Pete Geren, President and CEO at Sid W. Richardson Foundation

Preston “Pete” Geren is President and CEO of the Sid W. Richardson Foundation, a foundation that provides grants to educational, health, human service, and cultural non-profit organizations in Texas. He assumed the position in July 2011, after serving as senior advisor and president-elect of the Foundation since March 2010.

Geren also serves as Chairman of the Board of the Institute for Defense Analyses, a federally funded non-profit that conducts research and analysis for federal departments and agencies entrusted with national security responsibilities.

Prior to joining the Foundation, Geren served in the Department of Defense (2001-09) as: Special Assistant to the Secretary of Defense, Acting Secretary of the Air Force, Under Secretary of the Army, and Secretary of the Army.

He served four terms as a United States Congressman, 12th District of Texas (1989-97), and was formerly an assistant to U.S. Senator Lloyd Bentsen.

A lawyer and former business executive, Geren has held leadership positions in numerous civic, educational, business, and philanthropic organizations in Texas. He was honored as a Distinguished Alumnus by the University of Texas and a Distinguished Alumnus for Public Service by the University of Texas Law School.

He earned his Doctor of Jurisprudence at the University of Texas Law School and his Bachelor of Arts in history at UT-Austin. He studied architecture at Georgia Tech before transferring to UT.

A Fort Worth native, Pete is married, has three daughters and one granddaughter.

Adam D. Powell, President and CEO at United Way of Tarrant County

Adam D. Powell is president and CEO of United Way of Tarrant County, a leading nonprofit organization that has served the area for over 100 years. His role encompasses all aspects of leadership, including articulating his vision and bringing it to life through strategy, increasing financial support while ensuring fiscal oversight, developing new initiatives, improving processes and promoting a positive, inclusive culture.

A compassionate and results-driven leader with over 20 years of experience in strengthening communities, Adam is responsible for advancing the organization’s mission to improve the lives of Tarrant County and North Texas residents. Prior to joining UWTC in 2025, Adam led Communities in Schools of the Dallas Region as its president and CEO, where he doubled the organizational impact over five years and nearly tripled its revenue.

In 2024, he was inducted into the Forbes Nonprofit Council, an honor set aside for top nonprofit executives around the country. Adam was named a D Magazine/D CEO Leadership Excellence finalist in 2024 and 2023 and was honored as a Dallas Business Journal 40 under 40 recipient in 2021.

Adam holds a B.S. degree in mass communications from Jackson State University, an M.S. in social work from University of Texas in Arlington and is expected to graduate with his Ed.D. in leadership and innovation from Purdue University in December 2025. He currently resides in Fort Worth.

Jeff Salavarria, Senior Vice President at Frost Bank

Bio coming soon