You’ve heard of some. Others, probably not. But rest assured, all of the people on the inaugural list of the Austin Business Journal Power Players wield notable influence on either an industry or the Austin area — often both.
There is the Realtor who is at the tip of the spear of Austin’s new affluence, selling homes to celebrities and global business mavens. There are some Old Austin gurus who have thrived on Sixth Street for decades, beating all odds and keeping us cool — oh, the institutional knowledge they hold. There is a man executing a plan to change Sixth Street dramatically. There are skyline shapers and nonprofit dream makers, plus techies who shine bright and a dude who’s alright, alright, alright.
On Nov. 17 we’ll tuck a special section filled with details on these 110 power players into ABJ weekly edition, and it will also be available online. Until then, we are printing the names of ABJ’s 2023 Power Players below. This list will be updated at least annually.
• Angelos Angelou, founder and CEO, AngelouEconomics
• David Armbrust, real estate attorney, Armbrust & Brown
• Tamara Atkinson, CEO, Workforce Solutions Capital Area
• Charles Attal, co-founder, C3 Presents
• Mason Ayer, CEO, Kerbey Lane Cafe
• Josh Baer, CEO, Capital Factory
• Robert Barnes, president and CEO, International Bank of Commerce-Austin
• Davis Bass, industrial project partner and broker, HPI
• Brent Bellm, CEO, BigCommerce
• Tito Beveridge, founder, Tito’s Vodka
• David Blackbird, regional managing partner, Stream Realty
• Sara Brand, founding general partner, True Wealth Ventures; co-founder, (512) Brewing
• Jim Breyer, founder and CEO, Breyer Capital
• Kevin Burns, founder and CEO, Urbanspace
• Greg Canally, executive director, Austin Transit Partnership
• Tina Cannon, CEO, Austin LGBT Chamber of Commerce
• Leon Chen, CEO, Tiff’s Treats
• Emily Chenevert, CEO, Austin Board of Realtors
• Todd Coerver, CEO, P. Terry’s Burger Stand
• Tyson Cole, founder/chef, Uchi
• Will Conley, interim president, Greater San Marcos Partnership
• Michael Crowl, president, University Federal Credit Union
• Tim Crowley, Austin market president, Frost Bank
• Anas Daghestani, CEO, Austin Regional Clinic
• Andy Davis, CEO, Ascension Texas (Seton)
• John Paul Dejoria, billionaire philanthropist and serial entrepreneur
• Chris Del Conte, athletics director, University of Texas
• Michael Dell, CEO/chairman/founder, Dell Technologies
• Janet Mountain, executive director, Michael and Susan Dell Foundation
• Pete Dwyer, president, Dwyer Realty
• Nuha Elkhiamy, Austin site leader, Google
• Gary Farmer, president, Heritage Title Company of Austin
• Tamara Fields, Austin office managing director, Accenture
• Morgan Flager, managing director, Silverton Partners
• Hugh Forrest, co-president, South by Southwest
• Jay Fox, Austin president, Baylor Scott & White
• Aaron Franklin, owner, Franklin Barbecue
• Montserrat Fuentes, president, St. Edward’s University
• Kendall Garrison, CEO, Amplify Credit Union
• Jesus Garza, interim Austin city manager
• Sandy Gottesman, founding member, Center for Real Estate and Finance at UT
• Alan Graham, CEO, Mobile Loaves and Fishes
• Dan Graham, CEO, Notley Ventures
• Cathy Harm, VP of Central Texas, H-E-B
• Tim Hendricks, SVP and managing director, Cousins Properties
• Richard Hill, founding partner, HPI Real Estate Services & Investments
• Steven Hislop, CEO, Chuy’s Tex-Mex
• Michael Hsu, principal, Michael Hsu Office of Architecture
• Brett Hurt, CEO, Data.world
• David Huffstutler, CEO, St. David’s HealthCare
• Chris Hyams, CEO, Indeed.com
• Preston James, CEO, DivInc
• Bobby Jenkins, CEO, ABC Home & Commercial Services
• Gary Keller, co-founder and chairman, Keller Williams Realty
• Ali Khataw, CEO, Encotech Engineering Consultants
• John Kiltz, managing partner, Stonelake Capital Partners
• Liz Lambert, partner, MML Hospitality
• Robert Lee, CEO, Pearlstone Properties
• Terry Lickona, producer, Austin City Limits
• Andy Loughnane, president, Austin FC
• Matt Luckie, owner of multiple bars
• Kristin Marcum, CEO, ECPR Texas
• Bart Matheney, founding principal, Aquila Commercial
• Mark McClain, CEO, Sailpoint Technologies
• Matthew McConaughey, actor and UT’s minister of culture
• Meagan McCoy Jones, CEO, McCoy’s Building Supply
• Jack McDonald, CEO, Upland Software
• Nikelle Meade, partner, Husch Blackwell
• Bryce Miller, managing principal, Endeavor Real Estate
• Walter Moreau, executive director, Foundation Communities
• Elon Musk, CEO, Tesla and SpaceX
• Mike Nellis, CEO, Austin Community Foundation
• Kyle Parks, leading partner, Maxwell Locke & Ritter
• Dewitt Peart, CEO, Downtown Austin Alliance
• Brian Pitman, CEO, Independence Title
• Dave Porter, executive director, Williamson County Economic Development Partnership
• Matt Pyatt, CEO, Arrive Logistics
• Bill Redd, senior managing director, Brandywine Realty Trust
• Matthew Reintjes, CEO, Yeti Coolers
• Leo Resig, CEO, Atmosphere
• Walter Robb, investor and former co-CEO of Whole Foods Market
• Robert Rodriguez, filmmaker
• Joe Rogan, celebrity podcaster, owner of Comedy Mothership
• Reid Ryan, CEO, Round Rock Express and Ryan Sanders Sports & Entertainment
• Mike Rypka, founder and CEO, Torchy’s Tacos
• Brian Sheth, founder, Haveli Investments
• Steve Stapp, CEO, R Bank
• Kendra Scott, founder, Kendra Scott Design
• Shannon Sedwick, owner and performer, Esther’s Follies
• Katherine Shappley, vice president and Austin market leader, Meta
• Chris Shonk, managing partner, ATX Venture Partners
• Amy Simmons, founder, Amy’s Ice Creams
• Robert Smith, founder and CEO, Vista Equity Partners
• Roy Sosa, CEO, Rev Worldwide
• Roy Spence, co-founder, GSD&M
• Krishna Srinivasan, general partner, LiveOak Venture Partners
• Eric Starkloff, CEO, National Instruments
• Lisa Su, CEO, AMD
• Richard Suttle, partner, Armbrust & Brown
• Jon Taylor, vice president, Samsung Austin Semiconductor
• Tim Taylor, partner, Jackson Walker
• Jeanette Ward, CEO, Texas Mutual Insurance Company
• Kirk Watson, Austin mayor
• Greg Weaver, executive VP, Catellus Development
• Ben White, director of economic development, Cedar Park
• Kumara Wilcoxon, Realtor, Kuper Sotheby’s
• Jeff Wilkinson, CEO, Keystone Bank
• Pete Winstead, founder, Winstead PC
• Whitney Wolfe Herd, CEO, Bumble
• Bob Woody, Sixth Street bar owner
A lot of these people are accessible. They’re arguably some of the best people one can network with in Central Texas. Heed the advice so many business mavens have told me: You’d be surprised who will pick up the phone if you call. Cold-messaging on LinkedIn even works, many will attest.
Of course, we can’t include all of Austin’s power players in one list. There were many stout candidates left on the cutting room floor for this inaugural list. But I’m always all ears for any reader — who did we miss? Drop me a line at cpope@bizjournals.com for future consideration.
