D CEO December 2020
Cover Story
Lori Ryerkerk is D CEO’s CEO of the Year
The trailblazer makes social responsibility a priority at the $6.3 billion Celanese Corp.
Features

Features
The Dallas-Fort Worth Hospitals for Everyone
The region’s safety net hospitals were ranked as two of the best in the nation for quality, access, and community engagement.
By Will Maddox

Local News
Merrilee Kick is Creating a Big Buzz
How an ex-Plano high school teacher built a quirky libations brand into a $70 million global enterprise.

Business
Meet the Emerging Leader Addressing the Racial Divide in Commercial Real Estate
Woodbine Development Corp. Managing Partner Dupree Scovell is using his influence to start some uncomfortable conversations. Here’s why.

Business
Meet the Dallas 500: Bobby B. Lyle, The Name Behind SMU’s Engineering Program
The founder, chairman, and CEO of Lyco Holdings has been deeply engaged in the community for decades.
By D CEO

Business
Locally Sourced: Meet Four Dallas Entrepreneurs Who Turned Their Passion Into Profit
Founders of companies like Bailey’s Blossoms and Baublerella show that doing what you love can lead to success.

Food & Drink
Asian Mint’s Nikky Phinyawatana is Expanding Her Thai Empire
The restaurateur has bottled sauces, created virtual cooking classes, guided trips to Thailand, and hopes to eventually extend her brick-and-mortar reach.

Business
How Dialexa’s Scott Harper Is Embracing Personal Change
Ten years in, the tech CEO is leaning into growth while maintaining an innovative and familial culture.
By Will Maddox

Business
Meet the Administrative Matchmaker Connecting Executives With Virtual Support
In an increasingly virtual world, remote services like Tonya Thomas’ are becoming more in demand.
By Elizabeth Beeck

Business
Unshackling Texas’ Economy
The free-market state has work to do on regulations that stifle competition and entrepreneurship, SMU economists say.

Business
On Topic: What 2020 Taught Me
Top executives from Bell Nunnally, Mary Kay, and UMB Bank share lessons they learned this year

Business
Corporate Citizenship in DFW: New Ways to Give Back
Find that sweet spot between what you can afford to contribute and where your team can drive the most impact, advises Headstorm CEO Lawrence King.
By Lawrence King

Publications
TACA’s Terry D. Loftis is Redefining “Old Man Chic”
The president and executive director of The Arts Community Alliance says his style is dapper, professional, and somewhat out of the box.

Executive Travel
A Journey to Northern California’s Wine Country With Kathryn Hall
The entrepreneur took over her family’s wine business in the 1970s and has grown it into a flourishing, award-winning enterprise.

My Roots
My Roots: Hesham Elgaghil
The president of luxury dealership Avondale Group shares how his upbringing in Cairo, Egypt taught him how to pay it forward.

Dallas History
Early Influencers: William Sidney Pittman Was A Pioneer for Black Architects
The first practicing Black architect in Texas, an avid publisher, and son in-law of Booker T. Washington served as an inspiration for those in the Black community.
By Maria Hieber

Education
Higher Education Guide
Advance your career and gain the edge you need by enrolling in higher education programs at these 3 leading universities.
By D Partner Studio