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- $500M is magic number for TCU and Texas films; Freeman, Jayson are EY-Southwest finalists; AA wants BNSF Railway CEO on its Board.
$500M is magic number for TCU and Texas films; Freeman, Jayson are EY-Southwest finalists; AA wants BNSF Railway CEO on its Board.
Plus, more bite-size news about business in Tarrant County.
Lennox, a leader in the HVAC industry, is making significant investments in its distribution network and customer service and training capabilities in D-FW. Included is a 1.2-million-square-foot national distribution center in Fort Worth, expected to be operational by January 2026.
Arlington-based D.R. Horton reported second-quarter results and sales fell 15% year-over-year to $7.73 billion. David Auld, Executive Chairman, said, "The 2025 spring selling season started slower than expected as potential homebuyers have been more cautious due to continued affordability constraints and declining consumer confidence."
The TCU Board of Trustees approved two residence life developments and a comprehensive renovation of Ed Landreth Hall and Auditorium at its spring 2025 meeting. Reports are these are part of a $500-million campus transformation.
A fistful of dollars? The Texas Senate passed a bill that would direct the Texas Comptroller to deposit $500 million into a fund set aside for film and television production in Texas, double what has previously been spent. It would need House approval and the Governor's signature to be law.
Google has illegally built “monopoly power” with its web advertising business, a federal judge in Virginia ruled, siding with the Justice Department in a landmark case that could re-shape the economics of running a modern website.
Texas school choice and public education funding bills are passed in initial House votes after more than 12 hours of debate and a call from President Trump.
The National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame has proposed a 16,000-square-foot wing west of its building. The museum is operated on Fort Worth-owned land. The non-profit has raised more than $13.5 million toward the goal of $19 million and is asking the city for $6.5 million to help fund the project.
Canadian firm Flock Audio has relocated its headquarters to Fort Worth. The family-owned manufacturer has become an industry standard in the world of analog routing technology.
Roanoke approved Watermere on Oak Street, a 55+ senior living development and 30 single-family lots between Dorman Road and North Walnut Street. Approval is contingent on city staff, the fire department and the developer settling issues for an access point for the fire department. Watermere housing is for independent, assisted and short-term living, and memory care.
Blackstone plans to debut its BMAX fund May 1 through the registered investor advisor channel as it seeks to accelerate its growth in the private credit sector. This comes two days after it announced partnerships with Vanguard and Wellington Management to develop multi-asset investment products.
The Fort Worth Economic Development Partnership (EDP) convened its quarterly briefing last week, bringing together a network of EDP investors and key economic development stakeholders. The central focus of the discussion revolved around the foundational elements necessary for sustained economic growth — connectivity to power, secure water resources, and robust public infrastructure. Read an overview here.
Westlake-based Charles Schwab has made a minority investment in Wealth.com, the No.1-rated estate planning platform in wealth management. It is expected to assist financial advisors in their discussions with clients about estate planning needs.
Two Fort Worth company leaders -- Mike Freeman of Steele & Freeman, and Jordan Jayson of U.S. Energy Development Corporation -- have been named finalists for the 2025 Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year-Southwest award.
American Airlines said its board of directors nominated Kathryn (Katie) Farmer, CEO of BNSF Railway, for election June 11 to the company’s board. If elected, Farmer will serve on the Finance Committee and Safety Committee.
Grapevine-based GameStop has approved a 4-for-1 stock split that will take place at the close of business July 18. A split doesn't impact the value of a company but divides existing shares into smaller pieces at lower prices. Trading will begin on the stock split-adjusted basis July 22.
Notable and quotable: “I lied on my Weight Watchers list. I put down that I had 3 eggs… but they were Cadbury chocolate eggs.”
Revelstoke Capital Partners, a healthcare-focused private equity firm, completed a recapitalization of AOM Infusion, a specialty infusion provider focused on chronic therapy management. AOM is located at 6310 Southwest Boulevard in Fort Worth. Terms were not disclosed. Christopher York is Chairman and Keyur Mehta is CEO. AOM provides intravenous immunoglobulin, biologics and other therapies, addressing more than 80 chronic conditions.
Completions technology provider Vertice Oil Tools Inc. has acquired Weatherford-based Greenwell Engineering Inc., expanding its completions portfolio and its presence across unconventional oil and gas markets.
Daimler Truck North America started delivering its latest on-highway trucks to the autonomous testing fleet of Torc Robotics in north Fort Worth. Torc completed driver-out test runs on a multi-lane test track last year. The next step is to further develop autonomous trucks to safely achieve the driver-out capability on public roads.
Snippets:
Bubble boom: While overall consumption of wine is at the lowest levels seen since 1996, sparkling wine’s overall market share increased four percent to a 12 share between 2017 and 2022. The best-known sparkling wine is French Champagne, but the real winner has been Prosecco from Italy, which accounts for nearly 25 percent of the total wine production out of Italy. Champagne’s compound annual growth rate declined 7 percent from 2021 to 2023, while Prosecco’s was up 5 percent.
Significant stat: Cruise ships have turned their vessels into experience-laden, themed entertainment. As a result, the average age of a passenger is 46, down from 49 two decades ago. The average customer spends $2,154 on a cruise, according to BNP Paribas: 68% for tickets, 18% comes from the casino and bar, and 6% for shore excursions.
Announcements:
Texas Tech University System: Board of Regents elects Cody C. Campbell and Dustin R. Womble as chairman and vice chairman. Campbell is CEO and co-founder of Fort Worth-based Double Eagle Energy Holdings.
Texas Woman's University Center for Women Entrepreneurs: Adds Lourdes Ramboa as Associate Director of Business Management.
Lockheed Martin: Appoints Evan Scott Chief Financial Officer.
Center for Transforming Lives: Appoints Corrie Harris Chief Development Officer
O’Brien Right of Way: Hires Gina Cannova (Phalen), who is returning to the firm as Sr. Managing Director of the Public Sector Team for Transportation and Water.
Weatherford Police Department: Promotes 24-year squad veteran and Weatherford native Jason Hayes to Chief of Police.
Tarleton Texan Corps of Cadets: Selects Cadet Carter McKay of Granbury as Commander.
Minnesota State Colleges and Universities: Names Ritu Raju President of South Central College, effective July 1. From 2020-2022, she was VP Academic Affairs at Tarrant County College Northeast.
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