Investing in the Future

Daniel Berce of General Motors Financial Company, Inc., and Johnny Campbell with Sundance Square are two community leaders who understand the value of education. Both believe that investing in students now will yield talented employees and business leaders for the future.

As donors to the TCC Foundation, they are making it possible for TCC students to have opportunities to achieve success.

Daniel E. Berce—A Pipeline of Potential Employees

Daniel Berce is chief executive officer of General Motors Financial Company, Inc. (GM Financial), a subsidiary of General Motors Company. GM Financial serves auto dealers and consumers in 20 countries and is headquartered in Fort Worth.

"Our company is growing rapidly," Berce said. "We have 3,000 employees located in the Metroplex and we are adding 1,000 every year to our employee base here in the U.S. We need highly skilled, well-educated employees, and Tarrant County College provides them to us."

Berce, a resident of Fort Worth for 29 years, has seen TCC grow in student population, reputation and the value it brings to the Metroplex, which is a big reason why GM Financial contributes to TCC’s scholarship funds. His confidence in TCC is further manifest in the work he does to introduce others to the College, including arranging forums so area executives can get updates on the College’s vision and growth.

A graduate of Regis University with a B.S. in Accounting, Berce is a certified public accountant and a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants. He is on the board of Lena Pope Home Foundation and Regis University. He previously served as president or chairman of the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce, Cook Children’s Health Care System, Catholic Charities and Cancer Care Services.

"For students, the value of an education at TCC is unquestioned," Berce said. "For businesses in our region, the value of TCC is also unquestioned. The school gives us a solid pipeline of potential employees who are ready to succeed in a work environment."

Johnny Campbell—Alliance Between Business and Education

Johnny Campbell is president and CEO of Sundance Square, a 35-block area of downtown Fort Worth considered one of the most innovative urban developments in the nation. Sundance Square is a significant donor to Tarrant County College, and Campbell recently served on the school’s 50th Anniversary Jubilee Committee.

"Sundance Square has a 30-year master plan," Campbell said. "It is a visionary urban development. The Sundance Square Plaza is a gathering place where people can come together, learn and play. I fell in love with the Sundance Square vision and the charm and heart of Fort Worth," he said. Campbell has headed Sundance Square for 15 years.

Campbell sees parallels between Sundance Square and Tarrant County College. "Tarrant County College is a vital part of the fabric of Fort Worth," he said. "It’s a catalyst for collaboration between education and business. Innovation and vision are evident throughout the institution."

Campbell calls himself a product of the community college system. "I was attending San Jacinto Community College in Houston," he said. "I was going to school full-time and working full-time. I had a demanding schedule, but the community college gave me a good education on my own terms and prepared me for life and a career." Campbell received his bachelor’s degree from the University of Houston.

An immediate past chairman of the boards of Downtown Fort Worth, Inc. and the Fort Worth Convention and Visitors Bureau, Campbell serves on the boards of the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce, Fort Worth Metropolitan Black Chamber of Commerce, Fort Worth Library Foundation and the North Texas Commission.

While a recognized business leader in Fort Worth, Campbell says his heart is in the education community. Campbell has just served 10 years as an elected member of the board of the Aledo Independent School District, one of the fastest-growing school districts in the state.

"I’m a huge advocate for education," Campbell said. "I’m committed to an alliance between business and education. On the school board, I always wanted to represent the business perspective to school board members and administrators."

"TCC offers a lifeline to the students of Fort Worth," he said. "All they need to do is grab hold."