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(RICHARDSON, TX – March 18, 2021) – All over the world, women are leading the way.
That theme carries over into Texas, too, where Dr. Alicia Makaye, Ph.D., has assumed the role of President and CEO of GXA, an IT company she co-founded with her business partner and spouse, George Makaye.
George Makaye has stepped down from those responsibilities to focus on his cybersecurity venture, Makaye InfoSec. He will remain involved with GXA, serving as Principal Advisor. George Makaye will continue to provide strategic advice to Dr. Alicia Makaye, as needed, something the pair has always done for each other as they built their Dallas-Fort Worth IT company together.
“The timing for this transition is perfect,” Dr. Alicia Makaye said. “It comes at a historic moment when we have gained an African-American, Asian-American, female Vice President. All across America, we see women of color taking charge in major corporations such as Walgreens and FedEx, where the glass ceiling for minority women leaders is being shattered.
“I have always been in a leadership role at GXA, but now I am excited to be taking the helm and letting young girls see that IT, Tech, and STEM, are careers they can and should pursue. I want them to believe in possibilities.”
While George Makaye, a certified IT and cybersecurity expert, was the face of the company for more than a decade, Dr. Alicia Makaye worked hard behind the scenes to build the infrastructure and systems that have resulted in much of the success GXA has experienced. She ensured GXA ran smoothly by overseeing all aspects of internal operations, including but not limited to HR—recruiting, hiring, managing employees—plus accounting, organizational development, and other business objectives for the company.
“Alicia has my full confidence. She knows the business inside-out and will be an outstanding leader,” George Makaye said. “As we look into the future to scale the business beyond DFW, her deep understanding of the business and systematic approach to leadership is what we need to take us to the next level.”
Dr. Makaye’s credentials set her apart. She is an Air Force veteran who holds a doctorate in Public Affairs. Both her master’s and bachelor’s degrees are in Human Resources Management. Structure, organization, processes, and people are in her wheelhouse—and now so is running an IT company.
