Committee

Eric Alfuth has a background in executive leadership and investment management. His career began in equity research before moving into portfolio management. He left the investment world to become CFO for a public company and later worked with McKinsey before joining a private equity backed startup. After selling his last company he launched Caymont Ventures to focus on early-stage venture investing.

Ross is the Managing General Partner of the Cancer Focus Fund, LP, a venture capital partnership financing Phase I/II oncology clinical trials with MD Anderson Cancer Center, Ochsner Health System New Orleans and the LSU Feist Weiller Cancer Center.  Prior to this, he managed multiple health-care related venture capital funds, including  Louisiana Ventures LP, Themelios Ventures LP and TransBio Ventures LP. He is the co-founder and Executive Chairman for the software and data analytics company Lagniappe Labs, LLC and active in the development of the Prime Unicorn Index, a market-cap weighted index tracking the performance of US-based, venture backed companies. Previously, Ross worked on Capitol Hill as a legislative aide to U.S. Senator J. Bennett Johnston and specialized in appropriations, risk assessment and regulatory reform.

Ross has been an adviser to or investor in over 20 early-stage privately held companies. He served as an appointed Commissioner of the statewide Louisiana Airport Authority from 2005 to 2008. In 2007, he was named to Governor Jindal’s Small Business and Entrepreneurship transition team. He is a Trustee of Centenary College of Louisiana and a visiting professor for innovation and entrepreneurship at Louisiana Tech University. He currently sits on the Advisory Board of Hope for New York, an umbrella organization of 30 Christian charities associated with Redeemer Presbyterian Church.

He received his law degree from Louisiana State University School of Law, his LLM in Taxation from New York University School of Law and his bachelor’s degree in Political Science from Southern Methodist University.  Ross and his wife Allison proudly reside in Shreveport, LA with their four daughters.

Amanda Cooper Benbow, СВРА, is a visionary strategist with a proven track record of collaborating with premier private equity firms, investment firms, and family offices to orchestrate seamless mergers and acquisitions. With unwavering precision, Amanda delivers bespoke human resource infrastructures that empower organizations to navigate complex transactions with ease. Her mission is to elevate both the firm and its current/future investments by offering comprehensive solutions for procurement, administration, and ensuring absolute compliance across all facets of human resources. Amanda's expertise and commitment to excellence set the gold standard in driving success and sustainable growth in today's dynamic business landscape.

Amanda joined Insperity in fall 2017 as a business performance advisor and has a stellar track record of being an annual top performer, achieving Pinnacle Summit three times and Chairman’s Club twice.

While not at the office, Amanda is mother to two adorable little girls, a wife to an oil & gas entrepreneur and dedicated philanthropist. She enjoys traveling with her family, is an enthusiastic about her board position at Arrow Child & Family Ministries. Amanda always has the best interest of her peers and clients at heart!

Matthew is a Chief Outsiders Partner and CMO based in Houston. He helps new and growing B2B and B2C businesses increase market valuation and grow volume and profits above expectations. Matthew’s international retail and commercial branding strategy and marketing campaigns deliver best-in-class brand strength and recognition. And, his innovative strategic problem solving, customer insight, cross functional execution, and organizational development align to deliver breakthrough performance.

Mike is the managing partner of Winston’s Houston office, co-chair of the firm’s Capital Markets Practice, and a member of the firm’s Executive Committee. He focuses his practice on corporate finance and securities law, including securities offerings, public company advisory, special purpose acquisition company offerings, private equity and venture capital transactions, mergers and acquisitions, and general corporate representation. 

Mike regularly counsels public companies on strategic transactions, capital markets offerings, and general corporate and securities law matters. He represents both issuers and underwriters in U.S. and non-U.S. capital markets transactions, including IPOs and direct listings, and advises on corporate governance and securities market regulation. Mike routinely assists clients from many different industries, including, among others, energy & infrastructure, healthcare & life sciences and technology and new media.

Matt Briggs leads DYOPATH's PE and M&A practice, leveraging 27 years of IT and cybersecurity experience, including 22 years with DYOPATH. Launched in 1996 and based in Houston, TX, DYOPATH is a founder owned and operated industry leader, specializing in IT advisory, outsourcing, and cybersecurity. DYOPATH excels in supporting PE firms with pre-close due diligence and post-close transitions and growth, driving value creation through a broad suite of IT and cybersecurity solutions.

Carrie Colbert is Founding and General Partner of Curate Capital, a venture capitalist firm dedicated to championing women-led businesses by providing not only financial support but also invaluable mentorship and resources. Her journey into the world of venture capitalism was born out of over two decades of experience in the energy industry, ten-plus years as an influencer, plus five-plus years of angel investing.

Throughout Carrie's career, she witnessed the disparities and challenges women face in male-dominated sectors. Fueled by a passion for equality and a desire to make a meaningful change, she decided to channel her expertise and resources into a venture that would empower women entrepreneurs to thrive. At Curate Capital, their mission extends beyond financial returns; it's about creating a more inclusive and equitable business ecosystem where all voices are heard and valued.

Summer Craig, the President & CEO of Craig Group, is a seasoned digital marketer with a background driving ROI-focused strategies for multi-million dollar companies.

From starting her career at Austin-based ad agency GSD&M working on Mastercard, Walmart, and Southwest Airlines to navigating the corporate communications complexities of mergers and buyouts in the telecom industry at SBC Global-Cingular-AT&T, Summer rapidly rose through the ranks and her analytical prowess became a hallmark of her career. This skillset, combined with her expertise in media buying and selling, positioned her as a standout in the early advertising landscape.

Charging into the digital realm, Summer played a pivotal role at AOL, contributing to the adoption of innovative Martech and pioneering programmatic advertising. That experience was a stepping stone to Summer’s tenure at HomeAway.com (later VRBO), where the company completed a successful IPO and she delved into the world of venture capital, and her entrepreneurial flame was lit.

She moved back to Houston and soon became a regional client rep with New York-based Publicis ZenithOptimedia overseeing Gulf States Toyota, where she learned the intricacies of operating one of the world's largest privately held businesses under a major brand. Summer transitioned into an in-house leadership role where she was responsible for showing marketing effectiveness to the board, dealer council and executive stake-holder groups.

In 2019, Summer founded Craig Group, a company rooted in data-first sales and marketing, leveraging her extensive wisdom and expertise built over the course of 20 years to create impactful results for clients.

Beyond building a large team across four states, Summer's most impressive personal accomplishments include summiting Mount Kilimanjaro and Mount Rainier as a proud mom of three. Her out-of-the-office passions — ranging from mountain climbing and camping to competitive sports and giving time to causes she believes in — reveal an authentic commitment to pushing boundaries and pursuing hard goals.

For decision-makers at private equity-backed businesses and independent family-owned companies, Summer Craig is a valuable and dynamic partner, combining a wealth of experience with a relentless focus on delivering tangible value.

Brian is a Co-Founder of Pennington Partners & Co., SaaS Ventures, and PTM Partners. A financial entrepreneur, he is passionate about building and investing in companies and tireless in the pursuit of innovation.

As the co-founder and CEO of Pennington Partners & Co., Brian leads the strategy and vision behind the firm. Founded in 2016, Pennington’s mission is to create the leading entrepreneurial ecosystem for successful entrepreneurs and their families helping them navigate the challenges of complex wealth and maximize their greatest potential.

Brian grew up in an entrepreneurial family where he learned the importance of hard work and giving back to one’s community. He is an active member of the Jewish Federation National Young Leadership Cabinet, the premier leadership development program of The Jewish Federations of North America. He serves on the investment committee for the Bender JCC of Greater Washington and serves as a committee member for the Holocaust Museum Tribute Dinner. Most recently, as a third-generation Holocaust Survivor, Brian launched a podcast series interviewing second-generation Holocaust survivors who share a similar passion for entrepreneurship and Tikkun Olam (improve the world) and have overcome great odds to make the world a better place.

Previously, Brian was a financial advisor at Morgan Stanley and Merrill Lynch. He earned a Bachelor of Science in International Business from the University of Maryland’s Robert H. Smith School of Business. Brian holds Certified Investment Management Analyst® (CIMA®) and Certified Private Wealth Advisor® (CPWA®) certifications. Both certifications are awarded by the Investment Management Consultants Association (IMCA®) in conjunction with the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and the Booth School of the University of Chicago.

Cleve Glenn brings a holistic business perspective to his corporate and commercial practice, where he focuses on mergers and acquisitions, corporate governance and outside general counsel services, including drafting and negotiating commercial leases, sale-leaseback transactions, master service agreements, supply agreements and financing documents. His corporate clients include middle market energy companies, real estate development companies, private equity portfolio companies, family offices and financial services companies. Cleve also provides mergers and acquisitions and commercial law counsel to a publicly held rail transportation company providing services to the industrial, energy, transportation and construction industries.

Cleve's background as general counsel and CFO of an energy services company allows him to understand every client's business goals and view each transaction within that framework, resulting in creative solutions with impactful results. A Certified Public Accountant in the state of Texas, he has been named a Top Lawyer in Corporate Finance Mergers and Acquisitions by Houstonia Magazine and a Most Effective Dealmaker by Texas Lawyer.

Manny González is the Chief Executive Officer of Ethoscapes, providing the strategic vision and operational excellence to help the company’s businesses grow. His 35 years of service industry experience provided the skills to combined three of the most prolific landscape, installation, and erosion control businesses in the Houston market in just the last 4 years.

Jeremy Gottlieb, CFA, CPA, is the Co-Founder and CEO of Veritec AI since January 2024. Prior to this, Jeremy co-founded ComboCurve and held various roles within the company from January 2018. Jeremy also worked at Deep Gulf Energy as the Director of Corporate Finance & Planning from May 2011 to January 2018.

Jeremy started his career as a Research Associate at Ivory Capital and later worked in Transaction Advisory Services at Ernst & Young.

Jeremy holds a BBA and MPA in Accounting and Finance from The University of Texas at Austin.

Patrick Hayes’ practice focuses on commercial real estate and assisting clients in acquiring, disposing, capitalizing and forming companies. Patrick’s real estate practice covers all aspects of commercial real estate, including acquisition, development, capitalizing, financing, leasing and disposition of all product types of commercial real estate. His corporate/commercial practice centers on the formation and restructuring of commercial entities, including corporations, partnerships and limited liability companies, as well as the acquisition, capitalization, financing and disposition of business enterprises, the preparation of various contracts and agreements, and the representation of clients in their ongoing business activities.

After selling a successful manufacturing company that Chuck Hendee took from a startup to twenty million in revenue, he now helps small business leaders grow more successful businesses and live better lives. Chuck has been a mentor with the University of Houston Wolff Center for Entrepreneurship since the late nineties and is now a chair with Vistage Worldwide. He provides services as a business coach, mentor, and consultant. Consulting includes designing and implementing incentive systems.

Janice Jucker, co-owns Three Brothers Bakery with her husband, Bobby. They like to say they are “memory makers who happen to be bakers®” for 75 years with four locations in Houston and known for award-winning pecan pie and even gingerbread men. She sits on the boards of Houston Restaurant Association, Texas NFIB and Goldman Sachs 10000 Small Businesses Voices as National Vice Chair. She is an expert in small business disaster recovery and speaks often on this topic.

As the CEO of Cemvita, he leads a team of scientists and engineers that are creating radical solutions to reduce the carbon and environmental footprint of industries such as energy, chemicals, and mining.

Fueled by curiosity and optimism, Moji's mission is to create the natural resource industry of the future. His vision is to help create a future where waste products and ready-to-retire infrastructure can be re-imagined as the foundational drivers of economic growth and energy independence.

Lee is managing partner of Smart Business Network Inc., a national events, media and marketing company founded in 1989, primarily responsible for expanding the company’s Aspire deal-making conference throughout the U.S. He plays a key role in establishing corporate policies and developing long-term strategy and growth plans. Previously, he founded and chaired the Growth Group at national law firm Arter & Hadden LLP (now Tucker, Ellis & West), which focused on working with middle-market and high-growth technology companies. 

An experienced venture investor who has been backing startups in disruptive technology, cleantech, new materials, and life sciences for over 20 years. Mitra began her career as a founding member of one of the nation’s first venture development and private investment funds, and she honed her entrepreneurial and operational skills in multiple executive and advisory roles. A dynamic speaker and published author, she has mentored hundreds of founders and investors, and she frequently shares her insights on capital formation, early-stage funding and growth, and investing at conferences and on podcasts.

A leader in the Texas innovation ecosystem, Mitra has presented at SXSW, the Texas Venture Forum, UT Innovation, UH Technology Bridge, Texas A&M McFerrin Center, H-Town Roundup, The Ion, The Cannon, Greentown Labs, Rice Business Plan Competition, Rice Clean Energy Accelerator, and the Greater Houston Partnership’s Technology and Innovation Committee. Her avocation is to empower under-resourced youth by engaging them with the startup community through her innovative non-profit, Eagle Investors.

Michael Nolan is the Development Director – Private Equity and Quality of Sales at Sales Xceleration. He is responsible for building relationships with private equity sponsors and helping their portfolio companies grow their topline performance to build value creation and accelerate performance. Michael and his team leverage a collective of 110 sales leaders with portfolio company experience to help their companies grow 32% in year 1, resulting in $1.7B in revenue growth. Their focus is to drive significant growth through strategy formulation, process development, and effective execution in pre-acquisition due diligence, value acceleration during the hold period, and value maximization to support successful exits.

T. M. “Roe” Patterson is a 30-year Energy Industry veteran. He has worked in, owned and operated multiple businesses in both the public and private energy sector. Currently, he owns and invests in multiple businesses inside and outside of the energy space, playing varying roles in each venture’s governance including CEO, Chairman of the Board, Board Member and Board Adviser. He is also currently raising capital for his first private equity fund, Marauder Capital.

Name of the game in any business is evolve or dissolve.

The Visual Cue evolves your brand so that your business stays competitive in times of change.
+ Entering new markets
+ Growing through acquisition
+ Post-merger
+ Launching new offering
+ Price competition
+ Attract the right customer/talent
+ Mixed Reputation

Lenny Saizan is co-founder and Managing Director of Urban Capital Network (UCN), an investment firm focused on democratizing premium investment opportunities for a broader pool of investors. Lenny also owns and operates Murphy Business Sales – Southwest Houston, where he helps business owners exit plan, maximize value, and sell their businesses. Lenny also works with buyers interested in business acquisition or franchising.

Prior to launching UCN and his Business Brokerage, Lenny worked 10 years in Oil and Gas, leading teams in Financial and Operational Controls, and Audit. Lenny started his career as an Electrical Engineer, specializing in automation, controls, and systems integration.

He earned a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering from L.S.U. and his MBA from Tulane University.

Experienced executive that believes in inspirational leadership and people culture to drive significant growth, outstanding customer service and enterprise value creation. Founder and Co-Chairman of D&H United Fueling Solutions, a leader in sales, service, installation and compliance of fueling and EV charging systems. The company is a 3-time Inc. 5000 company and has grown to 1400+ team members and 36 offices across the country.

Jeffery Sheldon is CEO, GP & Managing Director of the CitareTx venture capital funds and its management company, and CEO of three CitareTx portfolio companies: EMIT Corporation, Houston Medical Robotics, Inc. and Coagulex, Inc. He also serves on several other venture capital fund boards and founded numerous start-up companies, including IDev Technologies, Inc. sold to Abbott for $310 Million.

Robin has dedicated her career to empowering businesses, starting as a business analyst, she later became President of SQL*Systems and later founded RMS and Company, specializing in mergers and acquisitions. Since 2006, as a Vistage Chair and seasoned executive coach, Robin invests over 1,000 hours annually advising CEOs and senior executives. A recipient of Vistage's highest accolades, including the Star, Chair Excellence, and Cope Awards, her mission remains to challenge and elevate business leaders to achieve their utmost potential.

Mr. Thimmig is an industry expert and thought leader across multiple industries including, automotive, marketing, education, investment, esports, and media, launching new brands and products along with raising capital.

Rob oversees THF’s Life Science funding efforts across North America. He is active in the growing Gulf Coast Life Science eco-system and former Chair, Life Science at the Houston Angel Network. He regularly judges business competitions and has been a guest speaker at various colleges and universities, including the University of Houston, Rice University, Tulane University, Ursinus College, and the University of St Thomas.

Rob has been a guest speaker at past RESI conferences (CA), Johnson and Johnson’s JLabs, the New Orleans BioInnovation Center, Founder’s Institute and MedCity Invest conferences. He is also an entrepreneur, founder and owner of Yardley Group, LLC, an active chemical development and export business serving metallic ore mining in the South American Andes.

Rob serves on the Board of Directors of Adient Medical, Inc, and as a Board Observer with Materna Medical (CA) and previously Quad technologies (MA). Rob holds a chemistry degree from Ursinus College (PA) and an MBA from Tulane University (LA).

A native Houstonian and lifelong entrepreneur, Champ has always had a passion for small business. After earning degrees in Operations and Business Management from Georgetown University, he built his business acumen consulting for EY and Q5 Partners, where he specialized in mitigating enterprise-level risk, implementing operational best practices, and positioning clients for sustainable success. Initially working with TXE in a consulting capacity, Champ led efforts to reorient business strategy and optimize operations for one of the firm’s portfolio companies. Now, as Manager of Strategic Growth, he continues to drive performance and scalability for portfolio companies while also identifying and pursuing acquisition targets for the firm.

Bret West recently joined PNC Business Credit in 2021 as a senior vice president and business development officer serving the Texas, Louisiana and Southwest markets. He is based in Houston, Texas.

Previously, Bret had an extensive career in commercial/corporate banking as the Head of Energy Services Group at Wells Fargo Bank. Bret developed the strategies that helped to propel bank’s success and leadership position over the past 20+ years in the areas of loan syndication, capital markets, treasury management and corporate services.

Bret began his career with Barnett Banks in Tampa where he received his formal credit training before becoming a Business Banker, Credit Officer and then Middle Market lending.

Bret received his B.A. in Finance from the Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge. He is active with his church and the community and has served on corporate boards of National Association of Oceans Industries (“NOIA”) and Literacy Now, a Houston non-profit focused on literacy intervention.

Luke Westerman is a former Wall Street investment banker and venture capitalist with 20+ years experience investing in and advising dynamic entrepreneurs.

He is currently active in several companies and projects in Houston and also serves as a Director at Westerman Capital, a family office.

He and his partner Ale reside primarily in Houston along with their 15 year old hurricane rescue dog, Franky. They are passionate about the arts and are devoted animal welfare advocates.

Dr. Sunny Zhang is an award-winning educator, entrepreneur, and investor. She is the founder of TrueLeap Inc., an education technology provider improving global access to quality digital education. A tenured professor at the University of St. Thomas, Dr. Zhang has been teaching in business schools for 20 years. She co-founded Born Global Ventures (startup studio) and Born Global Community (501c3) supporting global startups and diverse entrepreneurs.