Less taxing: Next Thursday, whether you’re just paying the IRS or lamenting all that you already have paid, you might want to relieve the pain that night at the inaugural Desserts First fundraiser for the Girls Scouts of Texas Oklahoma Plains. (That seems a big area for one GS troop!) Five chefs will converge at the 6th Street Kitchen Source to prepare desserts made from GS cookies. Plus there will be wine, and several martinis created exclusively to accompany your lemon, thin mint and Caramel de Lite cookies. We have tickets for two non-dieters.
LEAD-ing off: TWO, not one, bosses asked Mr. B to mention the Multicultural Alliance. Multicultural Alliance (formerly National Conference for Christians and Jews) honors community leaders that help to eliminate bias, bigotry and oppression in the community. On April 22, at the Renaissance Worthington, it is honoring North Texas LEAD (Leaders and Executives Advocating Diversity), the first time an organization has been recognized. Ralph Heath – LEAD board chairman and Executive Vice President of Lockheed Martin -- will accept the award. Chamber (BBB) Big Boss Bill said this was such an important awards dinner that he was going to use the money he doesn’t pay Mr. B to buy two tickets to give to a Newz-E-Letter reader.
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Dawn Brace, Navis Pack & Ship, and Allyson Baumeister, Sanford, Baumeister & Frazier PLLC, welcomed Martha Williams, Williams Trew, at last week’s Chamber luncheon hosted by Women Influencing Business. Williams spoke about her company and the ups and downs of the residential real estate industry during the past 10 years.
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A regular cut-up: Officials are handing out $3 million in prize money during the XTO Energy/National Cutting Horse Association’s Super Stakes at Will Rogers Memorial Coliseum. The event runs through April 16, so Mr. B figured there was some money remaining. He asked Chief Cutter Jeff Hooper for $10,000 to give away. Jeff jumped through some hoops and said, “Sure.” When the gift certificate arrived for shopping at the Western Mercantile, it was for $100 “A one and the same number of zeroes,” Jeff said. OK, who wants a cut of this hunnerd?
O, so happy: Next time there is a Little B about to be begat, Mr. B is going to consider the name Orvis. Orvis Melton is the only Orvis known in these areas and he’s ALWAYS happy, ALWAYS smiling and ALWAYS celebrating. Most of it is done down Waxahachie way and Orvis is sharing the fun of the Scarborough Renaissance Festival with Newz-E-Letter. We’ve got eight sets of two tickets, good Saturdays and Sundays and Memorial Day.
The Monroe Doctrine: Andy Warhol sure was ahead of his time. Who knew? The self-portrait that is part of the Modern Art Museum’s The Last Decade exhibit shows Warhol as a radical conservationist—spiked hair and a green theme. The exhibit of work from his final eight years runs through May 16, but two couples can see it courtesy of Kendal (Jump in the) Lake Smith, with a party going on, too, as your tour is during the Modern ’til Midnight artsfest Saturday April 10.
Dropped calls: A texter/tweeting chef was so Warhol-ed excited that she ruined her cell phone by dropping it in mayonnaise. Next time, she might try rubbing it with Mother Rucker’s sweets. Chocolate always gets a better reception.
Army of ants? Want to see Cowboys Stadium for free? You could volunteer some time April 9-11 for the Salvation Army America’s Run health event/run/walk. (Three days? Must be some really slow walkers.) BTW, in June, the S.A.’s Mabee Social Services Center building turns 20.
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B.A. in sales: Meredith Brown has matriculated to the University Marriott properties to do her sales wizardry.
B-rated: Tomorrow is the last day to vote in Fort Worth, Texas magazine's annual Best Of...everything. Mr. B is up for Best Of...nothing newsletter, and running unopposed, but you still gotta vote.
G-rated: Traci at TCU’s ISP Sports Network invited Mr. B to a “Spring Fling” tomorrow night, which was quite sporting. Quit snickering; it’s a fashion show/sale benefiting Kinderfrogs.
Kudos: The Chamber's young professionals group, Vision FW, is honoring companies that do their part to attract, retain and engage young talent in Fort Worth.
Here are the 20/20 finalists; winners will be annouced at an awards celebration May 12.
- Small Company (1-45 employees):
Balcom Agency; Brown & Gay Engineers, Inc.; Paige Hendricks Public Relations, Inc.
- Mid-Size Company (46-200):
Buxton; Community Bank; Whitley Penn LLP.
- Large Company (200+):
Freese and Nichols, Inc.; Higginbotham and Associates; Weaver.
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Real scoops: Real estate real deal Martha Williams of Williams Trew says her philosophy of success is centered around the work culture. "All you have is your people and you have to take care of them." She spoke at last week's Women Influencing Business luncheon at the Fort Worth Club. She, Joan Trew and Marshall Boyd have had Williams Trew for 10 years -- it's such an institution, it seems longer -- and have grown to 75 agents. Describing her success, she joked: "I have a very supportive husband who does whatever I tell him to do."
Did she check the weather report? Christy Henderson, former area meteorologist and sister of Chad Henderson of HBK real estate, was in a small plane that crashed and flipped recently. Fortunately, she walked away with only a black eye and lots of soreness.
Like that tune: Questions remain about his signing, but Clay Aiken is tuned in with his foundation. It gave $12,500 to Camp Fire USA First Texas Council for a program that mainstreams campers.
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Trekkin’ with techies: Can’t get that DVR to work? You’re in luck. There’s free technical assistance, up to 40 hours for any single project, from NASA’s vendors and alliances available through a federal program. TECH Fort Worth is the North Texas administrator, but executive techster Darlene Ryan says you better bring something more difficult, and more important, than your DVR troubles.
Golden gavel: Former Chamber board chair and lawyer legend Allan Howeth of Cantey Hanger will receive the Tarrant Bar’s most prestigious honor May 4…The Blackstone Award. Firm-mate Caroline Harrison was recognized as Outstanding Young Lawyer and is up for the state award June 11.
Well-oiled sentiments: Her mother and aunt are breast cancer survivors, so Tari Dudley, of Aaron's Automotive & Performance, and her daughter will be participating in the Fort Worth 5K Walk for the Cure on April 24.
Bank shots: When Don Nelson isn’t coaching the Golden State Warriors, which seems pretty often, he’s the store manager at Jos. A Bank at University Park Village. There, he’s having more success, with sales up 15 percent over last year. Oh, go ahead, credit Billye (Poston) Hines, who runs around Chamber events freely signing everyone up for 20 percent discounts. This Jos. A Bank store is moving across the Village, into 6,100 square feet near Chili’s, and Chamber Am-Bass-Adorables will be there April 22 for the tie-cutting.
Shot heard ’round Irving: Kraft is the sponsor of Sunday’s implosion of Texas Stadium, which is cheesy marketing. The site will be only a “shell” of what it once was. TxDOT will use it as a staging area for road construction.
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Scary thoughts: Wake, the directorial debut of Chad Feehan, son of Cash America CEO Dan Feehan, will show next Tuesday night as part of the 2010 Dallas International Film Festival. Chad was producer for All the Boys Love Mandy Lane; Wake is a horror/suspense movie.
Talk not always cheap: Chris Fuller, CEO of Influence Leadership, talks a lot. To himself, to his wife, Robin, to groups seeking leadership guidance. Recently, he spoke in a yert (yurt?) to a commercial title group in Big Sky, Montana. Chris says it’s hard to “yak in a yert.”
WooHoo! Newz-E-Letter readers selfishly should rejoice…Maggie Estes, a great giveaway friend when she was with Bass Performance Hall a few moons ago, has been named the Van Cliburn’s director of marketing.
Looking for leads: Shannon Gracey attorney Cheryl Coon is reading the entire 906-page healthcare reform bill. Wants to know how to help her clients and where to look for new clients.
Splashy entry: For your first pool party of the season, you might consider taking a high dive and inviting Alicia Jenkins, director of development for the Ronald McDonald House of Fort Worth. Not only will she potluck some French fries, she could provide the entertainment. Alicia, while a student at what is now Texas State University in San Marcos, was a swimmer in the underwater show at Aquarena Springs theme park. The women swimmers had several roles in the show, including mermaids, dancers and a magician’s assistant who disappears.
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