Jim Cannon has worked in the finance and M&A advisory field for over 20 years.  Jim’s formal education was at the University of Texas at Austin. Currently, Jim is CEO and founder of Commerce Consulting Group, LLC. He is also affiliated and licensed through Commerce Securities Corporation, a registered broker dealer headquartered in Houston, Texas. Jim is active in civic affairs; he is currently on the Board of Directors of CapCityKids, which supports the education of children experiencing homelessness and on the board of his church, Journey Imperfect Faith Community, where he oversees mission activities. He is also active in other local charities including Mobile Loaves and Fishes, Austin Baptist Chapel (Angel House) and Faith Food Pantry. Jim is married and has two children, a daughter, Quinn, 6 and a son, Nathan, 4. Mr. Cannon is an avid mountain bike rider and supporter of University of Texas athletics.

Joslyn Dobson, a native Texan, attended the University of Houston. After graduation, she worked at Criterion Investment Management Co., a Houston investment advisory firm, and then founded Palladium Capital Management.  She sold the firm in 2003, when the Dobsons moved to Austin, TX. Joslyn still consults to several family offices.  Joslyn and Sean have two children, Sean-Karl (age 5) and Johanna Grace (age 4).

Sean and Joslyn co-founded Capital City Fund for Education in Austin, Texas after Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans sending many homeless children to Texas.

Sean Dobson, Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board, has been the head trader at Amherst Securities since 2000. Amherst Securities is a registered broker-dealer with the Securities and Exchange Commission and is headquartered in Austin, Texas.  He currently serves on the Executive Committee for the MBS and Securitized Products Division of the Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association (SIFMA). Mr. Dobson has over 20 years of experience in the mortgage industry, including previous positions with Spires Financial and the MMAR Group, Inc.  Joslyn and Sean have two children, Sean-Karl (age 5) and Johanna Grace (age 4).

Sean and Joslyn co-founded Capital City Fund for Education in Austin, Texas after Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans sending many homeless children to Texas.

Mike Lawrence is an attorney who has practiced law in Austin for almost 30 years.  For almost 20 years, he was a litigator in complex civil litigation, partner in a major Austin law firm.  He is now practicing in a smaller firm, Lawrence & Stenson Law, and now splits his time between litigation matters, transaction work primarily in real estate and entertainment law, and pursuit of community activities including legal support and hands-on charitable work with his church and other nonprofit charity groups, including A Spacious Place, CapCityKids, Mobil Loaves & Fishes, Austin Baptist Chapel and American YouthWorks.  Mike is a firm believer in life after litigation.  As a graduate of The University of Texas at Austin ("Hook 'em, Horns"), Mike graduated with a Plan II BA with highest honors in 1974 and a JD with honors in 1977. He had the distinct privilege of doing his Plan II senior thesis with the mentoring of Dr. Charles Hartshorne exploring the philosophy of Alfred North Whitehead and the intricacies of process theology.  Law school was quite a jolt.

Mike and his wife, Kathie, have 3 children and 2 grandchildren. Mike is an avid music lover and guitarist. He particularly treasures sharing music with children at the summer camps sponsored by A Spacious Place.  He is also a writer; some of his poems and essays can be accessed at mikeyllikesit.com.

Amy Kinkade, principal at Mathews Elementary School, has 30 years experience in education. She earned her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from the University of Texas at Austin. Mrs. Kinkade taught students who had special needs in both El Paso and Austin. She started her administrative career first as a Special Education Instructional Coordinator for the Austin I.S.D. and then as a campus administrator. Campus administrator jobs have been:  Casis Elementary School principal, 12 years; Mills Elementary School, 3 years; Austin Jewish Academy (Head of School—4 years); Mathews Elementary School, 5 years. Mrs. Kinkade has had the opportunity to work with students, teachers, and parents in each of these communities. Her passion for meeting the unique learning style of each student and supporting the teaching style of each teacher make her an administrator who is able to build relationships with students, teachers, and the community.

Steve Gorman has been the head of Information Technology at Amherst Securities Group, LP since 2000 and also serves on the board of Amherst Holdings, LLC.  Steve, originally from Houston, was a founding partner of Spires Financial, LP and previously worked with Bear, Stearns & Co. in New York City.  He has over 25 years of experience in information technology in the securities industry.  Steve enjoys biking around Austin and especially on the Lady Bird Lake Hike and Bike trail.  He also likes attending plays in Austin at the Bass Concert Hall and the Long Center for the Performing Arts.