PRINT INSPIRED 2023 - VALUE
Slate Group's creative business conference
July 11th 2023
MEET THE SPEAKERS
Eric Daniels (Southwest Airlines)
Eric Daniels, the other half of the infamous SWA Brothers, is a Creative Studio Design Consultant at Southwest Airlines. Eric has been designing at Southwest for over 13 years, starting out as a graphic design intern in 2008. He joined Southwest full-time following his graduation from Youngstown State University in December of 2009. Specializing in design, illustration and motion graphics, he has worked alongside brands such as Disney, Pixar, Universal Studios, Dreamworks, Sundance Film Festival and various MLB teams. Eric led the charge in designing and consulting on Southwest’s two newest permanent specialty liveries Freedom and Imua One along with brand partnership plane wraps, in addition to the creation of Southwest Airlines official illustration style guide. Although Eric never backs down from a professional challenge, he feels his best accomplishment in life is being a husband to his beautiful wife, Alexis, and father to their two children, Charlotte and Jack.
Trent Duran (Southwest Airlines)
Trent Duran, one half of the infamous SWA Brothers, has been at Southwest Airlines since 2007. After graduating from the School of Art at Texas Tech University with a bachelor’s degree in Communication Design, Trent’s career took flight as a Graphic Design Specialist on Southwest’s Creative Studio Team. Over the years, he has produced multiple pieces of Employee and Customer-facing content, including print/digital/social content, event collateral, environmental graphics, publications, motion graphics, and plane decals. Today, as the team’s Creative Advisor, Trent’s role has expanded to include project management, client and partner relations, strategic thinking, and on-set photography art direction. He is Lean Six Sigma yellow belt certified, and has been involved in numerous continuous improvement initiatives across the Company. Trent’s passion behind creating art with Heart, keeps his compass pointing Southwest.
Dr. Mayukh Dass
Mayukh Dass is James L. Johnson Chair of Business Administration at the Rawls College of Business, Texas Tech University. He is currently serving as the Associate Dean of Graduate Programs and Research and as the Founding Director of the Scovell Business Leadership Program at Rawls College of Business, Texas Tech University. In the past, he has served as the Area Coordinator for the Marketing and Supply Chain Management Area. His current research interests include strategic marketing alliances, digital firm strategies, and applications of artificial intelligence in businesses. He has published more than 40 articles in top academic journals, including the Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, Journal of Retailing, Decision Sciences, Decision Support Systems, Organizational Research Methods, Journal of Business Research, Journal of Service Research, Social Networks, and has chaired 11 dissertations. He has also received external research grants from USDA to conduct research on Antimicrobial stewardship programs. He holds a B. Engg. in Electronics and Power Engineering from Nagpur University, an M.S. in Artificial Intelligence, an M.S. in Statistics, and a PhD. in Business Administration from the University of Georgia. He is currently a member of the Texas Tech Teaching Academy, and has won various awards, including Tech Alumni New Faculty Award in 2011, President’s Excellence in Teaching Award in 2012, Chancellor’s Council Distinguished Research Award in 2013 and Rawls Integrated Scholar in 2017.
Calley Brake (Bahama Buck’s)
A Lubbock native, Calley attended Texas Tech University and graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Graphic Design. With over 8 years of experience in graphic design and brand strategy, Calley bridges these two worlds in the Bahama Buck’s marketing department as the Creative Production Manager. She’s passionate about creatively solving branding challenges through collaboration and believes it makes the Marketing world go round. Speaking of problem-solving, it also comes in handy while wrangling her two kids under 3, her husband Clayton, and her chocolate lab, Willow.
Rudy Rodriguez (Bahama Buck’s)
Rudy serves as the Director of Marketing at Bahama Buck’s Franchise Corporation by equipping, empowering, and encouraging the Marketing Team to thrive in all of the brand’s marketing strategies and initiatives. With a journey that started in 2008, Rudy joined the Marketing Department in 2015 from El Paso, Texas with only one goal in mind: Advance the Brand! Since 2019, the Marketing Team has been hyper-focused on propelling the Bahama Buck’s brand to new heights by executing on growth opportunities and nurturing the brand to become an industry leader.
Team Sewell (of Sewell Family of Companies)
The Sewell Family of Companies Marketing Team is a dynamic and innovative group of professionals dedicated to driving the success and growth of the Sewell trademark. With a track record of 110+ years, this team balances a history of rich tradition with the evolution of the new millennium. Through their passion, expertise, and commitment, the Marketing Department contributes significantly to the ongoing success of the Sewell Family of Companies and its position as a leader in the Permian Basin area. Sewell Marketing strives to uphold the pillars of service that bolster the Sewell name and translate these pillars to the 20+ brands under the Sewell Family of Companies umbrella. Sewell Marketing aspires to continue a legacy of servant leadership and create a place where people have loved to work and do business for over a century.
"This gathering of like minded creatives is first-class. I won't miss it!"
SCHEDULE
8:30 AM – Check In
9 AM – Welcome! (Trey Laverty – Slate Group)
9:15 AM – The Future of A.I. in Business & Marketing (Dr. Mayukh Dass)
10:15 AM – Southwest Airlines (Eric Daniels, Trent Duran)
11 AM – Weird Walk (Tour of Slate Group)
12 PM – Lunch (Provided)
1 PM – Bahama Buck’s (Calley Brake, Rudy Rodriguez)
2 PM – Icebreaker
3 PM – Team Sewell (of Sewell Family of Companies)
4 PM – Conclusion/Thank You!
Locations
Hilton Garden Inn
6027 45th Street
Lubbock, TX 79407
806-776-3900
Slate Group
6024 45th St.
Lubbock, TX 79407
806-794-7752
Get the discounted room rate for the Conference!
Contact caden@slategroup.com to check the availability of discounted rooms.

