From left to right: Rick Donnelli, Laura Einspanier, Jerry Braun, Bill Sladek, and John Dziminski
Please join Catholic Charities Dallas in welcoming five new members to our board of directors! Rick Donnelli, Laura Einspanier, Jerry Braun, Bill Sladek, and John Dziminski began their terms on July 1, and will serve on the board of directors for a three-year term.
Rick started his career as a CPA in public accounting in Omaha, NE and moved to Dallas in 1982 to work for a large bank. Many entrepreneurial ventures followed including the startup of a couple of software companies. Rick currently serves as a realtor with Donnelli Realty, LLC. Rick received a B.S. in Business Administration (Accounting) from Creighton University. He is a member of St. Paul the Apostle in Richardson and is active in the ACTS Community, School Board, Knights of Columbus, coaching, and the Parish Pastoral Council. From 2021 to 2023, Rick served as the President of the Archangels Men’s Auxiliary Group, a service support organization to Catholic Charities Dallas. Rick is married to Rebecca, his wife of 39 years, and is the father of four children and the grandfather of three.
After graduating from the University of Texas School of Law, Laura Einspanier started her professional career as a trial attorney with Jenkins & Gilchrist in Dallas. In 1991 she joined American Airlines in its Legal Department where she was Associate General Counsel of Litigation before moving into various business roles within the company. She was American’s Vice President of Real Estate for many years before being named Vice President of Employee Relations. Laura retired from American in 2014. Since 2014 she has been on the Board of Brock Solutions, Inc., a global industrial automation, engineering solutions, and professional services company. Laura was a member of the Cristo Rey Dallas High School Feasibility Study team, as well as a founding Board Member for the school. She continues to serve on its Finance Committee. Laura also served on the board of TACA (The Arts Community Alliance) for many years, is currently a member of Catholic Charities of Dallas’ Missions & Programs committee, and recently joined the Board of Ladies of Charity of Dallas as its treasurer. Laura is a member of Angels of Charity. Laura and her husband, Jim, are coordinators for St. Monica’s Austin Street Center ministry and are frequent volunteers at St. Jude Forest. They both grew up in Dallas attending Catholic schools, with Laura graduating from Ursuline Academy and Jim graduating from Jesuit College Prep. When not working or volunteering, Laura and Jim enjoy traveling, biking, golf and tennis. They have two grown children and currently are parishioners at St. Anthony Catholic Church.
Braun is a leader in the commercial HVAC industry, currently serving as the chairman and chief executive officer of Meriton, LLC, based in Dallas. At the helm of Meriton since 2019, Braun manages a portfolio that includes 10 premier commercial HVAC companies across North America, such as Air Equipment Co., CFM Company, and Texas AirSystems. Braun’s career also includes his ongoing role as chairman and CEO of Texas AirSystems, a position he has held since 2000. Braun served on the board of trustees for Ursuline Academy of Dallas from 2017-2023 and as a member of the finance committee for St. Rita Catholic Community from 2017-2022. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in engineering management and a master’s degree in business administration from Southern Methodist University. Braun and his wife, Laura, have been married for 33 years and have three daughters.
Bill has been a commercial real estate attorney in Dallas for 39 years and is a partner with Condon Tobin Sladek Thornton Nerenberg PLLC. Bill is an alum of the University of Notre Dame (Class of 1982) and received his law degree in 1985 from the University of Texas School of Law. Bill is a proud member of the Jesuit Dallas Class of 1978 and currently serves as Chair of the Development Committee of the Board of Trustees of the Jesuit College Preparatory School of Dallas Foundation. Bill is also the current president of the Board of Directors of the Notre Dame School of Dallas and a member of the Board of Management of the Semones YMCA. Bill and Mary (his wife of 40 years) have chaired several charity events, including the Bishop’s Golf Tournament, the Catholic Charities Bishop’s Gala, the Catholic Pro-Life Community’s Bishop’s Gala, and the Holy Trinity Seminary’s Spes Gregis Gala. Bill and Mary, both Dallas natives, began dating while Mary was a junior at Ursuline and Bill was a senior at Jesuit and they have 5 children – 4 boys (Billy, Brendan and Brian, all Jesuit alums, and Baby Brett, their Angel Baby) and 1 daughter (Maddie, an Ursuline alum). They are parishioners at St. Monica Catholic Church.
John Dziminski is President and CEO of The Rosewood Corporation, the holding company owned by the Caroline Hunt Trust Estate, which owns and operates Rosewood Resources, Inc., Rosewood Property Company and Rosewood Private Investments. He joined Rosewood in 1998. John also serves as President of Rosewood Trust Company, LTA, and the family office Rosewood Management Corporation or “RMC.” RMC’s principal responsibilities include management of passive investments and liquidity of the Caroline Hunt Trust Estate as well as management of personal assets and other trusts owned by family members. John is also President of Rosewood Ranches and Wetlands Management LP. He currently sits on the board of RF Installations and Eagle Fire, LLC, both majority-owned private equity investments of The Rosewood Corporation. He serves and or has served on the Boards of several other not for profit organizations and believes it is important that professional skills and talents are actively shared with charitable causes. John graduated from the University of Notre Dame, earned his CPA Certificate in Texas and began his career with KPMG (formerly Peat Marwick & Mitchell). He grew up in upstate New York and has lived in Texas for 44 years. John resides in Dallas with his wife, Katie. They have four children, Emma, Alex, Alec and Anna.
The way in which these incredible individuals are using their talents to drive transformative change within our community is truly admirable. We are honored and excited to benefit from their leadership!
