Member Gallery
The organizations that follow represent some of The Alternative Board of Fort Worth business owner members.
CAP Software Click Here for Member’s Website
Will Atkinson
CAP is a local software development company founded in 1978 by Chuck Atkinson to serve the needs of small retailers. The company has grown organically by providing industry leading technology solutions, primarily in the point of sale space, to small and medium retailers worldwide. Target verticals include specialty retail, liquor and package stores, tire and automotive supply, home and hardware, pharmacies, and many more. CAP’s main strengths derive from a carefully designed product that is exceptionally easy to use. CAP also offers personal service in an outsourced world, including custom programming to meet and exceed our customers’ unique needs at an affordable price.
Diesslin & Associates Click Here for Member’s Website
David H. Diesslin
David H. Diesslin founded Diesslin & Associates, Inc., in 1980, to provide unbiased, fee-only financial planning and wealth management services to individuals, corporations, closely-held businesses, foundations, and non-profit organizations.
He has worked diligently to advance the financial planning profession and holds Board positions of major professional organizations in this field. Most notable is his tenure on the Board of Governors of the Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, serving as Chair in 2004. He has past service on the Schwab Institutional Advisory Board (1997-1999) and as a founding member and past chairman and president and executive board member of NAPFA (National Association of Personal Financial Advisors, 1992-1996).
David has been recognized as ‘One Of The Best Financial Advisors’ in Worth Magazine, Medical Economics, and Money Magazine, as well as featured on the cover of Mutual Funds Magazine.
He has been a contributor to several books related to the field of financial planning, including Deena Katz on Practice Management: For Financial Advisers, Planners, and Wealth Managers (Bloomberg Press, 1999) and Best Practices for Financial Advisors by Mary Rowland (Bloomberg Press, 1997). He is frequently quoted in local and national publications, including the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, Investment Advisor, Kiplingers, Worth, the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, the Dallas Morning News, USA Today, Journal of Financial Planning and Bloomberg Wealth Manager.
Elk Engineering Associates, Inc Click Here for Member’s Website
Taylor Leon
Specializing in corrosion control and cathodic protection services since its founding in 1994, ELK Engineering has earned a reputation as a company that combines the responsiveness and personal attention of a small firm with the specialties, expertise, and project management skills usually found only in larger firms. While we are best known for our corrosion engineering and electrical grounding services, our associates have widely varied backgrounds in both science and engineering. These dual disciplines enable us to work in many industries, providing practical solutions to today’s engineering challenges.
Essner Manufacturing Click Here for Member’s Website
Dale Westerfeld
Essner Manufacturing produces precision sheet metal fabrications and machined parts, with an emphasis in the defense aerospace industry. Essner provides its customers with a wide range of services, ranging from individual detail parts to turnkey assemblies, all manufactured to customers’ specifications. Formed in 1939 by Ward Essner, the organization is celebrating its 70th birthday this year.
Essner is an AS-9100 certified quality organization, which controls all facets of the Company’s operations and has been instrumental to Essner’s growth. Today, 95% of the $10 million business is defense-related, with 5% related to commercial aviation. Approximately 40% of the company’s business is in spare parts. Essner has recently completed a new 32,300 square foot addition to its manufacturing plant in the Carter Industrial Park in South Fort Worth, which has allowed for growth and the consolidation of a recently-acquired San Antonio company to Fort Worth.
Fort Worth Promotions Click Here for Member’s Promo Website
Click Here for Member’s Boot Website
Marc Johnson
Marc was in sales for 8 years before starting Fort Worth Promotions with a partner 6 years ago. His company is a source for products overseas-importing from a number of countries such as China, India and Vietnam. His company also provides promotional or corporate identity products which include embroidery and screen printing. In addition, Marc is a distributor of Justin Boots and provides custom embroidery for the boots. Through Justin, Marc has supplied products for the PGA, Dallas Cowboys, Dallas Mavericks-and the Dukes of Hazzard show.
Hewlett Office Systems Click Here for Member’s WebsiteJustin Hewlett
Hewlett Office Systems was started in January 2005 – initially to provide sales and service for copiers, fax machines and printers. The company also remanufactures its own line of toner cartridges–cartridges have become an integral part of the maintenance plan offerings. The company sells new and used HP and Canon copiers and fax machines. The largest expansion of the business came when computers (servicing and selling) and network support were added to Hewlett Office Systems’ services. Hewlett Office Systems recently commenced installing video surveillance systems that run over a business’s network.
Janovsky and Associates Click Here for Member’s Website
Liane Janovsky
Attorney Liane A. Janovsky of Janovsky and Associates is Board Certified in Labor and Employment Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. She uses her background working for employers and employees to help clients find down-to-earth solutions to on-the-job problems and emergencies. Liane’s goal is to help her clients achieve the best results possible for every workplace situation.
Liane has been named a “Texas Super Lawyer” in the field of Employment Litigation by Texas Monthly and Law & Politics Magazine, and one of the Best Lawyers in Fort Worth and Tarrant County by Fort Worth Magazine. She is AV© rated by Martindale-Hubbell. Liane is licensed to practice law in both Texas and California.
NextCorp Capital Click Here for Member’s Website
Bedford Burgher
NextCorp Capital Management, or NCM, is a platform of shared financial management systems and services developed for family groups and private businesses. It was formed 3 years ago in 2006 to provide outsourced financial and administrative services to clients utilizing web-based technologies and systems.
Outsourced services include accounting, financial reporting, investment data aggregation and investment performance reporting, document management, bill payment, receivables management, payroll processing, tax compliance, etc. Other services available through NCM include real estate property and lease administration, oil & gas minerals and land management and ranch management.
MD Resort Click Here for Member’s Website
Donna Davis Mixon
Donna Davis Mixon, along with her parents (Dee and Dave Mueller) founded MD Resort in 1999. MD Resort has evolved into a Bed and Breakfast, Retreat Center, and Wedding Facility. They have experienced a tremendous growth rate with repeat Customers amounting to 60% of total revenue.
MD Resort Bed and Breakfast Inn is a member of several of the local Chambers of Commerce and a leader in the local community. In 2001, MD Resort earned a certificate of excellence from the Historic Inns of Texas. In 2003, MD Resort was named Small Business of the Year by the Saginaw Area Chamber of Commerce.
MINKERTRAHANT & Associates Click Here for Member’s Website
Richard D. Minker
MINKERTRAHANT & Associates is the culmination of 29 years of experience, dedication and expertise in the Commercial Real Estate industry. The Company is an outgrowth of the Richard D. Minker Co.
MINKERTRAHANT & Associates provides unsurpassed commercial real estate services with specialization in Office and Industrial Tenant Representation, Project Leasing and Brokerage Services. In addition, through the firm’s affiliation with the Argus Self Storage Sales Network, MINKERTRAHANT & Associates is one of the premier Self Storage Brokerage firms in North Texas.
Puente-Brancato Enterprises Click Here for Member’s Website
John Brancato
John enjoys working with his wife, Gina Puente-Brancato, in expanding the companies they own/operate at the Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport, including Venturas Puente dba Frullati Cafe & Bakery (four locations) where John has served several years as the Secretary of the National Franchisee Advisory Board; V. Puente Currency Services Inc. – local operator of a Travelex Currency Exchange location; and Puente Concessions, Inc.- six newsstand/gift shop locations; Aero Foods, Inc. – another restaurant group operating four different quick service concepts.
John and his wife, Gina, operate 3 wineries- two La Bodega Winery locations in DFW Airport and La Buena Vida Vineyards in the city of Grapevine, Texas. John and Gina have a very hands-on approach to the businesses. At any time either of them may be at a register or in the kitchen. John has described working together with Gina as the ultimate dream because they share the same goals and both love what they do.
SpeedDirect Click Here for Member’s Website
Eric Flavin
Jeremy Sweek
Sweek Consulting provides strategic finance and accounting expertise to emerging and mid-size companies in Fort Worth. Are you in the midst of growth or other transition including raising capital, acquiring or disposing of assets, or working towards other strategic initiatives? We can help by:
· Analyzing financial results
· Preparing a forecast or budget
· Creating a strategic plan
· Providing project management
· Serving as interim CFO
· Assisting with all types of financial analysis and reporting
Sweek Consulting combines a unique breadth and depth of skill, the flexibility of hourly-based work and personalized service to deliver outstanding value to its clients.
TALEM, Inc. Click Here for Member’s Website
TALEM is an experienced partner in supporting our customers in the areas of surface and subsurface soil and groundwater investigations, industrial and municipal storm water, wastewater assessment and monitoring, public and private drinking water assessment, hazardous material reduction, management and disposal as well as litigation support.
TALEM’s breadth of service coupled with more than 80 years of cumulative management experience in the environmental services industry along with its status as a Minority/Woman-owned Business makes TALEM a valuable environmental partner.
TECH Fort Worth Click Here for Member’s Website
Darlene Ryan
TECH Fort Worth is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt technology business incubator. Our purpose is to grow the local technology-based economy. We have facilities and programs, including mentoring and coaching by seasoned entrepreneurs who have started and grown technology-based companies of their own. To access Incubation services, a potential client must own some form of proprietary technology and have the desire for a business of their own. For the more advanced Acceleration services, a client must also have a feasible business plan ready to execute and be ready to work full-time in their business. TECH Fort Worth has offices and wet labs to rent to its clients while they are building their businesses.
What makes TECH Fort Worth unique is the experience of its executive director and the backing of the existing technology-based business community and the City of Fort Worth, the nation’s fastest growing large city. Darlene Ryan, the executive director, was a nationally recognized entrepreneur who started and grew a pharmaceutical manufacturing and technology company from nothing in 1994 to being listed as one of the nation’s 500 fastest growing private companies for three years, being named the area’s Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year in Life Sciences in 2003, and being named one of nine Leading Women Entrepreneurs of the World in 2004.
Senior Associate, Kasper & Associates, Fort Worth, TexasClick Here for Member’s Website
Tony Ford
Finally, a Business Broker with “Owner Experience and Instincts.” As one of America’s most enterprising, award winning entrepreneurs, Tony Ford leverages over 30 years of personal business success to insure that his business owner clients maximize their financial harvest at sale time.
As the only entrepreneur to be recognized by the White House for building “The National Model for Business Innovation,” Tony knows how to win. He works closely with each client to help them make the critical improvements that will result in added value at sale time. Having sat in the “Owner’s Chair” in seven different industries, Tony employs practical, proven strategies tailored to the specific needs of each company he represents. Tony and his partners at Kasper & Associates are part of a 25-year legacy representing almost 400 successful transactions. Tony’s personal achievements include:
- Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Hall of Fame – Lifetime Member
- Presidential Award Winner – National Model for Business Innovation
- SBA – Exporter of the Year Award Winner
- Kauffman Foundation – Entrepreneur-In-Residence
- U.S. Secretary of Commerce Appointment – Vice Chairman Export Council
- U.S. Chamber of Commerce – Small Business Council member
- U.S. Senate – Testifies on behalf of America’s Small Business Community
- Christian Leadership Award – Dallas Baptist University
- Serial entrepreneur – created/grown eight successful companies
- Employer of the Year Award – Fort Worth Multi-Ethnic Chamber of Commerce
Kasper & Associates (K&A) was founded in 1984 to fill a void in the merger and acquisition field that was particularly acute in the Fort Worth/Dallas metropolitan area, as well as in North and Central Texas. As merger/acquisition specialists, our function is to sell medium-sized, privately owned manufacturing, distribution, and service businesses, and to assist potential buyers in finding and acquiring such businesses.
The selling prices of such companies range from $700,000 to $35,000,000, with sales revenues from $1,000,000 to $70,000,000. These “medium-sized” businesses are typically overlooked or simply underserved by Wall Street and are too large for local business brokers to handle. This void in the merger/acquisition field is addressed by K&A.
K&A provides guidance to sellers regarding such things as market value of a business, structuring the deal, sources for asset appraisals, financially qualifying buyers, etc. We assist buyers regarding sources for financing, preparing a formal offer, etc., and do not charge additional fees for these services.
XS Sights, Inc, Horizon Tech Industries, Inc. & Practical Industries, Inc.
Click Here for Member’s XS Sight Systems, Inc., Website
Jon Pastusek
XS Sight Systems, Inc. manufactures, distributes and sells premier pistol, rifle and shotgun sights as well as scope mounts and other supreme tactical accessories. XS Sights is a provider for many firearm manufacturers including: Berretta, Remington, Smith & Wesson, and Winchester. XS Sights are currently in use by Federal (DEA), State and Local branches of the police force, and many different levels of the armed forces (including rangers, delta & navy seals).
Sister company Horizon Tech Industries, Inc. is a high precision CNC job shop that manufactures all the components for XS Sights. Horizon Tech has been manufacturing for over 23 years in most major industries including medical, automotive, aeronautical, defense, industrial, oil and gas.
Practical Industries, Inc. was founded with the intent of designing new or improving old technologies throughout various industries. The mission of the company is to develop top tier products and services from concept to completion in large and niche markets that will make a positive impact on people’s lives.
{algo+rhythm}, Chad Horany Click Here for Member’s Website
B2B CFO, Chris James Click Here for Member’s Website
International Protein Colloids, David Walsh Click Here for Member’s Website
Janovsky and Associates, Liane Janovsky Click Here for Member’s Website
mHe3 Productions, Janee Harrell Click Here for Member’s Website
Prestige Home & Land, Amber Stilwell-Fergason Click Here for Member’s Website
Strategic Sales Solutions, Shelley Plemons Click Here for Member’s Website
Supplement Spot, Casey Borgers Click Here for Member’s Website
The Rogers Group, Lee Rogers Click Here for Member’s Website
TAKS Kids, Janice Stahl Click Here for Member’s Website
