Newsmakers: New M.D. school names dean who had same role in Phoenix

Dr. Stuart D. Flynn, founding dean of the University of Arizona College of Medicine-Phoenix, has been selected as the founding dean of the new medical school that Texas Christian University and the University of North Texas Health Science Center are developing in Fort Worth.

Flynn is expected to begin his new duties in April.

Flynn received his medical degree and residency training at the University of Michigan. He completed his fellowship in oncologic pathology at Stanford University and was a professor of pathology and surgery at the Yale University School of Medicine before taking the Phoenix post.

As founding dean of the Phoenix medical school since 2008, Flynn oversaw development of the curriculum and guided the school through an accreditation process, growing the program from an initial student class of 24 to the current class size of 80. Each graduating class has had a 100 percent match rate for residencies, and more than half chose to pursue primary care disciplines.

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“Having Dr. Flynn join us in this ambitious project is a tremendous step forward,” said TCU Chancellor Victor J. Boschini Jr. “His expertise in navigating the complexities of a new medical school, combined with his passion for mentoring the leaders and critical thinkers who will drive health care transformation, fully aligns with the mission of Fort Worth’s M.D. school.”

TCU and UNTHSC announced plans to create the school to grant M.D. degrees in July 2015. The medical school will use existing facilities and resources on both schools’ campuses. (The Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine, which trains doctors of osteopathic medicine, also operates at the UNTHSC campus.) The M.D. school will require accreditation from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges and the Liaison Committee on Medical Education.

The M.D. program is an extension of the two universities’ longstanding collaboration on science and health care issues affecting the Fort Worth community. To date, more than 1,200 students from numerous disciplines have trained together on interprofessional education competencies. Existing collaborations include a community-based outreach program for older adults and a culinary medicine approach that explores everyday recipes for better health.

Additionally, students in TCU’s Neeley School of Business and UNTHSC’s School of Public Health collaborate as part of UNTHSC’s master’s program in health administration and TCU’s health care MBA program.

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Flynn is the author of more than 100 articles, books and monographs. He has received numerous honors, including America’s Top Physician Award from the Consumers’ Research Council of America, Teacher of the Year at Yale University School of Medicine, founding member of Yale’s Society of Distinguished Teachers and the Averill A. Liebow Award for excellence in the teaching of pathology residents, also at Yale.

Banking & Finance

Wells Fargo & Co. named Cecil Edwards Jr. to lead middle market commercial banking in North Texas. Edwards succeeds former Division Manager Laura MacNeil, who was promoted to lead the risk management and compliance team. As senior vice president and North Texas leader, Edwards oversees regional teams in Dallas, Fort Worth, Plano and Tyler. Prior to his promotion, he led middle market commercial banking in Plano as a regional manager for six years. Previously, he managed commercial and business banking activities in the central region of Wachovia Bank. Edwards joined Wachovia in 2004 after spending 24 years with a competitor Texas bank, where he had leadership positions in cash management, commercial banking, credit risk management, health care banking and middle market banking. Edwards serves on Baylor Health Care System Foundation, North Dallas Chamber of Commerce and University of Texas Dallas School of Management boards. He previously served on the boards of the United Way of Metropolitan Dallas, Health Industry Council of the North Texas Region, the Dallas Central Business District and African American Museum in Dallas and was board chairman for Criswell College and the Dallas Life Foundation.

MacNeil, a 20-year finance veteran, also oversees development of the group’s operational risk assurance, testing and issue management. MacNeil joined Wells Fargo in 2006 and was promoted to North Texas division manager in 2013.

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Kelly Brechel joined Southwest Bank as vice president-appraisal manager. Brechel will work from the bank’s Fort Worth operations center. She has more than 25 years of experience and comes to Southwest Bank from O’Brien Realty Advisors, where she was director. Previously, she was associate director at Integra Realty Resources DFW in Fort Worth. She is a member of the Appraisal Institute and Real Estate Council of Greater Fort Worth. She has an MAI designation from the Appraisal Institute.

Texas Capital Bank hired Brian Frank to expand its franchise finance business nationally. The bank is active in the space, primarily in Texas, and Frank will lead an initiative to develop relationships with corporate-level franchisors and multi-unit franchise operators throughout the United States. The practice will cater to restaurants, convenience stores, retail petroleum and limited service hospitality. It will provide comprehensive banking services that will help franchisee and franchisor operators grow their businesses. Frank was previously senior vice president and head of restaurant and franchise finance for TD Bank N.A.

Boards & Organizations

Scott Wade was appointed to the board of trustees of the Fort Worth Employees Retirement Fund. Wade is president of HJ&P Group, a private investment company that buys and operates small local businesses. In addition, he provides asset allocation, manager selection and investment oversight services to a family office. He started his career working for Vogel Financial Advisors in Dallas and later was chief operating officer at Burgher Haggard.

Steven W. Novak, managing partner at The Blum Firm’s Dallas office, joined the board of the North Texas Chapter of the Partnership for Philanthropic Planning. Novak is board-certified in estate planning and probate law.

Engineering & Architecture

Thomas Haster, a 25-year veteran of Freese and Nichols Inc., has been named leader of the firm’s water practice. Haster will coordinate delivery of water services and oversee initiatives to grow the water practice, both geographically and through new and expanded service offerings. He succeeds Brian Coltharp, who was recently named chief operating officer for 2016 and will become CEO in 2017.

Haster has played a critical role in the design of water and wastewater utilities and in the development of the firm’s Water and Wastewater Master Planning Group. He developed water and wastewater plans for cities including Arlington, Fort Worth, Grand Prairie, Irving, Killeen and Wichita Falls, and he is experienced in the design and rehabilitation of pumping facilities and major transmission lines. He also assists utilities by conducting workshops on impact fee program development and alternative cost recovery planning for water and wastewater systems.

His recognitions include a 2003 Engineering Excellence Award from the Texas Council of Engineering Companies for the city of Keller and Town of Westlake’s joint-use elevated storage tank. He is a member of the American Water Works Association National Water Quality Committee and is a co-author of the AWWA M-32 Manual on Water System Planning.

Health Care

Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital Southlake recently added a new physical therapy center. Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital Southlake Physical Therapy Center, managed by Greater Therapy Centers, provides outpatient physical and occupational/hand therapy. Michael Connors, a board-certified specialist in orthopedic physical therapy, is the center supervisor. He is completing a doctorate in physical therapy with an emphasis in applied biomechanics from Texas Woman’s University. Connors is president of the Texas Physical Therapy Association.

Nonprofit Organizations

Senior Quality Lifestyles Corp., the parent company of The Stayton at Museum Way, named Stan Waterhouse – photo – president and CEO. Waterhouse was as vice chairman of the board. He has extensive management experience in the housing and hospitality industries. Most recently, he was chief operating officer for the Housing Authority of the City of El Paso. He previously was vice president for The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Co., spearheading the company’s expansion to include resorts, private residence clubs, lifestyle communities and golf assets throughout Asia, the United States and the Caribbean. He also was regional vice president for Club Corporation of America, responsible for 25 properties throughout the eastern United States and Canada. Waterhouse is a member of the Urban Land Institute, American Hotel and Lodging Association and National Golf Course Owners Association.

Meryl Gunter and Michelline Malley complete the new executive team for Clayton YES! as the directors of development and finance, respectively. Gunter has written and managed grant applications of funders that include state, federal and local governments as well as corporations and private foundations. She was a grant writer for the Fort Worth Independent School District, managing grant compliance for 40 after-school programs. Malley began her career in the medical field as financial director for a health care company. She later became controller for Big Brothers Big Sisters.

Real Estate

Trammell Crow Co. promoted K.C. Bills to vice president within the firm’s Dallas/Fort Worth business unit. He will be responsible for all aspects related to development including deal sourcing, strategic planning, development execution, financing, leasing and disposition of both speculative and build-to-suit projects. Bills joined the company in 2012 as a senior associate.

Tourism, Entertainment & Leisure

Concert and entertainment promotion company 35 Concerts LLC added Kelsey Taylor as an associate talent buyer. Taylor is a recent graduate of Texas Christian University, where she earned a degree in film and television.

Send newsmakers to Betty Dillard at bdillard@bizpress.net