Overview:
Charles Schwab Bank has partnered with The DEC Network to launch The DEC Network Powered by Charles Schwab Bank. The partnership aims to empower entrepreneurs and cultivate a diverse and profitable environment for program participants. The DEC Network supports over 9,000 entrepreneurs each year and the partnership promises to be a blueprint for building stronger, smarter, and more inclusive futures.
Charles Schwab Bank honored a promise to support the community in their entrepreneurial and financial endeavors last Wednesday at The DEC Network at Redbird. The event was packed with community leaders in finance, local entrepreneurs and employees of Charles Schwab Bank.
As of last Wednesday, The DEC Network will change their organization’s official name to “The DEC Network Powered by Charles Schwab Bank.” Charles Schwab Bank collaborators and patrons can expect signage and branding for the entrepreneur startup to change soon.
A New Partnership
The DEC Network CEO Bill Chinn is “thrilled” to partner with Charles Schwab Bank in their mission.
Last Wednesday afternoon, a crowd of attendees gathered to hear about the partnership between The Dec Network and Charles Schwab Bank. The DEC Network is a local nonprofit organization focused on empowering up-and-coming entrepreneurs and cultivating a diverse and profitable environment for their program participants.
Charles Schwab Bank CEO Paul Woolway called the event a sign of the bank’s promise to empower individuals to not only pursue, but achieve financial success.
The partnership also will come with three new initiatives:
- Financial Education Programming: Including, but not limited to Schwab MoneyWise and customized business education workshops.
- Mentorship Opportunities: A host of opportunities for new entrepreneurs to have one-on-one face time with industry professionals.
- Support for Flagship Events: Including engagement in Dallas Startup Week and the Women X Tech Summit.
Community Comes First
Woolway, of course, cannot take all the credit for the launch. Irvin Ashford, Jr., Managing Director and Head of Fair and Responsible Banking at Charles Schwab Bank, worked closely with Woolway on the collaboration.
“I’ve been working in the community for the past 25 years to help us get more, to help us thrive, to educate ourselves on how to do better,” Ashford shared.
“Over the last few years now, I’ve worked at Charles Schwab Bank and I’m very fortunate to be able to work. We can bring the bank resources to the community.
Ashford’s deep community ties have helped Woolway remain focused on the bank’s motto: “Own Your Tomorrow.”
Woolway, fairly new to Texas himself, can also see the deep promise in North Texans who are looking to own their tomorrow. He recalled a time when the possibility of entrepreneurship in North Texas was first made manifest.
“[Charles] Schwab Bank moved our headquarters to the Fort Worth area about five years ago. One of the first weekends that my wife and I moved here, we decided to go for a drive. We ended up driving around the area for a while. I saw firsthand the opportunity to improve the communities in which we operate. And I knew that we needed a leader to help make a difference in our communities.”
Woolway and Ashford, Through Charles Schwab Bank, Push For A New South Dallas
In working with Ashford, Woolway says he is fulfilled and honored working with someone who knows and advocated for their community so well.
“We are so fortunate to find [Irvin]. He’s a man that’s committed and passionate about what we stand for. And he has built a team of just amazing rock stars. He’s a wonderful leader.”
Likewise, Ashford exclaims he is grateful for the many people that made the launch possible. It’s all about returning resources to the community, Ashford asserts.
“The Schwab name means a lot. It’s a name that everyone knows. It means trust. We help people own their tomorrow.
“So what better place for me to partner with an organization to help their customers through entrepreneurship than here?”
Several of The DEC Network interns were also at the event. Woolway mentioned that these interns have worked tirelessly and diligently during their time at Charles Schwab Bank innovating the entrepreneurial gold nuggets of tomorrow.
It’s already clear that The DEC Network and Charles Schwab Bank are a natural fit for partnership—one that goes beyond just sharing a name.
What’s On DEC Now?
Each year, The DEC Network supports over 9,000 entrepreneurs. Two of the entrepreneurs aided by the assistance of The DEC Network and Charles Schwab Bank spoke at the event Wednesday.
Alyssa Azcarte of Teatro Cafe and Jillian Williams of Revival Trucking are two of The DEC Network Powered by Charles Schwab Bank program participants who shared their testimonies at the launch reception. These individuals shared their struggle and their success with those in attendance, highlighting the increased need for the entrepreneurial partnership of The DEC Network and Charles Schwab Bank.
The unveiling of “The DEC Network Powered by Charles Schwab Bank” marks more than a name change—it represents a commitment to economic empowerment, authentic collaboration, and long-term investment in the North Texas entrepreneurial ecosystem. With leaders like Ashford, Jr. and Woolway bridging institutional power and community need, and entrepreneurs like Azcarte and Williams proving what’s possible, the partnership promises to be a blueprint for building stronger, smarter, and more inclusive futures.
For more information on Charles Schwab Bank, click here. For more information on The DEC Network Powered by Charles Schwab Bank, click here.