EBV - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Executive Director of Texas a & M University 's McFerrin Center for Entrepreneurship
Blake Petty currently serves as Executive Director of Texas A&M University's McFerrin Center for Entrepreneurship. In this role he leads the university's efforts to create a supportive environment and culture for innovation and entrepreneurship across all classifications and all disciplines of study. Blake is responsible for leading 35+ annual programs and experiential activities for more than 5,000 student and non-student innovators and entrepreneurs from across the Texas A&M campus, as well as across the U.S. & internationally.
Blake also has an extensive background in facilitating activities and discussions that stimulate and instigate both organizational and individual innovations, with 21 years of work experience focused on new venture strategies, launch, incubation and growth; technology development and commercialization; new business modeling and planning; customer discovery and customer development; and early-stage business financing and angel investment.
He received his bachelor's from Texas A&M in 1998 and his master's in 2000. After graduation, he worked in administrative positions across the university and Texas A&M System, including a 10-year stint in the Office of Technology Commercialization.
Most recently, Blake served as Assistant Vice President of Research and coordinated all Innovation, Industry Relations and Business Development initiatives at Texas A&M. He also facilitated commercialization and entrepreneurship opportunities for the campus and its faculty researchers. In addition, he served as a founding partner in the launch of the Aggie Angel Network and Texas A&M's Startup Aggieland business incubator.
Job Titles:
- AXYS Industrial Solutions, Inc
Job Titles:
- Member of the NMR Capital Management Team
Job Titles:
- Member of the NMR Capital Management Team
Shanna Spencer joined the McFerrin Center for Entrepreneurship in 2013 and now serves as the Director. Shanna's responsibilities include planning and implementation of all the Center's current student, Former student and veteran programs, as well as the strategic development of new programs to meet the needs of the Aggie Entrepreneurial Ecosystem. Additionally, she oversees all events hosted by the Center, serves as the Program Director of Aggie 100™ and guides the Center's marketing and communications efforts. She has also served as a Teaching Assistant with the National Science Foundation's I-CorpsTM Program since 2016. Shanna holds a B.S. and M.S. in Kinesiology with a specialization in Sport Management - both from Texas A&M University. She has previously held roles in marketing & events for Conference USA in Irving, as well as promotions & sponsorships with Texas A&M Sports Properties.
Job Titles:
- Program Manager at the McFerrin Center for Entrepreneurship
Tyler Jo Reason currently serves as a Program Manager at the McFerrin Center for Entrepreneurship. While she studied to gain her bachelor's degree from Texas A&M she also worked as a program logistics student worker with the Center. After graduating in 2015, she spent 5 years gaining experience through various roles in the Houston events industry. With her return to the McFerrin Center she brings great attention to detail, new ideas for our programs, and a positive attitude to help drive the motivation of our team!