Downtown Houston Pachyderm Club – June 29th

DT Pachyderm presents Christopher Harvey, President of the MLK Association of Houston

About Christopher:
Christopher is a Native Houstonian and currently serves as President of the MLK Association of Houston. He served as a precinct chair 2004-2006 in Harris County and 2006-2014 in Brazoria County. He is the former Chairman of the Republican Party of Brazoria County Outreach Committee, was a delegate to the Republican National Convention in 2016, an alternate delegate to the Republican National Convention in 2008, and, is a former member of the NAACP Houston Chapter Board of Directors.
Christopher will be talking about the Mission of the MLK Association of Houston, and how important engagement is to the Republican Party of Texas.

Downtown Houston Pachyderm Club – June 22nd

DT Pachyderm presents State Rep. Briscoe Cain, District 128, with a Legislative update

About Rep. Cain:
Briscoe Cain is a proven conservative leader with strong moral convictions always ready to defend Texas and our values from the constant onslaught by progressives against our faith, family, and freedoms.
A lifelong resident of Harris County, Briscoe’s Texas roots run deeper than most. Named Briscoe in honor of a family surname Briscoe, his lineal ancestor, Andrew Briscoe fought in the Texian Army and was a signor of the Texas Declaration of Independence.
Briscoe grew up in a working class home in Deer Park. The son of a plant operator and occupational nurse, he was taught the value of hard work and a strong commitment to his community. Briscoe worked his way through college and graduate school where he earned a bachelors from the University of Houston-Downtown and a doctorate of jurisprudence from South Texas College of Law.
Briscoe and B4Briscoe has been a conservative leader since college where he founded the Republican club at UH-D, later founded the first pro-life law student organization in Texas, and was the President of the South Texas chapter of the Federalist Society , a conservative legal organization with notable members like Senator Ted Cruz and Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas.
A Christian with a record of defending the unborn, religious liberty and traditional marriage, Briscoe served as legal counsel for several individuals in the case in which the Houston mayor subpoenaed the sermons of five pastors . In December of 2015, Briscoe successfully defended the the Religious Rights of Beaumont Police Officers when the City of Beaumont banned them from having Bible Study on their lunch break. In November 2015, Briscoe represented the Houston area teacher who was fired for refusing to call a 6-year-old girl a boy. In August of 2015, Briscoe filed an amicus brief on behalf of the U.S. Pastor Council with the Texas Supreme Court.
In addition to his First Amendment advocacy in the courts, Briscoe has advised and worked on legislation for several traditional values groups. Notably, Briscoe worked with Rep. Dwayne Bohac on the Merry Christmas Bill and helped to draft HB 1901 with Rep. Matt Krause, a bill that gives due process rights to the unborn.
Because it’s about what you do, not what you say, Briscoe puts his Pro-Life beliefs into action by serving as an attorney for several pro-life organizations. Recently, Briscoe’s advocacy made headline news when he released invoices exposing four Texas Medical Schools for using tax dollars to purchase aborted fetal tissue. At just 31 years of age, Briscoe serves as In-House Counsel for Students for Life of America; Texas Legal Counsel for Operation Rescue; General Counsel for Save the Storks; and Board Member of Right to Life Advocates, Inc.
Briscoe also serves the State of Texas as First Lieutenant in the Texas State Guard.
A loving husband and proud of father of three, Briscoe and his wife Bergundi are residents of Deer Park. The Cain family attends Greater Harvest Community Church.

Downtown Houston Pachyderm Club – June 15th

DT Pachyderm presents Justice Ken Wise, Wise About Texas: More Stories of Texas History

About Justice Ken Wise:
Justice Ken Wise was appointed to the 14th Court of Appeals by Governor Rick Perry in October 2013. Prior to his appointment, Justice Wise served as the Judge of the 334th Judicial District Court in Harris County and Judge of the 152nd Judicial District Court in Harris County.
Justice Wise earned his bachelor’s degree from Texas A&M University, where he competed as a member of the intercollegiate rodeo team.
Justice Wise is very active in the service of the bar and the judiciary. He co-chaired a State Bar task force that conducted the first complete study of the Texas Court system since 1894. He has also served as a multi-district litigation judge as well as a visiting judge in counties across the State of Texas.
Justice Wise is an avid Texas historian. He hosts the Texas history podcast Wise About Texas which has thousands of listeners nationwide. He has written several scholarly articles and given dozens of speeches on all aspects of Texas history. Justice Wise serves on the Archives Committee of the Texas State Historical Association. He is a Trustee of the Texas Supreme Court Historical Society and a member of the Supreme Court Task Force on Historic Court Record Preservation.
A native Houstonian, Justice Wise has been very active in the Houston community. Justice Wise is a director of the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo and an advisory director of the Former Texas Ranger Foundation. In 2015, the Governor of Kentucky commissioned Justice Wise as a Kentucky Colonel.
Ken is a fifth-generation native Texan with roots dating back to Houston in 1836. He is married to Sara Wise and they have two children, Sarah Jane and Jackson.
 

Downtown Houston Pachyderm Club – June 8th

DT Pachyderm presents Tim Stroud and Jana Rodriguez with Easter Seals of Greater Houston speaking about resources and programs for Veterans

About Jana Rodriguez:
Jana’s interest in technology began to flourish in high school when she produced school media. This lead her to Apple, where she delivered training as a “Creative” for nearly 10 beautiful years.
Jana studied communication, technology, and emergency medicine through various programs. She also studied the Czech language at Charles University in Prague. Jana believe’s there is an incredible power within communicating and connecting to one another through modern technology. She has a passion to share skills and knowledge with others.
Jana’s experience assisting seniors with technology through Apple, often helping adults with their first Apple product, has been an asset to BridgingApps. BridgingApps is a proud program of Easter seals of Greater Houston that is bridging the gap between technology and people with disabilities. Using touch-based technology and proper training to significantly impact the lives of people with disabilities. These devices can also provide accessibility for people who may have been disengaged from the world due to various reasons. Jana’s greatest passion is to guide those who may need more time and patience to learn.
Jana is a proud veteran of the United States Army where she served as a combat medic in the Florida Army National Guard. While in service, it was her privilege to provide aid to fellow soldiers. Now as a veteran, it is an honor for Jana to reach out to veterans and their families with the services and programs that can improve their lives.
Jana’s current top 5 apps are Runtastic, Waze, Apple Music, Calm, and companion.

About Tim Stroud:
Timothy Stroud is a former combat medic in the United States Army. He served his country on active duty with deployments to Kosovo, Kuwait and Iraq, through Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF). During these years, Tim learned volumes about team building, leadership, and camaraderie and was quickly promoted to a Non Commissioned Officer. He also sought out a mentor during his transition back into civilian life and began a seven-year relationship with leadership expert Mr. Paul J. Meyer.
Tim excelled as a non-traditional student at Grand Canyon University, finishing his education by utilizing his Post-9/11 GI Bill. He graduated with Academic Honors with a Bachelor of Science in Applied Management from the Ken Blanchard College of Business and quickly followed it with a Masters in Leadership from the same program.
Volunteering in the community, Mr. Stroud worked in collaboration with the State of Texas, NAMI, SAMSHA, and BEITZ to better understand the early signs of Post Traumatic Stress and how to successfully get veterans and family members connected with resources. This led Tim to become one of the first Peer to Peer Support Facilitators in Texas and helping start the support groups in Central Texas.
Tim resides in Houston, Texas and continues to champion several causes for veterans and their families. He was recognized as one of the top All Time Blood Donors by the Robertson Blood Center on Ft. Hood where he has donated over five and a half gallons. He continues to work with veterans and their families through Easter Seals of Greater Houston to help veterans with mental health services. One of the avenues is through providing trained service dogs for deserving veterans.
Tim has two daughters, aptly nicknamed The Hurricane and The Tornado that keep him grounded. He will be receiving the Humanitarian Award from the Latino Learning Center on June 15th and is here today to share some of the resources available to veterans and their families in the greater Houston area.

Downtown Houston Pachyderm Club – June 1st

DT Pachyderm presents COL Albert J. Nahas, Noted author speaking on Warriors Remembered/ Vietnam War Memorials

About Colonel Nahas:
Coming from an Army family, Albert Nahas joined the Army after graduating from West Point in June 1967. He found his way to Vietnam in July 1968, where he spent eighteen months with the 2nd Battalion, 502nd Infantry, 101st Airborne Division as a platoon leader, reconnaissance platoon leader, company executive officer, and finally as a company commander.
His twenty-six year military career included service with both infantry and engineer units, teaching at West Point, developing new weapons and equipment for the Infantry, and deploying for a brief time to Desert Storm. After retiring as a Colonel, he had success in several industries including manufacturing, power plant construction, and operating a global broadband telecommunications network. He founded and still leads Focused Leadership, a very successful executive coaching company, and is also a registered Professional Engineer.
Colonel Nahas is the recipient of the Legion of Merit, the Bronze Star for Valor with first Oak Leaf Cluster, the Purple Heart and several other awards, but takes the greatest pride in being an Airborne Ranger with a Combat Infantry Badge as a Screaming Eagle combat veteran. He is the author of the book Warriors Remembered, the only photo documentary of Vietnam veteran memorials from all 50 states. He and his wife, Carolyn currently live in Sugar Land, Texas.

Downtown Houston Pachyderm Club – May 25th

DT Pachyderm presents Lee Shuchart speaking on The Effect of the Judiciary on Business, Especially the Medical Profession

About Lee:

Lee received her Juris Doctorate from South Texas College of Law in 1986 after earning a Bachelor's degree in History from Baylor University. During sixteen years in private practice, she was involved in trying medical malpractice, commercial general liability, and employment discrimination cases. Lee joined Western Litigation Inc. in 2002 and is an Executive Vice-President. In 2014, she was promoted to serve as the company’s Direct of Auditing and Training. In that capacity she is involved with oversite of Western Litigation’s 50 claims attorneys and claims analyst and is involved in professional liability litigation across the United States.
During her tenure with Western, Lee has managed litigation and worked with attorneys in 45 states as well as the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. She is also involved in advising physician groups, hospitals, long term care facilities and nsurance carriers on issues relating to protecting their business assets and information in challenging litigation arenas
She is married to Fred Shuchart, the managing partner of Cooper & Scully’s Houston office and they have two adult children.

Downtown Houston Pachyderm Club – May 18th

DT Pachyderm presents the Honorable Erin Lunceford on the topic of straight ticket voting issues and HB25

About Judge Lunceford:
Erin Lunceford is currently Counsel at Norton Rose Fulbright in their Houston office. In July 2015, she was appointed by Governor Abbott to fill the remaining term as judge of the 61st Judicial District Court in Harris County, Texas. In her 17 months on the bench, Erin presided over 30 jury trials and ended her service in December 2016 with the lowest inventory of cases of all 24 Harris County Civil District Judges.
Prior to serving as Judge, Erin primarily defended healthcare clients in personal injury lawsuits. Over her 28 year career, she tried more than 33 cases to verdict and handled over 38 appeals, including a successful brief and argument to the Texas Supreme Court in 2015.
Erin is Board Certified in Personal Injury Trial Law and is an active member of the American Board of Trial Advocates, currently serving as the Houston Chapter Treasurer. She is also a board member of the Houston Bar Association and a member of the Committee on Pattern Jury Charges, Malpractice, Premises & Products.
Licensed to practice in Texas, and before the US District Courts for the Southern and Eastern Districts of Texas and the Western District of Arkansas, the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals and the US Supreme Court, Erin received her JD from the University of Houston Law Center and her BA from the University of Colorado Boulder.
Erin has just declared her candidacy for Judge of the 189th Civil District Court, which will be an open bench due to the mandatory retirement of current Judge Bill Burke.

 

Downtown Houston Pachyderm Club – May 11th

DT Pachyderm presents Dr. Kent Reynolds, Regional Christian Leadership Director for AIPAC

About Dr. Reynolds:
Dr. Reynolds has thirty-nine years of effective pastoral, academic, and nonprofit leadership experience. He also brings over thirty years of work in international aid, education, economic empowerment, and leadership development. As a pastor, he was passionate in his teaching about Israel in terms of its Scriptural and historical relevance as well as current events. He led multiple trips there as well. Since that time, he has come to realize the strategic importance of Israel as an American ally, as a democratic nation, and because of its endeavor to insure the basic rights of all of its citizens. He has a B.A. in Behavioral Science from Lakeland College, in Sheboygan, Wisconsin and a Masters in Theology from Emory University in Atlanta. His doctorate is in Cross-Cultural Leadership Development from Asbury Theological Seminary in Wilmore, Kentucky, the research for which was conducted entirely in Tanzania, East Africa. He has taught advanced leadership at the doctoral level and helped administrate a unique academic program devoted to enhancing the leadership skills of seasoned professionals. Dr. Reynolds personally led a multi-year comprehensive community revitalization project involving public and private sector collaboration. He has a proven track record of organizational and community transformation. He has worked in numerous areas of the world among diverse population groups. Because of this, he has a global perspective and a unique ability to work with a vast array of individuals and groups from different backgrounds, ethnicities, and perspectives. He brings his training, experience, and passion for Israel to AIPAC at an important time in its development. He and his wife, Sandy, have three grown children and eight grandchildren.

 

Downtown Houston Pachyderm Club – May 4

Downtown Houston Pachyderms – May 4 – Change in speaker, not in topic – Jonathon McClellan regarding high speed rail

DT Pachyderm presents Jonathon McClellan with Texas Central Partners, LLC
Jonathon will discuss the high speed rail project between Houston and the Dallas/Ft. Worth area

About Texas Central Partners, LLC:
Texas Central Partners, LLC (Texas Central) is a private company bringing a transformational project to Texas that advances the economy, respects Texan values and keeps our state on track for future growth.
We are a Texas-based private company, employing a market-led approach. Unlike other high-speed rail projects, we are backed by private investors, not public funds.
Texas Central is developing a new high-speed passenger rail system that will connect Dallas/Fort Worth and Houston using a proven, world-class technology that will provide a travel time of less than 90 minutes.

About Jonathon McClellan:
Over the past decade, conservative Texas politics have featured a series of inspirational leaders with one thing in common: Jonathon McClellan. He has shown a real knack for being where the action is, from Rick Perry’s presence at the birth of the Texas TEA Party to Ted Cruz’s meteoric rise from the Texas Attorney General’s office to the U.S. Senate to a presidential campaign. Along the way, he has built an unmatched grassroots network across the state and nation and developed a firm grasp of what moves public perception.
Jonathon joined the Public Blueprint team in 2016 after serving as Regional Political Director for Senator Ted Cruz’s presidential campaign. Working from his Texas base, Jonathon managed the upstart candidate’s political operations in key battleground states including Iowa and South Carolina.
The Baylor graduate’s relationship with Cruz stretches back to 2012 when McClellan’s grassroots expertise and organizing skills played a key role in one of the biggest upsets in Texas political history. When McClellan joined the Cruz team as Political Director, the candidate was polling at 2%, but ended up winning a Republican primary runoff by 14 points and the general election by 16 points.
After the election, he continued on Team Cruz, splitting time between his responsibilities as State Outreach Director for the federal office and the Jobs Growth and Freedom Fund PAC.
McClellan also has a rare combination of experience and deep connections in the executive, legislative and judicial branches of Texas government, having served on Rick Perry’s 2010 Gubernatorial reelection campaign; Representative Wayne Christian’s staff (as Legislative Director and Chief of Staff); and on Texas Supreme Court Justice Dale Wainwright’s team.
Jonathon and his wife, Sarah, make their home in Houston with their daughter. When not building effective coalitions for his Public Blueprint clients, Jonathon enjoys traveling, Baylor football games, and barbecuing on his Big Green Egg.

 

Downtown Houston Pachyderm Club – April 27th

DT Pachyderm presents Texas Comptroller, Glenn Hegar

About Comptroller Hegar:
Elected in November 2014, Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar is a strong advocate for job growth and greater diversification of the Texas economy. A staunch supporter of government transparency, Hegar believes all levels of government should be open and accountable to those who pay the bills — Texas taxpayers. Hegar serves as Texas’ chief financial officer, treasurer, check writer, tax collector, procurement officer and revenue estimator.
In the Texas Senate, Hegar oversaw state and local revenue matters during the 83rd legislative session and was instrumental in cutting $1 billion in taxes for Texas taxpayers and businesses. As a business owner, Comptroller Hegar knows first hand that individuals, not government, will make better decisions with their hard-earned tax dollars and in turn help boost the economy.
Hegar also served as chair of the Sunset Advisory Commission, working to eliminate inefficiency in government agencies. In that role, he abolished six state agencies, saving taxpayers over $160 million dollars in the process. As a former member of the Texas House of Representatives and the Texas Senate, Hegar worked on a wide-range of common sense solutions that impact everyday citizens, such as public education, transportation, tax cuts, property tax reform, water issues and tort reform.
Before his Senate tenure, Hegar attended Texas A&M as an undergraduate, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts. He then attended St. Mary’s University, earning a Master of Arts and his law degree. At the University of Arkansas, he earned his Master of Laws.
Hegar is a sixth generation Texan, who grew up farming land that has been in his family since the mid-1800s. His upbringing taught him the core values of character, honesty, integrity and hard work. These are the same values that he and his wife, Dara, work to instill in their three young children: Julia, Jonah and Claire.
 

April 13 - No Meeting - Sameach Pesach (Happy Passover), Happy Easter

Downtown Houston Pachyderm Club – April 20th

DT Pachyderm presents Professor Jeffrey F. Addicott, Lt. Colonel (U.S. Army, ret.)

About Professor Addicott:
Lt. Colonel (U.S. Army, ret.) Jeffrey F. Addicott is a Professor of Law and the Director of the Center for Terrorism Law. An active duty Army officer in the Judge Advocate General’s Corps for twenty years, Addicott spent a quarter of his career as the senior legal advisor to the United States Army’s Special Forces. As an internationally recognized authority on national security law, Addicott not only lectures and participates in professional and academic organizations both in the United States and abroad (more than 700 speeches), but he has also testified before Congress on a variety of legal issues. He has also been a regular contributor to national and international news media outlets to include FOX NEWS Channel, MSNBC, CNN, BBC, New York Times, Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, USA Today, (more than 4,000 media interviews). Addicott is a prolific author, publishing over 60 books, articles and monographs on a variety of legal topics.
Among his many contributions to the field, Addicott pioneered the teaching of law of war and human rights courses to the militaries of numerous nascent democracies in Eastern Europe and Latin America. For these efforts he was awarded the Legion of Merit, named the “Army Judge Advocate of the Year,” and honored as a co-recipient of the American Bar Association’s Hodson Award. Addicott has served in senior legal positions in Germany, Korea, Panama, and throughout the United States. Addicott holds a Doctor of Juridical Science (S.J.D.) and Master of Laws (LL.M.) from the University of Virginia School of Law. He also received a Master of Laws (LL.M.) from the Army Judge Advocate General’s School, where he was the Deputy Director of the International and Operational Law Division, and a Juris Doctor (J.D.) from the University of Alabama School of Law. Apart from teaching a variety of courses at the law school, Addicott served as the Associate Dean for Administration at St. Mary’s University School of Law (2006-2007).

Highlights and Awards
Recipient: St. Mary’s Alumni Association’s “2007 St. Mary’s University School of Law Distinguished Faculty Award,” awarded each year to the distinguished law faculty member.
Recipient of the 2011 Vice Admiral George C. Dyer Award, Military Order of the World War’s, awarded each year to the “most outstanding article published by the Officer Review magazine.”
Recipient of the “Distinguish Service Medal of the State of Alabama,” 1999, for “exceptionally meritorious and distinguished military or civilian service for or to the benefit of the United States or the State of Alabama.”
Co-recipient: American Bar Association’s “Hodson Award for 1995,” awarded each year to the “outstanding public sector law office in the nation.”
Recipient: “1993 Outstanding Career Army Judge Advocate Award,” awarded by the Judge Advocates Bar Association.
Recipient: “1983 Academy of Health Sciences Commander’s Award – Hospital Law.”
Member of the Bar of Alabama; U.S. Supreme Court; Court of Military Appeals; American Bar Association; International Society for Military Law; the Law of War; Military Order of the World Wars; Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society; Special Forces Association; Sons of Confederate Veterans; board member of the Toda Institute for Peace; contributing editor for JURIST; Law Faculty on Federalist Society.
 

Downtown Houston Pachyderm Club – April 6th

DT Pachyderm presents local grassroots activist, Eddie Gallegos

Join us to hear about Eddie’s experience working with Project Veritas and attending protests.

About Eddie:
Eddie has been an active member of the grassroots movement for nearly eight years. He has worked with Project Veritas to investigate Battleground Texas. He has attended numerous venues including the 9/12 March on D.C., the Restoring Honor rally, the Reason Rally, multiple grassroots events, pro-union and pro-abortion events, and most recently the Women's March in Austin. He has walked among people during the Occupy Houston protest, pro-Gaza rallies, pro-Syrian and pro-Egypt rallies and witnessed Muslims at the Texas State Capitol shouting 'allahu akbar' during a pro-Muslim event. He has been a guest on The Sam Malone Show and has been interviewed on television on several occasions. He has provided recounts of many events through the lens of his camera, camcorder, written accounts, slide shows, and has interviewed people from both the left and right to provide a from-the-ground view of issues.
 

Downtown Houston Pachyderm Club – March 30th

DT Pachyderm presents Dr. Robin Armstrong, RNC Committeeman from Texas

About Robin:
Dr. Robin Armstrong was elected as the National Committeeman from Texas in June of 2012. He is a politician and physician who served as vice chairman of the Republican Party of Texas from 2006-2010. Mr. Armstrong has a B.A. in microbiology from Texas A&M University and an M.D. from the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston. He did his residency in internal medicine and is on the staff of the Mainland Medical Center in Texas City, TX.
Dr. Armstrong has been active in both politics and his community. He has traveled on missionary journeys to Africa and Nicaragua and worked in inner city and youth ministries in addition to leading a men’s Bible study group. His activities in grassroots republican politics include serving as a city chair, an election judge, a precinct chair, a poll watcher, a convention delegate, a Senatorial District Convention chairman, and most recently as the State Republican Executive committeeman for Texas Senate District 11. Armstrong and his wife Martha, who is also a medical doctor, have four sons, Daniel, Gabriel, Joshua and Noah.
 

Downtown Houston Pachyderm Club – March 23rd

DT Pachyderm presents Sonia Rivera, Executive Director of Texas Latino GOP PAC

About Sonia:
Sonia Rivera is a native of Michigan and has lived in the Houston area since the age of 19. She is the daughter of Mexican Immigrants who spent the early part of her life as migrant farm workers, and ultimately settled in the State of Michigan. While in college, she majored in Psychology, and minored in Sociology.
She spent the first 11 years working within the non profit sector, managing and developing youth programs under the Health and Human Service umbrella, with high risk youth populations providing Educational and Social Support Programs in the area's of Substance Abuse Prevention, Intervention, and Youth Homelessness, prior to forming her own corporation and nonprofit in 2008, and 2010 respectively.
She has over 25 years of experience in project management, program development, staff training & development, writing policies & procedures for new companies, and participated in various community needs assessment projects.
In 2009 she founded Youth Genesis Consulting, Inc. and currently serves as the CEO. Youth Genesis is a Youth Services Corporation and includes programs in Leadership Development, Dropout Prevention, and offender education.
She has simultaneously worked as a consultant: Sonia Rivera USA, working with various business entities assisting to develop, implement, and manage new projects, from educational support programs to business development projects, with focus on project evaluation, setting policies, staffing, scheduling, staff development and training.
Founder/President of YGC Inc. in 2010, a non-profit community youth organization; YGC has produced programs in the arts such as the Flor y Canto Summer Arts Camp at Talento Bilingue, the marquee program under YGC Inc. is its arts in after-shool program (Art Evolution), and annual Teen Conferences (Teen Evolution), in addition to participating in community service support programs.
Sonia has actively served with numerous other community organizations through the years such as Hispanic Woman’s Network of Texas, previously served on the board of Hispanic Woman in Leadership, and the Houston Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, and Latino Learning Center. In addition, Sonia is actively involved with Talento Bilingue de Houston Cultural Arts Center assisting in fund development, and coordinating special events.
Sonia has received numerous awards for her service in the community, and volunteerism, and was among the HWIL 100 Women in Leadership recipients in 2008.
In 2016, Sonia became Executive Director of Texas Latino GOP PAC
 

Downtown Houston Pachyderm Club – March 16th

DT Pachyderm presents Mark E. Harrington, J.D., L.L.M., local immigration attorney, with a Republican perspective on the immigration issues facing our country

About Mark:

Attorney Mark Harrington is authorized to practice Immigration Law throughout the entire United States and has successfully represented hundreds of employers, scientific researchers, and individuals before the USCIS. Mr. Harrington has been a member of the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) since 2001. From June 2009 through June 2011 Mr. Harrington served as the Chairman of State Bar of Texas Committee on Laws Relating to Immigration & Nationality. Mr. Harrington is a member of the Houston Committee on Foreign Relations (houstoncfr.org).

Prior to practicing immigration law, Mr. Harrington worked on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC. For three years, he served as a counsel to the House Committee on Science, Research Subcommittee. Among other topics, he handled issues relating to foreign-born researchers, including the need for additional H1B Visas. Attorney Harrington also spent two years working for New Mexico U.S. Senator Pete V. Domenici.
Mr. Harrington obtained his LL.M. degree from Georgetown University in Washington, DC and his J.D. degree, with honors, from Suffolk University Law School in Boston, Massachusetts. He received his bachelor's degree from Boston College.

About Eric:
Eric Dick was born and raised in Houston, Texas. He received his Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of Phoenix in 2004 and earned his Juris Doctor from the Thomas M. Cooley law School, the largest law school in the United States. Eric has also received his L.L.M., which is an advanced law degree in taxation, from the University of Alabama School of Law.
Eric was elected to the Harris County Department of Education Board of Trustees in 2016.
As a passionate Houston insurance claims attorney with multiple Super Lawyers® Rising Stars℠ inclusions for his unparalleled legal skill, Eric has an in-depth knowledge of insurance law and hands-on experience resolving complex insurance disputes. He is a licensed real estate sales agent and a licensed insurance agent, which means he has unique insider knowledge of the insurance industry and how they operate. Eric is an honest, aggressive lawyer and exceptional litigator who knows how to think outside of the box.

Downtown Houston Pachyderm Club – March 2nd

It’s Rodeo time in Houston! Join us for lunch with Hon. Cindy Bennett Smith for a presentation on the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo

About Cindy:
Cindy Bennett Smith is an attorney in her 15th Year of practice. Cindy serves as Municipal Judge for the City of Tomball. Cindy also has her own private practice, Bennett Smith & Associates, which primarily focuses on representing small businesses. The firm assists clients with dealings from startup through day-to-day operations, including contract issues, litigation, collection and employment matters. Cindy is also a proud Republican. She has served as President of Northwest Forest Republican Women, and on the board of Greater Houston Council of Federated Republican Women. Cindy has worked extensively on campaigns, and most recently spent more than a year campaigning for her own election bid for District Court in the November 2016 election. Cindy volunteers a great deal of time as a Coordinator for the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo Speakers Committee. The Speakers Committee serves as the “face” of HLSR, and Speakers address businesses, Chambers of Commerce and other organizations, as well as putting on “Rodeo Days” at Houston area elementary schools every week of the school year. Cindy is excited to share great information about the economic impact of the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo on our city. She will be presenting to Downtown Pachyderm on March 2. Hope to see you there!
 

Downtown Houston Pachyderms – February 23 Hon. Chris Daniel

Native Houstonian Chris Daniel was elected Harris County District Clerk on Nov. 2, 2010 and took the oath of office on Jan. 1. He was reelected in November 2014 to another term. A graduate of the University of Texas at Austin, Chris earned his degree in mechanical engineering. As an engineer, Chris designed oilfield tool and management projects and served as Project Manager in the Tubing Division and Research Project Manager in the Drill Pipe Division of National Oilwell Varco. In November of 2006, Chris became one of the youngest elected officials in the state of Texas when he defeated the Board Chair of Lone Star College System. During his time there, Chris spearheaded the Student Success Initiative and served as student liaison to the Board, helping bring textbooks online and helping the college expand to more than 60,000 full time students. In that time, the college grew to be the second largest in Texas. Chris attended Night Law School at the South Texas College of Law, where he became involved in Intellectual Property and Patent Law and served as Nighttime Student Senator and Senior Student Senator of Student Government. Chris volunteers for Big Brothers Big Sisters, the Houston Food Bank, Target Hunger and Rotary. He is an Eagle Scout, a Lifetime Member of the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo and a member of the Gatekeeper and the Lamb and Goat Auction committees. He loves to travel and has visited more than 14 countries. Chris is married to Jennifer Barber Daniel, and they have a son, John Daniel, and a daughter, Amanda Daniel. The Daniels live in Houston and are active members at Second Baptist Church.

Downtown Houston Pachyderm Club – February 16th

Join us for lunch with Theresa Kosmoski, President of the Texas Federation of Republican Women and HCRP’s Parliamentarian

About Theresa:
Theresa Kosmoski currently serves as the President of the Texas Federation of Republican Women and is a long-time political activist and former elected official . She has been an officer on the Greater Houston Council of Republican Women, served on various county-wide boards, the Harris County Republican party, the Republican Party of Texas, and held a seat on the Executive Committee of the National Federation of Republican Women.
For more than twenty years she has been actively involved in many local state and national civic and non-profit organizations with a particular emphasis on child advocacy and community improvement. In that time she has been intimately involved in dozens of campaigns for both candidates and issues. As a retired member of a local Board of Trustees, Theresa has actively pursued her interest in public education policy and legislative issues. Professionally, Theresa began her career in the banking and investment fields but has been a Registered Parliamentarian for the last 20 years serving non-profit, corporate and political organizations. She has been married to Mark for 30 years and has two sons, both of whom are Eagle Scouts.

Downtown Houston Pachyderm Club – February 9th

Join us for lunch with Alan Vera, Chair of HCRP’s Ballot Security and a Co-Founder of True-the-Vote, on the topic: The Final 2 Boxes for Freedom (Why restoring election integrity is so critical)

About Alan Vera:
Alan D. Vera is President/CEO of the Quest Business agency and carries primary responsibility for formation of marketing strategies
Alan also serves on a number of boards and committees, including:
Better Business Bureau of the Texas Gulf Coast
Chairman of the Board
Vice Chairman of the Board
Chairman of the Marketing committee
Board of Directors
Executive Committee
Board of Directors BBB Education Foundation
Chairman of the Board of the Education Foundation
Greater Houston Partnership
Board of Directors
Past chairman of the marketing committee
Member Services Advisory committee of the Greater Houston Partnership
His prior corporate, board and organizational credentials include:
President, Houston Chapter of the Business Marketing Association
Board member, Houston Chapter of the Business Marketing Association
Paid facilitator for the National Committee on Solid Waste Reduction
Board advisor to Infotechnology, Inc.
Board advisor for United Press International
National Brand Manager for The Procter & Gamble Company
Head & Shoulders shampoo
Coast Deodorant Soap
Biz Dry bleach
Mr. Clean Household Cleaner
He has received the following awards and recognition:
Marketer of the Year for 2000-2001 from the American Marketing Association
Emerging 10 Award from the Houston Minority Business Council (HMBC)
Runner up Entrepreneur of the Year from the Houston Hispanic Chamber of Commerce
Keynote Speaker for the Emerging 10 Awards for HMBC
Seminar Speaker for the Kansas City Minority Supplier Trade Expo
He served five years in the U.S. Army as an Airborne Ranger. He attained the rank of Captain and received numerous individual and unit awards and citations. He graduated Magna Cum Laude from Loyola University in New Orleans, where he also received many academic, leadership and military honors, including Distinguished Military Graduate.
He is is one of the original founders of True the Vote, a non-partisan, grassroots effort to restore integrity to U.S. elections.
He developed the training curriculum for Texas elections in 2010, and trained over 1,000 poll watchers in Harris County for the 2010 general election. He has served as an alternate precinct judge in the heart of Sheila Jackson Lee’s CD 18 for 4 consecutive elections.
Mr. Vera wrote the election observer curriculum for Wisconsin and has been training observers in Wisconsin since June of 2011. Again, he trained over 1,000 observers for the recall election of Governor Walker—in person, online and via video conferences.
Mr. Vera wrote the election observer curriculum for Virginia & North Carolina, and trained observers in that state for the 2011 general election. He has supervised development of the observer curricula for 16 other states and has been directly involved in the creation of online/on-demand observer training content to be made available in 16 states in preparation for the 2012 general election.
Mr. Vera received the True the Vote “Bayonet” award for his service.
He serves on the Conservative Coalition of Harris County and was elected head of Ballot Security by HCRP in 2014.

UPCOMING MEETINGS:

February 16- Eddie Gallegos on the recent protests
February 23- Hon. Chris Daniel, Harris County District Clerk
March 2- Hon. Cindy Bennett Smith on the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo

Downtown Houston Pachyderm Club – February 2nd

Join us for lunch as Houston City Councilmember, Mike Knox, discusses the impact of the Superbowl on the City of Houston

About CM Mike Knox:
Mike Knox is a native Houstonian. He married his high school sweetheart in 1977 and they have raised one son; who now serves the city as a Houston Police Officer. Mike Knox obtained an Associate of Arts degree from the Houston Community College and a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Houston – Downtown while working as a Houston Police Officer.
Mike has a long history of honorable public service.
Mike Knox is a veteran who served in the United States Air Force and served over 15 years as a Houston Police Officer. Mike was one of two officers responsible for the creation of the Houston Police Department’s first divisional gang unit in 1988 and helped create and served on the original board of directors for the Texas Gang Investigators Association.
Mike authored a book entitled Gangsta in the House; Understanding Gang Culture, which was published in 1995. This book added to the knowledge base on gang culture and was recognized in 2001 by the National Gang Research Center who awarded it the prestigious “Thrasher” award.
Mike served his fellow officers as a Board Member of the Houston Police Patrolmen’s Union and chaired the HPPU Political Action Committee. In addition, he served as editor of the “Sentinel” (HPPU) monthly newsletter.
Shortly after publishing his book in 1995, Mike began a consulting business focused on helping law enforcement, schools districts, and communities understand and deal with street gangs and violent youthful offenders.
Mike Knox has served his community as a board member of the Spring Branch Education Foundation and was among the original funders of the Spring Branch ISD “Fund for the Future” endowment. He contributed to the creation of the Spring Branch Good Neighbor program.
Mike was recruited in 2007 to help the Spring Branch Management District develop the Public Safety component of its service plan and worked as their Director of Community Service for three years.
For the past seven years Mike Knox has served as the President of the Yupon Estates Homeowners Association.
Mike has a deep interest and investment in Houston and believes Houston City Council deserves a dedicated servant.

Downtown Houston Pachyderms – January 26, 2017 – Herman Jadloski, President, Foundation for Life and Judy Vatterott, former director

A Native Houstonian, Jadloski graduated from St. Pius High School. He received his BA in teaching from Sam Houston State University. He then went on to receive a Master’s of Religious Education from the Notre Dame Pontifical Catechical Institute in Arlington, VA.
After a career in education, Jadloski retired from the Harris County Department of Education and HISD, where he taught high school English.
A lifelong Republican, Jadloski has served as Board President of Foundation for Life from 2014 until the present. His viewpoint highlights the effects of pro-life issues on societal ills. Abortion on demand “has metastasized into every issue affecting the family,” he notes.
Jadloski was the first Republican Precinct Chair for Precinct 82 from 1980 – 1983. He was Precinct Chair for Precinct 58 from 1988 – 2014. Jadloski was chosen to serve as an alternate Delegate to the Republican National Convention in 1996 and 2000.
Jadloski appreciates the pro-life platform of the Republican Party, as well as its fiscal and international policies.

Downtown Houston Pachyderm Club – January 19th

Join us for lunch with Kevin Fulton, founding member of the MLK Association.

About Kevin:


Kevin Fulton is a shining example of the American Dream. Born in a gritty, gang infested area, Kevin never had the opportunity to meet his biological father who abandoned the household when he was only a few months old. His mother Pearl immediately took control of the household and worked her way out of poverty. Kevin watched as his mother worked long hours to provide her kids with the opportunity to escape their surroundings. Pearl never blamed her race or society for her position in life; instead she taught him the importance of prayer, self-accountability and hard work to conquer poverty. Pearl's mindset and perseverance were the foundation of the conservative values that would shape the rest of his life.


Kevin took those values and lessons and demonstrated a strong sense of community service as a child. Immediately upon graduating from high school, Kevin joined the Army and served this great nation with distinction as a reconnaissance soldier and received various honors for service during combat. His service included guarding the borders of Europe, functioning as a liberator in the Persian Gulf War and acting as a humanitarian in Operation Provide Comfort for Kurdish Refugees in Turkey and Iraq.


After being Honorably Discharged from the Army, Kevin immediately enrolled in college while continuing his service to the community by devoting his time on the Board of Directors for a youth counseling organization, helping victims of domestic violence, and training at risk students in conflict resolution. His focus and dedication earned him a Juris Doctor Degree with a notation for Distinguished Public Service.


Kevin periodically takes the time to visit subsidized housing communities to encourage disadvantaged youth to embrace conservative values to rise above their situation.


Broadening the Republican Party in low income areas has been a very important mission for Kevin. He has dedicated considerable time and personal funds to travel around low income areas talking about the Republican values that helped him escape the trappings of poverty and gangs.


Kevin is a co-founder of the MLK Association of Texas which is a Republican Party of Texas Auxiliary Club, which creates programs in low income areas to assist lifting people out of poverty by teaching self-reliance and accountability.


Kevin is also a strong supporter of prolife legislation lecturing to groups about the impact of abortion on the Black community.
 

Downtown Houston Pachyderm Club – January 12th

Join us for lunch with Harris County Republican Party Chairman, Paul Simpson

About Paul:
A lawyer and engineer by profession, Paul's lifelong passion has been conservative political activism. A pro-life conservative, Paul has been a Republican political leader since he was in high school. Growing up in and near New Orleans, Paul joined the Louisiana Teen-Age Republicans at age thirteen, and was elected state chair by the time he was sixteen.
After being named National Outstanding Teen-Age Republican, Paul came to Houston to attend Rice University, where he was active in student government and chaired the Young Republicans. Paul’s summer jobs (besides construction and offshore oil field work) included working for a national conservative organization in recruiting and mobilizing young people for conservative Republican congressional campaigns in Michigan and Iowa.
After graduating from Rice with degrees in history and engineering, Paul went to work as an engineer in the oil industry.
He designed and oversaw drilling and producing wells in different areas of the country and offshore, supervised engineering teams, and managed multi-million-dollar projects constructing and installing onshore and offshore platforms, facilities, and pipelines.
While working full-time in the oil and gas business, Paul put himself through law school at night, graduating with honors from the University of Houston law school. A licensed engineer and patent lawyer, Paul’s law practice primarily involves oil and gas disputes and transactions. He has been a partner with the law firm of McGinnis, Lochridge & Kilgore since 2001.
Paul is a lector at the 4,000-family St. Vincent dePaul Catholic Church, where he was formerly president of the Pastoral Council and Committee Chair of the Boy Scout Troop. He also served as president of St. Catherine’s Montessori School, overseeing a multi-million-dollar capital campaign, and served for four years on the board of Incarnate Word Academy in downtown Houston.
Paul and his wife Kathy, married over 30 years, have a son and a daughter, who are both Houston natives, graduates of Franciscan University, and proud Republicans!
 

Happy New Year everyone! Join us to welcome 2017 with Peggy Venable, spokesperson for Texans for Education Opportunity

About Peggy:
Peggy Venable is working with Texans for Education Opportunity, EdChoice and the Texas Public Policy Foundation on school choice and promoting Education Savings Accounts.
Peggy has worked in public policy and grassroots campaigns – in government, the political arena and the private sector – for over 35 years and served as AFP-Texas director for 10 years.
Peggy created the Red Apple Project to focus on transparency and accountability in public education and to advocate for school choice.
Peggy was named to the University Star Hall of Fame at Texas State University and the national magazine Campaign and Elections named Venable as one of the top 25 Texas “influencers”. She has been named one of the top legislative influencers on Twitter.
A native Texan, Peggy spent 13 years in Washington, D.C. Peggy served as the first White House Liaison for the US Department of Education under Ronald Reagan. She was working at the Department of Education when the iconic study “A Nation At Risk” was underway. It was the country’s wake-up call that our education system was falling behind other developed countries.
She directed the “Take Pride in America” grassroots
campaign, which encompassed eight federal agencies.
Peggy has served as senior staff at the Republican National Committee and was Director of the Republican National Convention in 1984.
Peggy has guest hosted for syndicated talk show hosts around Texas, appears as a guest on radio and TV, and has written over 100 pieces that have appeared in leading Texas newspapers, and speaks to groups around the state on tax, budget and regulatory issues. Her opinion pieces have appeared in the Wall Street Journal, Fox News, Houston Chronicle, Dallas Morning News, Austin American Statesman, Budget and Tax News, Heritage Insider, and numerous other publications. She has won numerous public affairs and journalism awards.
Peggy formerly hosted the TV program The Beauty of Politics and later hosted Inside Texas Politics.
Peggy served on the board for the Texas Center for Education Research as well as Austin CEO Foundation, and the Reagan Conservative Society. She is a past President of the Texas Women’s Alliance as well as past President of the Texas State University Foundation Board.

UPCOMING MEETINGS:

January 12- HCRP Chairman, Paul Simpson
 

Downtown Houston Pachyderm Club – November 17th

Downtown Houston Pachyderm presents Harris County Clerk and Chief Election Official, Stan Stanart, with an election wrap-up. This will be our final regular meeting of the year until our Christmas lunch.

About Stan Stanart:
After graduation from Oklahoma State University with a Bachelor of Science in Electronic Engineering Technology, Stan worked sixteen years in the aerospace industry. He focused his extensive computer hardware and software knowledge on technology in avionic testing, missile defense, real-time simulation and system testing for the international space station.
In 1994 he joined Compaq Computer Corporation where he was a developer and advanced system architect and held numerous managerial positions utilizing his technical expertise in computer product design and development.
In 2007 Stan joined the Harris County Tax Office as Manager of Hardware Information Technology. He was instrumental in advancing the technological abilities of that office improving services for the citizens of Harris County.
Stan was elected County Clerk of the third largest county in the country in November 2010 and has made many improvements to the office which include:
The implementation of online document viewing capabilities;
The redesign of the Marriage License and the creation of the “Certification of Marriage” Certificate;
The implementation of electronic filing in County Civil and Probate Courts;
Became a Certified Elections/Registrar Administrator (CERA) through the National Association of Election Officials;
Found and directed the move into the new Election Technology Center after the 2010 warehouse fire;
The implementation of online signature verification process for ballots by mail saving tax-payers over $100,000.00 every county-wide election; and,
Implemented online filing capabilities for Campaign Finance Reports.
Stan continues to improve the office’s technology to better serve the public. He has far too many software certifications and accreditations to mention here along with solid budgeting, negotiating, and problem solving experience. Since 1996, Stan has volunteered many hours to our local civic and political process and was re-elected in November 2014.

We look forward to seeing everyone!

Downtown Houston Pachyderms – November 10 – Roundtable discussion of this year’s election and plans for the future
.
We’re exhausted!
And we don’t have a speaker.
But we love spaghetti.
So if you have enough energy to make it up the stairs, come join us. Whether to celebrate the Trump win, as well as our statewide victors and our friends in congress and the legislature, lament the losses on the Harris County ballot, or just be with friends, come join us for a lively discussion.

Downtown Houston Pachyderm Club – November 3rd

Downtown Houston Pachyderm presents a panel discussion on the City of Houston pension issues and liabilities with Craig Mason, Bill King and Bill Frazer.

We will also get a report on early voting from Club President, Ed Johnson.

We look forward to seeing everyone!

Downtown Houston Pachyderm Club – October 27th

Downtown Houston Pachyderm presents the Hon. Steve Radack, Harris County Commissioner Precinct 3

After 11 years with the Houston Police Department, a successful stint in the private sector and a four-year term as Harris County Precinct 5 Constable, Steve Radack was first elected Commissioner of Precinct Three in 1988. Voters have reelected him six times.
During his career in public service, Steve has pushed for greater efficiency at all levels of local government by supporting programs aimed at promoting the intelligent use of taxpayer dollars. He has emphasized privatization throughout county government and been an outspoken advocate of making sure law enforcement agencies have the tools they need to keep children and neighborhoods safe.
In addition to his role as a county policymaker, which has given him a voice in regional health, transportation, and technology issues, Steve has also focused on enhancing the quality of life for all residents of Precinct Three.
When he took office in January 1989, Precinct Three had only 10 parks. By working with the community and aggressively advocating for a better quality of life, Steve has increased the number of parks in the precinct to more than 62. Precinct Three maintains about 15,000 acres of park land. Some of those facilities are dog parks – among the first in the nation. There is also an environmentally-friendly network of hike, bike, and walking trails that covers dozens of miles in the precinct. When Steve took office in 1989, trail mileage in Precinct Three was 17 miles.
Community centers have also been expanded and two high-tech education facilities for seniors were built with the help of federal grant funds. Under Steve’s leadership, recreational facilities were also modernized, ties to the community were strengthened through dealings with local youth sports leagues and problems like childhood obesity have been tackled through the construction of unique public-private "Kid Fit" parks aimed at giving families places to stay fit together.
Steve has also worked hard to meet the infrastructure and transportation needs of Precinct Three, which encompasses more than 450 square miles and is one of the fastest growing and most diverse areas in the region. The precinct contains both large segments of rural agricultural land and densely populated urban areas. Steve has kept pace with immense population growth in the precinct by continually participating in regional transportation initiatives aimed at bettering mobility.
Steve and his wife, Sherry, who serves as Chief Justice of the Texas First Court of Appeals, have four sons. They attend St. John Vianney Catholic Church.

We look forward to seeing everyone!

Take a break before early voting starts on Monday, October 24th, and enjoy some comic relief as Eric Golub returns to DT Pachyderm! Eric Golub is Brooklyn born, Long Island raised, and has lived in Los Angeles since 1990. He received his Bachelors degree from the University of Judaism, and his MBA from USC. He has been a stockbrokerage professional since 1994. He began blogging on March 11th, 2007, the three year anniversary of the Madrid bombings and the midpoint of 9/11. He has been inflicting his world view on his unfortunate readers since then. He blogs about politics Monday through Friday, and about football and other human interest items on weekends. He speaks around the country to various chapters of the Republican Women’s Federated, Republican Jewish Coalition, Young Republicans, College Republicans, and other GOP groups. He has done events with everyone from Michele Bachmann to Michael Steele.

We look forward to seeing everyone!
 

Downtown Houston Pachyderm Club – October 13th

Downtown Houston Pachyderm presents Tom Moon, Presiding Judge of the Early Voting Ballot Board for Harris County

Tom Moon, Presiding Judge of Harris County’s Early Voting Ballot Board, will speak about security issues related to vote-by-mail ballots.

We look forward to seeing everyone!

 

Downtown Houston Pachyderm Club – October 6th

Downtown Houston Pachyderm presents Kevin Jewell, Republican nominee for the 14th Court of Appeals, and, Don Sumners, HCDE Board Member

DT Pachyderm has been scheduling Republican candidates, judges and elected officials on the November 2016 ballot to speak. This week we will feature:

Kevin Jewell, Candidate for Justice, 14th Court of Appeals, Place 2

Also, Don Sumners, Harris County Department of Education Board Member, will speak about HISD Proposition 1, and other propositions on the November ballot, as well as issues facing HCDE.

We look forward to seeing everyone!

Downtown Houston Pachyderm Club – September 29th

Downtown Houston Pachyderm presents a Roundtable Discussion of the September 26th Presidential Debate

Please join Downtown Houston Pachyderm Club for a Roundtable Discussion of the September 26th Presidential Debate, led by Club Secretary, Tom Zakes.

Share your thoughts about the candidates’ performances, post-debate polling, and what the future holds for upcoming debates.

We look forward to seeing everyone!

Downtown Houston Pachyderm Club – September 22nd

Downtown Houston Pachyderm presents former Lieutenant Governor, Hon. David Dewhurst

From Governor Dewhurst’s website:
David Dewhurst has embodied the Texas notion of servant leadership throughout his life. Born to a WWII hero and a hard-working mother, Dewhurst lost his father to a drunk driver at an early age. From working the docks on the Houston Ship Channel to attending college on a basketball scholarship, Dewhurst set himself apart with a solid work ethic, an abiding faith in God and a refusal to quit.
At the height of the Cold War, Dewhurst dedicated his young adult life to serving his country, first in the U.S. Air Force, then in the CIA and later in the State Department. When he left government service, he returned to Houston to begin his career in business. In the early 1980s, he started his own company, but like so many other Texas businesses at the time, he lost nearly everything when the oil and gas and real estate markets went bust. Dewhurst gradually built back all that he had lost and more, and earned his reputation as an innovative, tireless and successful businessman.
In 1995, then President Bill Clinton named Dewhurst a member of the Commission on the Roles and Capabilities of the U.S. Intelligence Community where he worked with distinguished leaders like Les Aspin and Warren Rudman to ensure the protection of U.S. interests around the world.
In the wake of the September 11th attacks, Dewhurst was appointed chair of the Texas Homeland Security Task Force, which developed key strategies for public safety and emergencies that are still in use today.
In 1998, he was elected Commissioner of the Texas General Land Office where he not only streamlined the agency and cut its spending, he also advocated for veterans issues including the creation of new military cemeteries in Texas and the expansion of the state’s veterans’ land programs.
He won election as Lt. Governor in the fall of 2002 and got to work in the 78th session of the Texas Legislature. During his 12-year tenure as Lt. Governor, Dewhurst oversaw one of the largest economic expansions in Texas history, championed effective border security and advocated for traditional Texas values. Throughout, he never lost sight of his real employers, the people of Texas.
In typical Dewhurst fashion, he took up rodeo, competing in team roping and cutting events, and ended up being inducted into the Texas Rodeo Cowboy Hall of Fame in 2009.
Dewhurst maintains his commitment to servant leadership, working to expand his energy holdings and remaining engaged in civic organizations in his Houston hometown. A compelling, experienced conservative voice, David Dewhurst continues his work to make the world a better, more conservative place.

We look forward to seeing everyone!

Downtown Houston Pachyderm Club – September 15th

Downtown Houston Pachyderm presents candidates for HISD Trustee, District 7

Four candidates have applied to run in a special election to be the trustee for District 7, Houston Independent School District.

The candidates are Victoria Bryant, John Luman, Danielle Paulus and Anne Sung.

We have confirmed that Victoria Bryant and John Luman will appear on September 15th.

Downtown Houston Pachyderm Club – September 8

Hon. Duane Bohac

A LIFELONG RESIDENT OF HOUSE DISTRICT 138 WHO WORKS HARD AND GETS RESULTS FOR OUR STATE AND LOCAL COMMUNITY

During his time in the Texas Legislature, Dwayne Bohac has focused on improving local quality of life, keeping taxes low, cracking down on illegal immigration, and improving public education.

At the local level, Bohac has worked to improve local flood control measures through the use of retention ponds, given municipalities greater authority to enforce apartment standards, increased local police patrols, passed tougher laws against graffiti, and secured funds for local traffic mobility and esplanade beautification projects.

At the state level, Bohac has led efforts to cap property tax appraisals at 5% or less, increased funding for border security, co-authored the state’s Voter ID law, helped pass stronger pro-life and pro-family legislation, and worked with local teachers and school board members to improve public education and provide fair teacher pay.

In 2012, he received nation recognition for authoring the “Merry Christmas Bill” which allows teachers and students to celebrate Christmas and Hanukah in public schools without fear of litigation.

Bohac currently serves as Vice Chair of the Business and Industry Committee and on the powerful Ways & Means Committee. He is also Vice Chair of the Texas House TEA Party Caucus.

Before being elected to the Legislature, Dwayne was active in the local community having founded “Save Our Neighborhoods/Northwest Coalition,” served on the White Oaks Bayou Association, and been a part of the Spring Branch Revitalization Association.

A lifelong resident of Texas House District 138, Bohac was born in Northwest Houston and now lives in the Spring Branch area and attends Second Baptist Church. He graduated from Scarborough High School and earned Bachelors Degrees in Political Science and Marketing from Texas A&M University.

Downtown Houston Pachyderm Club – September 1

Downtown Houston Pachyderms – September 1 – Hon. Michael McCaul, chair of Homeland Security committee

Hon. Michael McCaul has represented the 10th Congressional District, which stretches from Northwest Harris County to Travis County since his election in 2004. He is currently the chairman of the House Committee on Homeland Security.

Congressman Michael T. McCaul is currently serving his sixth term representing Texas' 10th District in the United States Congress. The 10th Congressional District of Texas stretches from Austin to the Houston suburbs, and includes Austin, Bastrop, Colorado, Fayette, Harris, Lee, Travis, Washington and Waller Counties.
Homeland Security Chairman

On January 3, 2013, the beginning of the 113th Congress, Rep. McCaul became Chairman of the House Committee on Homeland Security. The Committee has oversight of the Department of Homeland Security ensuring it is able to carry out its core mission of protecting the American people from terrorist attacks. As Chairman, McCaul will prioritize the threat of international and domestic terrorism, cyber security, airport security and fixing dysfunctional management within DHS which contributes to wasted taxpayer dollars, delayed security operations and corruption. Chairman McCaul will also prioritize border security and elevate this as a national security issue.

Congressman McCaul is also the Chairman of the U.S.-Mexico Inter-Parliamentary Group (I.P.G.) Every year the Group meets to discuss issues and events involving the two nations. These meetings give both American and Mexican lawmakers the opportunity to address the challenges facing our two countries.

He also serves on the Committee on Foreign Affairs working to ensure our national security is strong.

Washington Reformer
Congressman McCaul has a strong track record as a leading fiscal conservative in the Congress. He never forgets that every dollar the Congress appropriates is the People’s money, not the government’s. As such, Congressman McCaul has fought against the failed $787 billion stimulus, the $700 billion bailout, the Cap and Trade national energy tax and the Affordable Care Act. In addition to his conservative voting record, Congressman McCaul led the charge against earmarks, which was adopted as the official policy of the House of Representatives during the 112th Congress.
In recognition of his pro-growth, pro-jobs voting record, Congressman McCaul has been awarded the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s Spirit of Enterprise Award each year he has served. Congressman Michael McCaul's stand against unprecedented government expansion and out of control spending has also been recognized by the American Conservative Union, which presented McCaul its coveted ACU Ratings Award.
High Tech Leadership
With many NASA employees, universities and high tech companies in the 10th District, Congressman McCaul's service on the Committee on Science and Technology provides him the ability to enhance Texas' role as a global leader in technology.
Congressman McCaul is co-founder and co-chair of the Congressional High Tech Caucus and the Cybersecurity Caucus. In 2008, Rep. McCaul co-chaired the Commission on Cybersecurity for the 44th Presidency which, along with the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), developed and presented recommendations to President Obama to secure cyberspace and protect our national interests.
The Information Technology Industry Council awarded Congressman McCaul its coveted Legislator of the Year Award for 2009 for his support of congressional policies that benefit American technology companies. TechNet, the bipartisan political network of CEOs that promotes the growth of the innovation economy, also awarded Congressman McCaul its annual Founders Circle Award, one of four members of Congress recognized by the organization for their outstanding leadership to champion the nation’s innovation economy.
Fighting Childhood Cancer
In the 112th Congress, McCaul’s legislation, the Creating Hope Act, was signed by the president and became law in October 2012, creating incentives for pharmaceutical companies to create new treatments for pediatric cancer patients. McCaul co-chairs the Congressional Childhood Cancer Caucus, which he founded shortly after he was first elected to Congress.
Personal
Prior to Congress, Michael McCaul served as Chief of Counter Terrorism and National Security in the U.S. Attorney’s office, Western District of Texas, and led the Joint Terrorism Task Force charged with detecting, deterring and preventing terrorist activity. McCaul also served as Texas Deputy Attorney General under current U.S. Senator John Cornyn, and served as a federal prosecutor in the Department of Justice’s Public Integrity Section in Washington, D.C. A fourth generation Texan, Congressman McCaul earned a B.A. in Business and History from Trinity University and holds a J.D. from St. Mary's University School of Law. In 2009 Congressman McCaul was honored with St. Mary's Distinguished Graduate award. He is also a graduate of the Senior Executive Fellows Program of the School of Government, Harvard University. Congressman McCaul is married to his wife, Linda. They are proud parents of five children: Caroline, Jewell, and the triplets Lauren, Michael and Avery.


A frequent guest on Sunday morning talk shows, Chairman McCaul will speak to us about terrorism and national security

Congressman Michael McCaul, Chairman of Homeland Security, will be presenting an update on security issues our country is facing.

"U.S. Rep. Michael McCaul, R-Austin, is not ruling out challenging U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, in 2018, but he's emphasizing that he is not focused on it for now.

"Like Reagan said, never say never, but it's not something I'm spending a whole lot of time thinking about right now," McCaul told reporters Wednesday in Austin. "

-Texas Tribune, August 16, 2016

Heritage Action Scorecard

97% - Sen. Ted Cruz
92% - Rep Louie Gohmert
83% - Rep. John Culberson
69% - Rep. Michael McCaul
49% - Sen. John Cornyn
 

RT @HouseHomeland "Today was the first commercial flight from the US to Cuba. @RepMcCaul feels “this has been a very rushed process.”http://pic.twitter.com/dQFi24psNQ"

Please join us for this informative meeting!

Downtown Houston Pachyderm Club – August 25th

Downtown Houston Pachyderm presents Harris County Treasurer, Orlando Sanchez, on getting out the Hispanic vote

Orlando Sanchez has lived in Houston since 1962 when his father was recruited by former Harris County Judge Roy Hofheinz to be the Spanish voice of the Colt 45s and the Houston Astros. Orlando grew up in southwest Houston and graduated from Bellaire High School. In 1976, Orlando volunteered for service in the U.S. Air Force; after being honorably discharged, he again volunteered with the 147th Fighter Interceptor Group of the Texas Air National Guard at Ellington Field.
Orlando is a cum laude graduate of the University of Houston.
In 1995 Orlando was elected to serve as a member of the Houston City Council. He served three terms and helped his colleagues pass the first property tax cut in decades. Orlando also chaired the city’s International Trade Committee, the Legislative Affairs Committee and chaired the Cellular Tower Working Committee. He has served on the Texas Attorney General’s Municipal Advisory Committee and was appointed to the U.S. Senate Task Force on Hispanic Affairs.
Orlando is a member of the Board of Directors of Capital Bank, a life member of the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo, the 100 Club of Houston and is an advisory member of the University of Houston Law School Foundation.

We look forward to seeing everyone!

Downtown Houston Pachyderm Club – August 18th

Downtown Houston Pachyderm presents Club President, Ed Johnson

Our esteemed Club President and National Pachyderm Board member, Ed Johnson, will speak on the topic of Electronic Voting Machines and Voter Fraud

Downtown Pachyderms is again co-sponsoring the Back to School Rally with Lone Star Republicans in Galena Park on Thursday, August 18 at 5 pm. Please bring any school supplies you are able to donate to our meeting this Thursday!

We look forward to seeing everyone!

Downtown Houston Pachyderm Club – August 11th

Downtown Houston Pachyderm presents the Honorable Debra Ibarra Mayfield

DT Pachyderm will be scheduling Republican candidates, judges and elected officials on the November 2016 ballot to speak over the next few months. This week we will feature:

The Honorable Debra Ibarra Mayfield, appointed by Governor Abbott to be Judge of the 165th Civil District Court, and the Republican nominee for the same bench.

About Judge Mayfield:
In 2015, Governor Greg Abbott appointed Debra Ibarra Mayfield as Judge of the 165th Civil District Court. Thereafter, the Texas Senate unanimously confirmed her appointment.
Debra was Governor Abbott's first judicial appointment in Harris County. Before becoming a State District Judge, Debra was the first Latina county court at law judge in Harris County. She was Judge of Harris County Civil Court at Law Number One, a bench to which the Harris County Commissioner’s Court unanimously appointed her. In subsequent elections, Harris County citizens twice re-elected Debra to continue her service. She also served as administrative judge of the County Civil Court, and she currently serves as an adjunct professor at the University of Houston Law Center teaching a course in private property rights and eminent domain. Before becoming a judge, Debra was a partner in a civil defense firm where she handled lawsuits and appeals across the State of Texas. She also served as a courtappointed guardian ad litem, often to Spanish-only speaking children. Part of the first generation in her family to attend college, Debra is an alumna of Texas A&M University and South Texas College of Law. Debra has received numerous accolades for her public service. She was selected as a "Woman on the Move" by Texas Executive Women, awarded the "Public Service Award" from South Texas College of Law, and she was given the Amicus Award
from the Mexican American Bar Association of Houston. In 2015, Debra was named “Top Latina 40 and Under" by the Mexican-American Bar Association of Texas and as one of "Houston's 50 Most Influential Women" by Houston Woman Magazine. In 2016, the Houston Young Lawyers' Association honored Debra with the "Outstanding Mentor Award" for her dedicated efforts in mentoring young lawyers and students. She was also honored at the Texas State Bar Convention in 2016 for her significant contributions to the Hispanic legal community.

Downtown Pachyderms is again co-sponsoring the Back to School Rally with Lone Star Republicans in Galena Park on Thursday, August 18 at 5 pm. Please bring any school supplies you are able to donate to our meetings between now and then.

We look forward to seeing everyone!

Downtown Houston Pachyderm Club – August 4th

Downtown Houston Pachyderm presents a National Convention Wrap-up

What went on behind the scenes in Cleveland? Many members and friends of our club attended the National GOP Convention last month. Come hear from delegates and alternates who were there for a first hand account of what it was like to be in the arena.

Downtown Pachyderms is again co-sponsoring the Back to School Rally with Lone Star Republicans in Galena Park on Thursday, August 18 at 5 pm. Please bring any school supplies you are able to donate to our meetings between now and then.

We look forward to seeing everyone!

UPCOMING MEETINGS/EVENTS:

Downtown Houston Pachyderm presents Republican candidates, Mary McFaden, candidate for Judge of the 339th District Court, and, Rick Gonzales, candidate for Constable, Precinct 6

DT Pachyderm will be scheduling Republican candidates, judges and elected officials on the November 2016 ballot to speak over the next few months. This week we will feature:

Mary McFaden- Republican nominee for Judge of the 339th District Court

Rick Gonzales- Republican nominee for Harris County Constable Precinct 6

We look forward to seeing everyone!

Downtown Houston presents Republican candidates, Jeff Hastings, candidate for Judge of the 151st District Court, and, Kendall Baker. candidate for State Representative District 137

DT Pachyderm will be scheduling Republican candidates, judges and elected officials on the November 2016 ballot to speak over the next few months. This week we will feature:

Jeff Hastings- the Republican nominee for Judge of the 151st District Court

Kendall Baker- the Republican nominee for State Representative House District 137
 

Downtown Houston Pachyderm Club – July 14th

Downtown Houston Pachyderm presents Republican candidates, Hon. Renee Magee, Judge of the 337th District Court, and, Matt Murphy, candidate for State Representative House District 147

DT Pachyderm will be scheduling Republican candidates, judges and elected officials on the November 2016 ballot to speak over the next few months. This week we will feature:

Hon. Renee Magee- Judge of the 337th District Court, and the Republican nominee for same

Matt Murphy- the Republican nominee for State Representative House District 147

We look forward to seeing everyone!

Downtown Houston Pachyderm Club – July 7th

Downtown Houston Pachyderm presents Republican candidates, Hon. Sherry Radack, Chief Justice of the First Court of Appeals, and Will Archer, candidate for Judge of the 80th Civil District Court

DT Pachyderm will be scheduling Republican candidates, judges and elected officials on the November 2016 ballot to speak over the next few months. This week we will feature:

Hon. Sherry Radack- Chief Justice of the First Court of Appeals, and the Republican nominee for same

Will Archer- the Republican nominee for Judge of the 80th Civil District Court

We look forward to seeing everyone!

Downtown Houston Pachyderm presents Republican Judges, Hon. Alyssa Lemkuil and Hon. Linda Garcia

DT Pachyderm will be scheduling Republican judicial candidates and judges to speak over the next few months. This month we will feature: Hon. Alyssa Lemkuil, Judge of the 507th Family District Court, and, Hon. Linda Garcia, Judge of Harris County Criminal Court at Law # 16

About Judge Lemkuil:
Hon. Alyssa Lemkuil was appointed by Governor Greg Abbott to serve as the first judge of the newly created 507th Family District Court effective January 1, 2016. She served as associate judge of the 308th Family District Court from October 2012 through December 2015.
Judge Lemkuil is a 1982 graduate of Texas A&M University and a 1992 graduate of the University of Houston Law Center. She was a child support prosecutor with the Harris County Domestic Relations Office for 10 years and an attorney/mediator in private practice for 6 years. She and her husband have been married for over 15 years and are the parents of a 13-year-old daughter

About Judge Garcia:
Hon. Linda Garcia is the first judge of the County Criminal Court at Law Number 16, which hears class A and B misdemeanor cases. She was appointed by Harris County Commissioners Court, and is seeking the Republican Nomination to be on the November ballot.
Judge Garcia is a 1993 graduate of the University of Houston Law School, and has worked as an assistant District Attorney in Harris County, and has also served on the Board of Pardons and Paroles for the State of Texas.
She and her husband Tom Butler have a teenage son.

We look forward to seeing everyone!

 

Downtown Houston Pachyderm Club – June 9th

Downtown Houston Pachyderm presents Republican judicial candidates, Tom Zakes and Sophia Mafrige

DT Pachyderm will be scheduling Republican judicial candidates to speak over the next few months. This month we will feature: Tom Zakes, Republican nominee for Harris County Justice of the Peace, Precinct 3 Place 1, and, Sophia Mafrige, Republican nominee for the 129th Civil District Court

Join us to hear about their judicial races and how you can help with their campaigns! We look forward to seeing everyone!

Downtown Houston Pachyderm Club – June 2nd

Downtown Houston Pachyderm presents Dr. Bryan Chu, Republican nominee for State Representative, House District 149

Dr. Bryan Chu is the Republican nominee challenging State Representative Hubert Vo for House District 149. Join us to hear about his race and vision for the District.

We look forward to seeing everyone!

Downtown Houston Pachyderm Club – May 26th

Downtown Houston Pachyderm presents Betty Avery, HCRP’s Military Partnership Committee Chairman, to discuss Memorial Day

Betty Boren Avery is Chairman of the Military Partnership Committee of the Harris County Republican Party and a Blue Star Mom with a passion for Servant Leadership, Youth, and Veterans. She is a Precinct Chair and an elected official in the State of Texas. She has a MBA in eCommerce with a background in local government, financial services, and oil & gas with an emphasis with Project Management. In her role as Commissioner of Harris County Emergency Services District #9, Commissioner Avery continues her service to the community.
With a son in the US ARMY, Betty has volunteered at military related events at the Houston National Cemetery to honor Veterans. She has alerted others to the Military Voting Procedures, raised awareness of PTSD, and assisted at Wings Over Houston to foster the relationship between the Military and the community. Raising three teenage daughters' at the same time taught Betty patience. One of those daughters conducts Medical Research in the Texas Medical Center following her father's career path, and the Twins utilize their strategic processing skills in their career fields – Mortgage and Transportation

We look forward to seeing everyone!

Downtown Houston Pachyderm Club – May 19th

Downtown Houston Pachyderm presents the Honorable Ken Wise, Justice on the 14th Court of Appeals, “Wise About Texas: Stories from Texas History”

Justice Ken Wise was appointed to the 14th Court of Appeals by Governor Rick Perry in October 2013. Prior to his appointment, Justice Wise served as the Judge of the 334th Judicial District Court in Harris County and Judge of the 152nd Judicial District Court in Harris County.
Justice Wise earned his bachelor’s degree from Texas A&M University, where he competed as a member of the intercollegiate rodeo team.
Justice Wise is very active in the service of the bar and the judiciary. He co-chaired a State Bar task force that conducted the first complete study of the Texas Court system since 1894. He has also served as a multi-district litigation judge as well as a visiting judge in counties across the State of Texas.
Justice Wise is an avid Texas historian. He hosts the Texas history podcast Wise About Texas which has thousands of listeners nationwide. He has written several scholarly articles and given dozens of speeches on all aspects of Texas history. Justice Wise is a Trustee of the Texas Supreme Court Historical Society and a member of the Supreme Court Task Force on Historic Court Record Preservation.
A native Houstonian, Justice Wise has been very active in the Houston community. Justice Wise is a director of the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo and an advisory director of the Former Texas Ranger Foundation.
Ken is a fifth-generation native Texan. He is married to Sara Wise and they have two children, Sarah Jane and Jackson.

We look forward to seeing everyone!
 

Downtown Houston Pachyderm Club – May 5th

Join us to celebrate Cinco De Mayo as Downtown Houston Pachyderm presents Kameron Searle, Texas historian: Cinco de Mayo – a Texas connection

Kameron Searle is a graduate of South Texas College of Law and practices law in Houston, Texas.

He is 7th generation Texan and he is a past President of the Texas Heritage Society.

He is on the board of directors at Washington on the Brazos State Park.

Mr. Searle's great great great grandfather, Martin Parmer was one of the 59 signers of the Texas Declaration of Independence from Mexico and the Chairman of the Committee that drafted the Constitution of the Republic of Texas.

Thank you. We look forward to seeing everyone!

Downtown Houston Pachyderm Club – April 21st

Downtown Houston Pachyderm presents Lori Bartley, Run-off candidate for CD 18 and Texas Independence Day presentation by Tom Zakes

Lori Bartley, Run-off candidate for Congressional District 18, will talk to us about her race and qualifications to serve.

Our own DT Pachyderm Board member and Secretary, Tom Zakes, will give a presentation on Texas History and Independence Day.

PLEASE NOTE  THE SPAGHETTI WAREHOUSE is open for our meeting.

We hope to see you for our program as scheduled.
Houston native, Lori Bartley is committed to continuing Texas' proud tradition of reform-minded leadership in Congress as she runs for the 18th Congressional District.

Like many from the Bayou City, Lori Bartley grew up under the long shadow of the working poor. As a direct descendant of Mathew Gaines (R-TX), a former slave turned Texas State Senator, her family's roots and belief in fighting for freedom and aspiring to greatness goes back decades.

Shortly after the birth of her fourth child, the small business owner discovered her children suffered from serious mental illnesses. Having taught in the public school system and in seeking out the best educational solutions for their family, Lori came to realize the public education system offered an inexact cookie-cutter approach. Rather than leave their children's success up to chance, Lori decided to fight for a free and equal education that would allow her children to be taught the way they learned. By citing the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act she was able to achieve the very best combination of services necessary for her children to excel to the best of their ability through the public school system.

However, far too many families with the same needs face scarce options and lack the time and finances necessary to wage the same fight. That is why she is a firm believer in the necessity of School Choice and Entrepreneurship. Lori believes in advancing every American's right to economic freedom and opportunity. After all, she knows entrepreneurship is the backbone of the economic system.

Lori has advocated for educational reform, mental illness, homelessness and elder care for over 20 years. She is has an extensive background working in Probation, Education and Counseling. Her personal journey, as well as, her knowledge and skills will help her to serve CD 18 well.

She is a member of St. James Christian Church and a member of several organizations, including the National Association for Mental Illness and The National Alliance to End Homelessness. Lori and her husband are the proud parents of four wonderful children.
 

Downtown Houston Pachyderm presents Republican Party of Texas Chairman, Hon. Tom Mechler

Tom Mechler was elected Chairman of the Republican Party of Texas (RPT) in March 2015 by the State Republican Executive Committee (SREC) to fulfill the unexpired term of Steve Munisteri. He has been politically involved for thirty years. He was previously appointed Treasurer of the RPT by his predecessor in September 2010, a position he held for nearly 4-1/2 years. He previously served as a county Republican Chairman for a combined period of twelve years at three different locations and served on the SREC representing District 28 from 2002 – 2006. He also served as the Platform Committee Chairman at the 2012 and 2014 State Conventions.

Governor Perry appointed Tom to the Texas Board of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) in November 2005 where he served for nearly nine years, the last five of which as the Vice-Chairman where he was 2nd in command of the state agency responsible for operating 109 prisons, including a $3.3 billion per year budget, 37,000 employees and 22,000 volunteers.

Tom’s business experience includes serving as President of Manna Services, Inc. which operates as a small oil & gas production company and is involved in providing consulting services to independent oil and gas producers in the Texas Panhandle. Tom has extensive experience in the negotiation and auditing of gas purchase contracts for the natural gas industry. He previously worked for ARCO for ten years, seven of which were in Alaska, where he and his family lived in Wasilla. His past assignments included duties as an offshore production foreman, facility engineer at Prudhoe Bay, Alaska, facility planner, and technical director.

Tom graduated Magna Cum Laude with a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from Texas A&M University in 1980 and received a Masters of Business Administration (MBA) Finance degree in 1992 from The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, which is the top finance university in the world. He is a registered Mechanical Engineer as well as a Volunteer Prison Chaplain. He and his wife Becky currently reside on a ranch outside of Amarillo and have six adult children and fifteen grandchildren.

We look forward to seeing everyone!

Downtown Houston Pachyderm Club – April 14th

Downtown Houston Pachyderm presents Republican Party of Texas Chairman, Hon. Tom Mechler

Tom Mechler was elected Chairman of the Republican Party of Texas (RPT) in March 2015 by the State Republican Executive Committee (SREC) to fulfill the unexpired term of Steve Munisteri. He has been politically involved for thirty years. He was previously appointed Treasurer of the RPT by his predecessor in September 2010, a position he held for nearly 4-1/2 years. He previously served as a county Republican Chairman for a combined period of twelve years at three different locations and served on the SREC representing District 28 from 2002 – 2006. He also served as the Platform Committee Chairman at the 2012 and 2014 State Conventions.

Governor Perry appointed Tom to the Texas Board of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) in November 2005 where he served for nearly nine years, the last five of which as the Vice-Chairman where he was 2nd in command of the state agency responsible for operating 109 prisons, including a $3.3 billion per year budget, 37,000 employees and 22,000 volunteers.

Tom’s business experience includes serving as President of Manna Services, Inc. which operates as a small oil & gas production company and is involved in providing consulting services to independent oil and gas producers in the Texas Panhandle. Tom has extensive experience in the negotiation and auditing of gas purchase contracts for the natural gas industry. He previously worked for ARCO for ten years, seven of which were in Alaska, where he and his family lived in Wasilla. His past assignments included duties as an offshore production foreman, facility engineer at Prudhoe Bay, Alaska, facility planner, and technical director.

Tom graduated Magna Cum Laude with a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from Texas A&M University in 1980 and received a Masters of Business Administration (MBA) Finance degree in 1992 from The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, which is the top finance university in the world. He is a registered Mechanical Engineer as well as a Volunteer Prison Chaplain. He and his wife Becky currently reside on a ranch outside of Amarillo and have six adult children and fifteen grandchildren.
Downtown Houston Pachyderm Club – April 7th

Downtown Houston Pachyderm presents Dr. Robin Armstrong, Republican National Committeeman for the State of Texas

Dr. Robin Armstrong serves as Republican National Committeeman for the State of Texas. He will discuss convention and delegate procedures related to selection of our party’s presidential nominee, and other hot topics related to the convention process!

We look forward to seeing everyone!

Downtown Houston Pachyderm Club – March 31st

Downtown Houston Pachyderm presents Alan Vera, Chairman of HCRP’s Ballot Security Committee

Alan Vera serves as Chairman of the Harris County Republican Party’s Ballot Security Committee. He will speak on the topic of voter fraud. Please join us for this informative meeting and find out what you can do to help as we prepare for the November general election.

We look forward to seeing everyone!

Downtown Houston Pachyderms – March 17 – Hon. Mary Lou Keel, Frank Nadolney

Mary Lou Keel graduated from the University of Texas with a bachelor's degree in English in 1982. She received her JD from the University of Houston in 1985.

From 1985 to 1986 she worked as a briefing attorney at the First Court of Appeals in Houston.

In 1986 she began work for the Harris County District Attorney's Office as a trial prosecutor and then as an appellate prosecutor, representing the state in the intermediate appellate courts and the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals.

She was elected in 1994 to the 232nd District Court, a felony trial court in Harris County. Since then she has been re-elected five times.

She has been board certified in criminal law since 1990.

In 2009 she was appointed the wiretap judge for the Second Administrative Judicial Region of Texas.

Judge Keel has been a speaker at conferences and seminars for judges, lawyers, police officers and licensed court interpreters.

Judge Keel is proficient in Spanish and is a volunteer interpreter for the website translatingcuba.com. This website helps give voice to the dissident and independent writers in Cuba who suffer repression uner the communist dictatorship.

Judge Keel has also served as an interpreter for the Houston Volunteer Lawyer Project.

In the past she served on the Houston Bar Association Bench-Bar Pro Bono Awards Committee and the boards of the Houston Read Commission and the Texas Center for Adoloscent Rehabilitation and Education. She has served as a volunteer judge for the Family Law Evening Court project.

Judge Keel met her husband, Jim Hippard, Jr., in law school, and they have three children. The oldest, Greer, is working towards his nursing degree. The second, Connor, is a junior at Texas Tech majoring in business management. Their youngest, Colleen, is a high school senior. The family also has a dog, Tip, 13 years old.

Judge Keel grew up in Austin with her five brothers and a cousin.

She enjoys reading, cooking and skiing.
Frank Nadolney is a realtor and developer in the North Shore/Channelview area. His dad, Peaches Nadolney played for the University of Notre Dame under legendary coach Knute Rockne and in the early days of the National Football League. He has also served as president of the HRBC and the C Club. As a special treat for St Patrick’s Day, he will share with us about the Notre Dame Fighting Irish.


We look forward to seeing everyone and don't forget to wear green!
 

Downtown Houston Pachyderm Club – March 10th

Downtown Houston Pachyderm presents Harris County Clerk, Hon. Stan Stanart, with a March 1st Primary Election Wrap-up!

About the Honorable Stan Stanart:
After graduation from Oklahoma State University with a Bachelor of Science in Electronic Engineering Technology, Stan worked sixteen years in the aerospace industry. He focused his extensive computer hardware and software knowledge on technology in avionic testing, missile defense, real-time simulation and system testing for the international space station.
In 1994 he joined Compaq Computer Corporation where he was a developer and advanced system architect and held numerous managerial positions utilizing his technical expertise in computer product design and development.
In 2007 Stan joined the Harris County Tax Office as Manager of Hardware Information Technology. He was instrumental in advancing the technological abilities of that office improving services for the citizens of Harris County.
Stan was elected County Clerk of the third largest county in the country in November 2010 and has made many improvements to the office.
Stan continues to improve the office’s technology to better serve the public. He has far too many software certifications and accreditations to mention here along with solid budgeting, negotiating, and problem solving experience. Since 1996, Stan has volunteered many hours to our local civic and political process and was re-elected in November 2014.

We look forward to seeing everyone!

Downtown Houston Pachyderm Club – March 3rd

Please join Downtown Houston Pachyderm for our Open-Mike meeting to share Election Day stories, and, hear from Valoree Swanson about her race in HD 150

We look forward to seeing everyone!
 

Downtown Houston Pachyderm Club – February 25th

Please join Downtown Houston Pachyderm for our final lunch before Election Day as we host the following contested primary candidates: Hon. Mike Sullivan and Hon. Mary Lou Keel, Justice Michael Massengale.

Hon. Mike Sullivan is currently serving as Harris County Tax Assessor Collector, and is running for re-election. He previously served on the Humble ISD School Board and Houston City Council.

Judge Mary Lou Keel is serving as Judge of the 232nd Criminal District Court and is running for the Court of Criminal Appeals.

We look forward to seeing everyone for the final meeting before the March 1st Republican primary!

Downtown Houston Pachyderm Club – February 18th

Please join Downtown Houston Pachyderm for lunch as we host the following contested primary candidates: Ron Hale, Kevin Jewell and Harold Norris

Ron Hale is running for Texas Railroad Commissioner
Kevin Jewell is running for Justice on the 14th Court of Appeals, Place 2
Harold Norris is running for Harris County Justice of the Peace, Pct.1, Place 1
 

primary candidates: Eric Dick, Danell Fields, Kay Smith, Rolf Nelson, Hon. Rick Ramos, Hon. Paul Simpson

Eric Dick is running for Harris County School Trustee
Danell Fields is running for Harris County School Trustee
Kay Smith is running for State Representative District 130
Rolf Nelson is running for Constable, Harris County Precinct 4
Hon. Rick Ramos is running for HCRP Chairman
Hon. Paul Simpson is the incumbent HCRP Chairman seeking re-election

Downtown Houston Pachyderm Club – February 4th

Please join Downtown Houston Pachyderm for lunch as we host the following contested primary candidates: Bashist Sharma, Nile Copeland, Carl Pittman, Chris Carmona, Jim Leitner, Mary McFaden, Antonio Benavides, and Xavier Alfaro

Bashist Sharma is running for Judge of the 178th District Court,

Nile Copeland is running for Judge of the 178th District Court

Xavier Alfaro is running for Judge of the 178th District Court

Carl Pittman is running for Harris County Sheriff

Chris Carmona is running for Harris County Attorney

Jim Leitner is running for Harris County Attorney

Mary McFaden is running for Judge of the 339th District Court

Antonio Benavides is running for Judge of the 339th District Court

We look forward to seeing everyone as we continue getting ready for the March 1st Republican primary!
 

Please join Downtown Houston Pachyderm for lunch as we host Bill Boyce, Co-Author of the book, Miss Fortune’s Last Mission, and a Justice on the 14th Court of Appeals

Bill Boyce lives in Houston, Texas, where he practiced law for 18 years before becoming a justice on the state court of appeals. He graduated from Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism, and from Northwestern University School of Law. Before attending law school, he worked for newspapers in Illinois and Oregon. He is married to Maria Wyckoff Boyce and is the proud father of daughters Emily and Julia.

Mr. Boyce’s summary of the book:
“Twenty-five years after his death, I wanted to know the things my father would not discuss about his time as a 19-year-old waist gunner in a B-24 bomber. I found the man who could tell me. He was Ray Noury, who flew with my father over Europe in late 1943; saved my father’s life; and, after my wounded father was shipped home, became the lone survivor of a doomed crew that was shot down in February 1944. When I met Ray in 2013, only five months before his own death at age 90, he told me the story of a B-24 nicknamed Miss Fortune. Ray talked about Miss Fortune’s crew members, their families, and a village that continues to honor the crew’s sacrifice seven decades later. Ray’s revelations took me across the country and over the Atlantic; through stacks of letters and pictures; and back to the confusion I felt as a child wondering why my father still was so wounded so many years after the surgeons repaired his shattered leg. Ray introduced me to his friend John Torrison, whose years of research honored John’s uncle and the other crew members who flew on Miss Fortune’s last mission. Ray and John answered the questions that went unasked while my father was alive. It turns out that knowing one man required me to know eleven others. They flew with and in place of my father as 1943 turned into 1944. Decades after their last mission, the members of Miss Fortune’s crew remained with my father. They still live today in the memories of people on two continents.”

Downtown Houston Pachyderm Club – January 14th

Please join Downtown Houston Pachyderm for lunch as we host the following contested Republican primary candidates: James Lloyd, Maria Espinoza, and George Moore

James Lloyd and Maria Espinoza are running for Congress from the 7th District.

George Moore is running for the Harris County Department of Education.

We look forward to seeing everyone as we get ready for the March 1st Republican primary!

Please join Downtown Houston Pachyderm for our first meeting of 2016 as we host the following contested Republican primary candidates: Don Sumners for Harris County Tax Assessor, Phil Gommels for Judge of 178th Criminal District Court, Daniel Vela for Harris County Constable Precinct 2, Xavier Alfaro for Judge of 178th Criminal District Court, and, Ted Heap for Harris County Constable Precinct 5.

Downtown Houston Pachyderms – December 3, Christmas party - please bring a new, unwrapped toy for the Toys for Tots program, installation of officers, last meeting of 2015

Collecting Toys for Tots – once again, our club is partnering with the US Marines to brighten the Christmas season for those less fortunate among us. We are asking that you bring a new, unwrapped toy to our Christmas party on December 3 at Spaghetti Warehouse. If you are unable to join us that day, you can drop your donation off at the restaurant before then.

Senator Paul Bettencourt will install our officers for 2016.
 

Downtown Houston Pachyderm Club – November 12th
Please join Downtown Houston Pachyderm as we present City of Houston Runoff Candidates Bill Frazer, Chris Brown, Amanda Edwards, Dr. Jack Christie and Jim Bigham, and, Elect 2016 Board Members

The City of Houston Run-off Election will be December 12th and Downtown Houston Pachyderm will feature the following City of Houston municipal Run-off Candidates this Thursday:

Bill Frazer and Chris Brown, Candidates for Controller
Amanda Edwards, Candidate for City Council at Large #4
Hon. Jack Christie, Councilman and Candidate for City Council at Large #5
Jim Bigham, Candidate for City Council District J

We will also conduct the election of our Board Members for terms starting 2016
 

Downtown Houston Pachyderm Club – November 5th
Please join Downtown Houston Pachyderm as we present State Senator Paul Bettencourt

Texas State Senator for SD 7, Hon. Paul Bettencourt, will present an election day wrap up!
Paul Bettencourt is Chief Executive Officer of Bettencourt Tax Advisors, LLC., a Radio and TV personality, former Harris County Tax Assessor-Collector from 1998 to 2008, and the current Texas Senator from District 7. At the Tax Office, he introduced “Smart Government” and developed a customer service-driven organization. His team created the first major online Property Tax Payment System and the first county tax office website with online Automotive Registration in Texas. (His motto was “Get on-line, not in-line.”) His leadership in office and the community earned Paul the “Taxpayer Advocate of the Year” award from Americans for Prosperity, the “Hero of Faith” award from the Houston Area Pastors’ Council, and the “Pioneer” award from the Harris County Republican Party.
Paul has also held the offices of the Texas Republican Party Treasurer, the Harris County Republican Party Vice Chair and Treasurer, a National Republican Party Alternate from Texas in 2000, a National Delegate in 2004 and 2008, and Presidential Elector in the 2012 Presidential Election from Congressional District 7.
After a decade of public service, Paul started his own business in 2009. With a focus on customer service, technology, and best business practices, Bettencourt Tax Advisors, LLC assists in reducing property tax bills for its clients and has successfully expanded to over 30 employees.
Paul ran for the Texas Senate in District 7 and won with 71.8% of the vote. As the newly elected Senator of SD 7, he was honored to be appointed to the Senate Finance Committee by Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick, who also appointed Paul to the Senate Committees on Intergovernmental Relations (Vice Chair), Education, and Higher Education. At the conclusion of the Legislative Session, Senator Bettencourt was recognized by Capitol Inside as "Most Valuable Freshman" and by Governor Abbott as an “architect of tax relief.”
 

Downtown Houston Pachyderm Club – October 29th
Please join Downtown Houston Pachyderm as we present City of Houston municipal candidates, Carl Jarvis, Chris Oliver, Willie Davis, Hon. MJ Khan, Hon. Jew Don Boney

This is the last Thursday before election day and Downtown Houston Pachyderm will feature the following City of Houston municipal Candidates: City Council District C candidate Carl Jarvis, City Council At-large Position 1 candidate Chris Oliver, City Council At-large Position 2 candidate Willie Davis, City Controller candidate Hon. MJ Khan, City Controller candidate Hon. Jew Don Boney

Downtown Houston Pachyderm Club – October 22nd
Please join Downtown Houston Pachyderm as we present City of Houston municipal candidates, John Larue, Iesheia Wilson, David Robinson, Hon. Dwight Jefferson, and Victoria Lane

Downtown Houston Pachyderm will continue featuring City of Houston municipal Candidates over the next two Thursdays until Election Day on November 3rd. This week our speakers will be Houston Mayoral candidate Victoria Lane, City Controller candidate Hon. Dwight Jefferson, City Council District A candidate Iesheia Wilson, City Council At-large Position 2 incumbent and candidate Hon. David Robinson, and, City Council At-large Position 3 candidate John Larue.
 

Downtown Houston Pachyderm Club – October 15th
Please join Downtown Houston Pachyderm as we present City of Houston municipal candidates, Marty McVey, Michael McDonald, Sandie Mullins Moger, Bill Frazer, and Eric Dick

Downtown Houston Pachyderm will continue featuring City of Houston municipal Candidates over the next three Thursdays until Election Day on November 3rd. This week our speakers will be Houston Mayoral candidate Marty McVey, City Council District C candidate Michael McDonald, City Council District G candidate Sandie Mullins Moger, City Controller candidate Bill Frazer, and, City Council At-large Position 2 candidate Eric Dick.

Downtown Houston Pachyderm Club – October 8th
Please join Downtown Houston Pachyderm as we present City of Houston municipal candidates, Hon. Chris Bell, Laurie Robinson, and Moe Rivera!

Downtown Houston Pachyderm will continue featuring City of Houston municipal Candidates over the next four Thursdays until Election Day on November 3rd. This week our speakers will be Houston Mayoral candidate Hon. Chris Bell, City Council At-large Position 4 candidate Laurie Robinson, and, City Council At-large Position 2 candidate Moe Rivera.
 

Downtown Houston Pachyderm Club – October 1st
Please join Downtown Houston Pachyderm as we present City of Houston municipal candidates, Amanda Edwards, Hon. Jack Christie, Hon. Andrew Burks, and, Radio Personality Doc Greene of Raging Elephants Radio!

Downtown Houston Pachyderm will feature City of Houston municipal Candidates over the next five Thursdays until Election Day. This week our speakers will be City Council At-large Position 4 candidate Amanda Edwards, City Council At-large Position 5 Incumbent and candidate Hon. Jack Christie, and, City Council At-large Position 2 candidate Hon. Andrew Burks. We will open the meeting with a few words about the municipal elections from Radio Personality Doc Greene of Raging Elephants Radio.

A big Pachyderm THANK YOU to all who attended and supported our Greater Harris County area Pachyderm Club awards luncheon and 20th Anniversary Celebration with Governor Abbott on September 3rd. It was a great success due to all your efforts!

Downtown Houston Pachyderm Club – September 24th
Please join Downtown Houston Pachyderm as we present City of Houston municipal candidates, Chris Brown, Joe McElligott and Mike Knox

Downtown Houston Pachyderm will feature City of Houston municipal Candidates over the next six Thursdays until Election Day. This week our speakers will be City Controller candidate Chris Brown, City Council At-large Position 3 candidate Joe McElligott, and, City Council At-large Position 1 candidate Mike Knox

The club will hold elections for open positions of the board in November. We plan to announce board nominees at this meeting.September 17th
Please join Downtown Houston Pachyderm as we present Hon. Mike Sullivan, Harris County Tax Assessor-Collector

About Mike Sullivan:
A native Houstonian, with a long history of community involvement, Mike Sullivan was sworn in as Harris County Tax Assessor-Collector on January 1, 2013, and is serving a four-year term. His focus is on improving customer service, embracing technology, and advocating for the taxpayer. Mike Sullivan served on the Executive Committee of the Region H Water Planning Group from 1997 – 2005. He then ran for the Humble ISD school board, where he served from 2004 – 2007. Sullivan was elected to Houston City Council in 2008. Serving District E, he represented the communities of Kingwood and Clear Lake, as well as the Houston Ship Channel, Ellington Airport, and NASA/Johnson Space Center. Sullivan was known as the most conservative member of Houston City Council. Elected to a third and final term, he was the only member of council to run unopposed in 2011. Sullivan believes strongly in community involvement. He presently serves as a board member of Hospital Corporation of America-Gulf Coast Division, and Camp Allen. He also serves on the Lone Star College System Chancellor’s Advisory Council and is a member of the Kingwood Musical Arts Society Advisory Board. Additionally, Sullivan is an Ex-Officio Director of the Bay Area Houston Economic Partnership, a leading economic development organization. Governor Rick Perry appointed Sullivan to serve on his nine-member Task Force on Unfunded Mandates in 2011. Mike has been married to his wonderful wife Kim, for 32 years. Together, they own and operate Mike Sullivan Realty, a full-service real estate brokerage firm. They also have an amazing daughter, Paige, who recently graduated from Baylor University. Sullivan received an Associate of Arts degree from Lone Star College-Kingwood in Spring 2012. In 2014, at age 56, he graduated from UH-Downtown, with a Bachelor of Science in Political Science. Sullivan’s mission is to create the best customer service experience possible.
 

September 10 Hon. Adrian Garcia

Adrian Garcia was born in Houston, TX, growing up in the Near Northside.
Adrian was most recently Sheriff of Harris County, the largest county in Texas and third largest in the United States.
As an executive, Adrian managed a workforce of approximately 5,000 people and a budget of almost $500 million.
Previously, Adrian represented District H on Houston City Council and prior to that, spent 23 years as an officer with the Houston Police Department.

About Judge Law: Before Bill and Hillary, there was George and Lurleen, Juan and Evita. The Library of Congress just selected Janice Law’s AMERICAN EVITA: LURLEEN WALLACE for inclusion in its collection. Four of Janice’s six books are included in the LOC collections. It is the first full biography of America’s third woman governor. Although she was the wife of avowed segregationist George, she struck an independent course as governor and was eulogized by Dr. Ralph David Abernathy, a top lieutenant of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., when she died in office in 1968. More information may be found at www.judgejanicelaw.com . When Alabama’s fiery Governor George Wallace ran his wife Lurleen for Alabama governor – and she won big time – he was in for an unwelcomed surprise! Every other chapter is about Evita Peron. Judge Law was impressed by their similar backgrounds – born in poverty, received little formal education, married driven men, achieved their own prominence and both died at an early age of uterine cancer. Judge Law just did an interview with WTSU radio, the National Public Radio affiliate for the southeastern region. She has met with Alabama Lt. Governor Kay Ivey and with Alabama Governor Robert Beasley’s Chief of Staff Seth Hammett. She is the author of 6 books, one of which was a 2007 nonfiction finalist for the Texas Book Award, a presenter on CSPAN Book TV and a featured author at prestigious book festivals

About Karen Watson:
Founder and President of GOPBuzz.com, an internet portal for Republicancentric events nationwide, Karen Watson has written and just completed her second book How the Democrats Stole the Black Vote and How the Republicans Can Win it Back. Her first book, Being Black and Republican in the Age of Obama remains a huge success and has gone a long way in restoring the brand of the party of Lincoln. While a high school student in 1984, Watson attended her first Republican National Convention to nominate Reagan/Bush and has remained active in the Republican Party. A keynote speaker at various Tea-Party and Republican clubs, Watson communicates her message that "conservative values are the right values for all Americans, regardless of race or gender". Watson is a native Texan and lives in Dallas. Watson has been interviewed on numerous radio and television shows and has spoken at over 150 events. Watson majored in English with a Speech minor and a language concentration in Russian, at the University of Texas in Austin. When Watson was a Vice-President at Bank of America, she became the #1 mortgage loan officer in units and volume nationwide for four consecutive years. Watson has recently been added as a columnist with Politichicks.
 

Downtown Houston Pachyderm Club – August 13th
Please join Downtown Houston Pachyderm as we present State Representative, Dwayne Bohac, District 138

About Representative Bohac:
During his time in the Texas Legislature, Dwayne Bohac has focused on improving local quality of life, keeping taxes low, cracking down on illegal immigration, and improving public education. At the local level, Bohac has worked to improve local flood control measures through the use of retention ponds, given municipalities greater authority to enforce apartment standards, increased local police patrols, passed tougher laws against graffiti, and secured funds for local traffic mobility and esplanade beautification projects.
At the state level, Bohac has led efforts to cap property tax appraisals at 5% or less, increased funding for border security, co-authored the state’s Voter ID law, helped pass stronger pro-life and pro-family legislation, and worked with local teachers and school board members to improve public education and provide fair teacher pay. In 2012, he received nation recognition for authoring the “Merry Christmas Bill” which allows teachers and students to celebrate Christmas and Hanukah in public schools without fear of litigation. Bohac currently serves on the House Ways & Means and Public Education committees. Before being elected to the Legislature, Dwayne was active in the local community having founded “Save Our Neighborhoods/Northwest Coalition,” served on the White Oaks Bayou Association, and been a part of the Spring Branch Revitalization Association. A lifelong resident of Texas House District 138, Bohac was born in Northwest Houston and now lives in the Spring Branch area and attends Second Baptist Church. He graduated from Scarborough High School and earned Bachelors Degrees in Political Science and Marketing from Texas A&M University.
Honors and Awards
“Taxpayers Best Friend” Award, Texas House Republican Caucus
“Honor Roll” Award, Parent Teacher Association (PTA)
“Best of the House” Award, Combined Law Enforcement Association of Texas (CLEAT)

Downtown Houston Pachyderms – August 6 – Municipal Candidates Jonathan Hansen, Hon. Dwight Jefferson


About Jonathan Hansen
I grew up in a small town an hour outside of Houston, and I still remember the sense of awe and excitement I got when I was young and my family would drive into the city for any number of reasons: shopping at the Galleria; viewing spectacular exhibits at the city's premiere museums; enjoying the Tony Award-winning performances at The Alley Theatre or a concert; or to see the Rockets or Astros play for national championships.
While I still hold sincere affections for that small town in which I grew up, even as a young child I felt Houston calling me. Today, when I get on a plane to return to Houston after traveling, I feel it call me still. A sense of warmth grows inside me knowing that I'm about to return home to the city I love most of all.
When people who don't know what a great city Houston is ask me why I love our city so much, the first thing I tell them is that Houstonians are what makes Houston such an amazing city. It's a city blessed with an immensely diverse, talented, creative, intelligent, and friendly population. Then I tell them about the Tex-Mex.
Long ago, I left that small town in which I grew up to attend the University of Texas at Austin where I graduated with a BBA in finance. Subsequently, after moving to Houston, I ended up commuting to and working for my family's rural three-newspaper publishing business until it was successfully sold to a larger publishing company.
At its heart the newspaper industry in which I grew up - at its best - strives to educate the public about the world around them. Working in the newspaper industry taught me something about myself that surprised me: more than anything else, I'm motivated by what I can do to empower and free others to shape a better world for the present and for the future.
So, it seemed natural after following my father's footsteps into the journalism business for me to, once the newspapers were sold, then follow my mother's footsteps into the education profession to pursue my passion to eradicate ignorance in one domain in particular that most greatly impacts and seems to most mystify the public - economics.
It has been my great pleasure to teach economics for the past five years to some very bright and talented students that give me great hope for the future, and to also coach competitive swimming at the summer league, high school, and USA Swimming club levels.
I know that when I get up in the morning, what I do all day matters in ways that I may never be able to fully appreciate.
Swimming is a great lifelong sport that I both coach and still participate in as a U.S. Masters swimmer. I try to teach my athletes what I have learned from the sport, which is that hard work, dedication, and continuous self improvement count the most. We are all born with certain innate strengths and weaknesses. It's how we are able to develop our strengths to capitalize on them while also strengthening our weaknesses that matters - regardless of the talent we are born with, the adversities we face, or at what stage of life we find ourselves.
I think there are many applications of those insights to the future growth and development of the city of Houston as we become confident in our identity as an emerging major force in the American urban landscape. We must stop apologizing for what we will never have - such as Mediterranean climate or breathtaking natural wonders.
In fact, Houston proves that the human wonders of entrepreneurial initiative and industriousness - relatively free of the burdens of government heavy-handedness compared to other large American cities - are more powerful and important than natural wonders. So, instead of attempting to emulate other cities around the United States that are in decline while Houston has ascended, we should recognize and emphasize what has made our city prosperous.
Still, we should use that initiative and industriousness to improve upon our weaknesses - such as the lacking of and abundance of aesthetic natural assets - by accentuating those we do have in unique ways to maximize Houstonians' enjoyment of our great city and so we can show the world our best Houston.
As I hope you can see, I'm not running for Houston City Council because I'm seeking to become a public servant. I am a public servant. I'm simply seeking to make an impact beyond 150 students a semester and instead do my small part to help unlock and unleash the potential of the 2.2 million people of the city of Houston.
I'm running for Houston City Council At-Large Position 4 because I firmly believe that together we can build a greater Houston.




Judge Jefferson is Of Counsel with Coats Rose and a retired State District Judge (215th District Court of Harris County, Texas). He has over 25 years of litigation experience, beginning as an in-house counsel for Liberty Mutual Insurance Company. He has been a certified mediator since 1997, and an American Arbitration Association approved arbitrator since 2006. The Judge currently holds an AV Peer Review rating from Martindale-Hubbell. This is the his second tenure with Coats Rose, having been a litigation associate and Director from 1988, until his appointment to the bench by then Governor George W. Bush in 1995.

 

Downtown Houston Pachyderms – July 30 – Municipal Candidates Marty McVey for Mayor, Trebor Gordon for City Council at Large


Marty McVey offers new leadership for Houston through his vision, and his experience as the only business candidate. He is a 41-year-old accomplished entrepreneur with more than 15 years of international business development, leadership in creating new businesses through direct financial investments, as well as recognized social justice expertise.
In 2011, he was honored to be appointed by President Barack Obama to travel over the world as a Director of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Board for International Food and Agricultural Development (BIFAD). USAID plays a critical role in US efforts in stabilizing regions and building responsive local
governance; the agency addresses many of the same problems as military interventions, but uses a different set of tools.

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McVey has been proud to be a part of the efforts to ease the transition between conflict and long-term development by investing in agriculture, health systems and democratic institutions. USAID extends help from the American people to achieve results for the poorest and most vulnerable around the world. That assistance does not represent Democratic values or Republican values, but American values. It has also afforded the opportunity to travel and build relationships all over the world.
Responsibilities with the agency include providing guidance to the federal government regarding investments in training, research, and technology transfer to developing countries. As part of these responsibilities, Mr. McVey served as Chairman for the Haitian Reconstruction Task Force, as well as Chairman of the BIFAD Budget Committee.
McVey founded a private equity firm that spurred the creation of award-winning businesses in the Real Estate, Clean Energy Services and Healthcare sectors. Mr. McVey is also a licensed Real Estate Broker in Texas.
A much requested public speaker, McVey has been guest lecturer at the Borlaug Institute at Texas A&M University, Trulaske College of Business at the University of Missouri, the Moody College of Business at the University of Louisiana, the Bush School of Government & Public Service at Texas A&M University, the Center on Conflict and Development at Texas A&M University, the Center for International Studies at the University of St. Thomas, the Center for International and Comparative Studies at the University of Houston and the Jake Jabs College of Business & Entrepreneurship at Montana State University.
Mr. McVey earned a Bachelor and Master of Business Administration, with concentration in Management, from American University. He received his Global Master of Business Administration from Georgetown University as well as a Master Universitario en Administración Empresas from Esade University in Madrid, Spain. Additionally Mr. McVey completed Harvard Business School's Developing Future Leaders' Program.

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McVey's civic engagements are far-reaching. He has been a major supporter of charitable organizations that include Halo House Foundation, Human Rights Watch and the World Affairs Council. Mr. McVey is a lifetime member of the NAACP, a National Advisory Board Member of the Tahirih Justice Center, and a committee member of the Bush-Clinton Ike Coastal Recovery Fund. He is also actively involved in promoting the economic development and sustainability of the City of Houston, and served as an executive committee member and former Chair of the Political Engagement Committee of the Greater Houston Partnership.


As a professional, Trebor Gordon is a servant who plays a vital role in society. Trebor is committed to the highest degrees of integrity, committed to deliver the best administration possible. Trebor is committed to fair and transparent governance, to delivering high quality services, to a stewardship of government funds that will maximize cost-effectiveness and for accountability. Trebor Gordon is committed to the improvement of the policy-making and service delivery abilities of the Houston.

Trebor Gordon is committed to reflecting on his roles and responsibilities. Trebor is committed to test and measure his values, his ethics, and his actions as he serves the people of Houston.
MEET TREBOR
NEW LEADERSHIP DELIVERING RESULTS FOR OUR COMMUNITY
Chaplain - Harris County Republican Party
Committee Member - Engagement Committee
Committee Member - Rules Committee
Secretary - MLK Association of Texas
Houston, soon to be the 3rd largest city in the nation, has the ability to be the greatest gathering of people and cultures in the country--a city that enhances the quality of life of its people...with your vote for me this vision will become reality.

 

About Deborah King Sacrey:

Deborah is a geologist/geophysicist with 39 years of oil and gas exploration experience in the Texas and Louisiana Gulf Coast and Mid-Continent areas of the US. She received her degree in Geology from the University of Oklahoma in 1976 and immediately started working for Gulf Oil in their Oklahoma City offices.

She started her own company, Auburn Energy, in 1990 and built her first geophysical workstation using Kingdom software in 1995. She helped SMT/IHS for 20 years in developing and testing the Kingdom Software. She specializes in 2D and 3D interpretation for clients in the US and internationally. For the past three years she has been part of a team to study and bring the power of multi-attribute neural analysis of seismic data to the geoscience public, guided by Dr. Tom Smith, founder of SMT.

Deborah has been very active in the geological community. She is past national President of SIPES (Society of Independent Professional Earth Scientists), past President of the Division of Professional Affairs of AAPG (American Association of Petroleum Geologists), Past Treasurer of AAPG and is now President of the Houston Geological Society. She is also a DPA Certified Petroleum Geologist #4014 and DPA Certified Petroleum Geophysicist #2. She belongs to AAPG, SEG, PESA (Australia), SIPES, Houston Geological Society, The South Texas Geological Society and the Oklahoma City Geological Society (OCGS).

Jim Murphy serves in the Texas House, representing District 133 in West Houston. Representative Murphy serves on the Committees for Small Business and Economic Development, and Higher Education and was the Chairman of the subcommittee on Manufacturing.

The Houston Executive Council named Jim Murphy its Elected Official of the Year for 2007 as a result of his work during the 80th Legislative Session. He was also recognized by Combined Law Enforcement Association of Texas for his work on Criminal Justice issues. Murphy represents Texas on the US Energy Council, and the NCSL Committee on State and Local Revenue. Prior to his service in the Legislature, Jim was twice elected to the HCC Board of Trustees and served from 1997 to 2006.

Jim is President of District Management Services, a consulting firm assisting economic development organizations. For the past 20 years, Murphy has served as one of the driving forces of Westchase District - the 4.2 square mile business district in west Houston.

Jim has served on numerous boards in our community including the Houston West Chamber of Commerce, West Houston Medical Center, and the Houston Association of Commercial Real Estate Professionals. Jim is an active member of the Greater Houston Partnership, the Houston Association of Realtors, and the Urban Land Institute.

Murphy’s community service includes work with the Jaycees -- where he served as local President and as State President. He was named one of the Five Outstanding Young Texans in 1995. Jim has coached youth sports and served on the pastoral council of St. Cyril’s Catholic Church. He was also a founder and Vice Chair of the Alief Education Foundation and was appointed to the John Ben Shepperd Public Leadership Institute’s Advisory Council by the UT Regents.

Murphy grew up in west Houston and graduated from Strake Jesuit and UT Austin. He and his wife, Dr. Kathleen Murphy, have two sons, Robert and Pace. They are active members of St. John Vianney Catholic Church.

Charles Bacarisse is the Vice President for Development at Houston Baptist University, where he is responsible for major gift fundraising.
Bacarisse brings an understanding of the public sector and an extensive background in government service and communications to a role specifically focused on building relationships and sharing the HBU vision with stakeholders at the local, state, and national level.
Bacarisse came to HBU following four consecutive terms as Harris County District Clerk. In that role, he transformed the fourth-largest county agency by focusing on innovation, efficiency, ethics, and results. He was a three-time winner of a “County Best Practices” award for innovation and leadership in county government from the Texas Association of Counties Leadership Council. He also oversaw one of the largest records conversion projects in the nation, turning more than 380 million pages of court records into digital images, and raised millions in private and foundation dollars for a historic court documents preservation project.
He was introduced to the challenges and rewards of public service while working in the White House as the Associate Director of President Reagan’s Office of Media Relations and the Assistant Director of the Office of Public Liaison for President George H.W. Bush. He entered local public service as an Administrative Assistant to Harris County Judge Jon Lindsay, working on economic development and criminal justice issues.
Bacarisse serves the community by Chairing the State of Texas’s Department of Information Resources Board, the state’s IT agency. He previously served on the Advisory Board, Sam Houston Council, Boy Scouts of America, Neighborhood Centers, Inc. and other non-profit boards.
Bacarisse holds a bachelor of arts in political science and a bachelor of fine arts in communications from Southern Methodist University. He and his wife, Jana Fay, have two children and are active in their church.
 

Please join Downtown Houston Pachyderm as we present a discussion on Tort Reform featuring Sherry Sylvester with Texans for Lawsuit Reform, and, attorney Michael W. Lee with an opposing view

About Sherry Sylvester:
Sherry Sylvester is an award winning communications specialist whose career includes national political reporting, political campaign management and public policy advocacy. Sherry was the Political Writer at the San Antonio Express-News where she covered the 2000 presidential campaign, the Florida Recount and the last national census. She currently coordinates media relations for Texans for Lawsuit Reform.
In 2005, her alma mater, The Graduate School of Political Management, at George Washington University in Washington D. C., named her “Alumnae of the Year,” for her professional and civic accomplishments.
Sherry has a Bachelor’s Degree in Language Arts from Oklahoma State University in addition her Masters in Political Management. She and her husband, Stephen, live in San Antonio.

About Michael W. Lee:
Michael W. Lee was born August 24, 1953 in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Michael graduated Westbury High School in Houston, attended the University of Houston and obtained a degree in History. Michael then graduated the University of Houston Law Center in 1991 magna cum laude and was selected to be on the University of Houston Law Review.
He began the practice of law at Weil, Gotshal and Manges, a Wall Street based firm with a Houston office. Michael was a founding member of the law firm of Hamrick, Lee and Bailey. From 1997 until 2014 I operated my own law office.
Michael became board certified in Civil Trial Law in 1998, and has tried cases in both Federal and State District Courts. His practice specialized in representing individuals and small businesses against insurance companies and large institutions.

About Sandie Mullins Moger [candidate for District G]:
Sandie Mullins Moger has maintained a sharp focus on commitment to the community for over 20 years. Her background uniquely complements the role of Houston City Council Member for District G. Sandie has raised her family in District G, run a business from District G and been a community leader in District G. Sandie has a deep understanding of the relationship between a community and its leaders, and the needs of those who work to live and thrive in this district.
Currently, Sandie serves as Trustee, Houston Community College District VI. Elected in 2010, Sandie has represented West Houston as an advocate of efficient use of tax dollars and increasing the graduation of students into the Houston workforce or onto four-year colleges. Sandie has been a conservative voice for taxpayers and a strong voice for students to maximize their HCC experience.
Sandie is a civic leader. She is an Honorary member of the Executive Council in West Houston. She co-founded and served as President for Super Neighborhood 17. Her tenure with the Houston West Chamber of Commerce includes serving as Co-Chair of the Business and Education Committee and a member of the Economic Development, West Houston Public Safety, Governmental Affairs and Teacher of the Year Committees. The Chamber recognized her work, naming Sandie the Committee Volunteer of the Year. Sandie served a three-year term on the West Houston Medical Center Board of Directors, an HCA Hospital, and was also a member of the West Houston Region P-16 Education Council. Sandie has active memberships in many political organizations and served as an Election Judge.
Community service has played a central role in Sandie’s life, beginning with her undergraduate degree in Community Health Education from Texas A&M University. She served the largest healthcare provider in San Antonio at Baptist Memorial Hospital, where her duties encompassed marketing the expansion of the hospital system. She was a Lecturer on the nationally broadcast audio conference “Community Health Education Issues.”
March of Dimes Walk America, American Red Cross, Humana and Texas Children’s Hospitals, Collaborative for Children, West Houston Leadership Institute (graduate of the Class of 2003) and Grace Presbyterian Church are several of the non-profit endeavors to which Sandie has dedicated time. She is a Life Guild Member of the American Heart Association and has spent time volunteering at Texas Children’s Hospital in the pedicardiology clinic. Sandie is a member of the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo Wine Committee and she and her husband, Charlie, are Champion Buyers on the Swine Committee, which adds to the scholarships for hard working Texas students.
A former medical business owner, Sandie is now a member of the executive team of MogerMedia Advertising Agency, which produces HomeShow Radio with Tom Tynan. Sandie received her MBA from St. Mary’s University and was elected President of the Graduate Business Student Association. She received her B.S. at the Texas A&M University.
For all of Sandie’s extensive commitment to her community, it is her family that is her priority. Sandie is married to Charlie Moger and together they have six children. The family attends Grace Presbyterian Church and St. John Vianney Catholic Church.

About Matt Murphy [Candidate for At Large Position 4]:
My name is Matt Murphy, and I am military man, family man, businessman, and community activist for over 20 years. I need your support while I am running for Houston City Council [At Large Position 4].
As a 4th generation Houstonian, this great city is the only place my wife and I have called home as a family, and we plan to stay here forever. My wife (Rachel) and I have lived in the Riverside Terrence after we renovated and preserved one of the beautiful homes that compose the neighborhood nearly 8 years ago. In 2009, we were blessed by the birth of our only child (Shawn).
The city of Houston is in the process of reinventing itself in the 21st century. We are becoming a melting pot of races, ages, sexual orientations, and religious beliefs. Although this is a move in the right direction, this has also led to more and more tensions between neighbors because of differences. It will continue to do so without proper representation and leadership.
Through past experience and the study of expert research we can conclude that if you know your neighbors name, then you are obligated to look after them regardless if you agree on every social issue. As neighbors, we all have common ground, our community, and neighbors that know each other are catalyst for positive change that breaks down the barriers of tension and fear. With that philosophy in mind, I am also announcing the immediate launch of the “Know Your Neighbor” initiative in conjunction with my announcement to run for Houston City Council to help start the dialogue of how we need to come together to make Houston a better place.
The “Know Your Neighbor” initiative will guarantee victory for Houston because it brings neighbors together and will carry on far beyond any aspirations of a political candidate. With your support and assistance, Houston can be the leader and blueprint for building community.
This initiative deserves a leader that has vision for our community, and I am the right candidate to help propel this vision into reality. You have my word and commitment that I will walk hand-in-hand with all of you as neighbors during this initiative. I dedicate my time during this campaign to listen to your concerns and earn your respect, so you can help write the platform that you, as neighbors, demand for any political candidate that represents your voice moving forward. Once elected, I will humbly accept the responsibility to be your positive voice that continues this initiative as your city council representative. I’m looking forward to getting to know all of you better through this journey.

Please go to our page and “like” us on Facebook! We’ve reached our goal of 500 likes, but please continue to encourage your friends to “like” us so we can work towards 600!
 

About Sheriff Hickman:
Sheriff Ron Hickman was recently appointed to the office of Sheriff of Harris County on May 12, 2015. Just previously, he demonstrated his commitment to leadership by graduating from the FBI National Academy Session # 256 in March 2014 at age 62. On March 15th 2013 in a ceremony held in Sugarland Texas for the National Constables and Marshals Association, the board recognized Sheriff Hickman with their most prestigious award. He was recognized for his leadership qualities, innovation, and commitment to public service and has been again awarded the "National Constable of the Year" for his second time. He had previously won the National Constable of the Year award in 2007 and had also been recognized as Texas Constable of the Year in 2006 by the Justices of the Peace and Constables Association of Texas and in 2005 was recognized with their T. A. Vines Award. Constable Hickman has been a leader in law enforcement technology and in deeply involved in providing these advancements for police officers across the county. He has been a pioneer in implementing laptops in patrol vehicles and is now developing applications for officers to use iPads and tablets as well. These additions increase the efficiency of officers in the field while leveraging the technology provides cost recovery and time savings to improve budgetary effectiveness.

Starting as a cadet with the Houston Police Department in June of 1971, Ron Hickman served in a variety of assignments and obtained a broad range of experience in law enforcement. He took on specialized training and worked in Underwater Search and Recovery and became a Bomb Squad Technician. Later as he was assigned to the Planning and Research Division of the Department he began his exposure to building computer programs and computer technology.

Beginning with the Precinct 4 Constable's Office in 1983, he was quickly promoted to Sergeant over the Communications Office. The absence of computerization initiated a challenge that drove the search for serious improvements in automation for both the Constable's Office and the remainder of law enforcement in Harris County. Since that time, Constable Hickman has been an integral part of the leadership for technical advances in law enforcement and is constantly looking for new opportunities to enhance crime fighting technologies.

Attending the Bill Blackwood Law Enforcement Management Institute at Sam Houston State was a pivotal experience, as was attendance at the FBI’s Law Enforcement Executive Development Series. Constable Hickman serves as Chair of the Local Executive Board for the FBI’s Greater Houston Regional Computer Forensics Lab and is a member of the FBI’s National Advisory Committee for the regional computer forensics lab program out of its National Program Office.

With a strong emphasis on the use of technology and progressive policing practices, Constable Hickman continues the practice of two way communication with community leaders and members of local neighborhoods. He also believes strongly in increasing professionalism through training and advancing educational opportunities for police officers. Ron graduated cum laude from the University of Alabama with a Bachelor's Degree in Interdisciplinary Studies in 2005 and encourages his command staff and supervisors to constantly seek more leadership training.

Ron was elected as Constable of Precinct 4 in November of 2000 and took Office January 1st, 2001. His goal is striving to meet the community’s needs while exceeding their expectations. He is most proud of being accessible to the community and actively involved in numerous community organizations. His wife Connie Hickman, also a part of the justice community, is a Justice of the Peace in another county and both have been active in the Justices of the Peace and Constables Association of Texas for many years. Recently being appointed as Sheriff of Texas largest Sheriff’s Office he is eagerly undertaking his new challenges.

About Bill King:
Bill King has spent his life building businesses, speaking out on Houston’s biggest issues and working on Houston’s toughest challenges. A lifelong resident of the Houston area, Bill grew up the son of a union pipe fitter and worked his way through the University of Houston. He earned both his bachelor's degree and, by studying at night, his law degree at U of H – becoming the first in his Bill has enjoyed a varied business and legal career. He started in 1979 in the savings and loan industry – a venture that succumbed to the severe economic downturn of the late 1980s. Picking himself up, Bill joined Linebarger Goggan Blair & Sampson – a firm that collects delinquent taxes – and was eventually named managing partner. While there, he helped lead Houston’s efforts to convert foreclosed properties into affordable housing, and he initiated the first procedures to prevent Harris County seniors who fall behind on their taxes from facing foreclosure.

You can find more information at www.BillKingforHouston.com and follow the
campaign on social media: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube or Google.
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Paul Simpson, Harris County Republican Party Chairman

About Paul Simpson:
Paul is a pro-life conservative with a lifelong passion for conservative political activism. State Chairman of the Louisiana Teenage Republicans at age sixteen, Paul later spent a college summer recruiting and mobilizing young people for conservative Republican congressional campaigns in Iowa and Michigan. His activities in the Harris County Republican Party over thirty years have included campaigning, recruiting, mobilizing, organizing, poll watching, election judging, conventioneering, fundraising, and serving as precinct chair, legal counsel, treasurer, and now chairman of the County Party. After graduating from Rice University with degrees in history and engineering, Paul worked in the oil industry designing & overseeing drilling & producing wells, supervising engineering teams, and managing onshore & offshore construction projects. While working full-time, he put himself through evening law school at the University of Houston, graduating with honors. A licensed engineer and patent lawyer, Paul’s has been a partner with the law firm of McGinnis Lochridge since 2001, with a practice centered on oil and gas matters. Paul is a lector at the 4,000-family St. Vincent dePaul Catholic Church, where he was formerly president of the Pastoral Council and Committee Chair of the Boy Scout Troop. He also served as president of St. Catherine’s Montessori School, overseeing a multi-million-dollar capital campaign, and served for four years on the board of Incarnate Word Academy in downtown Houston. Paul and his wife Kathy, married almost 30 years, have a son and daughter, who are both Houston natives, graduates of Franciscan University, and proud Republicans!

Terry McKenzie and Troy Madrigal

Our speakers this week, Terry McKenzie and Troy Madrigal, are the President and Vice-President of Mitigation Solutions USA [MSUSA] 
About Mitigation--
In 1972, the United States government created the Clean Water Act to ensure the protection of the chemical, physical, and biological integrity of U.S. waters. Therefore, impacting aquatic resources, including wetlands and streams, often requires a Section 404 permit from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. To receive a permit, developers must demonstrate avoidance and minimization of damages to aquatic resources to the extent 
practicable – beyond which compensatory mitigation to restore, establish, enhance, or preserve those aquatic resources is required. MSUSA helps businesses fulfill mitigation requirements, keeping their projects moving forward. MSUSA understands the environmental mitigation process from concept and development through the sale and transfer of environmental credits. In addition to extensive knowledge of ecological and environmental regulations, our longstanding relationship with Advanced Ecology’s environmental scientists gives us access to ecological knowledge and experience to assist with your solution. MSUSA’s successful delivery of ecologically sound mitigation projects has resulted in invaluable professional credibility among the state and federal agencies responsible for mitigation plan review and approval. Specifically, MSUSA has a positive track record working with the Corps of Engineers in Galveston to insure that developments within Montgomery County meet mitigation requirements. Past mitigation needs in Montgomery County have included linear projects like Grand Parkway, oil & gas development, and public infrastructure projects.

MSUSA represents 22 wetland, stream and endangered species mitigation projects in Texas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Arkansas and Alaska. There are a total of 15 in Texas with ongoing initiatives focused on expansion along the Texas Gulf Coast. They will also touch on endangered species mitigation since that is a growing emphasis in Texas.
 

About Frank Smith:
Frank is a native Houstonian and a Bush Republican. He has a B.S. from Caltech and a P.E. from the State of Texas. His business career, long ago, was in electronic instrumentation. He has served as President/Chairman of the Rice Design Alliance, the Texas Nature Conservancy, the Bayou Preservation Association, and the Armand Bayou Nature Center, and is a Life Member of the Memorial Park Conservancy. 
Come hear from this local treasure who has served our community for decades!

Kameron Searle