Mark Allsup is 47 years old. After obtaining a BBA in 1979 from Baylor University, entered the commercial real estate business in Dallas, Texas. Beginning with real estate appraisal and sales, in 1981 founded a real estate investment firm specializing in undeveloped land. Mark is the son of the founders of Allsup’s Convenience Stores, Inc., a 300-store chain exceeding $420 million in annual sales. In 1984, Mark joined his family’s business. Beginning with a one-year stint as manager of a single store, he worked through all levels of management and in multiple departments of the company. He became Vice-President of store operations in 1988, and eventually added the responsibility of other departments as well. Mark has served on numerous boards in the grocery, fuel, and convenience store industries. In addition, Mark has served on several government task forces and committees and has been involved in legislation of many issues. In his tenure as Vice-President from 1988 to 2002, company sales increased over 100% and profits increased 250%.

In 2002, Mark decided to leave Allsup’s to pursue other interests. His past experiences in the convenience store industry and familiarity of day-to-day management issues seeded the dream of Cigsafe™ five years ago. It is a product that is sure to be a ‘smash hit’ in the retail cigarette industry.

Gary Holmes, 62 years old,  has been an I.T. Professional for over 40 years. Prior to starting his own business he was the Director of Information Technology for Furr's Cafeterias, Inc. In that capacity, Gary was responsible for the development and implementation of innovative, state-of-the-art systems that were featured in IBM's television and magazine advertising campaigns.

After leaving Furr's, Gary was employed as the Information Technology Director for Allsup's Convenience Stores in Clovis, NM., where he transformed a dated mainframe-centric system into a modern, highly efficient mixture of midrange and personal computing systems. Prior to leaving Allsup's, he started the development of a homegrown POS system that is still used by the chain.

In 1990 Gary started Caprock Data Systems (CDS), a computer hardware/software sales and services company. CDS was an IBM approved business partner authorized to market and support IBM midrange and personal computing products manufactured by that company. Many of CDS's local customers were leading Lubbock businesses. Southwest Coca Cola, Watson Foodservice, Eagle Picher Manufacturing, Plains Co-Op Oil Mill, United Marketing Services, Rip Griffin Truck Stops and many area school districts were some of CDS's customers. Additionally, Gary had an international consulting contract for a very large Saudi Arabian firm.

After a venture into the construction business in the mountains of northern New Mexico and several years of semi-retirement, Gary started TRAX Software, LLC., to develop software and provide support services for Sell-Trax Systems.

John Templer, 62 years old, is a successful entrepreneur. After graduation from Texas Christian University, he was employed in the management training program by the Federal Land Bank of Houston, and later became the Vice-Chairman of the bank’s loan committee. In 1975 he purchased the Commercial State Bank of Palmer, Texas and served as its President and CEO. Then, in 1982, he and a partner acquired Western Stockyards Corporation in Amarillo, Texas and held this interest until 1986.

In 1986, John was stricken with the crippling disease known as Guillian-Barre Syndrome, and was hospitalized for 20 months. Upon release form the hospital in 1988, he founded a company called Exchange Services, Inc., which he still operates today. Exchange Services was the co-founder of Mr. Payroll Corporation, a company which grew into a nationwide chain of check-cashing stores that was eventually sold to Cash America International, a public company. While serving as Chairman and CEO of Mr. Payroll Corporation John was co-patentee of a unique machine known as InnoVentry™, an ATM that identifies the customer using biometrics to cash checks (RPM) and other financial services unattended. This patent is now owned by a subsidiary of Wells Fargo Bank.

Today, John still serves as President of Exchange Services which is a diversified company with operations in Texas and New Mexico. He is also the President of Central Warehouse Systems which operates a warehouse complex in Ennis, Texas.

Both Mark and John live in the Dallas-Ft. Worth, Texas area and have been business associates and friends for about fifteen years