Award Recipients
Announcing the
2026 Future Texas Business Legend
Award Recipients
Kyle Hieu Luong
University of Houston
T.T. & W.F. Chao Chairman’s Award
Ky Stephens
Texas Christian University
AT&T Future Executive Leader of Distinction Award in honor of Randall Stephenson
Sarah Looper Prescott
The University of Texas at Austin
AT&T Future Executive Leader of Distinction Award in honor of Edward E. Whitacre, Jr.
Ivan “Sutton” Smith
Texas Christian University
Future Texas Business Legend Directors’ Award supported by Amanda and Robert Brock
Trenee-Elaine Bailey
University of the Incarnate Word
The Zorich Family Foundation Future Texas Business Legend First in Family Award
Jacob “Cole” Posey
Baylor University
The Paul Foster Future Texas Business Legend Award
Aiesha Hernandez
Dallas Baptist University
The Mitchell Family Foundation Award
Faustino Aguilera
Lamar University
The Ben J. Rogers Award
Barclay Jumet, Ph.D.
Rice University
T.T. & W.F. Chao Award
Timothy Douga
Sam Houston State University
The SWBC Foundation Award
Oscar Orduno
Southern Methodist University
The Robert H. Dedman Award
Dashia Miles
St. Mary’s University
The William E. “Bill” Greehey Award
Tyler Hubbard
Stephen F. Austin State University
Greg Arnold Entrepreneurship
Legend Award
Akshaj “Akku” Kumar
Texas A&M University
The McFerrin Center for Entrepreneurship
Future Texas Business Legend Award in honor of James Galloway ’29
Joseph “Joe” Ceasar
Texas State University
The Alan and Barbara Dreeben Future Texas Business Legend Award
Evan Adams
Texas Tech University
Gary R. Petersen Future Texas Business Legend Award
Isabella Mixon
University of Houston
T.T. & W.F. Chao Award
Bryant “Griff” Griffith
The University of Texas at Arlington
The Mitchell Family Foundation Award
Stephen Herrera
The University of Texas at Austin
The Morton H. Meyerson Future Texas Business Legend Award
Joshua “Josh” Call
The University of Texas at Dallas
The Mitchell Family Foundation Award
Abraham Haro
The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
James and Kathleen Collins & Vantage Bank Texas Future Texas Business Legend Award
D’vonne Hmielewski
The University of Texas at San Antonio
The Harvey Najim Future Texas Business Legend Award
Vincent Pham
The University of Texas at San Antonio
The Carlos & Malú Alvarez Award
Kelly Braun
Comal ISD
The Texas Business Hall of Fame Teacher of Excellence Award supported by Alan & Barbara Dreeben (San Antonio Area)
Jamie Polk
Dallas ISD
The Texas Business Hall of Fame Teacher of Excellence Award supported by Jean & Jason Signor (Dallas-Fort Worth Area)
Christian Connolly
San Antonio Christian School
TBHF Alumni Association Outstanding High School Entrepreneur Award in honor of Coulter & Lily Rush Hoppess
Mason DeLaune
Geneva School of Boerne
Ishaan Thakur Outstanding High School Entrepreneur Award
2026 Award Finalists
Baylor University
Christopher Bertel
Jacob “Cole” Posey
Dallas Baptist University
Aiesha Hernandez
Matthew Mitchell
Dam Solanke
Lamar University
Faustino Aguilera
Michael Schwirian
Rice University
Marcelo Bini
Barclay Jumet, Ph.D.
Aaqib Mohammed
Sam Houston State University
Jennifer Brown
Timothy Douga
Southern Methodist University
Oscar Orduno
Tanvi Pareddy
St. Edward’s University
John Michael Brezina
St. Mary’s University
Dashia Miles
Celeste Morales
Stephen F. Austin State University
Tyler Hubbard
Pepper Riley
Texas A&M University
Michael Frost
Akshaj Kumar
Cole Roberts
Texas Christian University
Ivan “Sutton” Smith
Ky Stephens
Texas State University
Joseph Ceasar
NaJaiyah Virgil
Texas Tech University
Evan Adams
Matt Garcia
Mia O’Leary
University of Houston
Kyle Hieu Luong
Isabella Mixon
Sydney Stobart
University of the Incarnate Word
Khush Arora
Trenee-Elaine Bailey
The University of Texas at Arlington
Bryant “Griff” Griffith IV
Robyn Neal
The University of Texas at Austin
Stephen Herrera
Milit Patel
Sarah Looper Prescott
The University of Texas at Dallas
Bate Bate
Joshua Call
The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
Abraham Haro
The University of Texas at San Antonio
D’vonne Hmielewski
Vincent T. Pham
Teacher of Excellence Finalists
Kelly Braun
Daniel Forman
Laura Lauinger
Brandon Brown
Jamie Polk
Tommy Thompson
Outstanding High School Entrepreneur Finalists
Christian Connolly
Mason DeLaune
Jack Schwab