Communicate to Elevate People, Processes, and Performance: A Workshop for Leaders

CEO, Pam Nemec Consulting
Culture and Communication Strategist

Keynote Speaker

Pam Nemec, a Texas State alum, is a culture and communication strategist and speaker who believes in going "All-In" to build a remarkable company culture. For nearly 30 years, Nemec has worked with leaders to create companies where employees feel engaged, valued, and connected to a shared vision. At Whataburger, where she served as the head of HR, Brand Communications & Culture, Nemec helped build a high-performing, loyal team of over 50,000 employees while also connecting with millions of customers. Her work at Whataburger led to improved employee retention, stronger brand engagement, and a culture that people were proud to be a part of. Her approach is all about creating practical, actionable systems that connect employees to their purpose and customers to the brand. Nemec’s work has helped generate millions in ROI and cultivated an environment where employees thrive and customers become raving fans. Her insights have been featured in national outlets like USA Today, QSR, and Texas Monthly. Today, through her consulting firm, Nemec helps leaders build strategic communication systems that create high-performing cultures and drive real results.

President/CEO, Randolph-Brooks Federal Credit Union (RBFCU)

Mark Sekula, a Texas State University alum, became President and Chief Executive Officer at Randolph-Brooks Federal Credit Union in March 2024. Based near San Antonio, RBFCU has over 1 million members and 62 branches throughout Texas. It is the largest Texas-based credit union, and its $18 billion in assets ranks 10th in the U.S. In his first year as the credit union’s top executive, Sekula was named an Outstanding CEO in the San Antonio Business Journal C-Suite Awards. Sekula was elevated to Executive Vice President at RBFCU in 2011, and he served in roles as Chief Lending Officer, Chief Operating Officer, and Chief Financial Officer. As CFO, Sekula oversaw RBFCU’s growth past $10 billion in assets. He and his family are natives of Poth, Texas. Sekula earned his bachelor’s degree in business administration management from Texas State University. His experience before coming to RBFCU ranged from a regionally based credit union to a role on a national scale with Ford Motor Credit Corporation.

Director, Center for Professional Sales
McCoy College of Business at Texas State University

Dr. Linda Alkire is an associate professor of marketing, the Vicki L. West Excellence Endowed Professor, and the director of the Center for Professional Sales in the McCoy College of Business at Texas State University. Dr. Alkire specializes in service excellence, sales strategy, and customer experience innovation, bridging the gap between academic research and real-world business application. She has an extensive research record, with over 35 peer-reviewed publications in top-tier journals, more than 60 conference presentations, and over 15 prestigious research awards. In 2024, she was honored as the Emerging Service Scholar by the American Marketing Association SERVSIG. Dr. Alkire also serves as the Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Service Management and Associate Editor for the Journal of Social Impact in Business Research. She is a member of the American Marketing Association (AMA) Academic Council and co-chair of the 2025 Winter AMA Academic Conference. Her international research collaborations span the United Kingdom, Sweden, Italy, Germany, Japan, China, and Belgium. As Director of the award-winning Center for Professional Sales, she is committed to advancing sales education, fostering corporate partnerships, and mentoring the next generation of sales professionals.

Associate Professor of Instruction in Management
McCoy College of Business at Texas State University

Kevin Lyman is an executive and educator with over 30 years of global business experience dedicated to building better leaders and organizations. Lyman, an Associate Professor of Instruction at the McCoy College of Business at Texas State University, focuses on International Business, Management, and Human Resources. He is a co-chair of the Department of Management Business Advisory Council, an instructor in the University’s Manager Development program, and an internal consultant/facilitator to several university administrative units. Lyman served eight years as Senior Vice President of Human Resources at Altera Corporation (San Jose, CA). He also served as Senior Vice President of HR for AMD as it became one of the top 7 global semiconductor companies. His government and community relations expertise includes chairmanship of the Central Texas Executive and Education Council, membership on the Chancellor’s Business Advisory Council for Foothill DeAnza College and St. Edward's University, and roles on the Semiconductor Industry Association Operating and China Policy committees. Lyman holds a master's degree in business administration and a bachelor's in education and psychology. 

Associate Professor of Management
McCoy College of Business at Texas State University

Dr. Stephanie T. Solansky is an associate professor in the Department of Management at McCoy College of Business. Her research passions are leadership, teamwork/collaboration, wisdom, temporality in organizations, and complexity theory. She has published in top tier journals in the field of management including journals such as Academy of Management Journal, Human Relations, Journal of Business Ethics, Journal of Business Research, Leadership Quarterly, and Management Learning. Dr. Solansky’s professional experience outside of academia have included: directing of a multi-million-dollar leadership professional development program in which over 1,000 organizational administrators were trained; consulting with organizations on behavioral, decision-making and strategic issues (Fortune 500, public sector, small businesses, and non-profits); and working as a purchasing agent in a public corporation.