Estefania Gallardo, BBA ’16, has been named one of five veteran bankers added to BBVA USA’s Houston Commercial Emerging companies team. Estefania joined BBVA in September of 2018 and is the Senior Relationship Support Specialist. her current responsibilities include supporting relationship managers in originating transactional business, assisting with meeting clients’ daily needs, and performing in-depth review of documentation. Additionally, Estafania assists in closing and executing transactions by interacting with different bank departments.
DailyPay, has promoted BBA alumnus Scot Parnell as Chief Financial Officer. DailyPay is the leading provider of the daily pay benefit— a secure benefit offered through employers delivering financial wellness options to employees through instant access to their earned wages.
“I can’t think of a more exciting time to join DailyPay as it sets the standard for this new financial services category,” Scot said.
Shattuck Labs, a clinical-stage biotechnology company advancing its proprietary Agonist Redirected Checkpoint (ARC) platform to develop a novel class of biologic medicines for the treatment of cancer and other diseases, announced Casi Deyoung, MBA alumnus, has joined the company as Chief Business Officer.
The NRF Foundation is the philanthropic arm of the National Retail Federation. Through education, training, scholarships and experiences for job seekers of all ages and backgrounds, they help more people take their first steps toward promising careers.
Every year, the foundation recognizes The List of People Shaping Retail’s Future: a celebration of dynamic individuals shaping the industry, a way for the NRF Foundation to demonstrate the breadth of career opportunities that exist within retail, and a powerful platform for individuals and brands. Philip will be celebrated at the NRF Foundation Honors in January.
International Breweries announced that Bruno Zambrano Arana, MBA ’04, has become the new Finance Director. International Breweries engages in brewing, packaging, and marketing of beer, alcoholic flavroured/non-alcoholic beverages, and soft drinks in Nigeria.
Bruno has expertise in all financial aspects from the AB InBev’s businesses in Latin America, East Africa, and South Africa. Learn more about him here.
Alumni, friends, and school leadership gathered on Thursday, Nov. 7, 2019 for the annual Hall of Fame celebration. This year the Texas McCombs School inducted five prominent business leaders into its Hall of Fame: Philip A. Canfield, Amb. Antonio Garza, Amb. Kay Bailey Hutchison, Niloufar Khatiblou Molavi, and J. Marc Myers. Jay Hartzell, dean, also recognized the 2019 Rising Stars, Kovid O. Gupta, Lance T. Loeffler, and Carlos A. Whitaker, for their early accomplishments.
The McCombs School of Business established the Hall of Fame 36 years ago in recognition of The University of Texas at Austin’s centennial celebration. The Hall of Fame honors individuals who have made outstanding professional contributions to the business community and who, by their exemplary civic, philanthropic, and educational activities, have advanced humanity. The Hall of Fame award is the highest honor given by the McCombs School of Business.
Each inductee has an incredible life story and we are proud to have them be a part of the McCombs Hall of Fame. We invite you to learn more about their successes and contributions through the videos below.
2019 Hall of Fame Inductees
PHILIP A. CANFIELD BHP ’89 Managing Director GTCR
Phil joined GTCR in 1992 and is a managing director of the firm. Phil previously worked in the Corporate Finance department of Kidder, Peabody & Co. He holds an MBA from the University of Chicago and a BBA in finance with high honors from the Business Honors Program at The University of Texas at Austin.
Phil has served in many leadership positions during his years at GTCR, including heading the firm’s Technology, Media and Telecommunications Investment Team, chairing the firm’s Investment Committee, and serving as GTCR’s Managing Partner. Phil has played a leadership role in a number of past investments including AppNet, CellNet, DigitalNet, Rural Broadband Investments, Solera, Sorenson Communications, Transaction Network Services, and Zayo.
Phil is a member of the Polsky Center PE Council for the University of Chicago and also serves on the United States Olympic and Paralympic Foundation’s Trustee Council. At The University of Texas at Austin, the Business Honors Program at McCombs was renamed the Canfield Business Honors Program in recognition of a generous gift from Phil and his wife, Mary Beth. The university has recognized Phil as a Lifetime Leader and he serves on the McCombs School of Business Advisory Council.
AMB. ANTONIO GARZA BBA ’80 U.S. Ambassador & Counsel White & Case, Mexico City
Antonio Garza, Counsel to White & Case in Mexico City, served as U.S. Ambassador to Mexico (2002–09). Garza is a director to Kansas City Southern, member of the Executive Committee and Chairman of the company’s Mexican subsidiary, and MoneyGram where he is Chairman of the company’s Committee on Compliance and Ethics. Additionally, Garza is a Trustee at Southern Methodist University and Chairman of the university’s Committee on Legal Affairs.
Mr. Garza is a 1989 OYTEX recipient, a 2005 DAA selection and past President of the TexasExes. Garza is a member of the Economic Advisory Council to the Bush Presidential Center, Director of Americas Society, member of the Council on Foreign Relations and COMEXI, the CFR’s Mexican counterpart. In 2010 the Ambassador was named an “Aguila Azteca,” the Mexican government’s highest honor bestowed upon a foreigner.
Mr. Garza was elected to the Texas Railroad Commission in 1998 and served as its Chairman through 2002, served as Texas Secretary of State, 1994–97, and Cameron County Judge, 1988–94. Garza earned a J.D. from Southern Methodist University School of Law in 1983 and named Distinguished Alum in 2002. Garza is married to Dr. Liz Atkinson Garza, a UT Austin graduate and TexasExes Life Member.
AMB. KAY BAILEY HUTCHISON LLB ’67, BA Government ’92 U.S. Ambassador North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)
Ambassador Kay Bailey Hutchison was sworn in as the permanent representative of the United States to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) on August 15, 2017. From 1993–2013, she served as a U.S. Senator from Texas and was also elected to a Senate leadership position. Ambassador Hutchison gained extensive international experience and developed a deep understanding of NATO as a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee. She also served as chairman of the Military Construction Subcommittee and as a member of the Defense Subcommittee on the
Senate Appropriations Committee. She served two terms as chairman of the Board of Visitors of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point.
Prior to assuming her duties, Ambassador Hutchison was a prominent attorney at Bracewell, LLP, an established international law firm in Dallas. Ambassador Hutchison also served in the Texas House of Representatives, as the Texas State Treasurer, and as vice chairman of the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board.
Ambassador Hutchison earned a BA degree from The University of Texas at Austin and a degree of Juris Doctor from The University of Texas School of Law. She calls Dallas home and has two children.
NILOUFAR KHATIBLOU MOLAVI BBA ’91, MPA ’91 Global Energy Leader PricewaterhouseCoopers
Niloufar Molavi leads PwC’s Global and U.S. Energy practice comprising of over 6,000 professionals serving global energy clients in the oil and gas industry. She is responsible for all client services – assurance, advisory, and tax.
Niloufar served on PwC’s leadership team as the firm’s chief diversity officer. In that role she oversaw the firm’s diversity strategy and all of its related programs and
initiatives. She led the U.S. energy tax and Houston federal tax practices. With 28 years of experience with PwC, Niloufar has served a wide range of energy companies both in the U.S. and abroad, advising clients on international and U.S. tax structuring, mergers, acquisitions, and potential public offerings.
Niloufar began her career with PwC in 1991 and was promoted to partner in 2001. She joined the firm’s U.S. leadership team in 2009. She earned her MPA with a concentration in taxation from The University of Texas at Austin. She serves on the Advisory Board of McCombs, Accounting Advisory Council at UT, and is on the board of Junior Achievement. She serves as the chair of the board of trustees of Awty International School and serves on the board of Central Houston. She is a licensed CPA in Texas and resides in Houston with her husband and two children.
J. MARC MYERS BBA ’69, MBA ’75 President Myers & Crow Company
Marc Myers is president of Myers & Crow Company, Ltd., a Dallas-based commercial real estate development company. Prior to that time, Marc was president of the Dallas Industrial Division of Trammell Crow Company and a member of the Management Board. During his 48-year career, Marc was responsible for over 37 million square feet of office, retail, and industrial development with a value exceeding $2 billion.
Marc joined the McCombs School Advisory Council in 1997 and is a member of the Hermes Society and was a member of the Commission of 125. Marc and his wife, Jan, have endowed two Presidential Scholarships in Business at the McCombs School. He has served on the Board of Children’s Medical Center of Dallas, where he is a member of the Bradford Society and is a current member of the Baylor Foundation Board. Marc is a co-founder and 2012 Board Chairman of Special Camps for Special Kids (Camp John Marc), a facility for chronically ill children named in honor of his late son, John Marc.
After graduating from The University of Texas at Austin, Marc served as an infantry officer in the 71st Airborne Brigade of the U.S. Army Reserves. Marc is married to Jan Willoughby Myers (also a UT graduate), and has four grandchildren, including triplets.
Dean Jay Hartzell also recognized the 2019 Rising Stars at the Hall of Fame celebration. The Rising Star Award, established in 2004-05, goes to young alumni who have experienced professional success and have shown exemplary service to the Texas McCombs Alumni Network. Congratulations to Kovid O. Gupta, Lance T. Loeffler, and Carlos A. Whitaker.
Our Faculty Speaker Series has been a great way for our alumni to stay up to date with McCombs curriculum and faculty research by hearing from some of McCombs most popular professors. The series has also helped connect old classmates and expand professional networks! So far the series has hit four cities: Seattle, Los Angeles, Atlanta, and London.
Seattle was joined by Dr. Prabhudev Konana who teaches one of the most popular MBA courses, Strategies for Networked Economies. Professor Konana gave a talk on the future of jobs as it relates to AI, robotics, and automation.
Next in the series, Dr. John Daly headed to Los Angeles to present “The Interpersonal Skills of Successful Leaders” to both McCombs and Moody College of Communication alumni. Professor Daly has won every major undergraduate teaching award at UT and teaches both graduate and undergraduate courses on Interpersonal Communication, Organizational Behavior, Crisis Management, and Advocacy and Persuasion.
The Atlanta Chapter welcomed Dr. Kristie Loescher, who presented on “Beliefs and Values Shaping Today’s Healthcare Reform Debate.” Professor Loescher teaches courses in management, leadership, and business communications. Prior to her career in academia, she worked in the healthcare industry for 15 years in the areas of quality assurance, utilization management, and clinical research.
To finish out the fall series, Dr. Bob Parrino traveled overseas to London to share the latest strategies from the finance department related to current industry topics. Professor Parrino teaches courses in degree and executive education programs, as well as customized courses for executives in finance and non-financial corporations.
The fall Faculty Speaker Series was a success, but we aren’t done yet! Coming soon in Spring 2020, Sandy Leeds, Distinguished Senior Lecturer in the department of finance and President of The MBA Investment Fund, L.L.C., will be presenting to both our Chicago and New York chapters. Additionally, Dr. Laura Starks will reschedule her Denver presentation on “Climate Risk and other Environmental Social and Governance Considerations in Investment Decisions.” Keep checking our alumni calendar for date and time updates!
Solu Nwanze, director of Business Operations at Zendesk and executive coach at Expanded Impact, hosted a webinar on strategically utilizing BizOps. BizOps, or Business Operations, is a hot and rising field that draws in talented professionals across business and technical backgrounds and expertise. The webinar covered everything from exploring the BizOps field to creating a team within your company. Solu shared the various models of BizOps teams, skills that are required to succeed in these models, and career paths during and beyond your stint. Watch the webinar here!
Solu is a business operations leader and certified executive coach whose mission is to develop people and teams for maximum effectiveness and engagement. She has over 16 years of experience working in the Tech industry in various capacities including software engineering, business analytics and business operations. In just the past few years, she has built and grown three high impact BizOps teams at Adobe and Zendesk from the ground up.
As an executive coach, Solu works with established and emerging leaders across various functions and industries including Tech, Finance & Healthcare looking to expand their impact in their professional and personal lives. She also serves on the Board of Directors of Housing & Economic Rights Advocates, a legal services non-profit for low-income Californians.
