2023 Hall of Fame Inductees

Martin Denari

Long-standing record of building profitable businesses and driving growth as a C-level executive with full P&L responsibilities
Three decades as a high-level business executive and innovative leader in the energy, utilities, aviation, oil and gas, automotive, and discrete manufacturing industries
Extensive international experience and knowledge of the global marketplace, having lived and worked in Latin America, Europe, and Southeast Asia

Dennis Ferstler

Co-Founder of FIRMSPACE, a Premium Flex Office Space provider focused on security, privacy and productivity and targeting established professionals with locations in Houston, Austin, Denver, Atlanta, and Chicago.
Co-Founder of Alpine Resources LLC, which owns thousands of Oil and Gas wells throughout Texas and Louisiana.
Has owned banks and several commercial real estate buildings; has also served on several boards, including Bank of America Merrill Lynch

Sandy Guitar

23 years of venture fund investing experience
General Partner of HX Venture Fund, a venture capital fund of funds focused on developing the start-up ecosystem in Houston
Co-Founder and Managing Director of Weathergage Capital, a venture capital and growth equity fund of funds managing approximately $1 billion in assets
Founder of the networking group, Women in VC in Houston

Dwayne Hyzak

CEO of Main Street Capital Corporation since November 2018 and has been a member of its Board of Directors since January 2018. Serves as a member of MAIN's management team's investment and executive committees
Previously served as MAIN's President, Chief Operating Officer, Chief Financial Officer, and Senior Managing Director and has worked at MAIN and its predecessors since 2002
Has served as CEO and Chairman of the Board of MSC Income Fund, a business development company that is managed by MSC Adviser I, a wholly owned portfolio company of MAIN, since October 2020, and as a member of its Board of Directors since June 2020
Previously was Director of Integration with Quanta Services, and was principally focused on the company's mergers and acquisitions and corporate finance activities

Dr. Melanie Johnson

Since 2018, President and CEO of Collaborative for Children
Previously served as President and CEO of The Health Museum, which she led to become a Smithsonian Affiliate
Awarded the national Nancy Hanks Award by the American Alliance of Museums while serving as Director of Education for NASA Johnson Space Center's "Space Center Houston"
Member, Board Of Trustees, Co-Chair, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee, Greater Houston Partnership

Sunny Zhang

Award-winning educator, entrepreneur, and investor
Founder of TrueLeap Inc., an education technology provider improving global access to quality digital education
Tenured professor at the University of St. Thomas; Dr. Zhang has been teaching in business schools for 20 years
Co-founded Born Global Ventures (startup studio) and Born Global Community (501c3) supporting global startups and diverse entrepreneurs