Speakers and Lecturers

WCE brings in numerous outside speakers for class times as well as important events to give the students varied perspectives of entrepreneurship and the inner workings of running a company. The goal of exposing students to those who have “been there, done that” is to inspire and challenge students as they think about their own future business ventures. The insights from these speakers’ personal experiences combined with the relationships developed are invaluable. We are sincerely grateful to those who are helping WCE shape Houston’s future entrepreneurs.

Class Speakers

Donna Cole	Cole Chemical
Robert De Los Santos	Sky High Party Rentals LLC
James Evans	UH Small Business Development Center
Blaier Garrou	DFJ Mercury
Steve Hansen	Crestmark
Vibhore Jain	Research Periodicals & book sources
David Joekel	Prison Entrepreneurship Program
Tim Kern	Wawadoo & Get Promoted
Tom King	Forward Marketing
Pankaj Malani	Elite Components
Al Massey	Prison Entrepreneurship Program
JK McAndrews	Strategic Financial Group
Monte Pendleton	Silver Fox Advisors
Charlie Rawl	Zenith Wealth Management
Russ Robinson	Global Steel Dust
Miguel Ruiz	US Small Business Administration
Chris Smink	At the Top Marketing
Clare Sullivan	Sullivan Group
Jacqueline Taylor	UH Small Business Development Center
Amy Vandeveer	UH Bauer College, Marketing Department Lecturer

Event Speakers

Bill  Addington	Enverva Technologies
J. Downey Bridgwater	Sterling Bancshares Inc. & Sterling Bank
Geary Broadnax	Insync Internet Services Inc.
Rod  Canion	Compaq
Russ Capper	eRealty.com
Johnny Carraba	Carraba's Italian Grill
Michael M.  Cyrus	Cyrospace, Inc.
Rick  David	CCG Venture Partners, LLC
David  Ferdman	CyrusOne
Tilman  Fertitta	Landry's Seafood Restaurant
Matthew Flemming	Faro Pharmaceuticals
Roy W.  Haley	WESCO International Inc.
Bernard A. Harris, Jr.	Vesalius Ventures, Inc.
Michael  Holthouse	Sprint-Paranet
Walter Kase	Holocaust Survivor and Successful Entrepreneur
Glenn T. Lilie	CPI Group, Inc.
Michael C.  Linn	LINN Energy, LLC
John  McCormack	Visible Changes
Jim "Mattress Mac" Mclngvale	Gallery Furniture
Bill  Nicholson
Phil Romano	CEO, Eatzi's
David  Saperstein	Metro Networks
John Sheptor	Imperial Sugar Co.
John  Vondrak, DDS	Apple Orthodontix
Brock Wagner	Saint Arnold's Brewery
Melvyn Wolff	Star Furniture