Leading with Purpose: 11th Annual Cougar 100 Awards Celebrates Cougar-Owned Businesses
On Tuesday, Feb. 25, the University of Houston Alumni Association celebrated the entrepreneurial spirit of UH Cougars at the 11th annual Cougar 100 Luncheon. The event brought together alumni to honor UH graduates who have transformed their passions into thriving businesses.
During the luncheon, attendees enjoyed a lively panel discussion featuring successful alumni business leaders. Moderated by Jacquie Baly (’90), president of Baly Projects, the discussion was guided by the event’s theme, “Leading with Purpose.”
The panel featured:
Mohammad Anwar (’03) – CEO of Softway and author of “Love as a Business Strategy”
Steve Goodman (’85) – Founder and president of Goodman Financial
Cindy Lewis (’93) – Owner of Lewis Jewelers
Steve Stephens (’80) – CEO of Amegy Bank
Panelists shared valuable insights on what it means to lead with purpose and passion in today's business world.
Anwar emphasized the importance of prioritizing people, asserting that creating a healthy, human-centric company culture is integral to business success.
Goodman highlighted the need for strong leadership alignment, stating, “Purpose really comes from the whole leadership team and their core values. Leaders have a responsibility to build and develop everyone on the team.”
Stephens described Houston as a growing economic powerhouse, emphasizing the critical role UH alumni play in shaping the future of the city’s businesses.
Lewis underscored the resilience of UH graduates, adding, “There will always be obstacles ... you just have to keep on fighting. That’s the spirit of a Cougar — you fight. Go Coogs!”
Following the panel, Mike Pedé (’89), associate vice president for Alumni Relations, took the stage to announce the top 100 businesses recognized in this year’s Cougar 100. Winners received an award inscribed with the Cougar 100 crest and their business name. You can find the full list of winners here.
The top honor went to The Forge Games & Hobbies, founded by Sam Stilley (’16). Stilley expressed gratitude for the award and shared that the moment held deep personal significance.
“This one is very sentimental,” he said. The ceremony took place nearly a year after the unexpected passing of The Forge’s general manager, a close friend and colleague. Stilley used the moment to honor his memory.
“He’d be super proud of what we achieved as a company and organization. Winning this is super empowering to not just the staff who is still working with me, but to his family. I get to tell them that the foundation he and I built together was able to secure the highest ranking today.”
As the luncheon concluded, the attendees left inspired by the stories of resilience, leadership and passion shared by their fellow Cougars. The Cougar 100 event once again underscored the unwavering spirit of UH alumni, proving that whether in business or in life, Cougars lead with purpose and are driven to make a lasting impact in their communities and beyond.
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