2007 Top 10 Honorees
1 REDE, Inc.Hubert and Roni Glover started out to build a family-owned company that would provide income to send family members to college. They ended up building the fastest growing company in the 2007 Aggie 100! REDE, Inc. earned the top spot this year by growing at a compound annual growth rate of 371.32%. The Company, headquartered in New Orleans, LA, with offices around the US, is a Small Business Administration (SBA) approved Small Disadvantaged Business providing administrative/clerical and information technology (IT) support services to the Federal Government as a prime contractor and in a subcontract role. REDE was formed in 1998 and today, employs over 150 professionals serving clients as diverse as Johnson Space Center, CenterPoint Energy and the US Department of Energy. Hubert Glover, the Company’s President and CEO earned his PhD in Accounting from Texas A&M in 1992. Running a 150 person, fast-growing services company was probably not what he contemplated upon graduation. If you ask him how it has gone, he’ll tell you that it has gone as planned but there have been challenges. He will quickly add that one of the pleasant surprises has been the number of people who have gone out of their way to support him, particularly the number of Aggies. In fact, he says that walking into offices is much easier if they are Aggies and he attributes the awarding of at least one contract to the common bond and trust among Aggies. What’s next after earning your PhD, running the Atlanta office of PriceWaterhouseCoopers and building the fastest growing 2007 Aggie 100 company? Hubert would like to return to his original mission. He’d like to translate the value of his company into the marketplace and use the proceeds to start a foundation that will ensure that more individuals obtain college or technical degrees. Who knows, maybe one of the beneficiaries of that foundation will start a future Aggie 100 company with a boost from the Glovers. Congratulations to Hubert Glover and the entire REDE, Inc. team. Well done!
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2 Industrial Solutions de MexicoThe fact that the number two company on this year’s list hails from outside the US is a testimony to how Aggies have an impact the world over. Juan Lamparero ‘87 started his career working for big international companies. The idea of one day starting his own company, however, was never far from the top of his mind. That day came a few years ago after a conversation with his brother. Together, they decided to start Industrial Solutions de Mexico, a company that would offer what many companies in the IT market were missing - "unsurpassed quality service". In hindsight, Juan wishes he would have started his own company sooner. He won’t say that company building is easy but he will say that it hasn’t been as difficult as he had imagined. He started with a dream and the passion to build a large company that provided an environment where co-workers can grow as well. He is well on his way. Founded in 1994, the company today employs over 20 people. He credits our University for part of that success, saying "the most influential event in my life has been the opportunity to attend Texas A&M." He notes that A&M provided a wonderful academic opportunity as well as a life changing experience.
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3 Intelligent LogisticsTim Miller ‘93 says he didn’t start with a big idea; he just knew that he saw an opportunity and was tired of working for someone else. Opportunity knocked and he followed by creating Intelligent Logistics, this year’s #3 company with a growth rate of 168.69%. Tim co-founded the Company in 2001 and now owns 100% of the operation. Round Rock-based Intelligent Logistics isn’t just a high-flying Aggie company; the Company was also listed at number 551 on the Inc. 5000 list of fastest growing private companies. The Company is all about meeting the logistics needs of their premier clients. Their services include truckload brokerage, domestic forwarding, international forwarding, local cartage and warehouse and inventory management. They will also take on special projects to meet a client’s needs. Tim’s Aggie Corps background has been a big help. According to him the "Corps taught me about dealing with obstacles, dealing with adversity and not to take anything too seriously, including myself." All are probably good qualities when it comes to meeting a client’s demanding logistics needs.
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4 Project Solutions InternationalOriginally founded as a subsidiary of a Thai construction company, Project Solutions is today Aggie-owned and Aggie-led. Robert Albers ‘87 bought the Company in 1998 and has led it to a 166.67% compound annual growth rate since 2004 earning it the #4 spot on this year’s Aggie 100. According to Robert, taking over the company was never his intention but it has been a rewarding experience. Along the way he has met many of his personal goals while becoming a well established industry player. If you ask his advice for an aspiring entrepreneur he’ll probably say "flexibility". He has built Project Solutions International in the face of a volatile international market where nothing has seemed to go as planned. Add to that the stress of living overseas and you learn to "go with the flow". Robert attributes some of his success to learning to improvise, overcome and adapt during his time at A&M in the Aggie Band and Corps. Such a high growth rate tells us, however, that while Robert may have been going with the flow, he had his hand on the tiller and a goal in mind.
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Robert Albers | |
5 W. Garner EnterprisesThe cliché when someone gets fired is "this is really for the best". In the case of Will Garner ‘02, that cliché might just be true. After being fired on his birthday, he decided to pursue his dream of starting his own company. Today, 9 years later, W. Garner Enterprises is #5 on the Aggie 100 with a growth rate of 163.75%. It hasn’t all been easy but he’ll say that it has gone better than expected. Garner’s Houston, Texas-based company is in the real-estate development business. Will enjoys the business and likes being able to control what he does and the company’s direction. According to him, the ability to be in control is worth the pressure and stress that comes with owning your own business. Would he do it all again? "Of course", he says, "no regrets." He’ll also say that if he wasn’t doing this, he’d be involved in music and acting, sound engineering or production. A few more years of growth like the last few and maybe he’ll get to indulge that dream.
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Will Garner | |
6 Desert Industrial X-RayDouglas Frey was ready when opportunity presented itself. Fueled by his wife’s concern that his employer would go out of business, he had been thinking and learning about start-ups since the early ‘90s. In 1999, his wife’s prediction came true and after accepting a layoff package, Doug purchased the assets of Desert Industrial X-Ray. Today, this Odessa, Texas-based company is growing at a fast clip as evidenced by a two year annual growth rate of 153.84% and a #6 Aggie 100 ranking. He says there have certainly been surprises since he took over this non-destructive testing company but it has been easier than he thought. When asked what he wished he knew before he started he says "a lot more accounting and a lot more HR", a thought probably shared by many entrepreneurs. If he was sharing advice with a young entrepreneur, he’d probably share the words of wisdom his banker gave him - don’t beat yourself up in the down cycles and don’t think you are a genius in the up cycles. Doug keeps reaching milestones and then just setting the bar higher. He’s also setting a great example.
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Douglas Frey | |
7 Premier Placement MediaEver hear about a new idea and think "I ought to start a company"? David Gedeon ‘96 did and the result is the #7 company on this year’s list, Premier Placement Media. He literally heard about an idea, resigned the next day and went into business for himself. Moving that fast he really didn’t have the time to dwell on what he didn’t know. In hindsight, he realizes it would have been helpful to know more about accounting, legal, HR and the other facets of running a business. That said, who can argue with a 153.33% growth rate? Despite wishing he knew a few more business basics; David saw the opportunity afforded by the growth of the Internet and took advantage of it. Premier Placement’s clients benefit from the Company’s knowledge of online search and advertising strategies. They also benefit from David’s drive which he says is fueled by answering to himself as the business owner. It is a drive that he didn’t find working for anyone else. Of course there is a downside to being an Internet entrepreneur; he reports that he can’t take a vacation without his computer!
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David Gedeon | |
8 t. howard & associates, architects, inc.The big idea for Todd Howard ‘91 was not starting an architectural services firm. That was an old idea. The big idea for him was that he had the ability to do it under his own umbrella. Armed with confidence in himself, this Dallas native launched t. howard & associates architects, inc. in 1998. Today the firm serves clients as diverse as Trammel Crow Healthcare, Dallas Community College District and the City of Dallas providing architecture, planning and interior design services. Todd’s experience has taught him that business plans are living documents. Some goals are achieved faster than expected and the subsequent growing pains have provided a few surprises along the way. Overall, the surprises have been good ones as the Company is now recognized as a competitor with the larger firms in the market and has enjoyed a 153.09% compound annual growth rate between 2004 and 2006. After almost 10 years, would he do it all over again knowing what he knows now? "You bet," he quickly replies. His passion for architecture and clients clearly shows.
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Todd Howard | |
9 Rolling Vistas, Ltd.From chasing drug smugglers to becoming an entrepreneur, Jay Dickens ‘82 has seen a lot. While he says that being an air interdiction pilot was fun, being an entrepreneur is hard to beat. His love for it is evident in the 148.73% growth rate of this year’s #9 company, Rolling Vistas, Ltd. Jay founded the Company, part of the ranch investments industry, after watching and learning from his dad who was in a similar business. He borrowed from dad’s experiences to begin his own venture in 1997. Now that he is an entrepreneur, what does Jay like the most and least about the role? He loves the challenge and independence but realizes that when something goes wrong, "you’ve got to handle it." One of the things he says he has had to learn along the way is that "details always matter." He says there is nothing easy about building and running a business. Despite the hard work, Rolling Vistas is doing well under Jay’s leadership.
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Jay Dickens | |
10 GeoDynamicsThis year’s #10 company is the only repeat company from last year’s top 10. GeoDynamics was the #1 company on the 2006 list and continues to grow at a 144.77% pace. Clearly, when CEO David Wesson ‘82 says he saw a convergence of trends and unmet needs, he was right. Under David’s guidance the Company has developed industry-leading well perforation technology and attracted the interest of some of the industry’s biggest players. When asked about his entrepreneurial experience he will admit that there have been some surprises along the way but the ability to adjust and be flexible with changing customer and business environments makes it possible to make progress. Like most entrepreneurs, he likes setting his own path and following it and dislikes worrying about payroll and the fact that so many people are depending on you. That said, would he do it again? "You bet", is his quick response. In fact, he has already started other companies. We look forward to seeing them on the Aggie 100 in the near future. |
David Wesson |
