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Rudy Garza Chosen President-Elect of Texas Exes

Today the Texas Exes Board of Directors elected Rudy Garza of Austin to fill the unexpired term of President-elect Ron Kirk, who has accepted an appointment in the Obama administration. Garza is the founder and managing partner of seed stage venture capital firm G-51 Capital. He will assume the position immediately and on July 1, 2009, will become president of the association, replacing Pamela Willeford, former United States Ambassador to Switzerland and the Principality of Liechtenstein.

Garza is a native of Austin and a recognized Texas leader in the technology start-up industry.  He started G-51 Capital in 1996 a few blocks from the University of Texas campus and now has served as an investor and board member for over 20 companies and sold numerous companies to publicly traded strategic acquirers including  SAP, ADP, Prudential, Cisco Systems and others. He has funded companies in Texas and across the country primarily in the seed stage of development.  G-51 Capital mentors and advises entrepreneurs while leveraging the firm’s resources and networks to drive start-up company success.

Garza earned his MBA from The University of Texas at Austin and his BBA from St. Edwards University. Garza served on the Texas Exes Board of Directors for two years and the Texas Exes Investment Committee for seven years.  He is a lifetime honorary trustee of the Dell Children’s Medical Center. “Rudy has served our association and The University of Texas with distinction, and we are looking forward to his energetic and enthusiastic style as he leads the Texas Exes,” current Texas Exes President Pamela Willeford said.

The Board of Directors expressed their appreciation to Ron Kirk for his service to the association, wished him the best in representing our country as U. S Trade Representative and called upon him to rejoin the association’s leaders when he comes back to Texas.

Other officers for the 2008-09 Texas Exes Board of Directors are: Melinda Perrin of Houston, Secretary; Mark Williams of Austin, Treasurer; Darrell Windham of Austin, Chair, and Jim Boon of Austin, Executive Director.

Also serving on the 2008-09 Texas Exes Board of Directors:

 Steve Ballantyne, San Antonio; Mark Chassay, Austin; Alex Crook, Austin; Hector De Leon, Austin; Charles Fraser, Houston; Machree Gibson, Austin; Troy Glander, San Antonio; Steve Head, Dallas; Kevin Hegarty, Austin; Rick Kelly, Austin; Aaron Kozmetsky, Dallas; Elizabeth (Libba) Massey, Dallas; Dennis McWilliams, Austin; Alba Ortiz, Austin; Alisa Peppers, Allen; and Lynn Utter, Pennsylvania.