Board

Bob Buford

Bob Buford is chairman of the board of The Buford Foundation/OneHundredX and, until the sale of his company in July 1999, served as chairman of the board and CEO of Buford Television, Inc., a family-owned business that started with a single ABC affiliate in Tyler, Texas, in the early fifties, and grew to a network of cable systems across the country. A classic entrepreneur, Bob has authored four books—Halftime, Game Plan, Stuck in Halftime (Zondervan), and Finishing Well (Integrity). Bob was the founder and initial chairman of the board of the Peter F. Drucker Foundation for Nonprofit Management, now Leader to Leader Institute. He and his wife Linda make their home in Dallas, Texas.

See extended bio as well as video and links to Bob's website on our Founder's page.

Robert Alpert

Robert Alpert founded Atlas in October 1995 and as General Partner and Portfolio Manager, is responsible for the investments and operations of Atlas Capital Management.  Prior to founding Atlas, Robert was a portfolio manager for Luther King Capital Management ($7 BN investment advisory firm).  At Luther King, he was also involved in the analysis, structuring and financing of private transactions.  Robert also gained market knowledge working for Cardinal Investment Company and PaineWebber.  He holds a BA from Princeton University and an MBA from Columbia University.

Robert has been married to his wife Jean Marie since 1999.  They have 3 children: Sterling (10); Hannah (8); and Alexandra (4).  Robert is an active member of Watermark Community Church where he leads a community group.  He is also a member of the capital committee for Providence Christian School of Texas.  Robert and his wife founded a private foundation, Covenant Charities, Inc., that supports Christian –based organizations.  Robert serves / has served on various private and non-profit boards.

Jay Bennett

Jay Bennett is the managing partner of a Minneapolis law firm through which he has developed other business interests. For 24 years he has run The Wallestad Foundation, a private foundation supporting Christian ministry.   He is also the founder and Chairman/ CEO of The Kingdom Oil Christian Foundation, a Christian community foundation serving the Twin Cities. He has been married to his wife, Sally, for 36 years, and they have three grown sons.

Nancy Best

Nancy Best serves on several boards focusing on education, women and children who are poor, victims of abuse, or homeless.  For the past five years, she has been working in West Africa targeting the poorest of the poor, supporting work on malaria, aids, education clean water, education, and agriculture.  Nancy is working to provide sustainability of the private sector that includes commercial agriculture initiatives, microfinance initiatives and market linkages.  Nancy and her husband Randy live in Dallas, Texas and attend Park Cities Presbyterian Church.  They have two married children and four grandchildren.

Dr. Marjorie Blanchard

Dr. Marjorie Blanchard, known as "Margie," has earned a reputation worldwide as a compelling motivational speaker, an accomplished management consultant and trainer, a best-selling author, and an entrepreneur.

In 1983 she was chosen Speaker of the Year by New Woman Magazine and American Express. Margie was the co-recipient, along with her husband, Dr. Ken Blanchard, of the 1991 Entrepreneur of the Year Award from Cornell University. She is co-author of The One Minute Manager Gets Fit and Working Well: Managing for Health and High Performance. Margie is well-versed on a variety of topics and often speaks on leadership, empowerment, team building, customer service, managing change, and life planning.

As cofounder of The Ken Blanchard Companies, Margie works with her husband to develop their organization into one of the premier management consulting and training companies in the world. She heads up the Office of the Future, the research and development arena of The Ken Blanchard Companies.

Margie received her bachelor's and master's degrees from Cornell University and her doctorate from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst.

Barry E. Davis

Barry E. Davis is president and chief executive officer of the Crosstex Energy companies, Crosstex Energy, Inc. (XTXI) and Crosstex Energy L.P. (XTEX). Barry led the founding of Crosstex in 1996 by accomplishing a management buyout of his previous company, Comstock Natural Gas, Inc. Under Barry's leadership, Crosstex has grown to be a significant midstream service provider with throughput of more than one billion cf/day of natural gas. Barry has more than 20 years of experience in the natural gas industry. In 1992, he founded Ventana Natural Gas Company, a predecessor of Crosstex. Prior to Ventana, he served as vice president of marketing and project development for Endevco, Inc. and worked in the marketing group at Enserch Exploration. He currently serves on the board of the Dallas Hardhatter Association, Dallas Petroleum Club and is on the board of trustees for the Kidlinks Foundation. Barry is a member and former president of the Natural Gas & Electric Power Society and he is also a member of the Natural Gas Society of East Texas and the Young Presidents' Organization.

He earned his bachelor of business administration degree in finance from Texas Christian University.

Dale Dawson

During his business career, Dale Dawson has been a CPA, an investment banker and an entrepreneur. Dawson (a University of Texas graduate) was a partner and National Director at the global accounting firm, KPMG; head of investment banking at Stephens Inc (twice); and Chairman/CEO of TruckPro, the largest US distributor of heavy-duty truck parts, which he sold to AutoZone in 1998.

Dale chairs the President’s Council of Opportunity International and serves on the board of the Opportunity Bank of Rwanda. Dale also serves on the boards of Leadership Network and Mustard Seed Project, a US nonprofit that supports the ministries of Bishop John Rucyahana, including the Sonrise School, a top academic boarding school in Rwanda where the majority of students are orphans.

Dale, Judi and their children, Katherine (17) and Jack (15) live in Little Rock, AR. They are active members of Pulaski Heights United Methodist Church, where Dale serves as an adult Sunday school teacher.

Terry Knutson

Between the years of 1969 and 1979, Terry Knutson, along with his father, grew their bakery business into a modern retail bakery and added two other businesses – a china, glass and housewares store and a ladies dress store and bridal salon. In 1980, Terry bought out his father’s half of the business and expanded into Lodi, Sacramento, Modesto, Stockton and Sonora, California. By 2005, Cottage Bakery was the largest single bakery plant in the western United States serving customers in all states as well as Canada, Japan, Korea, New Zealand and Singapore.

As a result of his Halftime journey, Terry sold the company in 2006. His mission in life is to bring his drive, resources, and leadership skills alongside a few effective organizations, learning together to more effectively reach people for Christ.

Terry and his wife Rose live in Lodi, have two married sons and have been blessed with 5 wonderful grandchildren.

John Leffin

During his 21 year consulting career with Accenture, John Leffin held a number of global and U.S. leadership positions in the change management and human performance practices. He was also the lead partner on a number of large multi-billion dollar global accounts.  John was a founding member of the Accenture Leadership Center in the School of Business at the University of Wisconsin where he serves on the Governance Committee.  John also serves as a lead facilitator each year at the 6-day LeaderShape Institute.

John serves on the board of Mission of Hope, Haiti where his work includes strategic planning and partnership development.  He and his family are actively engaged together in Haiti, working on everything from major building projects to leading mission trips for young adults and business leaders. 

John and Loretta are residents of Naples, Florida where they provide leadership and mentoring to a large young adults Christian organization, Experience Crew. They have two daughters, Krista and Melissa.

Dr. Robert M. Lewis

Dr. Robert M. Lewis is Pastor-at-Large for Fellowship Bible Church, Executive Director of Global Reach, a research and resource organization, and founder of Men’s Fraternity, a worldwide ministry that today helps thousands of men embrace a Christ centered, authentic manhood.

Robert graduated from the University of Arkansas in 1971 where he played linebacker for the then nationally ranked Razorbacks. He went on to earn advanced degrees in Theology from LaMiranda, California. For 23 years he served as the Direction Leader of Fellowship Bible Church in Little Rock, Arkansas.

Robert has authored numerous books and films and has been featured on radio programs such as Family Life Today and Focus on the Family, and in a number of magazines such as Leadership Journal, New Man, and Stand Firm. In 2001, Robert was awarded Pastor of the Year by the National Coalition of Men’s Ministry headed by Patrick Morley.

Married since 1971, Robert and his wife Sherard reside in Little Rock, Arkansas and have four grown children; Elizabeth, Rebekah, Garrett and Mason.

Randy Linville

Randal L. Linville was President and Chief Executive Officer of The Scoular Company. He began serving in this position in 1999 and retired in 2009.

Mr. Linville’s commitment to The Scoular Company began in 1984 when he joined the company as Merchandising Manager in Fresno, California. He was named Southern Region Manager in Kansas City in 1988. In 1992, Linville became Vice President of the company’s then newly-created Grain Marketing Division and was named President in 1996.

A native of Holcomb, Kansas, Mr. Linville earned a B.S. from Kansas State University (KSU) with dual degrees in Agricultural Economics and Business Finance in 1976 and an M.S. in Agricultural Economics in 1977. Upon graduation from KSU, he began his career in the grain industry as a merchandiser with Central Soya Company in Chattanooga, Tennessee, and later relocated to Ft. Wayne, Indiana. Mr. Linville began working for the Pillsbury Company in 1980 as the company’s Western U.S. Grain Merchant in Omaha, Nebraska. In 1982, he was named Senior Export Grain Merchant in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and in 1983, he was named Western Region Merchandising Manager.

Dr. Linville resides in Leawood, Kansas, with his wife Debbie and their two children, Grace and Jacob. They enjoy an active family life that includes serving as leaders in the Church of the Resurrection and frequent traveling nationally and internationally as a family.

Jane Nelson

Over the past five years Jane Nelson has collaborated with numerous organizations responding to the HIV/AIDS crisis in Africa. Her work has taken her to Congo, South Africa, Zambia, Rwanda, Malawi, Uganda and Ethiopia. Organizations she has partnered with are World Vision, Hope International, World Help, Africa Ministries Network, Opportunity International, Bridge 2 Rwanda, Pura Vida Partners and Stanford University Institute of Design.

Jane has extensive experience in finance and marketing. Having worked with a major financial institution during the period of banking deregulation, she gained first hand experience in managing businesses during periods of rapid change. Jane has served at her church as Treasurer, Elder and Campaign Chair for a $20mm capital funds campaign for land acquisition. Jane also serves on the board of Pura Vida Partners.

Jane graduated from San Diego State University with a BS in Marketing. She lives in Newport Beach, California with her husband, Peter, whom she has been married to for 35 years. Together they are experiencing halftime as their children, Beth and Eric, are growing up and venturing into the world.

John Snyder

John Snyder founded Snyder Oil Corporation in 1977 and served as chairman and CEO until its merger in 1999 to form Santa Fe Snyder Corporation. He served as Chairman of Santa Fe Snyder until its merger in 2000 with Devon Energy Corporation and his retirement from the company. From Humble Oil to independent oil operator to owning his own company, John knows the energy business. John received his BS in Petroleum Engineering from the University of Oklahoma and his MBA from Harvard.