We are excited to announced that the UWATX Board of Directors has appointed David C. Smith, founder of Hill Country Ride for AIDS, as Chief Executive Officer effective immediately today. David has been in executive nonprofit leadership for more than 20 years in Austin, leading mission-focused and results-driven organizations to substantial growth. While serving as the founder and Executive Director of Hill Country Ride for AIDS from 2001-2012, he was concurrently the founder and Executive Director of Mamma Jamma Ride for Breast Cancer, making both rides two of the largest in the country. “As we face a rapidly changing city, I am very enthusiastic about what the future holds for us, and look forward to engaging and collaborating with other community organizations, individuals, corporations, and our elected officials to come together around a common dream for a stronger, more vibrant community for all. It’s going to take all of us to ensure that everyone has access to the same opportunities to fully enjoy the promise of Austin, and together, we can get there.” –David C. Smith In 2011, David started his own consulting firm with an emphasis on nonprofit clients with services including fundraising, strategic planning, executive coaching and collaborative projects. Most recently, David served as the Interim Executive Director of Conspirare from September 2012 to August 2013 and Interim Executive Director of The Thinkery from October 2014 to September 2015. “The board of directors was beyond impressed with David’s extensive nonprofit experience, outstanding leadership skills and enthusiasm for our […]
Read MoreOctober Face-2-Face Recap with Joel Trammell
Photo Credit: Austin Business Journal The Austin Business Journal’s monthly Face-2-Face speaker series featured Joel Trammell, CEO of Khorus, entrepreneur and author. Khorus provides a business management system and Trammell has 20 years experience in IT-related software companies. He is also co-founder of Lone Rock Technology Group and chair emeritus of Austin Technology Council, along with serving on multiple boards of non- and for-profit companies. Trammell started his first business, a white box PC business, at age 25 after exiting the Naval Nuclear Power School. He began multiple companies before selling them for profits. He says after he sells a business, he goes crazy for about six months because he needs a purpose in life. “What’s for lunch isn’t a purpose in life.” Trammell also discussed his failures. He invested in a business outside his expertise and realized that when investing in something, you need to be personally involved. He believes that in order for people to follow him or any leader, they need to focus on portraying the three C’s: credible, competence and care. His current company, Khorus, is two years old and attempts to help CEOs with software enterprise leadership platforms. He sees it as a way to run an organization that promotes health and well-being. Trammell emphasized that he is “big on partnerships” because there is a better chance at success with a partner than going at something alone. Joel Trammell gives advice on his blog, The American CEO, and also wrote a book, The CEO Tightrope, which gives […]
Read MoreAugust’s Face 2 Face Recap with Joseph Kopser
This month’s Austin Business Journal‘s Face 2 Face event featured Joseph Kopser, CEO and Co-Founder of RideScout. Since the app launched in 2013, RideScout is now in more than 69 cities in the U.S. and Canada, earning the 2014 U.S. DOT Data Innovation Award as well as Joseph’s recognition as a White House Champion of Change as a Veteran in Clean Energy in part for his work with RideScout. Prior to RideScout, Joseph served in the army for 20 years. He earned the Combat Action Badge, Army Ranger Tab and Bronze Star. Joseph is a graduate of West Point with a B.S. in Aerospace Engineering and also received a masters from the Harvard Kennedy School in 2002. In his free time, he works closely with The Bunker Austin, an organization dedicated to supporting veteran entrepreneurs. In addition, he volunteers as Chairman of NSTXL, working to improve U.S. Energy Security policy. He lives in Austin with his wife and three daughters. During his time in D.C. working for the Pentagon, he began to notice how main highway lanes were always congested while the HOV lanes were always open. People in D.C. would combat this by informally doing a “rideshare.” Joseph personally witnessed this informal ridesharing at the Pentagon. He watched as people waited outside the Pentagon in a line. People would drive together if they were heading in the same direction. Joseph’s “aha moment” came one day when he noticed people waiting in line in the freezing rain and sleet for […]
Read MoreFebruary’s Face 2 Face Recap
The Austin Business Journal’s Face 2 Face speaker series creates a space for the exchange of ideas among Austin’s business community in a setting echoing TED Talks. It kicks off with a half-hour of breakfast and networking at 8:30 a.m., followed by a one-hour Q&A session with a featured guest and ABJ editor, Colin Pope. We are honored and delighted to be the 2015 Community Partner of the monthly series, which gives us the opportunity to share our work among the community’s business elite by highlighting various programs and partners each month. February’s speaker was Co-CEO of Whole Foods, Walter Robb, who emphasized culture, quality and marketing as strategic points in the development of the Whole Foods brand. He also discussed the delicate balance of driving rapid growth while still maintaining ties to the community at local and global levels. “Culture belongs on the balance sheet of the company.” – Walter Robb, Co-CEO of Whole Foods Robb shared his insights about building culture among employees and customers in order to ground the work and growth of Whole Foods in shared values that are broadly inclusive and clearly communicated. “Culture belongs on the balance sheet of the company,” Robb said. We agree–recent statistics show that more than half of millennials (the fastest growing group of employees) said a company’s involvement in philanthropic causes influenced whether or not they accepted a job in the past. We have seen firsthand the positive impact a philanthropic component can have on a company; just ask any of our generous business partners! The idea of […]
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