Newsmakers – April 28, 2014

Advertising, Marketing & Public Relations Taylor Potts has joined Balcom Agency as senior art director and Alyssa Barr has joined as director of first impressions. Potts brings more than 10 years of experience in marketing and design to the firm. Prior to Balcom, he was creative director for M2W Inc., a marketing experience company. Potts also has served as creative director for Pro Equine Group and as a graphic designer for ABC Radio. Barr comes to Balcom from Neiman Marcus, where she served as a personal shopper for the Fort Worth store’s clientele. She also served as indirect lending relationship coordinator at Neighborhood Credit Union. New leadership at OCG PR includes Amanda L. Ray as senior vice president, public relations; Cynthia Northrop White as senior vice president, public engagement; and Michel Ansara as creative director. Ray leads the strategy and overall execution of the firm’s corporate communications, media relations, social media and integrated marketing communications campaigns. Over the past 20 years, she has brought award-winning PR programs to life for companies and organizations like AT&T, Cell Phones for Soldiers, The Women’s Museum and TXU Energy, among others. A former Denton County Commissioner, Northrop White brings years of experience connecting and educating stakeholders and municipal leaders around public sector developments. Prior to joining OCG, she was the head of the Public Information Office for TxDOT’s Dallas District. She also worked on major North Texas transportation projects including the Margaret Hunt Hill/Calatrava Bridge, LBJ Express and I-35E Managed Lanes. Ansara oversees all creative strategy and execution for the firm’s design and video production. A native of Johannesburg, South Africa, he brings more than 10 years of experience designing and developing print, digital and video assets and augmented reality engagement to OCG. His previous work leveraged innovative technologies to engage consumers with brands such as Kellogg’s, Mercedes-Benz, Nissan and others. Banking & Finance Lance Day, Sean Carr and Jeremy Covington have joined the Northwestern Mutual office in Fort Worth as financial representatives. Day previously played baseball in the Houston Astros’ minor league system and offers lessons to young baseball players. Carr, a military veteran, previously worked with Choice Hotels.

Education Charles Pierson, former president and CEO of Big Brothers Big Sisters of America (BBBSA), will be the next president of Frog Street, a provider of educational tools for toddlers, pre-kindergarten and kindergarten students. Pierson was the CEO of BBBS Lonestar from 2003 to 2012. His career includes more than 20 years of business leadership within large enterprises and start-up ventures, including roles in sales, operations, finance and general management.

Engineering & Construction Pape-Dawson Engineers Inc. named Peter D. McKone, a certified wildlife biologist, as a new vice president of the firm’s Environmental/Natural Resources Department. McKone brings more than 25 years of leadership, project management and experience in stream and wetland restoration, wildlife biology, wetlands ecology and mitigation, agency coordination and federal agency document preparation. McKone currently is chairman of the Riparian Workshop and is research associate with the Botanical Research Institute of Texas. He was previously associated with the North Central Texas Interagency Stream Team. MULTATECH promoted Barry Read, Martin Torres and Charles Tyson to vice president. Read has been an architectural program manager at the firm since 2011. Torres also joined in 2011 as a senior electrical engineer. Tyson has been a senior architect at the company for six years.

Health Care USMD Holdings Inc. acquired the assets of Associates in Urology, a Fort Worth-based urology practice group. As a result, Dr. John Pumphrey and Dr. Michael Walter will join USMD’s physician group. Pumphrey has more than 20 years of experience treating patients. He completed his medical training at Texas Tech School of Medicine and his residency in urology at the University of Louisville. Walter has more than 30 years of experience treating patients. He completed his medical training at Harvard Medical School and his residency in urology at Parkland Memorial Hospital. Plaza Medical Center of Fort Worth named Steven Albright cardiology program director. His primary role is to continue to build the department through new services as well as maintain program excellence and pursue program accreditations. Albright has more than 36 years of experience, beginning as a night charge registered nurse in a cardiac care unit for St. Anthony’s Hospital in Amarillo. He has held various leadership roles including administrative director for the Tennessee Heart and Vascular Center. He most recently was an independent adviser providing consultation for renovation of a vascular interventional procedure room for a local cardiology group.

- FWBP Digital Partners -

Honors & Awards Darla Robinson, sales associate with Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage’s Tanglewood office, has earned the company’s International Diamond Society award for outstanding sales performance in 2013. Robinson has more than 30 years of experience in marketing throughout Tarrant and Dallas counties for various companies. She has served on several boards in Fort Worth, including Circle Theatre, Live Theatre League, Kids Who Care, Texas Health Resources Foundation, Advertising Club of Fort Worth and Leadership Fort Worth. Julie K. Sherman has won the Liberty Bell Award from the Tarrant County Young Lawyers Association. Sherman is a paralegal in the litigation section of Cantey Hanger LLP, where she has worked 17 years. The National Steel Bridge Alliance awarded a 2014 Prize Bridge Award to the Phyllis J. Tilley Memorial Pedestrian Bridge in Fort Worth. Electro Acoustics has been recognized by InfoComm International as a Diamond Certified Audiovisual Solutions Provider for its company sales, customer service and technical capabilities. The 30-year-old Fort Worth firm is behind the audio, video and lighting systems at many landmark venues, including Kimbell Art Museum’s new Renzo Piano Pavilion, Sundance Square Plaza, Bass Performance Hall, Amon Carter Stadium and Daniel Meyer Coliseum at Texas Christian University, Globe Life Park in Arlington, Amon Carter Museum of American Art, Will Rogers Coliseum and numerous area churches, schools and corporate offices.

Manufacturing Global electronics distributor TTI Inc. promoted Wade McNiel to vice president of sales development from director of the TTI Business Development Group. McNiel maintains responsibility for multiple selling divisions within the Americas, including the Business Development Group, master distributor programs and the Internet sales team. He began his career as a sales representative at the TTI branch office in Houston and has had several key management positions in sales and training since joining the company in 1995.

Technology Venture Solutions Inc. of Minneapolis-St. Paul added two senior leaders to its Fort Worth facility. Wendy Jenkins, vice president-technology solutions, joins from Fidelity Investments, where she was the vice president of program management. She has more than 20 years of experience in the financial services market; she has had several positions in information technology and business management including vice president of IT product management. Sharon Brock, director-client services, Venture South, brings more than 25 years of experience in the mortgage services industry, most recently as the servicing manager at Supreme Lending. She has served on the Fort Worth Mortgage Bankers board.

Tourism, Entertainment & Leisure Michael Rushing has been named the general manager at Fort Worth’s Colonial Country Club, the home of the annual PGA Tour event, the Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial. Rushing was formerly the general manager of The Golf Club at Dove Mountain in Tucson, home of the World Golf Championships-Accenture Match Play Championship. Rushing will oversee all club operations, quality control and member relations. He previously worked at Barton Creek Resort in Austin and also was the director of golf at Trump National Doral in Miami, Fla.

- Advertisement -

Real Estate Irving-based The LaSalle Group, which owns 36 Autumn Leaves memory care communities, including seven in the Dallas-Fort Worth, appointed Sherry Daughtery as director of finance. With more than 20 years of financial experience, Daughtery will be responsible for sourcing debt and equity for new construction developments and will secure bridge and permanent financing for existing properties. In addition, she will oversee a team of financial analysts who provide analytical support for all of The LaSalle Group divisions, including expansion initiatives, diversification and special projects. Previously, Daughtery worked in the Capital Markets division of Fairfield Residential Co. LLC in Irving, where she provided oversight for a national portfolio of $2 billion in multifamily assets. She also has worked in the senior housing real estate business with assisted living and memory care communities. Daughtery completed coursework for the certified property manager designation from the Institute of Real Estate Management and is a certified property manager from the Mortgage Bankers Association.

Send newsmakers to Betty Dillard at bdillard@bizpress.net