Council of Texas Business Deans Conference

Victor J. Boschini, Jr., Chancellor, Texas Christian University

Our 10th chancellor, Dr. Victor J. Boschini, Jr., has brought a special brand of student-focused leadership to TCU since his arrival here in 2003. Dr. Boschini teaches a popular yearly leadership course in the College of Education, where he holds the rank of professor.

Dr. Boschini earned a bachelor’s degree from Mount Union College, a master’s degree from Bowling Green State University, and a doctorate in higher education administration from Indiana University. In 2005, he received the Distinguished Alumni Award from IU’s College of Education. He was awarded honorary doctorates from Lincoln University and The University of Mount Union.

Daniel Pullin, John V. Roach Dean of the TCU Neeley School of Business

Daniel Pullin is the John V. Roach Dean of the Neeley School of Business at TCU and Professor of Entrepreneurship and Innovation. Pullin is responsible for enhancing the profile of TCU Neeley undergraduate and graduate programs to maintain the school’s upward trajectory. He also serves as a steward to TCU and its business community partners. He focuses on defining and cultivating academic excellence among students and faculty, and enhancing diversity and inclusion initiatives.

Pullin came to TCU in May 2019 from the University of Oklahoma, where he was Dean of the Price College of Business since 2014. He has won awards for teaching, innovation in business and academic integrity, and was honored as OKC 40 Under 40.

Prior to joining OU, Pullin worked for global consultancy McKinsey & Company and the private equity firm Hicks Muse Tate & Furst and its portfolio companies.

He earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Oklahoma and MBA from Harvard Business School before returning to Oklahoma to earn a Juris Doctor.

Mattie Parker, Mayor of Fort Worth

Mattie Parker is the founding CEO of Fort Worth Cradle to Career and the Tarrant To & Through (T3) Partnership, which aims to ensure more students have the training needed to thrive in today’s workforce. Mattie has fifteen years of experience in national, state and local public affairs, including chief of staff for the Fort Worth Mayor and City Council where she led successful efforts to improve efficiency at City Hall. She serves on the board of directors for The Gatehouse’s Legacy Early Learning Academy, Read Fort Worth, Operation Progress - Fort Worth, and ACH Child and Family Services.

Mattie and her husband, David, have one daughter and two sons. She graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a Bachelor of Arts in Government and has a law degree from Texas A&M University School of Law where she was awarded the prestigious MacLean & Boulware Endowed Law Scholarship.

Robert Allen, President and Chief Executive Officer, Texas Economic Development Corporation

As President and Chief Executive Officer of the Texas Economic Development Corporation, Robert is responsible for advancing the organization’s mission to promote economic development, recruit business and expand job creation in the State of Texas. Previously, Robert served as Deputy Chief of Staff to Governor Greg Abbott, where he managed the daily administration and operation of the 250-employee agency, coordinated the Governor’soffice response to Natural Disasters—including six presidentially declared disasters impacting over 19 million people—and also worked closely with business leaders and the Governor’s Economic Development and Tourism Division to ensure Texas remained a global leader in business. Prior to his time in the Governor’s office, Robert spent 12 years in various capacities at the Office of the Texas Attorney General, most recently as Deputy Chief of Staff, where he managed logistics and operations of the executive office and assisted in the administration of the 4,000-employee agency. A native Texan, Robert earned a bachelor’s degree from The University of Texas at Austin. He and his wife, Rachel, live in Austin with their two children.
 

Maria Baltar, Assistant Vice President, Accreditation Operations and Implementation at AACSB International

Maria oversees a portfolio of over 50 schools in Latin America and the United States. Maria works closely with our global volunteer network, serves as the staff liaison to the Initial, Accounting and Continuous Improvement Accreditation Committees. Maria’s career spans over 20 years and includes management experience in the hospitality and wholesale IT distribution industries. Maria has a bachelor’s degree in Finance from the University of South Florida and an MBA from the University of Tampa.

C. Brad Crisp, Associate Professor of Information Systems and Dean of the College of Business Administration, Abilene Christian University

He earned a BBA in accounting from ACU and an MBA and Ph.D. in information systems from the University of Texas at Austin. Brad previously worked at Arthur Andersen and Indiana University, and he served ACU as director of the School of Information Technology and Computing and director of the online MBA program before he became dean. Dr. Crisp's research examines social processes related to the use and impact of information technology in educational and workplace settings, such as distributed work teams. His research has been published in outlets such as the Academy of Management Journal, Organization Science, and the Journal of Product Innovation Management. He has served on the boards of several church and civic organizations.

Doug Smith, Senior Vice President, Strategic Partnerships, Oracle

Smith is an experienced business development, strategic partnerships, alliances and acquisitions executive with significant experience in strategy development, ecosystem development, deal structuring and execution, business model innovations, international expansion and executive leadership. He is also a thought leader and speaker on the topics of digital transformation and the role of strategic alliances and software in driving strategic growth.

Ralph Goedderz, VP Finance, PepsiCo Beverages North America

Ralph is currently leading PepsiCo’s Beverages NA Supply Chain Finance organization. His responsibilities include improving ROI on an $11 billion Supply Chain operating budget and $2 billion capital budget; leading planning, forecasting, and business integration processes; delivering >$400MM in annual productivity, and strengthening organizational capability of the NA Supply Chain Finance team (~150 team members).

Ralph enjoys the experience of a 24-year career at PepsiCo spanning 4 Divisions, international & domestic markets in HQ and frontline supporting Finance roles. Ralph’s previous roles included CFO of PepsiCo's Global IT Finance function ($3 billion budget), Head of PepsiCo Foods NA Revenue Management ($17 billion revenue), and CFO South Region - PepsiCo Beverages North America ($2 billion revenue).

Ralph holds an MBA from Texas Christian University (TCU) in Fort Worth, TX. He is still active at TCU as a member of the Neeley School of Business’ Board of Advisors, sponsoring a TCU/PepsiCo case competition, and leading recruiting events.

Ralph is originally from Germany where he holds the equivalent of a BA in Hotel Business. In Germany, he was a Second Lieutenant in the Army Reserves during the time that Germany was re-unified. Ralph lives in the Allen, TX area with his wife Deawn, son (18 Years), and daughter (17 years). He enjoys working out, cooking, and collecting wine.

Scott Schenkel, former Interim CEO, eBay Inc.

Schenkel has more than 30 years of global business and financial leadership expertise across commerce, health care and technology businesses. As an operationally-focused CFO, Schenkel’s experience spans company, business unit and functional leadership with extensive knowledge in financial planning, analytics, strategy, audit, mergers and acquisitions, acquisition integration, Six Sigma and process improvement.

Scott has served on the Board of Directors at NetApp since 2017 and has been the Audit Committee Chairman since 2019. He received his B.S. from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University’s Pamplin College of Business.

Sharon M. Leite, Chief Executive Officer, The Vitamin Shoppe

Ms. Leite joined The Vitamin Shoppe in August 2018 and since that time has launched a new technology-driven retail format, opened distribution to new channels, reimagined the loyalty program, introduced personalization initiatives, increased penetration of private brands, expanded the business into Asia, pioneered an expansive CBD hemp extract merchandising program, and inked integrated marketing agreements with innovative partners such as WW (formerly Weight Watchers) and IRONMAN®. Ms. Leite currently serves on the Boards of The National Retail Federation, The Lovesac Company, Women in Retail Leadership, Tandy Leather, Performing Arts Fort Worth, and the TCU Neeley Business School. She is also a member of the Senior Advisory Council of AEA Investors.

Marilyn K. Wiley, Dean and Professor of Finance, G. Brint Ryan College of Business, University of North Texas

Wiley joined UNT in 2009 as Senior Associate Dean. She earned a BBA in Marketing from the University of Texas at Arlington, an MBA and an MS-Finance from the University of Houston-Clear Lake and a PhD in Finance from Texas A&M University. She began her academic career as a faculty member at Florida Atlantic University, later serving as Adams Professor of Finance, MBA Director, Associate Dean and Senior Associate Dean. Before graduate school, she was Vice President of Finance and Administration for Barrios Technology, a Houston aerospace contractor.

Wiley is a Chartered Financial Analyst and has served the boards of the CFA Society of Dallas-Fort Worth, the Fort Worth Chapter of Financial Executives International, the Eastern Finance Association, and the Southwestern Finance Association. She is a current board member and vice-chair of the finance committee for AACSB. Her research has appeared in a number of academic journals, including the Journal of Finance and the Journal of Futures Markets. D-CEO Magazine has named her one of Dallas’ 500 most influential business leaders annually since 2017.

Robert F. Scherer, Dean and Professor of Management in the School of Business at Trinity University

Robert F. Scherer (Ph.D., University Mississippi; MA, University of Redlands; and BA, Miami University) has served as a professor of management and as an academic administrator for over twenty-five years. Bob’s career in higher education has included assignments as business school dean and interim dean in both private liberal arts universities and comprehensive public universities. Prior to his career in higher education he held management positions in the insurance and consumer publishing industries. Bob currently serves as Dean and Professor of Management in the School of Business at Trinity University in San Antonio, Texas.

M. Dave Malenfant, Director, Outreach & Partnerships, Center for Supply Chain Innovation, TCU Neeley School of Business

Malenfant currently serves as Director of Outreach and Partnerships and oversees the Advisory Board for the Center for Supply Chain Innovation at Texas Christian University. Prior to this appointment, Dave served on the Advisory Board for the center from its inception in 2002. With a passion for talent development and career planning, Dave has helped develop the Executive Apprenticeship Program, judged the LINKS simulation game, and assisted students with internships and case competitions. Dave is also Executive Vice President of Industry Liaison and Talent Development for the BSMA (Biotech Supply Management Alliance) responsible for bringing best practices across the Biotech Industry.

Prior to joining TCU, Dave spent over 35 years in a variety of industry roles. As an entrepreneur, Dave was Co-founder and President of Signature Consultants, Inc., (1973) a business, finance, and economic consulting firm that he ultimately sold in 1993. He created and operated a variety of other businesses that are still profitable in Canada today.

Dave holds a B.A. in Economics and a B. Comm. (Honors) in Finance from the University of Windsor in Ontario, Canada and several industry certifications.

Zachary Hall, Associate Professor and Director, TCU Sales Center, TCU Neeley School of Business

Dr. Zach Hall is an Associate Professor of Marketing at the TCU Neeley School of Business. He holds a Ph.D. in Marketing from the University of Houston; an MS in Finance and MBA from Texas Tech University; and a BBA in Marketing with honors from Texas A&M University–Corpus Christi.

Leveraging over a decade of experience in sales, coupled with high-stakes earnings in poker, Dr. Hall utilizes gaming theory and value-driven engagements to impart strategy and insights for a new generation of sales students as the Director of the TCU Sales Center.

Founded in 2019 as a highly-competitive program to enter, the TCU Sales Center attracts all majors across campus and focuses on developing exceptional sales talent with a focus on experiential learning through live selling and industry leader engagement for students.

As an academic, Dr. Hall’s research focuses on improving the performance of salespeople and sales organizations. His research has been featured and published in top-tier, peer-reviewed journals such as  Journal of Marketing, Journal of Marketing Research, Journal of Personal Selling and Sales Management, and Industrial Marketing Management. Dr. Hall’s research was recognized by the American Marketing Association with the AMA Sales SIG Sales Excellence in Research Award in 2015, 2016, and 2021.

Matt Smilor, Director, Values and Ventures Program, Institute for Entrepreneurship and Innovation, TCU Neeley School of Business

Matt Smilor directs the international award-winning Values and Ventures™ program in the Neeley Institute for Entrepreneurship and Innovation at Texas Christian University. In this capacity, he helps individuals from around the world develop plans for profitable enterprises that impact society in meaningful ways. In addition to his primary role, he also assists in the management and direction of entrepreneurial programs that are hosted through the Neeley Institute for Innovation and Entrepreneurship. He is an expert on social entrepreneurship, start-ups, millennial businesses and businesses that not only create profits but also create meaning and have value. He has been involved in the growth, logistics and success of multiple businesses and start-ups, planned and implemented major events, and collaborated with a wide range of people and organizations. Matt holds an MBA from the TCU Neeley School of Business and a bachelors in sociology from the University of Colorado, Boulder.

Ann Tasby, CPA CIA, Director, Office of Inclusive Excellence and Accounting Faculty, TCU Neeley School of Business

To enhance the TCU Neeley academic experience and culture of connection, Ann leads the design and implementation of the school-wide Inclusive Excellence Strategy, framework, activation and accountability system that incorporates a recruitment and retention plan for diverse students, faculty and staff as well as embedding cultural competency development into the core curriculum and co-curricular experiences for all Neeley students.

Ann is a Certified Public Accountant and Certified Internal Auditor. She joined TCU in 2017 as an Accounting Faculty member with more than 20 years of professional experience helping Fortune 500 companies successfully mitigate business risk, reduce operating costs and improve business processes.  Ann has worked extensively in Latin America, Europe, Australia and Africa serving a global client base for Big 4 accounting firms. Concurrently, she served as a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) leader throughout her career and served on non-profit boards with a DEI focus.

Molly Rose Kanthack, Assistant Director, Graduate Recruitment and Admissions, TCU Neeley School of Business

Immediately after graduating from Texas Christian University, Molly founded and led a new division at the 100+ year old Disney owned newspaper, the Fort Worth Star Telegram after recognizing a need for a new revenue stream since the traditional subscriptions and advertising model weren’t proving to be sustainable long term. In this new division, Molly created a special events division to bring sponsors and celebrities together to successfully launch the first live concert series in Sundance Square generating almost one million dollars in revenue in its first year.

Molly co-founded and led her previous company, brightroom, Inc. to become the largest ecommerce provider in endurance and event photography in the world. While at brightroom Molly managed revenue generating partnerships with brands such as: Bank of America, ING, Group, Walt Disney Company, Cisco Systems, Ford Motor, Eli Lily, ESPN Game Day, and Discover Card.

Molly has deep experience in higher education having worked for the Dean of Students for the University of Chicago Booth School of Business supporting new graduate student initiatives and alumni engagement.  Currently, Molly is helping drive graduate recruiting and corporate outreach efforts at TCU Neeley School of Business. Currently she is continuing her education in the Master Leadership Program at TCU.