2013 Stelors Alliance Award Recipients
Awarding likeminded professionials and businesses who continue the mission of the Stelos Alliance by providing post-graduate opportunities for dynamic young people
Rex Gore
Rex has an undergraduate and MBA from Kansas State University. Prior to moving to Austin in 1985 he worked briefly as a commodities broker and then as a consultant doing economic impact analysis.
In 1985 he and a partner started a landscape company – Clean Cut, Inc., which they grew into the largest in Texas. This company was sold in 1998. Rex was then a junior partner in a nationwide contractor equipment dealership (Compact Power). In 2001 he partnered up with a friend in an existing commercial janitorial business. This business - PJS of Texas, is the largest privately owned commercial cleaning company in Texas. In 2006 he formed another commercial landscape company – CleanScapes, with former associates. CleanScapes was recognized as the fastest growing privately owned company in Central Texas in 2009.
Rex has been married to his wife Debra for 29 years. Deb teaches at Regents School of Austin. They have two sons. Nolan; a 2011 Finance graduate of Texas A&M who is now married and is a second lieutenant in the United States Marine Corps. Their youngest son Matt is a freshman at Davidson College.
Rex and Deb’s outside of work interests have included a number of volunteer activities over the years. Deb was the teaching director for a Community Bible Study for several years and was engaged with a cross section of school leadership activities. Rex has invested heavily in the mentorship of young entrepreneurs. Other volunteer activities include BOMA, IREM, RECA, Capitol Area Boy Scouts, and Regents School.
Rex was involved in the founding of El Paso Éxito (The Path to Success). This nonprofit, which was piloted at PJS, has developed and implemented a variety of programs that encourage and provide resources to employees and their children, all aimed at dramatically improving their academic outcomes. Rex partnered with Hudson Baird to form PelotonU. This innovative program is intended to meld the best parts of online college level academic resources with a living and mentorship model that provide the best parts of a traditional residential College experience. The ultimate outcome is intended to be a debt free Bachelor’s degree combined with maturity, life and job readiness.
Carrie Hurt
Carrie A. Hurt was named interim chief executive officer of the Council of Better Business Bureau (BBB) on January 20, 2012. The Council, located in Arlington, VA, is the international organization representing 115 Better Business Bureaus across North America, as well as home to its national programs on industry self-regulation and dispute resolution. It is the premier organization advancing marketplace trust.
Since 2003, Hurt has served as the president and chief executive officer of BBB serving Central, Coastal, Southwest Texas and the Permian Basin. She joined the Austin BBB team in 1995 as Communications Director and was named Vice President in 1998.
Under her leadership, BBB serving Central, Coastal, Southwest Texas and the Permian Basin has undergone four mergers and increased its service area from 11 to 79 counties, making it one of the largest membership organizations in Texas. BBB serving Central, Coastal, Southwest Texas and the Permian Basin is geographically the largest BBB in the state and now boasts more than 10,000 Accredited Business locations. While BBB Austin is the 17th largest BBB market, it is third in total revenue and fifth in number of Accredited Businesses.
Since being named president and CEO in 2003, BBB’s total revenue has increased 281% and, in this same timeframe, grown its assets by nearly 820%. BBB has been recognized with a Hermes Creative Award, a MarCom award and an American Marketing Association award. BBB has also been named a top workplace by the Austin American Statesman, as well as a top 50 Best Non-Profits to work for by the Non-Profit Times. In 2011, Carrie was named a Women of Influence by the Austin Business Journal. In 2009, she received the “Yellow Rose of Texas” award from Texas Governor Rick Perry, which recognizes outstanding Texas women for their significant contributions to Texas.
BBB has also been recognized internationally for excellence in all areas of BBB work, including investigations, Internet-based programs, overall operations, business development and communications. In 2009 and 2011, BBB serving Central, Coastal, Southwest Texas and the Permian Basin received the BBB Marshall A. Mott Award for excellence in outstanding communications.
Carrie served as a director on the Council of Better Business Bureau’s Board of Directors from 2006-2011 and as the Bureau Operations Committee (BOC) Chair from 2010-2011. The BOC is charged with measuring the performance and effectiveness of the 116 BBBs in the system.
Carrie was the 2005 President of the BBB Southwest Region, elected by her peers from five states. Carrie has also served on several national committees for the Council of Better Business Bureaus, including those for Finance, Board Nominations and National Membership. Carrie also chaired the Sales and Marketing committee.
Carrie is a native Texan and attended Southwest Texas State University, now Texas State University. During college, Carrie interned at KVUE-TV in Austin. After graduating with a degree in Communications, she began her broadcasting career at KHOU-TV in Houston. Carrie later moved to Beaumont, Texas and began reporting and anchoring for KJAC-TV. She won several awards for her work from the local press club including Best Investigative Reporting. In 1993, Carrie went to work for the BBB in Beaumont, where her news releases, investigations and public relations programs won numerous awards.
Carrie currently resides in Round Rock, Texas with her son, Trevor.
Dixie Van Eynde
Dixie Van Eynde, Ed.D., is a counseling psychologist and coach specializing in Career Enhancement Strategies which is also the name of her business. She spent many years working in university counseling centers doing therapy, workshops, and both individual and group career development work with college and graduate students.
Her great interest in the use of assessment instruments for helping people in career decision making led her eventually to her current work which includes executive coaching, career transition coaching, career assessment, retirement transition coaching, and leadership development. She has a small private practice and additionally partners with other business leaders to provide services to their clients.
Since 2003, Dr. Van Eynde has been involved with LeaderSteps in Boerne, Texas. LeaderSteps is a program for a select group of high school seniors and seeks to provide them with information, inspiration and specific skills and knowledge that will contribute to their development as leaders in their future careers and communities.
Don Van Eynde
Dr. Donald Van Eynde is a Professor of Management at Trinity University in San Antonio, Texas. He has a Bachelor of Science degree in Forestry, a Master of Science degree in Speech Communication and Human Relations, and a Masters of Arts degree and a Ph.D. in Organizational Psychology from Columbia University.
Don’s first career was with the U.S. Army where he served for 20 years. He served two tours in Vietnam and was awarded the Silver Star and two Bronze Stars for heroism. He also served as the military advisor to the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations.
In his consulting practice, Don’s areas of expertise include the management of change, management education, and the development of executive teams. From 2004-2006 Don worked with NASA’s Space Shuttle Mission Management Team on issues related to decision making and group dynamics.
Working with students is Don’s passion in life. A part of him says “it’s getting time to retire,” but the other part has trouble envisioning a time when students are no longer a major part of his life. During his 29 years at Trinity Don has been recognized on 38 occasions by students and campus organizations as an “Outstanding / Favorite Professor;” was honored by the faculty for “exemplary leadership and selfless dedication in making Trinity a better place to work as we teach and learn,” was the recipient of the Trinity University Award for Distinguished Service to the University and the Community; and was awarded the Dr. & Mrs. Z.T. Scott Faculty Fellowship for outstanding achievement in teaching and advising.
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