Send your company’s personnel moves to online managing editor Bianca R. Montes at [email protected].
Topgolf Entertainment Group
Artie Starrs, Chief Executive Officer
Effective April 5, Artie Starrs’ primary responsibility as Topgolf’s CEO will be the company’s expansion, backed by its new parent company Callaway Golf, whose portfolio includes Odyssey, OGIO, TravisMathew, and Jack Wolfskin. Prior to joining Topgolf, Starrs was with Yum! Brands, where he was the global CEO for Pizza Hut and oversaw its 18,000 locations across 110 countries.
Education: Princeton University (AB)
Dunaway
Chris Wilde, Chief Executive Officer
Former Dunaway CEO Tom Galbreath has become chairman of the company’s advisory board and Chris Wilde will step into the CEO role. Wilde joined Dunaway 18 years ago as a civil engineer and will now be responsible for setting and executing the company’s vision. Prior to becoming CEO, Wilde served as executive vice president.
Education: University of Texas at Arlington (MBA), New Mexico State University (BS)
Catalyze Dallas
James Bendle, Chief Financial Officer
Prior to joining Catalyze Dallas, James Bendle served as senior vice president of finance at CesiumAstro. In his new role, he will be responsible for financial planning, accounting, compliance and reporting, and growing the company and its affiliated entities of Alpine Advanced Materials and Metro Aerospace.
Education: Purdue University (BS)
Shiftsmart
Richard Zicchino, Chief Financial Officer
Zicchino joined Shiftsmart in 2018 as chief operating officer, and throughout his career, has managed nearly 20 acquisitions and their subsequent integrations. Prior to Shiftsmart, he served as vice president of finance at Synacor after managing the merger from its acquisition of Zimbra. Notably before that, he led the integration of Skywire Software when it was acquired by Oracle Corporation.
Education: University of North Texas (BBA)
Holt Lunsford Commercial
Hutton Lunsford, Chief Investment Officer
In addition to his responsibilities as a partner, Hutton Lunsford will oversee the development and implementation of the company’s investment strategies. Prior to joining Holt Lunsford, he co-founded Hamilton Realty Finance, where he served as partner.
Education: Abilene Christian University (BBA, MA)
Jim Brice, Managing Principal
In addition to his role as partner, Jim Brice will now be in charge of implementing a new Industrial Big Box Development Initiative. Brice, who joined HLC in 1994 and was its first employee, was previously an accounting manager for Trammell Crow Company.
Education: University of Louisiana-Monroe (BA)
Scott Moore, Managing Partner
Scott Moore, who also serves as Chief Operating Officer, will focus on growth, operational and cultural initiatives, and standardization within the service company. Moore was critical to HLC’s growth from approximately 12 million square feet in 2003 to over 77 million square feet today.
Education: University of North Texas
Holden Lunsford, Managing Partner
Prior to joining HLC, Holden Lunsford was a commercial real estate investment banking professional at Holliday Fenoglio Fowler. Lunsford joined HLC in 2014 as managing principal, tasked with building a Dallas office leasing division, where he was instrumental in growing it to over 8 million square feet of product.
Education: Texas A&M University (BBA)
Tyler Howarth, Managing Principal—Tenant Representation
Tyler Howarth will recruit and lead the Dallas Tenant Representation division, advise clients on office and industrial relocations, acquisitions, dispositions, lease renewals, and restructures. He will also oversee the HLC analyst program in Dallas. Prior to joining HLC, he was an associate director at Newmark Knight Frank and an associate vice president at Colliers International.
Education: Baylor University (BBA)
James Engles, Senior Vice President—Dallas Office Leasing
As senior VP, James Engles will be responsible for approximately 2.5 million square feet and will source new business development opportunities in the area. Before joining HLC, he was an bssociate Broker at Avison Young in Dallas, where he specialized in tenant representation for office users.
Education: University of Texas at Austin (BS)
Justin Gallagher, Vice President of Acquisitions
Justin Gallagher will be responsible for leading all acquisition initiatives, sourcing new opportunities, and overseeing the execution of new acquisitions. His previous experience includes serving as vice president at Crow Holdings Capital and in the Real Estate Finance Group of Goldman Sachs.
Education: Brown University (BA)
Avantax Wealth Management
Mike Holmes, Chief Marketing Officer
Mike Holmes has worked for companies such as USAA, Wells Fargo, Wachovia, and KeyBank during his more than 30-year career. In his new role, he will focus on building B2B and B2C brand and public relations strategies, client and consumer acquisition, and advisor recruitment and retention.
Education: Vanderbilt University (BA)
Jamila Ramnanan, Vice President, Human Resources
Jamila Ramnanan, who has been with Avantax Wealth Management since 2008, is the lead human resources partner for all of Avantax and the diversity and inclusion leader for Avantax and Blucora. Her primary focus is ensuring that Avantax attracts, hires, and retains talented staff.
Education: American Public University System (MBA), Cornell University (Corporate Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion), The University of New Mexico (BBA)
Brinks Home Security
Kelly Atkinson, Chief Commercial Officer
Kelly Atkinson was previously Head of Marketing for Consumer and SMB at Charter Communications and held senior leadership roles at Rogers Communications and Time Warner Cable where she developed markets, grew revenue, and improved customer relationships. In her new role at Brinks Home Security, she will focus on executing its commercial strategy.
Education: Villanova University (BA)
Duane Morris
John S. Polzer, Partner
John Polzer, who was previously a partner at Cantey Hanger, will join Duane Morris’ Trial Practice Group. While representing clients around the U.S., Polzer has litigated cases in more than 20 states primarily focusing on bankruptcy, commercial litigation, construction, energy litigation, and real estate.
Education: University of Houston Law Center (JD), University of Texas at Austin (BS)
Jason E. Boatright, Special Counsel
Jason Boatright was previously the director of the general counsel section of the Texas Railroad Commission and the director of the Texas Attorney General’s opinions division. He will join Duane Morris’ Trial Practice Group.
Education: University of Texas School of Law (JD), Postgraduate Diploma in Latin and Ancient History from the University of St. Andrew, Middlebury College (BA)
Southwestern Health Resources
Donghui Wu, Vice President of Data Science and Analytics Officer
In his new role, Donghui Wu will use data to guide decision making and align data science and analytics to meet organization needs. He was previously with Texas Health Resources for two years. Wu specializes in population health management, healthcare risk prediction and business decision support systems
Education: Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (PhD, MS), Nanjing University (BS)
Weitzman
Derek Schuster, Vice President—Dallas-Fort Worth Office
Derek Schuster, who was previously assistant vice president, will handle asset-based representation with a focus on investment sales, value-add leasing, and sales transactions in DFW. Prior to joining Weitzman four years ago, Schuster was the director of golf sales at local menswear brand Mizzen + Main.
Education: Penn State University (HHD)
Amy Grueso, Assistant Vice President—Brokerage Services
Amy Grueso, who has been with Weitzman since 2015, will now lead and manage administrative personnel in the brokerage division. Her past commercial real estate experience includes a client services post at CBRE and a marketing post at JLL.
Education: Temple University (BA)
Lee & Associates Dallas Fort Worth
Catherine Kabaj, Operations Manager
Catherine Kabaj will be responsible for overseeing office operations, procedures, and growth as well as ensuring an efficient work environment. Kabaj’s has held several managerial and director positions at CB Richard Ellis, Arledge/Power Real Estate Group, and Cushman & Wakefield. Prior to joining Lee & Associates, she served as operations manager of Colliers International’s central region.
Education: University of Tulsa
