Circuit Events Host Committee

Aaron S. Demerson currently serves as the Executive Director for the Office of the Governor-Economic Development & Tourism Division. In this position, he leads a team that markets the State of Texas as a premier destination for both business and travel. Prior to his re-employment with Economic Development & Tourism he served as the Manager of the state’s innovative prepaid tuition program (The Texas Tomorrow Fund) at the State Comptrollers Office. He also has served as a Commercial Finance Analyst and Loan Administration Officer with Texas Bank (former name) in San Antonio. Demerson has a BBA in Finance from Texas A&M University-Kingsville (formally A&I). He also received a general banking diploma from the American Institute of Banking, and is a 1991-92 graduate of Leadership Austin.

Ali is a 15 year Austin resident who graduated locally from St. Edward's University with a Bachelors degree in Communication Studies and English. Ali continued her education in Cannes, France where she studied Art History. After graduation, Ali served as a client advisor at Christie's Auction House in New York. Upon her return to Austin, she worked in various fields encompassing music, sports and entertainment. Today, between juggling her family of five, Ali is committed to supporting several local non-profit organizations with various roles as a fundraiser, volunteer and philanthropist. As the fabric that defines Austin, Ali supports the city's local music, art and education organizations. Ali lives in central Austin with her husband, Trey, and their three children.

AnaPaula Watson of Texas and Bermuda, is an internationally respected philanthropist and community volunteer. Mrs. Watson is married to Mark E. Watson III, President and CEO of Argo Group International. She contributes her time and resources to a diverse set of not for profit organizations whose work reflects her personal philosophy that the arts, medical care, scientific research and cultural heritage projects should be easily accessible to all humankind, most especially children. Mrs. Watson's work is reflected through her affiliations which include the Bermuda National Trust; the Preservation Society of Newport, Rhode Island; the Charity Ball Association; Cancer Therapy and Research Center, Board of Directors; Family Violence Prevention Services, Advisory Board; and Operation Comfort, Board of Directors Her proudest achievement is her role as a mother to three healthy and happy children, Katalina, age 11, Marguerite, age 8, and Marco, age 5

Prior to being appointed as the President and CEO of the Greater Austin Hispanic Chamber, Andy's career has included over 30 years of management and executive experience in the Information Technology field with international corporations, such as; IBM, Lexmark International, NCR and Permond Solutions. Mr. Martinez has also served as the CEO of the Round Rock Health Clinic, a non-profit, 501(c)(3) organization. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Marketing from Syracuse University, graduating cum laude from the University; where he was elected and inducted into the Alpha Sigma Lambda National Honor Society. He is also very active in the community holding leadership positions in civic and social services organizations in Central Texas.

Ashley was born and raised in Sulphur Springs, Texas. She attended the University of Texas in Austin, where she graduated with a BBA in Finance from the McCombs School of Business. While attending the University of Texas, Ashley was a member of the Delta Delta Delta sorority, and an active member of the Undergraduate Real Estate Society. She was, and still is, an avid Longhorn Football fan. Ashley has been married to Rad Weaver, CEO of McCombs Partners, since 2003. They currently reside in San Antonio with their two children, Cecelia (5) and J.W. (3 weeks). Ashley has a heart for children and dedicates her time to raising her own children and fundraising to help other children through efforts with UNICEF’s Next Generation Board, Girls Inc. of San Antonio, the Cowgirls Live Forever Scholarship Luncheon and through the acquisition and restoration of the beloved San Antonio landmark, Kiddie Park, the country’s oldest children’s amusement park. Ashley currently serves as a member of the BBA Alumni Advisory board for the McCombs School of Business and an Ambassador for the Our Turn Campaign at the University of Texas.

Ben Daniel Crenshaw is an American professional golfer. He played golf at Austin High and the University of Texas winning three NCAA Championships from 1971-1973 and upon turning professional in 1973, he became the second player in Tour history to win the first event of his career. In 1984 he won The Masters. His most coveted award was the Bob Jones Award he received in 1991, followed by his induction into The Golf Hall of Fame in 2002. Since 1986, Crenshaw has been a partner with Bill Coore in Coore & Crenshaw, a golf course design firm which has designed over 20 golf courses and received many accolades. Ben has been very active in his beloved Austin where he was born and raised. For years he hosted The Ben, Willie, Darrell with his dear friends Willie Nelson and Darrel Royal. The picking party and golf tournament benefitted children in East Austin. He and his wife of 26 years years, Julie, live in Tarrytown with their 3 daughters.

Carla Stanmyre McDonald is a successful entrepreneur, television host, writer, philanthropist and community volunteer. Currently, Carla serves as the host of YNN’s "Arts Minute," a weekly television segment that promotes cultural events in Central Texas, and conducts exclusive interviews for the 24-hour news network. In addition, Carla is the founder and CEO of Dynabrand, an award-winning national marketing firm that works with consumer products companies. Prior to founding Dynabrand in 2002, Carla worked in New York as Executive Vice President/Managing Director, North American Marketing Practice at GCI Group and Senior Managing Director, Consumer Marketing Practice at Hill & Knowlton. The mother of two young daughters, Carla, and her husband, Jack, a technology entrepreneur, are also active in Austin’s non-profit community. Over the last 10 years, they have helped raise more than $10 million for local health, education and arts organizations. Carla is the recipient of the Austin Business Journal’s “Women of Influence Award” and the “American Youthworks Community Service Award” and her entrepreneurial achievements and non-profit advocacy have been featured in the pages of Austin Woman (cover profile), Austin American-Statesman’s Glossy (cover profile), Austin Monthly, Austin Business Journal, Austin American-Statesman, Texas Monthly, The New York Times, National Public Radio, Town & Country, Women’s Wear Daily, Inside PR and PR Week.

Achieving progress in Austin for over twenty years, Carol Thompson is an entrepreneur, speaker, connector and economic development specialist. Thompson played a significant role in bridging Austin's new and traditional economies. She has been a chairman both of the Austin Chamber of Commerce board and and a 2 term chairman of the San Antonio Branch of the Dallas Federal Reserve Board. Recognized as one of Austin's 5 most powerful women in the Austin Business Journal, Carol is an advisory board member at UT Cockrell School of Engineering as well as St Edwards Business and Management Board. Lastly, Thompson serves on the board of Center for Maximum Potential Building Systems (CMPBS.org). This non-profit focuses on sustainability and green building and is the oldest of its kind in the US, founded here in 1976 CMPBS has been instrumental with Austin's Green Building Program as well as the national GBP.

Casandra Matej joined the San Antonio Convention & Visitors Bureau as the Executive Director in June 2011, bringing 17 years of experience in the convention and visitors bureau, hotel, and leisure industries. Prior to joining the SACVB, she was the Senior Vice President of Sales and Services for the Dallas Convention & Visitors Bureau, where she also served on the hospitality action team for Super Bowl XLV. She holds a Bachelor’s of Science Degree in Speech Communications with a concentration in Organizational Communications from the University of Texas at Austin. Casandra and her husband Chris are proud parents to 19-month old John, 3 1/2–year old Ellie and stepdaughters Madison and Carlie.

Clay Pope is a governmental relations consultant primarily focusing on environmental management, economic development, information technology and transportation issues. Prior to establishing an independent practice, Clay worked in a variety of positions throughout state government. Clay served as a member of the 15th World Congress on Information Technology (WCIT) Board of Directors and on its Executive Committee. He played a key role in the WCIT 2006 national and global networking outreach having traveled extensively in Europe, the Middle East and Asia to promote trade exchange with top-ranking government and business leaders. A native of Silsbee, Texas, he received his B.A. from the University of Texas at Austin. Clay is an avid racing fan and often daydreams of being The Stig's Texas cousin.

Dacia Hammerick Napier was born in Agaña, Guam but grew up in Corpus Christi, Texas. She received a B.A. in Biochemistry and Art History from Rice University and then continued on to UTHSC Houston for her M.D. degree. Until 2011, Dacia was a partner at M&S Radiology. She supports Blue Star Contemporary Art Center Board Member, CTRC-Cancer Therapy and Research Center, KLRN as a board member, and is a past member of Girls Inc Board. Dacia currently resides in San Antonio with her husband, Lanham, and 2 children, Cade and Avery.

Diana Barrios Trevino, a San Antonio native, has been actively involved in cuisine and culinary media as a key player in her family’s restaurants, Los Barrios and La Hacienda de Los Barrios. She appears regularly doing cooking segments for the Living Show with Shelly Miles. Her national exposure includes a live Good Morning America cooking segment with renown Chef Emeril Lagasse, a segment for the FoodNetwork , Food Nation with Bobby Flay, Tasting Texas with Patrick Duffy and Throwdown with Bobby Flay. In June of 2010 Diana was invited to cook at the White House representing the Southwestern part of the United States at the Congressional Picnic. Diana, along with her brother and sister, head up Viola’s Huge Heart Foundation honoring their mother. Diana is an active member of Les Dames d'Escoffier ~ San Antonio Chapter and balances her life as a full time mother to Jordan, Evan and Diego. She has been married to Roland Trevino since 1988.

Donna Holland Wilcox works with companies and organizations as a high-level, strategic partner on initiatives ranging from global to local, multi-national to start-up. She played a key role in laying the groundwork for the philanthropic outpouring of Austin’s entrepreneurial community and was instrumental in showcasing Austin and Texas to the global information technology industry. Shaping, launching and promoting have been her primary areas of focus for clients including Reveille Peak Ranch, IC2 Institute, the 15th World Congress on IT, the Lance Armstrong Foundation, the 360 Summit annual conferences, and the Greater Austin Chamber of Commerce’s Economic Development Division.

Doug Ulman is a three-time cancer survivor and nationally recognized cancer advocate. After overcoming chondrosarcoma and malignant melanoma twice during college, Doug and his family founded the Ulman Cancer Fund for Young Adults. Doug led that organization as Executive Director for four years before joining LIVESTRONG as director of survivorship in 2001. In his current role as President and CEO, Doug is responsible for the strategic vision and direction of LIVESTRONG. Doug currently holds numerous civic and charitable board positions across the country and recently completed a four-year term as the Chairman of the National Cancer Institute Director's Consumer Liaison Group. Follow him on twitter@LIVESTRONGCEO

Ed Bailey is Vice President of Brand Development for Austin City Limits. His work encompasses the PBS concert series - awarded the National Medal of Arts in 2003 – and named a Rock and Roll Landmark by the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2009. Bailey was instrumental in launching the ACL Music Festival - named Pollstar Festival of the Year in 2005 and working with NEW WEST Records to release the infamous ACL TV series archives on DVD. Ed is part of the team that created the new ACL Live at the Moody Theater concert venue and the new home for the ACL Studios in downtown Austin anchored by the W Austin Hotel. An expert on cultural economic development, Ed launched the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Museum and has been consultant to the Experience Music Project, Farm Aid, Buddy Holly Center, River Music Experience, and managed strategic market planning for Cedar Point Amusement Park & Resorts, Ohio's most popular vacation destination. Ed also serves on the Board of Directors for the Austin Music Foundation and Texas Hill Country Wine and Food Festival.

Ford Smith is president and owner of Texas Enterprises, Inc., a petroleum products distribution company representing many major oil companies that service fleet vehicle customers, municipalities, automobile dealerships and vehicle service shops. The company is a wholesale provider of fuels, fuel oils, distillates and other related products. Mr. Smith is a member of the Texas Petroleum Marketers and Convenience Store Association, a member of The University of Texas’ Chairman’s Council and a long-standing Board of Visitor member supporting the McDonald Observatory, one of the world's leading centers for astronomical research, teaching, and public education and outreach.

Frank Miller is the Aviation Director of the San Antonio Airport System with responsibility for San Antonio International Airport and Stinson Municipal Airport, accepting this position in May 2009. Mr. Miller has 30 years of experience in the planning, design, operation and management of public airports. His background includes the successful completion of multiple airport construction and expansion projects and innovative air service development efforts. Prior to San Antonio, Mr. Miller has held the positions of Airport Director in Pensacola, Florida, Grand Junction, Colorado and Juneau, Alaska.

Gary S. Farmer is president of Heritage Title Company of Austin, Inc., a full service title insurance and escrow service provider in the State of Texas. Gary is involved in a variety of civic and charitable endeavors, including UT's Chancellors' Council and Development Board, Boy Scouts of America, Hill Country Conservancy and Children's Medical Center Foundation. Gary currently chairs the Greater Austin Economic Development Corporation and its highly acclaimed Opportunity Austin job creation program. Gary and his wife, Susan, are UT graduates and the proud parents of three daughters, all of whom are current Longhorns.

George brings over 25 years of global business experience to his role as publisher and one of the owners of TRIBEZA. A native of Houston, he has lived in Austin since 1999 and his enthusiasm for the city and where it is heading has never faltered. Since his graduation from Darden Business School at the University of Virginia , he has lived and worked in Houston, Jakarta, Charlottesville, San Francisco, and London to name a few. George also works as the Director of Business Development for Westend Capital Management and serves on the Board of Directors for Mexic Arte Museum and the Charles Moore Foundation. He lives in Rosedale with his beloved Golden Retriever, Travis.

Gloria Galt Steves Dilley is a sixth generation employee and owner of Steves & Sons Door Company, with plants in Texas, Tennessee, & Virginia. Since 1866, when Edward Steves founded the door company, the Steves family has always been involved. Today, six generations later, Steves & Sons continues with the original commitment to quality, craftsmanship and style. Before beginning her carrier in the family business she received her undergraduate degree from Sweet Briar College in Virginia, her Masters in Business Administration from the University of the Incarnate Word and married the love of her life, Miguel Evan Dilley. Gloria believes it is important to give back to her local community through various charitable organizations. She is a member of the San Antonio Conservation Society, Club Giraud, Daughter of the Republic of Texas, and San Antonio Country Club. She is an Elected Commissioner of the Fiesta Commission, Witte Museum Trustee, serves on the Development Board of the University of Incarnate Word and she serves on Executive Committee and Board of Trustees of the World Affairs Council, and Circuit Events Host Committee.

HAL JONES, President and CEO of Hal Jones Development in partnership with Red McCombs, focuses on the development of Destination Resorts including The Reserve at Lake Travis, The Boardwalk and Copano Club. Jones also served on The University of Texas Marine Sciences Advisory Board. Jones sits as Chairman of the Board of Universal Plant Services, a power generation services company based in Houston. In addition, Jones holds the position of Executive Vice President of Cinsay, a Smart Technology company based here in Austin.

During the past two decades, Mr. Richard has held various senior management positions in Europe with leading companies in the IT industry, including Vice President-EMEA Strategic accounts with Seagate Technology, and Vice President and Managing Director-Europe, Middle East and Africa for Conner Peripherals. Previously, he was Vice President of Marketing with Metrologie International, Asnieres, France, and Chief Executive Officer with Informatique Haute Performance, Paris, France, a company he founded. Since his move to the United States in the late nineties, Mr. Richard has been Vice President Sales & Support WW Distribution & E-Business, IBM Technology Group, and was a member of IBM's top 300 executives group. He also was Executive Vice President, WW Field Operations for WebGain, later joining Advanced Micro Devices where he became Executive Vice President, Chief Sales & Marketing Officer. He is currently Senior Vice President, Chief Sales & Marketing Officer for Freescale Semiconductor, a world leader in the embedded semi-conductor industry.

Jennifer was born and raised in San Antonio, Texas. She attended Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Texas, where she graduated with a BBA in Finance. While attending Texas Tech University she was a member of the Pi Beta Phi sorority. After graduating, she joined Jordan Ford in San Antonio as head of the Finance department — then subsequently managed the leasing department for 12 years. Jennifer has been married to Mark Johnson Jr., partner of Luther King Capital Management, since 1997. They currently reside in San Antonio with their three children, Kinslee (11), Kendall (10) and their son Trip (5).

Jim Smith began his career with New York City Fire Department, followed by a move to Dayton, Ohio as Assistant Fire Chief. Later he became Director of Housing & Development in Dayton. In 1984, he joined the City of Austin and has served Austin as Director of Building Inspection, Director of Public Works and Transportation, Director of Planning and Development, Assistant City Manager, and now Director of Aviation. He earned a B.S. degree from the City University of New York and his M.P.A. from University of Dayton.

A 20 year Austin Philanthropist, serves on numerous non-profit Boards and committees. She graduated in Business Law from Michigan State and completed her MBA at the Wharton School of Business at Penn. Her starter career was in educational auditing but she is currently the CEO and President of her private equity investment firm Sojourn Ventures. She has often been named to the Austin American Statesman’s Out and About 500 list of those who are everywhere at all times weaving the social fabric of Austin. She is a passionate volunteer who focuses on the arts, children, live music and historic preservation. She was instrumental in raising over $20million for the Long Center. Her thrill seeking gene for experiencing hang gliding, sky diving, bungee jumping, scuba diving and hiking on all 7 continents comes from her Father who was an amateur midget race car driver and pilot in WWII. She explores the world and leads by example with her 3 amazing children.

Julie Chase is the vice president of marketing & tourism at the Austin Convention and Visitors Bureau (Austin CVB). In her executive role, Chase oversees Marketing, Tourism, Music, Arts and Film. As a part of this role, she will continue to promote Austin nationally and internationally as a premier leisure and meetings destination. Chase most recently served as Texas tourism director for the Office of the Governor, where she was responsible for overseeing all aspects of marketing Texas as a travel destination in the domestic and international markets. Under her leadership, Texas became a top destination, generating record visitation and travel spending. Prior to joining the state of Texas, Chase served as a public relations representative for the Superconducting Super Collider Laboratory. Chase is a graduate of Texas Tech University.

As a community volunteer and philanthropist Julie has served on many boards and currently serves on The First Tee Board, The Alzheimer’s Executive Board, The Stephen F. Austin Society Board, The Chancellors Executive Committee for The University of Texas and serves as a Co- Chair of Texas State Finance for the George W. Bush Presidential Library. She was instrumental in developing an endowment that supported scholarships at her daughters’ schools and chaired many of the committees, which benefited the endowments. Julie and her husband, Ben, and 3 children; Katherine 24, Claire 20, and AnnaRiley 14, currently reside in Austin, Texas.

As president of the Austin Technology Council (ATC), Julie Huls is responsible for setting ATC’s long-term strategy, as well as managing the organization’s day-to-day operations and achievements. Prior to joining ATC, Ms. Huls served as vice president of operations for real estate ventures funded by McCombs Enterprises. Ms. Huls has also served as director, marketing and operations for Dwyer Real Estate; and president of marketing consultancy, TalkMedia. Ms. Huls holds a B.S from the University of Illinois and an M.A. from the University of Texas at Austin and serves on the Board of Directors of the Greater Austin Chamber of Commerce and Texchange.

Julie Knox has devoted her time and resources to several organizations focused on children including: St. Luke’s Parent Council, Family Service Association, American Red Cross and Turnstone. Julie has been married to Bruce Knox, Executive Vice President of Circuit of The Americas and a partner with McCombs Partners, since 2000. They currently reside in San Antonio with their three children: Olivia, age 8 and twins Hudson and Emerson, age 2 1/2. In addition to volunteering and being a full-time mother, Julie has worked with ArtPace, a contemporary art foundation where she served as events coordinator and assisted the artist in residency program; The Royal Academy of Music, a London-based music conservatoire and constituent college of the University of London, where she served as educational program assistant; and Some Things French, an importer of French fashion and furniture accessories where she served as partner and buyer. Currently, Julie is a partner in Blanc, a custom designer of children’s products and also serves as a consultant to a New York-based fashion designer. Julie received a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Texas.

Prior to moving to Austin, Kim was active in Louisville, KY as chairperson for five years for the Runway For The Roses Fashion Show benefitting Kosair Children’s Hospital; was co-chairperson for the American Girl Fashion Show at Churchill Downs for three years; served as member of the Kentucky Derby Museum Gala Committee for eight years; and was an active participant in the “No One Dies Alone” program at Louisville Jewish Hospital. In 2010, she won the Champions Trophy at the Kentucky Derby Festival Dancing With The Stars event to benefit the Louisville Orchestra. She is a certified personal trainer and fitness model and currently resides in Austin with her husband, Steve, and two children, Taylor and Kalli.

Laura Kilcrease is founder and managing director of Triton Ventures, a venture capital fund investing in spinout and early-stage technology companies. She has served as director on the boards (including audit and compensation committees) of portfolio companies Applied Science Fiction, Charitygift, Exterprise, Hart Intercivic, and LNNi. From 1989 to 1997 Ms Kilcrease served as executive director of The University of Texas IC2 Institute’s Center for Commercialization and Enterprise (C2E), which develops commercialization strategies for universities, government laboratories and research consortia, and R&D departments of major corporations. She has received numerous honors and awards, including the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award, the Austin Business Journal’s Profiles in Power Award, and UT’s McCombs School of Business Women in Business Leadership Conference Trailblazer Award and recently one of the thirty most influential leaders in Austin over the last thirty years. Born in London, Ms. Kilcrease has been a permanent resident of the United States since 1984. She received her certification as a Chartered Management Accountant in the U.K. in 1980 and an M.B.A. from The University of Texas at Austin in 1992.

Lee was born and raised in San Antonio, Texas. She attended Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas where she graduated in May 2001 with honors with a Bachelor of Science in Communications/Electronic Media and a Bachelor of Science in Spanish as well. Lee began her career in television as an account executive for Univision at their local station in San Antonio, KWEX-41. In 2005, she continued her career as an account executive for ABC’s San Antonio affiliate KSAT-12 and in 2006, made a move to become the Director of Business Relations for Red McCombs Media. Throughout her career she has always been an active member in the community serving on the Board of Girls Inc. of San Antonio and she chairs the Cowgirls Live Forever Scholarship Luncheon for the San Antonio Livestock Exposition. In 2007, she married Zachry S. Lee, CFO of Atlee Development and they currently reside in San Antonio. Lee and Zach are both avid motor sports fans. They spent many years traveling the country competing in AMA and USGPRU pro motorcycle road racing and supermoto. This year Zach and Lee began racing on 4 wheels in the Skip Barber Mazdaspeed SCCA pro series.

Leo Welder is the Co-Founder and Operations Officer for ChooseWhat.com, a website that guides entrepreneurs through the process of starting a business. Mr. Welder graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with degrees in finance and Plan II in 2001 and has a Masters in Business Administration from the Acton School- an accelerated, case-based program focused on entrepreneurism. Before founding ChooseWhat, Mr. Welder spent three years with LCG & Apogee Search, two entities that provide online marketing services and consultations. Over the course of his career, Mr. Welder has founded orbeen one of the first five employees in four startups. Mr. Welder is also extremely involved in the Austin community through charity and civic organizations. Currently, Mr. Welder is the President of the Young Men’s Business League & Austin Sunshine Camps as well as a Board Member of the Hill Country Conservancy.
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Leslie A. Pchola, a 19 year veteran of Hilton Hotels Corporation, is the General Manager of Austin’s largest hotel the Hilton Austin. During her 26 years of experience in the hospitality industry, she has also worked for HJ Russell and Company, Laventhol and Horwath and Host Marriott. Pchola graduated from the Georgia State University Cecil B. Day School of Hospitality with a degree in hospitality administration. Leslie is currently active in a number of hospitality and tourism industry organizations including serving as an Executive Board Member of the Women in Lodging Committee of the American Hotel & Lodging Association. She is also an Executive Board Member of the Austin Convention and Visitor’s Bureau and the 2012 President for the Austin Hotel and Lodging Association. In addition, she also participates as a Board Member for the Greater Austin Chamber of Commerce and a Downtown Austin Alliance Committee Member.

Linda Asaf is one of Austin’s premier fashion designers. Her designs have been sold worldwide including premier retailers such as Neiman Marcus, and Nordstrom but she is most proud of the business she has built in the local Austin market. She holds titles as Austin’s Best Austin Fashion and Bridal Designer in 2008, 2009, 2010, and 2011. In addition to her success as a designer, she dedicated many years helping build a legacy for downtown Austin as the Retail Development Advisor for the Downtown Austin Alliance helping bring quality retailers to downtown including Patagonia, Ligne Roset, The Alamo Drafthouse at the Ritz, Bang & Olufsen and others resulting in 75,000sf in leases and over $3 million in direct property improvements. She is also a graduate of Columbia Business School and holds MBAs in Finance and Marketing. For more information, please visit www.lindaasaf.com.

Linda Watson joined Capital Metro as president and CEO in August 2010. She has more than 25 years of transportation leadership experience in Central Florida, Corpus Christi, and Fort Worth. Linda is a distinguished leader in the transit industry, currently or previously serving on boards of prestigious organizations such as the Transportation Research Board, the Texas Transportation Institute Advisory Council, and the Transit Research Analysis Committee for the Federal Transit Administration. Under her leadership, vision, and direction, Capital Metro has transformed into a more transparent, accountable, and financially sustainable organization and has seen ridership grow by over a million trips.

Lindsay Smith moved to Austin in 1980 to attend the University of Texas. After her post graduate work at UT, she worked in the Austin real estate industry and in 1988 Lindsay started at PC’s Limited, the predecessor to Dell Computer, Inc. where she worked until 1994. Since then Lindsay has given her time and resources to many organizations including Laguna Gloria, AMOA, ArtHouse, Paramount Theatre, Dell Children’s Hospital, Helping Hand Home, St. David’s, Seton, Ballet Austin, The Nature Conservancy, Pi Beta Phi Alumnae Association, The University of Texas, Anti-Defamation League, Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, and St. Andrew’s Episcopal School. She is married to Ford Smith and they have 2 children. The family runs a private real estate investment fund and is involved in global giving; working with Free the Children in Africa, building schools, mobile medical clinics, clean water wells and helping “mommas” learn job skills and start micro business.

Manoj Saxena currently serves as General Manager, IBM Watson Solutions and has global responsibility for directing the commercialization of IBM’s transformative Watson super computer technology. Prior to IBM, Manoj founded, scaled, and sold two venture-backed software companies (Webify and Exterprise) within a five-year span. An active community contributor, Manoj serves on the Board of The Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas, San Antonio Branch, Austin Technology Council, Any Baby Can, and Saxena Family Foundation. Manoj is the recipient of multiple awards including “Entrepreneur of the Year”, “IT Technologist of the Year”, and the “Distinguished Alumni Award” from Michigan State University from where he received his MBA in 1991.

Marc Anthony Ott was selected as City Manager for the City of Austin by the Austin City Council in January 2008. Ott previously served as Assistant City Manager for infrastructure services for the City of Fort Worth. In that role, he was responsible for Fort Worth's infrastructure operations carried out by the departments of Water, Transportation and Public Works, Engineering and Aviation. Ott was also responsible for implementing one of the City Council's top strategic priorities: promoting orderly growth. Prior to his position in Fort Worth, Ott was City Administrator for the City of Rochester Hills, Mich., where he had administrative and managerial oversight of all municipal operations. Ott earned his bachelor's degree in management with a concentration in economics from Michigan's Oakland University and a master's in public administration from the same university. He is also a graduate of the Program for Senior Executives in State and Local Government at the John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University.He and his wife, Pamela, who is a surgical nurse and first assistant, have two children.

Michele (Mica) Mosbacher is the Consul General of Iceland, commissioned in March, 2010, and President of Mica Mosbacher Interests. She also serves as Vice Chairman of the University of Houston System Board of Regents. Mica is also an award-winning journalist. Mica has a history of community engagement and has chaired numerous fund-raising events for many organizations including Houston Ballet, Best Friends Foundation and The World War II Foundation. She is a sponsor of Godstone Ranch Motorsports, a 501©3 that races to raise awareness for the American Heart Association Austin, in the Grand Am series. Godstone Ranch Motorsports is in partnership with Ferrari of Austin and Houston and will be exhibiting an F1 car and the Grand Am HEART car at many of the off-track events held in Austin.

Michael W. Rollins, CCE, became President and CEO of the Greater Austin Chamber in December, 2002, after a successful career leading Chambers of Commerce in Nashville TN, Asheville NC, Columbia SC, Fredericksburg VA and Hickory NC. During his tenure in Austin, Rollins has initiated Opportunity Austin, a five-year, five-county economic development initiative aimed at creating 72,000 jobs and a $14 billion boost to the economy. Rollins earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology and management from the University of South Carolina and is a Certified Chamber Executive (CCE).

Mitch Jacobson has been the Co-Director of the Clean Energy Incubator at The University of Texas @ Austin since July of 2009. Prior to that, Mitch was one of the founders and limited partners in the Angel Investment Group, Eyes of Texas Partners, LLC. From 1996-1999 Mitch was the Vice President of Sales & Operations for Tech Data Corporation in Clearwater, FL. Mitch spent 8 years with Dell, Inc. in a variety of executive positions. Mitch graduated with a BS in Business and Marketing from the University of Florida in 1980 with honors and is involved in many non-profit organizations in Austin including sitting on the Board of Directors of The Austin Habitat for Humanity & Zach Theatre. He is married and has 3 children and lives in Austin, Texas.

Nancy Ebe is the founder and managing partner of Ebe & Associates, the oldest law firm in Central Texas which specializes in representing businesses in all aspects of employment law. She also serves as the General Counsel for IKey, Ltd., the world’s leading manufacturer of industrial computer keyboards, whose home office is in Austin, Texas. Nancy is a fifth generation Texan whose great grandfather was sheriff of Harris County in 1847 and grandmother was Miss Houston in 1914. She strayed from Texas only to get a B.A. from Smith College and a J.D. from the University of Chicago Law School, but quickly returned to Austin to begin helping businesses with their personnel and employment legal issues. Nancy travels extensively on business involving more than a dozen trips a year throughout the U.K., Europe, and Asia. In addition to the many philanthropic activities Nancy shares with her husband, Steve Meyer (also a fifth generation Texan), Nancy serves on the Board of the Texas Association of Business, as state-wide Membership Chair for the Texas Association of Business, on the Board of the Austin Chamber of Commerce, and on the Advisory Board of St. Edward University School of Business.

Paul and his wife Shiela, founded RunTex in 1988 and have since built their business into one of the Nation's leading companies devoted to running and endurance sports. An accomplished All-American athlete and a seasoned coach, Paul is committed to developing quality programs and events that contribute to economic growth in the community and help increase the quality of life in the greater Austin area. RunTex.com’s online community receives some 3.8 million hits per month and is a testament to Paul’s passion for providing access for healthy living to the entire community and explains why Runner’s World voted RunTex the number one Running Store in the Country. RunTex was awarded the honor of Outstanding Philanthropic Corporation of the Year in 2000 and continues to look for ways to contribute to the community. Paul is co-founder of Marathon Kids Program, which has successfully helped over 500,000 children per year learn to enjoy running. He served two terms on the President’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports during the George W. Bush Administration, is the Co-Chair for the Governor's Advisory Council on Physical Activity, the Co-Founder and Chair of the Austin Mayor’s Fitness Council, and currently serves on the EMS Board, Texas Medical Board District Review Committee, Shoes For Austin, and Mayor’s Community Cabinet.

Phil Wilson is executive director of the Texas Department of Transportation. Before joining TxDOT on Oct. 17, 2011, Wilson served as senior vice president of public affairs and as a corporate officer for Luminant, Texas’ largest electric generation company. In 2007, Gov. Rick Perry appointed Wilson as Texas’ 106th Secretary of State. His public service includes more than 10 years as a key aide to U.S. Sen. Phil Gramm. Wilson also served Governor Perry in several senior roles finishing as his deputy chief of staff. Wilson grew up in Brownwood, Texas. In 1990, he graduated from Hardin-Simmons University in Abilene with a bachelor’s degree and later earned a master’s degree in business administration from the Cox School of Business at Southern Methodist University in Dallas. Wilson lives in Austin with his wife Kristen and their son.

Philip Berber is an entrepreneur, investor and social entrepreneur based in Austin, Texas. After a 20-year entrepreneurial journey of joining and founding a series of start-ups, Philip sold his Internet brokerage company CyBerCorp to Charles Schwab in 2000. That same year, Philip and his wife Donna formed and funded A Glimmer of Hope, a high impact social venture and NGO that helps lift women and children out of extreme poverty in Ethiopia. He is also engaged in mentoring and coaching emerging social entrepreneurs. He particularly enjoys running, cars, driving, F1, travel, boating, meditation and taking time with family and friends.

Richard Perez, the President and CEO of The Greater San Antonio Chamber of Commerce, is the 18th President to lead the 1,800 member organization in its 118-year history. Richard grew up in San Antonio and attended South San Antonio ISD schools and received his Bachelor’s degree with a major in Urban and Regional Planning from Texas State University in San Marcos. He then went on to attain a Master’s degree in Public Administration from the University of Kansas. Following graduate school, Richard served as Assistant to the City Manager for the City of Laredo. In 1998, Richard was appointed by the Clinton Administration as the Special Assistant to the Deputy Secretary of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, where he served until January, 2001. In 2004 Richard was elected to the San Antonio City Council for District 4. Richard is married to Judy Lynn (Patterson) and they are the parents of three children: Clarissa, Elissa and Ricardo Antonio.

Bob Lander is the President and CEO of the Austin Convention and Visitors Bureau, and has been in Austin since 2001. Prior to his current position, Bob served as Executive Vice President of the Greater Phoenix Convention and Visitors Bureau and spent over 20 years in the hotel industry. Working for companies such as Stouffer and Renaissance Hotels and Resorts, he held positions ranging from direct sales to General Manager and Vice President of Sales & Marketing for North America. Having grown up in Waco, Bob holds a B.A. Degree in Business Administration from Sam Houston State University. Bob is active in a number industry related organizations, including serving on the Executive Committee of the Austin Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA), and he is a member of Professional Conference Management Association (PCMA) and the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE). He currently serves on the U.S. Travel Association Board of Directors and Policy Council. The Landers have two grown boys who are married and also reside in Austin. Bob is a member of Onion Creek Country Club.

Rodney Gonzales is Deputy Director for City of Austin’s Economic Growth and Redevelopment Services Office (EGRSO). Rodney co-led the negotiation of agreements between the City, Circuit of the Americas (COTA), and the Circuit Events Local Organizing Committee (CELOC) resulting in a 10-year commitment to bring the Formula 1 U.S. Grand Prix to Austin from 2012 through 2021. Rodney serves as the City’s ex-officio Board Member to CELOC. Rodney is currently leading the City’s planning and preparation efforts for the November 2012 F1 race, which includes all public safety, transportation, economic development, public works, special events permitting, and resource recovery activities. Rodney has been in municipal government finance and economic development since 1996 and has been with the City of Austin since June 2006. Prior to coming to the City of Austin, Rodney was the Director of Finance for the cities of San Marcos, Texas and Luling, Texas. As Deputy Director, Rodney oversees the Economic Development, International Economic Development, Music Office, and Support Service activities for EGRSO. Rodney holds a Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting and a Master’s Degree in Business Administration from Texas State University and is a Certified Public Manager. In 2007, the American Society for Public Administration named Rodney the Emerging Public Administration Professional of the Year. Rodney has shepherded many complex projects that have resulted in thousands of jobs created for the Austin community. Under his watch, Rodney negotiated economic development agreements to bring expansions to Austin from HelioVolt, Facebook, LegalZoom, Hangar Orthopedics, and Apple. Rodney has been involved in agreement negotiations for major redevelopment projects in Downtown Austin and has led the creation of Tax Increment Finance districts (TIF’s) resulting in hundreds of millions of public-private investment into new, mixed-use projects.

Commissioner Rolando Pablos serves on the Public Utility Commission of Texas, where he is charged with regulating the state’s electric and telecommunication utilities. Mr. Pablos has extensive practical experience in economic development and trade promotion. His bicultural and bilingual background has enabled him to work extensively in U.S. and foreign business environments. Mr. Pablos' substantial public service has afforded him the opportunity to serve in various roles ranging from serving as Honorary Consul to Spain; Chairman of the Texas Racing Commission; Chairman of The Free Trade Alliance and Chairman of the San Antonio Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. Mr. Pablos sits on various non-profit boards such as the Nature Conservancy; the Alamo Public Telecommunications Council and the Associated Republicans of Texas. Mr. Pablos and his wife, Laura San Martin, have four children – Cristina Elizabeth, David Alan, Mia Noelle and Andrea Nicole.

Ronnie Volkening has served as the President and CEO of the Texas Retailers Association since October, 2007. He returned to Austin in 2007 after residing in Plano, Texas for 20 years, during which time he first managed state government affairs for Frito-Lay and later served as Senior Director of Government Affairs for 7-Eleven for 15 years. In 2011 he was named State Retail Association Executive of the Year by the Grocery Manufacturers Association. Mr. Volkening is a Texas native, spending his formative years in Lake Jackson. He is a graduate of the University of Texas at Austin, as are both his two children, and he received his Juris Doctor from the University of Houston. Early in his career, Ronnie was engaged in government affairs representation on behalf of several state associations, including the Texas Automobile Dealers Association , the Texas Medical Association, and the Texas Association of Business.

Born and raised in Mexico City, Rosina Zollino has lived in San Antonio for the past thirty years. Over those years Rosina has been a member of the board of trustees of Saint Mary’s Hall, as well as President of the Parents Association of the same institution. She has been a member of the Alamo Heights School Foundation, a member of the board of trustees of the San Antonio Museum of Art, the Southwest Foundation for Biomedical Research (now the Texas Biomedical Forum), and a member of the Cancer Center Council of the CTRC. For the past nine years, Rosina has been a fashion consultant for The Fifth Avenue Club at Saks Fifth Avenue, where she has developed a broad base of local and international clientele.

Ryan Chapple is a commercial litigation attorney at Cain & Skarnulis LLP in Austin, Texas. He represents individuals and businesses in a wide variety of industries and has been recognized as a "Rising Star" in law in Texas Monthly magazine several times over the past decade. Ryan is proud to hold 2 degrees — a B.A. and a J.D. -- from the University of Texas at Austin. He and his wife, Morgan, and their daughter, Isla, love living in south Austin. Ryan is dedicated to doing all he can to help ensure Austin, Texas continues to be a wonderful and unique place to live and visit.

Sam Bryant is President of Bryant Wealth Investment Group, LLC and serves as a registered investment representative with ML&R Wealth Management. A veteran of the technology community, Mr. Bryant served in executive roles with Applied Materials as Austin Site Director, Director of Global Community Affairs-North America and Director of Human Resources. Prior to joining Applied Materials, he held positions in human resources with Tandem Computers and Johnson & Johnson. Mr. Bryant was recently reappointed to the Board of Regents of Texas Southern University, Houston, Texas. Improving education for all students from birth through college is Mr. Bryant’s primary civic focus. He is an active leader in the Greater Austin community and he serves on many non-profit boards. Mr. Bryant is married to Mrs. Gigi Edwards Bryant and they are proud parents of 5 children and 5 grandchildren.

Scott Joslove is President and CEO of the Texas Hotel & Lodging Association (THLA), joining the association in 2000. In that time, THLA grew from the fourth largest state hotel association to the largest hotel association in the nation. THLA serves over 2,500 lodging related member businesses from the smallest B&B properties to the largest convention center hotels. Scott holds a Masters degree in Public Administration and is a licensed attorney with over 20 years of experience.

Sheryl Sculley began serving as City Manager of San Antonio, Texas in 2005, with more than 30 years of public management experience. Sculley is the Chief Executive Officer of the municipal corporation of 11,500 employees, an annual operating and capital budget of $2.2 billion, and a city population of 1.3 million residents. Prior to joining the City of San Antonio, Sculley served as Assistant City Manager of the City of Phoenix, Arizona for 16 years. Prior to Phoenix, she served as City Manager of Kalamazoo, Michigan.

Stephanie spent nearly five years in the public sector Supplier Diversity arena with the Historically Underutilized Business (HUB) Program for the State of Texas. Stephanie served on the Board of Directors for the Central and South Texas Minority Business Council and the Austin Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. She also served on different State Advisory Boards throughout her career. Today, Stephanie focuses mainly on business development, supplier diversity initiatives and cross border consultancy between Mexico and Austin. She currently serves on the board of the AEM – Asociacion de Empresarios Mexicanos, a group dedicated to growing jobs and business in Austin through the talents and resources of Mexican entrepreneurs residing now in Austin.

Steven C. McCraw became the director of the Texas Department of Public Safety in August 2009. In 1983, he became an FBI Special Agent and served in Dallas, Pittsburgh, Los Angeles, Tucson, San Antonio and Washington, DC. In 2004, McCraw retired from the FBI to become the Texas Homeland Security Director in the Office of the Governor where he served for five years. A native of El Paso, McCraw has Bachelor of Science and Master of Arts degrees from West Texas State University.

Susan graduated in 1989 from the University of Texas Austin with a Bachelor of Arts degree from Plan II/Liberal Arts and went on to earn a medical degree from the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio in 1993. Susan and her husband, Bobby, moved to Austin in 1996 and have four children: Arielle, age 18, Alyssa, age 16, Julianna, age 14, and Joshua, age 11. Much of her philanthropic work has centered on the Women's Division of the Jewish Federation of Greater Austin. In addition to her leadership in Women’s Division, Susan served on the Board of Directors of Texas Hillel in 2007.She has been a longstanding leader in Austin’s Jewish community participating in and supporting numerous organizations including Congregation Agudas Achim, the Early Childhood Program, and Spotlight on the Arts. Susan and Bobby were honored as recipients of the Lyndon Baines Johnson Humanitarian Award from the Austin Jewish Community Center in 2005. Susan is involved innumerous other civic causes including Dell Children’s Medical Center, the Long Center for the Performing Arts, the Seton Breast Cancer Center, the Texas Child Study Center, and National Charity League.

Todd Kinsel is a graduate of the University of Texas McCombs School of Business and the University of Texas School of Law. After practicing law, Todd co-founded with his brother, Capital Supply Company. Capital Supply sells and distributes commercial and industrial supplies to 500 new car dealerships in Colorado, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Tennessee. Todd is married to Natalie Kinsel and they have three children, Oliver, Waylon Cotton and Cavender. Todd and his family reside in Austin, Texas.

Thomas W. Gilligan is the dean of the McCombs School of Business at The University of Texas at Austin. He holds the Centennial Chair in Business Education Leadership. Prior to his appointment at the McCombs School of Business, Dr. Gilligan held several key administrative roles at the Marshall School of Business at the University of Southern California. He received his B.A. at the University of Oklahoma and his Ph.D. in Economics at Washington University. He taught Economics at the California Institute of Technology and during his tenure at USC he held visiting appointments at Stanford University and Northwestern University.

Thomas B. Martin is CEO of Winding Road Media, LLC, an automotive digital media company which publishes Winding Road magazine and windingroad.com. He also serves on the boards of new ventures in the renewable energy, building technology, consumer electronics and digital marketing fields. Mr. Martin’s philanthropic involvement includes co-founding the First Tee of Greater Austin, serving as trustee, Austin Lyric Opera and as a past board member of the Blanton Museum of Art. He holds a B.S. in electrical engineering and a B.A. in urban studies from Brown University and an M.S. in management from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

For over two decades, Tracy Wolff has worked as a community volunteer and fundraiser focused on children and family issues. She is the founder and President of the Hidalgo Foundation of Bexar County which has helped raise $6 million towards the restoration and renovation of the Bexar County Courthouse and the construction of two new child abuse courts. The Bexar County Children’s Courts are the first to be created in Texas, second in the U. S., and were named the model for the nation by the William & Mary Law School’s Courtroom 21 Project. Tracy is also co-founder of SMART START, an over $3 million dollar trust fund, launched in 1994 to improve the quality of childcare programs throughout the community. She has helped create many first time events: A telethon for the San Antonio Library Foundation; “Sticky Wickets” a croquet tournament at Blessed Sacrament Academy, now an official Fiesta Event; The “International Gala” which raised the funds needed to start the CASA program with Mexico, “Speaking of Women’s Health”; and most recently, “The Heart Gallery of San Antonio” a unique photo exhibit of children in foster care waiting to be adopted. She currently sits on the boards of the Dolph & Janey Briscoe National Western Art Museum, The Tobin Performing Arts Foundation Board, The Children’s Museum, The Bexar County Family Justice Center Advisory Board and the Women’s Forum.

Trennis Jones is a senior executive serving one of central Texas’ largest and most successful non-profit organizations, Seton Healthcare Family. Prior to joining the Seton Healthcare Family, Trennis spent 5 years as Senior Vice President/National Managing Director for the Higher Education Market of AIG VALIC, one of the nation’s largest companies specializing in retirement planning services. Preceding his time at AIG, he was a principal with Barclays Global Investors, the world’s largest tax exempt money manager as well as Chief Human Resources Executive for the University of Texas System’s nine academic and six medical institutions. Trennis received his Bachelor of Science degree from Lamar University in Beaumont, Texas and his MBA from The University of Texas at Austin. He and his wife reside in Austin, Texas, and have two sons.

Wayne Hollingsworth is a Partner with Armbrust & Brown, PLLC and has lived and worked as an attorney in Austin, Texas for over 28 years, all with Armbrust & Brown. Armbrust & Brown, PLLC is an Austin based full-service, general civil practice law firm engaged in a comprehensive civil practice representing individuals, privately held companies, national and multi-national corporations. In addition to being alicensed attorney in Texas, Wayne is a Certified Public Accountant (Texas),formerly with PricewaterhouseCoopers, LLP, and currently practices law representing a diverse group of clients in many areas of business planning,operations and transactions, including: choice of entity, tax planning, formation, and operations for “profit” and “non-profit” entities; private offerings of exempt securities; business acquisitions and mergers; real estate transactions, including financing, construction and design contracts; aircraft transactions and management and aircraft fractional interest acquisitions; ownership andsales, alcoholic beverage permits; and, many other general business areas. Wayne and Desiree, his wife of 26 years and a native of the Republic of Panama, have two daughters, Kaelin, age 22, and Sidney, age 20, both currently attending Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas.

Wendy Topfer grew up and spent the first 27 years of her life in Michigan and in 1995 she relocated to Austin to seek new career opportunities.Shortly after arriving in Austin, Wendy started at Dell in Sales. After working at Dell for 5 years, Wendy decided to stop working in the corporate world and became a mother. Since 2000 Wendy has had the pleasure of raising Nicholas (12), Jack (10) and Gabrielle (8) and working with various non-profit charities in Austin including Center for Child Protection, Ronald McDonald House and Lifeworks. Wendy has had a passion for all types of racing but she has an especially HUGE passion for Formula One racing after going to numerous races in Detroit as a young girl with her father.

William H. Atwell (Billy) is President of Atlee Development, Inc., a real estate development company that develops and owns on-campus medical office buildings throughout the United States. Raised in San Antonio, Billy is a graduate of Bradford College in Massachusetts. Billy has served as a longtime member of the Texas Cavaliers, an organization of civic and community leaders. Throughout the past ten years, he has served the group, which donates hundreds of thousands of dollars to Bexar County children’s charities, in many capacities, including Parade Marshal, Commander and King Antonio LXXXVI. He currently serves as Chair of the Board of St. Luke’s Episcopal School and as a member of the Board of San Antonio Trust Company. In addition, Billy has served as a member of the Young Entrepreneurs Organization, a commissioner and member of the Fiesta San Antonio Commission and a board director for the Texas Cavaliers Charitable Foundation and the San Antonio River Foundation.