The Dala Dish: Client News Roundup
If the last year has shown us anything, it’s how resilient companies, both big and small, have been as they navigate doing business in an ever-changing environment. We’re highlighting client successes from the past few months, from philanthropic initiatives to celebrating diversity and inclusion within the workplace and looking at how our clients have made a difference this year.
Let’s dig into this edition of The Dala Dish!
· A purpose-driven leader. Sanjiv Yajnik, president of Plano-based Capital One Financial Services, steered his 5,000 DFW-based associates through the unknown of the global pandemic. His steady leadership has been recognized by D CEO, Dallas Innovates, and the Dallas Business Journal this year.
· Paying it forward. Arun Agarwal, CEO of Dallas-based textile business Nextt, formed the Jaipur Initiative with Mayor Eric Johnson to send aid to Jaipur, India, when the country experienced a spike in COVID-19 cases. The initiative, featured in D CEO and People Newspapers, has raised more than $1 million of PPE, including a $500,000 donation from Nextt Shield, a company Agarwal created during the pandemic to make medical-grade PPE.
· The future of luxury multifamily. One industry that’s definitely changed in light of the pandemic? Real estate! StreetLights Residential co-founder and CEO Doug Chesnut took a look back at the company’s 10-year anniversary, how real estate has been affected by COVID, and how they’re moving forward in his interview with Dallas Business Journal and KRLD CEO Spotlight.
· Fighting for racial equity. The Collin County Business Alliance discussed its inaugural equity summit in an important conversation with NBC’s Vince Sims on Conversations: Call for Change.
· Celebrating Pride Month. AECOM’s Wendy Lopez was featured in the same NBC feature, this time talking about being “out and proud” in a male-dominated industry. She said AECOM embraces diversity, equity, and inclusion just as much as she does.
· Fierce females you should know. When workplace design is the core of your business, what do you do when offices suddenly shutter? PDR’s CEO, Lauri Goodman Lampson, shared her thoughts with BizWomen on what it took to transition her team and how her role as wife and mother has helped her become a better business leader.
· Financial rainmaker. The build-to-rent trend is booming, shaking up the single-family home industry. Trez Capital is one of the leading firms in the U.S. financing this product type. Learn more about the lending environment behind the “horizontal multifamily” trend and what’s next in this industry Q&A with GlobeSt.
· Naming a successor. Brant Brown, Westmount’s CFO-turned-president, talked about the growth of Westmount and just how much the company’s founder and now chairman, Cliff Booth, has been a mentor to him in an exclusive interview with Dallas Business Journal’s Ryan Salchert.
· Breaking barriers. McCarthy Building Companies is leading the way when it comes to encouraging women to enter the construction industry. Houston-based project manager Cecia Saenz told Houston Business Journal what it takes to join the workforce and why seeing her work make an impact on the city is one of the most rewarding parts of the job.
· Full STEAM ahead. Lisa Wong, the director of technology at Trinity Christian Academy, is leading by example, helping educate the next generation of STEAM leaders while teaching them how to use their skill set to improve life for others as they build technology for students with special needs. Learn more about Lisa’s inspiring teaching style in her interview with NBC 5’s Laura Harris. Lisa’s motto: “Don’t do STEM for STEM, do it because it will help others.”
These are just some of the amazing headlines our clients have earned this year, and we’re ready to see what the rest of this year holds!