About Us

RGVAN Paving the Path to Success

RGVAN

RGVAN was founded in the summer of 2015 by local investors, educators and community leaders, who believed that early-stage investing could provide a meaningful return for investors while also spurring local economic growth. Under the direction of Dr. Mark Kroll, the then Dean of the College of Business at UT Brownsville and Laurie Simmons, former Director of the Texas Emerging Technology Fund’s Tropical Texas Regional Center for Innovation and Commercialization, the idea was presented to community leaders. With ten founding members and some seed money from the Texas Emerging Technology Fund, RGVAN was formed.

Mission

The Rio Grande Valley Angel Network (RGVAN) will spark economic growth in the region by connecting investment ready startups with seed funding through our accredited angel investor network.

Vision

Through our efforts, we seek to be a key source for funding and educational resources for entrepreneurs and a platform of meaningful investment opportunities for our members.

Who We Are

RGVAN is an organization that provides a platform for entrepreneurs to access capital and for Angel Investors to invest in scalable enterprises. RGVAN strives to impact the economic prosperity of the Rio Grande Valley and develop an entrepreneurial culture in the region.

Management

RGVAN is an independent member-based organization. RGVAN has a part-time Executive Director, and a fully engaged volunteer Board of Directors and leadership committees whose time, effort, and involvement allow RGVAN to fulfill its mission for investors and entrepreneurs.

Board of Directors

Investing in Entrepreneurship

Oscar Chapa

Chairman

Is global engineering executive with 28 years of experience in the semiconductor equipment manufacturing field.

Carlos M. Marin, Ph.D., P.E. President and CEO

Treasurer

Dr. Marin has over twenty-five years of consulting experience in helping both private and public sector clients identify cost-effective strategies for infrastructure management and development.

David Armstrong

Boardmember

A highly skilled entrepreneur who has been involved in multiple successful company startups and operations for almost 3 decades.

Dr. Mark Joseph Kroll

Boardmember

Mark Kroll is professor of entrepreneurship at UT Rio Grande Valley’s Robert C. Vackar College of Business and Entrepreneurship. He previously served as Dean of the Vackar College of Business

Gregory S. Rowin, DO

Boardmember

Greg Rowin, D.O., of Harlingen, is an active otolaryngologist at Valley Ears, Nose and Throat incorporated. He has been there for the last 25 years and he is the past managing partner of this nine-physician, single specialty practice.

Danny Juarez

Board Member

Founder and Managing Member of Siete Semilla Capital, Danny Juarez, has over 12 years of energy industry experience working for a global Fortune 500 company, Chevron Corporation, bringing large enterprise perspective, project management, engineering, and maintenance experience.

John F. Martin

Boardmember

John Martin is a familiar face in south Texas to anyone talking finance, conservation or education. John holds an MBA, has taught university finance and marketing and spent over 25 years as a financial consultant.

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Laurie Simmons

Executive Director

Laurie Simmons serves as the Director for the Center for Innovation and Commercialization (CIC) at the College of Business and Entrepreneurship at UTRGV.