Our Board

OFFICERS

Tom Pennington

President

Tom recently retired after over 40 years in nonprofit management, fundraising, and higher education, mainly within the fraternity/sorority community. He began at Phi Kappa Psi HQ as an Educational Leadership Consultant, then spent six years at Southern Methodist University coordinating Fraternity/Sorority Life while earning his MA. Returning to Phi Psi HQ, he managed alumni, insurance, and chapter services before becoming COO of the Phi Psi Foundation for 8 years. A longtime TAEF Board member and former Secretary, Tom also served three terms as President of the NIC Foundation. He resides in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Rob Zivney

Vice President

Beginning in technical sales of computer-based building automation and security systems, Rob advanced to executive roles in Chicago and Orange County. He served as treasurer on the Security Industry Association board in DC and worked globally as a marketing executive. Now retired, he stays active through volunteer work, golf, and traveling with his wife Margie of 51 years. Resettled in the Dallas area, he reconnected with Texas Alpha and frequently attends Longhorn football games.

Alan Orwick

Treasurer

Alan Orwick is CEO of Dominant Strategies, a blockchain development company based in Austin, Texas. A University of Texas at Austin computer science graduate and former Apple engineer, Alan brings deep technical expertise. During his time at UT, he served as founding president of the Texas Blockchain undergraduate group. A proud member of Phi Psi Texas Alpha (Fall '16), where he served as head rush captain for two years.

Brian Crow

Secretary

Brian is a dynamic operations leader in the semiconductor industry, currently serving as Vice President of Operations, Product & Test Engineering at Skyworks Solutions in Austin. His career spans over three decades, including a transformative 25-year tenure at Silicon Labs. He has been a dedicated leader in Phi Kappa Psi fraternity and continues to shape the future as a valued TAEF Board member. Married to Jeanna Whitlock Crow for 32 years.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Ken Sandoval

Ken has been married for 37 years to his wife Carol. He holds a BBA in Accounting. Both are committed to giving back, serving as founding members of Stonebridge UMC and chairing the Dallas Heart Ball. He has served as Treasurer and President of the Collin County Texas Exes, and held multiple positions with the TAEF. His fraternity has had a profound impact on him.

Brad Fisher

BBA Finance 1992. Raised in Richardson, TX, Brad has spent 32 years in the global paper and packaging industry as a sales executive, traveling extensively across North America and Europe. In his spare time, he enjoys golf, playing guitar, traveling to cheer on the Longhorns with his Phi Psi brothers, and supporting the Wounded Warriors Foundation. He currently resides in Prosper, TX.

Trent Patterson

Co-Owner & COO of Five 12 Restaurant Concepts. Born in Lufkin, Texas, Trent served as the iconic Longhorn mascot 'Hook 'Em' while earning his electrical engineering degree at UT Austin. After working at AMD and Chick-fil-A, he helped bring Dish Society to life and launched Daily Gather. As Chairman of the Greater Houston Chapter of the Texas Restaurant Association, he continues to champion local restaurants.

Justin Smith

Justin is a strategic leader and investor in Austin specializing in scaling companies at the convergence of finance and breakthrough technologies. With experience at Ernst & Young, Jefferies, Providence Equity, and others, he has raised billions and guided high-growth ventures. His mission is to accelerate deep tech adoption that transforms industries. A University of Texas at Austin graduate.

Todd Ivey

Jack Todd Ivey, TXA '85, became reinvolved with Texas Alpha after his two sons were initiated. After attending law school in Houston, Todd practiced law and started his own firm in 1997. He is currently the principal attorney at Ivey Law Firm, P.C. in Houston. With over thirty years of legal experience, Todd is Board Certified in personal injury trial law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization.