Advisory Board

Managing Director/Head of Fair & Responsible Banking, Schwab Bank

Irvin (Irv) Ashford Jr. is a Managing Director and Head of Fair and Responsible Banking at Charles Schwab Bank. He leads various departments including Diverse Markets, Monitoring, and the Office of Fair and Responsible Banking. In his role at Schwab Bank, Mr. Ashford is driven by his team’s purpose to advocate for the needs of all clients, and advocate for business practices that serve all Schwab clients. He and his team help ensure that all clients, and their communities, are treated fairly and equitable.

Before joining Schwab Bank, Mr. Ashford was with Comerica Bank for 23 years. In his last role with Comerica, he served as Chief Community Officer where he led vision, strategy, and execution for all facets of external affairs, external diversity, community development lending, investments, and services on a national scale, with accountability for the success of operations and budget administration. Mr. Ashford created the bank’s Office of Fair and Responsible Banking department and directed the bank’s CRA Compliance department. He also served as the national Director of Financial Education and created several award-winning programs in service of helping individuals, families and communities become successful.

Additionally, Mr. Ashford has more than a decade of experience driving positive outcomes across Community Investment, Capacity Building, Business Development, Marketing, Social Media, Relationship Management, and Program and Project Management in multiple roles with Chase Bank, City of Dallas Department of Economic Development, and several large New York City not-for-profits. Mr. Ashford holds a Master of Business Administration from the University of Dallas as well as a Master’s Degree in Public Affairs from The University of Texas at Austin and a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Religion from Oberlin College. He is a Woodrow Wilson Public Policy and International Studies Fellow, a German Marshall Fellow, and a British-American Project Fellow.

 

Managing Director/President of Bank of America/Head of Philanthropic Solutions, Bank of America

VP Business Development, SB International

 

 Executive Director/Synod for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Dallas

GM - Revenue Integrity, Revecore

As General Manager of P&Ls up to $170M, my career has two major themes: optimizing profitability and turning around underperforming businesses for PE firms and Fortune 500s. For 30+ years I have served the healthcare payer, provider, and consumer markets with a range of solutions, including SaaS, telehealth, predictive analytics/AI, technology-enabled BPO services, multi-site clinics, and medical devices. 

Delivering transformational P&L results in fast-paced environments that require thoughtful strategy combined with swift execution, I have a history as a successful change agent, establishing a new pace and standards while attracting, retaining, and cultivating talent. My colleagues value my high-energy, collaborative, "can do" management style combined with servant leadership. (See the Recommendations section of my Linked In profile.)

I have been privileged to work with organizations across the healthcare industry to improve healthcare cost, quality, and access, including the Fortune 500 companies Henry Schein, Philips, and Verisk Health; companies acquired by Optum, McKesson, and Change Healthcare; and PE investments, such as Verscend Technologies and American Dental Partners.

The Healthcare Information Management Systems Society (HIMSS) has honored me with the member status of Fellow in recognition of my leadership in healthcare technology, an honor held by only .5% of their 120K members.

Director, Slalom Strategy

President & CEO, SB International, Inc.

Human Capital Partner, Shoreline Equity Partners

Brad C. Guy is the Human Capital Partner for Shoreline Equity Partners which is a billion-dollar mid-cap private equity firm based in Jacksonville, Florida.  Brad is an accomplished Human Capital and operating executive that has primarily been focused within the Private Equity industry.  Prior to joining Shoreline, Brad was most recently the CHRO with AFV Partners, a single-family office with 5 family-owned portfolio companies where he led the firm’s human capital initiatives. Brad has spent many years in private equity with other diversified money managers along with several private and public companies. His responsibilities included compensation & benefits, executive staffing, talent management, organization design and workforce planning that optimize human capital platforms within portfolio companies. In his current role, Brad sits on multiple boards of directors in the portfolio as the human capital advisor where he leverages his experiences to ensure Shoreline builds a best-in-class human capital function with a keen eye towards talent development and employee retention. 

Brad holds a BBA from the University of North Texas and an MBA from the University of Dallas where he graduated with highest distinction.  Brad is originally from Jackson, Mississippi but moved to Texas over 25 years ago where he raised his family and currently resides in Frisco, Texas.  Brad is an outdoor enthusiast who loves to hunt and fly fish as well as spending time with his family at the lake but also has a passion towards racquet sports as he played at a younger age competitive tennis in college and in high school.

Sr. Managing Director, 7Five Capital, LLC

 

Mr. Henry Laurent brings 20 years of investment banking, corporate strategy development, board member, and executive experience.  Henry’s executive management positions includes CEO of FGB International LLC a gold and copper mining and processing facility based in Peru, and CEO of Benecor, Inc. an aerospace manufacturing company based in Wichita, KS.  Additionally, he spent 13 years as an investment banker, most recently as a Senior Vice President with Mesirow Financials where he specializes in Public and Corporate Financings, and interest rate derivatives analysis, pricing, and trading.

Henry holds a Global Executive MBA from IESE Business School of Barcelona, Spain and a Master of Science in Applied Mathematics from the University of Pittsburgh, PA.

Executive Director - Wholesale Credit Risk, JPMorgan

Greg Martin is a Wholesale Risk Credit Executive at JPMorgan. His
14-member team covers clients in the Consumer, Retail and Healthcare
sectors. His 29 years of risk experience includes 20 years covering corporate borrowers, three years in the firm’s Principal Investments group covering a portfolio of structured credit bonds and subordinated debt, and five years as commercial real estate credit officer. His team has risk responsibility for nearly every bank product and risk exposure available to corporate clients. His team partners with over 50 bankers across the globe. Greg is a CFA charterholder and earned a B.S. in mathematics from Marshall University, an M.B.A. from The Ohio State University, and a Masters in Financial Mathematics from the University of Chicago. Greg has been married to Amanda Martin for 21 years, lives in Dallas, and has two children – a junior at the University of Texas at Austin, and a senior at Jesuit College Preparatory School of Dallas.

Vice Chairman, Hilltop Securities, Inc.

AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITY

• Has principal management responsibility for the firm's Debt Capital Markets, Housing and Structured Products Groups and risk management oversight.
• Mr. Marz is a member of the HilltopSecurities board of director and serves on Hilltop Holding’s Asset/Labality Committee

PROFILE

• Has more than 30 years experience in capital markets, asset based financing, structured products, public finance and derivatives
• Joined First Southwest in 1993
• Prior to joining First Southwest, served as a managing director for institutional fixed income at Bear Stearns & Co.
• Previously, he served as a fixed income Mortgage Product Manager for Goldman Sachs & Co., in both Dallas and New York.

EDUCATION

• B.A. and M.B.A. in Economics, University of Dallas
• Completed postgraduate work in behavioral investment decisions, Harvard University

CURRENT AFFILIATIONS

• Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association (SIFMA), municipal
  executive committee member
• Bond Dealer of America ex-office board member
• Governmental Accounting Standards Board's Derivative Task Force, consultant
• Perot Museum of Nature and Science, chair of endowment committee
• Jesuit Dallas Museum, Jesuit College Prep Trustee, former Chair Jesuit
  Foundation
• Catholic Foundation Dallas Vice Chairman board and executive member

PAST AFFILIATIONS

• Former Chairman, Bond Dealers of America, board of directors
• National Federation of Municipal Analysts
• House Financial Services Committee expert testimony for public finance

CERTIFICATIONS/ FINRA SERIES LICENSES

• Holds Series 7, 9, 10, 24,50, 52, 53, 54, 63, and 79 licenses

Sr. VP, ECP & Retail, Hoya Vision Care

Dr. Meskelis is currently the Senior Vice President of Retail and Direct Sales for HOYA Vision Care, a Japanese based company and global leader in the optical industry. Dr. Meskelis joined HOYA in 2020, as the Vice President for Sales Enablement. Prior to joining HOYA, Dr. Meskelis was the Director of Sales Support at EssilorLuxottica, the Franco-Italian conglomerate. She graduated from the DBA program at University of Dallas in 2017 and continues to pursue her teaching and research interests in leadership, organizational behavior, employee engagement, and personality traits.

Dr. Meskelis has co-authored a book on employee engagement, two book chapters and has had several papers accepted at the annual meetings of the Western Academy of Management and the Academy of International Business. In 2023, Dr. Meskelis was selected as one of the Most Influential Women in the optical industry. Dr. Meskelis majored in Economics and holds an MBA from Fundacao Dom Cabral, a leading business school in Brazil. Prior to relocating to Dallas, Dr. Meskelis served as a business consultant in Brazil for 15 years and taught in executive education programs at Fundacao Dom Cabral. Dr. Meskelis currently lives in Dallas, Texas with her husband Wlad and their son Vinnie.

 

Chief People Officer, Logan Financial Group

CFO, Avocados from Mexico

Since its founding, Miguel has been with AFM, transitioning from the startup mode of outsourcing
accounting by bringing the best accounting practices, processes, and systems in-house. His supervision has increased productivity and helped the brand grow and reach new goals, such as taking avocados to six Super Bowls by aligning accounting and finance strategies with the industry's best practices.

Miguel focuses on three critical areas in the organization:

• Operational Excellence: He ensures every process follows industry best practices, is compliant, and optimizes the operation.
• User Experience: Cybersecurity is vital to Miguel as everything shifts toward digital. He has
  helped create a safe and efficient environment for company users by leveraging technological
  processes and platforms that increase productivity, provide flexibility, and consider the digital
  welfare of AFM's employees and partners.
• Data Intelligence: His area ensures data is reliable and generates insights to identify competitive advantages and opportunities for decision-making and reaching the company's goals.

Before AFM, Miguel was the Senior Director of Sales and distribution Accounting for Mission Foods at the national level for 18 years. Miguel received an executive MBA from Southern Methodist University (SMU) and a BA in Accounting from the Tecnólogico de Monterrey. He holds postgraduate certificates from Yale, Wharton, and Kellogg. He serves on the Financial Executives International Dallas executive board and the Southern Methodist University Meadows School of the Arts board.

Advanced Learning Manager, BAE Systems, Inc.

Andrew Muras is an advanced learning manager at BAE Systems, Inc. with responsibilities for leading and implementing complex learning and organizational development, lessons learned, knowledge management, and business/organizational improvement projects across the enterprise. In this role, he is Inc.’s primary leader for the Case Based Learning portfolio, as well as Knowledge Transfer.

With more than 25 years of business and leadership experience, Andrew was appointed to this position after serving ten years as Senior Manager in the
Support Solutions Sector. In this role he was the lead for the commercial and government business and management consulting practice.

Prior to joining BAE Systems in 2003 via an acquisition, Andrew was the Vice President, Engineering & Consulting for MEVATEC Corp in Huntsville, AL.

Andrew earned his bachelor’s degree in aerospace engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and a master’s degree in systems engineering from Virginia Tech. He has also has a master’s of theological studies from the University of Dallas. Andrew is a certified Project Management Professional (PMP). He has authored multiple books, including “Process Improvement and Performance Management Made Simple,” and has more than 30 published articles in industry journals. His most recent publication was the lead article in the Jan/Feb 2022 Cost Management Journal, “Lessons Applied at Work: Improving the Business Through Case Based Learning.”

In the community, Andrew is co-founder of the state-wide TX Neighborhood Coalition, serves on a zoning board for the city of Grapevine, TX and is a teacher in his local church. Andrew and his wife and daughter live in Grapevine, TX.

 

Effective Coach, Brooke O’Shea Leadership Coach, LLC

Brooke O’Shea is a Leadership Coach and OD Consultant, focusing on accelerating the performance of executives and their teams. Brooke works for individuals and organizations willing to make donations to her not for profit www.dysautonomiasupport.org

 Brooke's coaching practice focuses on 4 primary areas:

1. Coaching leaders in the development of behaviors that improve performance.
2. Consulting leaders in new roles to create the foundation for success.
3. Partnering with clients to identify fulfilling career paths that match their talents, skills and interests.
4. Advising executives leading significant transformational efforts on change management techniques to advance their initiatives. 

Brooke has 25 plus years of experience in coaching, organization development and related human resource leadership roles. She is a CPA, holds Bachelor and Master degrees in Accounting and holds a Masters Certificate in Organization Development from the University of Dallas Graduate School of Management. 

Prior to starting her coaching practice in 2007, Brooke reported directly to the CFO of Sabre Holdings, a Fortune 500 international travel and technology company, as the Finance organization consultant. At Sabre, Brooke provided leadership coaching to executives and senior employees. She was responsible for leadership and talent development, change management, and employee engagement consulting for the finance organization as well as team facilitation and team building. She assisted leaders in the creation of organizational mission and strategy development including the identification of initiatives and key performance indicators to ensure success. Brooke also led cost reduction initiatives. 

Brooke has a deep understanding of the behavior and skill sets of leaders, teams and organizations and a pragmatic results-oriented style. While providing guidance on real-time management challenges, she holds executives accountable to their broader leadership vision. Clients cite Brooke’s blend of OD skills and extensive business background as bringing an added dimension to her coaching.

Partner, Colvin Resources Group

 

Founder, Tractus

For 25 years, Todd has focused his career on developing leaders and teams through innovative programs, tools and technologies. His early career focused supporting and educating new supervisors to combat turnover and increase engagement. He has since built and led teams responsible for executing the learning and development strategy for over 10,000 employees.

Todd’s extensive experience as a talent development leader has allowed him to become an expert in leveraging learning technology to maximize business results. In 2017, Todd started his own consultancy, STROJO, where he provided guidance and implementation support for a diversity of learning technology platforms, content libraries and training programs. In 2020, Todd founded TRACTUS, a firm dedicated to bringing together the right learning strategy, content and technology to deliver customized training and development solutions for small and mid-sized businesses (SMBs).

Todd is a native of Kansas City and moved to Texas over 30 years ago. He received his Bachelor of Arts in Communications from Texas A&M University and his MBA with a focus in Organization Development from The University of Dallas. Todd lives in Lake Highlands with his wife, Corrie, volleyball daughters Kendall and Kyle, and mini-Dachshund, Buddy.

 

Board Member, MDB Capital 

Dan currently serves on the board of MDB Capital Holdings, a public venture investment company and is a former partner and recently retired from Ernst & Young LLP. Dan is well known for his thought leadership in Forensic Accounting and Corporate Compliance. Dan has Co-authored multiple books concerning business interruption, investigations, and disputes, and frequently speaks at conferences. His work has taken him to 5 continents and 48 states. Dan also leads Alex Havard’s Virtuous Leadership Institute which provides Virtuous Leadership workshops and emersion programs for business and other organizations.   

Dan is a board member of the American Tinnitus Association and has recently been named as the Audit Committee Chair for Fair Park First, the organization that oversees the redevelop of Fair Park in Dallas, Texas.   Dan is a Master’s Athlete and competes in USA Olympics Weightlifting events and previously served on the board of USA Weightlifting.  Dan is a member of the National Association of Corporate Directors (NACD) and the Private Directors Associations and is an active member in the local Dallas chapters. 

Dan is a Lector and member of Mary Immaculate Parrish in Farmers Branch, Texas and is a member of Legatus. Dan is married to his wife Patti for over 28 years, has four adult children and enjoys hiking and is a hobbyist historian.