The third annual Cougar 100 luncheon took place at Bayou City Event Center on October 26, 2016. This celebration of the fastest-growing University of Houston (UH) alumni-owned or led businesses saw Concept Connections, owned by Jennifer Keese (’05), receive the number one ranking with a growth rate of 302.35 percent.
The 2016 Cougar 100 included 51 companies that have made the list all three years. While the majority of businesses are located in Texas, winners are located all over the world, the farthest being #15, Dayton Consulting, located in Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates. Over the past three years, 452 companies total have applied, and 49 percent of the 2016 winners were graduates of the C.T. Bauer College of Business.
The keynote speaker for the event was Laura Murillo (’89, M.Ed. ’98, Ed.D. ’03), member of the University’s Board of Visitors and President and CEO of the Houston Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. Dr. Murillo stressed the University’s importance in her life in her keynote address, citing the support she received as a student as a key factor in her success.
She also praised her fellow business leaders for their willingness to take risks. “As entrepreneurs, we are challenged to make decisions that change our destinies every day,” she said. “I stand before you today for three reasons: people, passion and persistence.” Their business stature shows, and Cougar 100 winners are the embodiment of those values.
Special Thanks to Our Sponsors and Partners:
- TDECU
- Goodman Financial
- Pannell Kerr Foster of Texas, P.C.
- Bayou City Event Center
- Houston Business Journal
Does your company have what it takes to make the Cougar 100?
Apply at houstonalumni.com/cougar100 today, or contact Bob Leaumont, Interim Associate Vice President of University Advancement Operations, including Corporate Sponsorships, at 713-743-9558 or rfleaumo@central.uh.edu for more information. But don’t delay!
The 2017 Cougar 100 class will be announced on November 6.