The 2023 edition of the Dallas 500 made its debut at an exclusive event last week at The Mason Dallas, a historic lodge in Oak Cliff. More than six months in the making, the 180-page publication includes some of the most recognizable names in business, along with nearly 200 new and emerging leaders.
After eight years of producing the book, you would think that it would become harder to discover under-the-radar people of influence, but the reverse is true. Our circles of connections and sources in this growing market continue to expand; paring down the list to 500 is the hard part.
The other D CEO editors and I spent more than six months doing research, hundreds of interviews, and asking those in past editions about their most respected colleagues—and competitors. We also gave readers a chance to make recommendations.
After some difficult decisions, the 2023 list was defined. It includes 311 leaders making a return appearance and 189 fresh faces. Together, they represent 441 dynamic North Texas companies and organizations.
Alternate Realities and Spirit Animals
As always, D CEO editors wrote fresh profiles for all 500 individuals to highlight their latest business moves and achievements. We also came up with several new personal questions. One of my favorites is, “If you weren’t in your current profession, what would you be doing and why?”
There are a lot of frustrated doctors, professors, writers, musicians, actors, and professional sports team owners out there. But who knew that Dan Hunt secretly dreams of being an art museum curator, that Rebecca Acuña always wanted to be a White House press secretary, and that Pete McCanna’s alternate reality would involve playing quarterback for the Green Bay Packers?
We also asked people about their spirit animals. Many said owl, lion or lioness, bear, wolf, elephant, or dog—and a few said honey badger, which cracked me up.
Jonathan Kirkland of Match’s BLK chose the Tasmanian devil. Jamie O’Banion told us, “I’ve always loved the juxtaposition of strength and elegance of a beautiful stallion.”
Real estate valuation pro Chuck Dannis couldn’t decide between a lion and a sloth. And UTA’s Harry Dombroski said, “At this point in my career, I think any type of dinosaur would work.”
But my favorite response came from Dallas Mavericks CEO Cynt Marshall: “I don’t know. I’m afraid of animals. This question scares me.”
The profiles in our eighth edition of the Dallas 500 will inform, entertain, and inspire. They’ll make you feel proud to live in such a vibrant market. As Nextdoor co-founder and DFW newcomer Nirav Tolia told us, “It feels like we are in the early stages of a massive boom cycle for the entire region. I am excited and grateful to be a part of it.”
To learn more about the Dallas 500 and order a copy of the 2023 edition, click here.
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