Member Announcements 

Dallas, TX (May 9, 2012) – Kathy Leonard, President of Freeman+Leonard, a privately held full-service marketing communications and creative solutions firm, was recently recognized as one of the Top Women in Business by the Dallas Business Journal. She will be honored for her outstanding leadership and success in the corporate environment by the Dallas Business Journal on June 7, 2012, at the Women in Business awards luncheon at the Irving Convention Center.

Kathy has been an integral member of the Dallas business community for more than 20 years.  Her guidance and experience in leading advertising agencies to success have given her the opportunity to craft a new type of marketing services company based upon current workforce trends and the needs of today’s marketers.  Her company, Freeman+Leonard, a partnership with Dallas businesswoman Valerie Freeman, provides customized marketing services solutions to clients and agencies when and as they need them.

“I’m honored to be recognized by the Dallas Business Journal and quite humbled to join this impressive group of successful business leaders,” says Kathy. “I’m also fortunate to work with a great team of professionals.  They are my motivation and my inspiration and I can truthfully say that this recognition for me is due in large measure to the contribution they make every day.”  

Kathy was chosen for the Women in Business award in part for her pioneering business concept, Freeman+Leonard, that began in 2009.  “Freeman+Leonard was formed on the fact that more and more of today’s workforce want the flexibility of working in contract or freelance roles,” said Kathy. “We work with outstanding marketing and advertising people who choose to pursue project-based careers. We’ve been able to take advantage of this emerging new work force to offer corporate marketers high-quality, yet cost-efficient talent solutions,” she added.

Within the Freeman+Leonard business model, Kathy is responsible for creating Game Changers™,  the company’s strategic consulting practice that engages some of the top marketing consultants in the U.S. for complex marketing and advertising assignments.   Another innovative concept from her company is Imagine Nation™, a network of creative ideators who deliver the big idea for corporate clients and agencies.

Kathy is an active member in the Executive Women's Roundtable of the Dallas Regional Chamber.  She serves on the Board of Advisors for the Texas A&M Masters in Communications program and is a member of the Board of Visitors for the University of Oklahoma’s Gaylord School of Journalism.  Kathy is a frequent speaker at universities and business organizations.  Her engagements include the Oklahoma Women's Program, CEO Netweavers, Marketing Executives Networking Group (MENG) and Dallas Regional Chamber Women's Business Conference. She is one of the original investors in the Texas Women Ventures Fund.

Freeman+Leonard is a firm designed to provide a full suite of marketing communications and creative services that give corporate marketers and agencies a powerful new solution for today’s fast-changing needs – the people you need, when and as you need them, and not when you don’t. The company specializes in solving marketing, advertising and communications challenges with experienced professionals who work in a contract, full-time or consultative capacity.   Freeman+Leonard is headquartered in Dallas, Texas.

For more information regarding Freeman+Leonard and the services provided, please visit our website (www.freemanleonard.com) or contact Kelly Lemon via phone at 972.419.1762 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

David Goldfarb, President of DSG Benefits Group, Named One of Five 2012 Broker of the Year Finalists by Benefits Selling Magazine

DALLAS (May 4, 2012) ? David Goldfarb, President of DSG Benefits Group, is one of five finalists from across the country for Benefits Selling magazine’s 2012 Broker of the Year. The award winner will be announced at the 8th Annual Benefits Selling Expo, May 9-11, in San Antonio, Texas. This is one of several honors recently bestowed upon Goldfarb. In late 2011, Employee Benefit Adviser named him as a Top 10 “Rising Star in Advising” and the National Association of Health Underwriters recognized Goldfarb, for the seventh consecutive year, with its “Golden Eagle Award,” the highest recognition bestowed upon an individual who has demonstrated professional excellence in health and disability income insurance.

“To be named a finalist for this prestigious award and to be recognized along with the other four finalists, who truly are industry visionaries, is an honor,” said Goldfarb. “This accolade would not have been possible without the focus and commitment from all of my colleagues at DSG Benefits Group. The mindset and passion we all mutually share on constantly improving employee education in regards to employee benefits coupled with developing innovative tailored solutions that specifically address each of our clients’ unique needs have significantly contributed to our company’s success.”

Goldfarb is a strong advocate of consumer-driven health plans and encourages his clients to integrate a heavy emphasis in consumerism and wellness within their benefits programs. He is a proponent of incorporating health saving accounts (HSAs) as the primary vehicle within health plans because he believes having “skin in the game” stimulates change, a real sense of consumerism and ultimately yields short-term, but more importantly, long-term costs savings and a myriad of tax benefits for both the employer and employee (or consumer). According to Goldfarb, HSAs are the most effective agents in significantly altering the traditional employee mentality in health care decision-making. The traditional PPO or HMO health plans are simply unsustainable; an approximate 8-12 percent annual compound rate increase is difficult, if not impossible, for any employer to absorb over a 10-year time period. Goldfarb believes change is necessary, and consumer-driven health plans are one of the fundamental solutions to the current healthcare crisis.

Goldfarb is a frequent speaker, author and contributor on topics ranging from employee benefits and welfare programs to the complex, deep and far-reaching implications that the Affordable Care Act (ACA) has on employers and individuals. Goldfarb, a graduate of the University of Texas, also stays active in several industry associations and is a devoted supporter of the community, especially with nonprofit organizations. He is a charter member of the TACA Corporate Council and a member of The Center for Nonprofit Management, the North Dallas Chamber of Commerce and many others.

Additionally, his firm is a corporate patron for several local arts and non-profit organizations such as the Dallas Symphony Orchestra, The Dallas Opera, the Dallas Summer Musicals, Dallas Children’s Theater, The Women's Museum, CareFlite and several others.

Synthetic Grass Pros is Hiring

TRE adds Google Transit Trip Planner in Website Redesigned by Valiant Media 

Customers of the Trinity Railway Express are enjoying a new online ride thanks to a redesign of the website, www.TrinityRailwayExpress.org. Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) and the Fort Worth Transportation Authority (The T) launched the redesign of the site on Monday, March 12.

A Google Transit trip planner is among new features of website enhancements to improve customer interface and make it easier for TRE riders to plan their trips and take advantage of area attractions and special events near its ten stations from downtown Dallas to downtown Fort Worth.

Other enhanced features of the TRE website include:

LegacyTexas Bank in Plano to Host Rare Shelby American 50^th Anniversary Event

CONTACT: Jennifer Dexter
                 Assistant Vice President
                972.461.7157
                This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

         (Plano, TX) LegacyTexas Bank in Plano will host one of thirteen events nationwide this summer celebrating the 50^th anniversary of the Shelby Cobra. Shelby American is showcasing five decades of craftsmanship with a national tour that kicks off at the Shelby American headquarters in Las Vegas, Nevada. On June 30^th, between stops in Los Angeles and New York, the tour comes to Plano for an exposition at LegacyTexas Bank headquarters on Legacy Drive. The family-friendly event will feature three generations of the Shelby family and is open to the public. The event is co-hosted by the bank and the Shelby Cobra Association of Texas.

“We are delighted to help bring the Shelby American Tour to North Texas and to host this extraordinary celebration of auto innovation,” said LegacyTexas Bank President and Plano Mayor Phil Dyer. “This is a unique opportunity for serious collectors, as well as those who simply appreciate the Shelby tradition of quality, to get a close up view of some extremely rare Shelby models,” he said.

This will mark the third consecutive year LegacyTexas Bank has hosted a Shelby event. The once-in-a-lifetime nature of the Shelby American Tour, however, is expected to take the event to an entirely new level, drawing enthusiasts throughout the Southwest to the only Texas stop on the tour.

“The 50^th Anniversary Tour has an even deeper meaning for our bank for two significant reasons,” said Dyer. “Our long-time association with and respect for the Shelby family and the fact that the Shelby show coincides with the kick-off of the bank’s 50^th year make it a very special event for us and for our community.”

LegacyTexas Bank is majority owned by the Shelby family of North Texas. The bank will celebrate its 50^th anniversary during 2013.  

About LegacyTexas Bank

LegacyTexas Bank is an independent community bank with $1.6 billion in assets.  In business since 1963, LegacyTexas Bank currently has 19 branches throughout Collin, Dallas, Tarrant and Parker Counties. LegacyTexas Group is the financial holding company for LegacyTexas Bank and also includes LegacyTexas Insurance Services and LegacyTexas Title. For more information, visit www.LegacyTexasBank.com.

McGahey Named Staff One CFO

DALLAS, April 20, 2012 -- Staff One, Inc., a leading ESAC-accredited professional employer organization (PEO), recently added a senior leader to its team of HR Outsourcing professionals.  Kevin McGahey, was named Chief Financial Officer for the 23-year-old company.

McGahey brings many years of practical knowledge and experience to Staff One, and will work to continuously improve financial processes and operational procedures in order to deliver value-added services to Staff One clients. 

Formerly the Controller for HealthSmart Holdings, Inc., Kevin has more than 21 years of diversified accounting experience, with eight of those years in the PEO industry.  His background also includes prominent positions at QVL Pharmacy Holdings, Inc. and U.S. Personnel, Inc.   He holds degrees in both Accounting and Management from Texas A&M University.

“I am looking forward to working with Mark and his team.  This position provides me with an exciting opportunity to be involved with a well respected organization and make a positive impact on the client experience,” said Kevin.

“Kevin is an exceptional individual, and we are very pleased to welcome him to our management team,” said Staff One CEO Mark Sinatra. “His leadership will be an essential part of our continued development of strong processes and personnel to benefit our clients.”

 About Staff One
Founded in 1988, Staff One is a leader in the Human Resources Outsourcing industry with an ESAC accredited and bonded PEO service offering. The company is a preferred provider of outsourced human resources management services that include, benefits and payroll administration, health and workers’ compensation insurance programs, personnel records management, employer liability management, employee performance management and employee training and development services to small and medium-sized businesses. For more information, visit www.staffone.com/impact.

Local Credit Union Announces Name Change

DATE: March 30th, 2012
CONTACT: Scarlett M. Mihailov

Move seen as a positive step in reflecting growing and diverse membership
For over 75 years, Dallas Telco Federal Credit Union has been a fixture in the metroplex area. Now, one of the oldest credit unions in Dallas is taking a giant step towards realizing its goal as a full partner in local communities.
“Because we now serve a larger geographic area, a name change is required to more accurately reflect the membership that has developed over the last few years,” said Bert Beal, Dallas Telco Federal Credit Union’s CEO. “Our goal is to provide superior personal service to make our members’ financial life easier.”
Effective March 31st, Dallas Telco FCU will proudly be known as GO Federal Credit Union. The name change has no impact on any member accounts.
GO Federal Credit Union is proud of the 75 year history with local telephone and communication worker employees. Far from being a move away from these roots, this change is in reality a proactive step towards becoming a better partner with local employees and the broadened field of membership.
Members will continue to enjoy superior service. GO Federal Credit Union will continue to provide competitive rates on deposits and loans. GO Federal Credit Union’s growth and increased resources allows it to serve our members even better.
GO Federal Credit Union is a full-service credit union with over $100 million in assets, serving 18,000 members with three area locations. For more information call 214-658-6852 or visit the new website at www.mygofcu.org .

New Pediatric Research Institute Launched by Children's Medical Center, UT Southwestern Medical Center

March 05, 2012

Media Contact:
Laurie Holloway
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214-456-5318, desk
214-862-3478, cell

Children’s Medical Center is partnering with UT Southwestern Medical Center to establish a unique $150 million venture that will bring together the finest scientists to pursue research with the potential to change scientific fields, as well as the way disease is treated in children and adults.

The Children’s Medical Center Research Institute at UT Southwestern will focus on the discovery of transformative advances related to the understanding and treatment of cancer, birth defects and metabolic diseases. The institute will combine the comprehensive clinical expertise of Children’s Medical Center Dallas, a nationally ranked pediatric hospital system, and UT Southwestern, an internationally recognized center for medical research.

Children’s has committed to raise $150 million in endowment to support the new initiative, and as part of the institute’s ribbon-cutting ceremony Tuesday, March 6, will announce a $10 million gift – the second-largest ever made to Children’s Medical Center. The gift, from the Hamon Charitable Foundation, will establish an endowment to support the Children’s Research Institute. Dr. Sean Morrison, Ph.D., internationally acclaimed for his groundbreaking stem cell research, has been named founding director of the institute. In recognition of this gift, Dr. Morrison’s laboratory at the institute will be named the Hamon Laboratory for Stem Cell and Cancer Biology.

"The Children’s Medical Center Research Institute at UT Southwestern is poised to lead the way in a new era of scientific discovery," said Christopher J. Durovich, president and chief executive officer of Children’s. "This will make treatments more effective and delivery of care more efficient. Ultimately, we will push the frontiers of pediatric medicine, help reduce suffering and save lives, a goal of Children’s for nearly 100 years."

"The goals of the institute align with our focus on translating scientific advances into outstanding patient care," said Dr. Daniel K. Podolsky, president of UT Southwestern. "We look forward to this enhanced collaboration between UT Southwestern and Children’s Medical Center."

Under Dr. Morrison’s leadership, the institute is focusing on research at the interface of stem cell biology, cancer, and metabolism that has the potential to reveal new strategies for treating disease.

"Our goal is to discover the therapies of tomorrow," Dr. Morrison said. "We will invest in research to illuminate the biological basis for disease by integrating interdisciplinary groups of scientists and physicians who combine skills that are rarely found in a single laboratory.

"When we make discoveries that have the potential to improve the treatment of patients, we will invest in clinical research to deliver the benefits of the science to patients. Our ultimate goal is to cure somebody who would not be cured otherwise."

The institute currently has more than 30 scientists in two laboratories. It eventually will include 150 scientists in 15 laboratories led by UT Southwestern faculty members.

The Dean Foods Foundation last summer also committed to a gift of $1.25 million to help establish CRI.

CRI’s potential for groundbreaking research is evidenced by an article published in Jan. 26 edition of Nature. It told how investigators, led by Dr. Morrison, identified the environment in which blood-forming stem cells are maintained within the body, an important step toward increasing the safety and effectiveness of bone-marrow transplantation. "Although scientists have searched for decades, this is the first study to reveal the cells that are functionally responsible for maintaining blood-forming stem cells in the body," said Dr. Morrison, senior author of the study. "This discovery will lead to the identification of the mechanisms by which cells in the blood-forming system promote stem cell maintenance and tissue repair."

The institute is located at 6000 Harry Hines Boulevard, on the UT Southwestern campus.