Newsmakers: EO and Rising Tide to work together

Cheryle Hays, director of Outreach and Development for Rising Tide Initiative (left) and Don Williams, board president of EO Fort Worth (right). The Entrepreneurs’ Organization Fort Worth Chapter and Rising Tide Initiative, a nonprofit organization focused on creating prosperity through entrepreneurship, announced a strategic partnership on Feb. 11.

Through the partnership, EO Fort Worth will provide RTI’s FORT cohort members with access to mentors, based on need and fit.

Argent Financial Group, a leading independent fiduciary wealth management firm based in Ruston, Louisiana, with offices in Fort Worth, won Best Trustee Service at the 2019 Private Asset Management Awards hosted by Private Asset Management magazine.

“We are honored to receive this prestigious award in the category that is the core of our company,” said Kyle McDonald, CEO of Argent Financial Group. “We began as a trust company and serving as a trusted fiduciary is our primary service. This recognition is a testament to the hard work and dedication to excellence demonstrated by our entire team daily.”

Chief Development Officer J. Aaron Jack and Chief Investment Officer John McCollum were present to receive the award on behalf of the company at a gala dinner, which took place on Feb. 7 in New York City.

The judging process, using an independent panel m

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BANKING & FINANCE

Mercedes-Benz Financial Services USA LLC has appointed Mark Lovely as vice president of sales and operations. He will be based in Fort Worth and will lead field sales and retail credit operations throughout the United States, managing a team of more than 140 employees. Previously he was president and CEO of Mercedes-Benz Financial Services BeNeLux. Lovely succeeds Mark Ingram, who retired after 36 years with the company. Lovely reports to Geoff Robinson, vice president of Mercedes-Benz Financial Services USA.

BOARDS & ORGANIZATIONS

Russell Berry, regional sales manager for Century 21 Judge Fite Company, has been elected as the secretary treasurer for Texas Realtors in 2020. Texas Realtors, previously Texas Association of Realtors, is a volunteer organization committed to growing and supporting the real estate industry. Berry is the former president of the Metrotex Association of Realtors.

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GOVERNMENT

Ruth Chiego joined the City of Grapevine as the Grapevine Public Library director. She has a bachelor’s degree from Southwestern University in Georgetown and a master’s in library and information science from the University of Texas at Austin.

Laurie Snyder of Southlake has been reappointed to the Behavior Analyst Advisory Board at the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation. Snyder is president of Families for Effective Autism Treatment – North Texas.

HONORS/AWARDS

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Dallas Fort Worth International Airport has again been named “Best Large Airport” among North American airports serving more than 40 million passengers per year, Airports Council International (ACI) announced.

The Global Airport of the Year Award from Air Transport World recognizes outstanding customer service. ACI’s ASQ program measures passenger satisfaction in real time while passengers are at the airport. This is the airport industry’s only program that measures passenger satisfaction of airport experience.

This is the second time in the past three years that DFW Airport has earned this recognition.

“Customer experience (is) our top strategic priority,” said DWF Airport CEO Sean Donohue. “With the recognition from ACI and the Global Airport of the Year Award from Air Transport World, the industry and our customers are taking notice of our investments in technology, infrastructure and people to transform travel.”

TRANSPORTATION

LECIP INC. of Bensenville, Illinois, a subsidiary of LECIP Holdings Corp. in Japan, has appointed Dick Ruddell as business director for the public transit market in the United States.

Ruddell has been a leader in the transit industry for 40 years, including CEO of transit authorities in Fort Worth and Toledo, Ohio. LECIP makes automated fare collection equipment and passenger information systems for buses and trains.

Send newsmakers to Robert Francis at rfrancis@bizpress.net.