Chris Rodriguez is a Dallas native who now lives at Legacy West. He is a Senior Manager at Topgolf who credits his success to living in the Dallas Region. When he’s not in the office, he’s making use of the nearby live music scene and outdoor patios. Learn more about Chris’ story and why he decided to Say Yes to Dallas.

Tell us about your life in Dallas?

I have lived in the DFW area my whole life. Early in my career I had to relocate to Northwest Arkansas for a new opportunity. As soon I left, I knew my heart belonged back in Dallas. A year and a half later, a job opportunity presented itself back in Dallas. Without hesitation, I immediately said yes. Over the last 6 years I’ve worked my way up within organizations and owe it to being in Dallas. I’ve made lifelong friends along the way. We are all spread out across the metroplex, but it enables us to always have something to do. Whether it’s sitting on a patio having a drink, attending a show at a venue, or simply hanging out at a pool, we never get bored.

What made you Say Yes to Dallas and not move anywhere else?

First and foremost, my family is here, so that’s a given. However, Dallas has such a range of diversity and opportunities, it’s impossible to not want to be in the heart of it all. I have watched major corporations move into the area over the years and open the doors for new opportunities and career growth. I am a huge advocate for growth and development, and you can find it anywhere here.

Tell us about your city/neighborhood. What do you like best? What makes it different?

Plano/Legacy West is its own major city. I don’t consider this area as “the burbs”. It’s the perfect place to have high rise city living yet get a beautiful sunset at the end of the day. Everything in Legacy West is walkable and convenient. You will never go a day without trying a new restaurant or a new drink from your favorite patio.

Where do you go and what do you do on the weekends or days off?

Because we’re in Cowboy Nation, I start my days at the gym, CowboysFit. Plus, who wouldn’t want to workout at the Dallas Cowboys HQ?! But, after a great start to the day, I always meet up with family or friends. You will never catch me on the couch. I am a huge music festival goer, and Dallas has several venues that have great bands and DJs. You can probably always catch me at Stereo Live, Dos Equis Pavilion, or The Legacy Hall Beer Garden.

What is your favorite restaurant in your neighborhood?

Hands down La Hacienda Ranch! Not just because owner Mariano created the frozen margarita, but because the food is amazing. If everything looks good on the menu, go with the “Fernandez.” It’s a mix of multiple menu items, and you’ll get to try ‘em all.

What is your favorite outside activity, and where is your favorite place to do it? 

If there isn’t a music festival going on, I will get my steps in on Katy Trail or Arbor Hills Nature preserve. They’re both unique in their own way. When hiking at Arbor Hills, you forget you are in a city. I feel like it’s a hidden gem in the center of Plano.

Favorite festival/event?

The Texas State Fair is a must along with the multitude of Arts Festivals that go on in the DFW area.

Where do you go to experience culture? Why do you like it?

The Stock Yards in Fort Worth are the perfect place to take a step back from the city hustle. It almost makes you feel like you took a trip back in time.

What is your passion, and how does Dallas help fulfill it?

My passion has always been to help develop others, whether it is personally or professionally. I have been in the Learning & Development field for over 10 years now and I never grow tired. The world is constantly evolving and changing and so are we. My job is to learn from those changes and adapt them into ways people can understand. The best part of my job is the freedom to bring new ideas to life. If you look at Dallas, it’s doing the same. There is always something new or improving. Instead of looking at development as a problem, I look at it as inspiration. The next part of my career is to become a mentor to others. I have worked for large brands, Main Event/ Dave and Busters and currently with Topgolf and want to share my success in building training programs.

Who is your local hero?

I wouldn’t say I have a “local hero”, but I can say that I give all my gratitude to the leaders I have had in my career. It’s sometimes rare or impossible to have a leader that believes in you or challenges you, and I have been extremely lucky to have multiple leaders that helped me get to where I am today. My words of advice are to speak up, share your passion and goals, and never stop trying.

Where do you feel you are nearest to your “tribe” in the Dallas Region?

I feel that when I am in the office, I feel most at home. We are a very close and collaborative team that creates a family environment. We have huge ideas and love to share them with each other. There honestly is never a time where anyone is afraid to ask a question.

How do you interact with your community?

I am a huge extrovert and can talk to anyone. When I wear Topgolf shirts in public, it’s a great conversation starter. People always ask if I work for the brand. It’s the perfect opportunity to share my experience, hear theirs, or invite a first timer to visit a venue.

Tell us about your work and how people can get involved.

I work in the family entertainment industry and being a family first guy, there is no better job. Topgolf is continuously growing with endless opportunities. I would always encourage everyone to stop by a venue and see “The Spirit of the Shield.”

Two Dallas experts on the promise and perils of artificial intelligence

Sunday July 16 is national Artificial Intelligence Appreciation Day and with the debut of large language models, AI is top of mind for many people. We asked the founders of Dallas AI — Principal, AI Customer Success at IBM, Babar Bhatti, – and Head of Applied Machine Learning at Best Buy, Aamer Charania, – for input on the man versus machine debate.

Q: From your perspectives, both in your day jobs, and as founders of Dallas AI, do you think people are appreciative or scared of it?
Bhatti: People (including myself) are both excited and concerned of the risks — especially impact to competition for jobs the jobs themselves. People with knowledge about AI tools and how to use them will have advantages.

Charania: Agree, the tech population seem to be very appreciative and super excited, but with due caution. I feel the rest of the population, especially non-tech folks are still figuring it out. The ‘coolness’ factor — whether it’s Alexa and Siri, Tesla’s full self-driving automobile, or more recently, Chat GPT — is attracting tremendous interest but folks are also concerned about the impact to their jobs and misuse like deep fakes, election meddling, and the impact of ultra-personalized social media on kids.

Q: Nicolas Sabouret’s book “Understanding Artificial Intelligence,” takes the position that machines aren’t actually intelligent since they depend on the data that humans supply. What do you think are the top three issues/problems that, with human help, AI could solve in the next five years/10 years?
Bhatti:

• Personalized agents running people’s work and personal lives (like relationships and healthcare);
• Automation everywhere! From offices to manufacturing, multimodal (text, images), and of course back-office automation with workflows;
• AI flying machines.

Charania: This one is hard. I could be overoptimistic but believe there are so many critical areas where AI will accelerate solutions, if not be at the center of it. My top 3:

• Personal agents (similar to above) taking on simpler tasks like scheduling, summarizing information, coming up with draft responses;
• Solving healthcare challenges, whether it’s accelerating drug discovery, treatments, reducing costs via automation, or making healthcare accessible to populations who do not have it today;
• Making education – especially higher education — accessible to all.

Q: What invention from the past would you compare AI to – in terms of its ability to be transformational?
Bhatti: It’s a cliche but … electricity and the Internet.

Charania: Agreed — electricity, the Internet, and cell phones.

Developed over centuries, electricity extended the day, allowing people to do things like work, cook, and read after the natural light had faded. A relatively modern invention — mobile phones enabled formerly unbanked people to join the modern economy, as well as allow us to multitask and transmit information quickly. These are inventions that have forever changed the world.

Just recently the FAA awarded a special airworthiness certificate to Alef Aeronautics for its Model A flying car. Who knows? Your flying Uber could be landing in your backyard before you know it.