Founded and led by operators and investors
Jarett Rodriguez
Serial entrepreneur and institution-builder with 25+ years founding and scaling companies across multiple states and in multiple industries — including two that earned multiple appearances on the LSU100. After an exit, he built LSU's Stephenson Entrepreneurship Institute into a self-sustaining entity, served as a mentor for the Entrepreneurship Bootcamp for Veterans with Disabilities, launched the Entrepreneurship Fellows Program, and worked closely with the Chancellor to identify new revenue opportunities. He's helped scale fast-growth companies nationally and globally, including impact-driven work in Australia. His advocacy for entrepreneurship on Capitol Hill earned personal recognition as "a catalyst for change" from President Obama.
Philip Sanger, M.D.
Physician-entrepreneur with 30+ years at the intersection of medicine, managed care, and technology. Former Chief of Pulmonary Medicine at Texas Tech, he founded Intercede Health in 1997—growing it from a three-person startup to a medical management company serving 1M+ patients—and co-founded HealthSpring, which IPO'd in 2006 and was acquired by Cigna for $3.8 billion in 2011. Founder of the Sanger Learning Center at UT Austin; current boards include Televero Health, Precedent Health, and Employer Direct.
Rudy Garza
Founder and Managing Director of G51 Capital Management, one of Texas's most active early-stage venture investors since 1996. Syndicated $300M+ alongside Bain Capital, Polaris, and Foundry Group, with portfolio companies acquired by Cisco, ADP, SAP, and Prudential. Founder of the G51 Amplify Venture Scholars Program across 13 graduate schools with 200+ alumni; former Chairman of the UT Alumni Association (100,000 members) and lifetime honorary trustee of Dell Children's Medical Center.
Scott Holstead
Managing Director and Wealth Partner at J.P. Morgan Wealth Management with 25+ years advising ultra-high-net-worth individuals, multi-generational Texas families, and C-suite executives on single-stock monetization and generational wealth transfer. Co-founder of SGH Group; founding member of J.P. Morgan's Houston office. Began his career at the U.S. Treasury Office of Tax Policy and the George H.W. Bush White House. Named FT 400 Top Financial Adviser; ranked among Barron's America's Top 1,000 Advisors.
Kerry Hall
Retired banking executive with 35+ years of Texas financial leadership, including 17 years as Austin Market President of Texas Capital Bank—the institution's second Austin employee. Named 2025 Austinite of the Year; served as Interim CEO of the Greater Austin Chamber of Commerce in 2023. Former chair of Opportunity Austin and the Austin American Heart Association; appointed to Texas One by Governor Rick Perry. Current board member, Susser Bank and Texas Business Hall of Fame.
Brent Iverson, Ph.D.
Distinguished Teaching Professor of Chemistry and Biology at UT Austin, where he served nine years as Dean of Undergraduate Studies. Researcher in molecular systems, vaccine and therapeutic design, and materials science; co-author of the leading Organic Chemistry textbook (9th edition, Cengage). Board member of the Research Corporation for Science Advancement and Kesem, which supports children of cancer patients across 130 campus chapters nationwide.
Jeff Nash
Austin native with a 30+ year career spanning commercial banking, venture capital, and executive leadership. Rose from Texas Commerce Bank to EVP and President at First Interstate Bank–North Austin, then served as COO of a venture-backed firm, led a marketing company to a Fortune 1000 acquisition, and executed a turnaround resulting in a Fortune 500 division sale. Former Vice Chair of the Greater Austin Chamber, United Way co-chair, and 18-year board member of the Star of Texas Rodeo (President, 1994). BBA and MBA, UT Austin.
John T. Rippel
Founding Partner and former Chief Investment Officer of Alliance Residential Company, one of the nation's largest multifamily developers, with a career spanning 40+ years and 100,000+ units. Previously served as President and COO of Gables Residential following its 1994 IPO; earlier led south Texas operations for Trammell Crow Residential. Began his career as a CPA at Kenneth Leventhal & Company (now Ernst & Young). BBA, UT Austin.
Joe Milam
CEO of AngelSpan and a 30+ year veteran of investment management and early-stage finance. Founded Legacy Capital Management in 1993, growing AUM from $35M to $200M while serving high-net-worth clients alongside firms like Sequoia Capital and Silicon Valley Bank at 3000 Sand Hill Road. Subsequently founded Angel Legacy LLC, one of the earliest angel-entrepreneur matching platforms. Recognized as a leading authority on angel investor psychology, portfolio management, and alternative market structure.
Raleigh Dewan
Entrepreneur and investor who has founded and exited three companies across CPG, SaaS, and MedTech. Manages the venture portfolio at Greenwood & Cavalier and advises family offices on private-market strategy. Creator of SteadiSpoon, a patented assistive device featured on Fox News, NBC, and The Dallas Morning News. National Academy of Engineering Grand Challenges Scholar, Coca-Cola Scholar, and Texas Business Hall of Fame Future Business Legend.
