Texas Business Hall of Fame Recognizes Bauer MBA Students

Students Among Texas Rising Entrepreneurs

Published on June 20, 2022

Two MBA students from the C. T. Bauer College of Business at the University of Houston are among the state’s rising entrepreneurs, according to the Texas Business Hall of Fame.

The organization, which honors the accomplishments of outstanding Texas business leaders, recognized Professional MBA students Edward Carrizales and Nayab Contractor recently at their annual awards ceremony.

Carrizales earned the T.T. & W.F. Chao Chairman’s Award, given each year to one exceptional candidate for outstanding innovative and entrepreneurial excellence. Contractor received the T.T. & W.F. Chao Award, an annual honor awarded to a top UH student. The awards are part of the Texas Business Hall of Fame’s initiative to provide funds to financially assist future business leaders and encourage entrepreneurial spirit across the state.

“We are extremely proud of Nayab and Edward for their achievements, and they exemplify the impressive students we have in the Bauer MBA program,” Dean and Cullen Distinguished Chair Paul A. Pavlou said. “At the Bauer College, we cherish entrepreneurship and believe it is a foundational element of a business education. This recognition for our students by the Texas Business Hall of Fame demonstrates the impact of this commitment to entrepreneurial ideals.”


Photo: Edward Carrizales

Edward Carrizales

MBA Candidate

Edward Carrizales has experience in banking, technology infrastructure, data analytics, business development and non-profit organizations.

He is a past Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo Scholar and Jesse H. Jones Scholar. In 2012, he was selected as the Association of Latinos Professional for America Latino of the Year. Carrizales is also the youngest recipient of the University of Houston Alumni Association Billie Schneider Outstanding Volunteer Award. He was also recently appointed by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott to serve as the student regent on the UH System Board of Regents.

As a first-generation graduate, Carrizales has a passion for community service. From this experience, he aims to make a difference in his community and create opportunities for students who come from the same background.

After graduating with an MBA, he wants to start his own logistics business.


Photo: Nayab Contractor

Nayab Contractor

Professional MBA Candidate

Nayab Contractor founded Bohra Pantry, a brand of spices for the Bohra cuisine in the United States. She also co-founded Indian Food Trail, a food-tech platform that provided micro-entrepreneurship opportunities to Indian women who could serve their food to customers in their homes, allowing users to try a variety of regional Indian cuisines. For every meal sold through Indian Food Trail, the company donates a meal to a child in need.

Today, as a Venture Fellow at Included VC and Goose Capital, she leverages her background in marketing, experiences as a founder, and access to global network of venture capitalists, to bridge the access to capital for underrepresented founders.

As an MBA student, she is gaining experience to transition into venture capital and work with the tech community in Houston to solve the problem of access to venture capital dollars for founders of color.