The 1911 Group

This week on SMU Stories, Bill Rowe sits down with Stephen Benotti and Matt Ayres from the SMU Sack Club. The Sack Club is a fantastic way to support Mustang Football. What began as a grassroots donor program has now raised over $750,000 from more than 100 members in just six seasons — including six consecutive years of surpassing $100,000, with all proceeds directly benefiting the SMU football pr...

On this week’s upcoming SMU Stories episode, we sit down with SMU alumnus Jordan Miller, Co-founder and CEO of Yendo, a fintech company redefining access to credit by leveraging vehicle equity. Yendo’s mission is rooted in the belief that equitable financial opportunities should be available to all Americans. Jordan earned both his BBA (2014) and MS in Management/Finance (2015) from SMU’s Cox Scho...

On this episode of SMU Stories, we sit down with Haynes Strader. Haynes is a proud SMU alumnus from the Class of 2011 and currently serves as Chief Development Officer at Skybox Datacenters. With over 11 years of experience in the data center industry, both domestically and internationally, Haynes has become a trusted leader known for his mission-critical market expertise. He’s been involved in mo...

This week on SMU Stories, we sit down with Drew Buckley. A proud Mustang, Drew earned his Bachelor of Business Administration in Marketing and Latin American Studies from Southern Methodist University in 1993. He now serves as Group President and Chief Operating Officer, at Propagate Content, a leading independent content studio specializing in scripted, unscripted, and documentary television and...

This week on SMU Stories, we sit down with twin brothers Esteban and Manuel Mariel ('09), former SMU soccer players who turned their passion into purpose by launching City Futsal in 2011.  After their father, Federico, encouraged them to explore futsal as a training tool for youth development, the brothers shifted their focus from traditional soccer training and began hosting sessions at loca...

This week on SMU Stories, we sit down with Lisa Rawlins. Lisa Rawlins was promoted to Associate A.D. for Student-Athlete Success in 2023 after serving in various roles in academic support and football, including Director of Player Development and founder of the Life After Ball program. She joined the Hilltop in 2010 following positions at UCF and Oklahoma. Over the past 13 years, Rawlins has made...

This week on SMU Stories, we sit down with AJ Krow, owner of OPW Commercial Services LLC. AJ is a proud SMU alumnus with a strong background in small business acquisitions and facilities management. He currently owns and operates OPW Commercial Services, a leading facilities maintenance company serving Oklahoma and the DFW area, with specialties in snow removal, ice control, pressure washing, and...

On this week’s SMU Stories episode, ⁠Bill Rowe⁠ , ⁠Buddy Ozanne⁠ , David Hudnall, and Jim Johnston sit down to reflect on SMU traditions and the history of The Boulevard. They explore the 25th year of Boulevard celebrations at ⁠Southern Methodist University⁠ , the evolution of the university, and the growth of the athletic department. David, Buddy, and Jim share how The Boulevard originated 26 yea...

This week on SMU Stories, we sit down with Drew Langford. Drew is a managing partner at Trailhead Partners, an M&A advisory firm that helps business owners sell their companies. Drew holds an M.B.A. in Energy Finance from the SMU Cox School of Business (Class of 2018) and a B.B.A. in Finance from Texas A&M University. Drew's business journey began when he founded TitleMade, a software...

In this episode of SMU Stories, we sit down with Jordan Carter, SMU Class of 2009. As Founding Partner of SIG Partners and CEO of B&A Group—a government grant services and software company acquired through a self-funded search in 2020—Jordan brings a wealth of knowledge and insights into entrepreneurship and private equity. He also reflects on his time working with former Secretary of the Navy...

Join us for an inspiring episode of SMU Stories, where we highlight exceptional alumni making waves in their industries. This week, we talk with Lauren Harper, an SMU alumna, SAG-AFTRA actress, and now Chief of Staff at Kodiak Robotics, a leader in autonomous trucking technology. Lauren reflects on how her time at SMU, where she earned her Bachelor of Business Administration in Finance (2008–2012)...

In this episode of SMU Stories, we sit down with Austin Federer, an alumnus who has carved a niche in the tax consulting industry. Austin shares his journey to SMU, detailing how the university's vibrant campus life and rigorous academic environment shaped his personal and professional growth. He discusses his transition from a tax consultant to founding his own firm, specializing in valuatio...

In this episode of The QB Chronicles: An SMU Football Podcast, former SMU quarterbacks Garrett Gilbert and Kyle Padron break down the SMU's loss to Clemson in the ACC Championship game. Plus, the guys give their thoughts on their College Football Playoff.

In this episode of the SMU Stories podcast, we sit down with Brendon Marks, a proud SMU Class of 2010 alumnus. Brendon shares his journey to SMU, the experiences that shaped him on campus, and the career path that led to his search fund acquisition of Capture H2O, where he now serves as CEO. Under his leadership, Capture H2O is on a mission to save customers one billion gallons of water annually b...

In this episode of The QB Chronicles: An SMU Football Podcast, former SMU quarterbacks Garrett Gilbert and Kyle Padron break down the SMU win over Cal as the Mustangs dominated on Senior Day ahead of the ACC Championship against Clemson! Join the duo as they dive into key moments from the game, discuss standout performances, and analyze the offensive and defensive strategies that shaped the outcom...

Pony Hoops Insight is in partnership with The 1911 Group and On The Pony Express. The 1911 Group was founded by Lindsey Brown (Dedman Law ’13) and Mitchell Brown (Dedman College ’10 & Cox MBA ’20) after realizing that there was no efficient networking platform to connect SMU alumni across all of SMU’s schools and programs. With this premise in mind, the goal was to create and host events speci...

Join us as we sit down with Ish Simpson, a remarkable SMU MBA alumnus whose journey spans from the football fields of Stanford to Silicon Valley's high-stakes banking world. Ish shares insights from his pre-MBA career with industry leaders like Apple and reveals why he chose SMU for graduate school over other top programs. Learn how his time at SMU laid the foundation for his success in Silic...

Introducing the first episode of Pony Hoops Insight with SMU Basketball greats Jarrey Foster, Nic Moore and Shawn Williams. The guys introduce the podcast, break down SMU's loss to Butler and share what they're doing now after their playing days. Plus, they look ahead to Monday's matchup in Moody Coliseum vs. Prairie View A&M. Pony Hoops Insight is in partnership with The 1911 G...

The QB Chronicles: An SMU Football Podcast with Garrett Gilbert and Kyle Padron In this episode of The QB Chronicles: An SMU Football Podcast, former SMU quarterbacks Garrett Gilbert and Kyle Padron break down the SMU win over Pitt as the Mustangs dominated on Homecoming in Ford Stadium! Join the duo as they dive into key moments from the game, discuss standout performances, and analyze the offens...

In this episode of SMU Stories, we sit down with Andy Patel, co-founder of Journey Capital and proud SMU alumnus. Andy earned his BBA from SMU in 2012 and later returned to complete his MBA in 2016. As the driving force behind Journey Capital, a Dallas-based real estate investment, development, and acquisition firm specializing in senior living, Andy has built a career rooted in his family’s rich...

In this SMU Stories interview, we sit down with Heather Gilker, founder and principal of Tokalon Advisors LLC and Managing Director of Pickwick Capital, to discuss her influential career and the pivotal role SMU has played in her journey. Heather brings over 25 years of experience in investing, community engagement, and strategy, with a distinct focus on sustainability and impact investing. As Exe...

In this episode of SMU Stories, we sit down with Suresh Narayanan, a visionary leader whose career spans entrepreneurship, investment, and deep-rooted dedication to the aviation industry. A pilot himself, Suresh’s aviation journey began as a child in his parents’ repair station, inspired by his father’s work as a former Concorde mechanic. With a bachelor’s from Florida State and an MBA from SMU, S...

Welcome to The QB Chronicles: An SMU Football Podcast with Garrett Gilbert and Kyle Padron! Join former SMU quarterbacks Garrett and Kyle as they break down each week's game, offering insights from their own experiences on the field. In addition to game analysis, we’ll also bring you special episodes featuring interviews with past and present SMU players, sharing their stories and perspective...

Welcome to The QB Chronicles: An SMU Football Podcast with Garrett Gilbert and Kyle Padron! Join former SMU quarterbacks Garrett and Kyle as they break down each week's game, offering insights from their own experiences on the field. In addition to game analysis, we’ll also bring you special episodes featuring interviews with past and present SMU players, sharing their stories and perspective...

In this episode of SMU Stories, we sit down with Jeff Ordner, CEO Ordner Construction.  Join us as Jeff reflects on his journey from SMU to becoming a leader of his family-owned construction company, sharing valuable insights on leadership, construction, and the power of relationships. With wealth of construction experience and a strong connection to the SMU community, Jeff offers a unique perspec...