Dick Moeller holds a B.S. in Industrial Engineering with honors from The University of Texas at Arlington. A dedicated supporter of the University, he received UT Arlington’s Distinguished Alumni Award in 1999. He also holds an MBA from Harvard University.
Dick Moeller began his career at Texas Instruments where, over period of 12 years, he held a variety of managerial positions, primarily in product planning and manufacturing. In 1982, he left TI to become founder and president of ProfitMaster Computer Systems, Inc., a software firm specializing in real-time financial management systems for point-of-sale applications.
“ProfitMaster was my first entrepreneurial undertaking,” Mr. Moeller recalled, “so it offered many learning opportunities, the greatest of which is the importance of alignment…..alignment between customers, management and the board. We sold the business to one of our competitors, but would have gotten farther with better alignment.”
In 1989, Mr. Moeller joined VTEL, manufacturer of teleconferencing systems, as its CEO, president and director; he became Chairman of the Board in March 1992. One month later, he led VTEL through its initial public offering. “I feel incredibly blessed to have been able to experience firsthand an IPO so early in my career,” he said, “but it takes a lot of factors beyond your control for it to come together. Having a strong leadership team in place makes it possible if you are at the right time, right place.”
In 1992 and 1998, Mr. Moeller was selected by Ernst and Young as an “Entrepreneur of the Year” finalist for his contributions to VTEL. He left VTEL in 1998 to become a co-founder and partner of Verity Ventures. Verity is a Texas-focused venture capital firm specializing in early stage technology companies. During that time, he was also a partner in SSM Ventures.
“Being involved in the venture business has been a great learning experience. Business plans and ideas are necessary ingredients, but the finding the right people that have passion and leadership ability make the difference.”
He joined St. David’s Community Health Foundation in 2004, serving as its president of the foundation. Based in Austin, St. David’s devotes more than $50 million per year in care for the uninsured, elderly, ill and homeless through its five hospitals, its grants to community agencies and its mobile dental clinics, all in central Texas. Mr. Moeller also served as a member of the Board of Governors for St. David’s HealthCare.
In early 2008, he applied his entrepreneurial skills to the founding of a faith-based non-profit, Water to Thrive (www.WaterToThrive.org). Water to Thrive focuses on providing fresh, clean water to people in rural Africa who struggle everyday to find a drink of water. In 18 months, Water to Thrive completed more than 50 projects and now has another 50 underway, supplying clean water to more than 50,000 rural Africans.
The entrepreneurial world beckoned him again in 2009. He started Enovate Enterprises, which assists entrepreneurs, companies and organizations to achieve their full potential through strategic planning, mentoring and coaching, market analysis, and governance and board services.
Mr. Moeller is active in his community and church, serving on a number of leadership boards, including Thrivent Financial for Lutherans, United Way Capital Area, Water to Thrive and the Lutheran Foundation of the Southwest.
“I have had way more opportunities than I deserve, so I have a deep sense of gratitude for those chances to make a difference. Being a good community citizen by giving back some of what I have learned from others keeps the virtuous cycle going!”
