Banking & Finance Brittany Brown is a new mortgage loan processor at Worthington National Bank’s downtown Fort Worth location. Most recently, Brown served as a mortgage loan processor for First National Bank of Granbury. Prior to that, she was a teller service specialist at OmniAmerican Bank. Houston-based Sirius Solutions LLLP hired Jessica Harris as director of supply chain practice and Rita Mort as director of business development in its Dallas-Fort Worth office, serving North Texas and Oklahoma. Harris brings 18 years of supply chain management experience, including 12 years with Johnson & Johnson, where she trained as a Six Sigma Black Belt. Prior to joining Sirius, Harris spent six years with Resources Global Professionals, where she had responsibility for client service and regional supply chain practice development while overseeing numerous large scale consulting projects.
Mort brings more than 20 years of experience in business development and marketing with professional services firms, including 13 years with Ernst & Young. Most recently, she served as EY’s Americas director of community engagement. Prior to that, Mort served as the firm’s Southwest area director of business development and marketing for an eight-state area, including Texas. She also has provided business development, marketing, public relations and community relations consulting services to many organizations over the years, ranging from startups and nonprofits to global corporations.
Boards & Organizations Tom Bates has been appointed to the FTS International board as its first independent member. Bates has 40 years of operational experience in the oil and gas industry. He previously served as group president at Baker Hughes, chief executive officer at Weatherford-Enterra and president of the Anadrill division of Schlumberger. Bates was also a managing director and then senior adviser at Lime Rock Partners. Educational First Steps welcomes Elizabeth Garza and Martha Fry to its board. Garza has served on the boards of the Fort Worth Symphony, The Women’s Center, National Charity League, Junior League, Assembly and various committees including the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition, All Saints Episcopal School and St. Patrick’s Cathedral. Fry is currently a board member for the Bobby Bragan Youth Foundation and has previously served on the boards of Casa Manana, The Women’s Center, Jr. Canwick Educators Industries, Chi Omega Alumnae, Trinity Valley Parents Club, Canwick Club and the Colonial Women’s Golf Association. The 2014-2015 board of Mayfest Inc. includes: Debbie Boudreaux; Janet Bubert, vice president; Carrie Cappel, secretary; Will Churchill; Rob Cocanower; Randle Harwood; Kathleen Hicks; Bryan Liles, president; Chad Lorance; Lisa O’Connor; Kristy Odom; Stacey Pierce; Paige Pate; Bart Tucker, treasurer; and Richard Zavala.
Education Trinity University named Brad Durchslag as the associate director of recruitment for the Dallas-Fort Worth region. Durchslag will oversee the operations of the regional office of Trinity’s Office of Admissions as well as conduct student outreach and evaluate applications. Prior to this role, Durchslag served as an admissions counselor at Trinity University, recruiting students from high schools in Fort Worth, Austin, Houston and out-of-state markets. He also served on the hiring committee for new admissions counselors, supervised recruitment interns and helped oversee the university’s Tour Guide program. Previously, Durchslag coached women’s basketball at several well-known colleges and universities, including Trinity University, Whittier College and Carnegie Mellon University. Health Care Forest Park Medical Center, a Dallas-based physician-owned hospital system, hired Preshie Wilson as chief financial officer for its new campus in Fort Worth scheduled to open in November. Wilson will be responsible for overseeing financial operations and working closely with the leadership team to accomplish hospital goals through strategic financial planning and budgeting processes. Wilson brings more than 20 years of experience working with large health care systems to her new role.
Honors & Awards The Arts Council of Fort Worth honored Juana Rosa Daniell and Mac Churchill with Heart of Gold Awards for their advocation for the arts. Daniell is recognized for her involvement with the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra and the Fort Worth Youth Orchestra; she serves as a board member for both organizations. Most recently, she helped establish a mentoring program with both organizations. Other involvement includes the Fort Worth Opera, the Fort Worth Chamber Music Society and the Women Who Care Share Luncheon. Churchill, who has been involved in the arts community for more than 20 years, was instrumental in establishing the Fort Worth Community Arts Center. He is a board member for the Arts Council, and has provided personal financial support as well as donated vehicles from his car dealerships for prizes at various arts events. Other involvement includes the Camp Bowie Project, Fort Worth Public Art and Jazz by the Boulevard (now Fort Worth Music Festival). The NRI Welfare Society of India, an international organization that connects non-resident Indians (or NRIs), has awarded honors to two University of Texas at Arlington professors noted for their contributions to the field of chemistry and biochemistry. In October, Subhrangsu Mandal, associate professor of chemistry and biochemistry at UT Arlington, will receive the Mahatma Gandhi Pravasi Samman Award at a NRI Welfare Society conference in London. In January, Krishnan Rajeshwar, distinguished professor of chemistry and biochemistry, will receive the Hind Rattan Award at a conference in India. Their awards recognize “those Indians who have made their mark overseas and have kept the flag of India high,” according to the group’s website. Cowtown Cruisin’ for a Cure recently honored Dr. Andras Lacko, professor of molecular biology and immunology at the University of North Texas Health Science Center, with the Classic Hero Award of Gratitude for his work in prostate cancer and the late Tom Blanton, a longtime board member, with the Classic Hero Award of Courage. ReCept Pharmacy LP has been granted full Specialty Pharmacy Accreditation by URAC, a Washington, D.C.-based health care accrediting organization. The International Downtown Association recognized Sundance Square with a Downtown Pinnacle Award for its work and initiatives related to the new plaza.
Law Kurt M. Sauer has joined Kelly Hart & Hallman LLP as of counsel in the Litigation Practice Group in the firm’s Austin office. Sauer focuses on intellectual property and commercial litigation. Prior to joining Kelly Hart, Sauer was an attorney at Daffer, McDaniel LLP in Austin. Sauer brings more than 30 years of experience and has represented both plaintiffs and defendants in cases filed in state and federal courts, bankruptcy courts and before Texas state administrative agencies. A trained mediator, he has tried cases involving patents, copyrights, employment agreements, banking and lender liability issues, real estate, oil and gas, fraud, professional licensing and discipline, civil rights, whistleblower claims, bankruptcy matters and death penalty habeas proceedings. Winstead PC welcomes Charlie Florsheim, a shareholder in the corporate, securities/mergers and acquisitions practice group. Florsheim was previously a partner at Cantey Hanger LLP. Florsheim represents clients in corporate legal matters, including mergers and acquisitions, securities regulation, entity formation and structure, and corporate governance. He is a legal adviser in venture capital and private equity matters, SEC reporting and compliance and franchising.
Nonprofit Organizations Veteran fundraiser Kyndall Burroughs has joined the Child Study Center as director of development. One of Burroughs’ key goals for her tenure is to continue to raise awareness and educate the community in developmental disabilities, behavior disorders and learning differences. Burroughs has decades of experience in communications and fundraising, most recently at Southwest Christian School. Her career includes four years at Cook Children’s Health Foundation and 14 years at Fort Worth Country Day.
Retail RadioShack Corp. appointed Holly F. Etlin as interim chief financial officer, replacing John Feray, who resigned on Sept. 12, citing personal reasons. Etlin, a managing director of AlixPartners and longtime RadioShack adviser, served as RadioShack’s interim CFO from July 2013 to February 2014.
Send newsmakers to Betty Dillard at bdillard@bizpress.net
Trinity Valley’s Gary Krahn to leave Gary Krahn, head of school for the past eight years at Trinity Valley School in Fort Worth, will step down from his position in May 2015 when he and his wife Paula will move to California to be closer to her aging parents. Krahn has accepted a position as head of school at La Jolla Country Day in La Jolla, Calif. “Timing is never perfect for such changes,” said Jeff Farmer, vice president of the Trinity Valley board of trustees. “We support Dr. Krahn in his decision. He has been an important part of the Trinity Valley School family…His flair for innovation and ability to empower the team have further positioned the faculty and administration to move forward to continue with our mission.” An advisory committee will assist the TVS executive committee of the board during the transition.