Breakfast Forum: The Current State of the Capital Markets 2016

Drew Kanaly – Chairman and President, Kanaly Trust

Drew is Chairman and President of Kanaly Trust and is responsible for all client and business development firm-wide. In addition to his leadership position, he continues to manage the ongoing investment strategies and personal wealth management programs of several family relationships. Drew directs the development and administration of personal and family trust accounts including charitable trust, private charitable foundations, family limited partnerships, revocable living, testamentary, and custodial trusts for minors, IRA and IRA Rollover accounts along with estate administration and any other client-specific financial needs as they arise. He specializes in investment management, charitable trusts, and family limited partnerships.

Since earning his BBA in Finance from the University of Houston, Drew has attended the American Bankers Association’s National Graduate Trust School at Northwestern University; the Texas Bankers Association Regional Trust School at Southern Methodist University; and earned a Certified Trust and Financial Advisor (CTFA) designation. Drew joined Kanaly in 1983 and has 30 years of experience in trust and investments.

Cliff Atherton – Managing Director, GulfStar Group

Cliff is an investment banker with more than 25 years of experience in corporate finance and 34 years of experience teaching finance at the graduate level. He joined GulfStar in 1995 and has completed numerous corporate finance assignments for business owners. Most of Cliff’s clients are entrepreneur- or family-owned businesses with enterprise values between $25 and $250 million. His transaction experience is split evenly between sales to strategic buyers and recapitalizations with private equity firms. His industry experience includes representation of upstream, midstream and downstream energy service companies as well as manufacturers, distributors, and industrial services firms.

Cliff served on the faculty of Rice University’s Jones Graduate School of Business for 34 years (full-time – 1981 to 1987 and 1989 academic years) and on the faculty of the University of Houston’s Bauer College of Business for five years (1993 to 1997). Prior to joining GulfStar, he was managing director of McKenna & Company from 1992 to 1995, president of Emprise Consulting Group, Inc. from 1990 to 1992 and an independent consultant from 1978 to 1990. Cliff earned a Bachelor of Arts from Rice University and Ph.D. and Master of Business Administration degrees from The University of Texas. He is also a CFA^® charterholder.

John Sarvadi – President, Texas Capital Bank

John joined Texas Capital Bank in June 2013 as President of the Bank’s Houston Region, with primary responsibility for Houston Corporate Banking and the Bank’s National efforts around Asset-Based Lending and Branded Retail/Franchise Finance. Prior to joining Texas Capital Bank, John spent 24 years with JPMorgan Chase and predecessor firms, working in and leading teams in the firm’s Commercial, Corporate, and Investment Banking lines of business. John’s responsibilities at JPMC included Managing Director of Corporate Client Banking, SVP/Division Manager Houston Middle Market Banking Group, Group Head Chase Franchise and Beverage Finance, and Managing Director of JPMorgan’s Franchise Systems Finance Group. John’s background includes extensive experience with corporate/leveraged finance, capital markets, and client/sales management responsibilities.

John received a B.B.A. in Finance/Business Honors and an M.B.A. in Finance from the University of Texas at Austin. He and his wife, Lisa, have three children – Ben (20), George (18), and Katherine (15).