OpTic Gaming
Hector Rodriguez, Founder and CEO
Entertainment, media, and esports company OpTic Gaming former CEO Adam Rymer will step down and the company’s founder Hector Rodriguez will take the helm. Rymer previously led Envy Gaming, which merged with OpTic Gaming in November 2021. During his tenure, OpTic continued to expand its professional staff, added talent, won multiple esports events, and expanded partnerships with brands including Oakley, Jack in the Box, Jack Link’s, and Razer. Rymer will continue to serve as an advisor to the company.
Rodriguez, who founded Optic in 2006, will reassume the position of CEO, driving the organization’s long-term vision for innovation, content, media, and fan engagement.
Neighborhood Credit Union
Kenny Cooper, Senior Vice President
In his new role, Kenny Cooper will direct and oversee all aspects of lending activity for the Dallas-based non-for-profit credit union. Cooper joined Neighborhood Credit Union in 2013 as a lending manager. He was promoted to vice president of lending in 2015. Prior to that, he worked at City Credit Union as director of lending and sales and worked for 13 years before that at Resource One Credit Union.
EDUCATION: Texas A&M-Commerce (B.S.)
American Bank
Matt Lilly, Senior Vice President of Government Guaranteed Lending
Matt Lilly will be responsible for leadership and expansion of North Texas-based American Bank’s Small Business Administration loan program. He previously served as vice president, Texas SBA sales manager for Midwest Regional Bank, where he worked for more than five years.
EDUCATION: University of North Texas (B.A.)
Stephanie Martin, Senior Vice President of Retail Banking
Stephanie Martin will be responsible for overseeing sales and service for consumers and small businesses. Prior to joining American Bank, she was senior branch operating officer with Amarillo-based Happy State Bank, where she worked for more than seven years.
EDUCATION: LeTourneau University (B.A.)
Stellar Service Brands
Caleb Ward, Vice President of Finance
Caleb Ward will oversee financial strategy and planning for Dallas-based Stellar Services, a holding company for two plumbing franchises, a concrete driveway repair and maintenance company, and a rubber surfacing brand. Prior to his new role, Ward was director of retail production at Cardinal Financial Corp.
EDUCATION: The University of Texas at Austin (B.S.)
Pizza Inn
Melanie Koch, Director of Marketing
Melanie Koch joins Pizza Inn, a restaurant chain based in The Colony, from her previous post as director of marketing at Virginia-based District Taco. Prior to that, she led social media and marketing for Trapper’s Sushi & Co. for three years. Pizza Inn has 31 locations across Texas and many more in the southern U.S.
EDUCATION: Arizona State University (B.A.)
Cooksey Communications
Collin Yoxall, Senior Account Executive
Collin Yoxall will focus on serving accounts in the public sector for Irving-based PR and marketing firm, Cooksey. Yoxall joined Cooksey as an intern in 2019 and rose to public relations coordinator over the year he worked there. He then held leadership roles in communications at the University of Texas at Arlington and Texas Christian University.
EDUCATION: Texas Christian University (M.S., B.A.), University of Westminster (B.A.)
BOARD APPOINTMENTS
Society of St. Vincent de Paul of North Texas
Joseph Manogue, Council President
Jospeh Manogue is managing director and treasurer of Maverick Capital, where he is focused on structuring, pricing, and documenting Maverick’s financing, foreign exchange, and derivative transactions. In addition, he helps manage global assets and liability as well as global counterparty risk. He serves on more than six other nonprofit boards.
Cotton Bowl Athletic Association
Mandy Price, Board of Directors
Co-founder, and CEO of DEI-focused technology company, Kanarys, Many Price has been elected to the Board of Directors for the Cotton Bowl Athletic Association, the nonprofit which operates the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic, a New Year’s Six postseason bowl game. Price was a practicing attorney for 12 years before founding Kanarys and is also a board member for several other organizations. Most recently, Price helped spearhead Mayor Eric Johnson’s Task Force on Innovation and Entrepreneurship as one of the co-chairs.
EDUCATION: Harvard University (J.D.), The University of Texas at Austin (BBA)
American Heart Association
Jennifer Dubin, Chair of 2022-2023 Dallas Go Red for Women Movement
Jennifer Durbin is the chief human resources officer at North Texas-based Commercial Metals. The American Heart Association’s Go Red for Women movement increases women’s heart health awareness and serves as a catalyst to improve the lives of women globally.
EDUCATION: Boston University (J.D.), University of Iowa (B.S.)
Authors
Briana L. Musgrove
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