McFerrin Methods workshops are designed to help you expand your knowledge of entrepreneurial trends and various other topics related to starting and running a business. In addition, McFerrin Methods provides an opportunity to network with entrepreneurial-minded individuals and professionals that may be able to help you build your own venture. Offered throughout the year, McFerrin Methods workshops are free and open to Texas A&M current students, faculty, staff, veterans and the local Bryan/College Station community but RSVP is required.
This semester’s McFerrin Methods events are proudly planned and presented by student leaders of the McFerrin Experience Team!
Fall 2024
Monday, Oct. 28 | 7-8:30 p.m.
From Aggie to Aggie Entrepreneur: How to Find Your 12th Man | Building relationships toward mentorship and partnership.
This session will feature Aggie Entrepreneur Mike Wilkinson ’86 who will share his entrepreneurial story and experiences and how leaning on the Aggie Network for mentorship and business partnerships can be a key to entrepreneurial success.
Whether you have entrepreneurial ambitions or not, learning to leverage the Aggie Network in your personal and professional life is a winning tactic!
About Mike Wilkinson ’86
Mike Wilkinson ’86 is the CEO of Paroma Ventures and founder/retired CEO of Paragon Innovations. He led Paragon Innovations’ business strategy and vision, product design and development, and customer relations. Since its inception in 1990, Mike and his team grew Paragon into one of the nation’s leading providers of product development and engineering services, with customers such as 3M, B. Braun Medical, Hitachi, Medtronic, Motorola, Siemens and Walmart, among others.
Mike is an active member of the Aggie Angel Network, investing in a number of new ventures. He also serves on a variety of committees, councils and boards and guest lectures at Texas A&M and UT Dallas. In his free time, he loves to sail for fun and race to win, both offshore and on inland lakes.
Tuesday, Sept. 24 | 7-8:30 p.m.
From Aggie to Aggie Entrepreneur: Leveraging the Aggie Network | Building relationships toward mentorship, funding and partnership.
This session will feature Aggie Entrepreneur Larry Warnock ’83 who will share his entrepreneurial story, experiences in startups and venture capital, and how relationships formed within the Aggie Network helped to shape his growth and success — and how they can for you, too!
About Larry Warnock ’83
Larry Warnock ’83 serves as partner emeritus of Ring Ventures. He is a seasoned venture-backed tech executive with multiple exits via acquisition or IPO. He launched Ring Ventures as the founding managing partner. Prior to that he was the president & CEO of Olono, an AI platform for sales effectiveness (acquired). Previously he was the CEO of Gazzang, a provider of big data security software (acquired), and Phurnace, a provider of DevOps software (acquired). After moving to Austin from Silicon Valley, Larry was a venture partner at Austin Ventures. His career has allowed him to work with numerous VCs and companies across California, Colorado and Texas.
Lake LBJ is now his home with his wife of 40 years. He started his software career in sales and marketing and has been a VP executive at several successful high-growth companies.