BANKING & FINANCE
Craig Wideman has joined Tailwind Advisors as vice president-Investments. Wideman has extensive experience in managing investments for families, most recently as managing director/chief investment officer for the office of Berry R. Cox in Dallas, where he oversaw a diversified investment portfolio for nearly 15 years. His prior work also includes positions at Sun TX Capital Partners, Oak Value Capital Management and Merrill Lynch.
Tailwind Advisors has also added Shawn Hessing as chief financial officer and chief compliance officer. Hessing spent over 32 years at KPMG as the national managing partner of private equity, splitting time between KPMG’s New York and Fort Worth offices. Previously at KPMG he was audit partner-in-charge US of private equity, managing partner in the firm’s Fort Worth office, and lead partner-real estate in the Southwest Region. After retiring from KPMG in 2011, Hessing served as the chief financial officer of Oak Hill Capital Partners before retiring in December 2015.
Matt Opitz has joined Trinity Bank NA as executive vice president. Opitz, a Fort Worth native and graduate of Texas Christian University, joins Trinity after 10 years with another financial institution.
Julie Woidneck has joined SunTrust Dallas-Fort Worth as the bank’s latest senior vice president in the commercial banking sector.
Innovate Auto Finance has hired Kevyn Rails as vice president of portfolio acquisitions. Rails will source profitable subprime auto loan portfolios for Innovate’s own book of business, as well as for the multinational asset management firm that retained Innovate earlier this year to source and service up to $50 million of portfolios for the company.
Alicia Langdon has joined Whitley Penn Financial as a wealth advisor in the Fort Worth office. Langdon will assist clients with wealth management, investment management, retirement plan design and consulting, tax and estate planning, financial planning and asset protection. She is a member of the Texas Scottish Rite Hospital-Crayon Club and is involved with the CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates), Salvation Army of Texas and Habitat for Humanity.
ENGINEERING
Alan Plummer Associates Inc. named Chris Young as the firm’s president and CEO. Young’s leadership extends to professional associations where he works for advancement of the industry. He serves on the Collection Systems Committee Inflow/Infiltration Technical Practice Group for the Water Environment Federation, and he is the Scholarship Committee chairman for the Water Environment Association of Texas North Texas Chapter. He is also a member of the Dallas Regional Chamber and serves on the Infrastructure Policy Committee.
Young has a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from Louisiana State University and an MBA from Southeastern Louisiana University. He is a licensed professional engineer in Texas, Louisiana and Mississippi.
Founded in 1978, Alan Plummer Associates Inc. focuses on water resources, environmental science and engineering.
REAL ESTATE
Andrea Wehler has been appointed creative director at Transwestern. She will oversee all marketing and communications initiatives in the firm’s North Texas operations. She is responsible for overall creative strategy, business development, brand management, media relations and internal communications.
Previously, Wehler was a director of marketing for Newmark Knight Frank Global Corporate Services, overseeing marketing operations for occupier and consulting services. During her tenure, she helped the group secure accounts for companies including Boeing, Dow, E&Y, Nokia, Novartis, Schlumberger and Samsung. In 2016, Wehler was named Newmark Knight Frank’s Employee of the Year.
TECHNOLOGY
VaaS International Holdings has hired Nagendra Palle as chief operating officer.
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