November 2023 Newsletter

Greetings from your NLF Chair, Dr. Eli D. Mercer

🎄 Happy Holidays! A Time to Count Our Blessings 🎄

Thank you NLF members and partners for your leadership and service in Northeast Tarrant County. We are grateful for your collaboration and support that make NLF events and our annual scholarship programs possible. We wish you, your organizations, and your families a wonderful holiday season.

It is hard to believe that Thanksgiving just passed and the holidays are now underway. This is a wonderful opportunity to count our blessings and spend time with people we love. It is a fun, festive, and beautiful season in Northeast Tarrant County with many events and activities for the entire family. Stay warm and safe and we hope to see you out and about during holiday gatherings this Christmas. 

Mission Accomplished:

Heart of North Texas and GEW a Resounding Success

The 2023 Heart of North Texas Conference was held Wednesday November 1st at the Hurst Conference Center. The theme: The Future is Now. By all accounts, the event was a resounding success that raised more than $20,000 for NLF scholarships to emerging leaders graduating high school and seeking higher education. 

An amazing lineup of speakers presented valuable insights and provided inspiration to a sold-out gathering of business, government, non-profit, and education leaders from across Northeast Tarrant County. We thank our sponsors and this year’s organizing committee led by our Tri-chairs RaDonna Hessel, Kathryn Rotter, and Craig Hulse for their leadership and vision. 

Global Entrepreneurship Week North Texas was held November 13th-19th with many successful events across DFW. We hope new connections will lead to new friendships, successful companies, and greater collaboration. GEW continues to grow and have a positive impact on Northeast Tarrant County and all of North Texas. We thank the organizers of GEW-NTX for your leadership and service.

The NLF provides a forum for collaboration, dialogue, and engagement to build stronger communities through relationships. Click here to download the membership application. 

With tremendous gratitude,

-Dr. Eli D. Mercer, Chairman of the Board of NLF

eli.mercer@kingdomecosystems.com

Heart of North Texas a Resounding Success – Third Consecutive Sell-Out

When you combine industry-leading speakers with timely topics, outstanding results are likely to follow – just as they did on Wednesday, November 1st at the 26th Annual Heart of North Texas.

Our theme, “The Future is Now”, reinforced the messages of our brilliant speakers:

• Ian Kinne, Director of Logistics Innovation at Hillwood, shared how technical innovation is expanding the scope and efficiency of logistics.

• Dr. Danielle M. Clement, Technical Fellow at Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company, gave insights on how Artificial Intelligence is expanding capabilities and how these innovations will redefine companies and our workplace

• Sheraun Howard, Supervisory Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Dallas Office, delved into the challenges we face personally and professionally due to cyber threats, and how we can respond and protect ourselves

• Jason McCann, co-founder and CEO of Vari and VariSpace, which are redefining the office space sector, revealed examples of innovations we will experience in the workplace

Some of the most surprising revelations were:

Ian Kinne, Director of Logistics Innovation at Hillwood

• Hillwood’s Legacy of Innovation

» Leveraging history and infrastructure

» Transportation is 70% of supply chain costs

• The current frontier of innovation through AI
• Why North Texas?

» 4th Largest and fastest growing markets

» Message to companies and families “We want you to grow here

Dr. Danielle M. Clement, Technical Fellow at Lockheed Martin Aeronautics

• History of Artificial Intelligence, 1960-Present
• We all used AI before we knew what to call it

» GPS route planner, predictive text, personalized search results

• AI Terms: Machine learning, deep learning, generative AI, Chat GPT

S.S.A. Sheraun Howard, FBI Dallas Office

• Executive Order on AI
• Focus on being less of a target

» Two Factor Authentication

» Protect Credentials and access to software

» Have an Incident response plan place

» Local InfaGard Chapters

» Do not overshare online

• How AI is used in cyber attacks

» Malware in real technological updates

» Cryptocurrency: capital can be erased

• Companies are ensuring operational security by educating the workforce

Jason McCann, CEO and Founder of Vari

• Future Proof Your Company
• The Hybrid Work Model is paving the Innovation way

» The Future of Work is flexible from hours to workspace.

• Gen Z are digital natives who are crucial to businesses to move forward in tech advancements
• AI as a tool

» We can’t forget about the robot

• We must use it to make our jobs better and move forward collaboratively

As always, the food and room at the Hurst Conference Center were outstanding. We appreciate our tri-chairs – RaDonna Hessel, Kathryn Rotter, and Craig Hulse – and their committee for once again raising the bar on a quality event.

Our committee members:

Please mark your calendar for the 27th Annual Heart of North Texas on

Friday, November 8, 2024.

We thank our sponsors for helping us raise over $20,000 for our scholarship fund that benefits area graduating high school seniors who will attend four-year universities, two-year community colleges, and trade schools.

Platinum Sponsor

Gold Sponsors

Silver Sponsors

Table Sponsors



1 Million Cups - NE Tarrant

Allen Wealth Advisors

Beyond the Known International

Birdville Independent School District

City of Bedford

City of Colleyville

City of Euless

City of Grapevine

City of Hurst

City of Keller

City of North Richland Hills

City of Saginaw

City of Southlake

Community Enrichment Center - CEC

DEC Engineering

Grapevine Chamber of Commerce

HEB Independent School District

Howard Shotwell

J-Morco

Lift Aids, Inc.

Lucas Funeral Home & Cremation Services

Northeast Tarrant Chamber

O. Trevino Construction

ONCOR

Tarrant County Commissioner - Gary Fickes

Tri-County Electric Cooperative

NLF Foundation Scholarship Program has a Broad Reach

In the seven years of the NLF Foundation scholarship program, almost 200 students have received a total of $257,000 to help fund their dreams of attending a community college, a four-year university, or a trade school.

We are indeed grateful for our partnership with the Nancy & Alan Hamm Foundation, which has provided matching funds for the past four years and has committed to matching our funds once again for this spring’s graduating seniors.

These students have attended more than 60 different universities, ranging from TCU, Texas Wesleyan University, and U.T. Arlington in the Fort Worth area, Stanford University and the University of Southern California and New York University. Trade-focused students have attended Tarrant County College, the Culinary Institute of America, and Embry-Riddle Aeronautical.

As you may consider year-end gifting, please consider the Northeast Leadership Forum Foundation, which is a 501(c)(3) organization that is certified by the IRS. For details about a potential gift, please reach out to Carolyn Sims at (817) 905-0542.

Also, please remember that any scholarship money that specifies Tarrant County College will be matched by the Tarrant County College Foundation, so your contribution provides twice as much benefit if you give through the NLF Foundation!

Membership Drives the Influence of NLF

Our membership has grown by more than 20 new members over during 2023, so please continue to invite colleagues and influential members of our community to join NLF. 

As you interact with business and community leaders who impress you, please invite them to the next breakfast in early February. Details will follow soon.

These influencers are making a difference in our area, so let's invite them to participate in NLF. Membership is the lifeblood of our organization, and we are providing a valuable forum for new members to have close access to so many of the decision-makers who shape the course of events in Northeast Tarrant County.



For any prospective NLF members you know, CLICK HERE to download the membership application. We want both established and emerging leaders to continue to join our organization to further the dynamic economic growth of Northeast Tarrant County.

We ask you to warmly welcome visitors and new members to our breakfast meetings. Growing the power of networks is one of the main benefits of NLF.

Our Board of Directors is holding its 2024 planning meeting this Thursday, when one its priorities is to vote on dates for our quarterly breakfasts.

New Member Profile 

Please welcome one of our newest members of NLF.

Craig Norton

Beyond The Known International

Craig Norton is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Beyond The Known International, a faith-based, non-profit organization that exists to develop and support relational-based training solutions that empower business and community leaders locally and around the world.

For over 25 years Craig has used his entrepreneurial giftedness to develop business, sales, and marketing solutions throughout the global marketplace. He has intentionally invested his personal leadership in the development of and revitalization of businesses, churches, and non-profit organizations by strategically training leaders to develop healthy organizational systems based on the power of authentic relationships and effective communication. 

Craig founded Beyond The Known International in 2019, where he leads the work in the United States as well as Central America. Before his current position, he served as Chief Operating Officer and Executive Pastor of Harvest Church in Fort Worth, as well as Founder and President of VPN Sales, a global sales and marketing company. 



Relationships are at the foundation of who Craig is and what he believes. He has been married to his wife Rhonda for over 27 years and they have 2 beautiful children and one granddaughter. Their family currently lives in Keller. Craig is always open for a cup of coffee and to meet and hear your story.  

Community Leadership: HEB ISD Bond Elections Passed

We congratulate our friends at HEB ISD for the passage of both parts of the $997 bond election.

These two bonds will:

• Completely rebuild L.D. Bell High School and Euless Trinity High School
• Replace 4 elementary schools
• Convert one existing campus to become KEYS High School
• Fund $2.5 million for safety and security improvements
• Fund $18 million for technology upgrades

Congratulations to Superintendent Dr. Joe Harrington and the community leaders that promoted the successful passage of the bonds.

Mark Your Calendar: 2024 NLF Event Schedule

2024 Dates Coming Soon!