Executive Bios

Emmitt Smith

President & CEO - Emmitt Smith Enterprises

A respected entrepreneur, a sought-after speaker, bestselling author and one of the most valuable personal brands in the sports-entertainment field — these are just a few of the ways to describe Emmitt Smith. As President & CEO of Emmitt Smith Enterprises, Inc., Smith leads a team of talented individuals who oversee the company’s many ventures — including Pat & Emmitt Smith Charities, the marketing and management of the Emmitt Smith brand, and the company’s two core businesses, EJ Smith Construction and E Smith Legacy, a real estate company.

Smith’s vision for his companies is best summed up in Emmitt Smith Enterprises core purpose statement, “Building Bridges to Open Doors.” That means quite literally whether the company is building bridges via its construction arm — already recognized as one of the leading African-American owned bridge builders in Texas — or opening doors for the less fortunate through its many philanthropic endeavors, Emmitt Smith Enterprises has a passion for making a difference.

Smith first rose to prominence via an illustrious football career, which included three Super Bowl championships as a member of the Dallas Cowboys and the honor of being the only player to have won a Super Bowl MVP, NFL MVP and NFL Rushing Crown in the same season. Inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame as part of the Class of 2010, Smith is the NFL’s all-time leading rusher, having amassed 18,355 yards during his 15 seasons.

Smith’s charm and charisma, which made him one of the sports world’s most popular personalities during his playing career, quickly translated to the entertainment world following his retirement. In 2006, Smith’s cross-over appeal became even more apparent when he, along with dance partner Cheryl Burke, was crowned winner of the hit ABC reality show “Dancing with the Stars.”

As well known for his character and integrity as he is for his athletic ability, Smith continues to give back to the community and support higher education via Pat & Emmitt Smith Charities, an organization that annually awards college scholarships and provides enrichment opportunities to underserved youth.

Smith continues to share his personal and professional stories with organizations across the country. He has been a member of the President's Health and Fitness Council, and has been recognized by numerous organizations for his leadership and public service. He also authored the 2011 book, Game On: Find Your Purpose — Pursue Your Dreams, which chronicles his story from humble beginnings growing up in Pensacola, Fla. to his rise in the business world.
 
Smith is a graduate of the University of Florida with a Bachelor’s Degree in Public Recreation. He is a member of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. He is married and the father of five children.

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Pat Smith

President & CEO - Pat Smith Enterprises, Inc.

Pat Smith, a successful television personality and inspirational speaker, is President & CEO of Pat Smith Enterprises. The company manages Smith’s many business interests, chief among them Treasure You™ — a brand of products and services dedicated to renewing the spirits of women by helping them to achieve their dreams and find their passion in life despite their setbacks and circumstances.
 
Smith, the first African-American woman to win the Miss Virginia USA title and first runner-up of the 1994 Miss USA Pageant, lost her mother to breast cancer while preparing for the competition. That loss inspired her to begin mentoring women to achieve their dreams.
 
“Treasure You™ was born during a period when I felt as though I was drowning in the shadows and losing my passion for life,” said Smith. “I had an amazing experience, what I call a Treasure You™ Moment, with a former NFL player's wife. After that, I was led to create experiences like ours where women can come together in a safe environment to share and grow.”
 
Smith’s television career includes being a correspondent for Extra, guest host for Access Hollywood, host of “Treasure You” on Good Morning Texas, host of “Keep the Faith,” and recurring roles and guest appearances on such primetime hits as Beverly Hills 90210, Sunset Beach and The Wayans Brothers Show.
 
Smith is known for her philanthropy on behalf of women and children as well as her commitment to church, civic and community activities. She serves as President of Pat & Emmitt Smith Charities, which annually awards college scholarships and is dedicated to providing enrichment opportunities to underserved youth.
 
Smith is currently a member of the prestigious Vogue 100 and a celebrity role model for the Dallas Elevators mentor program for Dallas ISD high school students. She is also involved with battered women’s shelters and breast cancer initiatives. She was recently voted one of the 10 Most Beautiful Women in Dallas by D magazine.

Smith is a graduate of James Madison University a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism.  She is married and is the mother of five children.

 

Kit Sawers

Vice President/Community Affairs and Foundation

Kit Sawers serves as the Vice President/Community Affairs and Foundations for Emmitt Smith Enterprises. In this role, she oversees all community outreach, including Pat & Emmitt Smith Charities and its primary fundraising event, the Emmitt Smith Celebrity Invitational, a two-day golf event that takes place each May.
 
Prior to joining Emmitt Smith Enterprises, Sawers served as Vice President of Special Events for the North Texas Super Bowl XLV Host Committee, helping to prepare the region for the first Super Bowl in North Texas. She worked closely with the NFL to ensure local cooperation in the staging and execution of the events that took place throughout the region leading up to Super Bowl XLV and oversaw the production of more than 50 events, including the historic Kick-Off Concert Series with Faith Hill in Fort Worth, Sting in Dallas and Tim McGraw at XLV Countdown Live at Cowboys Stadium.
 
Prior to that, Sawers spent four years as Executive Director of the Bickel & Brewer Foundation. Sawers also spent nine years at SMU, where she served as Associate Vice President for the University and Executive Director of the annual SMU Athletic Forum/Doak Walker Award and the Willis M. Tate Distinguished Lecture Series.

 

Tamela Thornton

Co-Founder/Principal – ESmith Legacy

Tamela Thornton, who serves as co-founder and principal of ESmith Legacy, has over 25 years of real estate related experience including site selection, market analysis for new business development, store location planning, lease negotiation, and construction project management. In her present role, Thornton oversees ESmith Legacy’s Alternative Investment Division, which acquires existing franchise assets and/or development rights in the Food & Beverage, Hospitality, Retail Services, and Entertainment & Lifestyle industry classes. Additionally, she leads the market feasibility / site selection strategy and development services initiatives for the team. Her responsibilities include oversight of all aspects of ESmith Legacy’s retail and mixed-use projects nationally.
 
Prior to joining ESmith Legacy, Thornton formed Bronzegate Development Services, LLC in 2006 to provide consulting services for franchised businesses and small developers in the areas of strategic planning, defining new location development criteria and site selection. Clients have included retailers and developers.
 
Early in her career at YUM!, Thornton generated over $19 million in new store sales with an average return of 17 percent for the Taco Bell brand. She also developed site selection criteria and analysis techniques to identify optimal market penetration for the restaurant brands in both traditional and non-traditional settings. She has worked in many of the major U.S. markets, as well as internationally in markets as diverse as China, Brazil, Mexico, Chile, Peru and the Caribbean.
 
At Starbucks Coffee Company, Thornton managed the real estate and construction team for one of the fastest growing regions in the country. Her team delivered over 65 stores annually while developing a strong project pipeline that has positioned Starbucks for continued growth in Texas and Oklahoma. These deals generated over $70 million in top-line sales for the company.
 
Thornton holds BA and MA degrees in Regional Science from the University of Pennsylvania. Additionally, she holds the CCIM designation. She is on the executive board of the Fort Worth Business Assistance Center, and an active member of the International Council of Shopping Centers, Services of Hope and Delta Sigma Theta Sorority.

 

Eugene Walker

President & CEO – EJ Smith Construction & EJ Smith Supply

Eugene Walker serves as President & CEO of EJ Smith Construction, LLC and EJ Smith Supply, LLC. In this role, he oversees all aspects of those two companies.
 
Walker comes to Emmitt Smith Enterprises from Austin Industries where he served as the Corporate Director of Diversity Affairs. He has served in several capacities over his 25-year construction career, including Project Manager, Project Engineer and Senior Estimator. Eugene has been involved with several local projects, including DFW Airport Terminal D, the American Airlines Center and UT Southwestern Medical Center.
 
Walker has been actively involved in minority affairs since 1985. He served on the M/WBE Committee for the Associated General Contractors (AGC) Dallas Chapter in 1993 and as a result of this involvement he has dedicated himself as an advocate for minority and women owned businesses. Walker has been awarded several times for his efforts, including being named as one of the most influential African-American Leaders in Texas by Minority Business News.