded outside the DFW metroplex and now has 17 locations, 350 employees and projected sales of approximately $250 million. Mr. Reynolds holds a BBA in Business Marketing from the University of Texas.
Scott Ringnald
Managing Director
Benefit Port Southwest
http://www.benefitport.com
Mr. Ringnald is the Managing Director and founder of Benefit Port Southwest, a wholesale distributor of health insurance products and one of the largest independent firms of its kind in Texas. His firm manages over $300 million of insurance premiums, employs 45 people at their offices in Fort Worth and has over 1200 agents selling their products throughout Texas and Oklahoma. Mr. Ringnald started his firm in 1985. He is a graduate of TCU.
Justin "Red" Sanders
http://www.redproductions.com
President, Director, Dreamer
Red Productions
Mr. Sanders graduated from TCU in the Fall of 2004. He majored in Radio, Television and Film, and studied in the TCU Neeley Entrepreneurship Program where he was thankful to receive the mentorship of founding program director, David Minor. Red is also the former recipient of the Sunbelt Region Global Student Entrepreneur of the Year Award and garnered the top prize in the undergraduate division of the 2005 Tulane University National Business Plan Competition. Red strives to pass on the knowledge and motivation that he has been taught by providing internship opportunities to local high school students and other aspiring filmmakers. Red Productions has expanded the film and video production division internationally for large corporations, documentaries, hit bands, national TV spots, TV programs, and independent films.
Robert J. Scully
http://www.trammellcrow.com/home.asp
Principal
Trammell Crow Company
Mr. Scully is a Principal and Senior Leader in Fort Worth for Trammell Crow Company. He is a 23-year veteran of the Fort Worth and Tarrant County real estate market, with extensive experience in tenant representation, project leasing, development, investment and management of real estate assets. He was the former Senior Vice President of Huff Brous McDowell & Montesi. He holds a BBA in Marketing from TCU and graduated Magna Cum Laude.
Gary Tonniges, Jr.
http://www.triquesttech.com/
President & CEO
TriQuest Technologies, Inc.
Mr. Tonniges is President and CEO of TriQuest Technologies, Inc., a company he founded in 1997. TriQuest is a professional services computer consulting firm, with each employee a Microsoft certified technician. TriQuest was awarded the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce Small Business of the Year award for two years in a row. Mr. Tonniges holds an accounting degree from Texas A & M, he is a Certified Public Accountant, and is a Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer.
