Sam Houston 79
What is the Sam Houston 79?
The Sam Houston 79 identifies, recognizes, and celebrates the fastest growing Bearkat-owned or Bearkat-led businesses in the world. It also offers honorees a platform to share their stories and lessons with future Bearkat entrepreneurs.
The nominated businesses that send in their information will be ranked, and the top businesses based on percentage of compound annual growth in sales or revenues (net of returns), over a three-year period will be recognized and celebrated during the annual Sam Houston 79 event.
If you know of a Bearkat Business you would like to nominate, nominations for the Sam Houston 79 event are open now!
Complete your application today!
- Complete the Sam Houston 79 Application.
- Download and complete the Sam Houston 79 Revenue Verification Form.
- Email the completed and signed Sam Houston 79 Revenue Verification Form to SamHouston79@whitleypenn.com
The Application Process
All companies must be nominated or self apply. The nomination period runs year round.
Once the application period opens, all nominated companies will receive details on how to submit their company application. The Sam Houston 79 application is due on July 31 each year. The application form is fairly simple and only requires you to answer a few questions and attach documentation to verify revenues.
All companies that complete the application process will be notified by email in early August so that they may make plans to attend the awards dinner in the fall of 2025. The full list will not be released until the Awards Luncheon. All companies are asked to keep the information confidential until the celebration.
Companies named to the Sam Houston 79 list will be required to submit company and Bearkat Honoree information to be included in all materials.
Those companies named to the Sam Houston 79 list will have the opportunity to invite guests to the Awards Dinner each year. Deadlines for those ticket/table purchases are at the end of September each year.
Sam Houston 79 Awards Dinner and Celebration Events will be hosted each fall in honor of the success of all Sam Houston 79 companies. The list will be made public at this time.
Eligibility
Sam Houston 79 reserves the right to independently verify that nominees meet all criteria, reject any nominee for any reason, modify criteria/requirements as needed without notification.
- The Company must meet both of the following criteria:
- Have been in business for 3 years or more as of December 31,2024
- Have had verifiable revenues of $100,000 or more in calendar year 2024.
The Company must meet one or more of the three criteria below to be eligible. A Sam Houston State University former student (or group of former students):
- Must have founded the company and been active as a member of the most senior management team from January 1,2022 through December 31, 2024
- Must have owned 50% or more of the company from January 1, 2022, through December 31, 2024
- Must have served as the Company’s chief executive (for example chairman, CEO, president or managing partner) from January 1, 2022 through December 31, 2024
The Company must operate in a manner consistent with the Bearkat Code of Conduct and in keeping with the values and image of SHSU.
Nominations
Nominations are now open for the 2025 Sam Houston 79. Self-nominations are accepted and encouraged. Anyone can nominate a company.
If you know of an Bearkat-owned or Bearkat-led business that you think meets the criteria, don’t hesitate to submit a nomination for them! Nominees will receive an application packet and can choose whether or not they will apply. There is no harm in nominating them for the process.
SAM HOUSTON 79 AWARDS PROGRAM
Celebrating Entrepreneurship: A Partnership Between the SHSU Alumni Association and the College of Business Administration
COBA Career Panel
A moderated discussion featuring past SHSU 79 honorees and College of Business Administration who share insights on growth, leadership, and resilience.
Student Entrepreneur Showcase
An interactive networking event where selected student entrepreneurs present their ventures to alumni, sponsors, and business leaders.
Networking Happy Hour
A casual mixer to foster relationships between honorees, alumni, students, and faculty.
Sam Houston 79 Business Awards Dinner
The main event unveiling the top SHSU Bearkat-owned or Bearkat-led businesses of 2025. (Ticketed event)
Support the Sam Houston 79 program while showcasing your business to a broad network of alumni, students, and university partners.
Select sponsorships will help fund scholarships and awards for COBA students, so join us in supporting the next generation of Bearkat business leaders!
For sponsorship inquiries and additional information: please email Bailey Bernal, Bbernal@shsu.edu
General Program Questions
In addition to recognition to various press releases and Social Media campaigns, each honoree will receive a trophy at the Annual event in their honor.
The Sam Houston 79 list will not be available until after the Sam Houston 79 Awards Ceremony.
If you know of a Bearkat-owned or Bearkat-led business that you think meets the criteria, don't hesitate to submit a nomination for them! Nominees will receive an application packet and can choose whether they will apply. There is no harm in nominating them for the process.
Anyone can nominate a company; you don't necessarily have to be an Bearkat! You may nominate yourself if you'd like! Nominator's information is not made public.
Sam Houston 79 nominations are currently open. To apply to Sam Houston 79 a company must first be nominated. Applications are open through May 31 each year. Nominees will be notified and sent a unique application link during this period. Those who complete the application process will be notified whether or not they made the Sam Houston 79 in July.
The financial information you provide during the application process is sent directly to an independent accounting firm that tabulates the results. They will only report the results to the SHSU Alumni Association. The University will not see the revenue levels reported and they will not be made available to the press or any other groups.
The accounting firm is Whitley Penn in Houston.
We will publish the list of the companies honored. The list will include company name, city location, names of Bearkat principals, and year founded. Actual revenue figures will not be published or otherwise released. The list will not contain financial or other statistical information. You may be called for an interview.
The Sam Houston 79 list will be publicized in press releases, on the Alumni website, in Center newsletters and/or similar channels. Specific information about revenues will not be published. You may be interviewed by SHSU Alumni Relations for a feature piece. The article will only include the information you provide.
No. All such information will be retained by Whitley Penn Accounting and not released to the University or any University affiliate.
For each applicant, we will calculate the percentage growth in revenues from 2022 to 2024. Nominated companies are asked to provide high-level information about their organization so that the compounded annual growth rate can be calculated.
After the calculations, the companies will be listed by growth rate from the highest to the lowest. The top fastest-growing companies will be named to the Sam Houston 79.
We are basing our growth calculations on net revenues for 2022 and 2024. Net revenue is meant to be net sales, or sales less returns. For a professional services business, it would be gross revenues less any write-downs or discounts.
We need a way of verifying the company’s revenue levels. Some of the ways in which revenues can be verified include:
- Copy of audited, reviewed or compiled financial statements.
- Copy of page 1 of tax return (you can block out other financial data on page 1 if you wish).
- Letter from external accountant attesting to revenue level.
If you have issues/concerns about any of these, feel free to contact us and we will work with you.
The application form will ask for:
- Contact information
- Company’s conformance to Sam Houston 79 qualifications (company age, minimum revenue, Bearkat ownership/leadership and adherence to SHSU Code of conduct).
- Revenue levels for the previous three years.
We are honored to partner with Whitley Penn LLP as the official verification partner of the Sam Houston 79 Awards.
Whitley Penn ensures the credibility of the ranked list by calculating each company’s compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) using confidential revenue data submitted through the Revenue Verification Form.
All financial data is handled solely by Whitley Penn and is not shared with Sam Houston State University, the Alumni Association, or any third parties.
We are grateful for Whitley Penn’s partnership and their commitment to celebrating the success of Bearkat-led businesses with accuracy and integrity.
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Mailing Address
Box 2022
Huntsville, TX 77341