Darryl Thornton was most recently the Vice President of Human Resources and Security for The Dallas Morning News. His professional leadership experience includes senior management positions with various companies including the Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport, the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas, the Associates First Capital Corporation, Frito-Lay Inc., and Special Agent with the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Thornton has held leadership positions on various Boards in the DFW community including the YMCA, the Plano Economic Development Board, Dallas Urban League, United Negro College Fund of Dallas, Big Brothers and Sisters of Dallas County, life member of Boys and Girls Clubs of America, and a life member and former National Board Member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. He has also served on the boards of The Dallas Morning News Charities and the CMBC Learning Center.

A graduate of the University of North Texas, Thornton continues to be involved at his alma mater having served on the Access and Equity Committee, currently serving on the College of Business Administration’s Advisory Board, the Human Resources Partnership board and as an Honorary Co-chair for the 50th Anniversary of Desegregation. His Executive Education includes the UNC– Chapel Hill Kenan-Flagler Business School and the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.

Thornton has been recognized by The Minority Business News of Texas as an Influential African American in Texas, the Texas Diversity Council for Diversity Leadership and former Governor Ann Richards for his civic and community leadership, and has received a number of awards including the 2005 University of North Texas Distinguished Alumnus from the College of Business Administration, and the Dallas Urban League Guild's 21st Century's Most Promising Leader. He has served as President of the Minority Human Resources Association, and is a member of the Society for Human Resources Management. His professional affiliations also include the Leadership Dallas Alumni Association, Dallas Human Resources Management Association and the National Association of African Americans in Human Resources.

Living a quality lifestyle, Thornton’s personal mission is to be the best Christian, husband, father, leader and role model possible. He has chosen to make a difference and demonstrated his leadership ability through his organizational affiliations and his dedicated involvement in the Dallas community.

His latest accomplishment is his recently published book, Enough is Enough: A Wake up Call to Men.

Darryl and his wife Yvonne have three sons, Frederick, Joshua, and Micah.

DARRYL G. THORNTON, SPHR

Jonathon E. "Jon" Edmonds is the president and CEO of Frazier Revitalization, Inc., the non-profit development catalyst of the Frazier neighborhood of Dallas, Texas. Formerly the founder and principal of Higher Level Development, LLC in Dallas Texas. He is the past President & CEO of the Foundation for Community Empowerment (FCE), also in Dallas. Preceding these, Mr. Edmonds was the president of the Indianapolis Neighborhood Housing Partnership in Indianapolis, Indiana. He is now focusing on real estate and community development in the Southern Sector of Dallas. Higher Level Development's mission is to create and secure win-win development opportunities for the community and the company.

Mr. Edmonds, a former Citibank commercial loan officer and small business owner, now has more than twenty years experience in comprehensive community development. While president of INHP, Jon was responsible for the funding and capacity building of the Indianapolis CDCs, homeownership training and counseling programs, and the creation and administration of single and multi-family mortgage lending programs. While there, he was awarded the President William Jefferson Clinton HUD Homeownership Partnership Award in 1995-96. As President & CEO of FCE, Jon gave oversight to the operations and development of model approaches to community, economic, and housing development, and neighborhood revitalization with other committed partners. Under his leadership, FCE worked to develop national demonstration initiatives in comprehensive community development, early childhood education, CBO capacity building programs, church/community partnerships and neighborhood violence free zones.

JOHN EDMONDS