The 1911 Group | SMU Stories

This week on SMU Stories, we spoke with Kyle Manley (MBA ’10), Partner and Client Advisor at Brown Advisory in Dallas.

Kyle discusses his unconventional path from education and mathematics into finance, and how his time at SMU Cox positioned him as a true career changer. He explains why the school’s location in Dallas—and the access it provided to business leaders and real-world conversations—was a key differentiator in his decision to attend.

Drawing on his background as an educator, Kyle reflects on how the ability to explain complex ideas clearly, combined with technical training from business school, helped him transition into financial services, beginning at Goldman Sachs. Today, he works with entrepreneurs and families on long-term wealth strategy, governance, and generational planning, emphasizing education, discipline, and the compounding effect of time.

The conversation also touches on the future of wealth management, the limits of technology, and why the human element still matters.


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This week on SMU Stories, we had the privilege of sitting down with Doyle Glass (SMU ’84, ’88), an SMU alumnus whose career reflects intellectual discipline, creative ambition, and a profound commitment to public service.

Doyle Glass, a dedicated member of the Mustang Club Board and the Meadows School of the Arts Executive Board, has long been a driving force behind SMU’s continued growth. He and his wife Somer have significantly shaped the University through their generosity, supporting major initiatives such as the Washburne Soccer & Track Stadium, the Garry Weber Endzone Complex, the ACC Competitiveness Campaign, and numerous projects within the Meadows School of the Arts.

Beyond his leadership at SMU, Doyle Glass has built a remarkably multifaceted career. After serving as a criminal prosecutor in Texas and Kentucky, he transitioned into the arts, becoming both a sculptor and an author. His bronze works — including the Kentucky and Texas Medal of Honor Memorials — stand as enduring tributes to valor and sacrifice.

As an author, Doyle Glass is best known for Lions of Medina and the award-winning Swift Sword, which earned the 2023 PenCraft Book of the Year and reached tens of thousands of readers. His forthcoming historical novel, Codename Lionel, continues his mission to bring to life the stories of individuals whose courage shaped the course of history.

In our conversation, Doyle Glass reflects on his SMU experience, his evolution across multiple disciplines, his dedication to honoring “heroes forged in history,” and the values that continue to guide his creative and philanthropic work.

This week on SMU Stories, we sat down with Sam Sawyer — CEO of Pinnacle Realty Advisors and proud SMU alum from the Class of 2009. Since 2020, he has led Pinnacle from Austin, developing a cloud-based brokerage platform that enables real-estate professionals to retain 100% of their commissions while accessing streamlined tools, rapid support, and transparent monthly pricing.

Sam refers to the model as “brokerage as a service.” It mirrors the SaaS approach: agents select the plan that fits their needs, pay a predictable monthly fee, and clearly understand the services included — with no unnecessary add-ons or hidden costs.

Sam launched his real estate career while still an undergrad at SMU at 19 years old. He has worked in the real estate and technology industries since then across Dallas, Silicon Valley, and currently in Austin.

This week on SMU Stories, we sat down with Ra Kazadi, SMU football alumnus, Dallas-based artist, and cofounder of Nostalgia and Noise, a creative agency merging art, music, and culture. Ra’s path began on the field at Southern Methodist University, but art has always been part of his identity. With the introduction of the NIL policy, he discovered how to merge his athletic discipline with his creative drive, turning art from a personal outlet into a thriving profession.

Through Nostalgia and Noise, Ra is shaping Dallas’s cultural landscape by hosting events, activating creative spaces, and building bridges among local artists and entrepreneurs. His mission is to use art not just as expression but as action, a catalyst for dialogue, empathy, and progress. Tune in to this episode to hear Ra's perspective on creative problem solving, building community, balancing art and athletics, and his vision for Nostalgia and Noise as a hub for collaboration and cultural impact.

This week on SMU Stories, we sat down with Nick Clark, SMU alumnus, founder of Common Desk, and now co-founder of Stonethrow, a first-of-its-kind families-only private club coming to East Dallas.

Nick graduated from Southern Methodist University in 2005 with a degree in Real Estate Finance and began his career in commercial real estate, focusing on project leasing and management in the Dallas market. While at Pillar Commercial, he witnessed firsthand how the 2008–2009 recession reshaped the way companies used space and how people wanted to work.

Spotting an opportunity in that shift, Nick launched Common Desk in 2012, one of the early coworking concepts built around community, design, and hospitality. What began in Deep Ellum grew into 26 locations across the country, with its own coffee brand and a distinct culture that blended creativity with productivity.

In 2022, Common Desk was acquired by WeWork, where Nick continued to lead the brand for two years following the acquisition.

Today, he’s channeling that same vision for community into his newest venture, Stonethrow, a reimagined private club designed exclusively for families, slated to open in 2027.

Nick’s career reflects a unique blend of real estate insight, entrepreneurship, and a passion for building spaces that bring people together. Learn more about his latest project at stonethrowclub.com.

This week on SMU Stories, we sat down with SMU alumnus Jimmy Watson.

Jimmy is currently a Managing Director at Clavis Capital Partners, a middle market private investment firm based in Dallas, where he has been for over seven years. Prior to his current role, Jimmy worked in FP&A at Demilec USA LLC, where he played a key role in the company’s acquisition by Huntsman Corporation. Before that, he was a management consultant at Riveron Consulting and EY, focusing on merger integration and process design. Jimmy began his career in FP&A at Raytheon Technologies.

In this conversation, Jimmy opens up about the power of networking, the myths around breaking into private equity, and how the SMU Executive MBA shaped his approach to leadership and investment. He also shares how Clavis Capital Partners supports founder-led businesses navigating institutional growth.

This week on SMU Stories, we sat down with proud SMU alum E. Paul Bigham. An accomplished academic, E. Paul Bigham earned both his BBA and MBA from Southern Methodist University and holds a law degree from Texas Wesleyan School of Law. Additionally, he is on the marketing faculty at both Southern Methodist University and UT Dallas, as well as a member of SMU’s Alumni Association Board, SMU Athletics' Life After Ball (LAB) committee, and Top 25 Society.

Today, Paul serves as president of Bigham Advertising Agency, Inc., a professional services firm specializing in marketing and fundraising for major nonprofit organizations. Collectively, he has raised over $3.2 billion for faith-based humanitarian NPOs.

Tony Mugavero is a four-time media tech entrepreneur, investor, and executive with multiple successful exits and hundreds of millions of dollars in enterprise value creation. He has spoken at leading global events in AI, media, XR, and blockchain, raised tens of millions of dollars across several companies, sold his first company in 2012, and co-founded Galvanize—one of the largest co-working and education companies in the U.S.—which was later acquired for $165 million.

Currently, Tony is the Founder, CEO, and Chairman of Rad TV, a premium Web3- and AI-driven video streaming network available on PlayStation, Smart TVs, VR, and mobile. Rad hosts content from both innovative creators and major studios, partnering with brands like  Disney, NBCUniversal, Paramount, Warner Music, Sony Music, Showtime, and ABC. The company has also collaborated with global names such as Visa, the NFL, Nissan, DKNY, The Olympics, Verizon, AT&T, and Google.

Beyond Rad, Tony serves as an Advisor for MyndVR and DOC Cares, a healthcare company delivering virtual reality solutions to long-term care facilities and senior consumers. He also sits on the fiduciary board of the Dallas Entrepreneur Center (DEC) and co-created Ara, an open-source decentralized platform for digital content exchange.

Tony Mugavero is a four-time media tech entrepreneur, investor, and executive with multiple successful exits and hundreds of millions of dollars in enterprise value creation. He has spoken at leading global events in AI, media, XR, and blockchain, raised tens of millions of dollars across several companies, sold his first company in 2012, and co-founded Galvanize—one of the largest co-working and education companies in the U.S.—which was later acquired for $165 million.

Currently, Tony is the Founder, CEO, and Chairman of Rad TV, a premium Web3- and AI-driven video streaming network available on PlayStation, Smart TVs, VR, and mobile. Rad hosts content from both innovative creators and major studios, partnering with brands like  Disney, NBCUniversal, Paramount, Warner Music, Sony Music, Showtime, and ABC. The company has also collaborated with global names such as Visa, the NFL, Nissan, DKNY, The Olympics, Verizon, AT&T, and Google.

Beyond Rad, Tony serves as an Advisor for MyndVR and DOC Cares, a healthcare company delivering virtual reality solutions to long-term care facilities and senior consumers. He also sits on the fiduciary board of the Dallas Entrepreneur Center (DEC) and co-created Ara, an open-source decentralized platform for digital content exchange.

Tony Mugavero is a four-time media tech entrepreneur, investor, and executive with multiple successful exits and hundreds of millions of dollars in enterprise value creation. He has spoken at leading global events in AI, media, XR, and blockchain, raised tens of millions of dollars across several companies, sold his first company in 2012, and co-founded Galvanize—one of the largest co-working and education companies in the U.S.—which was later acquired for $165 million.

Currently, Tony is the Founder, CEO, and Chairman of Rad TV, a premium Web3- and AI-driven video streaming network available on PlayStation, Smart TVs, VR, and mobile. Rad hosts content from both innovative creators and major studios, partnering with brands like  Disney, NBCUniversal, Paramount, Warner Music, Sony Music, Showtime, and ABC. The company has also collaborated with global names such as Visa, the NFL, Nissan, DKNY, The Olympics, Verizon, AT&T, and Google.

Beyond Rad, Tony serves as an Advisor for MyndVR and DOC Cares, a healthcare company delivering virtual reality solutions to long-term care facilities and senior consumers. He also sits on the fiduciary board of the Dallas Entrepreneur Center (DEC) and co-created Ara, an open-source decentralized platform for digital content exchange.