Gala raises $1.4 million, honors four laureates and welcomes surprise appearance by Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott

Junior Achievement of Dallas (JA Dallas) honored four distinguished business leaders at the 28th annual Dallas Business Hall of Fame on Saturday, March 28, at the Omni Dallas Hotel. The fundraising gala—presented by Ryan, LLC—recognized Susan Adzick, Phillip Huffines, Allen Nye and Steven Williams for their lasting contributions to the Dallas business community and region. 

The event raised a record-breaking $1.4 million in support of JA Dallas' mission to inspire and prepare young people for success in a global economy.

Dallas Cowboys Strength and Conditioning Coach Harold Nash served as emcee, kicking off the program by pondering aloud what exactly a Cowboys strength coach was doing hosting a celebration of Dallas business leaders—before drawing a convincing parallel between his work developing athletes and Junior Achievement's work preparing students for the real world. Nash set a high-energy tone that carried through the entire evening.

JaiMarie Bardwell, a senior at Irving High School, was named the 2026 Student of the Year and awarded the Sandi Smith Scholarship—a $15,000 award to support her higher education journey. Selected from a competitive pool of applicants, Bardwell was recognized for her leadership, service and commitment to creating opportunity for others, including her mentorship of younger students through the JA High School Heroes program. Casey Mellody, JA Dallas Vice President of Education, presented the award. Stephen Tigh, JA Dallas Board Chair, followed with a champagne toast before dinner.

When Chris LaTurno, president and CEO of Junior Achievement of Dallas, took the stage, he emphasized the lasting impact JA has on students' trajectories—and why the organization's hands-on approach is exactly what the future demands.

"Three in five JA alumni say they started or owned a business because of their JA experience—and 92 percent agree that as automation and AI change jobs and the economy, students who go through JA will be better prepared for the future," said LaTurno. "Students are not just hearing about economics and personal finance—they are experiencing them."

Auctioneer Scott Peterson followed with a competitive live auction featuring exclusive experiences, including trips to the Amalfi Coast, Sonoma Valley and Champagne, France, as well as a Texas Rangers package and a private dinner at Chamberlain’s Steak and Fish.

The evening took an unforgettable turn during the live appeal, when Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott—in attendance at the invitation of his coach and mentor Harold Nash—took the stage and announced a personal gift of $25,000 to Junior Achievement of Dallas.

"I am the man that I am, strictly because of the community that was around me when I grew up,” said Prescott. “It takes a village to raise somebody, and everyone in this room is a part of that community. So, I'm giving $25,000 tonight—I challenge each and every one of you to give to the leaders of tomorrow.”

Prescott then tossed autographed footballs to guests making matching donations throughout the room.

JA Dallas students introduced each of the evening's four honorees.

Susan Adzick, president of McLane Restaurant, leads one of the largest food service systems distribution companies in the country, with 45 distribution centers delivering to more than 34,000 restaurants. She has held executive roles at McLane and previously at PepsiCo Food Systems and has served on boards including the International Foodservice Distributors Association, National Restaurant Association and Women's Foodservice Forum. She has also been involved with the Girl Scouts of Northeast Texas and the Dallas Arboretum Women's Council.

Phillip Huffines, co-founder and co-owner of Huffines Communities, has spent more than four decades transforming the North Texas landscape through real estate development. His firm has developed more than 20,000 single-family homesites and 2,500 multifamily units, generating billions in value and supporting regional growth. A dedicated mentor and philanthropist, he supports STEM education and entrepreneurship through the Huffines Foundation and is a longtime JA Dallas board member—named the organization's Philanthropist of the Year in 2018.

Allen Nye, CEO of Oncor, leads Texas' largest electric delivery company, serving more than 13 million customers. Under his leadership since 2018, Oncor has emphasized safety, reliability and innovation while guiding the company through an era of rapid growth and modernization. He is also active in civic and industry organizations supporting public service, economic development and education.

Steven Williams, executive vice president and vice chairman of PepsiCo, leads global commercial strategy, stakeholder engagement and growth initiatives across one of the world’s most recognized food and beverage companies. A PepsiCo veteran since 2001, he previously served as CEO of PepsiCo North America and serves on boards including State Farm, United Way of Metropolitan Dallas and UT Southwestern.

The Dallas Business Hall of Fame raises funds to help JA Dallas provide students across North Texas with hands-on learning experiences in financial literacy, work readiness and entrepreneurship—equipping them with the skills, knowledge and confidence to become the next generation of leaders.

Special thanks to sponsors, including:

• Presenting Sponsor: Ryan
• Achievement Sponsors: DHD Films, Oncor, PepsiCo
• Elite Sponsors: Hillwood, Huffines Foundation, The Men and Women of Hunt Consolidated, Inc., McLane Food Service, Turtle Creek Wealth Advisors
• Leadership Sponsors: BravoTECH, The Brierley Group, Ernst & Young, KPMG, Southwest Airlines

About Junior Achievement of Dallas

Junior Achievement of Dallas (JA Dallas) inspires and prepares young people to succeed in a global economy. Over the past 70 years, the nonprofit organization has reached more than 1.3 million students across the region with real-world learning experiences in financial literacy, workplace readiness and entrepreneurship. In the past year alone, JA Dallas served 99,661 students through just over 50 school partners, powered by 3,124 volunteers who contributed 458,594 hours of their time, valued at more than $15.4 million. These immersive, hands-on experiences equip young people with the skills, knowledge and confidence needed to lead and thrive. Research shows that JA alumni are more likely to pursue higher education, feel confident managing money, experience career success and start businesses. For more information, visit jadallas.org.

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Photo credit: Brad Newton/Grant Miller Photography