My journey to launching Beacon3 began years ago while developing the Global Business Academy at Colorado State University, a summer program where high schoolers explored business in a global context, built soft skills, and experienced college life. We believed giving students opportunities for self-discovery (assessments, career exploration), business knowledge, and diverse mentor interactions would provide greater career and education clarity.
Witnessing graduates mirroring their parents' paths and research showing a 30% first-year dropout rate solidified my belief: many dropouts were preventable. In my personal experience, I encountered countless graduates lost and unsure, clinging to their parents' professions. This, combined with the success of the Global Business Academy’s mission, spurred the creation of Beacon3. I vividly recall my son choosing business as his major despite lacking enthusiasm for math and analytics, which ultimately led to him ignoring his innate creative talents. When he discovered his passion for music production, he blossomed into a highly engaged and motivated student. This is the heart of Beacon3's mission: to help students, ages 16-24, uncover their unique talents and passions, equipping them with the skills and confidence to pursue paths that allow them to thrive in a rapidly evolving labor market.
Founders & Mentors
Bryan Sorge
- 30-year international career as a Technology, Media and Telecom, Education and Hospitality investment banker, entrepreneur and investor.
- Master’s Degree-International Business -Arizona State University- Thunderbird School of Global Management
- Bachelor’s Degree -Political Science & Spanish- DePauw University
- Daniels Fund- Daniels Scholars -Scholarship Committee
- University Colorado of Denver - Advisory Council Member - CIBER
- Founder: Global Business Academy- College of Business-Colorado State University
- National Career Development Association: Member
- Career Services Provider- NCDA- Completed Coursework in Facilitating Career Development
- Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor
- Lived in Brazil and Spain. Trilingual: English, Spanish and Portuguese.
David Payne
David is the Chief Revenue Officer with CAC Specialty and leads CAC’s client and prospect growth strategies, focusing on CAC’s specialty product and industry platforms. David is a member of CAC’s leadership team, a founder of CAC’s Special Situations Group and is a board member. He has focused experience with executive liability products and distressed business; broad industry experience in financial institutions, tech and other industries; as well as a specialization in supporting private equity firms in mergers and acquisitions transactions.
Prior to joining CAC, David was responsible for managing a high-growth insurance brokerage business through his position as Chief Revenue Officer at JLT Specialty. Previously, David was part of Aon’s U.S. Executive Committee.
Before entering the insurance industry, David was a banker for Credit Lyonnais (now part of Credit Agricole) as part of its investment and corporate banking divisions, working with clients throughout the U.S. and Latin America.
David graduated with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Finance from the University of Missouri and received his Master of Business Administration in International Finance from the American Graduate School of International Management (“Thunderbird”).
Hermano Albuquerque
Hermano Albuquerque is graduated in Electronics Engineering from the University of Brasília, Brazil, and holds a Master’s Degree in Artificial Intelligence & Software from the University of Sussex, England.
He was co-founder and CEO of one of the first broadband wireless technology companies in Brazil, with headquarters in the US, and led the company’s IPO on Nasdaq. During many years, Hermano completed several investment operations with private-equity firms, including Warburg Pincus from New York, and coordinated transactions involving more than U$ 170 MM, expanding the company’s operations to several cities and reaching over 100,000 subscribers. During many years, Hermano acted as CEO and Chairman of the Board.
He was also a member of the CNI, a comission at the Brazilian Regulatory & Telecom Agency – ANATEL – for the development of the Telecommunications Infrastructure in the country. Hermano has also worked in different M&A and investment processes, working with legal counsels, advisors and fund managers from both Brazil and United States.
Hermano has lived in the United States and England and has experience in multicultural working environments, having travelled to several countries in the Americas, Europe and Asia. As a business executive, he has helped many companies in their expansion strategy, especially companies which aim to offer their products and services to the Latin American market. From 2021 to 2023, Hermano was Managing Partner for Amphenol/Halo (NYSE: APH), coordinating the company’s operations in Latin America.
Hermano has extensive experience in the areas of telecommunications, cloud and web- based applications & software, artificial intelligence, database & analytics, Internet of Things (IOT), cellular networks, automation, monitoring systems and smart consumer
Gary Howard
Gary Howard has over 30 years of experience in the cable television, satellite and telecommunications industries, most recently serving as the chief operating officer, executive vice president and director of Liberty Media Corporation, a $50 billion company headquartered in Denver. Howard held those positions from 1998 until his retirement in 2004. A 1973 graduate of the Colorado State University College of Business with a bachelor’s degree in accounting, Howard obtained his CPA certification in 1975 and gained extensive experience in mergers, acquisitions, treasury and financial matters over his career.
After working in the Audit Division of Arthur Andersen & Company’s Denver office as an audit manager, Howard started his career in the cable television and telecommunications industry in 1984, when he joined United Cable Television as treasurer. A company merger brought Howard to TCI Communications, Inc.
Through the 1980s and 1990s, he served in various capacities with the company and its affiliates, including senior vice president of mergers and acquisitions for TCI; CEO and president of TCI Satellite Entertainment, which became Liberty Satellite and Technology, Inc.; and president and CEO of TCI Ventures Group, the company’s technology business development unit.
Howard has served on a dozen corporate boards during his career, as well as on the boards of several nonprofit organizations. He currently serves on the CSU College of Business Global Leadership Council and is the co-founder of Miracles on Ice, a youth hockey camp that has hosted 300 inner city youth since 2007. His Howard Family Foundation has provided college financial support to more than 160 young men and women to date.
Howard and his wife, Leslie, live in Denver and are the parents of five children.
Beth Owens
With 30 years in brand management, Beth Owens is a results-oriented marketing and sales professional skilled in developing both regional and national campaigns. As a result of her strengths in customer relations, business development and strategic partnerships, she plans and executes effective marketing and sales strategies that rev up revenue and activate participation for BrandEra’s clients. Owens is skilled in strategizing and implementing community engagement campaigns and increasing awareness through both paid and earned media. BrandEra was recognized as the Woman-Owned Small Business of the Year from the Greater Arlington Chamber of Commerce in 2023.
Prior to co-founding BrandEra, Inc., Owens served as Director of Marketing and Vice President of Marketing & Sales of American IronHorse Motorcycle Company. In these positions, she helped establish the high-end motorcycle brand, manage the dealer sales and development process.
Owens is a founding chair of the Women’s Alliance of the Greater Arlington Chamber of Commerce, a former Downtown Arlington Management Corporation marketing committee member, as well as a member of the Women’s Business Council – Southwest.
Beth is a youth mentor and community volunteer. She earned the 2023 AISD Education Foundation Ann Morris Legacy Award for exceptional service and the Founder’s Award in 2023 from Arlington Urban Ministries. Owens served on the DePauw University Board of Trustees, Alumni Board, Advisory Board for the McDermond Center for Management and Entrepreneurship and the Board of Visitors.
Owens received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Spanish from DePauw University and a Master of International Management degree from the Thunderbird School of Global Management.
Cydney Hubbard
Hi! My name is Cydney Hubbard and I am a Life, ADHD and Social Skills Coach who specializes in working with parents, youth, adults and families. I have been coaching since 2013, but my journey began over 25 years ago when I met my ADHD spouse. Five years later our son was born and we immediately knew he was unique. But, we weren't sure what was going on with him. We were told he might be gifted, have ADHD or might have a sensory processing disorder. As it turns out, it was all three. Our daughter was later also diagnosed with ADHD and is also very bright. As we worked to bring out their best, I found myself filling the gap between their potential and their performance … which led me to coaching.
When I first heard of coaching for youth, I was a few weeks away from starting a Masters in Psychology. My intention was to work with youth and families. At that time, I was also looking for a resource to work with my son. I wanted to repair his esteem, which had diminished during the years before his ADHD diagnosis. In those early days, people, including myself, thought his actions were due to bad behavior, willfulness or hypersensitivity, when in fact they were due to his unique brain wiring. He didn’t try to do the things that got him in trouble. He did those things because his brain was wired differently. We had worked with an Occupational Therapist and a Psychologist, and I was looking for something to complement those interventions. At that time, I was referred to a coach who specialized in working with gifted youth. Upon learning how coaching could impact individuals and families, I shifted my career direction and signed up for my first coach training which specialized in working with gifted youth and adults. Ironically, almost all of my original clients were both gifted and ADHD (42% of gifted people also have ADHD). My next step was obvious – ADHD Coach Training.
Since that time, I have completed several additional coach trainings including Advanced Coaching, ADHD Coaching, Family Coaching, Executive Function Coaching, Parent Coaching and Social Skills Coaching. I have also experienced coaching, both as the parent of ADHD children and as an individual on a journey to reach specific goals and make lasting positive change in my life.
I have found my life’s purpose! I love the work I do! And I’d love to share it with you!
Bill Myers
The first seven years of my career was spent in public accounting working for KPMG Peat Marwick. I spent the next 15 years in the content distribution business distributing content over cable television, satellite, and IP platforms. I worked for companies such as United Artists Entertainment, Tele Communications, Inc, PrimeStar and On Command. The last 10 years I was focused on the programming business as Chief Financial Officer and then President of Starz Entertainment. Starz Entertainment is a premium television network that distributes 17 channels across all distribution platforms. My responsibilities included affiliate sales, marketing, public relations, worldwide television and home video distribution, network scheduling as well as programming relations with content providers. Since then I have advised early stage companies on strategic, financial management and leadership issues.
Jean Phillippe Bethencourt
Jean Phillippe Bethencourt is a highly experienced and creative web developer with over 20 years of experience in a wide variety of interesting projects. Graduated from Universidad Tecnológica Nacional (Argentina), he has a rational approach to problem-solving and is passionate about ideas and overcoming challenges. Leading Jean Phillippe Studio, he has worked with many types of businesses, universities, media, banking, government and non-government organizations designing and developing software and digital experiences that delivers solutions that seamlessly integrate innovation, functionality, and user-centric design.
His Studio has also developed its own active platforms that speak for themselves in various verticals such as E-Commerce, Finance, Big Data, Pet-tech, AR and Ad Marketing among others, to help people reach their goals. He has received various certifications from other institutions such as Google, Facebook, and ESET.
Phillippe loves to travel, see the world to absorb different cultures and apply all of that in his day to day basis.
Sara Harvey
Sara Harvey is an executive coach, leadership team trainer, and business owner with 30 years of hands-on experience in the business world. Her career started as a flight attendant at American Airlines and from there she assumed a variety of management and leadership roles at AA headquarters. Ultimately, after moving to California, she led Dr. Deepak Chopra’s wellness center as the Chief Operating Officer for 7 years.
Today, Sara runs her own company called innertelligence where she coaches and trains individuals and teams to apply their natural talents and emotional intelligence to become conscious, self-aware leaders.
The combination of her certifications as a Gallup Strengths Coach and Chopra Global Meditation and Mind-Body Health Instructor uniquely position her to bring out the best in all the leaders she trains and coaches. By incorporating strengths-based approaches and tools such as meditation, mindfulness, breath awareness, and healthy daily routines, she provides a holistic approach to leadership that supports her clients both personally and professionally.
Above and beyond her coaching and corporate leadership experience, Sara’s unique set of skills granted her an invitation to serve on the board of advisors for the Chopra Foundation for 4 years where she effectively contributed to its success through education and outreach.
Sara holds an MBA from the Thunderbird School of Global Management and a B.A. in Spanish/French from the University of Arizona. Proficient in Spanish, she has lived in Mexico, Spain, and Puerto Rico and currently resides in San Diego, California with her partner and two beautiful children.
Mike Talamantes
Mike is a former Managing Director in the Communications, Media and Entertainment Group for RBC Capital Markets, retiring in August 2023. In this role Mike provided M&A and capital markets advisory services to publicly-traded and privately-held cable, fiber, telecom, cable programming and satellite services companies. Prior to RBC, Mike worked for Daniels & Associates, a boutique investment bank in Denver in a similar role, providing M&A advisory services to cable companies throughout the United States.
Mike has an MBA from Regis University and a Bachelor of Science degree from Colorado State University.
Pete Chase
Previously co-founder and CEO of Purcell Systems, which sold in 2013 to EnerSys Corporation, Pete Chase applies leadership and process control for successful achievement of mutual goals. He was named 2006 Entrepreneur of the Year by Ernst & Young.
Mr. Chase launched Purcell Systems in 2000 as a supplier of integrated telecommunication enclosures, and oversaw its growth to a profitable global operation with annual revenue of $140 million and 170 employees. Purcell Systems was named #21 on the Inc. Magazine list of top 500 U.S. growth companies in 2005, and won the 2011 AGORA Award.
He enjoys travel, fly fishing and classic movies.
The Beacon3 mentors range from early career professionals to seasoned executives with a broad range of experience in numerous industries, (Real Estate, Entertainment, Telecommunications, Finance (Investment Banking, Private Equity and Venture Capital), Hospitality and more. They are in various roles ranging from founders, CEO’s, COO’s, to account managers and software programmers and developers, both domestically and internationally. Each mentor has their own story, and all of them have taken different roads to get to where they are, their career development pathway was never linear.