DFW Chapter Overview

Vision / Purpose
Texchange is an interactive and inspiring platform for conversation-based pertinent information for the DFW entrepreneurial community. We are about relevant content, real connections, and rich conversation.

Chapter Governance
Officers 2002 - 2003

President
J. William Tincup, Redfire Consulting

President-Elect
Holly Vershum, Winstead, Sechrest & Minick

VP Programming
David Washburn, Arter & Hadden

VP Communications
Brian A. Burroughs, The Jet Powered Group, Inc.

VP Logistics
Tagg Baker, RR Donnelley Financial

Treasurer
Charles May, C5 Partners

Board of Directors -DFW Chapter
(Click on names to see Bios. Company links open to new pages)

Andy Adams, Parago
Terri Adkisson, MindJazz
Kevin Ainsworth, Guidant Capital
Tagg Baker, RR Donnelley Financial
Laurence Briggs, InvestIN Securities Corp
Phillip Budd, Comply Solutions
Brian A. Burroughs, The Jet Powered Group, Inc.
Pam Gerber, Entrepreneurs Foundation of North Texas
Charles May, C5 Partners
Irving Napert, Futura Enterprises, Inc.
Ralph Stow, The Whitehouse Companies
Robert Sureck, Silicon Valley Bank
J. William Tincup, Redfire Consulting
Holly Vershum, Winstead, Sechrest & Minick
J. David Washburn, Arter & Hadden
Paul Wehrmann, Haynes and Boone, LLP


DFW Committees
Programming Committee
Please contact David Washburn, Arter Hadden, at [email protected] regarding programming comments, questions, and/or concerns.

Memberhsip Committee
Please contact Holly Vershum, Winstead, at [email protected] regarding membership comments, questions, and/or concerns.

Logistics Committee
Please contact Tagg Baker, RR Donnelly, at [email protected] regarding venue comments, questions, and/or concerns.

Nominating Committee
lease contact Holly Vershum, Winstead, at [email protected] regarding participation at the BOD and BOA level.

Sponsership Information
Please contact Holly Vershum, Winstead, at [email protected] regarding sponsorship opportunites.

Please contact Brian A. Burroughs, The Jet Powered Group, Inc. at [email protected] regarding communications comments, questions, and/or concerns

Chapter History
The DFW Chapter is the newest extension of the organization. On March 19th, 2002 Texchange had its Kickoff and Informational Cocktail party for the DFW Chapter. During 2002 we had a total of four meetings.

Chapter Membership
Texchange Chapters exist in Dallas/Ft. Worth, Austin, and Houston. Annual membership dues are $100.

STATEWIDE ORGANIZATION

What is Texchange?
Texchange is a thought-provoking dinner roundtable established to assist entrepreneurs from public and private companies in building their businesses, expanding their networks, and identifying resources that drive business. Texchange, a non-profit organization, is focused on creating the leading community in the DFW Metroplex for information exchange between entrepreneurs, who have moved past the start-up stage, and the service provider, educator and financial community. Each round table dinner evening kicks-off with a speaker introducing a vital topic and challenging the audience with discussion points for the evening. During each dinner, a table leader facilitates the conversation with eight entrepreneurs and the supporting organizations. The forum is concluded with an interactive group discussion over dessert. Texchange is organized as a thought leadership event, and any selling or recruiting is strictly prohibited. Membership is limited to 60% entrepreneurs and 40% investors, lenders, service providers, media, and educators.

Organization Background:
The initial Texchange chapter was launched with great success in Houston in June 2000. The Austin chapter launched with great success in early 2001. We are establishing the DFW chapter at this time. We will soon achieve our goal of operating exciting chapters filled with top quality members in each of Texas' three major cities. Members have rights at each chapter, so that they may visit the Houston, Austin, and DFW events of interest to them, thus broadening their statewide technology networks. Texchange events are distinctly different from other events, such as lecture series or mixers. That is the key to the success of this format. Each dinner's topic is announced well in advance, and a suggested reading list is posted. The evening starts with cocktails, followed by brief, introductory comments by an expert. This leaves the balance of the dinner time for people who are seated together to discuss the evening's topic, exchange views and truly get to know each other. Members and guests enjoy a dinner and in-depth discussion at round tables of seven people each. Before and after dinner, members are free to mingle over drinks. Texchange is highly successful at building community and enabling members to build lasting business and personal relationships. Solicitation and recruiting are not allowed at dinners. Discussion topics are decided by the local Board of Directors well in advance of each meeting. Knowledgeable commentators and table leaders are invited to each dinner. The topics are generally middle-market and emerging business focused.

Dinner Format:
Meetings begin at 6:00 p.m. with refreshments and informal conversation. Dinner begins at 7:15 p.m. A comfortable environment is utilized to enable attendees to become well acquainted with others at their tables. After introductions, each table discusses a pre-set technology or entrepreneurial topic among themselves. Attendees are encouraged to share their own viewpoints and, especially, to share knowledge gained through their own unique experiences. Later in the evening, there is an "open table" format, where attendees may mingle and meet those seated at other tables. Dinner is provided as part of the registration fee in the program.

This unique discussion format gives members and their guests an opportunity to get to know the viewpoints of others at their dinner tables, and to provide an opportunity for meaningful interaction that can lead to lasting friendships and business relationships. Attendees at dinner meetings are asked to be familiar with a short reading list of related magazine articles or the topics within them in order to prepare for the discussion phase of each monthly meeting. Topics and reading material are posted on the website under Upcoming Events.

Members have the privilege of attending Texchange meetings at the organization's chapters in various cities, and are encouraged to use Texchange as an opportunity to meet members and develop deep relationships throughout its various chapters.