|
WHO WE ARE
ABOUT US
Executive Leadership
We’re proud of our roots. We’re also excited about our explosive growth. Scroll through the PEP leadership team to connect the people with the vision.
Catherine Rohr, Founder & Chief Executive Officer
Catherine founded PEP in May 2004. She spends her time teaching life skills in prison; speaking with executives to create awareness; managing employees; working with the Governing and Advisory Boards; and setting the vision and strategic direction for PEP.
Read more …
Kami Recla, Chief of Staff
Kami Recla began serving PEP as an MBA volunteer in February 2006 and officially came on board in January 2007.
Kami devotes her energy to coordinating external and internal activities for the CEO. In the role of an advisor, facilitator and liaison, Kami supports the CEO so she can focus on strategic initiatives to grow PEP. She also works closely with the advisory boards and manages the marketing department.
Kami earned a Bachelor of Science in management information systems from North Dakota State University in 2003. Kami worked for a software company as a project manager for two years before returning to Texas A&M University, where she earned her Master of Business Administration degree at the Mays Business School in December 2006.
Kami enjoys all sports and spending time outdoors. Kami lives with her husband, Ben, wherever the army sends them.
Curtis Hogue, Director of Prison Initiatives
Curtis joined PEP in April 2008 to serve as the Director of Prison Initiatives. In his role, Curtis teaches business classes in prison, manages the recruitment of new participants, supervises the family relations program and coordinates the frequent executive events that occur behind the walls.
With a diverse background in finance, intellectual property and new business formation, Curtis brings a cutting-edge business perspective to PEP’s motivated underdogs. Prior to joining PEP, Curtis founded an intellectual property consulting firm, Hogue IP, which provided a range of patent services including valuation, strategy, litigation support and prosecution. He also spent 10 years as an equity research analyst on both the buy and sell side at firms including DCF Capital, Prudential Securities and Volpe Brown Whelan. Early in his career, Curtis was a patent examiner at the United States Patent and Trademark Office and conducted biotechnology research at a division of Organon Teknika.
He earned a Bachelor of Science from James Madison University, a Master of Science from Johns Hopkins University and a Master of Business Administration from the Fuqua School of Business at Duke University.
Curtis and his wife, Michelle, stay actively involved in the community. They have fostered children for the past several years, in addition to having two of their own, and lead various church outreach programs.
Phi Tran, Director of Finance and Reintegration
Phi has worked for PEP since October 2004 and has served in many different capacities, beginning with designing a comprehensive database for case management. Currently, he manages the case management, finance and IT departments. He also works with PEP’s external auditors in the preparation of audited financial statements.
Phi brings to PEP a diverse entrepreneurial background with multiple successful ventures in industries ranging from technology distribution to entertainment. He was the founder and owner of a JDP Production, an organizer of entertainment events. Previously, he founded and owned a company called Panorama, a storefront selling Japanese animation products. The business rented videos to a 600-member customer base and sold related products, generating monthly sales of up to $30,000 over two years.
Phi is currently a candidate for a Bachelors Degree in business administration at the University of Houston.
Phi enjoys working out, playing video games and studying. He attends Asian American Church of Houston and resides in Houston.
Governing Board
Mr. Jerry Hall
Co-founder, Vice President of Marketing
Vstream Systems
Palo Alto, California
Read more ...
Jerry Hall is a veteran entrepreneur with over 25 years experience in high-tech companies. Currently, Mr. Hall is co-founder and vice president of marketing and business development for Vstream Systems, a developer of rich media processing and delivery systems. Prior to Vstream Systems, Mr. Hall held a number of positions including: interim CEO of Grass Roots Software, a maker of rich media mashup software; founder and CEO of PriveSec, which developed HIPAA privacy and security automation software; vice president of marketing at ProxiNet, a developer of mobile Internet software (acquired by Intellisync); founder and vice president of marketing at NetBoost Corp., a developer of network processers (acquired by Intel) and vice president of marketing at Lantronix, a developer of Ethernet-based networking products.
He also held a variety of technical and marketing positions at Retix, U-B Networks, Tandem Computers, Tymnet and Memorex Corp.
Mike Humphrey
Managing Director
Tanglewood Investments
Houston, Texas
Read more ...
Mike founded Tanglewood Investments, a middle-market private equity firm focused on turnarounds and growth equity investments in industrial manufacturing. Tanglewood has bought or started 18 companies worldwide in industries ranging from heat-exchanger manufacturing to air pollution control systems.
Prior to founding Tanglewood, Mike led the turnaround and sale of Utopia Spring Water to the Perrier Group. He also worked as a project engineer at Mobil Oil and a partner in the investment banking division of Smith Barney, specializing in mergers and acquisitions and private equity investing.
Mike holds a Bachelor of Science in engineering from Texas A&M University and a Master of Business Administration from Harvard Business School.
Mr. Eliot Kerlin
Vice President
Insight Equity
Dallas, Texas
Read more ...
Eliot serves at Insight Equity, a private equity firm that makes investments in strategically viable, middle-market, asset-intensive companies with significant cash generation potential. Prior to Insight, Eliot was the turnaround manager for Bay State Paper Co., the longest continuously operating paper mill in North America, while the company was in Chapter 11.
Eliot also worked as an associate at Jupiter Partners and as an investment banker with Merrill Lynch in their Global Communications Group in New York. While at Merrill, he was involved in executing more than $35 billion of strategic acquisitions and debt and equity financings, including the creation of the AT&T Wireless tracking stock.
Eliot graduated with honors from Texas A&M University, where he received a Bachelor of Business Administration in finance. He also holds a Master of Business Administration from Harvard Business School, where he graduated with distinction.
Bill Meyer
Executive Vice President & Chief Financial Officer
Bell Microproducts
San Jose, California
Read more ...
Bill has more than 20 years of senior finance experience in the technology industry. He is currently CFO of Bell Microproducts, a Fortune 1000 distributor of computer storage technology and related systems.
Prior to joining Bell, Bill served as managing director of Financial Intelligence LLP, a senior financial consulting firm providing strategic and interim-CFO consulting services to technology companies. He also served as executive vice president and CFO of BroadVision, Inc., a leading global supplier of web-based application software, and held similar executive roles with Phoenix Technologies, Ltd., Silicon Corp. and Mainsoft Corp. Bill has led efforts on an initial public offering, several merger-and-acquisition transactions of up to $250 million, and a number of multimillion-dollar licensing transactions. He spent the first six years of his career at the San Jose office of Arthur Andersen.
Bill earned a Bachelor of Science in business administration from California State University Sacramento.
Bill serves as Chairman of the Board for PEP.
Phil Rykhoek
Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
Denbury Resources Inc.
Plano, Texas
Read more ...
Phil is a CPA and serves at Denbury Resources, a growing independent oil and gas company engaged in acquisition, development and exploration activities in the U.S. Gulf Coast region.
Before joining Denbury, Phil was co-founder and chief financial officer of Petroleum Financial Inc., a private company formed to provide accounting, financial and management services on a contract basis to other entities. He has also served as an officer of Amerac Energy Corp., where he was employed in various positions, including vice president and chief accounting officer. Phil also serves as a director of Genesis Energy LP.
Phil earned a Bachelor of Business Administration in accounting and business management from Evangel University in Springfield, Missouri.
John Jackson
President & CEO
Price Gregory Services, Inc.
Houston, Texas
Read more ...
John serves at Price Gregory Services, a pipeline construction firm. In addition, he is a director of Exterran Holdings, Encore Energy Partners and Seitel, Inc. Previously, John was president and CEO of Hanover Compressor Company from 2004 until its merger with Universal Compressor in August of 2007, which formed Exterran Holdings. John joined Hanover in 2002 as chief financial officer.
Prior to joining Hanover, John served as chief financial officer of Duke Energy Field Services, a midstream energy company based in Denver. John joined Duke Energy Field Services as controller in 1999 and was named chief financial officer in 2001.
Prior to his time at Duke, John served in a variety of positions at Union Pacific Resources between 1981 and 1999 & was an auditor with Arthur Young from 1979 until 1981.
John graduated from Baylor University with a Bachelor of Business Administration in accounting.
|
