Distinguished Speaker Series - 2015-02-06

Calvin Carter
Founder and President of Bottle Rocket
Friday, February 6th - 10:00am to 11:30am
BLB 80

Calvin Carter is the Founder and President of Bottle Rocket, a Dallas-based full-service mobile agency focused on creating custom apps that deliver unparalleled brand experiences and games to the world's most discriminating brands. Leading the creation of mission-critical, premium brand experiences for the Apple iPhone and iPad, and Android devices, Carter has built Bottle Rocket on the belief that exceptionally innovative technology not only enhances the way we do things - it redefines the way we live our lives.

The company's apps have won numerous industry accolades including an unprecedented number of Apple Hall of Fame awards, and frequently appear at the top of their categories on the App Store. Other prestigious awards won by Bottle Rocket include two Advertising Age Media Vanguard Award for Best Broadcaster iPhone/iPad/Android Apps, a CTAM award, was named Entertainment App Developer of the Year by Variety. In addition, Bottle Rocket has been listed twice on Inc. 500, named one of the "Top 100 Places to Work" by The Dallas Morning News and positioned at #61 on the Forbes list of "Most Promising Companies".

Carter, who was named Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year® 2013 for the Southwest Area North Region, has grown Bottle Rocket to over 190 Rocketeers and completed more than 150 iOS and Android apps since the company's founding in 2008. In 2014, the company joined forces with WPP, the world's largest and most respected network of advertising and marketing service companies including Ogilvy & Mather, Grey, JWT, G2, AKQA, Wunderman and Young & Rubicam Group. WPP's global span includes 150 different companies around the world with more than 165,000 employees over 3,000 offices in 110 countries.

Prior to launching Bottle Rocket, Carter ran a private equity and business development company that completed many successful projects and made equity investments into 16 companies, many of which were technology focused. He has founded or co-founded several other businesses, including i.con interactive, an Internet software development and professional services company that eventually merged with seven other Internet firms to form Luminant Worldwide, a publicly-traded company with $160 million in revenue and over 1,000 professionals.

Carter has served on numerous corporate advisory boards, and was president of the Dallas chapter of Entrepreneurs Organization (formerly known as YEO), an international membership organization of more than 5,500 business owners worldwide. He later served on the President's Council of EO and as its North American Regional Director. Carter holds a BA in Accounting and BA in Organizational Behavior and Business Policy degrees from Southern Methodist University and is a graduate of both the Stagen Integral Leadership Program and Transformational Leadership Program.