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Business

Entrepreneurs of the Year 2014

These finalists show they have the mettle it takes to achieve success.
By
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Illustration by Kolby Osborne


Senderra RX


WIN PURIFOY
CHAIRMAN


WILL HOWARD
PRESIDENT


TOM BOHANNON
SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT OF SALES


Four years ago, Senderra RX signed up its first chronic disease patient who required specialty medications. She remains a client today, as do the 40 physicians who agreed to take the leap with the specialty pharmacy startup. Senderra’s model differs from many specialty pharmacies in that it focuses on individual physicians instead of larger insurance companies. Breaking into a competitive market required creative thinking. Chairman Win Purifoy says limited capital was an issue so Senderra negotiated with suppliers to allow for just-in-time delivery to avoid the need for inventory. When it became difficult to find medical talent in Dallas, the leaders opened a patient services office in Flint, Michigan, where the unemployment rate was hovering at 26 percent. Senderra also hires clinically trained employees who also are good salespeople, says President Will Howard. Senderra began with 20 committed rheumatology physicians and now has more than 3,000 physicians in various specialties. The company has experienced 6 percent month-over-month growth for four years straight, says Tom Bohannon, senior vice president of sales. Howard notes that Jelena Opancina, senior vice president of operations, is a fourth founding member. “It feels good to make a difference out there,” Howard says. —K.N.



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Crescent Real Estate


JOHN GOFF
CHAIRMAN AND CEO


In commercial real estate, the traditional mantra is “location, location, location.” But for John Goff, chairman and CEO of Crescent Real Estate, another factor is even more important: timing. Since initially getting into the business in the early 1990s, Goff has proven that he has a gift for buying low and selling high. That holds true not only for the high-quality assets in Crescent’s portfolio, but for the firm itself, which Goff built, took public, sold at the peak of the market in 2007 for $6.5 billion—and reacquired in late 2009 with Barclays Capital for much, much less. Since the buy-back, through operations and strategic sales, Crescent has created more than $2 billion in liquidity, repaying all of its purchased debt and providing distributions to its owners. “Above all, I want to understand the macro picture and make sure I am going to have the wind at my back,” Goff says. “If you get the timing wrong, nothing else really matters.” Over the years, Crescent has owned a total of 40 million square feet of office space, along with numerous resorts and residential developments. It recently sold off most of its office assets—though it still owns the iconic Uptown complex for which Crescent is named. The company is focusing now on development, including what will be the tallest structure in Uptown, a stunning office tower at McKinney and Olive, designed by Cesar Pelli. Goff hints that there’s even more big news to come. “We also are working on a new investment within Crescent that has growth prospects beyond anything the company has seen so far,” he says. “I am very excited about our future.” —Christine Perez



Six Flags Entertainment Corp.


JAMES REID-ANDERSON
CHAIRMAN, PRESIDENT, AND CEO


James Reid-Anderson is no stranger to bankruptcy reorganizations, which boded well for Six Flags when he took the helm in 2010. In 2009, Grand Prairie-based Six Flags filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy and emerged in 2010 with lower leverage and a new board. Three months later, Reid-Anderson arrived with a renewed focus to regain Six Flags’ positioning in the regional theme park industry. His “guiding light” strategy included improving employee culture; focusing on innovation, safety, and quality; and making operations more efficient. Guest satisfaction scores have improved steadily each year since 2010 and are at record highs. Innovation permeates all of the company’s operations, new rides and attractions have been installed in every park,  IT solutions have enhanced guest services, and new culinary offerings have been introduced. Six Flags is now the largest regional theme park operator in the world with $1.1 billion in revenue and 18 parks in North America. Its stock price is up more than five-fold since emerging from bankruptcy, delivering a near 5 percent dividend yield. By the end of 2013, the company had delivered its fourth consecutive year of record financial performance. —K.N.



StatLab Medical Products


MIKE AUBREY AND DAN HENN
CO-FOUNDERS


When Mike Aubrey and Dan Henn took over StatLab Medical Products five years ago, employees were skeptical that the 31-year-olds could lead the company in the right direction without any scientific or healthcare knowledge. The investment bankers co-founded Caldera Capital Partners in 2007 and two years later acquired StatLab, a 33-year-old enterprise that sells consumable supplies used to test for cancer. They saw potential in the McKinney company, which had good customer feedback but could benefit from a nationally expanded sales force. “We felt like no one customer would determine our fate so we would have time to learn,” Aubrey says. “We conducted a survey of 200 customers and they said good things about the company. That gave us confidence that we would have six months to a year. As long as we didn’t do anything too drastic, we could overcome the obstacles.” Henn says that hiring smart people to complement the team, prioritizing the to-do list and exercising a healthy dose of patience were important in the beginning: “Trying to touch every part of the business and mold it into your own image takes some effort.” StatLab now has 24 sales reps in 25 cities, and by year end it will self-manufacture 50 percent of the products it carries. Controlling costs on these items will not only enhance margins, but ensure its ability to “compete with the largest players in the world.” Aubrey expects the company’s revenue to double this year—which should put to rest any skepticism about its leaders’ abilities. —K.N.



Stevens Transport Inc.


TODD AARON
SENIOR VICE CHAIRMAN


Todd Aaron joined the family business just out of college in 1984 as a sales trainee. At the end of his first year with the company, he was recognized as the Stevens Transport Rookie of the Year for his success at bringing in new customers. Today, he serves as senior vice chairman of the Dallas-based refrigerated trucking company. “Complacency is not in my vocabulary,” he says. “Being in a service business, it is mission critical that we operate with a sense of urgency and consistently execute at a high level.” His father, Steve Aaron, started Dallas-based Stevens Transport in 1980 with a small fleet of 10 commercial trucks. Today, it’s the largest refrigerated trucking company in the state. “When I joined the company, our annual sales were in the $8 million range, and this year forecasted revenue will exceed $700 million,” Todd Aaron says. “By micro-managing every aspect of our business, we’re able to go toe–to-toe with the best in our space.” In 2002, Todd formed a landmark partnership with Kraft Foods. Stevens Transport now provides the majority of the company’s private fleet with nearly 200 dedicated company trucks exclusively hauling Kraft products. Family members working at Stevens include Todd’s father, chairman and CEO; his brother, Clay, company president; and his sister, Angela, who directs recruiting efforts and is vice president of driver resources and administration. In 2012, Todd’s children, Morgan and Bennett, joined the business as well. —G.V.


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