Native of: Texas
Industry: Software
Region: Austin
Tell us about your career at Khorus.
I started Khorus in 2013.
Over the last few years, I had served as chief executive of several companies, and also wrote a book on mastering the balancing act of the CEO job. I had the idea of creating software that would serve as a system of record to help CEOs of companies run their businesses more effectively.
We had built a similar product at a previous company that we sold before we got the technology fully deployed. So we started working on this idea and had the resources to complete it.
What is your career background outside of Khorus?
I received a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from Louisiana Tech University in 1987. My first job was teaching heat transfer and fluid flow at the US Navy Nuclear Power School.
I started my first business in 1987. I moved to Texas in 1992 so my wife, Cathy Fulton, could attend the doctoral program in electrical engineering at the University of Texas at Austin. I wound up selling that first business I had started. By 1999, Cathy and I had started a business that made network management software, NetQoS Inc. I served as CEO until CA Technologies acquired the company in 2009. After that, I launched Cache IQ, a business that NetApp Inc. acquired in November 2012.
What is your view of the business climate in Texas?
In general, Texas has the best business climate in the country. In my space, this state presents the most opportunities with the fewest challenges, such as at the government and local level. However, finding good people is always difficult in the technology field. We always need more trained engineers.
Why did you decide to join YTEXAS?
I’ve been here for more than three decades. I guess that makes me an old timer. I have affection for helping people get settled and see all Texas has to offer, like I had to.
What makes Khorus different?
We’re the first to give software to CEOs to run their businesses. Whether they’re in the Fortune 500 or a small company, the only software many CEOs use is their calendar. We’re giving them a system, methodology and process to better run today’s businesses.
What issues are affecting your company that you are concerned about?
Everybody’s concerned with health care. People don’t realize the overhaul of that system has yet to be fully implemented. The future effects of that are hard to know.
Tell us something about yourself that most people don’t know.
I got to shake hands with Mother Teresa when I was 20 years old. It was a major experience. I went on a trip to Rome. She happened to be speaking at a small church. We got there really early and got pushed to the front. I met her after she gave her speech. I always tell people it was like meeting Yoda from Star Wars. It was really neat.
