2016 Aggie 100 honors entrepreneurs

Mays Business School’s Center for New Ventures and Entrepreneurship (CNVE) celebrated its 12^th Annual Aggie 100 Program on Nov. 11, honoring the top 100 fastest-growing Aggie-owned and -led businesses. The 12^th Man stands as an important symbol for Texas A&M University, and the 12^th anniversary Aggie 100 honored all past and present honorees.

The Class of 2016 honorees were recognized before more than 850 attendees at a first-of-its-kind Aggie 100 Reunion Gala event on Friday night in the Hall of Champions at Texas A&M’s Kyle Field. The 2016 honorees were highlighted by 13 companies in the business and financial services industry, along with more than 40 companies within the construction, real estate and architectural industries. These Aggie entrepreneurs have shown that combining their passions with an unwavering drive to succeed, a healthy dose of patience and integrity to maintaining Aggie Core Values can help make Aggie companies an “overnight success.”

This year’s Summit Award was presented to the Aggie company with the highest average revenue from 2013 to 2015. James Goodman ’95, founder of Genesis Networks Enterprises in San Antonio, was honored as the 2016 Aggie 100 Summit Award recipient, with an average revenue of $868,651,989.

The Top Ten 2016 Aggie 100 honorees spanned two states and seven industries, collectively attaining a combined growth rate of 1,312.6 percent. Lone Star Bloom was named the number one company in the 2016 Aggie 100, thanks to their exceptional growth percentage of 229.55 percent. The complete list can be found at www.aggie100.com.

As a reunion of every honoree in Aggie 100 history, the gala was a night filled with celebration, memories and Aggie pride. Since its launch in 2005, the Aggie 100 Program has recognized 887 individual companies, hailing from 25 states and eight countries. The program has honored companies founded as early as 1916, and Aggie leaders hailing from classes ranging from 1951 to 2013. Over the past 12 years, these Aggie-led companies have combined to generate a staggering total revenue of $48,096,300,031.54.

“The 12th Annual Aggie 100 is a very impressive representation of Aggie excellence. The companies reflect 1,352 years of experience bringing the best to their respective industries and keeping the Aggie entrepreneurial standards alive and well,” said Richard H. Lester, executive director of the CNVE.

Throughout the evening, attendees enjoyed the Singing Cadets performance of the Aggie War Hymn, a showcase of student entrepreneurial activities, along with comments from Mays Business School Dean Eli Jones and Texas A&M Foundation President Tyson Voelkel. A dessert bar and a live performance by Party Machine closed out the gala, which ended with honorees enjoying Midnight Yell from a special section inside Kyle Field.