UNT Pharmacy College
appoints new dean
Charles Taylor has been appointed dean of the University of North Texas System College of Pharmacy, located at UNT Health Science Center in Fort Worth. He will join the university in June, having previously served as dean and vice president of academic affairs at Northeast Ohio Medical University.
Taylor brings a foundation in pharmaceutical education and a strong commitment to community, innovation, quality and excellence, according to a UNT news release. Throughout his career, he has encouraged collaboration, interprofessional health care education and research.
He said he is enthusiastic about creating an environment where student pharmacists are integrated into health care teams to help advance and deliver the best patient care.
“Let’s create, along with other health care professionals, a model of being part of the team delivering exceptional care,” he said. “Let’s position pharmacists in a way that they can make impactful decisions.”
Taylor previously was associate dean for clinical affairs at St. Louis College of Pharmacy and a senior associate dean at the University of Minnesota College of Pharmacy.
At Northeast Ohio, he strengthened the College of Pharmacy’s research enterprise with the launch of a neurodegenerative diseases and aging research center. The center was funded initially with philanthropic support and has resulted in significant increases in funding from the National Institutes of Health over the past few years.
“Dr. Taylor is a strong supporter of interprofessional education and practice, collaboration and innovation,” said Claire Peel, interim provost at UNTHSC. “With his leadership, the College of Pharmacy will continue to grow and excel in education, research and practice.”
The pharmacy college was founded in 2013 and set to graduate its first class of pharmacists in May.
Worthington hires banker
for Edwards Ranch location
Worthington National Bank announced that it has hired Aaron Loose as president of its planned Edwards Ranch location. His focus will be on commercial lending and customer relationships.
“Aaron Loose possesses the full spectrum of banking expertise, having worked from the ground up,” said Worthington National Bank President Cee Yager. “He’s committed to providing top-notch customer service that is the core of our banking principles, making him the right person to serve our commercial clients well.”
Loose has spent nine years in the banking industry, specifically in commercial lending and relationship management. He is active in Camp Bowie District Inc., LaDainian Tomlinson’s Touch Lives Foundation, Child Study Center and several other community organizations.
Loose will work temporarily at Worthington’s Sundance Square location in preparation for the bank’s expansion to Clearfork at Edwards Ranch.
BOARDS AND ORGANIZATIONS
Gov. Greg Abbott has reappointed Ben Gatzke to the governing board of the Department of Information Resources for a term set to expire on Feb. 1, 2023. Gatzke is president and CEO of BorrowWorks. He is a member of Jewel Charity and a board member of the Baylor University School of Music.
Fairway to Heaven has approved its 2017-2018 board. New members include Nancy Bunton, director of golf, City of Fort Worth; Michael Dignum, community volunteer; Greg Kalina, regional manager, Del Frisco’s; Sam Randolph, director of instruction, Mira Vista Country Club; and Libby Watson, community volunteer. Officers are: Chairman E. Kim Dignum, owner Dignum Financial Partners; Secretary Nina Knight, president, Imagetek Office Systems; and Treasurer Susan Wilcox, community volunteer.
The Ronald McDonald House of Fort Worth has appointed five new board members and named new board officers. New board members are Gaylan Hendricks, founder and CEO, Senior Security Benefits & Insurance Marketing Group; Mike Hopkins, senior vice president, First Financial Bank NA; Tom Jewell, CFO, Payment Data Systems; Chris Packard, consultant to nonprofit organizations; and Kurt Schaal, senior vice president, Capital One Bank.
New board officers and executive committee members are Mary Edwards, chairman; Joel Heydenburk, president; Courtney Garner Lewis, president-elect; Arminda Grissett, treasurer; Michael Mayes, vice president, marketing and communications; Scott McCollam, vice president, house operations; Leslie Hunt, secretary; Janeen Lamkin, chairman, development committee; and Stef Mauler, chairman, volunteer committee.
HONORS AND AWARDS
Lockheed Martin’s innovation in manufacturing technology received four awards from the Manufacturing Leadership Council. Rick Luepke, a Lockheed Martin engineering Fellow, received the Visionary Leadership Award, and Lockheed Martin won three awards in the Engineering and Production Technology Leadership category for its ultrasonic hole-cutting tool, forced mechanical oscillation drilling technology and mold-in-place inlet coatings project.
Luepke was recognized for his extensive impact and achievements in the manufacturing industry. He has 12 patents either awarded or under file with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. He has integrated more than $100 million of capital equipment into Lockheed Martin’s production facility, while delivering program savings exceeding $100 million. His leadership led to the development and integration of multiple breakthroughs in technology and manufacturing processes such as the mold-in-place system, where he served as the chief architect.
Two Merrill Lynch wealth management advisers were recently recognized on the 2017 Barron’s “America’s Top 1,200 Advisors: State-by-State” list. Bradley Bruce, managing director, Merrill Lynch–Bruce Wealth Management Group, made the list for the fourth consecutive year and Kerry Knox, senior vice president-wealth management and senior financial adviser at Knox Dennis Martin Group, was honored for the second time.
LAW
The Blum Firm PC in Fort Worth has added David Bakutis, Dyann McCully, Kory Nelson and Beth Hampton. Bakutis and McCully were shareholders with Bakutis, McCully & Sawyer PC. Bakutis focuses his practice on will contests and trust litigation. McCully’s practice focuses on guardianship and mediation matters. Hampton was also previously at Bakutis, McCully & Sawyer. Her practice focuses on guardianship, probate, trust administration and estate planning. Nelson managed his own practice prior to joining The Blum Firm. His practice focuses on probate and guardianship litigation matters.
Send newsmakers to Robert Francis at rfrancis@bizpress.net.