Texas Business Hall of Fame

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Texas Business Hall of Fame The Texas Business Hall of Fame recognizes and honor business leaders with transformational impact in the state.

It supports entrepreneurial business students and early stage entrepreneurs around the state of Texas.

⭐ HELP SELECT OUR 2026 OUTSTANDING HIGH SCHOOL ENTREPRENEURS! ⭐Voting deadline extended! Three outstanding young entrepr...
10/08/2026

⭐ HELP SELECT OUR 2026 OUTSTANDING HIGH SCHOOL ENTREPRENEURS! ⭐

Voting deadline extended! Three outstanding young entrepreneurs are in the running—and we need your vote.

On November 12, two Awardees will each receive a $2,000 cash prize and lifelong inclusion in the Texas Business Hall of Fame network. The winners will be selected by members of the TBHF Alumni Association.

Congratulations to our 2026 Finalists:

🏆 Christian Connolly | San Antonio Christian School
Founder, Boaters Cove

🏆 Mason DeLaune | Geneva School of Boerne
Founder, Vaquero Outdoors

🏆 Jack Schwab | Alamo Heights High School
Founder, Schwab Bros. Flag Co.

These young entrepreneurs are already turning ideas into businesses—and building a future of their own. Please take a few minutes to learn about each finalist, then cast your vote for TWO.

📩 Check your email for the ballot and voting instructions.
⏰ NEW DEADLINE: 5 p.m. CT Friday, October 9

Help TBHF recognize the next generation of Texas entrepreneurs!

10/08/2026

Starting today, we’re revealing the “secret sauce” of our 2026 Texas Business Hall of Fame Inductees: one lesson, principle or practice each credits with their longevity and success.

🏅SECRET to WALTER'S SUCCESS: Great People

For Walter Embrey, 2026 Texas Business Hall of Fame Inductee, success has always started with the people.

“We’ve had great volume, great success, but we’ve always tailored our business to our ability to have the best people on each job.”

The lesson? Build a strong team, know your capacity, and surround yourself with great people. And, as Walter puts it, add “a little luck” along the way.

Learn more about Walter’s journey to success at the 2026 Induction Dinner, presented by JPMorganChase. For details, go to https://texasbusiness.org/induction-dinner/

What an incredible evening with TBHF Legend Daniel Lubetzky at Creators.In a candid conversation moderated by Laura Laug...
10/07/2026

What an incredible evening with TBHF Legend Daniel Lubetzky at Creators.

In a candid conversation moderated by Laura Laughead at Austin PBS, Daniel shared lessons from his journey as an entrepreneur, leader, and family man—and challenged us to think differently about how we build, lead and live.

Among the takeaways that stayed with us: Put the spotlight on others. Treat people with dignity and kindness. Give people more grace. Be curious, compassionate, creative, and courageous. Listen to feedback. Learn from setbacks. Make time to be introspective. And, perhaps most importantly, keep going.

Daniel also shared his belief that we have more in common than we sometimes realize—and that the future depends on our willingness to build together rather than break apart.

Thank you, Daniel, for an inspiring and thought-provoking evening, and to Laura for guiding such a meaningful conversation.

And thank you to our presenting sponsor, Frost; our sponsor, H-E-B; and our host and community partner, Austin PBS, for helping make this event possible.

Our recent Houston event was a great evening of connection and conversation. Thank you to Pappas Restaurants, Inc. for h...
10/06/2026

Our recent Houston event was a great evening of connection and conversation. Thank you to Pappas Restaurants, Inc. for hosting our Alumni Social Hour at Yiayia’s Greek Kitchen.

TBHF Legend and Pappas Restaurants Co-Founder Chris Pappas shared his insights on running multiple family businesses, building strong teams, and why the company has never franchised. It was a pleasure bringing together TBHF Directors, Alumni, and our newest 2026 award recipients from the University of Houston!

Click to view the photo gallery on our website: https://texasbusiness.org/houston-alumni-social-hour/

The Texas Business Hall of Fame network was honored to celebrate San Antonio’s 2026 Hall of Fame Inductees Walter M. Emb...
10/05/2026

The Texas Business Hall of Fame network was honored to celebrate San Antonio’s 2026 Hall of Fame Inductees Walter M. Embrey, Jr. and Peter J. Holt. We were joined by many San Antonio friends, including sponsors JPMorganChase and Jackson Walker, as well as Hall of Fame Legends Gary Dudley, Peter M. Holt, Jack Martin, and Graham Weston.

In his remarks, Weston, the 2026 Induction Dinner Honorary Chairman, said, “It is hard to go anywhere in Texas and, in many cases, the country, without benefitting from the impact of many of the businesses represented by the Legends in this room.”

We look forward to hearing more of Walter and Peter’s stories and celebrating their Hall of Fame Induction this November in San Antonio, sponsored by JPMorganChase. Join us!

Click to see more photos from the evening: https://texasbusiness.org/san-antonio-induction-announcement-event/

TBHF is excited to tell you more about our 2026 Teacher of Excellence Award Recipients, Kelly Braun and Jamie Polk. Both...
09/29/2026

TBHF is excited to tell you more about our 2026 Teacher of Excellence Award Recipients, Kelly Braun and Jamie Polk. Both are entrepreneurship/CTE teachers who want to instill confidence in their high school students who are already running their own businesses. They see their roles as cheerleader, confidant, and counselor--helping their students achieve even more!

Please congratulate these outstanding and inspirational educators who are dedicated to their students' success. ⭐

What a pleasure to visit Dallas Baptist University and meet the professors helping students turn entrepreneurial ideas i...
09/25/2026

What a pleasure to visit Dallas Baptist University and meet the professors helping students turn entrepreneurial ideas into businesses.

Thank you to Dr. Cicely Jefferson, Dean of DBU’s Carter School of Business, for welcoming the Texas Business Hall of Fame and giving us the opportunity to share our Future Texas Business Legend Awards with faculty.

The award offers emerging entrepreneurs more than recognition. Recipients gain mentorship, educational opportunities, and connections with accomplished Texas business leaders who can help them grow their ventures. We hope the DBU students these professors are preparing will apply when the 2027 award cycle opens.

Special thanks to TBHF Director Christine Hollinden and DBU graduate and TBHF Alum Mitch Cantwell (BBA, MBA ’21) for sharing what this community has meant to them. And to Sandra Reid for helping coordinate our visit.

The Texas Business Hall of Fame mourns the passing of TBHF Legend Arthur Leland Baird, inducted into the Hall of Fame in...
09/24/2026

The Texas Business Hall of Fame mourns the passing of TBHF Legend Arthur Leland Baird, inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1992.

Born into one of Texas’ great entrepreneurial families, Arthur carried forward the legacy of his grandmother, Ninnie Baird, founder of Mrs. Baird’s Bread, which began in her Fort Worth kitchen in 1908 and grew into a beloved Texas institution. Arthur dedicated much of his career to Mrs. Baird’s Bakeries, ultimately serving as Vice Chairman of the Board.

Beyond business, Arthur was a committed philanthropist and community leader, serving on the boards of organizations across Houston, including the Greater Houston Partnership, Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, Memorial Hermann Hospital System and others.

We extend our deepest condolences to Arthur’s family and all who knew and loved him. His legacy of business leadership, service and generosity will continue through the generations.

We are delighted to see our Texas Business Hall of Fame Director Craig Cummings named to the Austin Business Journal’s20...
09/24/2026

We are delighted to see our Texas Business Hall of Fame Director Craig Cummings named to the Austin Business Journal’s2026 Power Players list.

Craig is a co-founder and general partner at Moonshots Capital and a TBHF Veteran Award recipient. When we asked whom he credits with his success, he pointed to the people who have shared the journey with him: his wife, Lawton Cummings; Joseph Kopser, a fellow TBHF Veteran Award recipient; the late Josh Baer of Capital Factory; and his Moonshots co-founder, Kelly Perdew.

That generosity says a great deal about the kind of leader Craig is. Congratulations, Craig—we’re proud to have you on our board!

TBHF congratulates the other members of our network being honored this year, including John Paul DeJoria (Legend 2021), Michael Dell (Legend 1998), Gary Farmer (Director), Kendra Scott (Legend 2019), and Robert Smith (Legend 2019).

Fall is officially underway at TBHF—and we kicked it off in Dallas!We brought together TBHF Directors, Alumni, and 2026 ...
09/22/2026

Fall is officially underway at TBHF—and we kicked it off in Dallas!

We brought together TBHF Directors, Alumni, and 2026 Award recipients for two energizing days of connection, conversation, and entrepreneurial insight.

First up: our DFW Alumni Social, where we welcomed our 2026 Award Recipients into the TBHF network and enjoyed an evening of great conversation with FB Society CEO Jack Gibbons, along with food and drinks from his Haywire Uptown.

The next morning, Director Jordan Cowman and Greenberg Traurig hosted our Alumni Breakfast featuring John Merris, the founder and CEO known as a “founder whisperer” for his work helping entrepreneurs navigate growth and change.

John shared practical insights on scaling a business, building the right team, making smart hiring decisions, and creating brands that last—the kind of candid advice that is especially valuable when you’re in the arena building something.

Thank you to everyone who joined us, to our generous hosts, and to the TBHF Alumni and Directors who continue to make this network so meaningful.

And to our newest Awardees: welcome to TBHF. We’re glad you’re here.

Next stop: San Antonio and Houston. See you there!

Address

PO Box 22048
Houston, TX
77027

Opening Hours

Monday 8am - 5pm
Tuesday 8am - 5pm
Wednesday 8am - 5pm
Thursday 8am - 5pm
Friday 8am - 5pm

Telephone

+17139601820

Website

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