About Sophia:
Sophia Mafrige is a native Houstonian whose 30 year legal career has delved into all levels of litigation, transactional and real/estate property matters. Graduating with her law degree from South Texas College of Law-Houston in 1988, she became a licensed attorney with the State Bar of Texas that same year. Sophia launched her own law practice in 1991 and has handled a comprehensive litany of civil litigation matters including commercial/contract litigation, condemnation/eminent domain proceedings, consumer law, personal injury, ad valorem property tax collection and defense, family law, appraisal district protests as an Agent for property owners, probate, real estate title disputes, civil mediations, collections and transactional work. Throughout, she has represented individuals, corporations and small businesses on both sides of the docket in cases involving monetary amounts ranging from hundreds to millions of dollars.
Sophia serves as Commissioner and Chairman of the City of Houston Police Officers' Civil Service Commission, is a Fellow with the Houston Bar Foundation, participates with South Texas College of Law’s Advocacy Program, with the Houston Gala Committee for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, and, is a member of the following organizations: Houston Bar Association, Houston Realty Business Coalition, Association of Women Attorneys, Delta Theta Phi Law Fraternity and Gamma Phi Beta Sorority.
Sophia is a lifetime member of St. George Orthodox Christian Church where she served for over 20 years as an elected member of the Parish Council, and, as Council President, Vice-President and Secretary for multiple terms in each role. Sophia was appointed in 2012 to the Legal Affairs Committee for the Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of the U.S.A. In 2017, she volunteered with IOCC for Hurricane Harvey relief.
Sophia has served as an officer or board member in Magic Circle RW, the Greater Houston Council of Federated Republican Womens Clubs, and Pachyderm Clubs. She is currently on the Board and past President of Downtown Houston Pachyderm Club, and was appointed to the National Pachyderm Foundation Board in 2015. Sophia was an Honoree in the 2014 and 2012 Texas Federation of Republican Womens Clubs Tribute to Women.
She is on the November 6th ballot as the Republican Nominee for Judge of Harris County Civil Court at Law Number 4. #MamaMiaVoteforSophia
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It’s time for dues again!
We are accepting payments for dues for 2018. Annual dues are $40, or $20 if you are a member of another Pachyderm Club

Don't forget to "like" us on Facebook. We've hit a record of over 800 'likes'! Thank you for helping us achieve our goal!

We have started a new menu option for entree size salad, soup of the day and dessert, for those who would prefer it instead of the selected entrée.

 

Downtown Houston Pachyderm Club –September 13th Hon. Orlando Sanchez

The November election is just 2 months away! Downtown Pachyderm will be featuring Republican candidates who are on the November ballot. Please come hear about their races, and see what you can do to help them WIN!

This week’s featured speaker is the Honorable Orlando Sanchez, Harris County Treasurer.

Elected in November of 2006, Harris County Treasurer, Orlando Sanchez, the first immigrant to be chosen county-wide by the voters for a non-judicial office, oversees Harris County’s multiple bank accounts, pays the county’s expenses and is an independent set of eyes in overseeing spending of county taxpayer dollars. Sanchez is seeking re-election.
Sanchez came to Houston in 1962 when his father was hired by former Harris County Judge Roy Hofheinz to be one of two Spanish announcers for the Colt 45s Baseball Club and then the Houston Astros. Sanchez grew up in southwest Houston and graduated from Bellaire High School before joining the U.S. Air Force in 1976. After his tour he enlisted in the 147th Fighter Interceptor Group of the Texas Air National Guard at the then-named Ellington Field.
He graduated cum laude from the University of Houston with a degree in political science and embarked on a career as a public servant, first as a three-term Houston City Council member and then as Harris County Treasurer. Orlando was named the University of Houston’s College of Social Sciences Distinguished Alumnus. Orlando also sits on the Harris County Bail Bonds Board, is a member of the Board of Directors of Capital Bank, a life member of the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, the 100 Club of Houston and is a former advisory member of the University of Houston Law School Foundation and current advisory member of Volunteer Interfaith Caregivers-Southwest (VIC-SW), an organization that provides free one-on-one assistance to the frail and elderly in southwest Houston through a network of volunteers who provide services. In addition, he is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and British–American Fellow.
In 1995 Orlando was elected to serve as a member of the Houston City Council. He was the first Latino immigrant elected to a city-wide position in Houston. 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 has one daughter, Aubrie, who graduated from Boston University in 2014.

It’s time for dues again!
We are accepting payments for dues for 2018. Annual dues are $40, or $20 if you are a member of another Pachyderm Club

Don't forget to "like" us on Facebook. We've hit a record of over 800 'likes'! Thank you for helping us achieve our goal!

We have started a new menu option for entree size salad, soup of the day and dessert, for those who would prefer it instead of the selected entrée.

UPCOMING MEETINGS/EVENTS-
September 13 Hon. Orlando Sanchez
September 20 Hon. Roger Bridgwater
September 27 Hon Clyde Leuchtag, Hon Debra Ibarra Mayfield
October 4 Hon. Jim Murphy
October 11 Pastor Rafael Cruz
October 18 Hon. Renee Magee

LOCATION:
The Pearl at the SAM Houston Hotel
1117 Prairie [between Fannin and San Jacinto streets]
11:30 a.m. Networking
12 Noon lunch and program
$20.00 [fixed 3-course lunch, with tea or coffee, inclusive of gratuity and taxes]
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Downtown Houston Pachyderm Club –September 6th

The November election is just 2 months away! Downtown Pachyderm will be featuring Republican candidates who are on the November ballot. Please come hear about their races, and see what you can do to help them WIN!

This week’s featured speakers are the Honorable Linda Garcia, candidate for Judge of Harris County Criminal Court at Law No. 6, and, the Honorable Bill Boyce, Justice on the Fourteenth Court of Appeals, Place 6
 

Judge Linda Garcia was unanimously appointed by Harris County Commissioners Court as judge of the newly-created Harris County Criminal Court at Law No. 16 in December 2015 and took the bench on January 4, 2016. After being defeated in the 2016 election, she is the nominee for Court 6, which is an open bench.
Prior to taking the bench, Judge Garcia was a prosecutor with the Harris County District Attorney’s Office for over 15 years, where she tried over 70 jury trials to a verdict, served as a chief prosecutor in the Misdemeanor and Justice Court Divisions, and served in the Post Conviction Writs, Child Abuse, and Grand Jury Divisions. Judge Garcia also held statewide office for 9 years as a gubernatorial appointee to the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles, where she was responsible for release and revocation decisions for inmates, made recommendations to the Governor on death penalty cases, and served as the Board’s liaison to TDCJ-Victim Services Division and the Chairman of the Rules Committee. Judge Linda Garcia and her husband, Tom, have been married for 18 years and have one son, Trent; the family are active members of and attend Annunciation Catholic Church.

 

Justice Bill Boyce was appointed to the Fourteenth Court of Appeals in December 2007 after practicing law for 18 years as an associate and partner at Fulbright & Jaworski L.L.P. While in private practice he argued more than 60 cases in appellate courts throughout Texas and across the country, including the Supreme Court of the United States. He has been board certified by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization in Civil Appellate Law since 1994, and has served on the board’s appellate exam drafting committee. He has been chosen as Appellate Judge of the year by the Texas Association of Civil Trial and Appellate Specialists.
Justice Boyce graduated with honors from Northwestern University in 1985, and graduated with honors from Northwestern University School of Law in 1988. He served as a law clerk for the Hon. W. Eugene Davis of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit.
He is a member of the Texas Judicial Council; a member of the Supreme Court Advisory Committee; an elected member of the American Law Institute; an executive committee member of the Garland R. Walker American Inn of Court; an adjunct faculty member at the University of Houston Law Center; a longtime member of the State Bar of Texas and Houston Bar Association appellate practice sections; and a frequent CLE speaker.

Downtown Houston Pachyderm Club –August 30th

The November election is less than 3 months away! Over the next couple of months, Downtown Pachyderm will be featuring Republican candidates who are on the November ballot. Please come hear about their races, and see what you can do to help them WIN!

This week’s featured speaker is the Honorable John Culberson, US Congressman for the 7th Congressional District

About Congressman Culberson, in his own words:

Houston is my home. I was born and raised in West University and went to West U Elementary and graduated from Lamar High School. As a third-generation Houstonian and a fifth-generation Texan, and a 25-year resident of Copperfield, it’s an honor to represent our hometown in Congress.
Since I was first elected, my principal promise to District 7 has been to protect our quality of life so that Houston will always be a safe, fun and friendly place to raise a family and run a business.
District 7 voters have entrusted me with their votes since 2000 because I’ve kept my word to them. This has enabled me to build enough seniority in Congress to become a member of the influential House Appropriations Committee where I can deliver significant results for Houston and for Texas to protect our safety, our economy, and our quality of life.
Being on the Appropriations Committee is the reason I was able to spearhead $141 billion in hurricane relief and deliver $457 million in flood control dollars to Harris County. The most recent hurricane relief bill provides help for homeowners, business owners and to repair and expand our flood control system. The Houston Chronicle said, “we don’t want to think what would have happened to Houston after Harvey if John Culberson had not been in Congress.”
As the chairman of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice and Science, I am responsible for being a good steward of our scarce and hard-earned tax dollars. I focus our dollars effectively where they will do the most good and have the most impact to protect our safety, promote economic growth and revitalize scientific research and space exploration.
For example, I have dramatically increased the number of U.S. attorneys and judges prosecuting crime and smuggling on our southern border. I also secured millions of dollars to protect victims of human trafficking, to protect missing and exploited children and to protect women from violence.
One of my missions as chairman of the Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice and Science is to properly fund NASA and restore America’s space program to the glory days of Apollo. I believe in protecting scientific research from political pressure. I pledge to passionately protect the independence of scientists and scientific research, so we can get objective and accurate data to make good policy decisions.
While I may not be alive to witness some of the missions my committee is funding, my daughter and her children will be. And I share the feelings of my favorite Founding Father Thomas Jefferson who often said, “I like the dreams of the future better than the memories of the past.”
Next to being a father and a husband, representing my neighbors in District 7 is the greatest joy and privilege of my life. I have kept my word to grow the American economy by helping to spearhead passage of the largest tax cuts in US history; to ensure our safety by enforcing our immigration laws, securing our southern border and protecting our most vulnerable; to strengthen our flood control network; to expand the Katy Freeway in record time with no earmarks; to protect the quality of life and businesses in the Galleria and Afton Oaks by keeping rail off of Post Oak and Richmond; to expand Houston’s oil and gas industry by eliminating the oil export ban and opening up access to shale production in west Texas and offshore drilling in the Gulf, and above all by working every day to make Houston and Texas an even better place to live.
My wife, Belinda, and I have been married for more than 25 years. Our daughter, Caroline, is currently a liberal arts honors student at the University of Texas. We are members of Memorial Drive United Methodist Church and associate members of Second Baptist Church. 
Proverbs tell us that our good name is our most valuable possession and is worth more than all the gold and silver on Earth. I believe this to my core, and I will always do my very best to represent you honorably and consistently as a free market fiscal conservative who is devoted to letting Texans run Texas and to making the dreams of the future come true.

 

Downtown Houston Pachyderm Club –August 23rd

The November election is less than 3 months away! Over the next few months, Downtown Pachyderm will be featuring Republican candidates who are on the November ballot. Please come hear about their races, and see what you can do to help them WIN!

This week’s featured speakers are Xavier Alfaro, candidate for Judge of Harris County Criminal Court #5, and, Phillip Aronoff, Candidate for the 29th Congressional District

 

About Xavier:
Xavier Alfaro is a conservative Texas native with extensive courtroom experience who has also spent time working hard in the private sector. As a former Harris County prosecutor and seasoned criminal law attorney with his own firm, Xavier will be the kind of judge who always puts our community and the Constitution first.
Xavier graduated from the University of Texas with a Bachelor of Arts in Government. He went on to attend and graduate from the St. Thomas University School of Law.
Xavier, who is bilingual, also has private sector experience in the brokerage and banking industry and early in his legal career he joined the Harris County District Attorney’s Office, where he gained experience in both felony and misdemeanor cases.
Xavier, who has been married to his wife Angie for 17 years, also once served as a Chief Prosecutor in one of Harris County’s misdemeanor courts.
With the experience and the work ethic that drove him through college, law school, the private sector and years of practice in our courts, voters can be sure they will be getting a hardworking judge with common sense – a leader who will not forget his conservative values.

 

About Phillip– in his own words:
I am Phillip Aronoff and I am filing to run for the United States Congress in the 29th district of Texas. I have vast experience in business, in politics and as an honorary consul general for more than a decade. I am fluent in Spanish, and have been to Mexico too many times to count, both for business and pleasure. I understand the importance of Houston as a global business center, and know the ways to build on that. I ran George W. Bush’s first campaign for governor in Harris County, and I have close relationships with many local politicians, past and present, from Al Green to Tom DeLay, among others
Why Am I Running in the 29th District?
• First, as a Republican I do not want to give a “free ride” to the Democrats.
• Second, and most importantly, I want to provide the residents of the 29th district superior solutions to the problems facing our country today. The solutions offered by the Democratic Party is to empower government, not the people. I want to empower you.
As a grandson of immigrants to this country, I have always welcomed and approved of new immigrants to the United States, especially from Latin America. The reason is that they share our values of family, hard work, patriotism and love of God as well as limited government, free enterprise, and personal responsibility. What I have come to realize is that these new citizens have not come over to the Republican column when they vote. I believe the reason is that they do not even hear our message.
It is my goal and desire to share the ideas and values that can give everyone an equal chance to fulfill their life’s destiny to the best of their ability. I believe in Ronald Reagan’s analysis that “The person who agrees with you 80 percent of the time is a friend and an ally - not a 20 percent traitor.” I want to demonstrate that the Conservative movement and the values I have embraced will enhance life’s opportunities for all people living in the US.
I look forward to an honorable and lively debate on the issues with State Senator Sylvia Garcia, the Democrat candidate. If the residents of the 29th district will give me a chance to explain my views, and they will listen with an open mind, I am confident the voters will vote for me and I can become their next US Congressman.
My challenge will be exactly how to get the people to listen to and analyze both my opponent’s and my perspectives on how to manage the problems facing both the country and our great city of Houston, as it continues to rebound from the devastating blows delivered by Hurricane Harvey. I am confident I can provide the better pathway to raise our children and pursue life’s treasures.
 

Downtown Houston Pachyderm Club –August 9th

The November election is just 3 months away! Over the next few months, Downtown Pachyderm will be featuring Republican candidates who are on the November ballot. Please come hear about their races, and see what you can do to help them WIN!

This week’s featured speakers are Michelle Fraga, Candidate for Judge of the 295th Civil District Court, and, Rachel Edwards, Regional Field Director on the Ted Cruz for Senate Campaign. We will also be collecting school supplies for Lone Star Republicans’ back to school rally, so please bring a donation!

About Michelle:
Michelle Fraga, candidate for judge of the 295th Civil District Court believes that Harris County needs a strong Republican jurist with conservative values that is faithful to the Constitution. Michelle believes it is the judge’s civic duty to run a court with judicial economy, adherence to the rule of law treat all those who come before her with respect and fairness.
Michelle is a native Houstonian, graduate of Cy-Fair High School, the University of Houston and South Texas College of Law Houston.
Michelle began her career with the Harris County Attorney’s officewhere she defended and protected Harris County’s interest and the interest of Sheriff’s deputies. Michelle served as special counsel to the Harris County Sheriff. Currently, her practice focuses on complex civil litigation including family law, probate, employment and civil rights cases.
Michelle is committed to the Houston community, and volunteers at organizations including M.D. Anderson, Sheltering Arms and AIDS Foundation, Houston. She is a member of the Junior League of Houston, a board member of the Harriet and Joe Foster YMCA and on the advisory board of Catholic Charities. Professional memberships include the Houston Bar Association, the Mexican American Bar Association and the Hispanic Bar Association.
Michelle is married to Stephen, a native Houstonian. Stephen is president of Tejas Office Products, Inc., a family owned business located in the Heights. He is a graduate of Strake Jesuit College Preparatory and Texas A & M (’97). He is a board member of the United Way of Greater Houston, the Memorial Hermann Hospital Foundation, and chairman of the board of the Sports Authority Foundation. Michelle and Stephen live in Oak Forest, and have three boys, Gregory and Stephen (8) and Andrew (3). The boys attend St. Rose of Lima Catholic School.

About Rachel:
Rachel Edwards is the Regional Field Director on the Ted Cruz for Senate Campaign. Her position covers Southeast Texas for the Senator’s re-election campaign. On January 24, 2014, DT Pachyderm presented Ted Cruz with the Pachyderm Tough Tusk Award. Rachel will give us a campaign update.
 

Downtown Houston Pachyderm Club –August 2nd

The November election is about 3 months away! Over the next few months, Downtown Pachyderm will be featuring Republican candidates who are on the November ballot. Please come hear about their races, and see what you can do to help them WIN!

This week’s featured speakers are Judge Dan Hinde [269th District Court<Civil>] and Judge John Schmude [247th District Court<Family>]

About Judge Hinde:
Judge Dan Hinde has been capably handling his duties as Judge of the 269th District Court of Harris County for over five years. Growing up here, he knows Houston and what makes our city special. He was a National Merit Scholar Finalist at Klein Forest High School before attending Texas A&M, where he graduated magna cum laude. Then, it was on to the University of Texas School of Law, where he served as an editor on the Texas Law Review and graduated with honors in 1997.
Building on his academic success, Dan Hinde clerked for U.S. District Judge Sim Lake (a Reagan appointee) and then worked in private practice with a varied caseload. He brings a lifetime of community service and legal experience to his current post as Judge for the 269th District Court. He is uniquely qualified to administer justice in Harris County. During his five-plus years on the bench, Judge Hinde has earned the respect of his peers for his confident leadership in the courtroom and his measured and decisive rulings.
Dan and his wife Rosanna are members of First Presbyterian Church and the proud parents of son David and daughter Anne.

About Judge Schmude:
Judge John Schmude, a Native Texan born and raised in Harris County, resides with his wife and children in Spring. As the youngest of ten children & the father of two, Judge Schmude’s commitment to family law is motivated by his faith & his recognition that strong families are the necessary foundation of any healthy society. As the Presiding Judge of the 247th Family District Court and formerly as a successful family law attorney, he understands the substantial impact that family court judges have in strengthening family relationships, protecting children, upholding and defending the Constitution and establishing just and amicable solutions when family relationships are strained.
-Rated either Outstanding or Above Average by nearly three quarters of Attorneys in the most recent HBA Bar Poll
-Proven Record of Service to the Poor & Underprivileged
-Successful Family Lawyer Before Election to the Bench
-Experienced Business Leader and Problem Solver
-Compassionate, Fair and Impartial
-Staunch Defender of the Constitution & Rule of Law

It’s time for dues again!
We are accepting payments for dues for 2018. Annual dues are $40, or $20 if you are a member of another Pachyderm Club

Don't forget to "like" us on Facebook. We've hit a record of over 800 'likes'! Thank you for helping us achieve our goal!

We have started a new menu option for entree size salad, soup of the day and dessert, for those who would prefer it instead of the selected entrée.

Downtown Houston Pachyderm Club –July 26th Steven Mitby

This week’s featured speaker is Houston Attorney Steven Mitby on the Kavanaugh Nomination and the Future of the Supreme Court

About Steven Mitby:
Steven J. Mitby represents companies and individuals in high stakes business litigation throughout the United States.
A trial-oriented focus- In the past year, Mr. Mitby served as lead counsel in major federal litigations in Texas, California, Michigan, Delaware, and Georgia and a variety of state court matters in various jurisdictions.
Top accolades from peers- Mr. Mitby has been honored by his peers as one of the “Best Lawyers in America,” a Texas “Super Lawyer,” a “Rising Star” of the Texas Bar, and a Fellow of the Texas Bar Foundation.
Highest academic honors- Mr. Mitby earned two Harvard degrees and graduated at the top of his class. Mr. Mitby graduated summa cum laudefrom Harvard College (the highest academic honor Harvard confers on its graduates) and cum laude from Harvard Law School.
A diverse trial practice- Mr. Mitby handles complex commercial, energy, and intellectual property litigation across a wide variety of industries, including energy, oil and gas, software, real estate development, health care and medical equipment, banking, and finance.
“Ten Million Dollar Club.”- Mr. Mitby is a member of Texas Lawyer’s elite “Ten Million Dollar Club” for the small number of trial advocates who have won verdicts of $10 million or more at trial.
Largest intentional tort verdict in Texas last year-Mr. Mitby won an $11.4 million jury verdict for business disparagement in a dispute between two Houston technology companies. This win was the largest intentional tort verdict in Texas in 2014 and easily the largest reputation-based tort verdict in Texas for the past decade.
Beating big companies and big law firms- Mr. Mitby regularly represents companies in complex commercial and intellectual property disputes against the largest companies in the world.
Successes in the energy and petrochemical industries- Mr. Mitby has successfully represented leading energy and petrochemical companies in contract, oil and gas, and employment litigation.
Defending legitimate competition- Mr. Mitby regularly defends companies in patent litigation brought by non-practicing entities.
Cutting-edge software licensing issues- Mr. Mitby successfully defended Versata Software in patent and copyright litigation in the Northern District of California brought by XimpleWare Corporation.
Probate disputes- In 2014, Mr. Mitby achieved a successful settlement in the defense of a high profile will contest in Jefferson County, Texas.
Parachuting into cases to serve as lead trial counsel- Besides these recent results, Mr. Mitby has been called in at the last-minute by other lawyers to try cases.
Large damages models- Mr. Mitby has also developed special focus in patent infringement and technology-related litigation.
Appellate victories- In addition to his trial practice, Mr. Mitby has achieved significant appellate victories.
Protecting clients’ reputations in court and the media- In keeping with AZA’s longstanding tradition of representing individual clients in sensitive legal matters, Mr. Mitby also represents corporate executives and public officials in high profile cases.
Publications and CLE presentations- Mr. Mitby has published and taught CLEs in a variety of fields, including intellectual property, tort reform laws, and defamation torts.
Legal community leadership- Mr. Mitby is a leader in the Houston legal community. He serves on the Board of the Harvard Law School Association of Houston, was appointed to the Texas Unauthorized Practice of Law Committee, was selected to be a member of the Texas Bar Foundation, serves on the Advisory Board of the Institute for Energy Law of the Center for American and International Law, and is a Master in the Garland Walker Inn of Court.
 

Downtown Houston Pachyderm Club –July 19th
November 2018 Candidate Series speakers- Harris County Judge Ed Emmett

The November election is less than 4 months away! Over the next few months, Downtown Pachyderm will be featuring Republican candidates who are on the November ballot. Please come hear about their races, and see what you can do to help them WIN!

This week’s featured speaker is Harris County Judge Ed Emmett!
As Harris County’s chief executive officer, Judge Emmett is responsible for working with four county commissioners to oversee a county government serving more than four million remarkably diverse residents. Judge Emmett believes strongly that vision, planning and teamwork are the keys to maintaining Harris County's economic strength and its commitment to opportunity and a unique quality of life for every resident.
Following record flooding brought by Hurricane Harvey in 2017, Harris County Commissioners Court has proposed a bond issue to deal with future rainfall events. Judge Emmett has been touring the county, speaking to a variety of groups about this matter. Please welcome him back to our club!

About Judge Emmett:
Edward M. Emmett became Harris County Judge on March 6, 2007.
A member of the Texas House of Representatives from 1979 to 1987, Judge Emmett was chairman of the Committee on Energy, a member of the Transportation Committee, and represented the state on numerous national committees relating to energy and transportation policy.
In 1989, President George H. W. Bush nominated Emmett as a Commissioner at the Interstate Commerce Commission. After being confirmed unanimously by the United States Senate, Judge Emmett served on the commission for three years.
Judge Emmett has received international recognition for his work in transportation and logistics policy. He was named Transportation Person of the Year by Transportation Clubs International and one of the Top 20 Logistics Professionals by Logistics Forum.
County Judge Emmett, working with the county commissioners, manages the nation's third largest county. He also is director of Harris County's Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Management, chairman of the Harris County Juvenile Board and chairman of the Conference of Urban Counties Policy Committee.
Judge Emmett attended Bellaire High School. He graduated from Rice University in 1971 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics and from the University of Texas at Austin in 1974 with a Master of Public Affairs degree.
Judge Emmett has received numerous awards and honors, including Distinguished Alumnus of Rice University, the Distinguished Public Service Award from the Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs, and the Presidential Call to Service Award.
Judge Emmett and his wife, Gwen, have been married for 43 years and have four children and 13 grandchildren.
 

Downtown Houston Pachyderm Club –July 12th
November 2018 Candidate Series speakers- Judge Sylvia Matthews and Dan Simons

The November election is less than 4 months away! Over the next few months, Downtown Pachyderm will be featuring Republican candidates who are on the November ballot. Please come hear about their races, and see what you can do to help them WIN!

This week’s featured speakers are Judge Sylvia Matthews [281st District Court] and Dan Simons [Candidate for Judge, Harris County Criminal Court at Law No. 8]

About Judge Matthews:
Governor Perry first appointed Judge Matthews to serve as judge of the 281st District Court in December 2008. She was elected to a four-year term in 2010 and then re-elected for another term in 2014. Since taking the bench, Judge Matthews has presided over more than 150 jury trials and was elected by her peers to serve as the Administrative Judge of the Board of Civil District Judges. She was also appointed to preside over statewide multi-district litigation involving alleged underpayment of insurance claims.
Judge Matthews is board certified in Civil Trial Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization and is an adjunct professor at the University of Houston Law Center, teaching law students how to try cases. She also volunteers her time to plan legal education programs for judges and lawyers and is a frequent speaker at education programs. She is a 2005 alumna of Leadership Texas, the longest-running leadership program for women in the United States; a Fellow of the Houston Bar Foundation; a Life Fellow of the Texas Bar Foundation; and a member of St. John the Divine Episcopal Church. Judge Matthews has served on the board of the Association of Women Attorneys and currently serves on the board of the Texas Association of Civil and Appellate Specialists.
When she took the bench, Judge Matthews had more than 20 years of trial experience and was a partner in one of the largest law firms in the state. She gained extensive experience in complex business litigation and cases involving person injury through her private practice. She served on the firm's Diversity Committee and Women’s Initiative Team.
She is a 1986 graduate of The University of South Carolina School of Law, where she was a member of the Law Review, the Moot Court Bar, and the National Moot Court Team. She earned her undergraduate degree in mathematics, cum laude, from The College of Charleston. Judge Matthews has a daughter who is a CPA practicing in Houston and a proud graduate of Texas A&M University. Judge Matthews enjoys theater, architecture, running, and spending time with her husband.

 

About Dan Simons:
Dan Simons was born and raised in southeast Texas. His is an inspirational story of someone persevering and thriving, in spite of his humble beginning. Dan’s family lived in poverty throughout most of his childhood. There were times when he was homeless and was forced to live in cars or tents to survive. He was placed in foster care at a young age due to the instability of his family life. At the age of twelve, seeking some sense of stability so that he could graduate high school, he made the tough decision to move in with a family he met through the Salvation Army. Through sheer determination and hard work, he graduated in the top of his class and was named All-District Quarterback in his high school senior year. Dan became the first person in his family to graduate High School. After high school, he decided to serve his country by joining the U.S. Air Force. After military life, he worked as a salesperson for an Art Gallery. In a short amount of time, Dan became one of the top salesmen in the company. However, after being overlooked for a promotion due to his young age and lack of education, he decided to open his own art gallery with a partner. This gallery gave him the opportunity to learn how to manage a business effectively. In 2005, he moved back to Texas and lived on a couch with one goal in mind, to become a lawyer. At 27 years of age, he started college at Angelina Junior College. He later transferred to Sam Houston State University where he graduated number 1 out of 1,108 students in 2008. He went on to attend the Thurgood Marshall School of Law in Houston, graduating Magna Cum Laude in December of 2011, and later to the University of Houston for his Masters in Tax Law. While attending the University of Houston in 2013, he applied with the Harris County District Attorney’s Office and was offered a position. He served, successfully, as Assistant District Attorney for Harris County, and was one of the most efficient and effective prosecutors while at the DA’s Office. In early 2017, he left the DA’s Office to work at Thiessen Law Firm as a criminal defense attorney. He then decided to serve Harris County once again by campaigning for Judge of the Criminal Court 8. In March of 2018, Dan became the GOP nominee for Harris County Criminal Court at Law No. 8. Dan considers it an honor and privilege to serve his country as a member of the U.S. military, and his local community as a prosecutor and defense attorney. He does not share his story for sympathy but hopes to serve as inspiration to others. Dan would bring honor and integrity into the courtroom while keeping judicial independence at all times.
 

Downtown Houston Pachyderm Club –June 28th
November 2018 Candidate Series speakers- Judge Catherine Evans and Judge Michael Landrum

As announced by HCRP Chairman, Paul Simpson, as of the Organizational Meeting this past weekend, the November election was just 136 days away! Over the next few months, Downtown Pachyderm will be featuring Republican candidates who are on the November ballot. Please come hear about their races, and see what you can do to help them WIN!

This week’s featured speakers are Judge Catherine Evans [180th District Court] and Judge Michael Landrum [113th District Court]

About Judge Landrum:
Hon. Michael Landrum will present a program on the importance of electing Republican judges.
Professional-
Incumbent Judge, 113th Civil District Court of Harris County, Texas since May, 2013
Board Certified, Civil Trial Law (1989) and Civil Appellate Law, (1995), Texas Board of Legal Specialization
Highest rated “AV Pre-eminent” by Martindale Hubbell in ethics and proficiency
Multiple year panelist and lecturer, continuing legal education
Forty year legal career. Before taking the bench, represented clients in hundreds of cases in state and federal trial courts and appearing in scores of cases before state and federal appellate courts
Tax Master for Harris County Civil District Courts, 1996 thru 2010. This involved dispositions in thousands of delinquent ad valorem tax cases
American Arbitration Panel of Neutrals deciding commercial and construction arbitration matters, from 1990 to 2013; arbitrator for FINRA Dispute Resolution from 2005 to 2013
Graduate, University of Texas School of Law, 1976
Graduate, University of St. Thomas, B. A. 1973, Cum Laude
Community & Personal-
The Landrums have been active in the Spring Branch Independent School District for many years where Mary Grace served as an elected Trustee.
Houston Bar Association Alternate Dispute Resolution Section Council
Volunteer Judge for law school Moot Court and Mock Trial competitions
The Landrums are active members of St. Cecilia Catholic Church.
Member - Texas Association of Civil Trial and Appellate Specialists
Former Spring Branch ISD School Finance Team member
Former pro bono legal counsel to The Crossroads School - a private school serving children with special needs
Married to Mary Grace for 34 years

 

About Judge Evans:
Hon. Catherine Evans was appointed Judge of the 180th District Court in 2013 when the previous judge was appointed to the Court of Appeals. She was elected to a full term in 2014.
Catherine Evans has dedicated twelve years to pursuing justice as a prosecutor at the Harris County District Attorney’s Office. She has tried criminal cases at every level including capital murder cases. She sought and successfully obtained the death penalty against five time killer Raymond Martinez.
For two and a half years, Catherine ran the Vehicular Crimes Section and oversaw the charging and prosecution of every vehicular fatality in Harris County. As Chief of Vehicular Crimes, she applied for, received and administered a more than $600,000 grant from the Texas Department of Transportation to expand the No Refusal Program – a program that provides search warrants to law enforcement officers to prevent drunk drivers from avoiding the consequences of their choices. Most significantly, she prosecuted the killer of Houston Police Department Officer Kevin Will who was killed on duty by a drunk driver. Catherine handled the case from the crime scene to the jury verdict. Her innovative trial strategy involved using sophisticated crash reconstruction evidence and even bringing the striking vehicle to the courthouse for the jury to view in person. Her work in Vehicular Crimes was recognized by awards from the Houston Police Officers Union, Mothers Against Drunk Driving, and the Bay Area Council on Drugs and Alcohol.
Catherine is an Assistant District Attorney Felony Chief, and she is currently prosecuting white collar criminals that defraud our Harris County businesses. Her other significant specialty assignments include the Child Abuse Division and the Public Integrity Division. She has used her experience teaching for such organizations as the Texas District and County Attorney Association, the National District Attorney Association, the Louisiana District Attorney Association, the Houston Police Department, the Harris County District Attorney’s Office and the Harris County Constable Precinct 5.
Catherine graduated cum laude from the University of Houston Law Center in 2000. She and her husband Jim, a local architect, and their two young children, Max and Zoe, live in Houston where they attend Christ the King Presbyterian Church. Catherine has continued her personal commitment to fighting drunk driving by serving as a Board Member on Mothers Against Drunk Driving Regional Advisory Board. Catherine was recently invited to be on the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo’s Speakers Committee and is excited to be a committee rookie!

Downtown Houston Pachyderm Club –June 21st
Don Hooper on the August 2018 bond election

About Don:
Don Hooper is an energy executive based in Houston. He operates oil and gas assets in addition to owning interest in power generation. Mr. Hooper has a Bachelor of Science in Political Science from the University of Houston. He has worked as both a political consultant and lobbyist at the local, state, and federal level. Mr. Hooper writes for the Houston Conservative Forum. Mr. Hooper has written extensively on a variety of city, county, and state issues including flooding City of Houston finances, the Harris County District Attorney’s Office, pro-life matters, and other political issues.
Mr. Hooper regularly appears on KTRH radio and writes for the Houston Conservative Forum.
http://houstonconservativeforum.com/
http://bigjollypolitics.com/author/don-hooper/
https://twitter.com/DonPHooper



It’s time for dues again!
We are accepting payments for dues for 2018. Annual dues are $40, or $20 if you are a member of another Pachyderm Club

Don't forget to "like" us on Facebook. We've hit a record of over 800 'likes'! Thank you for helping us achieve our goal!

We have started a new menu option for entree size salad, soup of the day and dessert, for those who would prefer it instead of the selected entrée.

 

Downtown Houston Pachyderm Club –June 7th
Cindy Asche, Candidate for RPT Chairman

Cindy is running to be Chairman of the Republican Party of Texas. The Chairman will be elected at the upcoming State Convention being held in San Antonio, June 14-16

About Cindy: A 5th generation Texan, Cindy Crocker Asche was born in Waco and raised in Austin, Texas. Raised by her two outstanding parents, Bill and Donna Crocker, Cindy was taught at an early age to understand the value of character and hard work. Cindy received her Bachelor’s degree in Business from Baylor University in 1983, but she didn’t stop there. Always eager to grow and learn, Cindy graduated with a BSN in Nursing from the University of Texas in 1986 after working tirelessly to put herself through school by working in the Emergency Room at St. David’s Hospital. She proudly worked 32 hours each weekend so she could have full-time benefits and go to school during the week. Her dedication to graduating debt free was an early indication of Cindy’s commitment to hard work and fiscal responsibility.

Since 1986, Cindy has served in a variety of ER and Trauma roles from assistant head nurse, trauma case manager, injury prevention coordinator, ER unit manager, and ultimately ER manager. In each of these roles, Cindy demonstrated her natural leadership abilities in high-stress situations. Through these positions, she managed a 50+ member staff, administered multi-million dollar budgets, and developed best-practices to ensure optimal efficiency in the office. These skills she honed as a manager and leader are the same skills that would ultimately shape her role as a leader in the Republican Party.

Raised in a conservative family, Cindy has always played an active role in the Republican Party. From actively working alongside her father, Bill Crocker, during his tenure as RNC National Committeeman for Texas, to serving as a State Convention delegate, Grassroots Club member, and Precinct Chair in Denton County, Cindy has a long history of involvement at every level in the conservative movement.

In 2016, she was honored to serve as the Dallas-Area Captain for the Mighty Texas Strike Force- a movement credited by many as playing a vital role in the election of President Donald Trump. An active member of the Texas Federation of Republican Women (TFRW) she is the current president of the Republican Women of Greater North Texas, and Chaplain for TFRW, a current member of the Republican Party of Texas Candidate Resource Committee (CRC), past president of Frisco Area Republican Women, and a past member of the SD8 Republican Delegate Selection Committee.

In addition to her Republican activities, Cindy has served in a variety of leadership roles in her community. She spent three years as president of her homeowners association, served as a member of the Collin County Medical Reserve Corps, and as an active member of Christ Church Plano’s Youth Ministry. Cindy is an advisory board member of First Liberty Institute and is proud to be an Endowment Member of the National Rifle Association. Cindy and her husband, Fritz, have three children and live in Frisco Texas. They attend Bent Tree Bible Fellowship Church.
 

Downtown Houston Pachyderm Club –May 31st
Nelson Spear on Firearm Safety

Nelson Spear is coming from Midland to speak to our club about firearm safety.
Christian, conservative businessman, activist, thinker, and writer. A lifetime of talking & writing about conservative issues. @NelsonSpear
Among his extensive credentials are
National delegate to three Republican National Conventions
Delegate – 1996 (Dole) • Credentials Committee
Alternate Delegate – 2000 (Bush)
Delegate – 2016 (Cruz)
State level activities in three states
Kansas Republican Party • Local activist
• One State Convention
• Several political campaigns
New Mexico Republican Party • Local activist
• Eight Republican State Conventions
• State Central Committee
• Over 25 political campaigns
Texas Republican Party • Local activist
• Five State Republican Conventions
• Credentials Committee and Platform Committee
• Over 30 political campaigns
• Senate District 31 Republican Volunteer of the Year – 2013
Other Political Activities
• General Counsel to Senator Konni Burton – 2015 (84th General Session)
• Profiled by Texans for Fiscal Responsibility – 2016
• Pro Life Advocate: 1986 – Present
• Second Amendment Advocate: 1975 – Present
• Small Government Advocate: 2007 – Present
• Writer: Author of several print and web-published articles


 

Downtown Houston Pachyderm Club –May 24th
Randy Orr, Candidate for Texas Senate, SD 15

About Randy:
Randy Orr is a Republican candidate for District 15 of the Texas State Senate. The general election is being held on November 6, 2018. Incumbent John Whitmire (D), and Gilberto Velsquez Jr. (Libertarian) are also running in the Texas State Senate District 15 general election.

From Randy’s website:
It is time for elected officials to start putting people first! The only way to accomplish that goal is to promote Godly principles!
We can elect the most gifted, talented, and attractive individuals to office, but without promoting Godly principles, we will continually come up lacking. In fact we will spend more time and energy trying to remove these individuals from office, than we used getting them elected.
When I say Godly principles, I mean being honest, truthful, treating others as we want to be treated, and being people of integrity.
For our government to be successful, Godly principles must be upheld.
That is why I am asking for your support in the November 2018 election. First, I am asking for your prayers. Second, I am asking for your financial support. And third, I am asking for your support as a volunteer in this campaign. Thank you, and let's start putting people first again!
 

Downtown Houston Pachyderms – May 17 Hon. Stan Stanart – Primary wrap-up, and what it tells us about the fall

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
• 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.

Downtown Houston Pachyderm Club –May 10th Houston CM Mike Knox

“What the Heck is the Houston City Council Up to Now?”
Houston at large City Councilmember and fellow Pachyderm, Hon. Mike Knox, will join us to fill us in on current issues and answer your questions.

Please join us for what is sure to be an informative meeting!

It’s time for dues again!
We are accepting payments for dues for 2018. Annual dues are $40, or $20 if you are a member of another Pachyderm Club

Don't forget to "like" us on Facebook. We've hit a record of over 800 'likes'! Thank you for helping us achieve our goal!

We have started a new menu option for entree size salad, soup of the day and dessert, for those who would prefer it instead of the selected entrée.

Downtown Houston Pachyderms – May 3 Houston City Council Candidates – special election, District K Anthony Freddie, Larry Blackmon, Lawrence McGaffie, Carl David Evans, Gerry Vander-Lyn and Elisabeth Johnson

Following the untimely death of Hon. Larry Green, we are hosting the candidates seeking to replace him on Houston City Council.
 

About Anthony FREDDIE
Freddie is a native Houstonian who started his public service as a public employee of the City of Houston. Freddie’s community service began over 30 years ago with his belief that public service is incumbent on all of us. His experience has taught him patience, cooperation, compassion, the importance of delegating work and the benefit of compromise.
Anthony served as Assistant to Mayor Lee P. Brown’s Chief of Staff where he was responsible for managing daily office needs with regards to interactions with elected officials, department directors, businesses and community leaders. In this role he was directly involved on various issues, which included creating policy, coordinating special projects, including planning, research and presentations. Anthony was appointed Chair of the Super Neighborhood Alliance where he assisted in the development of 88 Super Neighborhood Councils in which residents of neighboring communities were encouraged to work together to identify, plan, and set priorities to address the needs and concerns of their community. Freddie was appointed as a committee member of the State of Texas EPA Senate Bill 5 Committee for the City of Houston. He was instrumental in efforts to create economic incentives to encourage Texans to reduce air pollution and establish a statewide Emissions Reduction Fund.
In his 29+ tenure with the City of Houston he served in 4 major departments and many partnerships with others; Building Service Department where he managed thirty-four hundred electrical accounts with a cost usage of 91 million dollars a year in electrical use. Freddie worked along with department directors and other stake holders with this team created an annual savings of $20 million dollars in the city’s energy contract.
While working in the Finance and Administration Department, Freddie served on the implementation committee of GEMS 2000 where he provided this department and other divisions training in screen usage, report writing, and workstation installation in Advance Financial Management Systems.
Freddie worked within the city’s Aviation Department as Assistance to the Airport Manager. He created and reviewed DOA service contracts, building plans for renovation and airport daily emergency operation procedures.
As Constituent Service Manager with the Neighborhood Protection Corps Division within the Houston Police Department, Freddie directed the development and implementation of new and redesigned systems. Department projects included designing and implementing City Council Cleanup, C3 Program, and employee events, establishing goals and objectives.
As a member of The Greater Houston Partnership, he was a leader in successful efforts to champion Houston's growth and success by being a part of business and civic-minded leaders to address the region’s unique challenges. His mission was to be involved in making Houston one of the world’s best places to live, work and build a business.
In addition to his City of Houston roles. Freddie has worked with a national not-for-profit organization World Youth Foundation, Inc., which provides out-of-school-time programs focus on increasing self-confidence and accelerating education & professional skills for youth within Harris County and beyond. He served as Director of The Empowering Youth Initiative, A Child’s Walk Home leadership program and in 2005 he earned the Volunteer of the Year of Award. Freddie mentored and volunteered with Texas A & M Extension Services and received the 2000 Outstanding Volunteer of the Year Award for his outstanding work.
Freddie currently serves as a board member Northeast YMCA, HISD HIPPY Advisory Board and as a member of Economic Development Committee with the NAACP.
Beyond his committee assignments and roles, Freddie has been a champion for seniors and individuals with disabilities, some of our most vulnerable residents along with life experience, work experience and work ethics will make him a strong advocates for the citizens and businesses of District K.

 

About Larry Blackmon:
Larry retired after 33 years of coaching, teaching and mentoring students in several school districts in the Houston area. Larry holds a BA and a Master degree in Public Administration.
Larry has spent his entire adulthood as a resident of District K. Even, before the splitting of District D to create District K.
Larry was appointed in 1995, by Mayor Lee Brown to serve on the Houston Industrial Board, the Houston Higher Education Learning Board and the Houston Health Facilities Board. The Houston Industrial Development Board which Larry served was authorized by a state of Texas law to fund specific public purposes from the development of commercial, industrial, and manufacturing enterprises to promoting and encouraging employment and public welfare. Since that 1995 appointed Larry has served under 5 mayors the city of Houston. Larry has the heart of a servant.
Larry’s current occupation has really put his degrees and work experiences to the test. Larry is currently employed by Linda Blackmon for whom he has been working for the last 45 years. Larry understands the value for hard work and persistent in getting a job well. This is what he bring to District K , hard work and a job well done. Together this employment (marriage) with Linda Blackmon produced 4 adult children and 4 grandchildren.
When Larry isn’t UBERing the grandchildren or volunteering on some project. He still has to find time to get his honey do list done. So, time management is a friend of his.
Larry finds time to serve on several advisory boards over the Harris County and Fort Bend County.
Larry is most proud of his roots in District K having lived in the District over 30 years. Larry graduated from Jack Yates High School. He is very active Jack Yates Lion Alumni. He is involved in the current 2 billion dollars construction project for his alma mater. LARRY BLEEDS CRISMON AND GOLD!!!
Larry is Executive Director of Parents Against Community Crime Organization (PACCO)
Larry has been a public servant all his life, he believes in giving back to the community.
After many prayers and permission and support from his employer Linda Blackmon.
Larry is striving to become your next city councilman from District K with your Help!!

 

About Lawrence McGaffie:
In his own words:
When I was 14, my older brother was killed. My neighbor was Hiram Clarke “tha Clarke” and was becoming gang infested. I had no one to look up to. Little by little the community’s innocence was slowly being eroded as I saw my friends getting locked up one after another. I wanted to help--my neighborhood was my family--but felt completely powerless. Neighbors grew older, my parents feared the worst, and community involvement was at an all time low. All the Sunday school classes, bible studies and church revivals I spent my days immersed in had no answers for my generation. How could I help my generation, who has no young leaders and no one to inspire them, find their footing and their voice?

That question has, in large part, driven me over the past 15 years. Looking for answers has taken me on a journey in military intelligence, biblical counseling, and public speaking, working and volunteering across various sectors including community service and education. The search has fueled my creative endeavors, inviting me to seek out ways to bring hope to a lost generation. It has only been in the past few years that one answer to the question has revealed itself: you inspire them to lead.

Meet Lawrence
"I am excited to run for City Council. I'm only 30 but the past few years have impressed upon me the need to stand up for my generation and speak up. I look forward to bring a fresh perspective to City Hall and focusing on issues that matter to us now. Gun violence and bullying are the biggest issues right now. I'm here to listen and find out what you need to be successful in your community. Together we can make change and INSPIRE THE LEAD."
Lawrence McGaffie is a native Houstonian and founded the Inspire the Lead, a non profit movement designed to inspire young people from low income communities to become leaders. Lawrence earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Film and Video Production from The Art Institute of Houston.
He is an ordained minister and the Founder/ President of Alpha and Omega Bible Fellowship. Prior to his role as President, Lawrence served as associate minister, singles and youth leader and outreach minister to a number of churches across Houston. He also served as Director of Community Engagement for the MLK Association of Houston.
Lawrence also volunteered his time at God’s Food Pantry where he helped the needy and homeless find hope and attain basic necessities. He is a decorated disabled Army Veteran having been awarded two Army Achievement Medals for his outstanding achievement during his recovery and rehabilitation.
Lawrence is an avid reader and writer and enjoys traveling and spending time with friends and family. As a Candidate for City Council, Lawrence is focused on the mission of inspiring, empowering and engaging young leaders while building better, stronger communities.
Lawrence is married to Jasmine. They have 3 children age 7, 8, 9 and are expecting a baby girl in May 2018.


 

About Carl David Evans
Carl David Evans has been elected twice as President of the Fort Bend Houston Super Neighborhood Council 41 and Designated Representative for the Chasewood Community Improvement Association.
Carl David Evans designed the Fort Bend Houston Super Neighborhood 41 logo, creating a professional image for the Fort Bend Houston Super Neighborhood Council.
He was the driving force behind getting the City of Houston to put the city's logo on street signs at major intersections in Fort Bend Houston to prevent confusion on the part of residents who thought, because of their Missouri City zip code, they lived in Missouri City instead of the City of Houston. His actions helped to ensure that residents of Fort Bend Houston were calling the right emergency responders in times of emergencies.
Carl David Evans serves on the Board of Directors for SW Houston 2000 Inc., and led the effort in getting Southwest Houston 2000 to host the Houston Mayoral Debates held in Southwest Houston prior to the 2015 Houston mayoral elections.
As an active member of the Wheeler Avenue Baptist Church, Carl David Evans proudly serves in a leadership capacity in the men's Sunday School Class and is a former youth superintendent.
Carl David Evans is an associate with White-Orugboh and Associates, PC, Certified Public Accountants. He has been honored to receive numerous awards for excellence, dedication, and community service from the Department of the Navy, the State of Texas, the City of Houston, Southwest Houston 2000, and many other organizations.
Carl David Evans graduated from the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Accounting and Business Administration. He also received a Masters Degree of Divinity from Houston Graduate School of Theology and is a licensed minister.
Carl David Evans is blessed with three sons and five grandchildren.

 

About Gerry Vander-Lyn
Gerry Vander-Lyn is an accounting firm records management worker who’s been involved in Republican politics for at least 50 years.

Gerry Vander-Lyn was born in Hermann Hospital and grew up in southwest Houston, attending Mark Twain Elementary, Pershing Junior High, and Bellaire High School. She graduated from the University of Houston with a Bachelor of Arts in History. She has worked in various capacities in multiple sectors including social services, finance, and non-profits.

Gerry is a life-long Republican getting her start working to elect Richard Nixon in 1968. She has been a Delegate or Alternate Delegate to multiple Republican State Conventions. She served on the State Rules Committee in 2016 and has been reappointed to the State Rules Committee for 2018. She is currently a Republican Precinct Chair for Precinct 541.

She has never run for public office before now, choosing instead to support others in that endeavor. However, the time has come to step on the stage and apply her skills and experience to solving the issues facing the City of Houston today.




About Elisabeth Johnson:
Elisabeth Johnson is a native Houstonian and graduate of Southern University and A&M College in Baton Rouge, LA; while at Southern she received her Bachelor of Arts in Political Science. Immediately after graduating in 2009, she was afforded the opportunity to work for former Mayor of Houston, Bill White, when he ran for Governor of Texas in 2010 against Republican Rick Perry. As a campaign organizer she moved to Dallas to cover ground within Dallas County and the surrounding areas.
She’s helped organizations like TOP (Texas Organizing Project) and Working America to pass the Wage Theft Ordinance in 2013 which made it possible for employers not to steal wages from their employees. She is currently obtaining her Executive Master of Public Administration from Texas Southern University and graduates on May 12, 2018. she's an educator, a member of HBAD (Houston Black American Democrats), a political organizer, and the Vice President for the Houston Justice Coalition. She continues to volunteer, organize and mentor throughout her community. She published her first book, “Wake Up: A Despairing Cry to the Black Community” in September 2017

It will also be important to let the restaurant know how many people to prepare for. Although we will not bill people if they do not come, nor will we prohibit people who have not RSVPed from coming, please do your best to indicate, either at the previous meeting, by email or on Facebook a week in advance that you will be at the following meeting.

Downtown Houston Pachyderm Club – April 26th Dan Crenshaw, Runoff candidate for CD 2.   Video

Please join Downtown Houston Pachyderm for lunch as we continue to feature Republican runoff candidates over the next month leading up to the May 22nd runoff election. Please look for event updates and plan to join us as we hear from our Republican runoff candidates!

On April 26th, we will feature the following candidate: Lt. Commander Dan Crenshaw (Retired), Runoff candidate for Congressional District 2

About Dan from his Facebook page:
Lieutenant Commander Dan Crenshaw (retired) is originally from Houston, Texas, and a proud 6th generation Texan. His father’s career in the Texas oil and gas industry moved his family all over the world, including Ecuador and Colombia. As a result, Dan is fluent in Spanish. From an early age, Dan knew that he wanted to serve his country with the most elite fighting force in history: the U.S. Navy SEALs. Dan graduated from Tufts University in 2006, where he earned his Naval officer commission through Navy ROTC. He immediately reported to SEAL training in Coronado, CA, where he met his future wife, Tara, just a few months later. After graduating SEAL training, Dan deployed to Fallujah, Iraq to join SEAL Team Three, his first of five deployments overseas.
On Dan’s third deployment in 2012, his life changed forever. After six months of combat operations, Dan was hit by an IED blast during a mission in Helmand province, Afghanistan. He was evacuated and awoke from his medically induced coma learning that his right eye had been destroyed in the blast and his left eye was still present, but badly damaged. Dan was completely blind and the doctors did not believe he would ever see again. Tara stood by him every day and night, keeping faith and praying he would see again. After several difficult surgeries, he eventually regained sight in his left eye, a miracle according to the head surgeon. Dan refused to quit and went on to deploy twice more, first back to the Middle East in 2014 and then South Korea in 2016.
Dan was medically retired in September of 2016, after ten years in the SEAL Teams. He left service with two Bronze Stars (one with Valor), the Purple Heart, and the Navy Commendation Medal with Valor, among many other recognitions. Soon after, Dan completed his Master in Public Administration at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government. In September of this year, he was back in Houston, volunteering for days on end in areas of Katy devastated by Hurricane Harvey. He saw first-hand the unthinkable losses that his neighbors suffered, but he also saw Texan grit and resilience. He wanted to do more, and this November Dan and Tara decided that the best way to serve the people of Texas would be in elected office.
Dan is now running for the U.S. House of Representatives in Texas’ 2nd district, where Dan grew up and where his family lives now. He believes in service before self, and understands that there is no higher calling than service to the American people. His wife Tara is no stranger to service either: she comes from a career Navy family, and is an active fundraiser for families of fallen service members and suicide prevention.
Dan is a staunch Republican and knows the importance of carrying the conservative movement through to the next generation. Dan can no longer fight on the battlefield, but he can bring the integrity, leadership, vision, and tenacity learned in the SEAL teams to fight in Congress for common sense policies that ensure our nation’s prosperity and security, represent our Christian values, and again give Texans a reason to be proud of their leaders.
 

Downtown Houston Pachyderm Club – April 19th Phillip Aronoff, Runoff candidate for CD 29 Video

Please join Downtown Houston Pachyderm for lunch as we continue to feature Republican runoff candidates over the next month leading up to the May 22nd runoff election. Please look for event updates and plan to join us as we hear from our Republican runoff candidates!

On April 19th, we will feature the following candidate: Phillip Aronoff, Runoff candidate for Congressional District 29

About Phillip from his website:
While we still have a run-off to deal with for the GOP nomination, I am fired up and eager to move forward toward victory in November.
I want to thank everyone who supported and voted for me. It is deeply appreciated, and I hope to have your continued support to help win the run-off on May 22, and then turn this seat from blue to red in November.
I am Phillip Aronoff and I am filing to run for the United States Congress in the 29th district of Texas. I have vast experience in business, in politics and as an honorary consul general for more than a decade. I am fluent in Spanish, and have been to Mexico too many times to count, both for business and pleasure. I understand the importance of Houston as a global business center, and know the ways to build on that. I ran George W. Bush’s first campaign for governor in Harris County, and I have close relationships with many local politicians, past and present, from Al Green to Tom DeLay, among others
First, as a Republican I do not want to give a “free ride” to the Democrats.
Second, and most importantly, I want to provide the residents of the 29th district superior solutions to the problems facing our country today. The solutions offered by the Democratic Party is to empower government, not the people. I want to empower you.
As a grandson of immigrants to this country, I have always welcomed and approved of new immigrants to the United States, especially from Latin America. The reason is that they share our values of family, hard work, patriotism and love of God as well as limited government, free enterprise, and personal responsibility. What I have come to realize is that these new citizens have not come over to the Republican column when they vote. I believe the reason is that they do not even hear our message.
It is my goal and desire to share the ideas and values that can give everyone an equal chance to fulfill their life’s destiny to the best of their ability. I believe in Ronald Reagan’s analysis that “The person who agrees with you 80 percent of the time is a friend and an ally - not a 20 percent traitor.” I want to demonstrate that the Conservative movement and the values I have embraced will enhance life’s opportunities for all people living in the US.
I look forward to an honorable and lively debate on the issues with whomever is the victor in the Democratic primary. If the residents of the 29th district will give me a chance to explain my views, and they will listen with an open mind, I am confident the voters will vote for me and I can become their next US Congressman.
My challenge will be exactly how to get the people to listen to and analyze both my opponent’s and my perspectives on how to manage the problems facing both the country and our great city of Houston, as it continues to rebound from the devastating blows delivered by Hurricane Harvey. I am confident I can provide the better pathway to raise our children and pursue life’s treasures.

It’s time for dues again!
We are accepting payments for dues for 2018. Annual dues are $40, or $20 if you are a member of another Pachyderm Club

Don't forget to "like" us on Facebook. We've hit a record of over 800 'likes'! Thank you for helping us achieve our goal!

We have started a new menu option for entree size salad, soup of the day and dessert, for those who would prefer it instead of the selected entrée.

 

Downtown Houston Pachyderm Club – April 12th Richard Risinger, Runoff candidate for Judge of the 295th District Court  Video

Please join Downtown Houston Pachyderm for lunch as we feature Republican runoff candidates over the next two months leading up to the May runoff election. We will be announcing speakers as we get closer to meeting dates. Please look for event updates and plan to join us as we hear from our Republican runoff candidates!

On April 12th, we will feature the following candidate: Richard Risinger, Runoff candidate for Judge 295th District Court

About Richard from his website:
I have served the community as a municipal attorney, including as legal advisor, prosecutor, and civil litigation attorney, for over 26 years. I also served the community as a municipal judge, for which I was appointed by current Harris County Justice of the Peace, Precinct 8, Place 2, Louie Ditta. As an attorney and judge, I took the oath to preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution and laws of the United States and of this State, and I have upheld my oath throughout my professional career. As a legal advisor and an attorney for mayors, other city officials, supervisors, and employees of the city, I have provided legal advice and services regarding several different areas of law and issues. As a prosecutor, I helped resolve thousands of cases through negotiations and through jury trials, as well as judge trials. As a civil litigation attorney, I have been lead counsel in numerous legal matters, including claims, lawsuits, appeals, hearings, and negotiating in mediations. I have also worked with outside counsel on such legal matters.
As a judge, I made decisions based on the law and the facts. I also attended the Texas Municipal Courts Education Center Judges Seminar every year.
I have gained valuable experience over the years meeting and working with thousands of people from all walks of life, including mayors, other city officials, chiefs of police, police officers, firefighters, supervisors, employees, legal secretaries, volunteers, judges, clerks, bailiffs, court reporters, attorneys, witnesses, jurors, and residents. Areas of law practice, among others, include: Administrative, Appellate, Civil Litigation, Contracts, Criminal, Employment, Government/Municipal, Land Use, Personal Injury, Real Estate. I have also served the community by leading and/or volunteering with several organizations, including:
• 2012 Republican Party Nominee for Judge of the 80th Civil District Court (Harris County) • Pasadena South Rotary – Past President/Member • Preston Trails South Neighborhood Association – Past President/Member • Pasadena Noon Optimist Club – Past President • Walnut Hill Owner’s Association – Past President • Clear Lake Area Republicans – Past President/Member • Cherry Tree Republicans – Member • Downtown Houston Pachyderm Club – Member • Bay Area Republican Women – Associate Member • San Jacinto Republican Women – Associate Member • Delegate to Texas Republican State Conventions • Delegate to the Texas Republican Presidential Straw Poll • First Christian Church of Pasadena • Coach Little League Baseball.
My wife, Debra Risinger, and I are natives and life-long residents of Harris County. We have been blessed with two wonderful children and attend First Christian Church of Pasadena. We have also been very involved in the community for many years. Among other Republican Party involvement, Debra has served as President of the San Jacinto Republican Women and as the District Director for State Representative Dennis Paul.
I graduated from Sam Rayburn High School in 1982. Thereafter, I attended Sam Houston State University, then continued my education at the University of Texas at Austin, where I earned my Bachelor of Business Administration degree, Finance major, in 1986. I went on to study law at Pepperdine University law school in Malibu, California and London, England, then completed my Doctor of Jurisprudence at the University of Houston law school in 1990.
 

Downtown Houston Pachyderm Club – April 5th Hon. Jeff Williams, Runoff Candidate for Justice of the Peace, Precinct 5, Place 2 Video

Please join Downtown Houston Pachyderm for lunch as we feature Republican runoff candidates over the next two months leading up to the May runoff election. We will be announcing speakers as we get closer to meeting dates. Please look for event updates and plan to join us as we hear from our Republican runoff candidates!

On April 5th, we will feature the following candidate: Hon. Jeff Williams, Runoff Candidate for Justice of the Peace, Precinct 5, Place 2

Jeff Williams’ life is one of integrity, hard work, family, conservatism and education.
After graduating from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor of Arts degree, Judge Jeff Williams moved to Houston in 1979. He attended law school at South Texas College of Law in downtown Houston; the heart of the legal community, and law clerked for the respected U.S. Supreme Court litigator J. Edwin Smith. Judge Williams graduated in 1981 and began his legal career in Houston as a general civil law practitioner.
In 2010, after almost 30 years of private practice, Judge Williams was elected as the Justice of the Peace for Harris County, Pct 5, Place 2, with 80% of the vote.
Judge Jeff Williams is a lifelong Conservative. He has volunteered to work on many conservative campaigns; served as the Republican Chairman and Election Judge for precinct 625 for 4 years; and has been a delegate to many party conventions.
Having been self employed since 1984 in a general civil practice, managing employees, paying taxes and making payroll; Judge Williams understands the needs of businessmen. In his legal career, he has worked with both landlords and tenants, written and construed contracts and determined matters involving negligence.
Judge Williams served 5 years on active Duty as a Captain in the Texas Army State Guard, as a JAG officer assigned to the Headquarters Unit at Camp Mabry in Austin. He has volunteered to write wills and powers of attorney for deploying Texas Army National Guard troops. Judge Williams has also earned his Basic Military Emergency Management Skill badge and trained in Terrorist Incident Response sponsored by the United States Department of Homeland Security.
With his decades of experience and legal knowledge as a practicing attorney, and now as Justice of the Peace, Judge Williams is able and does Rule strictly according to the law regardless of race, nationality, accents, religion or political party. He is eminently qualified and willing to continue his service to the community both on and off the bench.
Judge Williams feels it is important to give back to his community, and has ridden in an annual charity 150 mile bicycle race that raises funds to help patients suffering from Multiple Sclerosis.
Judge Williams and his wife Rita are longtime residents of Houston, and have raised their two sons here. David, an Eagle Scout, is now attending the University of Texas at Austin, and younger brother Justin is following the path to Eagle as well. The Williams have been a scouting family for 14 years. Judge Williams was a Life Scout, and is an Assistant Scoutmaster with the troop and Rita is a volunteer and past Den Leader in the boys Cub Scout Pack.
Rita speaks fluent Spanish and Judge Williams is conversant in Spanish.
Both the Judge and his wife are actively involved in their houses of worship.
 

Downtown Houston Pachyderm Club – March 22nd Michelle Fraga, Runoff Candidate for Judge of the 295TH District Court

Please join Downtown Houston Pachyderm for lunch as we feature Republican runoff candidates over the next two months leading up to the May runoff election. We will be announcing speakers as we get closer to meeting dates. Please look for event updates and plan to join us as we hear from our Republican runoff candidates!

This week, we will feature the following candidate: Michelle Fraga, Candidate for Judge of the 295th Civil District Court.

Michelle believes Harris County needs a strong Republican jurist with conservative values that is faithful to the constitution. Michelle believes it is the judge’s civic duty to run a court with judicial economy, adherence to the rule of law, treat all those who come before her with respect, and fairness.
Michelle is a native Houstonian, graduate of Cy-Fair High School, the University of Houston, and South Texas College of Law Houston.
Michelle began her career at the Harris County Attorney’s Office where she defended and protected Harris County’s interest and the interest of Sheriffs' deputies. Michelle served as special of counsel to the Harris County Sheriff. Currently, her practices focuses on complex civil litigation including family law, probate, employment, and civil rights cases.
Michelle is committed to the Houston community and volunteers at organizations including M.D. Anderson, Sheltering Arms, and AIDS Foundation Houston. She is a member of the Junior League of Houston, a board member of the Harriet & Joe Foster YMCA and on the advisory board of Catholic Charities. Professional memberships include: Houston Bar Association, Mexican-American Bar Association, and Hispanic Bar Association.
Michelle is married to Stephen, a native Houstonian. Stephen is president of Tejas Office Products, Inc. a family owned business located in the Heights. He is a graduate of Strake Jesuit College Preparatory and Texas A&M University (‘97). He is board member of the United Way of Greater Houston, The Memorial Hermann Hospital Foundation, and Chairman of the Board of the Sports Authority Foundation. Michelle and Stephen live in Oak Forest and have three boys, Gregory and Stephen (8) and Andrew (3). The boys attend St. Rose of Lima Catholic School.

Downtown Houston Pachyderms – March 15 Carmen Montiel, Candidate for US Congress, 29th District Video

CARMEN MARIA LECHIN
Carmen Maria was born in Venezuela into a traditional Spanish Colonial family, in which education, hard work and giving back were priorities, and began her charity work as a young girl in her church youth program. When Carmen was just 16 years old, just like in a Hollywood movie, the president of the Miss Venezuela pageant discovered her. Her beauty and elegance earned her the titles of Miss Venezuela, Miss South America, and Second Runner-Up in the Miss Universe Pageant in 1984. Carmen Maria immediately put her celebrity to use in the service of others, and created the foundation “Las Misses” to help pediatric hospitals in Venezuela, Ecuador, and Peru.

Carmen studied Arts at Universidad Central of Venezuela, and her television career was launched in 1984, when she joined “Buenos Dias Venezuela” on Venevision. She later became anchorwoman for “Complicidades,” a show comparable to “The View.” As a broadcaster, she also found her voice as a disc jockey and producer, and her career expanded further to Mexico, Panama and Peru, earning her many awards in the television industry as well as for community service. Her television awards include: Woman of the Year, Zulia 1984; Lions Club Award 1985; Uni-Prensa Award 1985; Fundación “Las Granjas Infantiles” 1986; Meridiano de Oro 1987 and 1988; and Aquila de Oro 1988.

In May 1988, Carmen Maria moved to the United States to continue her education. In 1991, she was awarded degrees in Broadcasting and Spanish, Magna Cum Laude, at East Tennessee State University. Proof positive that beauty and brains are not mutually exclusive!

Carmen Maria moved to Houston in the summer of 1991, where she began working as a reporter for Telemundo-Houston, and worked her way up to news anchorwoman. She went on to cover floods, the 1992 GOP Convention, and developed a health segment. Volunteerism always remained a priority for Carmen, and as a TV personality, she was recognized for her work in the Houston community by the Consulate General of Mexico and The Houston Area Women’s Center. She also lent her voice to the United Way and the Rainforest Foundations.

In 1995, her career took a different path when she became pregnant with her first daughter. She now has three beautiful children: Alexandra Isabel, Carmen Maria and Juan Diego. Her family is the most important aspect of her life. The education of her children is her top priority. Today, Carmen Maria continues to serve the Houston community through many charitable organizations.

Carmen Maria has been a passionate force in Houston’s Latin American community and is active in the Latin Women Initiative, chairing their luncheon in 2006. In 2008, she chaired the “Gala de las Americas” for the Institute of Hispanic Culture. She has also been active within the Museum of Fine Arts participating on various committees and boards. She personally organized the Latin Maecenas for the Museum’s Latin American Art Department. Currently, she sits on the Board of Directors of UNICEF, Virtuosi of Houston, and the Institute of Hispanic Culture, as well as on the Advisory Board of the Latin Women Initiative Carmen Maria has also served on the board of Success Scholarships. In each organization she served, she has been recognized for her strong work ethic, and her willingness to “get her hands dirty” and to “get it done!”

In 2008, Carmen Maria was named among the 25 most beautiful people of Houston by H Texas magazine and in 2009 as the most elegant lady of the European and Latin communities by Dinastia Latina magazine. She was named Woman of Distinction in 2010 and in 2011 Best Dress in Houston.
Carmen Maria is a Domestic Violence Survivor and is dedicating her life to help other women to overcome this tragic situation.
Carmen Maria has proved to be a warrior. She is a Domestic Violence Survivor and is dedicating her life to help other women in this situation. Specially to teach young girls to recognize a predator at first side.
Carmen Maria is thankful for her life. She says there has never been a dull moment. Her life has been full of surprises, different experiences, and sudden changes--all of them wonderful!

CONGRATULATIONS!

To Pachyderm Past President Sohpia Mafrige for handily winning her primary race for Judge, County Civil Court at Law No. 4

Downtown Houston Pachyderm Club – March 8th Dr. David Schein, Author of The Decline of America: 100 Years of Leadership Failures

Please join Downtown Houston Pachyderm for our first lunch meeting after the March 6th Primary! This week, we will welcome author Dr. David Schein, Author of The Decline of America: 100 Years of Leadership Failures

It’s time for dues again!
We are accepting payments for dues for 2018. Annual dues are $40, or $20 if you are a member of another Pachyderm Club

Don't forget to "like" us on Facebook. We've hit a record of over 700 'likes'! Thank you for helping us achieve our goal!
 

Downtown Houston Pachyderm Club – March 1st Republican Primary Candidates and Ed Johnson on Early Voting

Please join Downtown Houston Pachyderm for our last lunch meeting before Election Day! This week, we will have a make up day for candidates and Ed Johnson will give us an update on Early Voting.

The following candidates have responded to attend: Dan Crenshaw for Congressional District #2.

It’s time for dues again!
We are accepting payments for dues for 2018. Annual dues are $40, or $20 if you are a member of another Pachyderm Club

Don't forget to "like" us on Facebook. We've hit a record of over 700 'likes'! Thank you for helping us achieve our goal!
 

Downtown Houston Pachyderm Club – February 22nd Republican Primary Candidates and Go Texan!

Please join Downtown Houston Pachyderm for lunch as we continue to feature contested primary candidates over the final two weeks leading up to the March primary, and will be announcing speakers as we get closer to meeting dates. Please look for event updates and plan to join us as we hear from our contested Republican primary candidates!

This week, we will feature the following candidates: Erin Swanson for Judge of Harris County Civil Court at Law #2, Melanie Flowers for Judge of the 257th District Court, Sharon Hemphill for Judge of the 189th District Court

There are over 30 contested primary races with over 80 candidates in all or part of Harris County on March 6. We have invited all the candidates who had email addresses on file with either the Secretary of State or the Harris County Republican Party. If you know a candidate who has not spoken and is not scheduled, please ask them to contact us as soon as possible, so we can schedule them as well.
 

29th Congressional District

Gene Green, Incumbent

Phillip Aronoff                Jaimy Blanco       Carmen Maria Montiel   Robert Schafranek

County Civil Court at Law #4

            Sophia Mafrige                             David Tang

Texas House district 150

         James Wilson                                   Valoree Swanson

Court of Criminal Appeals Place 8

Michelle Slaughter               Dib Waldrip                     Jay Brandon

185th District Court

           Stacey W. Bond            Maritza Antu

Please join Downtown Houston Pachyderm for lunch as we feature contested primary candidates over the next couple of months leading up to the March primary, and will be announcing speakers as we get closer to meeting dates. Please look for event updates and plan to join us as we hear from our contested Republican primary candidates!

This week, we will feature the following candidates: Candidates for 29th Congressional District, Candidates for County Civil Court at Law #4, James Wilson for HD 150, Hon. Michelle Slaughter for Court of Criminal Appeals Place 8, and Hon. Stacey Webb Bond for 185th District Court

There are over 30 contested primary races with over 80 candidates in all or part of Harris County on March 6. We have invited all the candidates who had email addresses on file with either the Secretary of State or the Harris County Republican Party. If you know a candidate who has not spoken and is not scheduled, please ask them to contact us as soon as possible, so we can schedule them as well.

The 29th Congressional District was created after the 1990 census. The only representative it has ever had is Gene Green, who is retiring after 26 years in Congress, as well as serving as a state senator and a state representative. Four Republicans are seeking this seat: Phillip Aronoff, Jaimy Blanco, Carmen Maria Montiel and Robert Schafranek.

Hon. Roberta Lloyd is retiring from the bench of County Civil Court at Law 4 at the end of this term. There are two candidates vying to replace her, Sophia Mafrige and David Tang.

Valoree Swanson was elected to represent District 150 in north Harris County in 2016. She is opposed this year by James Wilson.

Michelle Slaughter is judge of the 405th District Court in Galveston County. She is running for the Court of Criminal Appeals, Place 8, a seat currently held by Hon. Elsa Alcala, who is retiring.

Stacey Webb Bond previously served as judge of the 179th District Court. She is running for the 185th District Court, which is currently held by Hon. Susan Brown, who is retiring.

            Paul Simpson and Chris Carmona

          Dib Waldrip                Jay Brandon              Michelle Slaughter

Terry Yates                          Katy Boatman

Downtown Houston Pachyderm Club – February 8th Republican Primary Candidates

Please join Downtown Houston Pachyderm for lunch as we continue to feature contested primary candidates over the next month leading up to the March primary, and will be announcing speakers as we get closer to meeting dates. Please look for event updates and plan to join us as we hear from our contested Republican primary candidates!

This week, we will feature the following candidates: Candidates for Party Chair, Court of Criminal Appeals Place 8, First Court of Appeals Place 7

Paul Simpson has served as Harris County Republican Party Chair since his election in 2014. He is being challenged by Chris Carmona.

The Court of Criminal Appeals is the highest appellate Court for criminal cases in the State of Texas. Three Republicans have filed to replace Hon. Elsa Alcala, who is retiring at the end of this term. We will hear from two of them, Hon. Dib Waldrip and Jay Brandon this week. We will hear from the third candidate, Hon. Michelle Slaughter, on February 15th

The First Court of Appeals hears criminal and civil appeals from ten counties, including Harris County. Hon. Terry Jennings is retiring at the end of this term. The candidates vying to replace him, Hon. Terry Yates and Katy Boatman will share their qualifications with us.

It’s time for dues again!
We are accepting payments for dues for 2018. Annual dues are $40, or $20 if you are a member of another Pachyderm Club

Don't forget to "like" us on Facebook. We've hit a record of over 700 'likes'! Thank you for helping us achieve our goal!
 

Texas Land Commissioner Candidates

   Jerry Patterson    Davey Edwards    Rick Range     George P. Bush

U. S. Representative, District 22

  James Green         Danny Nguyen        Pete Olson         Eric Zmrhal

280th District Court

Angelina Gooden   George Clevenger  Geric Tipsword

Texas Senate District 17

Kristen Tassin           Joan Huffman

Downtown Houston Pachyderm Club – February 1st Republican Primary Candidates

Please join Downtown Houston Pachyderm for lunch as we feature contested primary candidates over the next couple of months leading up to the March primary, and will be announcing speakers as we get closer to meeting dates. Please look for event updates and plan to join us as we hear from our contested Republican primary candidates!

This week, we will feature the following candidates: Rick Range, candidate for Land Commissioner; Candidates for 22nd Congressional District; Candidates for 280th District Court; Kristin Tassin, candidate for Senate District 17

The Twenty-Second Congressional District was created following the 1970 census. The Hon. Pete Olson is the incumbent. Congressman Olson has three challengers in the Republican primary, James Green, Danny Nguyen, Eric Zmrhal, all of whom will be speaking at our club.

The 280th District Court handles protective orders exclusively. Governor Abbott appointed Hon. Angelina Gooden to this bench, following the retirement of Judge Lynn Bradshaw-Hull. Judge Gooden and her two opponents, George Clevenger and Geric Tipsword, will address us about their plans for this Court.

Rick Range is running for Land Commissioner. He will address us about his plans for the office.

Kristin Tassin is running for Senator, Senate District 17.
 

     Who will succeed Ted Poe?

Dan Crenshaw     Kathaleen Wall        Rick Walker                 David Balat

Kevin Roberts       Dr. Jon Spiers        Malcolm Whittaker    Jonny Havens

Justin L. Lurie

Downtown Pachyderm Club January 25th Republican Primary Candidates for CD2
 

Please join Downtown Houston Pachyderm for lunch as we feature contested primary candidates over the next couple of months leading up to the March primary, and will be announcing speakers as we get closer to meeting dates. Please look for event updates and plan to join us as we hear from our contested Republican primary candidates!
This week, we will feature candidates who are seeking to replace Congressman Ted Poe in Congressional District 2
After a long career as prosecutor, then criminal court judge, Hon. Ted Poe resigned his bench to seek election in the Second Congressional District, which at the time stretched from Jefferson County to Northeast Harris County. The lines of the district were re-drawn after the 2010 census, and his district is now totally within Harris County, and curls around to Southwest Houston. After fourteen years in Congress, including numerous floor speeches that concluded with the phrase . . .and thats the way it is, and beating cancer, Poe has decided to retire and spend more time with his grandchildren. Nine candidates are seeking to replace him. This week, we will welcome eight of the nine candidates for the Second Congressional District. We hope to see you there as well.

Downtown Houston Pachyderm Club January 18th Republican Primary Candidates

Please join Downtown Houston Pachyderm for lunch as we feature contested primary candidates over the next couple of months leading up to the March primary, and will be announcing speakers as we get closer to meeting dates. Please look for event updates and plan to join us as we hear from our contested Republican primary candidates!

This week, we will feature candidates for Justice of the Peace Pct. 5 Place 2, State Rep. District 126, the 185th Criminal District Court, the 295th Civil District Court, and the 189th Civil District Court.

We have confirmed two of the three candidates for Justice of the Peace Pct. 5 Place 2: Judge Jeff Williams running for re-election and J.R. Harris. The third candidate, Mike Wolfe, is scheduled for a makeup date on March 1st.

The Hon. Bill Burke is retiring at the end of this term in office from the 189th Civil District Court. Both candidates for this court, the Hon. Erin Lunceford and Sharon Hemphill, will speak at our meeting.

Judge Caroline Baker is not seeking reelection to the 295th Civil District Court. All three of the candidates seeking to replace her will be speaking at our meeting: Fred Shuchart, Richard Risinger and Michelle Fraga.

Judge Susan Brown is retiring after twenty years as the Judge of the 185th District Court. Both candidates for this court, the Hon. Stacey Webb Bond and Maritza Antu, will tell us about their qualifications to sit on this bench.

Three candidates are running to replace the Hon. Kevin Roberts in House District 126: Sam Harless, husband of former State Rep. Patricia Harless, SREC member Gail Stanart, and, Kevin Fulton. Sam Harless and Kevin Fulton will be present at our meeting, Gail Stanart will be represented by her husband, County Clerk Stan Stanart,
 

Downtown Houston Pachyderm Club January 11th Republican Primary Candidates

Please join Downtown Houston Pachyderm for lunch as we feature contested primary candidates over the next couple of months leading up to the March primary, and will be announcing speakers as we get closer to meeting dates. Please look for event updates and plan to join us as we hear from our contested Republican primary candidates!

This week, we will welcome Judge Jay Karahan and Dan Simons, candidates for Harris County Criminal Court at Law #8, Judge Theresa Chang of Harris County Civil Court at Law #2, and, Trey Blocker, running for Commissioner of Agriculture

Daniel Simons has been licensed since 2012, A former assistant district attorney in Harris County, he is currently in private practice.

About Judge Jay Karahan:
Judge Karahan was born and raised in Tampa Florida. He was very active in high school music activities and student government, and worked daily in his fathers unairconditioned warehouse to earn money for college. He attended Florida State University and graduated with an honors degree in Music Theory and a certificate in vocal performance. During college he worked at two jobs to support himself, including one working in the kitchen of a sorority house where two young woman were slain by the infamous Ted Bundy. This tragic incident was a turning point for Judge Karahan, and he determined to become a lawyer in order to prosecute the perpetrators of similar crimes. He became familiar with the law first as an intern for a year at the Hillsborough County States Attorneys Office in Tampa, and then matriculated into South Texas College of Law in Houston in 1979. Judge Karahan attended law classes at night and interned during the day at the Harris County District Attorneys Office in the intake and grand jury divisions. He graduated with a Doctor of Jurisprudence in 1983.
From 1983 to 1987, Judge Karahan served as an Assistant District Attorney for Harris County, Texas. He was a member of the District Attorneys child abuse committee and specialized in child abuse prosecutions, a difficult but vital assignment. In 1987, the U.S. Attorney General appointed him an Assistant United States Attorney for the Southern District of Texas. As a federal prosecutor he served in the Major Offender Division, Bank Fraud Task Force, and as a district coordinator for child exploitation investigations and prosecutions. While there he successfully prosecuted two FBI Top Ten fugitives for an interstate kidnapping and robbery spree, for which he received the U.S. Attorney Generals Special Achievement Award. As both a state and federal prosecutor Judge Karahan tried to jury verdict over 100 serious felony cases. In 1988, Judge Karahan was certified as a Criminal Law Specialist by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization, and he has maintained that certification ever since.
Judge Karahan left government practice in 1991 to serve as litigation and compliance counsel for a Fortune 100 company based in Houston He moved to private practice in 1995 to open the white-collar defense firm of Jay Karahan & Associates, where he specialized in state and federal criminal trials and appeals, mediations, and corporate compliance and investigations. As a defender he tried an additional 30 serious felony jury trials.
From 1987 to 1997, Judge Karahan taught criminal trial advocacy as an Adjunct Professor of Law at South Texas College of Law. He has served as Chair of the Administration of Justice Committee, and as Chair of the Criminal Law and Procedure Section, both of the Houston Bar Association. He has also served as vice-president and director of the Harris County Criminal Lawyers Association.
Judge Karahan speaks on criminal justice issues and concerns at CLE seminars, at colleges and universities locally and abroad, at Houston area public and private schools and in the community, with a particular emphasis on domestic violence. Judge Karahan has also lectured and published articles on the use of expert witnesses concerning the reliability of eyewitness testimony in criminal cases, as well as law practice in the Harris County Criminal-Courts-at-Law. Judge Karahan also serves as visiting judge for moot court and mock trial competitions at South Texas College of Law. He spends additional time with youthful offenders, especially 17-19 year old adult probationers who meet with him for mentoring and compliance evaluations.
Judge Karahan presides in one of Harris Countys SOBER (Saving Ourselves by Education and Recovery) Courts for DWI repeat offenders and Court 8 was one of five pilot courts in Harris County to introduce this successful program. The SOBER Court program was established in January, 2008 by the Harris County Criminal Courts-at-Law and the Texas Legislature to focus on intervention and rehabilitation of DWI repeat offenders with alcohol and substance abuse problems. These sentencing practices in SOBER court reduce probationer recidivism (re-offending) and increase successful probations in our courts. Judge Karahans sentencing practices are designed to motivate and empower offenders to return to integrity with the community and to live productive, law-abiding lives. Judge Karahan is a committee member of the Indigent Defense Committee which is now exploring the feasibility for this program in Harris County. He also serves on the Jury Use Committee and the SOBER Courts Committee.
Outside of the courtroom, Judge Karahan is a member of St. Martins Episcopal Church where he serves as a chalice bearer, a lay reader, a member of the Shepherds Guild, and sings in the choir. He is active in community theatre, and was one of the founding members of Night Court in 1989, an all lawyer musical review that has raised nearly a million dollars for charity. Judge Karahan is a frequent singer of the National Anthem at regional events, and in his spare time he enjoys reading, cooking with his family, and competitive carom billiards.

About Judge Theresa Chang:
Judge Theresa Chang is the Presiding Judge of Harris County Civil Court at Law #2. She was unanimously appointed by the Commissioners Court and elected by the voters of Harris County in 2012 and 2014.
It is extremely important to Judge Theresa Chang that Constitution is guarded and individual rights are protected, and the cases in her court are resolved in a fair and speedy fashion.
Since Judge Theresa Chang took the office in 2012, She reduced the court docket by 45%. Under Judge Changs leadership, less than 1% of disposed cases in Civil Court #2 went on to appeal.
Judge Chang obtained her M.S. in Chemical Engineering in the Texas A&M University System and was a registered Professional Engineer prior to earning her law degree from the South Texas College of Law Houston.
After graduation, she worked as an Assistant County Attorney for 10 years and served as Division Chief of Revenue Division and Compliance Division of the Harris County Attorneys Office. In 2007, Chang was unanimously appointed as District Clerk of Harris County by 59 District Court Judges. Later, Chang served as an Associate Judge of Houston Municipal Courts till she became the Judge of County Civil Court #2.
Judge Chang has served as a Commissioner of the Commission for Lawyer Discipline of State Bar of Texas for 6 years. She has served on the Board of Directors of State Bar and Asian American Bar Association.
In 1997, then Governor Bush appointed Chang to serve on the Board of Regents of University of Houston System. Chang also serves and has served on the board of many community organizations, such as South Texas College of Law Houston, Asian Chamber of Commerce, Chinese Community Center, YMCA, Houston Area Urban League, Houston Grand Opera, Texas Executive Women, American Leadership Forum and Governors Commission for Women.
Because of Changs professionalism and community involvements, she has been honored as Elected Official of the Year by Texas Asian Republican Club in 2016; George Bush Award by Asian Pacific American Heritage Association in 2016; Impact Award by Asian American Bar Association in 2012; Distinguished Alumni by Texas A&M Kingsville in 2011; 50 Most Influential Women in Houston by Women Magazine in 2010; and Women on the Move by Texas Executive Women in 2005.
Judge Changs husband, Peter, is a cardiologist. They have been married for 35 years. They have two sons, Winston and Spencer. They are active members of Ascension Catholic Church.

About Trey Blocker:
Trey is a 6th generation Texan. His forefathers were among the most respected cattlemen of their time. His great, great uncle drove the first cattle onto the XIT Ranch, and gave the ranch its name. The son of a sheet-metal worker father and a horse-trainer mother, Trey Blocker was raised with Christian values and a strong work ethic; learning at an early age the importance and true meaning of honesty, personal integrity, and the value of a hard days work.
While still in law school at the University of Texas, Trey established the Civil Liberties Defense Foundation (CLDF) to protect and defend the Second Amendment rights of Texas gun owners under threat by liberal cities and their elected officials. Today, CLDF is continuing to defend conservative values and protect Texans by suing Sanctuary Cities that continue to harbor criminal aliens and defy the ban on Sanctuary Cities passed by the Texas Legislature and signed into law by Governor Abbott.
Trey is the conservative podcast host of The Trey Blocker Show. He founded the podcast to educate, motivate, and entertain in a way that improves political and social discourse, featuring in-depth interviews of leading conservative leaders, elected officials, and activists in Texas.
A former lobbyist, Trey left his practice after witnessing firsthand the corruptive nature of politics in Austin and deciding that public service through elected office was the best way to affect positive change for his beloved state. He announced his campaign for Texas Agriculture Commissioner on November 29th, 2017 with a pledge to restore honesty, integrity, and fiscal responsibility back to the Department of Agriculture.
Trey is life-long outdoorsman and hunting and shooting enthusiast. He earned a bachelor of arts degree with honors from Hampden-Sydney College, where he served as student body president, and a law degree from the University of Texas School of Law. He also attended the Dallas Theological Seminary. Trey resides in Fredericksburg, Texas.
 

Downtown Houston Pachyderm Club December 7th Christmas Lunch

Please join Downtown Houston Pachyderm for lunch as we celebrate Christmas with Senator Paul Bettencourt, Install the 2018 Board and Officers, and collect necessities for the Star of Hope Mission!

About Senator Bettencourt-
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. He also was awarded the Tough Tusk Award by the Greater Houston Pachyderm Club.
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.
Additionally Senator Bettencourt was named Chair of the Select Committee on Property Tax Reform and Relief by Lt. Governor Dan Patrick and was unanimously elected by his colleagues to serve as Chair of the Texas Senate Republican Caucus.

Downtown Houston Pachyderm Club November 30th

DT Pachyderm presents Angelina Gooden on the Protective Order Court, HCC Trustee runoff candidates. We will also conduct elections for 2018 Board members.

As our community works to recover from Hurricane Harvey, we are happy to resume our weekly Thursday lunch meetings at a new location: The Pearl at the SAM Houston Hotel. We look forward to this new chapter for the Club, and are grateful for the many wonderful years we had meeting at the Spaghetti Warehouse. Please reply to the Facebook event so we can estimate attendance. Thank you!

About Angelina:
Angelina Gooden, a practicing attorney in Houston, was recently appointed by Governor Abbott to the 280th Family Law Domestic Violence Court, "the Family Protective Order Court", in Harris County in 2018. She has practiced law since 1989, working for both private law firms and in the non-profit sector as a contract attorney with Aid to Victims of Domestic Abuse for 11 consecutive years. She is presently a partner in Gooden and Gooden, with her husband Elijah Gooden, III.
Angelina is a graduate of the Thurgood Marshall School of Law and a member of the State Bar of Texas. She obtained her Masters of Arts in Urban Affairs and Human Resources from Norfolk State University, and her Bachelors of Arts in Sociology from Hampton University in Hampton, Virginia.
Angelina has been a speaker on protective orders and domestic violence issues over the years. She presently sits on the board of the Bridge Over Troubled Waters, Inc. a domestic violence shelter, is a member of the Texas Council on Family Violence and has previously served as a volunteer on the Houston Council on Domestic Violence. Angelina has represented litigants in all types of family law cases and has often served as an Amicus Attorney/Attorney Ad Litem to protect the interest of children. Throughout her career, Angelina has been appointed by four Harris County Family Law Judges to serve as a Special Master to hear family law cases and served as a Continuing Legal Education Presenter in family law seminars.
As an active Republican, Angelina was as a delegate to the Senate District 11 Republican Party Convention in Harris County and a delegate to the Republican Party of Texas Convention for the years of 2008, 2010, 2012, 2014 & 2016. Angelina is an active member of the San Jacinto Republican Women and Pachyderm Club of Northwest Houston. She holds Associate Memberships with the Yellow Rose of Texas Republican Women, Bay Area Republican Women and Texas Tea Party Republican Women.
Angelina is the youngest child of military veterans. She is a longstanding member of the New Covenant Christian Church. Angelina is a loving wife for over 27 years, a mother of four and grandmother of three.

HCC Trustees:
Runoff candidates for HCC Trustee District IX (9) have been invited to speak. We will hear from Rev. Gene Pack and Pretta VanDible Stallworth, or their representatives.

We look forward to seeing everyone!
 

November 23 - Thanksgiving

Downtown Houston Pachyderm Club November 16th

DT Pachyderm presents Realtor and Veteran, Morad Fiki, on the Houston Real Estate Market Before and After Hurricane Harvey

As our community works to recover from Hurricane Harvey, we are happy to resume our weekly Thursday lunch meetings at a new location: The Pearl at the SAM Houston Hotel. We look forward to this new chapter for the Club, and are grateful for the many wonderful years we had meeting at the Spaghetti Warehouse. Please reply to the Facebook event so we can estimate attendance. Thank you!

About Morad:

Upon honorable discharge from the U.S. Navy in 2013, Morad Fiki has tackled the high end luxury Houston residential real estate market. Morad has always strived to use Innovative and unorthodox marketing strategies for high end Luxury residential Properties. Constantly thinking "outside of the box," Morad consistently uses enhanced Social media techniques to target online buyers for his high end listings. He strives to be on the forefront of the "Next New Thing" and has thus been dubbed as the Future of Houston Luxury Real Estate. Morad Fiki has been named in the latest issue of Houston Luxury Magazine as one of Houston's Top Luxury Real Estate Professionals".

We look forward to seeing everyone!

Downtown Houston Pachyderm Club November 9th

DT Pachyderm presents Dr. Davey Edwards, candidate for Texas Land Commissioner

As our community works to recover from Hurricane Harvey, we are happy to resume our weekly Thursday lunch meetings at a new location: The Pearl at the SAM Houston Hotel. We look forward to this new chapter for the Club, and are grateful for the many wonderful years we had meeting at the Spaghetti Warehouse. Please reply to the Facebook event so we can estimate attendance. Thank you!

About Dr. Edwards, per his website:
Im a 6th generation Texan that is qualified in land administration systems and passionate about my Texas heritage. The Texas General Land Office, the first created agency in 1836, is an unknown but important agency in Texas tasked with generating revenue for the Permanent School Fund which supports public education in Texas. The GLO is also responsible for the maintenance and preservation of the Alamo.
I am standing up for Texas and pursuing this prestigious office. My goal is to be the voice of Texans by addressing the following issues:
Protecting the Texas General Land Office from the neglect and abuse of politicians by being a steward of Texas sovereign lands using my expertise.
Properly applying the statutes for the preservation and maintenance of the Alamo through transparent leadership and perpetuation of the Alamo Complex using historical architecture and restoring remembrances of those who died for Texas sovereignty in the 1836 battle!
Continue to fight against intrusions of Federal land claims against Texans and the interest of the State of Texas.
Providing the lowest interest rate loans for Veterans who seek to purchase Texas lands and homes.
Monitoring and conservation of Texas mystique coastline without forcibly infringing on the private property rights of Texans.
Educate Texans and the world on the importance of the Texas General Land Office and proper land administration systems management.
Following the Texas Aggie Core Values (Excellence, Integrity, Leadership, Loyalty, Respect, and Selfless Service), I will lead through Texas conservative values which represents Texans.
 

Downtown Houston Pachyderm Club November 2nd

DT Pachyderm presents HISD Trustee Candidates and a discussion with State Representative Jim Murphy and local businessman, James Noteware, of the bonds and proposals on the November 2017 ballot

As our community works to recover from Hurricane Harvey, we are happy to resume our weekly Thursday lunch meetings at a new location: The Pearl at the SAM Houston Hotel. We look forward to this new chapter for the Club, and are grateful for the many wonderful years we had meeting at the Spaghetti Warehouse. Please reply to the Facebook event so we can estimate attendance. Thank you!

This Thursday, we will hear from several HISD Trustee candidates about their races. To date, we have confirmed the following:
1. Sue Deigaard
2. Sean Cheben
3. John Luman
4. Robert Lundin
5. Daniel Albert

Also, we will have a discussion of the Bond issues and proposals on the November ballot, with State Representative Jim Murphy and local businessman James Noteware providing different viewpoints.

We look forward to seeing everyone!

Downtown Houston Pachyderm Club October 26th

DT Pachyderm presents Meteorologist, Frank Billingsley

As our community works to recover from Hurricane Harvey, we are happy to resume our weekly Thursday lunch meetings at a new location: The Pearl at the SAM Houston Hotel. We look forward to this new chapter for the Club, and are grateful for the many wonderful years we had meeting at the Spaghetti Warehouse. Please reply to the Facebook event so we can estimate attendance. Thank you!

About Mr. Billingsley:

Raised in Alabama, Frank Billingsley has called Houston home since 1989 and joined KPRC 2 as chief meteorologist in February 1995.
"I try to make the weather clear and easy to understand. The challenge is taking a complicated subject and making it simple, but I really enjoy it," he said.
"Of course, since Hurricanes Ike, Rita and Tropical Storm Allison, we've all become more aware of just how powerful weather can be and while I can't control the weather, I can be there to warn people when their lives or property is in danger. That's what makes my job worth it to me. I feel like I have a chance to give back to the world," Frank said.
Many viewers recall Radar the Weather Dog with Frank from 2003 to 2006. Radar now lives happily fat and retired pursuing other interests! Throughout Frank's life, his dogs have included Buster, Buff, Smokey, Rock, Hudson, and River-- one beagle, two spaniels and three schnauzers.
Since joining the KPRC 2 team in 1995, Frank has received Best Weathercaster awards from the Associated Press seven times, the Houston Press Club four times, the Houston Press newspaper four times and the Dallas Press Club three times. The Houston Chronicle named Frank the "Ultimate Weatherman."
A Washington & Lee University graduate, Frank received his Broadcast Meteorology Certification from Mississippi State University. He holds the seals of approval from both the American Meteorological Society and the National Weather Association.

We look forward to seeing everyone!
 

Downtown Houston Pachyderm Club October 19th

DT Pachyderm presents US Marshal Gary Blankinship

As our community works to recover from Hurricane Harvey, we are happy to resume our weekly Thursday lunch meetings at a new location: The Pearl at the SAM Houston Hotel. We look forward to this new chapter for the Club, and are grateful for the many wonderful years we had meeting at the Spaghetti Warehouse. Please reply to the Facebook event so we can estimate attendance. Thank you!

About Mr. Blankinship:

Gary L. Blankinship retired as a Senior Police Officer with the Houston Police Department and President of the Houston Police Officers Union. Blankinship has served in law enforcement for 35 years. In 1993, after the death of his partner in the line of duty, Blankinship founded the Assist the Officer Foundation to provide short-term, immediate financial assistance for officers critically injured or disabled in the line of duty. He also has served as Vice President for the National Association of Police Organizations.

We look forward to seeing everyone!
 

Downtown Houston Pachyderm Club October 12th

DT Pachyderm presents Elaine Stolte with the Childrens Assessment Center

As our community works to recover from Hurricane Harvey, we are happy to resume our weekly Thursday lunch meetings at a new location: The Pearl at the SAM Houston Hotel. We look forward to this new chapter for the Club, and are grateful for the many wonderful years we had meeting at the Spaghetti Warehouse. Please reply to the Facebook event so we can estimate attendance. Thank you!

About Ms. Stolte:

Elaine Stolte, Childrens Assessment Center

The Childrens Assessment Center [CAC] provides a safe haven to sexually abused children and their families - a place where they can receive the kind of care and treatment they so richly deserve. They employ an extraordinarily effective multidisciplinary team approach in the prevention, assessment, investigation, referral for prosecution and treatment of child sexual abuse. Their goal is to promote the complete healing of child victims of sexual abuse and their families.
Elaine Stolte is the executive director of the CAC. The CAC is an accredited member of the National Children's Alliance, part of a national movement to create child-friendly intervention systems for sexually abused children, and a member of the Children's Advocacy Centers of Texas. The CAC is also one of the largest child abuse advocacy centers of its kind in the nation.

We look forward to seeing everyone!

About Judge Yeary:

Judge Kevin Patrick Yeary is a native South Texan. He was born in Cotulla, and raised in Laredo. He and his wife, Suzie, have 4 daughters, and they currently live in Wimberley. Judge Yeary was elected to the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals in 2014. From 1991 to 1992, he served as a briefing attorney at the Court of Criminal Appeals to the late Honorable Judge Bill M. White. He is the only currently serving Judge on the Court to have also worked for the Court as a briefing attorney. After briefing at the Court, Judge Yeary worked for three years in a private firm, practicing civil litigation and criminal defense. Immediately prior to his election, he was employed for 19 years as an appellate lawyer in large DAs offices across Texas. He has worked for the Dallas County DAs Office, the Harris County DAs Office, and the Bexar County DAs Office. He has appeared as counsel and argued before both the Court of Criminal Appeals and the Texas Supreme Court, and he has prepared and filed briefs in cases before the United States Supreme Court. He received both his undergraduate degree and his law degree from St. Marys University.
 

Downtown Houston Pachyderm Club September 28th

DT Pachyderm presents HCRP Chairman, Paul Simpson

As our community works to recover from Hurricane Harvey, we are happy to resume our weekly Thursday lunch meetings at a new location: The Pearl at the SAM Houston Hotel. We look forward to this new chapter for the Club, and are grateful for the many wonderful years we had meeting at the Spaghetti Warehouse. Please reply to the Facebook event so we can estimate attendance. Thank you!

About Paul Simpson:
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. Pauls 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, Pauls 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. Catherines 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!

We look forward to seeing everyone!
 

Downtown Houston Pachyderm Club September 21st

DT Pachyderm presents Commissioner Cactus Jack Cagle

As our community works to recover from Hurricane Harvey, we are happy to resume our weekly Thursday lunch meetings at a new location: The Pearl at the SAM Houston Hotel. We look forward to this new chapter for the Club, and are grateful for the many wonderful years we had meeting at the Spaghetti Warehouse.

About Commissioner Cagle:
Commissioner R. Jack Cagle has served as county commissioner for Harris County Precinct 4 since 2011. He is serving his second four-year term following his re-election on November 4, 2014.
As commissioner, Cagle represents 1.2 million residents and manages a staff of 469 employees with a Precinct 4 budget of $245 million.
He has spent 30 years working with and serving the citizens of Harris County Precinct 4 as an attorney, elected judge, and now county commissioner.
As a member of Commissioners Court, he has also been selected to serve as a representative on the board of the Houston-Galveston Area Council and on the Board of Directors of the statewide Public Power Pool.
Until his appointment to Commissioners Court, Cagle served 11 years as judge of Harris County Civil Court-at Law No. 1. Harris County voters elected him to the bench countywide in 2000 and re-elected him in 2002, 2006, and 2010.
As judge, Commissioner Cagle consistently earned high ratings from the Houston Bar Association and received numerous awards from legal, business, political, and community groups. Twice recognized as Judge of the Year by law enforcement groups, Cagle was also recognized by the Mexican American Bar Association of Houston and served as an officer in the Association of Women Attorneys. He was elected by his peers to be administrative judge for the County Civil Courts and as president of the Texas Association of County Court at Law Judges.
Commissioner Cagle is a graduate of Rice University with triple majors in economics, history, and managerial studies, as well as a graduate of Baylor Law School. He is married to Janet and they have three children: Richard, Victoria, and Elizabeth.

We look forward to seeing everyone!
 

DT Pachyderm: Our thoughts and prayers go out to everyone affected by Hurricane Harvey and its aftermath. The Spaghetti Warehouse suffered extensive damage as reflected in this photo, so our meeting this Thursday, August 31st, is CANCELED. We will notify you about future meetings as soon as arrangements are made, and look forward to hearing from State Rep. Valoree Swanson about the special session in the near future. In the meantime, be safe, pray for our first responders and elected officials, and help your neighbors! God bless the great State of Texas!

Downtown Houston Pachyderm Club August 24th

DT Pachyderm presents Frank Nadolney - Are you ready for some football??

Frank Nadolney is our speaker this week. Franks father played college football for the legendary Knute Rockne at Notre Dame, and was in the National Football League in its early days. He has a wealth of memorabilia and information about the history of collegiate and professional football.

Franks background includes

Past President C Club
Past Chairman San Jacinto College Foundation
Past President Houston Realty Breakfast Club, NASA Board of Realtors, Pasadena Board of Realtors
Pas President National Association of Independent Fee Appraisers, Houston Chapter
Director, East Houston Regional Medical Center, San Jacinto College Foundation, National Association of Realtors, Texas Association of Realtors
Special Commissioner Eminent Domain Hearings for the City of Houston, Harris County and State of Texas


Frank has been a member of the North Shore Rotary Club for 53 years, and has had 50 years of perfect attendance. This past year was their 42nd annual fish fry, and has raised a total of 5.6 million net dollars for charity. The North Shore Rotary Club is the number one rotary club in Texas and the USA at raising money for charity.


We look forward to seeing everyone!

Downtown Houston Pachyderms August 17 Bill Tofte, Author, collecting school supplies for back to school rally

The Constitution: UNMASKED, a journey through critical words and phrases in the Constitution.
Tofte expounds on several topics, attempting to answer various questions.
Is the Constitution a Living Document?
Have changes in technology and culture made it irrelevant?
Are scholars, lawyers, and Supreme Court justices the only persons qualified to determine the meaning and application of the Constitution?
Are our elected and appointed officials abiding by their oath of office to support and defend the Constitution?
Tofte hopes to draw attention, away from current issues and problems, back to the greatest government document in history.

About Bill:
Family: 5 children, 3 grandchildren, remarried
Education: 1968 Graduate, Waltrip High School (HISD)
1972 Graduate, University of Texas, BBA
Work: 1972-1974: Teacher, HISD
1974-2016: Exec Vice-President ITD Precision
Highlights:
Company named 2012 Family Business of the Year by the SBA Houston District.
2009-2010 Chairman: Houston Area Liberty Campaign.
A featured speaker; Houston Tax Rally; April 15, 2009; 10,000+ audience.
Ran for U.S. Congress 2012.
Authored Little Red Book on the Little-read Constitution 2015

 

Downtown Houston Pachyderm Club August 10th

DT Pachyderm presents Matt Wiltshire with Texans for Greg Abbott

Join us for Matts presentation on the topic of How to #KeepTexasRed for a Generation

About Matt:
Matt Wiltshire is one of the Houston Field Organizers with Texans for Greg Abbott responsible for building a winning team that will last for decades. An outspoken leader among the new generation of conservatives, Matt will speak to us about how to build lasting political associations, combating the culture war, and the challenges faced in 21st century campaigning. Prior to joining Team Abbott, Matt worked at the Blakemore and Associates consulting firm and led the College Republicans in Houston.
 

Downtown Houston Pachyderm Club August 3rd

DT Pachyderm presents Catherine Engelbrecht, Founder of True the Vote

Join us to learn about this important organization from its founder, Catherine Engelbrecht. Catherine will share their efforts to fight voter fraud nationwide.

About Catherine:
Founder and President, True the Vote
Catherine is a mother, business owner, native Texan, and lifelong practitioner of common sense.
What became a full-time call to grassroots activism first started in 2008, when she could no longer watch silently as government made decisions that stood in stark contrast to Americas principles of personal liberty and economic freedom.
In 2009 she started True the Vote, a citizen-led effort to restore honor and integrity to our electoral system. True the Vote educates voters, researches the veracity of voter rolls, trains and mobilizes citizens to work at the polls,and advocates for election code reform legislation. In just a few short years, True the Vote has become the nations leading voters rights organization.
Catherine believes when government isn't held accountable, it inevitably abuses the rights of American citizens. So, when she learned the Internal Revenue Service was targeting her organization and others, Catherine stood her ground and took action. Under her leadership, True the Vote launched a precedent-setting lawsuit against the IRS and its top leadership.
As a nationally recognized spokesperson on voters rights, Catherine has appeared on television and talk radio, testified before Congress and state legislatures, and spoken to grassroots activists across the nation.
Catherine may still be a newcomer to politics, but shes rolled up her sleeves, put on her waders, jumped in to defend the Country and she believes shes right where shes supposed to be.

Downtown Houston Pachyderm Club July 27th

DT Pachyderm presents Josh Blackman, STCL-Houston Constitutional Law Professor, speaking on the future of Obamacare

About Josh:

Josh Blackman is an Associate Professor of Law at South Texas College of Law Houston who specializes in constitutional law, the United States Supreme Court, and the intersection of law and technology. Josh is the author of the critically acclaimed Unprecedented: The Constitutional Challenge to Obamacare. He is also author of Unraveled: Obamacare, Religious Liberty, and Executive Power. He was selected by Forbes Magazine for the 30 Under 30" in Law and Policy. Josh is the author of over two dozen law review articles, and his commentary has appeared in The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, USA Today, L.A. Times, and other national publications. Josh has joined several legal briefs on behalf of the Cato Institute in challenges to Obamacare and executive action on immigration. He has also co-authored several essays and op-eds with Cato senior fellow Ilya Shapiro, including an article in the Cato Supreme Court Review. Josh is the founder and President of the Harlan Institute, the founder of Fantasy SCOTUS, the Internets Premier Supreme Court Fantasy League, and blogs at JoshBlackman.com.
 

About Michael:
Michael Dokupil co-founded SFC Capital Management in 1999 where he focuses on statistical arbitrage trading strategies. Michael is the chair of the North Korean division of the Human Rights Foundation (HRF). He first began working with HRFs "Disrupt North Korea" program in 2015 during a site visit to Seoul. It was at this occasion that he was able to meet numerous defector and refugee partner organizations, and learn more about how outside information is the key to liberating the North Korean people. Michael has helped the program grow through various initiatives, events, and new partnerships as the organization continues to increase the flow of outside information into North Korea. Michael is a life-long Houstonian where he resides with his four children: David, Benjamin, Annabelle, and Jonathan.

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, Briscoes 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 its 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, Briscoes 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 bachelors 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:
Janas 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 believes 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.
Janas 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. Janas 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.
Janas 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 companys Direct of Auditing and Training. In that capacity she is involved with oversite of Western Litigations 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 & Scullys 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 Perrys presence at the birth of the Texas TEA Party to Ted Cruzs meteoric rise from the Texas Attorney Generals 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 Cruzs presidential campaign. Working from his Texas base, Jonathon managed the upstart candidates political operations in key battleground states including Iowa and South Carolina.
The Baylor graduates relationship with Cruz stretches back to 2012 when McClellans 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 Perrys 2010 Gubernatorial reelection campaign; Representative Wayne Christians staff (as Legislative Director and Chief of Staff); and on Texas Supreme Court Justice Dale Wainwrights 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. Marys 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 Generals Corps for twenty years, Addicott spent a quarter of his career as the senior legal advisor to the United States Armys 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 Associations 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 Generals 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. Marys University School of Law (2006-2007).

Highlights and Awards
Recipient: St. Marys Alumni Associations 2007 St. Marys 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 Wars, 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 Associations 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 Commanders 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 Eddies 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 mens 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 Womans 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

Its 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 HCRPs 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 HCRPs 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 Lees 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 Walkerin 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 Departments 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 Patrolmens 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 Masters 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. Pauls 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, Pauls 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. Catherines 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 countrys 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 Womens 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 offices 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 years election and plans for the future
.
Were exhausted!
And we dont 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 Steves 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 Womens 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 Countys 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 Dewhursts 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 states 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 states 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 Peoples money, not the governments. 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 Commerces 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 nations innovation economy.
Fighting Childhood Cancer
In the 112th Congress, McCauls 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. Attorneys 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 Justices 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 citys International Trade Committee, the Legislative Affairs Committee and chaired the Cellular Tower Working Committee. He has served on the Texas Attorney Generals 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 Commissioners 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, HCRPs 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 bachelors 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.

Toms 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 Bachelors 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.

Toms 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 Bachelors 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 partys 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 HCRPs Ballot Security Committee

Alan Vera serves as Chairman of the Harris County Republican Partys 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 Patricks 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 offices 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 Fortunes 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 Universitys 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. Boyces 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 fathers 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 Fortunes crew members, their families, and a village that continues to honor the crews sacrifice seven decades later. Rays 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 Johns uncle and the other crew members who flew on Miss Fortunes 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 Fortunes 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 Chancellors 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. Sullivans 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 Laws AMERICAN EVITA: LURLEEN WALLACE for inclusion in its collection. Four of Janices six books are included in the LOC collections. It is the first full biography of Americas 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 Alabamas 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 Beasleys 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 states 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 Administracin 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.

Murphys 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. Cyrils 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 Institutes 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 Reagans 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 Texass Department of Information Resources Board, the states 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 Bachelors 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 Sandies 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 Childrens 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 Childrens 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. Marys 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 Sandies 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. Im looking forward to getting to know all of you better through this journey.

Please go to our page and like us on Facebook! Weve 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 FBIs Law Enforcement Executive Development Series. Constable Hickman serves as Chair of the Local Executive Board for the FBIs Greater Houston Regional Computer Forensics Lab and is a member of the FBIs 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 communitys 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 Sheriffs Office he is eagerly undertaking his new challenges.

About Bill King:
Bill King has spent his life building businesses, speaking out on Houstons biggest issues and working on Houstons 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 Houstons 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, Pauls 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. Catherines 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 Ecologys environmental scientists gives us access to ecological knowledge and experience to assist with your solution. MSUSAs 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