🍎This UTA Dean will show up for Klass; Dells ring UT bells with $750M gift; 5 Tarrant biz leaders are EY finalists.

Electric vehicle maker Rivian Automotive Inc. plans to take a 525,000-square-foot distribution center built by NorthPoint Development at 1384 Bold Ruler Road in Northlake. The parts distribution center will serve as a regional hub to receive, store and ship parts for the vehicles to the company's service and collision centers across the Southwest. About 50,000 square feet will be used for a learning and development center for technical service training, which should be in operation during 2027, Rivian told the Dallas Business Journal.

Dr. Brian Klaas is the next dean of the College of Business at the University of Texas at Arlington. His start date is July 1 after having been at the University of Missouri–Kansas City, where he is dean, professor of management, and Harzfeld Chair in the Henry W. Bloch School of Management since 2017. One local coincidence: He previously worked at the Darla Moore School of Business at the University of South Carolina. Moore is the widow of Richard Rainwater and was former CEO of Rainwater, Inc. 

The University of Texas at Arlington signed a five-year research agreement with CRH to advance innovative materials and accelerate commercialization efforts in infrastructure design. CRH has 80,000 employees and 4,000 facilities in 28 countries. The partnership is built upon a coordinated research and technology transfer framework. The initiative is designed to support the development of new technologies, intellectual property and solutions, while also providing professional development opportunities.  

Texas' Attorney General office successfully defended Senate Bill 10 in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. The ruling means the 10 Commandments are to be displayed in Texas classrooms. “This is a major victory for Texas and our moral values,” said Attorney General Ken Paxton. 

You may have missed the story about the fisherman in Arlington hooking an alligator and dragging it to shore. Hard to believe, but the rest of the story gets crazier, including his citation from the police.

Billionaires Michael and Susan Dell are gifting the University of Texas at Austin's medical research department $750 million to improve patient care through artificial intelligence. The UT Dell Medical Center is projected to open in 2030 as part of a 300-plus-acre advanced research campus. The donation makes the couple the first UT donors to give more than $1 billion. Michael Dell, founder and CEO of Dell Technologies, has a net worth estimated at $170 billion.

Fort Worth-based Elbit Systems of America has been awarded a maximum five-year, $21,663,920 contract for image intensifiers through April 19, 2031. The customer is the U.S. Navy and the activity is Defense Logistics Agency Weapons Support.

The Pentagon unveiled more details of President Donald Trump's $1.5-trillion defense budget request for fiscal year 2027. The Pentagon created a category it is calling "presidential priorities," covering Golden Dome missile defense, drone dominance, artificial intelligence and data infrastructure, and the defense industrial base. Details are here. 

Sea-riously? A life jacket used by a Titanic survivor fetched $906,000 at an auction over the weekend, while a seat cushion brought $527,000.

Five Tarrant business leaders are among finalists for EY's Entrepreneur Of The Year 2026 Southwest Award. See the full list here.

Fort Worth Park & Recreation has a ground-breaking Thursday at 10 a.m. for the Bomber Spur Trail at North Z Boaz Park, 3200 Lackland Rd.

Fort Worth-based Range Resources had first-quarter cash flow from operating activities of $619 million, and $545 million on cash flow from operations before working capital changes. The company re-purchased $27 million of shares, paid $24 million in dividends, and reduced net debt by $384 million. Capital spending was $139 million, approximately 21% of the annual 2026 budget, and production averaged 2.21 Bcfe per day.

As early as next week, some Texas families will find out if they’ve won the school voucher lottery. Families in the first tier  — low- and middle-income students with disabilities — will be notified first. A spokesperson said the majority of applicants will end up on a waitlist.

This business mixer is a cut above. 817 Biz invites you to Cocktails & Carats on Thursday, April 30 from 5 to 7 pm. Celebrate the debut of the May issue of our print publication and join readers, newsmakers and our luxury partners at MK & Co. Fine Jewelry. Enjoy conversations, cocktails and up to 20% off jewelry just in time for Mother’s Day. See event details here.

Texas House Speaker Dustin Burrows targeted Roblox for alleged child endangerment after learning the platform offered a simulation of the 2022 Uvalde mass shooting. Burrows instructed lawmakers to study ways to strengthen child safety and accountability for virtual gaming, singling out Roblox. 

Coming soon: Zipline, the drone delivery company that partnered with Walmart to launch D-FW operations a year ago this month, has 10 restaurants it is testing deliveries for in the Rowlett area. 

Madison Capital Group, a Charlotte-based real estate investment firm, raised approximately $13.2 million, with equity proceeds used to acquire four convenience stores in Texas that will be re-imaged as Fresh Stop locations. One of the four unidentified locations is in Fort Worth.

Strauss Borrelli PLLC, a class-action law firm, is investigating Fort Worth-based GoldStar Transit regarding its recent layoffs in potential violation of the WARN Act, a federal law that requires certain employers to notify their employees, in writing, at least 60 days before a plant closing or mass layoff takes effect. 

Fort Worth’s LanCarte Commercial leased a large-scale warehouse at 1201 Avenue S, Suite 200 in Grand Prairie, representing Brightmore Brands. The warehouse will centralize donation intake, sorting and distribution for multiple store banners, including Texas Thrift and Eco Thrift. The transaction was led by Parker LanCarte and Mark Boone, and co-brokered by Chris Routledge with Westbrook Real Estate.

American Airlines has begun selling tickets for flights leaving Miami to Venezuela. American operated in Venezuela starting in 1987 and served as the largest U.S. airline in the country before suspending service in March 2019. 

That’s a lot of salami: Sandwich chain Jersey Mike’s has confidentially filed for an IPO, reportedly seeking a $12 billion valuation.

Happy Administrative Professionals Day. Today we celebrate the contributions of administrative assistants, receptionists and other support staff to organizations. It was started in 1952 as "National Secretaries Day".

Snippets:

• MP Materials vs. USA Rare Earth: The Motley Fool explores the better long-term play?

• Bell Textron says initial results of its Nancelle Improvement Program are showing a significant boost in operational readiness and maintainability.

• Oops? Did Fort Worth partially cut down trees in the Mosier Valley area for a park on land that it doesn't own?

Believe it or not: Meet the amazing runner that completed a 13-mile race in just 50 minutes, 26 seconds, beating 12,000 competitors and eclipsing the world record for a half-marathon, set by Ugandan long-distance runner Jacob Kiplimo in Lisbon last month, by nearly seven minutes.

Daily digit: 99,000 = Approximate number of wells in Texas — two-thirds of active wells — that produce under 10 barrels of oil a day.

Announcements:

• First Command Financial Services: Appoints Brent Korte Chief Marketing Officer.

• President Donald Trump: Selects Dr. Jennifer Shuford, commissioner of the Texas Department of State Health Services, to serve as deputy director and chief medical officer of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

• TCU Neeley School of Business: Awards Neeley Awards to Will Drover for Distinguished Faculty-Outstanding School Service, and Allison Taylor for Undergraduate Teacher. 

• Prime Capital Financial: Names Shane Miller Partner and Managing Director in Fort Worth. 

• Dallas Cowboys: Sign placekicker Brandon Aubrey to a 4-year, $28-million contract with $20 million guaranteed. He becomes the highest paid kicker in the National Football League. 

• Younger Partners: Hires Steven Grant to expand its full-service commercial real estate division. 

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