Entrepreneurial Journey
<p>John D. Harkey, BBA ’83, grew up in Central Texas in a family that shared and fostered his entrepreneurial spirit. Harkey recalls his father telling him, “You have the freedom to explore and be creative if you control your destiny by being captain of your ship.” Harkey followed his father’s advice, becoming a private investor, philanthropist, and chief executive in the public and private sectors.</p>
<p>In 2021, Harkey took action to give other young captains the same opportunity. The <a href="https://www.mccombs.utexas.edu/centers-and-initiatives/harkey-institute-for-entrepreneurial-studies/" rel="noopener ugc nofollow" target="_blank">Harkey Institute for Entrepreneurial Studies</a> was established in 2021 by a naming gift from Harkey and his wife, Peni Barfield. The donation was stipulated as a one-to-one match, the Harkey Match, for other donors and, to date, has raised $3.5 million of the $10 million match. Blair and Bubba Moffett, BBA ’91, and family; Carol and Ronnie Goldman, BBA ’64; and Ben Friedman participated in the match.</p>
<p><a href="https://medium.com/texas-mccombs-news/entrepreneurial-journey-11dac75d840"><strong>Learn More</strong></a></p>