Pence named outstanding Aggie
The Dwight Look College of Engineering at Texas A&M University honored seven alumni April 4, including Robert F. Pence, president and CEO of Freese and Nichols Inc. Pence has led the Fort Worth-based engineering and architecture firm since 2002. The firm has experienced growth and profitability despite a challenging economic climate, and, in 2010, Freese and Nichols became the first architecture/engineering firm to receive the Malcolm Baldrige Award for Performance Excellence. Pence joined Freese and Nichols as an engineer in 1978 and became a principal in the company in 1988. Throughout his career, he has championed professional education, ethical behavior and open communication, and has promoted the management system of continuous improvement. In 2011, CE News recognized Freese and Nichols as the best civil engineering firm to work for in the nation among large firms, and in 2013 Texas Monthly named the company a “best company to work for.” He was named 2011 CEO of the Year by the Fort Worth Business Press. Pence received his undergraduate and graduate degrees in civil engineering from Texas A&M and is a veteran of the U.S. Army. In 2008, he was named Engineer of the Year by the Fort Worth Chapter of the Texas Society of Professional Engineers; in 2010, he was named a Fellow by Leadership Fort Worth. His service to Texas A&M includes serving on the advisory committees of the Zachry Department of Civil Engineering and the Dwight Look College of Engineering. His community service includes chairing the North Texas Commission, Communities in Schools, North Texas L.E.A.D., and the local United Way campaign, and serving as an advocate for children and education in numerous endeavors. In 2008, he chaired the drive for the Fort Worth Independent School District challenge grant and raised more than $680,000.
Banking & Finance Tarrant County-based Worthington National Bank promoted Lucas Sawyer to vice president of commercial lending. Sawyer will expand on his current responsibilities as chief deposit officer. As vice president of commercial lending, he will manage his current portfolio of clients and oversee Worthington’s cash management services. Sawyer has a degree in business management and administration from Indiana University. He also has certifications in financial advising from the Texas Bankers Association and Omega Performance. He has Series 6 and 62 licenses in investment securities from FINRA/SEC and has a real estate license from Rawls College of Business at Texas Tech University. Tammy Foy has been appointed senior vice president and sales manager at Bank of Texas in Dallas. Foy will assist in the growth of the treasury management business in the Dallas-Fort Worth market. She began her career with Bank One and completed the Treasury Management Sales Training Program. She spent 13 years as a treasury management sales officer at Bank One, in which she managed middle market and large corporate relationships nationwide. Foy has a bachelor’s degree in finance from Texas A&M University. Paul Harrison, president of the personal segment at Hallmark Financial Services Inc., is resigning to pursue other interests. Kevin Kasitz, the company’s chief operating officer, will serve as interim president of the personal segment while the company searches for a permanent replacement.
Boards & Organizations Goodwill Industries of Fort Worth Inc. recently named its officers and members for 2013. The chairmanship passed from Roger L. Yandell, immediate past chairman, to David Goodroe. Other members include: Frank W. Shiels, chairman-elect; John P. Boswell, secretary; Kip Adams, treasurer; Jeff Bland; Will A. Courtney; Patrick D. Gotcher; Mike W. Griffin; Mary Anna Martinez; Kleber Miller; Pamela Voight; Charla K. Wise; and Gilbert R. Zepeda.
Education Caron Patton, who has been assistant controller at Texas Wesleyan University since 2007, has been named controller, following a national search. She assumed her new role on April 1. She has more than 30 years of accounting experience. She was a controller in the architectural and engineering professions for 12 years and in the manufacturing and recycling industries for four years. She also has worked as a self-employed certified public accountant. Patton earned her bachelor of business administration degree at the University of Texas at Austin and is a certified financial planner.
Electronics Allied Electronics announced the promotion of two new vice presidents to its executive management team: Frank Cantwell, vice president of product management, and Dan Stewart, vice president of marketing. Both Cantwell and Stewart were promoted from within the organization after recent leadership changes. Cantwell began his career at Allied as a product manager in 2000 and was promoted to product marketing manager in 2001 and to product director in 2006. As vice president of product management, he will be responsible for both the product management and content teams. Stewart began his career at Allied in 2004 in the e-commerce department. He was promoted to director of e-commerce in 2007. As vice president of marketing, Stewart will be responsible for both the e-commerce and marketing teams. The promotions, coinciding with Allied’s new fiscal year, resulted from the recent transition of Scott McLendon from vice president of product management and marketing to president. McLendon assumed the presidential role after Lee Davidson stepped down in January due to health issues.
Energy Luminant recently hired longtime WFAA-TV/Channel 8 senior reporter Brad Watson as director of communications. Watson will oversee the company’s internal and external communications, develop communications strategies and serve as a key spokesman. Watson spent 34 years with WFAA and anchored the station’s newscasts from 1992 to 2000. He covered major stories across Texas, the nation and Latin America, winning multiple awards for his on-air and reporting expertise. His recent assignments included covering Dallas city government and politics and hosting the station’s Inside Texas Politics program. Watson graduated from Iowa State University with degrees in journalism and political science.
Honors & Awards The Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries (ISRI) presented the ISRI Lifetime Achievement Award to Arnold G. Gachman, president of Gachman Metals and Recycling Co. of Fort Worth. Gachman received the award for his lifelong dedication and leadership in the field and commitment to ISRI. At age 27, Gachman was named general manager of the family business, Gachman Metals (later Gachman Metals and Recycling Co.), and five years later, in 1974, he became its president. He held leadership roles in the Institute of Scrap Iron and Steel (ISIS) Gulf Coast Chapter and was national secretary of ISIS in 1984. Gachman also was active in the National Association of Recycling Industries; the two organizations merged in 1987 to form ISRI. In 1992, Gachman became ISRI’s third president. A lifelong resident of Fort Worth, Gachman supports Congregation Avahath Sholom, provides service and support to the All Saints Health Foundation, and builds public service into his business by giving tours of his facility and operating a public buyback center. Morocco has appointed World Affairs Council President James N. Falk as its honorary consul for Texas. The selection was made by Morocco’s Foreign Ministry and announced by Rachad Bouhlal, the Moroccan ambassador to the United States. As the honorary consul, Falk will help raise the nation’s profile in Texas and enhance communications for Texans and Moroccan officials and business and travel interests. Falk has been president and chief executive officer of the nonprofit, non-partisan World Affairs Council of Dallas/Fort Worth since 2001. CQ Digital Media is a bronze winner in the 34th annual Telly Awards for its piece titled “The Freeman Exhibitor Experience” in the corporate image category. Telly Award winners represent the best work of advertising agencies, production companies, television stations, cable operators and corporate video departments. CQ Digital Media is a digital branding agency and consulting firm that works with large brands and small businesses. The Live Theatre League will present awards on April 22 to honor individuals and organizations that have helped produce or promote live theater in Tarrant County. The major awards and winners include: Elston Brooks Lifetime Achievement Award to Deborah Jung; Ann L. Rhodes Philanthropic Individual Award to Claudia and Rod Stepp; Philanthropic Organization to Amon G. Carter Foundation; Theatre Arts Advocate to Joel Burns; Theatre Arts Educator of the Year to Lydia Mackay; Design and Technical Professional Award to Jason Domm; Rudy Eastman Diversity Award to Tre Garrett; and Bill Garber Young Theatre Artist Award to Michael Pandolfo, Sarahi Salazar and Ehleshea Woodruff. Outstanding Service Awards go to: Amphibian Stage Productions, Rebecca Low and Jeanne Swanson; Artisan Center Theater, Dan Nolen Jr.; Casa Mañana, Cleve Lancaster; Circle Theatre, Sharon Standard; Creative Arts Theatre & School, Kit and Gayle Hussey; DVA Productions Inc., Ernestine Rose; Hip Pocket Theatre, Jessica Duncan; Jubilee Theatre, Blake Moorman; Kids Who Care, B.J. Cleveland; Onstage in Bedford, Charlotte Newman; Pantagleize Theatre Company, Mike West and Amy Youngblood West; Runway Theatre, Amber Beck Sebastian; Stage West, Pam Huie; Theatre Arlington, Troy Stidham; and Trinity Shakespeare Festival, Candace Carlisle. U.S. Concrete Inc.’s Aridus(R) Rapid Drying Concrete was recognized at the World of Concrete, receiving a 2013 Most Innovative Product Award within the Concrete Construction Materials Category for its rapid drying technology. The city of Arlington received a 2012 Leadership Award from UnitedHealthcare in recognition of its long-term commitment to employee health and well-being. Launched in 2008, the city’s Wellness for Life program provides incentives to full-time employees for engaging in healthful behaviors and activities such as preventive screenings, annual physicals, monthly lunch-and-learn seminars presented by health experts, diabetes prevention and control education, onsite weight loss programs, and onsite fitness and exercise classes including zumba, strength training and boot camps. Employees earn points for participating in wellness activities that can be redeemed for cash rewards. More than 40 percent of the city’s employees are engaged in the Wellness for Life program. The Texas Association of Parent Educators (TAPE) has chosen The Parenting Center as the winner of the 2013 National Recognition of Best Practices Program Award. The center will receive the award at the 20th annual International Conference on Parenting Education and Parenting at the University of North Texas on April 26. TAPE is a professional association hosted by UNT’s Center for Parent Education and is dedicated to promoting parental education and family support. SuperMedia was recognized by the Local Search Association with two 2013 Industry Excellence Awards at the LSA’s annual conference in Las Vegas. The first award, Social Marketing-Publishing/Agency, was for the “Relationships and Results” campaign, which shows how SuperMedia helps local businesses succeed. It features SuperMedia local marketing experts partnering with business owners and helping them attract customers through social, local and mobile marketing. The second award, Search Marketing Value Story-Publishing/Agency, went to SuperMedia subsidiary EveryCarListed, an online shopping destination for new and used automobiles. The award was for creating a program that brings car dealers highly qualified leads with the help of co-op advertising funds from suppliers, helping dealers increase sales cost-effectively.
Marketing Research Ken Clark has joined Decision Analyst, a global marketing research and analytical consulting firm based in Arlington, as vice president of client services. He will be responsible for developing and managing major new corporate relationships. A native of Connecticut, Clark previously worked for 16 years at Millward Brown, where he was vice president of client service. He earned a bachelor’s degree in corporate communications from Southern Connecticut State University in New Haven, Conn.
Nonprofit Organizations David Cox recently was promoted to president and CEO of Goodwill Industries of Fort Worth Inc. Cox previously was senior vice president of retail sales and marketing for Goodwill and succeeds former CEO David Bostick, who retired in December. In his new role, Cox will be responsible for leading the $35 million-plus nonprofit, which serves more than 40,000 individuals each year in 19 counties, including Tarrant, and includes Goodwill’s donated goods/retail program, industrial contracts, GI Graphics and career services provided to those with disabilities or disadvantages. Cox has been an integral part of Goodwill since 1999. He graduated from Texas Wesleyan University with a bachelor’s degree in public relations/advertising and studio art. Before Goodwill, Cox was a district executive for the Boy Scouts of America and was communications coordinator for Hurst Baptist Church. He previously worked for the World Organization of Scouts in a small village in the Swiss Alps, where he planned programs for Scouts from more than 30 nations.
Technology Michael Ross has joined ECi Software Solutions as director of product management for office products. With more than 20 years in the software industry, he brings a range of experience in multiple sectors serving both U.S. and international customers. Before coming to ECi, Ross was chief information officer and vice president of delivery for Aidmatrix, where he helped create, market and sell cloud-based software and delivered the products to more than 40,000 users.
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