A joint family office relationship spurred the idea to host professional gatherings for those in service of capital and community. From there, several banking and private equity fund relationships built momentum.
Together, we can honor referrals in trusted service for clients.
Register for an upcoming event.
See Previous Gatherings
View our previous event's listing and pics from Jan. 13th, 2025.
January 13th, 2025 | 2 PM - 3:30 PM CST
The Fort Worth Club
306 W 7th St.
Fort Worth, TX 76102
AI & Commercial Banking:
Industry Applications & Use Cases
A panel and professional gathering of family offices, regional lenders, and commercial brokers
 |  |  |
|---|---|---|
 |  |  |
 17 |  |  |
 |  |  |
 |  |  |
 |  |  |
 |  |  |
Featured Panelists
Kelly T. Slaughter, Ph.D.
Director, Business Information Systems Program
TCU Neeley School of Business
Jeff Sinnott
CEO
Vantage Bank
Dr. Kelly T. Slaughter serves as a Professor of Professional Practice in Information Systems and Supply Chain Management at the TCU Neeley School of Business. He is also the Director of the Business Information Systems Program at the TCU Neeley School of Business. He offers the following fintech program courses, Digital Assets and Payment Technologies; and Deep Learning Technologies. His research includes examining humans' evaluation of GenAI financial advice.
Dr. Slaughter's career includes roles in both academia and industry. He earned a BBA in finance and MIS from the University of Texas at Austin, an MBA from the University of Chicago with a concentration in economics, and a Ph.D. in Information and Decision Sciences from the University of Minnesota's Carlson School of Management.
As Director at the Center for Information Technology and Management at UT Dallas, he worked with companies in applied research, such as AT&T and TD Ameritrade to analyze customer data.
In industry, Dr. Slaughter worked for PricewaterhouseCoopers (consulting) and a start-up consulting firm sold to Grant Thornton. He consults outside his academic service, most recently with Life2, Inc. developing predictive models for health claims data.
He can be reached at: kelly.slaughter@tcu.edu
Jeff Sinnott is the President, CEO, and a member of the Board of Directors at Vantage Bank. Joining in 2018 as Chief Operations, Technology, and ERM Officer, he spearheaded a transformation of the bank's operations and technology, enhancing its omni-channel customer experience.
​
With 25 years in commercial banking and technology, Mr. Sinnott began his career as a software engineer on Bank of America's Model Banking Program. He has since led major technology and operations initiatives at numerous banks and global consumer goods firms, including PepsiCo, Heinz, Walmart, and Danone.
Returning to banking in 2003, he became Chief Information Officer at Summit Bank, N.A., and later served as Chief Operations Officer at Southwest Bank in Fort Worth, overseeing operations, technology, and Treasury Management sales. At Vantage Bank, he has significantly improved product and service delivery since 2018.
​
A graduate of Texas A&M University with a degree in Business Analysis/Management Information Systems, Mr. Sinnott also graduated with honors from the Graduate School of Banking in Colorado. He serves on the Texas Bankers Association Board of Directors and has previously held roles with the Tarrant County Bankers Association and Digital Insight's Business Digital Banking Product Advisory Board.
Steve Shillingford
CEO
DeepSee
Jonathan Bresler
Managing Partner
EJF Ventures
Registrants represented the following firms
Frost Bank
Encore Bank
First Financial Bank
Guaranty Bank & Trust
Third Coast Bank
Happy State Bank
Simmons Bank
Cadence Bank
Vantage Bank
Valliance Bank
PlainsCapital Bank
Downtown Fort Worth Inc.
Lampados Financial Group
Generational Equity
Tuttle Equity
StoneCastle
The Tobin Firm
Proactive Intelligence
Emerald Consulting Partners
Briggs Freeman Sotheby's
Wealth Management of Raymond James
TCU Neeley School of Business
University of North Texas
JTaylor & Associates
Spectrum Business
Capital Title Commercial
Stream Realty Partners
Condon Tobin
AnsidCFO
IB Supply
EJF Ventures
Cien.ai
Origin Bank
BMO Bank
Truist Bank
Ernst & Young
Fidelity Investments
Edward Jones
Higginbotham
Millbank Capital
Clotine Capital
Bearcat Capital
Northern Trust
The Business Press
Whitley Penn
Albertsons Companies
Cantey Hanger, LLP
Harris Cook, LLP
C.C. Zamora Construction
CJF Manufacturing
Champion Insurance Agency
Basey Insurance
ZT Corporate
The Channel Advisors
DELTASTRATEGIES
Swingle Collins
Fort Worth Counseling
Leverage Sports LLC
NOW CFO
Peoplease
Mejeticks
National Claims Negotiators
AI Innovation Association
DeepSee.ai
Whiteglove AI
Musselwhite Marketing
Juicy MKTG
Clover IQ
Qualia AI Consulting
Dallas Digital
Data Science Services
Superior Data Science
Kiwisoft
KAISARS Group
JPAR Real Estate
Zuri Realty Group
Gutman Custom Homes
Versant Commercial Real Estate
Holt Lunsford Commercial, Inc.
LanCarte Commercial
SVN Dunn Commercial
SS&C Mineralware
Arun-SLD-America
Gallagher Insurance
The Zenith Group
Texas Secured Notes
Military Brand Advisor
Bitpetro, LLC
LA Airsoft
ReKonnection
Business Lynx International
Beyond Stocks
Plug and Play
Solomon Bruce Consulting
Alternative Wealth Partners
SEI
Persystent AI
View our previous event's listing and pics from Dec. 2nd, 2024.
December 2nd, 2024 | 1 PM - 2:30 PM CST
TCU Neeley School of Business, 2900 Lubbock Ave, Fort Worth, TX 76109
Banquet Room 2304/5
Real Estate and Banking in 2025: Economic Outlook
A panel and professional gathering of family offices, regional lenders, and commercial brokers
Featured Panelists
Shane Smith
Director of Research
Downtown Fort Worth, Inc.
Shane Benner
Adjunct Professor at the TCU Neeley School of Business & First VP of Investment Sales at Bradford Commercial Real Estate
Michael Hennig
Economic Development Manager
City of Fort Worth
Shane Smith is a seasoned economist and research professional with extensive experience in both academic and applied economic research. He currently serves as the Director of Research at Downtown Fort Worth, Inc. (DFWI), where he leads data-driven initiatives to support urban development and community insights.
​
Shane has also taught economics as an adjunct professor at Dallas County Community College, sharing his knowledge with the next generation of economists. His research background includes a role as a research analyst at the University of Texas at Dallas, where he contributed to key projects in public policy and economic analysis.
Shane holds a Master's degree in Economics from the University of Texas at Dallas and is certified as a Geographic Information Services Professional (GIS).
He can be reached at: shane@dfwi.org
Shane serves as First Vice President, Investment Sales at Bradford Commercial Real Estate Services and a Faculty Member at Texas Christian University's M.J. Neeley School of Business, where he teaches Real Estate Principles (FINA 30313) and informs the next generation of real estate professionals.
​
Shane Benner specializes in commercial real estate investment sales focused on cash-flow and revenue-generating properties, including industrial, office, and retail assets.
​
Shane holds a BBA in Finance and Accounting from TCU's Neeley School and an MBA from the Texas McCombs School of Business. His career spans leadership roles in investment sales, tenant representation, and entrepreneurial ventures, including co-founding a consulting and technology firm.
​
Shane has held various leadership roles with the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Tarrant County and contributed to organizations like the Ronald McDonald House of Fort Worth.
He can be reached at: shane@shanebenner.com
Michael Hennig is recognized regionally and nationally as a leader in economic development. For nearly two decades, he has supported major projects and policy initiatives in the public and private sector in markets across North America and abroad. He currently serves as Economic Development Manager for the City of Fort Worth, leading innovative initiatives that enhance regional growth through public-private partnerships, infrastructure investments, and sustainable economic strategies. Michael also leads the City's business attraction and strategic real estate projects team in partnership with other community organizations.
Previously, Michael held leadership roles as Director of Community and Economic Development for the Capital Area Council of Governments, where he oversaw regional economic development projects and advanced impactful policy initiatives in the Austin region. His private sector experience includes serving as President of Economic Development at AngelouEconomics, where he provided strategic consulting to businesses and public entities on economic growth strategies.
Michael holds a BBA in Entrepreneurship from the TCU Neeley School of Business, an MPA in Economic Development from the University of Texas at Arlington, and has completed advanced doctoral research in Public Policy and Administration with a focus on private equity and economic development. He is also a Certified Economic Developer (CEcD) with expertise in urbanism, sustainable growth policy, and the intersection of finance and regional economics.
He can be reached at: michael.hennig@fortworthtexas.gov
 Grant |  34 |  17 |
|---|---|---|
 38 |  37 |  36 |
 35 |  25 |  33 |
 32 |  31 |  29 |
 28 |  27 |  26 |
 24 |  23 |  39 |
 22 |  21 |  20 |
 19 |  18 |  16 |
 15 |  14 |  40 |
 13 |  12 |  11 |
 9 |  10 |  7 |
 8 |  5 |  6 |
 4 |  2 |  1 |
 3 |
