This week I continue my conversation with Luke Coffee. If you missed last weeks conversation please go back listen it will be well worth your time.

After graduating from Baylor University with a BA in Film/TV, Luke Coffee moved to Hollywood to pursue his lifelong passion for film and storytelling. He spent five years working long hours as the post-production coordinator on two primetime television shows for both Warner Brothers and NBC/Universal, while spending the TV hiatus working countless roles on various types of sets to gain more knowledge of the industry. After LA, Luke moved across the world to Cape Town, South Africa for six months producing a pilot for a travel-reality series entitled “Gypsy Kings” that was geared toward the World Cup.

In 2010, Luke Coffee moved back to his hometown Dallas,TX establishing his full service production house under the umbrella of his mentor director Rocky Powell’s company RockHouse Films. Luke has produced/directed everything from music videos to corporate industrials and web-based content to broadcast commercials even earning national accolades for his first few spots. Luke was brought on as a producer for Rocky’s first feature film Language of a Broken Heart which had a successful theatrical run opening in 10 cities nationwide. In the last few years, Coffee has directed his first feature documentary entitled Old Man Football, co-wrote, produced and directed the TV pilot Cubicle Cowboy while also partnering on several other pilot projects. Luke will produce the feature he has co-written Texas Angel alongside Powell who will direct the film. The narrative, which is based on a true story, is in pre-production. In 2016 Coffee was officially added to the roster become the 2nd ever Rockhouse Films director alongside his mentor Rocky. Over the last few years he has partnered with  The Marketing Arm, Agency Creative, Greenlight and ProPac Marketing to produce and direct content for brands like Doritos, FedEx Office, YMCA, SPCA, and Gold’s Gym to name just a few.

Coffee is a working actor, booking various roles in national commercials, music videos, television and feature films. His recent highlights include co-starring roles on NBC’s “Friday Night Lights”, “Las Vegas”, Jerry Bruckheimer’s “Chase” and a lead role in Ridley Scott’s “The Hunt,” which was shot in South Africa. He also played a supporting role as the jock ‘Drake’ in Rocky’s feature romantic comedy. Luke has used his many experiences in front of the camera to aid in every project as he hones his skillset as a seasoned Director.  Luke Coffee has also  been a featured artist in the publication Art House America.

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After graduating from Baylor University with a BA in Film/TV, Luke Coffee moved to Hollywood to pursue his lifelong passion for film and storytelling. He spent five years working long hours as the post-production coordinator on two primetime television shows for both Warner Brothers and NBC/Universal, while spending the TV hiatus working countless roles on various types of sets to gain more knowledge of the industry. After LA, Luke moved across the world to Cape Town, South Africa for six months producing a pilot for a travel-reality series entitled “Gypsy Kings” that was geared toward the World Cup.

In 2010, Luke Coffee moved back to his hometown Dallas,TX establishing his full service production house under the umbrella of his mentor director Rocky Powell’s company RockHouse Films. Luke has produced/directed everything from music videos to corporate industrials and web-based content to broadcast commercials even earning national accolades for his first few spots. Luke was brought on as a producer for Rocky’s first feature film Language of a Broken Heart which had a successful theatrical run opening in 10 cities nationwide. In the last few years, Coffee has directed his first feature documentary entitled Old Man Football, co-wrote, produced and directed the TV pilot Cubicle Cowboy while also partnering on several other pilot projects. Luke will produce the feature he has co-written Texas Angel alongside Powell who will direct the film. The narrative, which is based on a true story, is in pre-production. In 2016 Coffee was officially added to the roster become the 2nd ever Rockhouse Films director alongside his mentor Rocky. Over the last few years he has partnered with  The Marketing Arm, Agency Creative, Greenlight and ProPac Marketing to produce and direct content for brands like Doritos, FedEx Office, YMCA, SPCA, and Gold’s Gym to name just a few.

Coffee is a working actor, booking various roles in national commercials, music videos, television and feature films. His recent highlights include co-starring roles on NBC’s “Friday Night Lights”, “Las Vegas”, Jerry Bruckheimer’s “Chase” and a lead role in Ridley Scott’s “The Hunt,” which was shot in South Africa. He also played a supporting role as the jock ‘Drake’ in Rocky’s feature romantic comedy. Luke has used his many experiences in front of the camera to aid in every project as he hones his skillset as a seasoned Director.  Luke Coffee has also  been a featured artist in the publication Art House America.

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Michael Edwin Thornton was born in Greenville, South Carolina and raised on the family farm near Spartanburg. Thornton joined the Navy upon graduating from high school in 1967 and completed the rigorous training to join the SEALs, the Navy’s elite sea-air-land special operations force. As overall American conventional forces were gradually withdrawn from Vietnam in the early 1970s, the “unconventional warfare” role of Navy SEALs grew. In the spring of 1972, Petty Officer Thornton was assigned to a mission under the command of Lt. Thomas Norris.

Thornton and Norris accompanied a three-man South Vietnamese Navy team on an intelligence gathering mission in enemy-held territory. Launched from a Vietnamese Navy junk in a rubber boat, the patrol reached land and found themselves farther behind enemy lines than they had planned. Continuing on foot toward their objective, they came under heavy fire from a far larger force and were in danger of being surrounded. While inflicting heavy casualties on the enemy, they headed for the shore, in hopes of escaping by sea.

On learning that Lieutenant Norris had been hit by enemy fire and was believed to be dead, Thornton returned through a hail of fire to the lieutenant’s last position and found him severely wounded and unconscious but alive. Quickly disposing of two enemy soldiers who approached at that moment, Thornton slung Norris over his shoulder and dashed for life over 400 yards of open beach, returning enemy fire as he ran. He carried Norris and another wounded comrade out to sea, beyond the range of enemy fire. The company floated for approximately two hours before being retrieved by the South Vietnamese Navy.

Close to a year after his heroics in Vietnam, on October 15, 1973, Michael Thornton received the Medal of Honor at the White House from President Richard Nixon. Lieutenant Norris, still a patient at nearby Bethesda Naval Hospital, had been forbidden by his doctors to go to the ceremony, but Thornton spirited him out the back door of the facility and took him along. Almost three years later, Norris himself, received the medal with Thornton looking on. Thornton is the first person in more than a century to receive that honor for saving the life of another Medal of Honor recipient. Now retired after a distinguished Navy career that continued through Operation Desert Storm, he resides near Houston, Texas.

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Dr. Ruth Simmons is one of the most impressive people I have had the pleasure of sitting down with. It was such an honor to sit down and have a conversation with such an accomplished individual. Further, Dr. Simmons is more than just a preeminent professional in the field of higher education. She is also. a trailblazer and a historically significant individual. I hope you enjoy this interview, that I believe will go down as one of the most important I have done thus far and most likely will ever do.

Ruth J. Simmons was appointed 8th President of Prairie View A&M University (PVAMU) in December 2017. She is the first woman to hold the presidency at PVAMU. Prior to taking on the top administrator role at PVAMU, Simmons served as President of Brown University from 2001-2012, becoming the first African American to lead an Ivy League institution. Under Simmons’ leadership, Brown made significant strides in improving its standing as one of the world’s finest research universities.

A French professor before entering university administration, Simmons held an
appointment as a Professor of Africana Studies at Brown. After completing her Ph.D. in
Romance Languages and Literatures at Harvard, she served in various faculty and
administrative roles at the University of Southern California, Princeton University, and
Spelman College before becoming president of Smith College, the largest women’s college in the United States. At Smith, she launched a number of important academic initiatives, including an engineering program, the first at an American women’s college.

Simmons is the recipient of many honors, including a Fulbright Fellowship to France, the 2001 President’s Award from the United Negro College Fund, the 2002 Fulbright lifetime Achievement Medal, the 2004 Eleanor Roosevelt Val-Kill Medal, the Foreign Policy Association Medal, the Ellis Island Medal of Honor, and the Centennial Medal from Harvard University. Simmons is a member of the National Academy of Arts and Sciences, the American Philosophical Society, and the Council on Foreign Relations, and serves on the boards of FCA and Square, as well as a number of non-profit boards. Awarded numerous honorary degrees, she received the Brown Faculty’s highest honor: the Susan Colver Rosenberger Medal in 2011. In 2012, she was named ‘chevalier’ of the French Legion of Honor.

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Nick & Jen Pencis took over the business in 2006 after the death of founder JD Stanley left his family unable to continue the operation. Nick & Jen have kept the spirit of JD’s recipes and methods alive, as well as adding their unique flair to the joint. They have been named “One of the Best BBQ Joints in the World!” by Texas Monthly Magazine, finding their story published in David Gelin’s book “BBQ Joints: Stories and Secret Recipes from the Barbecue Belt,” and Daniel Vaughn’s “Prophets of Smoked Meat” published by Anthony Bourdain. Nick & Jen have tried to recruit the best staff to ensure the highest quality food and fun atmosphere.

Stanley’s has been family owned and operated since 1958. The site where Stanley’s sits today was a BBQ restaurant for two previous owners before being bought and renamed by J.D. Stanley in the late 50’s. The history of BBQ is long and strong in this spot.

In 2013, Nick & Jen expanded the joint’s cooking and seating capacity, introduced the friendliest full-service bar in Texas, and brought back weekly live music. “Mom & Pop” Pencis are proud of their “Little Engine That Could” and are honored, grateful, and proud to carry on a great Texas tradition! As always, they encourage all to “Be Kind and Have Fun!”

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Mr. Thomas Craig Wheat is the Founder, President and Chief Executive Officer of Pediatric Home Healthcare, LLC, (PHH) an exclusively pediatric private duty nursing provider. PHH services pediatric patients from birth to 21 years of age and employs only skilled nurses, LVN’s and RN’s, to care for our patients.

Mr. Wheat oversees the executive team members; as such, he is responsible for the annual revenue, profitability and overall success and growth of Pediatric Home Healthcare, LLC. He is also a part of the marketing team, responsible for educating hospital administrators, case managers and other referral sources regarding services provided by PHH. Mr. Wheat serves on the Board of Managers and the Advisory Committee.

Mr. Wheat is a member of Young Presidents’ Organization (YPO) in The Lone Star – Dallas Chapter. He serves on their Executive Board as Member Chairman and on the YPO Regional Board as Membership Officer over the five YPO chapters in North Texas. Mr. Wheat has been a member of Legacy Forum where he served as Member Chairman and he sat on the Legacy Forum Board of Directors.

In 2016, Mr. Wheat was appointed to the Board of Trustees at The ChildCareGroup (CCG) with a three-year term, and he was appointed to The Board of Directors at Make-A-Wish Foundation of North Texas. In 2017, Mr. Wheat was appointed to the Board of Trustees of the North American Development Group “NADG NNN REIT.”

Mr. Wheat has served on the Texas Health and Human Services Commission Council (HHSC) which he was originally appointed by Governor Rick Perry and then re-appointed to serve an additional term. He is also appointed to the E-Health Advisory Committee at HHSC, a selection made by HHSC Commissioner, Charles Smith. As a voting member of this council, Mr. Wheat has been a part of the team responsible for developing rules and policies for the Commission. The HHSC is a state agency which seeks to provide the leadership and innovation needed to achieve an efficient and effective health and human services system for Texans.

Mr. Wheat holds a Master of Science in Interdisciplinary Studies and a Bachelor of Science in Communication Studies from Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Texas. Along with both degrees, Mr. Wheat received a Tennis Scholarship from Texas Tech University.

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Bobby Stroupe is the Founder and President of ATHLETE Performance Enhancement Center (APEC).  Coach Stroupe has directed human performance systems for nearly 20 years while expanding his influence as an author, consultant, speaker, and educator. His experience includes working with school systems, collegiate teams, professional teams, businesses, corporate fitness and individuals alike. His coaching ranges from youth athletes to some of the top names in multiple professional sports including 1st round picks, Super Bowl and World Series champions. APEC has been a part of developing over 20 athletes that trained in the APEC system in grade school, and continued all the way to the professional ranks. Stroupe and team currently support over 100 athletes in the NFL and MLB alone. Among many accomplishments by his athletes, Bobby has been credited with supporting arguably some of the best in the game of baseball and football including NFL MVP Patrick Mahomes. Coach Stroupe has been featured as a top trainer for multiple sports and athletic performances on ESPN, Sports Illustrated, USA Today, NFL and MLB network, STACK, Bleacher Report, and many more.

Bobby has presented on various human performance topics at notable coaches clinics internationally, including the NIKE Roundtable and the China City Bowl tour. Stroupe launched the CAPEC certification at Nike World Headquarters in addition to doing work with Nike Training and the Nike Young Athlete division. Bobby serves on the Advisory Committee for Wellness and Exercise at Tyler Junior College. Stroupe and staff have powered strength & conditioning for TJC baseball during their four time in a row National Championship run.​

As an entrepreneur, Stroupe and team built APEC from a grass field in 2005 to today, a world wide training leader in human performance. Bobby serves as the president for APEC, making strategic decisions, designing training systems, and guiding an elite team of coaches that power two locations (Tyler, Fort Worth).

Coach Stroupe belongs to an elite group of physical therapists, athletic trainers, and human performance practitioners as a Fellow of Applied Functional Science. Stroupe has also been named a RSCC*D by the NSCA due to 10+ years of demonstrating high standards and professional practice.

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HOLLY brings her love for Texas and for taking on big ideas to her role as Managing Director, External Affairs, for Texas Central. As a native Texan, she is passionate about bringing the train to her home state and sharing its benefits transforming how people think about travel, putting people to work and saving lives.

Working on the Texas high-speed train is a perfect fit for Holly, as it builds on her career of working on other transformative projects involving critical infrastructure. During Holly’s 25-year career at AT&T, she helped facilitate network deployments of high-speed internet, mobility networks, and communication infrastructure.

At Texas Central, Holly leads the team supporting the external initiatives of the multi-billion dollar project driving awareness of the positive impacts on jobs and economic development, growing support and coordinating with State, Local and Federal stakeholders. Her responsibilities include public policy, outreach, government relations and branding, media and communications activities.

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Dr. Robin L. Pinkley is the Duchossois Endowed Professor of Management and Organizations at the Edwin L. Cox School of Business at Southern Methodist University and past Chairman of the Organizational Behavior Department and Director of the American Airlines Center for Labor Relations and Conflict Resolution. Dr. Pinkley is the founder of the M2M [Master to Master] Center for Profitable Negotiation, focusing on negotiation research, training, consulting and deal-making. She previously served as Visiting Professor of Organizational Behavior at the J. L. Kellogg Graduate School of Management at Northwestern University. Dr. Pinkley received a Ph.D. in Social Psychology from the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill.

Dr. Pinkley has been a frequent speaker in management development programs and a negotiation consultant for corporate and government organizations in nine countries. A sample of her clients include Accenture, Allstate Insurance, ARCO, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas and Florida, DFB Holding Company, Devon, DPT Laboratories, Freeman, General Electric, Generational Equity, Jones Lang LaSalle, JP Morgan Chase, Kodak, Legacy Bank, Lockheed Martin Vought, Macy’s, Maxim Integrated Products, Mobil, NASA, Physician’s Leadership Association of America, Pioneer Natural Resources, Presidential Leadership Scholars Program (G. H. W. Bush, G. W. Bush, W. J. Clinton, & L. B. Johnson Presidential Centers), Reliant Energy, Remington Hotel Corporation, Rewardstyle, Samson Investment Company, SBC Communications, Sewell Motor Company, 7-Eleven, Sony Ericsson, State Farm Insurance, Staubach Real Estate Company, Southwest Airlines, Southwestern Bell Company, Strasburger & Price LLP, Targetbase Marketing Consultants, Taylor Publishing, Texas Children’s Hospital, Toyota-Lexus, Unilever, Warner Brothers, and Yahoo! She has been a member of the Board of Directors for Solidus Technologies and NW Leadership Society. She is also the Chief Strategic Officer of the newest to market high tech healthcare company, Bed Beacon LLC.

A subset of Dr. Pinkley’s media coverage includes interviews on CNN, ABC, CBS, NBC, Marketplace Radio (NPR), quotes in newspapers such as the Wall Street Journal, New York Times, Chicago Tribune, Washington Post, Dallas Morning News, LA Times, Chicago Tribune, USA Today and quotes in magazines such as US News and World Report, Money Magazine, Monster.com, Fortune Magazine, Kiplinger’s Personal Finance Magazine, Redbook, Working Mother, Woman’s Day, Ladies Home Journal and D Magazine.

Dr. Pinkley was the President for the International Association of Conflict Management. She served as a Chairman of the Conflict Management Division of the Academy of Management, as well as, Member at Large and Program Chair. She was also an Associate Editor of the International Journal of Conflict Management.

Dr. Pinkley is co-author (along with Greg Northcraft) of “Get Paid What You’re Worth: The Expert Negotiators Guide to Salary and Compensation”. She is also the author or co-author of articles on negotiation and managerial conflict resolution, which appear in the Academy of Management Journal, Academy of Management Review, Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, Journal of Applied Psychology, Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology, and the International Journal of Conflict Management.

Dr. Pinkley’s is the creator of the Gain-Gain Approach to Profitable Negotiation. Her research focuses on the sources and consequences of negotiator power, the use of strategic bidding strategies, and the strategic application of “value context theory”. This research has earned Dr. Pinkley the Edwin L. Cox 1994 Outstanding Researcher Award, a Frank and Susan Dunlevy Faculty Research Fellowship, a Corrigan Fellowship, a Dorothy Cullum Fellowship and a Marilyn & Leo F. Corrigan Junior Faculty Endowment. She is also the recipient of the Southern Methodist University’s Golden Mustang Award for innovative teaching and the Carl Sewell Distinguished Service to the Community Award.

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Rogers Healy Bio:

Rogers Healy was born to build, market and sell. Rogers was born in Corpus Christi, moved to San Antonio as a child, and then made his final Texas stop in Dallas in the early 1990’s. From day one, he’s always looked for opportunities to network, learn and work harder than anyone.

Rogers’ real estate launched back in 2001, while an undergrad at Southern Methodist University. A self described opportunist, Rogers saw the need for fellow students to get assistance when looking for off campus housing.
“I’ve never had a problem doing the work others didn’t want to do. Everyone needs a
place to live, so I found a way to help my friends at SMU, whether they were renting
their first apartment, or buying their first condo.”

After a few years of learning the business of real estate, Rogers launched Rogers Healy
and Associates Real Estate in 2006. Determination and energy proved to be the perfect
ingredients for getting RHA launched, and even still, that’s the approach. In 2008, Rogers founded Healy Property Management, which has grown to one of the most successful property management firms in Texas. In 2009, Rogers founded Healy Global Relocation, which is the only company in the world that helps clients with all their real estate and moving needs, all over the world.

“I’ve been blessed to have found success in business, especially in the world of real
estate. That’s always rewarding, but the the truest joy I experience is with my people.
Seeing them grow, watching them learn and being a part of their lives gives me a sense
of impact and a full heart. No deal will ever replace that.”

Rogers Healy and Associates is a multi-time winner of the ‘INC 5000’ fastest growing
companies in the US, ’The Best Places to Work in Dallas,’ by both the Dallas Morning
News and the Dallas Business Journal, the ‘SMU 100 Fastest Growing Businesses’
award, and the ‘100 Fastest Growing Companies in Fort Worth,’ by Fort Worth
Magazine.

During Rogers’ tenure in business, he’s been the recipient of many notable awards,
including REALTOR Magazine’s ’30 Under 30,’ The Dallas Morning News Executioner
of the Year, The Dallas Millennial Club’s ‘Entrepreneur of the Year,’ The Dallas
Business Journal’s ’40 Under 40,’ the Collin County Business Press’ ’40 Under 40,’ The
Park Cities People’s ’20 Under 40,’ The ‘Most Influential Leader in Real Estate,’ by
Luxury Home Magazine, ‘Power Player’ by Dallas Modern Luxury, D Magazine ‘Top
Producer’ and ‘Best REALTOR.’ In 2018, Rogers was recognized as one of the Top 100
REALTORS in the country (out of over 2,000,000 people). With over $4,000,000,000 in closed deals and counting, Rogers aims to always be at the top of the list. Rogers is the real estate expert on national TV for Fox, Fox News, Fox Business News,
CNBC and MSNBC.

In his free time, Rogers loves spending time with his family, his three dogs (Black Lab Batman, Weimaraner-Coach, and Amigo, his German Shorthair), his church at Highland Park Methodist, Crossfit and listening to vinyls on his record player.

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