Dallas Workplace of the Future

Ken is the founder of the Grove, a collaborative work space. The Grove is a new kind of space that encourages and supports people in their work and the development of new ideas that are solving the social, environmental, economic, and urban problems we face today. The Grove is more than just a space; it is a dynamic community of social innovators, artists, entrepreneurs, and thinkers that are united by a passion for community, social impact, and a desire to leave the world a better place than we found it.

After graduating from SMU, Nick spent seven years in commercial real estate. During that time, he closed over 350 office leasing transactions, was recognized by D Magazine as one of Dallas' top brokers, and sat on the NTCAR Young Professionals board. His experience developed into an overall passion for workspaces. In 2011, Nick resigned to launch a coworking space in Deep Ellum called Common Desk. Common Desk has since become a workspace centered around flexibility and community, which currently has over 300 active members. In 2013, Nick co-founded a company called Roam Directories. Roam specializes in innovative touchscreen directories for commercial office buildings. Both Common Desk and Roam have been recognized locally and nationally as companies that are transforming office environments. Nick currently lives and works in Oak Cliff, which is now home to Common Desk's second location. He also serves as the President of LEXC, an international coworking organization providing a worldwide network for coworking space members.

Gabriella Draney Zielke is Cofounder and CEO of Tech Wildcatters, a Top 10 seed accelerator for B2B startups, as ranked by Forbes, TechCruch, and Inc Magazine. In 2013, she co-founded and is also a Partner in Health Wildcatters, a healthcare based seed accelerator. Newest to the Tech Wildcatters family is EMERGE, which is a wearable tech focused accelerator launching June 2015, in partnership with Department of Homeland Security. Prior to TW she was with HP Growth Partners, an early stage venture fund in Dallas, where she served on the Board of CelAccess.  She co-founded an aircraft scheduling software company in 1998 that ended in a profitable exit. She went on to work for Morgan Stanley in private wealth management. True to her entrepreneurial roots, she left to follow her passion for nutrition by opening a specialty foods retail store, and simultaneously spent three years consulting with numerous Dallas-based startups on strategic planning, finance and fund raising.

Jason McCargo champions attention to detail and open communication as a principal in charge. He is heavily involved in projects without micromanaging them and applies his expertise – gained from many years in the field as a project manager and as an electrical engineer – to all assignments. When challenges arise, he addresses them head-on to make sure solutions are provided quickly.

John L. Zogg, Jr. serves as managing director for Crescent Real Estate Equities, LLC. Mr. Zogg manages the leasing efforts in the Dallas and Houston markets of over 2,300,000 square feet. Mr. Zogg serves on the board of various local civic organizations including Executive Committees of Uptown Public Improvement District, Woodall Rodgers Park Foundation, Downtown Dallas and The Rise School of Dallas. He is a member of The Dallas Assembly, Urban Land Institute, City Center Tax Incentive Finance District, as well as the Downtown Connection Tax Incentive Finance District. Mr. Zogg is vice chairman of the AT&T Cotton Bowl and a founding member of the Advisory Council to the Center for Real Estate Finance at the University of Texas at Austin, Business School. In 2002, Mayor Laura Miller appointed Mr. Zogg to the Dallas Inside the Loop Committee. Mr. Zogg was named #1 Office Leasing Agent in Dallas/Fort Worth by the Dallas Business Journal in 1995 and again in 1996. Mr. Zogg joined Crescent Real Estate Equities as vice president of leasing and marketing in May of 1994. In 2004, he was promoted to managing director in Crescent’s Dallas Region. Mr. Zogg served as managing director until Crescent was sold to Morgan Stanley in 2007. Prior to rejoining Crescent, Mr. Zogg worked at Silverstone Capital Group. From January 1989 to May 1994, Mr. Zogg served as vice president of the commercial real estate group for Rosewood Property Company, responsible for marketing and leasing office space in the Dallas and Denver areas. Prior to joining Rosewood, he worked as marketing manager of Gerald D. Hines Interests. A graduate of the University of Texas at Austin, Mr. Zogg holds a Master of Business Administration Degree from the University of Dallas.

Frank McCafferty, Executive Managing Director and Co-Branch Manager of Savills Studley’s Dallas office, possesses nearly 25 years of commercial real estate experience across several disciplines, including tenant representation, corporate services, development and construction management. Throughout his tenure, Frank has established himself as an expert in the Dallas market on developing portfolio strategies that optimize space holdings and cost while aligning overall strategy with a firm’s mission.

Mary Miano has 20 years of experience providing creative solutions to her clients' workplace needs. Mary's expertise lies in identifying opportunities and listening to the clients’ specific challenges. With a keen ear, she is able to understand workplace issues and challenges and apply solutions that are tailored to meet those specific needs.

Christopher is an internationally recognized, award-winning workplace designer, and serves as a Regional Practice Area Leader for Media and Financial Services Firms. While his projects vary greatly in type, size and aesthetic, each one demonstrates Christopher’s deep understanding of how a workplace can best represent an organization’s unique culture and have a positive impact on people. A voracious reader, Christopher stays abreast of business trends and context; and, as a result, his designs anticipate future challenges and seamlessly bridge today’s needs with evolving workplace expectations. An advocate for true sustainability in our homes, workplaces and neighborhoods, he is a founding member of the North Texas Collaborative of the Living Building Challenge – the most advanced measure of sustainability in the built environment today. Christopher earned his Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the University of North Texas.