Michelle Blakley, August 17th, 2023
Amidst this relentless heat, an act of compassion shines through, casting a shadow of relief to the construction crew building the Mays Business Education Complex and the Wayne Roberts ’85 Building.
Chris Valletta ’00, a proud former student of Texas A&M University and a valued member of the Mays Dean’s Advisory Board, along with his company MISSION, has made a meaningful contribution. Coordinated through the Texas A&M Foundation, they have donated MISSION cooling towels, hats, and gaiters to our entire construction crew – a simple yet impactful gesture that provides much-needed relief from the scorching heat.
MISSION was created to support individuals leading an active lifestyle, enabling them to thrive even in the heat. With thoughtful design and state of the art technology, MISSION makes high-performance cooling and heat-relief gear that’s scientifically proven to take the heat, so you don’t have to—keeping you cool and comfortable as you live, work, and play every day.
Our construction crew have worked through this blistering heat, dedicating their days to creating structures that will help shape our future. Recognizing the challenges they face, Chris and MISSION have provided a relief that goes beyond physical comfort. The donation of cooling towels doesn’t just provide a momentary break from the heat; it’s a symbol of care, a gesture that says, “Your well-being matters.”
This act of kindness aligns the core values of Texas A&M University. The Aggie Core Values of Excellence, Integrity, Leadership, Loyalty, Respect, and Selfless Service stand as the guiding principles for every Aggie. Chris and MISSION have beautifully demonstrated the values of Respect and Selfless Service through their donation. Their commitment to supporting those who work in challenging conditions showcases how Aggie Core Values are not just words but a way of life. These values bleed through in Chris’s leadership at MISSION as a Co-Founder and Chief Strategy & Development Officer.
This donation serves as a reminder of the profound impact one act of generosity can have. It’s a ripple effect that starts with a simple donation of cooling towels but extends beyond. It inspires others to think of ways they can contribute, whether big or small, to the betterment of those serving us. It encourages us all to consider how we can ease the burdens of others in our community.
Chris Valletta ’00 and MISSION have demonstrated that making a difference doesn’t always require grand gestures. Sometimes, it’s the simplest acts that leave the deepest impressions.
Thank you again for your generosity and for serving our teams well.
Click Here to see photos of the gear being handed out to our construction crew!
Categories: Former Students, Gifts
Dorian Martin, June 14th, 2023
Mays Business School receives $5 million dollar gift creating Adam C. Sinn ’00 Dean’s Leadership Chair, the largest endowed chair at Mays Business School.
A $5 million gift from Adam Sinn ’00, a commodities trader and owner of Aspire Commodities, will create the Adam C. Sinn ’00 Dean’s Leadership Chair at Texas A&M University’s Mays Business School. The funds will be used to support students, faculty and staff in furthering the school’s mission to become the preeminent public business school in the United States.
Created through the Texas A&M Foundation, this gift extends Sinn’s philanthropic support to Texas A&M to over $51 million, including $26 million to Mays Business School.
“Adam Sinn is an outstanding Aggie who exemplifies the Aggie Spirit and our core values,” said Texas A&M University President M. Katherine Banks. “His deep commitment to the university is evident in all that he has done for the Mays Business School, Aggie Athletics and our campus. We are grateful for his generosity and investment in Texas A&M.”
The Adam Sinn ’00 Dean’s Leadership Chair is the fourth of its type at Texas A&M. This $5 million endowment matches the university’s largest faculty chair and creates the largest endowed chair at Mays Business School.
“With Adam Sinn’s latest gift to our school, every future Dean of Mays Business School will have the honor of holding the Adam C. Sinn ’00 Dean’s Leadership Chair,” said Mays Business School Dean Dr. Nate Sharp. “Adam’s passion for helping students and his love for Texas A&M University are unmatched. Simply put, Adam leads by example. He is not one to sit on the sidelines. Instead, Adam is actively helping to move Mays toward our aspiration of becoming the preeminent public business school in the country. I cannot thank Adam enough for his generosity.”
Creating a Legacy
Sinn’s support of Mays Business School began in 2016 through a $1 million gift to the Texas A&M Foundation. Those funds created scholarships to support Mays students from Sinn’s hometown of Hoopestown, Illinois, or Dorado, Puerto Rico, where he currently lives.
In 2021, Sinn increased his philanthropic support through a $10 million gift designed to expand student support, enhance educational quality, and build high-impact programs for finance undergraduate and graduate students. Additionally, these funds would be used to recruit top finance faculty. This generous gift resulted in the naming of the department as the Adam C. Sinn ’00 Department of Finance.
Sinn soon followed with a second gift of $10 million to the department. These funds provided additional scholarship support for students studying finance at Texas A&M and created the Adam C. Sinn ’00 Center for Investment Management. The Center will provide faculty with a venue for conducting groundbreaking research in all areas related to investment management and will provide students with real-world, hands-on experience investing, managing, and growing investment portfolios.
Boosting Others Toward Success
Adam Sinn’s commitment to supporting Mays Business School and Texas A&M is tied to his upbringing in Hoopestown, an agricultural community primarily made up of low-income workers. Influenced by his parents’ strong work ethic, Sinn was able to transcend his humble beginnings and go on to earn a bachelor’s degree in finance at Mays Business School.
Now a top trader in power and electricity, Sinn is committed to giving back to Mays. Through his financial support, Sinn is providing opportunities for the school’s students to fulfill their potential, and he is funding programs for faculty that will elevate Mays’ academic reputation.
“I was an average student while at Texas A&M, but like many other Aggies, I’ve been able to forge a successful career through hard work and determination,” Sinn said. “I want my gifts to be used to lay the foundation for students at Mays to acquire cutting-edge knowledge and skills so they can confidently bet on themselves throughout their lives.”
Categories: Gifts, Spotlights, Uncategorized
Michelle Blakley, June 7th, 2023
Mays Business School has recruited Dr. Stephen J. Anderson—a rising star in the field of marketing whose research is focused on aiding entrepreneurs and consumers in developing countries—to hold the inaugural Dr. Leonard L. Berry Chair in Services Marketing.
Anderson begins his career in Aggieland this summer.
Dr. Anderson has five degrees in business and economics, including a master’s and doctorate from London Business School. He joins Texas A&M after a decade of carrying out research in Africa, Asia, and Latin America.
“Boosting the performance and productivity of entrepreneurs can stimulate growth and prosperity in their communities,” says Dr. Anderson. “Estimates suggest there are ~400 million small businesses across Africa, Asia, and Latin America, where they make up about 60% of the jobs and 40% of a country’s GDP. Improvements in these businesses provide a way for entrepreneurs, and the employees they lead, to enhance their lives.”
In one of his ambitious field studies with over 900 Ugandan entrepreneurs, access to virtual business coaching led to more strategic business pivots and improved the sales growth of participants by about 25%. While in South Africa, access to marketing and finance training resulted in more tactical business practices and increased firm profits by 20-30%. Over the past decade, thousands of entrepreneurs have participated in similar business support programs overseen by Dr. Anderson. He has created collaborations with a range of partners including government agencies (e.g., the World Bank, Entrepreneur Institute of Mexico, Nigeria’s Ministry of Finance, Peru’s Ministry of Science and Innovation), non-government organizations (e.g., Balloon Ventures, GROW Movement, Technoserve), and private-sector companies (e.g., Equity Bank, KiWi, SAP).
“Similar to how health programs intervene in developing countries with medical solutions to improve the health of a community,” explains Anderson, “I set out to provide business solutions for entrepreneurs in these contexts, then use randomized controlled trials (RCTs) to rigorously assess the impact on outcomes like sales or profits.”
Dr. Anderson’s field research designs and delivers multi-year programs for local entrepreneurs to join. These programs provide access to a range of business support, from training and technology to mentoring and money.
“No one provides the unique combination of resources like Dr. Anderson does through his programs,” says Stephen Kagera, a field research manager based in Africa, working with Dr. Anderson. “These programs often involve intense training interventions that also utilize easy-to-use and relatively cheap technology to help entrepreneurs better manage their customers and products, which can ultimately drive greater sales and profits for their businesses.”
“I am excited to join the Department of Marketing at Mays Business School, where scholars focus on marketing’s impact on business outcomes and social outcomes,” says Anderson. “I believe the mission of ‘Advancing the World’s Prosperity’ is the right vision—an inspiring vision. Whether a practitioner or researcher, it reminds us that our impact as business leaders can (and should) extend beyond top-line and bottom-line performance, and beyond the borders of our existing companies and countries.”
Dr. Anderson will continue this important research focused on alleviating poverty and positively impacting the lives of entrepreneurs in these emerging markets. He will be working with Dr. Berry while holding the endowed chair.
“I could not have imagined a better person to fill this position and carry on my work in marketing services,” says Dr. Leonard L. Berry. “Dr. Anderson is making such a positive difference in people’s lives; I have always tried to do the same in my work. Within 5 minutes of meeting, we established an immediate connection.”
The Dr. Leonard L. Berry Chair in Services Marketing was established in 2021 at Texas A&M University’s Mays Business School through a $1 million gift from Dr. Leonard L. Berry and Brazos County Commissioner Nancy Berry to the Texas A&M Foundation. It is the first endowed chair to be established by a current faculty member at the university.
Dr. Berry holds the M.B. Zale Chair in Retailing and Marketing Leadership. He also is a University Distinguished Professor of Marketing, a Regents Professor and a Presidential Professor for Teaching Excellence. He has published 13 books and is the most cited scholar in the Texas A&M System with 237,978 citations on Google Scholar. [BLL1]
The endowed chair was created to continue groundbreaking work in the field of services marketing, with a focus on the potential of services to benefit humanity and improve the quality of life.
“Steve Anderson is a transformational hire for Mays Business School. While all scholars aspire to conduct impactful research, Steve’s research is literally ‘advancing the world’s prosperity’ on multiple continents,” said Mays Business School Dean, Dr. Nate Sharp. “I cannot imagine another faculty member better suited to carry forward the legacy of—and hold the endowed chair established by—one of the most impactful scholars in the entire field of marketing research, our own Dr. Len Berry. I am thrilled to welcome Steve to Mays Business School and feel honored to support his ambitious research agenda.”
Categories: Departments, Marketing
Mays Business School, May 26th, 2023
Congratulations to JD Carter, Case Harris and Neha Deshmukh for receiving Texas A&M University Outstanding Student Awards. This is the 8th year in a row that Mays has had a student we nominate selected for one of these awards. This particular year is monumental because never before has Mays Business School had multiple students from the college win in the same year. Of the four awards given, three were given to these Mays Students.
Case Harris – Business Honors & Finance Major, Brown Foundation-Earl Rudder Memorial Outstanding Student Award Winner
Neha Deshmukh – Accounting & Business Honors major, Master of Financial Management, member of the PPA program, Brown Foundation-Earl Rudder Memorial Outstanding Student Award Winner
Thank you to the students for their hard work and for their representation of our school.
Lara Robertson, May 15th, 2023
By: Lara Robertson
It’s been a busy and exciting few years for Bryton Praslicka ’19 and his startup, FluxWorks, most recently with his participation in and top tier success at the Rice Business Plan Competition. The competition, hosted annually by the Rice Alliance for Technology and Entrepreneurship and Rice University’s Jones Graduate School of Business, was held May 13-15 in Houston.
After three days of competition, Praslicka and FluxWorks walked away with the Grand Prize Investment Award of $350,000, sponsored by GOOSE Capital. Additionally, FluxWorks was named the overall winner of the Mercury Elevator Pitch Competition with a $1,000 prize, along with a $6,667 Baker Botts Legal Services In-Kind Prize and a $10,000 New York Technology Capital CFO Consulting In-Kind Prize.
Forty-two student-led startups from around the world, representing 35 universities and five countries, were invited to the 2023 competition, described as the world’s largest and richest intercollegiate student startup competition, where $3.4 million in prizes was awarded.
FluxWorks’ success has been rapid, but with an Aggie origin story full of Good Bull.
Founded in 2021 by Praslicka while pursuing his doctorate in electrical engineering, FluxWorks creates self-healing magnetic gearboxes that offer >99% proven efficiency, four-times quieter operation and unprecedented reliability. Their protected lubrication-free gear technology unlocks unparalleled performance everywhere from outer space, subsea, to the inside of the body. Their HUBZone-certified venture offers exclusive access to a range of defense and space opportunities.
As founder and CEO, Praslicka realized early on he was on to something with his initial idea and technology. He brought his idea, then simply named “Magnetic Gears,” to the Raymond Ideas Challenge hosted by the McFerrin Center for Entrepreneurship in November 2021.
The challenge is designed to encourage students from across the university, representing a variety of colleges and majors, to explore entrepreneurship and foster development of an entrepreneurial mindset by way of their big idea, with no business plan or prototype required.
Up against 40 other ideas, Praslicka’s five-minute presentation and five minutes of Q&A showed the judges he was on to something with his idea. “Magnetic Gears” earned top honors and a cash prize of $2,500.
“I was interested in Raymond Ideas because I knew we got the judging forms back, and I was only looking forward to getting great feedback from the experienced judges to learn how to refine my presentation,” Praslicka said after the challenge. “I began my Ph.D. journey because I dreamt of developing technologies that would enable the transition to emission-free energy generation and transportation. This winning opportunity allowed my dreams to come true, and I’m continuing to seek more opportunities to grow. Winning with my idea meant that my work is bearing fruit!”
Fast forward just a few months to March 2022, and Praslicka would once again find himself as a finalist in a McFerrin Center-hosted competition — this time, Aggie PITCH. But rather than competing as “Magnetic Gears,” Praslicka had officially dubbed his startup “FluxWorks.”
Aggie PITCH aims to display the exceptional startups being developed by current and former students of Texas A&M. Originally launched in 2018, Aggie PITCH is the only university-wide business pitch competition and provides competing ventures the opportunity to pitch in front of possible investors, mentors, partners and judges with more than $35,000 awarded in prize funding. With full pitch divisions for both current students and former students, as well as a division specifically for elevator pitching, FluxWorks was up against five other current student teams in the full pitch division.
Prior to the competition, Praslicka noted, “A&M first gave us the education to develop the technology and business plan, which is a gift already. Receiving prize money for the business to purchase back our IP and begin product development would be stunning to us… showing that A&M would go above and beyond, supporting our new venture financially. We look forward to the valuable feedback and the people we get the chance to meet, regardless of the competition outcome.”
Praslicka’s hopes came true, and once again following a five-minute pitch and five minutes of Q&A, the judges voted in favor of FluxWorks, awarding them first place and $7,500.
“Winning to us means that people are excited about our technology,” Praslicka said immediately following the win. “People believe in our technology. And winning this demonstrates that, and that’s really incredible.”
Later that spring, Praslicka would go on to receive the McFerrin Center for Entrepreneurship’s Future Texas Business Legend Award from the Texas Business Hall of Fame.
Looking back on the steps that brought him to the Rice Business Pitch Competition, Praslicka responded, “Beginning at Raymond Ideas years ago gave me access to real feedback that I could use for Aggie Pitch. Feedback from Aggie Pitch took us into the next competition and the next. Before you know it, I was seeing some of the same judges I had seen before at Raymond Ideas, and they were thrilled to see how much we had grown!”
“Bryton’s journey with FluxWorks is exactly what the McFerrin Center for Entrepreneurship envisions for our students,” Blake Petty ’98, executive director for the McFerrin Center said. “Great businesses can begin with an idea, and that’s the intentional focus of our annual Ideas Challenge — just the idea. Then as their idea grows and develops and matures, they might move on to Aggie PITCH and other pitch competitions. It’s our goal and intent, that Aggies leverage those experiences, momentum, funding and feedback to strive to gain the next step on their entrepreneurial journey. We’re all extremely proud of Bryton and FluxWorks and look forward to seeing him back on McFerrin’s roster again — perhaps next time on the Aggie 100.”
The McFerrin Center for Entrepreneurship serves as the hub for entrepreneurship at Texas A&M University. The McFerrin Center’s goal is to enhance entrepreneurial education by providing training, networking and assistance to enterprising current students, faculty, veterans and former students.
The McFerrin Center enables the startup and growth of countless businesses and provides competitive opportunities, professional development and financial support to aspiring entrepreneurs in the Aggie community through the support of a robust volunteer mentor network, corporate supporters, faculty and staff.
The McFerrin Center defines entrepreneurship as an attitude that acts upon opportunity. In this spirit, the McFerrin Center strives to deliver programs and events that are inspiring, engaging, motivating and life-changing. This philosophy has resulted in the McFerrin Center for Entrepreneurship offering more than 30 unique programs each year that positively impact the lives of thousands of students, veterans and other professionals seeking to blaze their own trail as an entrepreneur.
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Media Contact: Lara Robertson, communications manager, McFerrin Center for Entrepreneurship, lrobertson@tamu.edu
Mays Business School, May 11th, 2023
By Dorian Martin ‘06
Three distinguished Texas A&M University graduates—Shara Briggs McClure ’90, Gary J. Brauchle ’95, and Raja Jawad Akram ’97—were awarded Mays Business School’s top honor, the 2023 Outstanding Alumni Award. The trio were recognized during a celebratory dinner at Texas A&M’s Thomas G. Hildebrand, DVM ’56 Equine Complex on April 27, 2023.
This award spotlights former students who exemplify transformational leadership in their profession and community, as well as their service to Mays. “The reason I am so optimistic about our bright future at Mays is because of the great commitment of these individuals and the Mays community as a whole to the shared vision that our school can become the preeminent public business school in America,” said Mays Dean Nate Sharp. “This year’s recipients underscore the quality of Mays’ former students, who are a critical part of our past and our future. Their success elevates the stature of our school’s reputation. They challenge us to raise our standards, reach new heights, improve our offerings, and increase access to Mays for students across Texas.”
McClure’s father, a high school counselor, played an influential role in her decision to attend Texas A&M. “Part of his job was to get students scholarships and help match students,” she said. “He had relationships with several universities, but he fell in love with A&M.”
The Dallas area resident, who earned a bachelor’s degree in business analysis, believes she benefited so much from her college experience—and she’s watched as her children and their spouses (Melinda ’15 and Ryan Haughey ’13, and Michael ’18 and Katie Morey ’18 McClure) reaped similar gains from becoming Aggies. “From student life to my role as an Aggie mom to volunteering for Mays and the Aggie Network—I cherish it all!” she said.
McClure’s extensive career in the healthcare industry and master’s degree in public health from The George Washington University positioned her as a thought leader who advocates for accessibility and affordability. She has held numerous leadership roles in healthcare organizations, including serving as Divisional Senior Vice President for Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas (BCBSTX), the largest health insurer in the state. She has also worked with Texas Network Management, Houston Health Care Operations, and Humana’s Provider Contracting. Now the principal of McClure Consulting, Inc., she’s using her extensive knowledge and skills built during her 25-year career to assist healthcare clients. “There is no bigger business than healthcare and no greater economic challenge to our country,” she said. “Kudos to Mays Business School for identifying healthcare as a Grand Challenge.”
The award recipient remains actively involved at Texas A&M, including serving on the Mays Advisory Board. “I love staying engaged with Mays because who wouldn’t want to hang out with Aggies all the time?” she said, adding that she enjoys connecting Mays to her extensive business network.
Additionally, McClure is an active contributor across Texas A&M’s campus. She was at the forefront of BCBSTX’s $10 million investment in the Texas A&M Health Science Center’s work to address rural health issues. She also serves on The Association of Former Students’ Board of Directors and chairs that organization’s Fundraising Committee. The Dallas area resident is an Endowed Century Club member, a lifetime member of the Dallas A&M Club, and a member of the Chancellor’s Century Council.
She also remains passionate about inspiring young professionals. McClure is the current board chair for the North Dallas Chamber of Commerce, serves on the board for CareerSpring, and was previously on the board for Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Dallas. She also is an alumnus of the Dallas Regional Chamber’s Leadership Class of 2017, a Senior Fellow of Houston’s American Leadership Forum, and a graduate of the Leading Women Executives Program, developed by the Corporate Leadership Center of Chicago. McClure was named one of the Top 30 Influential Women of Houston in 2013.
Brauchle did his homework before making his college decision. “I chose Texas A&M after having visited a number of other colleges and universities,” said the honoree, who graduated cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in accounting in 1995, followed by a master’s degree in accounting in 1996. “I couldn’t think of a better place for me than Mays and Texas A&M, and how they prepared me for my career.”
His career started with a bang—being selected as one of four graduates nationally to participate in the Financial Accounting Standards Board’s internship program in Norwalk, Connecticut.
He went on to work in PricewaterhouseCoopers’ energy audit practice in Houston from 1997-2003. Then he continued being promoted to roles of increasing responsibility, including Director of Internal Audit, and Vice President and Chief Accounting Officer at Houston-based McDermott International, a NYSE-listed global engineering and construction company. He served as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Tallgrass Energy, a Kansas-based NYSE-listed multi-billion-dollar midstream energy infrastructure partnership from its inception in 2012 until 2020, when he and his family returned to Texas. Brauchle currently is President and member of the Board of Directors of PERENfra, a private water infrastructure company.
Professionally, he believes in empowering others. “Thinking back on my career, I’d say there are a few highlights that I look back on with gratitude and pride,” he said. “All of those opportunities involved the ability to assemble and work with high-performing teams. I gave deserving team members opportunities to succeed—and that was more rewarding than any individual title of mine.”
He maintains strong ties with Texas A&M. Brauchle is one of the longest serving members of the Advisory Council to the James Benjamin Department of Accounting and was a frequent guest speaker in accounting classes after graduation. He was recognized with the Lifetime Achievement Award by the James Benjamin Department of Accounting in 2016 and was a Hall of Honor inductee in 2020.
Brauchle and his wife, Maren ’01,–who have two young sons–also support Mays financially. They established the Brauchle Family Scholarship in 2012 and then in 2019 they endowed a named full scholarship benefiting Professional Program in Accounting students who demonstrate academic excellence and financial need. “Giving back to Mays and Texas A&M is a true pleasure for my wife and me. We have a very passionate view that education is a life-changing experience and in many cases, can be a cycle-breaking opportunity,” he said. “The college and the university have a keen ability to develop students into high character individuals and educate students to be successful business professionals. We are happy to support those transformational changes for people in any way possible.”
Akram credits his guidance counselor in Pakistan for influencing his decision to come to Texas A&M. “He told me ‘It’s the MIT of the Southwest,’” Akram remembered. “At Texas A&M, I wasn’t the smartest guy in the room ever. What I learned was that I couldn’t outsmart everyone, but I could outlearn everyone. I also made the deepest friendships here and had the best faculty.”
That tenacity has served him well. After earning his bachelor’s degrees in accounting and finance and a master’s degree in accounting, Akram joined KPMG where he served clients in the financial services industry and in the national office. In 2006, he joined Citigroup and spent 14 years in a variety of senior roles, including CFO of Treasury and Trade Solutions, CFO for Brazil, and Global Controller and Chief Accounting Officer. He currently is the Deputy Chief Financial Officer and Chief Accounting Officer at Morgan Stanley and sits on the firm’s management committee and Morgan Stanley Europe’s board. He also is very involved in the firm’s environmental social and governance (ESG) efforts and co-chairs Morgan Stanley’s Emissions Oversight Committee and ESG Disclosure Committee. “I’ve been working since 1997 so it’s been a long career,” he said. “My time at Texas A&M really prepared me for my career in multiple ways.”
Akram has actively supported Texas A&M with both his time and treasure. He currently serves on the James Benjamin Department of Accounting Advisory Council and recently joined the Dean’s Advisory Board. He also is a visiting professor at Mays, teaching a class called “CFOs and Financial Leadership.” Additionally, the 2019 recipient of the James Benjamin Department of Accounting’s Lifetime Achievement Award is a strong advocate for creating a pipeline to help Mays students join Wall Street banks. Explaining his commitment to his alma mater, Akram said, “My motivation to stay involved in Texas A&M is to make sure that Texas A&M becomes the destination of choice for Wall Street, just like it is for employers in the Southwest.”
To that end, he established the Raja Akram ’97 Department of Accounting Excellence Endowment in 2018 and the Begum Akhtar Akram Endowed Scholarship for Pakistani Students at Mays Business School to honor his grandmother in 2022. He is also a member of the Texas A&M Legacy Society.
Akram also contributes to causes and charities related to children’s education both in the United States and Pakistan. He and his family live in New York City. Additionally, Akram’s two brothers—Fawad Akram ’01 and Faraz Akram ’08—are also Mays alumni, and his eight-year-old daughter aspires of playing Aggie soccer and his son wants to be an Aggie as well. “What I’ve found at Texas A&M is an unparalleled network of Aggies,” he said. “People in my office may not know where I’m from, but they will always know that I went to Texas A&M.”
Categories: Alumni, Former Students, Mays Business
Lara Robertson, May 4th, 2023
Out of 36 finalists, ten teams were given top honors and awarded cash prizes for their innovative and entrepreneurial ideas.
By Lara Robertson, McFerrin Center for Entrepreneurship at Texas A&M University
COLLEGE STATION, TEXAS May 4, 2023 – The McFerrin Center for Entrepreneurship hosted its third annual and second in-person Texas High School Ideas Challenge today, with competitive presentations held at Texas A&M University’s Memorial Student Center and The Crowd Fund Showcase and Awards Reception (sponsored by Education Advanced) held at the McFerrin Center. Open to high school students across the state of Texas, the challenge, designed to encourage students to explore entrepreneurship and foster development of an entrepreneurial mindset, awarded $13,000 in cash prizes to the top ideas.
Due to restrictions in place, the inaugural event in 2021 was held exclusively in a virtual format, but the 2022 and 2023 events were held in person at Texas A&M, giving high school students from across the state the opportunity to visit campus and be introduced to Texas A&M, the McFerrin Center and the Aggie entrepreneurial ecosystem.
In addition to prize money for the top idea winners, this year’s challenge also awarded $3,750 in prizes based on “investments” from “The Crowd Fund,” with showcase guests having the opportunity to visit each of the ideas to meet the student teams and learn about their service or product concept and “invest” in their favorites via “McFerrin Money.”
For the 2023 event, Texas high school students were invited to apply beginning in late 2022, submitting their idea as a team or individual, via a compelling application demonstrating creative, careful and methodical planning. Following a screening process, a total of 40 finalist teams, composed of more than 100 students from 26 high schools in 14 Texas cities, were selected as finalists and invited to compete in person on the campus of Texas A&M.
Throughout the day, each team presented their idea twice, each time to a different panel of judges. The presentations consisted of a 5-minute pitch of the idea, followed by a 5-minute “Q&A” with the panel. Judges, selected from the McFerrin Center’s network of mentors, successful entrepreneurs and Texas A&M faculty, were looking for competitors who have an outstanding idea and clearly indicate that their idea creates values, can defend their idea against other ideas in the competition, and demonstrate to the judges that the idea is viable in the marketplace with clear evidence that the idea is attractive to a customer. Ideas were scored based on idea uniqueness, target market, competitive advantage, resources, goals and presentation content.
This year’s first place honor went to Slap Daddy Koozies from Vandegrift High School in Austin. Although the competition focuses only on students pitching their ideas, some students are further along with their concept and business. Alex M., Christian L. and Vincent C., all seniors, launched their company after realizing most koozies are made for specific bottle and can sizes and aimed to create a universal koozie that wraps around the container, similar to slap bands/bracelets.
“Two of us are future Aggies, so we thought [applying for and competing in the challenge] would be an incredible way to get to know the program,” Christian said. “We’ve been working super hard on this product, and we wanted to get it out there and get it in front of more people’s eyes to drive us toward more success.”
In addition to winning the top prize and $2,500 sponsored by High-Piled Permits, Alex and Christian noted other perks to competing in the challenge.
“It was really fun to be able to pitch again,” Alex said, “because we haven’t done that for a while, and it was good to really challenge ourselves and get out of our comfort zone.”
“And the culture of being around the other teams,” Christian added. “It’s been incredible to get to know some of the other teams and learn what their ideas are. It’s inspiring to see what other people are doing.”
Following high school graduation later this month, Christian and Alex both plan to attend Texas A&M, majoring in economics and society, ethics and law (S.E.A.L.), respectively, while Vincent plans to attend the University of Mississippi, majoring in entrepreneurship. They plan to continue running Slap Daddy Koozies.
“This year’s challenge proved that the future of entrepreneurship in Texas is brighter than ever,” said Blake Petty ’98, executive director of the McFerrin Center. “Each year we continue to be impressed by the high quality of innovation and enterprising ideas coming out of high school students in our state. Watching the challenge grow in only its first three years, now with students returning to compete in subsequent years, validates our vision and dream for this event. Not only have these young entrepreneurs identified important problems around them and in society, but they have the desire, drive and creativity to solve them.”
The McFerrin Center is currently planning its 2024 event, with applications opening Dec. 15, 2023. Updates and more information will be available at tx.ag/TexasHSIdeasChallenge.
2023 Texas High School Ideas Challenge Photos
2023 Texas High School Ideas Challenge Winners
Top Idea Winners
1st Place ($2,500): Slap Daddy Koozies | Vandegrift HS | Austin
sponsored by High-Piled Permits, Active Industrial Fire Protection
2nd Place ($2,000): Racquet Armor | Centennial HS & Frisco HS | Frisco
3rd Place ($1,750): ReactGlove | DeBakey High School for Health Professions & The Awty International School | Houston
Honorable Mention ($750): Easy Hang | Samuel V. Champion HS & Boerne HS | Boerne
sponsored by Mays Family Foundation
Honorable Mention ($750): LivLive | Westlake HS | Austin
sponsored by Mays Family Foundation
Honorable Mention ($750): Pop Pop’s Dandy Dog | Lake Creek HS | Montgomery
sponsored by Mays Family Foundation
Honorable Mention ($750): SignHi | The Woodlands College Park HS | Spring
sponsored by Mays Family Foundation
The Crowd Fund Winners
1st Place ($1,500): Easy Hang | Samuel V. Champion HS & Boerne HS | Boerne
sponsored by Education Advanced, Inc.
2nd Place ($1,250): DIabeticsOnTheGo | Central HS | San Angelo
3rd Place ($1,000): Infiniti Board | Centennial HS | Frisco
sponsored by Texas A&M University Corps of Cadets
2023 Texas High School Ideas Challenge Sponsors
Education Advanced, The Crowd Fund Showcase & Awards Reception sponsor
High-Piled Permits
Texas A&M University Corps of Cadets
Mays Family Foundation
About McFerrin Center for Entrepreneurship
The McFerrin Center for Entrepreneurship serves as the hub for entrepreneurship at Texas A&M University. The McFerrin Center’s goal is to enhance entrepreneurial education by providing training, networking and assistance to enterprising current students, faculty, veterans and former students.
The McFerrin Center enables the startup and growth of countless businesses and provides competitive opportunities, professional development and financial support to aspiring entrepreneurs in the Aggie community through the support of a robust volunteer mentor network, corporate supporters, faculty and staff.
The McFerrin Center defines entrepreneurship as an attitude that acts upon opportunity. In this spirit, the McFerrin Center strives to deliver programs and events that are inspiring, engaging, motivating and life-changing. This philosophy has resulted in the McFerrin Center for Entrepreneurship offering more than 30 unique programs each year that positively impact the lives of thousands of students, veterans and other professionals seeking to blaze their own trail as an entrepreneur.
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Media Contact: Lara Robertson, communications manager, McFerrin Center for Entrepreneurship, lrobertson@tamu.edu
Categories: Uncategorized
Mays Business School, April 7th, 2023
By Lara Robertson, McFerrin Center for Entrepreneurship at Texas A&M University
COLLEGE STATION, TEXAS April 7, 2023 – The McFerrin Center for Entrepreneurship hosted its fifth annual Aggie PITCH Wednesday evening, awarding more than $38,000 to Aggie-led startups. Open to both current and former students, Aggie PITCH is the only university-wide business plan pitch competition at Texas A&M and seeks to identify the best Aggie business pitches from across industries and sectors.
For the 2023 event, a total of 21 startups were selected to compete for the coveted McFerrin Cup and a share of more than $35,000 in anticipated prize money, although a statistical tie led to an additional $3,500 being awarded. Split into three divisions —Full Pitch for both current and former students and Elevator Pitch open to both — the competition gives startup founders the opportunity to pitch their business in a fast-paced, high-energy format to a panel of anonymous judges and an audience of students, professionals, mentors, possible investors and fellow Aggie entrepreneurs.
In the Full Pitch divisions, 11 teams were each given 10 minutes for their pitch. In contrast, the Elevator Pitch competitors were only given a one-minute allotment for their pitch. Although the anonymous panel of judges was tasked with ranking and selecting the winners of the Full Pitch division, audience members were invited to take part and cast their vote to select for the winners of the Elevator Pitch division.
Club Girl claimed first place in the Full Pitch Division for current students and was awarded $7,500. “It’s incredible,” founder Katie Calderon ’25 said following the announcement. Club Girl uses a patent-pending adjustable weight and shaft system, paired with a self-fitting app, to provide women a perfect-fitting putter that stays within USGA regulations. Calderon plans to put her winnings straight into prototyping and testing.
“It means the world,” she continued, “not only to me and my company, but it allows us to go further and do everything I’ve wanted to do. It’s been my dream since I was a kid.”
Calderon and Club Girl also took home second place and $2,000 in the McFerrin Center’s 2022 Raymond Ideas Challenge.
“To be able to participate in [the Raymond Ideas Challenge and Aggie PITCH] has been awesome,” she added. “Raymond got me here, and now I can’t wait to see what here gets me to.”
Taking home first place and also $7,500 in the Full Pitch Division for former students was Endpoint Security Inc. which secures wireless communication via a technology that provides security for fixed wireless devices in industrial, commercial and home environments.
“This is a dream come true. I’ve worked as a serial entrepreneur ever since I graduated from Texas A&M and even worked for Texas A&M before going out on my own again. So to be able to benefit from this program and benefit from an award like this is very meaningful to me,” stated Endpoint Security founder Page Heller ’78.
The winnings from Aggie PITCH will take them halfway to getting a third party validation test for the product. “It’s perfect timing for us,” Heller noted.
“Aggie PITCH remains a spotlight in the McFerrin Center’s programming,” stated Blake Petty ’98, executive director of the McFerrin Center. “Since 2018, it’s continued to grow and gain more awareness among both current and former students in the startup arena. Each year, we look forward to seeing what new, innovative ventures these Aggie entrepreneurs are building and growing. Without a doubt, Aggie PITCH is a proven step along a path of success for any Aggie-led startup looking to get to the next level.”
Launched in 2018 by the McFerrin Center for Entrepreneurship and held annually, with the exception of 2020, Aggie PITCH serves as a platform to display the exceptional startups currently being developed by current and former students of Texas A&M. Ventures that compete at Aggie PITCH receive excellent exposure to possible investors, mentors, partners and more. In addition, Aggie PITCH serves as a networking event that allows Aggie entrepreneurs, investors, mentors, current and former students to gather, make connections and support one another as entrepreneurs.
Finalists’ ventures at this year’s Aggie PITCH represent a variety of industries including agriculture, information technology, consumer products and energy technology, among others, and are now automatically admitted into an exclusive group of startup founders who are eligible to represent Texas A&M University at national and global entrepreneurial competitions.
Full Pitch Division | Current Students
1st Place ($7,500): Club Girl [Katie Calderon ’25]
2nd Place ($5,000): Cosnetix [Greyson Newton ’21, Diana Salha ’25, Cameron Walker ’22]
3rd Place TIE ($3,500): AggieBus [Arvind Balaji ’24, Anish Karthik ’25, Kirthivel Ramesh ’24]
3rd Place TIE ($3,500): Redeemr [David Greek ’24, Carl White ’24]
Full Pitch Division | Former Students
1st Place ($7,500): Endpoint Security Inc [Page Heller ’78]
2nd Place ($5,000): Xplosion Technology Corporation [Jaylen James ’22]
3rd Place ($3,500 – sponsored by LiquidAgents Healthcare): Empifany [Christopher Taylor ’07]
Elevator Pitch Division (sponsored by IndigoStone Advisors)
1st Place ($1,500): Surgeon Support [Chase Lano ’25]
2nd Place ($1,000): EValuate EV Charging Software [Cassie McQuinn ’21]
3rd Place ($750): HemoVas Biosystems [Jason Eades ’26]
A list of past Aggie PITCH winners can be found at aggiepitch.com.
The McFerrin Center for Entrepreneurship serves as the hub for entrepreneurship at Texas A&M University. The McFerrin Center’s goal is to enhance entrepreneurial education by providing training, networking and assistance to enterprising students, faculty and former students.
The McFerrin Center enables the startup and growth of countless businesses and provides competitive opportunities, professional development and financial support to aspiring entrepreneurs in the Aggie community through the support of a robust volunteer mentor network, corporate supporters, faculty and staff.
The McFerrin Center defines entrepreneurship as an attitude that acts on opportunity. In this spirit, the McFerrin Center strives to deliver programs and events that are inspiring, engaging, motivating and life-changing. This philosophy has resulted in the McFerrin Center for Entrepreneurship offering more than 30 unique programs each year that positively impact the lives of thousands of students, veterans and other professionals seeking to blaze their own trail as an entrepreneur.
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Media Contact: Lara Robertson, communications manager, McFerrin Center for Entrepreneurship, lrobertson@tamu.edu
Mays Business School, March 14th, 2023
The 9th Annual KPMG Fraud Case Competition Final Round was held on March 9, 2023 at Mays Business School. The three teams competing in the Final Round had advanced from the Preliminary Round held earlier in the week. Final Round judging was facilitated by Jose Trevino and Patricio Munoz from the Houston office of KPMG’s US Forensic Advisory Practice.
The Final Round case competition participants from Mays Business School included:
The First Place Team is pictured below (from left to right): Patricio Munoz (KPMG), Noah Gray, Brian Han, Khaled Alfarj, Anika Mathur, and Jose Trevino (KPMG).
Categories: Accounting
Mays Business School, February 9th, 2023
Analytics professionals and industry leaders gathered at Texas A&M University’s Mays Business School at Houston CityCentre to present real-world uses of analytics to strengthen organizations’ operations. This year featured a diverse group of organizations such as organ procurement/transplantation, federal government, and oil & gas.
“Organizations accumulate data by the second. In the age of digital transformation, companies need the power of analytics to improve their competitive advantage and operations. They need to consistently utilize data to drive better business decisions.” said Myra Gonzalez, MS Analytics Program Director. This annual event provides a venue for people in the Houston business community, faculty, staff, and students to gather to discuss analytics and share best practices.
The need for data scientists and analysts was further remarked by Jenna Whitmire, Vice President, Data, Tools & Advanced Analytics at AT&T and a Texas A&M Class of 2005 graduate. During her keynote address, she shared that as a leader of 500+ data engineers, analysts, modelers and developers, the need for people with data analytics skills has never been greater than today, and there’s never been more investment in data and AI. In addition to a strong statistics foundation and coding, Whitmire emphasized that expertise in communications and partnering with business leaders is critical to success. “If you are a student in this program, then you will have the opportunity to make scaled impact with your skills. You will influence outcomes for customers and businesses, but it takes ingenuity, courage, and tenacity in addition to great analytics skills.”
Presentations were made by current and former students of the Master of Science in Analytics program. Bilal Zuberi currently serves as the Head of Business Systems for SLB where he is tasked with accelerating digital transformation and enterprise software solutions for the Production Systems division. His presentation was on how to accelerate tendering capacity and improve the “engineer-to-order” quotation process using neural network models. Other industries also saw the need to improve operations through analytics. Master of Science in Analytics Class of 2023 student, Jonathan Hewlett, felt his organization would benefit from process improvements and knew the data they collected was the answer. He built Machine Learning prediction models to study geographically based organ donation. This helped his organization to increase potential transplants and increase the number of lifesaving organs available for transplant.
Our final presentation was conducted by Master of Science in Analytics Class of 2023 student Victor Frausto, who serves as a Program Analyst for the Drug Enforcement Administration. He wants to help the agency with data-driven decisions to assist investigations and operations along the southwest border. His approach analyzes National Seizure System data to identify trends or patterns to disrupt the flow of dangerous drugs. Better decision-making also helps his organization improve the allocation of resources and workforce.
“We enjoy providing a forum to foster discussion about data and analytics challenges that companies face and share ideas for Houston-area businesses to stay ahead of the game,” said Gonzalez. “We can’t wait for next year’s event!”
Presentation slides and more information can be found at https://mays.tamu.edu/ms-analytics/analytics_day/
The free event was hosted by Texas A&M University’s MS (Master of Science) Analytics Program, which offers a business analytics master’s degree available in Houston and across North America via live video stream to teach working professionals the skills needed to thrive in an increasingly data-driven world. For program information, please contact Javier Aldape, Associate Director: jaldape@mays.tamu.edu or 979-845-2149
Categories: Analytics