ARLINGTON, Texas – North Texas businessman Bry Patton has been elected to a two-year term as Chairman of the Cotton Bowl Athletic Association (CBAA), the sponsoring agency of the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic.
 
Patton is the Chairman, Chief Financial Officer and Founding Partner of Vaquero Midstream LLC in Dallas. His involvement with the Cotton Bowl dates to 2009 when he was appointed as a member of the Board of Directors. In 2017, Patton was selected to serve as one of four Vice-Chairmen on the CBAA's Executive Committee.
 
He becomes the bowl game's 41^st Chairman and succeeds Carl R. Ice. Ice will remain on the Executive Committee as the Immediate Past Chairman. In his new role, Patton will coordinate all facets of the business affairs for the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic and will manage the game's activities as a member of the College Football Playoff. The 85^th Classic will be played under his leadership in primetime on December 30, 2020.
 
"It is an honor and a privilege to serve as Chairman of the Cotton Bowl Athletic Association," said Patton. "Having grown up in the State of Texas, I've followed this bowl game since my youth. Competing in the Classic is the mark of excellence and the goal of every player and coach is to bring home the Field Scovell Championship Trophy.
 
"With this leadership role comes a great deal of responsibility," said Patton. "As a member of the College Football Playoff, sustaining the growth of the Classic within the community and nationally is vital to our success. Ultimately, creating memories and providing an unforgettable experience for our student-athletes is what we strive to accomplish. I look forward to the opportunities ahead as we explore new ways to grow and showcase the history and great traditions of the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic."
 
In his professional career, Patton has more than 42 years of experience in the oil and gas industry, including 20 years as a principal in two oil and gas exploration and production companies. He served for eight years as an institutional portfolio manager investing approximately $350 million. Patton also spent 10 years providing value-added management extension and capital formation strategy to upstream and midstream energy companies.
 
Prior to his work with Vaquero, through Brycap Investments, Patton worked closely with TEAK Midstream, Crosstex Energy, Oakspring Energy LLC, Vendera Resources, Abraxas Petroleum, Camden Resources, Cinco Resources, and Primexx Energy Partners. 
 
Patton has served as Regional Director of the Independent Petroleum Association of America (IPAA), Past President of the Dallas Petroleum Club, and Past Chairman of the Dallas Wildcat Committee.
 
He majored in accounting at Texas Christian University and the University of Texas at Dallas. Bry and his wife of 38 years, Darlene, live in Dallas.
 
Joining Patton and Ice on the bowl's Executive Committee are Dee J. Kelly Jr., Baker Montgomery, Monica Egert Smith, and W. Kelvin Walker. Each will serve two-year terms. Past Chairman Jay McAuley remains as a member of the leadership group along with Dan Novakov who serves as CBAA Legal Counsel. Fin Ewing III leads the Playoff Committee.
 
Kelly is a partner in the law firm Kelly Hart & Hallman of Fort Worth where he is a member of the Litigation and Administrative Law practice groups. Kelly served as the firm's managing partner from 2005-2016. He earned a B.A. degree with honors from the University of Texas in 1982 and then graduated from the University's School of Law in 1985. Kelly was recognized in 2014 as the Distinguished Citizen of Fort Worth by the Boys Scouts of America. A former chairman of the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce, he now serves as a director of a number of civic and charitable boards in North Texas including the Southwestern Exposition and Livestock Show in Fort Worth, the Fort Worth Symphony, and the Van Cliburn Foundation.
 
Montgomery is the founder of Catlyn Capital Corp., a merchant banking and real estate investment firm in Dallas. As President, he oversees the company's business and planning strategies. Established in 1991, Catlyn Capital targets selected real estate and related products that require specialized analysis, negotiation and structure. Montgomery did undergraduate work at the University of Texas at Austin and earned a B.A. degree in finance and real estate from Southern Methodist University. He has served as a Board of Regents representative to the Intercollegiate Athletics Council for Men at Texas, and currently serves on the Longhorn Foundation Advisory Council Board. Montgomery is a member of The Salesmanship Club of Dallas.
 
Smith serves as the Chief Relationship Officer for Communities Foundation of Texas (CFT) and leads a team that cultivates new donor relationships, stewards existing donor relationships, and communicates the CFT story. Smith has served the CFT as Senior Director of Strategic Philanthropy advising donors and fund holders on a variety of community needs. She also has led grantmaking with the W.W. Caruth, Jr. Foundation to make transformational investments in education, public safety and medical research. The Canton, Ohio native earned a bachelor's degree in journalism from The Ohio State University. She is active in the Leadership Dallas Alumni Association, Women's Auxiliary at Children's Medical Center, and the Junior League of Dallas.
 
Walker is the Chief Executive Officer of the Dallas Citizens Council, an organization comprised of CEOs and top business leaders who provide guidance on policy issues to move Dallas forward. Walker spent 20 years in the private equity industry and served as a Managing Director and Dallas Market Executive for RLJ Equity Partners. He earned a bachelor's with honors from Morehouse College and an MBA from the Kellogg Graduate School of Management at Northwestern University. Walker has been active in the Dallas community for more than 18 years. He has served as Chairman of the YMCA of Metropolitan Dallas and on the boards of Methodist Health System, The United Way, and the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas Business Community Advisory Council.