TEXAS TECH - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- CEO
- Member of the Strategic Planning Committee
- CEO of a Dallas - Based Company, Nextt
- CEO, Nextt
Arun Agarwal is the CEO of a Dallas-based company, Nextt. The company made half a billion dollars in 2018 and sells home textiles like sheets, towels, and pillows - in the supply-chain business. His products are in stores like Walmart, Neiman Marcus, JCPenny, Tuesday Morning, Dillard's, Kohl's, Bloomingdale's, and Costco.
Agarwal has 20+ years of experience leading companies to profitability in the textile and retail industries. Agarwal is a recognized Leader, Entrepreneur, & Patent Holder focused on designing, developing, and delivering high-quality products while maximizing cost effectiveness and establishing long-term strategic partnerships with international brands. He is involved in global Cotton trading and passionate about promoting sustainable cotton and taking initiatives with farm community.
Job Titles:
- Ex - Officio Member
- Member of the Strategic Planning Committee
- Vice Chancellor for Facilities Planning & Construction
- Vice Chancellor for Facilities Planning & Construction, TTUS
- Vice Chancellor for Facilities Planning and Construction for the Texas Tech University System
Billy Breedlove is the Vice Chancellor for Facilities Planning and Construction for the Texas Tech University System. Breedlove, who served as the interim vice chancellor for FP&C for five months, first joined the TTU System in 2010 serving as the associate vice chancellor of operations, risk management and quality assurance.
In his current role, Breedlove manages a team of more than 20 professionals and oversees all capital improvement projects greater than $4 million at the TTU System and its four institutions: Texas Tech University, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Angelo State University and Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center El Paso.
A Lubbock native and graduate of Texas Tech University, Breedlove brings more than 35 years of experience to his position following more than 12 years in the fire protection industry and more than 13 years managing agricultural processing facilities.
He earned a bachelor's degree from Texas Tech University in construction engineering technology in 1986. Billy and his wife, Amy, have two children - Ben, a Texas Tech graduate, who now resides in Inks Lake with his wife, Brooke, and their daughter Blaire; and Will, a Texas Tech graduate, who resides in Dallas.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Directors
- Member of the Nominating Committee
- Partner
- ATTORNEY, MAYFIELD, HEINRICH, RAHLFS, WEABER, & PARSONS, LLP
- Attorney, Templeton, Smithee, Hayes, Heinrich & Russell, LLP
Brian Heinrich is a Partner in the Amarillo/Lubbock law firm of Mayfield, Heinrich, Rahlfs, Weaber & Parsons, LLP. He is a graduate of Texas Tech University and the Texas Tech University School of Law and is a member of the State Bar of Texas, the State Bar of New Mexico, the American Board of Trial Advocates, and the American Association for Justice. He is past President of the Amarillo Area Bar Association and the Panhandle Trial Lawyers Association. Heinrich was chosen as a Fellow for the Texas Bar Foundation, which selects only 0.33% of Texas attorneys each year and has been recognized by Texas Monthly as a Super Lawyer 15 different times.
Heinrich has served on the boards of various civic and charitable organizations, including the Amarillo Economic Development Corporation, the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center Advisory Board, and the St. Mary's School Board. As a life-long West Texan and successful business owner with a background in economic development, Heinrich is excited about the opportunities the TTRP will provide to Texas Tech University and the entire West Texas region.
Job Titles:
- Chairman & CEO of South Plains Financial, Inc
- Chairman and CEO / South Plains Financial Inc.
- Chairman of Finance & Audit Committee
Curtis Griffith is the Chairman & CEO of South Plains Financial, Inc. and has been with the Company since its inception and has worked with the Bank and its predecessor institutions for over 47 years. In 1972, Griffith was elected to the board of directors of First State Bank of Morton, Texas, a predecessor institution to the Bank, and continues to serve on the board of directors of the Bank. In addition, he is a member of the State Bar of Texas, National Cotton Council, Plains Cotton Growers, Texas Cotton Ginners Association and the Texas Independent Ginners Association. He has served on the board of directors of IBAT and continues to serve on the Legislative and PAC committees for IBAT. He has served on the boards of several civic and charitable organizations, including Lubbock Economic Development Alliance, Texas Tech University Foundation, Lubbock Symphony Orchestra, Texas Tech Cotton Economics Advisory Committee, and the Bayer Museum of Agriculture. He currently serves on the Board of Managers of University Medical Center in Lubbock. Griffith earned degrees in agricultural economics and law from Texas Tech University in 1973 and 1977, respectively. Griffith's extensive banking experience, reputable position in the community and invaluable leadership qualifies him to serve on our board of directors.
Dan Pope - Chairman, Founder
Job Titles:
- Chairman of the Strategic Planning Committee
- Co - Founder
- Executive Chairman
- Executive Chairman and Co - Founder of Victory Financial Corporation
- Mayor of Lubbock
Dan Pope currently serves as the Executive Chairman and Co-Founder of Victory Financial Corporation.
He served three terms as Mayor of Lubbock, finishing his service in May of 2022.
Dan spent the first decade of his professional career in sales and sales management with Xerox Corporation. Dan founded Benchmark Business Solutions in 1994, and with his team, grew the business into the most successful Xerox Agent-Dealer in the country - - creating over 70 jobs in Lubbock. After selling Benchmark, Dan served as Chief Development Officer of Covenant Health System.
Dan received his B.B.A in Finance from the Rawls College of Business at Texas Tech University in 1985. Dan has been married to his wife (and much better half) Denise for more than 30 years. They have two adult children. Dan is an eighth-generation Texan and an Eagle Scout.
Job Titles:
- Chairman of the Strategic Planning Committee
Job Titles:
- Member of Finance & Audit Committee
- Member of the Strategic Planning Committee
- Nurse
- CCO, Wambi
Dr. Bonnie Clipper is a top nurse influencer, accomplished health care executive, influential thought leader, start-up coach, and international speaker and is the chief clinical officer at Wambi. She was the first Vice President of Innovation at the American Nurses Association, where she created the innovation framework which is the road map to bring over 4M nurses into the innovation space.
She is the lead author of the Amazon International Best-Selling book (in 6 countries) The Nurse's Guide to Innovation. Her work on the publication The Innovation Roadmap: A Nurse Leader's Guide was translated into Spanish and has been used in multiple countries. She publishes and blogs regularly on technologies impacting nursing such as; artificial intelligence, virtual reality, and robotics. She is also a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Executive Nurse Fellow alumna and ASU/AONL Executive Fellow in Innovative Health Leadership alumna. She is an active board member at SONSIEL (Society for Nurse Scientists, Innovators, Entrepreneurs & Leaders). Dr. Clipper advises several health-tech companies where she imports the voice of the nurse into the design, development, and workflows to ensure that the solutions meet the "true" needs.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Strategic Planning Committee
- Engages With High - Growth Companies and Invests in Market - Driven Technologies to Drive Economic Development across West Texas
Job Titles:
- Member of the Strategic Planning Committee
Job Titles:
- President and CEO, Texas Trucking Association
- President and Chief Executive Officer of the Texas Trucking Association
John D. Esparza is the President and Chief Executive Officer of the Texas Trucking Association (TXTA). He is a graduate of Texas Tech University and a member of the Board of Regents for the Texas Tech University System, and a fourth generation West Texan. TXTA is an Austin based trade association that was established in 1932 to represent the motor transportation industry. Additionally, he serves as the Executive Director of the Southwest Movers Association (SMA). Esparza served as senior advisor to Texas Governor Rick Perry, focusing on policy, legislative and political issues. He has also served as special assistant to the Governor. Esparza was a personal assistant and aide-de-camp in the Texas Senate to then Lt. Governor Perry. He also served as an assistant to the communications director for State Senator Teel Bivins (R-Amarillo) before joining Perry's administration.
During the late 90's, Esparza worked extensively on Hispanic outreach under political strategist and advisor Karl Rove as then Governor George W. Bush's Political Coalition Director. During this time Esparza was also a member of Governor Bush's Advance Team.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Strategic Planning Committee
- Medical Director of the Timothy J. Harnar Burn Center
- Medical Director of Timothy J. Harnar Burn Center
- Medical Director of Timothy J. Harnar Burn Center, TTUHSC
John Griswold is the Medical Director of the Timothy J. Harnar Burn Center. Born and raised in Casper, Wyoming, Dr. Griswold attended the University of Notre Dame in South Bend, Indiana where he obtained a Bachelor of Science. He then attended Creighton University in Omaha, Nebraska where he obtained his M.D. degree, and then on to Texas Tech for general surgery residency. He was the Chair of the Department of Surgery 1997-2016 and Medical Director of the Level 1 Trauma Center (first to be verified in Texas by the state) 2000-2014. Dr. Griswold's nomination as Chair Emeritus was approved by the Texas Tech University System Board of Regents at the February 2016 meeting. He also holds the position of Vice Chair of Quality Assurance and Performance Improvement as well as Vice Chair of Education in the Department of Surgery. Besides being active in the care of injured and burn patients as well as critically ill surgical patients Dr. Griswold has an interest in patients with complex GI problems, malnutrition, and wounds.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Strategic Planning Committee
- Vice President for Research & Innovation at Texas Tech University
- Vice President for Research & Innovation, TTU
Dr. Heppert is currently Vice President for Research & Innovation at Texas Tech University. Previously, he served as Associate Vice Chancellor for Research at the University of Kansas (KU). He chaired the KU Chemistry Department from 2005-2009 and was the founding director of the University's Center for Science Education from 2001-2009. He is a Fellow of the American Chemical Society and currently serves as chair of the American Chemical Society's Committee on Budget and Finance. Dr. Heppert's initial research focused on organic transition metal chemistry. This research resulted in the isolation and characterization of the first class of air-stable terminal transition metal carbide compounds. Dr. Heppert has also been active in projects to improve science teaching and science teacher preparation. He is past chair of the American Chemical Society's Committee on Education. In this role, he testified before the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Science and the National Science Board on science education policy issues.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Nominating Committee
- Senior Vice President for Research and Innovation at TTUHSC
Lance R. McMahon, Ph.D., serves as the Senior Vice President for Research and Innovation at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center. In his position, Dr. McMahon will serve as chair of the Research Council. Additionally, he has a faculty appointment in the Jerry H. Hodge School of Pharmacy. Dr. McMahon will help set visionary and strategic priorities in research across the TTUHSC enterprise. Through his leadership, he will promote TTUHSC Values, mentor faculty, grow and advance research priorities, and lead TTUHSC toward the vision to transform health care through innovation and collaboration.
Dr. McMahon brings experiences from his former position as professor and chair of the Department of Pharmacodynamics at the University of Florida College of Pharmacy and a consistent record of successful research funding during his career. As demonstrated in his previous work, he has a firm commitment to building strategic research partnerships and will achieve excellence at TTUHSC through fostering collegial spirit, a shared vision, and strategic investment of university funds, equipment, and space.
Dr. McMahon's experience extends to the classroom, where he has taught pharmacology, neuroscience, and pharmaceutical sciences curricula to Ph.D., medical, pharmacy, dental, physician assistant, and physical therapy students. His faculty service includes key roles on several college and university committees, and national service includes regular memberships on several NIH study sections and leadership positions within top scientific organizations.
Before joining the University of Florida, Dr. McMahon was a tenured associate professor of pharmacology at the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio. He obtained a Ph.D. in behavioral neuroscience from Texas A&M University and was a postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston.
Dr. McMahon is a native Texan with deep roots in San Antonio, where he met his wife of 25 years, Brenda McMahon, M.D. She is an assistant professor in the University of Florida Department of Community Health and Family Medicine. They have three children: Leah, a clinical psychology Ph.D. student at the University of Texas at Austin; Jacob, a computer engineering undergraduate at Florida State University; and Julia, a high school senior.
Laura Street, immediate past executive director of the Laura W. Bush Institute for Women's Health at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, has extensive experience in developing programs including finance, public relations, and marketing. In the healthcare field, Mrs. Street has been involved as a nurse practitioner, public speaker, teacher, researcher, and administrator. Mrs. Street also held a position as faculty instructor at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center Amarillo Department of OB/GYN responsible for developing a clinic and six services.
As founding executive director of the Globe-News Center for the Performing Arts, Mrs. Street developed the nonprofit organization, led a campaign to raise over $33 million, and supervised the construction of a state-of-the-art center for the performing arts. Her experience in this position included marketing, development, nonprofit management, visionary leadership, and consensus building. She has provided organizational assessment and strategic planning for over 30 organizations. She is a board member and past chair of the Amarillo Economic Development Corporation.
Mayor Pope has been an active member of the Lubbock community for more than 25 years. He has spent much of his time serving in leadership positions throughout the community, including the Lubbock Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, United Way Board and Campaigns, First United Methodist Church, and the Covenant Health System Board of Trustees. Dan was a member of the Lubbock Independent School District Board of Trustees for nine years and served as president of the Board.
Job Titles:
- Member of Finance & Audit Committee
Job Titles:
- CEO
- Chairman
- Chairman of the Nominating Committee
- Founder
- Member of the Strategic Planning Committee
- Founder, Chairman and CEO, POC Medical Systems
- Founder, Chief Executive Officer & Chairman at POC Medical Systems
Mr. Sanjeev Saxena serves as Founder, Chief Executive Officer & Chairman at POC Medical Systems. He is an experienced International Executive with over 25 years of experience in Sales and Marketing and operations in the Biomedical industry. He is the founder of POC Medical Systems a Medical Device company in Livermore. He has cofounded several Biotech and Medical device companies. He was a key team member in taking Sepragen public. He was also part of the founding team for both Scanis a Medical device company (focused on Breast Cancer detection using CAD) and Actis Biologics (A leading Indian Biotech Company focused on developing various cancer diagnostics and therapeutics). He managed the Indian operations and raised over $15M for the company. He was also the recipient of the prestigious Udhog Lagu award and the European Science award and was nominated by Ernst and Young for the Entrepreneur of the year award in 2011 in India.
Job Titles:
- CFO
- Member of Finance & Audit Committee
- CFO, TTU
As the Chief Financial Officer and Senior Vice President of Administration and Finance, Noel Sloan partners with university leaders to support growth and strategic initiatives while ensuring accountability for financial operations is maintained and risk is minimized.
In addition to managing the university's $993.8 million operating budget, Sloan oversees the Finance division, the Business Services division, the Auxiliary Services division, the Operations division, and the Safety and Security division. Sloan is also a member of the President's Cabinet.
Sloan came to Texas Tech University in 2006. Prior to being selected as the Chief Financial Officer in January 2014, Sloan served in the role of Managing Director for Financial Services & Tax. She has also served as an Adjunct Faculty member in the Rawls College of Business.
Job Titles:
- CFO
- Member of Finance & Audit Committee
- Vice President and Chief Financial Officer for TTUHSC
Penny Harkey was appointed vice president and chief financial officer for TTUHSC. Harkey has been at the TTUHSC for 30 years, starting in 1987 as an accountant. She progressed through various positions to her position as assistant vice president for budget, a role she has held since 1998.
Harkey has taken on several leadership assignments, one of the most complex being the TTUHSC and El Paso separation. She was responsible for coordinating the technical conversion of El Paso data within the Banner system.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Strategic Planning Committee
- Associate Vice President for Research & Innovation, TTUHSC
- Associate Vice President for Research Innovation
- Endowed Professor
Phil Sizer is an Endowed Professor in Pain Science, TTUHSC President's University Distinguished Professor, and the Associate Dean for Research for the School of Health Professions. and Senior Faculty in the ScD (PT), PhD (Rehabilitation Sciences) and Medical Pain Fellowship Programs at TTUHSC. He currently serves as the Associate Vice President for Innovation at the TTUHSC. Phil earned a BS in Physical Therapy from UTMB-Galveston (1985), as well as his MEd in Exercise Science (1993) and PhD with a Motor Control emphasis (2002) at TTU. Phil earned a post-professional Fellow in Orthopaedic Manual Physical Therapy (2002).
He is a reseacher/scholar/lecturer/innovator. He research-collaborates with 6 different national or international Universities. He is also a co-inventor of the patent-pending Tis-KinTM technology and a co-founding partner and CEO of TKQuant, LLC that offices at the TTU Innovation Hub at Research Park in Lubbock, TX, USA.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Strategic Planning Committee
Vince Pierce - CEO, Managing Director
Job Titles:
- CEO
- Managing Director
- Member of Finance & Audit Committee
- Member of the Strategic Planning Committee
- CEO and Managing Director of Level 1
Vince Pierce is the CEO and Managing Director of Level 1. He is a senior executive with 30 years of progressive leadership, innovation and business transformation experience. Vince has successfully led strategy and transformation for three companies on two continents over the last 10 years as a member of the executive team applying Business Excellence - Lean, Design, Agile, Innovation and Behavioral Science - to drive digital transformation, customer experience and performance excellence across the end-to-end business value chain. He has helped teams to set consistently set performance benchmarks in multiple industries and business functions, delivering over $2 billion of value through revenue, margin and earnings growth.
Vince is currently CEO and Managing Director of Level 1, a business transformation challenger consulting firm helping visionary executives and their teams apply the principles and practices of innovation and performance excellence to realize compelling future visions, deliver transformational outcomes and achieve extraordinary business results.