God Bless Retirement

Texas’ aerospace, aviation, and defense industry directly employs more than 150,000 workers at over 2,000 establishments, contributing roughly $148.8 billion to the state economy and ranking #1 in aerospace manufacturing attractiveness nationally. Aerospace and defense support nearly 200,000 jobs and over $40.7 billion in economic value in Texas, with average wages far above state norms. This is driving demand for specialized capital solutions. Fort Worth sits inside one of the country’s most concentrated aerospace and defense corridors. Tomorrow's (July 15th, 2pm) God Bless Retirement panel is built for operators, investors, and advisors propelling that growth, which was spearheaded by an energetic patriot, Connor Brankin, initiated by an exceptional veteran, Ian Shelley. These professionals embody the Cowtown spirit. Attendees will hear from: - Norman Garza, Jr., Executive Director, Texas Space Commission, leading the state’s push to integrate space and commercial aerospace into the Texas economy. - John Quinn, CEO, Exos Aerospace, building reusable spaceflight platforms and supply-chain companies that sit directly in mission-critical defense and space markets. - Ryan Morfin, defense-tech investor (IronGate / Delta Black), deploying capital across hundreds of dual-use technology and manufacturing companies tied to national security. Join private equity, banking personnel, family offices, and service providers and gain insight into how public and private capital are structured around mission-critical assets in Texas. Gain an understanding of what influences contracts, supply chains, and investment opportunities in North Texas. https://lnkd.in/e3cYDbaN

Fort Worth is entering a defining chapter for private capital and innovation—and MedTech is one of the sectors shaping that future. This upcoming, formative gathering was prompted by Jeffrey M. Booth, an ex-medical device exec who is now driving business performance through integrated employee benefits and HR solutions at Higginbotham. On Tuesday, September 22nd, the Chicotsky family and God Bless Retirement (GBR) will host a private capital gathering at The Fort Worth Club focused on: MedTech Innovation & Investment: Capital Allocators Briefing We’re bringing together family offices, regional banks, private equity funds, and operating leaders to examine where capital is moving in MedTech today—across balance sheets, clinical milestones, and growth strategies—with an eye toward Fort Worth and North Texas deal flow. Attendance is complimentary, thanks to our strategic partners.

Join God Bless Retirement as we convene special forces operators, capital allocators, and leaders working directly within anti-trafficking efforts, veteran networks, and humanitarian security initiatives—bringing a rare combination of lived experience and institutional perspective. Looking ahead to August 18th, this session will examine how capital markets intersect with one of the most complex problem sets globally—preventing human trafficking and building recovery infrastructure. The conversation will connect humanitarian mission sets with insights on capital deployment, underwriting cases and considerations, and regional lending relevance. As with prior gatherings, our goal is to strengthen deal flow in Fort Worth and North Texas while giving attendees an informational and positional advantage.

Join God Bless Retirement and King Operating Corporation to review current market fundamentals, the KOPIII asset base and divestiture pipeline, and tax-year 2026 planning, whether considering earnings or 1031 exchanges. Gain an outlook for oil and gas investments, and how the KOPIII Fund is positioned to capitalize on emerging opportunities. The energy market has shifted well beyond headlines. Brent is trading around $95 and WTI near $88, while OECD oil inventories sit at their lowest level since 2003 and global stock draws are averaging 7.6 million barrels per day this quarter (EIA STEO, BIC Magazine). U.S. production is plateauing near 13.5 million barrels per day as public E&Ps prioritize free cash flow over volume, and best-in-class Permian operators are running corporate breakevens in the $40–$56 range — a wide margin over the current strip (Kavout, ADI Analytics). Henry Hub natural gas is trading in the $3.20–$3.60 range with the EIA projecting closer to $4.60 by 2027 on LNG export growth and rising power demand (EIA). The consequence of that setup shows up in deal activity. Global upstream M&A reached $20.4 billion in April 2026 alone, with North America driving roughly 85% of value and a potential deal pipeline that has since expanded to $146 billion — more than half of it concentrated in North America (Rystad Energy). Public E&Ps are buyers, and proven, developed private acreage is what they are buying. That is the environment KOPIII is built for. King Operating Partners III, LP is registered with the SEC (filing) and built on King Operating's Acquire, Develop, Divest model — acquiring producing acreage in known basins, developing it through additional drilling, and divesting the field to a larger operator. The fund distributes 80% of distributable revenue monthly to investor partners until original capital is returned, and splits divestiture proceeds 60/40 in favor of the investor. It carries no fund-level debt and diversifies across three focus areas — non-operated projects, Bivins Ranch, and mid-continent positions — with participation limited to accredited investors under Reg D 506(c) (King Operating). For accredited investors holding a direct working interest, the tax treatment of the deal structure is a meaningful part of the case. Intangible Drilling Costs typically represent 65–85% of well cost and are 100% deductible in the year incurred under IRC §263(c). Because working interests are exempt from passive activity loss rules under IRC §469(c)(3), those deductions can be applied against W-2, self-employment, and other active income. Once the well is producing, the 15% percentage depletion allowance under IRC §613A continues to shelter production income even after original capital has been recovered (Evans Sternau CPA, Invest in Energy). Individual treatment should be confirmed with your CPA. Attend the webinar and learn more.

Thank you to today's panel for offering insight on "Acquisition Capital & Syndication: Aligning Equity, Debt, and Operators" ... Jared W Johnson, Vice President & Senior Business Development Officer of First Internet Bank; Caleb Foreman, Executive Director, The Garrison Foundation; and Jacob Hall, Managing Partner, Kando Capital. Fort Worth and North Texas deal flow is stronger when our community is provided with in-depth insight on topics relevant to private capital markets. Register for next month's gathering: https://lnkd.in/eXexFdEd

Looking ahead to July, God Bless Retirement offers a panel and professional gathering focused on one of Fort Worth's bedrock industries. Join us at The Fort Worth Club. Register on the LinkedIn listing below or on the GBR site: https://lnkd.in/eXexFdEd

I'm looking forward to speaking at God Bless Retirement's event on June 15 alongside Jacob Hall and Caleb Foreman about Acquisition Capital & Syndication: Aligning Equity, Debt, and Operators. Hosted at the Fort Worth Club at 2 PM CT, this is a professional gathering and panel offering insights on capital flow relevant to regional banking and professionals in service of capital. Register for free here: https://lnkd.in/gtn4fg-V

We’re grateful to industry thought leaders working in long-term capital formation.

God Bless Retirement and the Chicotssky family are honored to help catalyze deal flow in Cowtown. Thank you to everyone who made this month's theme substsantive and mission-aligned: "Legacy Banking & Long-Duration Capital: Asset Design, Guarantees, and Control." We were grateful to welcome our panel: Brian Walker, Judge, 2nd Court of Appeals, honorary moderator; Brendan Fenno, Director of Family Office Strategy at The Monolith Group; Maryann Bell, Partner, Wingspan Legacy Partners; and Stephen Rowe, Partner & President, Arlington Family Offices Along with Pastor Lance Cashion, Chief Executive Officer at the Forge Room Foundation, who led our invocation; Dr. A. Sasha Ortíz, PhD, PLP, ABS, who led our U.S. and Texas pledges. A special thank-you to Chad Little, our audio czar; Alexia Tuttle, our deal flow lead and veteran community leader; Jack Laughlin for being "all hands on deck," Blake Oliver for advancing GBR’s M&A and capital-formation work across North Texas; and civic leaders such as Mary Louise Nicholson, whose presence reflects the broader civic seriousness behind this effort. We were also honored by the many charitable and veteran-serving organizations engaged with the gathering, including the Special Forces Foundation, Garrison, Roll Call, Halo for Freedom, Cloud Dancer, Undaunted, GallantFew, Air Power Council, Folds of Honor, Brotherhood for the Fallen, Christin Slough, PMP (an exceptional talent ready to contribute to our local PE ecosystem), and several other compelling organizations (one soon connected by Giovanni Catanzaro, MPA). Thank you to our PE sponsor, Sparton Ventures and Alex J. Seleska. The purpose of these gatherings is to strengthen deal flow in Fort Worth and North Texas while building the trust infrastructure that allows long-duration capital to work. A formidable private capital community creates investment opportunities AND strengthens the region’s financial architecture. When more transactions are sourced, diligenced, financed, and closed locally, our banks gain deeper treasury relationships, escrow activity, custody relationships, deposits, fee income, and market intelligence. Over time, that improves relationship lending, supports stronger balance sheets, and contributes to a more competitive local cost of capital. This matters especially in a post-bond issuance environment. Public bond capital can fund essential civic infrastructure, but private capital formation determines how much enterprise growth, real estate investment, operating-company expansion, and long-duration stewardship follow. That is the role of deal rooms hosted by God Bless Retirement and the Chicotsky family: to create positional and informational advantage, bring capital stewards into trusted proximity, and help elevate Fort Worth relationships. Long-duration capital is critical for the next era of Fort Worth and North Texas. Register for the next monthly gathering: https://lnkd.in/eRawa6zW

Engaging business owner and PE general partner cohorts is mission critical. God Bless Retirement aims to offer a positional and informational advantage for our private capital community.