Baylor Angel Network Announces New Angels

WACO, Texas, Oct. 29 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Baylor Angel Network (BAN) announced six new angel investors who will impart business advice, share personal experience and guide entrepreneurs. The new angels are Bruce Ballengee, Kirk Coleman, Patrick Hamner, Carl Hefton, Robert Nitsche and Michael Wilhite.

BAN is an investor network, operated through Baylor University's Hankamer School of Business, which provides early stage capital to entrepreneurs with developed business plans. Angels invest in people and their ideas, in addition to investing financially.

"This group of new angels represents a level of expertise in investing and brings in a lot of new knowledge that is beneficial to entrepreneurs," associate director of BAN Kevin Castello said.

Bruce Ballengee founded Dolphin International in 1995. He is co-founder and CEO of Pariveda Solutions. He served at Booz & Co., Accenture and Sprint. Ballengee is on multiple advisory boards.

Kirk Coleman joined Accenture (then Andersen Consulting) in July 1993. He is currently a Management Consulting partner in the banking practice for Accenture. His background includes 17 years of consulting in the financial services industry with a strong focus on mergers and large-scale transformational programs.

Patrick F. Hamner is a Principal with Valesco Commerce Street Capital. He worked for Capital Southwest Corporation for 24 years and then moved to Heelys, Inc. as a member of its senior management. Hamner has served as Chairman to the National Association of Small Business Investment Companies' Board of Governors and National Venture Capital Association's Joint Education Committee. He was a faculty member of the Venture Capital Institute for over ten years.

Carl Hefton has 35 years of business experience, most recently as a Founding Partner of Entrust Capital Advisors in 2008. Carl is a partner and mentor with Tech Wildcatters and a general partner with a hedge fund. Prior to forming Entrust, Hefton was the CEO and president of Viscern, Inc.

Robert K. Nitsche is chief operating officer and chief financial officer for Insurance Network of Texas in Giddings. He received his BBA from Baylor, MBA from Southern Methodist, and in 2010 graduated from the Owner/President Management Program through Harvard University. He is on multiple panels. He established the Robert K. and Robin L. Nitsche Endowed Scholarship Fund and participates with The President's Scholarship Initiative Committee.

Michael Wilhite has worked for Peterson Consulting, LLP and as CFO of Mustang Drilling, Inc. In 1999, Wilhite resigned as CFO and went to law school. In 2003, he returned to school again to earn an LLM in Tax. Upon graduation, he worked for the law firm Gordon & Sykes, LLP until 2005, when he returned to Mustang Drilling.

For more information about BAN and how to get involved, visit www.baylor.edu/business/angelnetwork.

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SOURCE Baylor University