December 2008 Houston Business Connections Newspaper

Zogby Interactive:Palin Leads the PackOf Possible 2012GOP Candidates

UTICA, New York – Alaska Gov.Sarah Palin is the slight favorite ofRepublican voters as the best candidatethe party could run for President in2012. When all voters are asked thatquestions, Palin falls into a three-way tie

with Mitt Romney and Bobby Jindal.Those are among the findings of

a Zogby Interactive poll of 24,964voters conducted from Nov. 7-18.The margin of error for the entiresample is +/-0.6%.

Voters were offered the choices ofPalin, former Massachusetts Gov.Romney, Louisiana Gov. Jindal, for-mer Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee,Texas Rep. Ron Paul and former NewYork Mayor Rudy Giuliani. All butPalin and Jindal were candidates forthe 2008 nomination. Voters also could

choose someone else.Palin’s strength is with all conser-

vatives, conservative religious votersand gun owners. Among Republicans,she gets the support of 30% of Born-Again Christians, 32% of weeklychurchgoers, 34% of National RifleAssociation members, 28% of currentgun owners and 29% of self-identifiedconservatives. More GOP supportcomes from 32% of blue collar work-ers, 30% who shop weekly at Wal-Mart, 28% of NASCAR fans and 25%of both those with children under 17

and those with family members in themilitary. She scores lower among GOPvoters ages 18-29, with 15%.

Romney’s Republican supportlevel is very consistent across demo-graphic groups. Among his party mem-bers, Romney’s numbers fall off by afew points from his overall 18.1% withreligious conservatives and gun owners.Surprisingly, Palin leads Romneyamong Republican investors, 24%-20%.

BUSINESS CONNECTIONSHouston-Area

Published By Aubrey R. Taylor • Proudly Serving The Houston Community Since 1998 • Email: [email protected] • SPECIAL 2008 PROMOTIONAL

BUSINESS CONNECTIONSLocal • National • International • News & Business Reports!

Houston Bus iness Connect ions is pub l ished month ly on l ine: www.houston-bus inessconnect ions .com

PALIN

LeadershipFulbright Has Best Showing Ever in Chambers UK 2009

continued on page, P.23

Houston-Area Local • National • International • News & Business Reports!

ichard Branson is a billionaire adven-turer, businessman, and innovator andis scheduled to headline the 11thannual user conference SolidWorks

World 2009. Branson’s keynote will be part ofthe general session on Feb. 9, 2009, whichbegins at 8:30 a.m. EST at Walt Disney(R)World Swan & Dolphin Hotel. Branson isfounder of the Virgin Group, consisting of morethan 200 companies employing over 50,000

people in 30 countries and recording more than$20 billion in 2006 revenues. An entrepreneursince the age of 17, Branson has built a varietyof brands into global successes. From recordstores to airlines and mobile phone serviceproviders, the Virgin brand epitomizes marketleadership, elite customer service, and wide-spread customer loyalty. For more informationvisit www.solidworks.com or www.swandol-phin.com. – PHOTO BY (BUSINESS WIRE).

Branson to keynote SolidWorks World 2009

R

Sarah Palin for President in 2012?

Wired PR News.com – As reported by the Associated Press (AP), as ameans of cutting costs, General Motors will end their $7 million a year endorse-ment deal with the championship winning Woods.

Larry Peck of GM was quoted in the AP report as stating “We’ve had sucha great partnership with Tiger. It’s hard for us to walk away from that. But thisfrees up time for him. And it sure frees up a lot of money for us.”

General Motors has seen a decline in sales of the Buicks in the US since2000, but the company has seen 17 per-cent growth globally. The car is stated tobe a popular type in the Chinese auto mar-

GM ends Tiger EndorsementGolf pro TigerWoods will no

longer bespokesman for

auto giant GeneralMotors (GM), after

his contractexpires in 2009. WOODS continued on page, P.23

Chambers UK 2009ranks Fulbright as a leading firm in fivecategories and lists sixFulbright lawyers asleading individuals.

Lista Cannon, Chris Warren-Smith,David Howell, Jonathan Sutcliffe, Susan

Farmer and JeremySheldon each earnedindividual recognition.

In listings thatamount to Fulbright’sbest ever ChambersUK showing, thedirectory acknowl-edges that “‘Greatpeople and a great

client base’ haveallowed Fulbright &Jaworski to ‘make abig push’ in London”.

In banking litiga-tion, in which ListaCannon and ChrisWarren-Smith arerecognized as leadingfigures, Chambersrecognizes that“Growing steadily inLondon, this US firmhas a refined knowl-edge of investmentbanking disputes.Over the past year thefirm worked on sub-prime disputes andrelated issues involv-ing the structure ofinvestment vehicles.Clients praise the serv-ice: ‘You feel as

though you are reallyworking closely together’.”

Lista Cannon, Partner-in-Charge ofFulbright’s London location, is also recom-

W-SMITH

FARMER

Fulbright continued on page, P.2

RUNOFF

Huffman

CANNON

Bell

Senate District 17to elect a Leaderon December 16th!

The special runoff election to fill thevacancy in Senate District 17 is currentlyunder way. Early voting has already startedand Election Day is Dec. 16, 2008. BothDemocrat Chris Bell and Republican JoanHuffman are vying for your support onElection Day! Please see their answers tothree questions asked by our publisher,Aubrey R. Taylor. Please See Page - 3

The special election to fill the seat leftvacant by the resignation of Sen. KyleJanek was held during the November 4 gen-eral election; however no candidatereceived a majority of the votes, as mandat-ed by state law. Therefore, the winner of thisspecial election will serve out the remainderof Sen. Janek’s term, which expires inJanuary 2011. So don’t forget to vote!

mended for her contentious regulatory practice, civil fraudwork, dispute resolution and professional discipline prac-

tice. For example, Chambers recordsthat “Sources agree that the team’scombination of strong London part-ners and vast US experience andexpertise mean it is advantageouslyplaced to conduct investigations andhandle regulatory matters with aninternational element.” Among thepraise for Lista Cannon is that she is“widely recommended for ‘providinginnovative solutions to complicatedproblems’ and is highlighted for herimpressive work on FSA and SECinvestigations where she brings yearsof experience to the table”.

Chris Warren-Smith is also“highly recommended” for his workin representing insurers in relation tocivil and regulatory proceedings.

The international arbitrationpractice within Fulbright’s Londonlocation is highly praised.Chambers acknowledges JonathanSutcliffe as “definitely one towatch,” while David Howell, co-head of Fulbright’s InternationalArbitration and ADR practice, is“‘going great guns’” on a variety ofcommercial matters related toAfrica and the Far East”.

The London ener-gy practice is also highly recom-mended. Chambers states that “thefirm is regarded as a leader in the oiland gas sector, and the Fleet Streetoffice attracts similarly high praisefor its energy work.”

Chambers lists Susan Farmer as a leading figure, withher LNG expertise providing “the London office with anewfound capacity for taking on transactional work, andimproves its ability to generate new clients”.

Jeremy Sheldon is also recognized as “another notablerecent hire, in boosting the corporate part of the practice.His ‘tireless approach and impressive spread of experi-ence'’wins admiration from clients”.

Fulbright’s energy disputes practice is also said toremain in “the ‘safe and sure hands’” of David Howell.

2 • SPECIAL 2008 PROMOTIONAL • Houston Business Connections Printed Edition • www.houston-businessconnections.com • 832.212.8735

Houston Business Connections Newspaper is made possible by the support of our advertisers and supporters. Please support our advertisers and supporters! - Aubrey R. Taylor

s always, we would like to thank you for pickingup Houston Business Connections Newspaper.We’re very grateful for your support and patron-age towards our advertisers and us.

As you can see, we’re making a concerted effort tobroaden our perspective and horizon to bring you not onlylocal information - but national and international informa-tion about business people and companies on the move.

In our “People Doing Business Series” we’ve got fea-tures on people and companies doing business in Texas,Louisiana, and Florida to name a few. Our “People On TheMove Section” has announcements and achievements aboutcompanies in California, Connecticut, Florida, D.C., Georgia,Illinois, New Jersey, New York, Massachusetts, Hawaii,North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, and Virginia.

We’ve also started a marketing package that every busi-ness can afford during these difficult financial times. Theadvertising packages start at just $40 dollars. Yes, thatmeans if you place any size advertisement with us for ourJanuary 2009 issue, you’ll have that advertisement workingonline and in print for the months of January, February,March, April, and May of 2009. The deadline to take advan-tage of this special offer is December 27th, 2008! So reserveyour space today by calling us at: 832-212-8735.

Again, we thank you in advance for your support!

Aubrey R. Taylor, Publisher Email: [email protected]

PUBLISHER’S PAGE Announcements & Upcoming Events

A

ENTREPRENEURS CREDOI do not choose to be a Common manIt is my right to be UNCOMMON...If I canI seek Opportunity - not SecurityI do not wish to be a kept citizen, humbled and dulledby having the state look after me.I want to take the “Calculated Risk” toDream and to Build,to fail and to SUCCEED.I refuse to barter incentive for a dole.I prefer the challenges of Life to the“Guaranteed existence”,the thrill of fulfillment to the stale calm of Utopia.I will not trade FREEDOM for Beneficencenor my dignity for a handout.I will never cower before any master norbend to any threat.It is my heritage to stand erect,proud and unafraid,to think and act for myself,to enjoy the benefit of “MY CREATIONS” and to face the world boldly and say:“This with God’s help, I have done. All this is what it means to be a ENTREPRENEUR”

ARTC

HOUSTON BUSINESS CONNECTIONS IS PUBLISHED BY AUBREY R. TAYLOR COM-MUNICATIONS ALL RIGHT RESERVED. NO ARTICLES MAY BE COPIED, REWRITTEN,PUBLISHED, OR OTHERWISE DISTRIBUTED WITHOUT THE PRIOR WRITTEN APPROVAL OF

THE PUBLISHER. FOR SPECIAL REQUESTS EMAIL: [email protected]

[email protected]. FOR MORE INFO CALL: 832.212.8735

Aubrey R. Taylor, publisher of Houston Business Connections.

We Appreciate Your Continued Support!

Upcoming Events for December 2008from the Texas Parks & Wildlife

Featured Event December 6, 12, 13, 19, 20, 2008 - Monument Hill & Kreische Brewery SHS - Trail ofLights - Enjoy a fantastic quarter-mile trail illuminated with thousands of lights that decorate the Monument Hilland Kreische House portions of our park. Walk a trail overlooking the town of La Grange. Experience the more tradi-tionally decorated 1850s-era German home of H.L. Kreische, bedecked in Christmas splendor, in a Texas-Germanstyle. Bring your children to tell secrets to Mr. and Mrs. Santa Claus and enjoy the genuine seasonal hospitality of theFriends of Monument Hill and Kreische Brewery, who sponsor the event. No pets please. 6-8 p.m.; fees $3 adults, $1children 3-12 (979) 968-5658.

Featured Event December 11, 2008 - Barton Warnock Environmental Education Center - Christmas on theBorder - Join us in celebrating the holiday season in West Texas border fashion. Local community performers willprovide the entertainment. Refreshments and treats will be served and we will havea special visit by Santa Claus for the children. Accessible for the mobility, visuallyand hearing impaired. 6:30-9 p.m. (432) 424-3327.

Featured Event December 12, 2008 - Sebastopol House SHS - HolidayClassic Movie - There's nothing like a classic holiday film to get you into the holi-day spirit. The parlor at Sebastopol has been turned into an old fashioned theatre inorder to bring you a 1948 Holiday Classic-"Miracle On 34th Street," starring a veryyoung Natalie Wood. If this warm family film doesn't soften the heart of the Grinchin your life-nothing will! Seating is limited. 6:30 p.m.; reservations required (830)379-4833.

Featured Event December 12-13, 2008 - Cooper Lake SP/Doctors CreekUnit - 2nd Annual Christmas in the Park - Load up the family for a drive through the park and enjoy the holidaydecorations. We will also have refreshments and Santa will be here for a visit. Sponsored by The Friends ofDoctor's Creek. 6-10 p.m. For more information, call the Friends of Doctor's Creek at (903) 395-4314 or the parkat (903) 395-3100.

Featured Event December 13, 2008 - Barrington Living History Farm-Washington-on-the-BrazosSHS - An Old-Fashioned Texas Christmas - This is a time for gathering with family and friends, forsinging carols around the open fire, for making surprises tuckedaway in pretty packages, for feasting on goodies made with love,and for making special memories. Join the farm staff in decorat-


Aubrey R. Taylor Communications

LeadershipFulbright Has Best Showing Ever in Chambers UK 2009

SUTCLIFFE

HOWELL

SHELDON

FulbrightAlsoReceivedMultipleRankings inChambersAsia 2009

Chambers Asia 2009ranks Fulbright as a lead-ing firm in seven cate-gories and listed fourFulbright lawyers asleading individuals. JeffBlount, Jie Zhang, Lori Jiand Gregg Harris eachearned individual recog-nition with Jeff Blountand Jie Zhang honoredin multiple categories.

Continued from Page - 1

CONGRATULATIONS!

TAYLOR: Can you tell our readers and the con-stituents of State Senate District 17 why you’re thebest candidate to represent them without mentioningyour opponent!

BELL: I think the issues that I’ve addressed in mycampaign demonstrate the kind of leadership I canbring to this district. People in Texas want to see realreform in the areas of public education, health care,college tuition, and ethics, and I am the only candi-date who has been talking about these issues sincethe campaign began. My campaign has always beenissue-based, and I haven’t attempted to put up asmoke screen by drawing attention to divisive parti-

san issues that should take a backseat to theneeds of our children. As a husband and fatherto two school-age boys, my wife and I are fac-ing the same challenges we are all seeing inthese tough economic times. We all want tosee our children reach their full potential, butunless we address the problem of skyrocketingtuition, more and more families will be unable

to see their children receive a college degree. As alegislator my focus will continue to remain on theseissues that affect the everyday lives of those livingwithin this district and across the state.

TAYLOR: Do you have any personal experiences orqualifications you feel have uniquely prepared you tobest represent State Senate District 17?

BELL: I have been fortunate enough to serve theconstituents of this district on two previous occasionsas a Houston City Councilman and a United StatesCongressman. Working in two legislative bodiesshowed me the importance of knowing when and howto compromise with my colleagues. There are lessthan 30 days between Election Day and the beginningof the 2009 legislative session, and this district needs astate senator who can be ready for the challenges of theoffice on day one. My experiences in public office lendme the kind of preparedness that can bring real leader-ship to the constituents of District 17.

Democrat Joe W. Beverly won his bidto unseat the incumbent in the race forChief Justice, 14th Court of AppealsDistrict. Republican Texas State Rep.District 138: Dwayne Bohac (i) won hisre-election bid. Republican United StatesRep. District 8: Kevin Brady (i) won hisre-election bid. Democratic Texas StateRep. District 134: Ellen Cohen (i) wonher re-election bid. Republican HarrisCounty Judge Ed Emmett won his re-election bid. Democrat Kevin Fine wonhis bid to unseat the incumbent forDistrict Judge, in the 177th Judicial

District.Democrat Adrian Garcia unseat-ed the incumbent to become the newHarris County Sheriff. Democrat JimHenley won his bid to become the HarrisCounty School Trustee for Position 7.Republican Texas State Senator, District11: Mike Jackson (i) won his re-electionbid. Republican Chief Justice of the TexasSupreme Court: Wallace B. Jefferson (i)won his re-election bid. DemocraticHarris County Constable, Precinct 3: KenJones (i) won his re-election bid.Democrat Steven E. Kirkland won hisbid to unseat the incumbent in the race for

District Judge, for the 215th JudicialDistrict. Republican Ken Legler defeatedhis opponent to become the State Rep. forTexas House District 144. Republican PatLykos defeated her oppo-nent to become the firstwoman District Attorneyin Harris County history.Democrat David Mendoza won his bid tounseat the incumbent in the race forDistrict Judge, for the 178th JudicialDistrict. Democrat Barack Obama wonHarris county with over 50% of the voteover his Republican opponent. He also

went on to become the first African-American elected President of the UnitedStates. Democratic State Rep. District 27Dora Olivo won her re-election.

Republican Pete Olsonwon his bid to unseat theincumbent for UnitedStates Rep. District 22.

Republican Harris County CommissionerSteve Radack won his re-election bid.Democrat Vince Ryan unseated theincumbent to win his race for HarrisCounty Attorney. Democrat Randy Rollwon his bid to unseat the incumbent in the

race for District Judge, for the 179thJudicial District. Democrat Leslie C.Taylor won her bid to unseat the incum-bent in the race for Justice, 1st Court ofAppeals District, Place 5. DemocratKristi Thibaut won her bid to unseat theincumbent for Texas State Rep. District133. Republican Justice of the TexasSupreme Court, Place 7 Dale Wainwright(i) won his re-election bid.

--------------------------------------------------Good Luck Serving The People!

Houston Business Connections Printed Edition • www.houston-businessconnections.com • 832.212.8735 • SPECIAL 2008 PROMOTIONAL • 3

The highest measure of democracy is neither the ‘extent of freedom’ nor the ‘extent of equality’, but rather the highest measure of participation. — A. d. Benoist

POLITICS BELL & HUFFMAN WANT YOUR SUPPORT!

“The winner of this special election on Tues.,Dec. 16th will serve out the remainder of Sen.Janek's term, which expires in January 2011”

BRADY

OLSONJEFFERSON

WAINWRIGHT

JACKSON OLIVO

THIBAUT

COHEN

BOHAC

LEGLER

TAYLOR

BEVERLY

MENDOZA

FINE

ROLL

KIRKLAND

LYKOS

RADACK

GARCIA

EMMETT

HENLEY

JONES

RYAN

Candidate Joan Huffman is the Republican inthe Tuesday, December 16th Runoff Election.

Candidate Chris Bell is the Democrat in theTuesday, December 16th Runoff Election.

OBAMA

POLITICIANS ON THE MOVE!

E-INTERVIEWS

TEXAS

TAYLOR: Can you tell our readers and the con-stituents of State Senate District 17 why you are thebest candidate to represent them without mentioningyour opponent:

HUFFMAN: This is a critical time. Though the Texaseconomy is stronger than most other states, we arebeginning to feel the brunt of the current economicslowdown. Texas needs lawmakers who want to keepstate spending and taxes low and who understand thatour failure to address border security is not onlyincreasing crime rates, it is also creating enormouscosts in our health care and education system. Thefuture of Texas - our economic strength, our govern-ment's integrity and the state we will leave toour children are all at stake in this election.

I am a pro-business, fiscal conservative whois committed to making sure government supportsthe efforts of small businesses to create jobs andget our economy back on track. I want to makesure that the funding government invests in stateprograms - from education to transportation - isspent effectively. I will work to make sure we areaccountable for every taxpayer dollar.

As your State Senator, my priorities will be bordersecurity, education and keeping our taxes low.

TAYLOR: Do you have any personal experiences orqualifications that you feel have uniquely qualified youto best represent State Senate District 17?

HUFFMAN: My record includes service as a gangprosecutor, judge and my experience as a mom and awife. I was elected Criminal District Court Judge twiceand served as Chief Felony Prosecutor and SpecialCrimes Gang Prosecutor and Legal Counsel to theOrganized Crime Narcotics Task Force under HarrisCounty DA's office. I also served on the ExecutiveCommittee of the Board of Directors of the Children'sAssessment Center Foundation of Harris County and asCo-Chairman of its Advocacy Committee. I am a mem-ber of St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church and live withmy husband, Keith, and son, Luke, in Southside Place.

IF YOU HAVE NEWS YOU WANT CONSIDERED FOR THIS PAGE, PLEASE SEND THE INFORMATION TO US AT: [email protected]

FBy Fred W. Baker IIIAmerican Forces Press Service

FORT SAM HOUSTON, Texas, –The Warrior and Family SupportCenter located steps away fromBrooke Army Medical Center here isone packed place.

It is stuffed fromfloor to ceiling withhomey decorations,leather furniture,stacks of snacks, bas-kets of books, com-puter work stations,a video library and aconstant flow ofwounded servicemem-bers and families.

Every Thursday night, 250 peo-ple pack into the 1,200-square-foot

room for dinner. Guests spill into thehallways and stairs.

But by Christmas dinner, thefeast will feature more leg room.

A new $4 million, 12,000-square-foot facility recently opened,boasting its own dining room plus agreat room, a classroom, a videogame room and, overall, just a lotmore room.

And, just like its neighbor, theCenter for the Intrepid – a state-of-the-art, multi-million-dollar rehabili-tation facility – the new building wasentirely privately funded and hasn’tcost the Army a dime.

“The sky is the limit when wemove into that new facility,” saidretired Army Lt. Gen. Glynn Mallory,who serves on the board that oversawthe fundraising and building projectthat has taken a little less than twoyears to come to fruition.

The project was spearheaded asa charitable project by two brotherswho own Huffman Developments, aTexas-based building company. InJanuary 2007, Steve Huffman visited

the current center, which is housedon the second floor of a guesthousethat serves the families of service-members receiving care at BAMC.

Huffman had read about thecenter, and he asked its manager,Judith Markelz, what it needed.Markelz said she replied that the cen-ter needed a video game system toreplace one that had been stolen.Huffman agreed to replace the sys-tem, promised he would be back intwo weeks, and said he wanted toknow what else the center needed.

“Think big,” he told Markelz.Estimates for the project were

just over $3 million when it started,but the contractor solicited service-members’ and families’ ideas on itsconstruction, and subsequent designchanges increased its cost. The

building willring in at about$4 million, andan added thera-

peutic garden and other landscapingwill take the project to nearly $5 mil-lion, Markelz said.


Democracy is a charming form of government, full of variety and disorder, and dispensing a sort of equality to equals and unequal alike. — Plato

FEATURES PEOPLE DOING BUSINESS SERIES - 2009 Preview

Warrior, Family Support CenterGets Upgrade in San Antonio

TEXAS

One soldier said he wanted grass– “real” grass, not the brown, coarsekind typical of southern Texas. So,plush St. Augustine grass with asprinkler system to keep it green wasadded to the landscaping.

Cookouts are popular, Markelzsaid, so a barbecue pavilion wired

with outdoor stereo speakers nowoverlooks a harbor and garden.

The soldiers and families wanteda fireplace, so a massive fireplacecenters the building’s open greatroom, with its chimney stretching tothe height of the cathedral ceiling.The open backside of the fireplacefaces an outdoor courtyard so it canbe enjoyed outside as well. An 18-foot-high, wrought-iron butterflysculpture, designed by a soldierrecovering here, will spiral up thechimney.

A large video gaming room willfeature several large-screen televi-sions and a drop-down projectionscreen to accommodate competitions.

A classroom with computers willoffer educational opportunities forservicemembers and families.Markelz has a donor lined up willingto pay tuition and books for anyonewanting to advance their education.Several others have volunteered toteach classes there.

“These classes are important,because in some cases, these wound-ed warriors are looking for a newcareer,” Mallory said.

And the new building will havea large kitchen, which Markelz saidshe expects to be a main gatheringplace. The current center does nothave a kitchen, and the staff mustwash dishes in a bathroom. The newspace also will offer room for thethree administrative staff members,who now share one desk, one com-puter and one chair, Markelz said.

Large windows and skylightsthroughout the building allow light tospill into the center. An open floorplan encourages servicemembers tomingle, and parts of the design areintended to aid wounded service-member's rehabilitation.

A covered patioallows for recover-ing servicemembersto be outside with-out subjecting themto the harsh Texassummer sun. To aidservicemembers’therapy, the outdoorgarden will offervaried surface types,ramps with no rails,uneven surfacesand inclines thatservicemembersmust maneuverthrough.

“What we’re trying to do is emu-late things they are going to see athome,” said Jennifer Golden, ofGolden construction, a subcontractoron the project.

The overall design is built witha Hill Country theme, with rock

and stucco throughout and a largestar as a centerpiece on the front ofthe building.

“It’s very Texas,” Mallory said.Mallory said he was asked to sit

on the board because he was alwaysat the center “hugging wounded war-riors all the time.”

As an infantryman, he servedtwo combat tours in Vietnam.Mallory said this project completesthe BAMC complex and is worthy ofthe sacrifices of the servicemembersand their families.

“They’ve got two world-classfacilities here, in the hospital and therehabilitation center, and they deservea world-class facility for socializingand ... doing what they need to do torehabilitate,” he said.

The center opened in 2003 whenArmy officials saw a need for a placethat focused on helping family mem-bers as they arrive to be with theirwounded servicemembers.

Markelz said many family mem-bers panic when they get the newsthat their servicemember has beeninjured, regardless of the severity, andthey leave immediately for the hospi-tal. Some arrive even before the ser-vicemember.

“I had a mother get off the air-plane the other day with two leftshoes on, because when she got thatphone call ... she put on somethingand got on that airplane,” Markelzsaid. “She brought no money. Nocredit card. She brought the clotheson her back.”

As of September, nearly 250,000visitors had used the center.

Markelz said shetook the job initiallyas part of a tempo-rary, six-month deal.Her husband servedas the deputy com-mander of BAMC.Nicknamed “JudithMiracle” by Mallory,Markelz keeps thecenter running andopen every day. It isopen for 13 hoursdaily now, but willexpand to 15 hourswhen it moves to thenew facility, shesaid. Her cell phoneis on 24 hours a day.

Markelz is a former teacher,evidenced by her penchant for thedecorations that blanket the roomand dangle from the ceilings. Aneight-foot-tall inflated turkey restsin the corner.

“We wanted to make it junkyand comfortable,” she said of her cur-rent space. And even though her newspace is much larger and somewhatcold right now, she said, she doesn'tanticipate it will take her long toredecorate.

The Army pays the salaries ofMarkelz and her three staff mem-bers. Everything else is bought withdonated funds, she said. She refersto many of the soldiers as her"kids," and said that helping thefamilies is critical to the recovery ofthe servicemembers.

“Without these families, thesesoldiers won’t heal. Support is every-thing,” she said.

And while Markelz admittedshe will miss her old space, sheagreed with Mallory that the service-members and families deserve thenew building.

“We owe them. They deserve it.It's the right thing to do,” she said.



CUTLINE: Combat veteran Army Staff Sgt. WilliamKleinedler shows his design for an 18-foot-high, wrought-iron butterfly sculpture that will spiral up the massive fire-place in the new Warrior and Family Assistance Center atBrooke Army Medical Center. Kleinedler was wounded inIraq and has worked through his recovery at the center forthe past two years. DoD photo by Fred W. Baker III

CUTLINE: Retired Army Lt. Gen. Glynn Mallory talks aboutthe new $4 million, 12,000-square-foot Warrior and FamilyAssistance Center that opens Dec. 1, 2008, on the BrookeArmy Medical Center complex at Fort Sam Houston, Texas.DoD photo by Fred W. Baker III solution image

CUTLINE: Judith Markelz, who runs theWarrior and Family Assistance Center atBrooke Army Medical Center, talks with her

assistant, Evelyn Jackson. A new, 12,000-square-foot facilitywill give the center more room and administrative space. DoDphoto by Fred W. Baker III

CUTLINE: Retired Army Lt. Gen. Glynn Mallory, left, Jennifer Golden ofGolden Construction, and Dale Adams, project manager, discuss the build-

ing of the new Warrior and Family Assistance Center at Brooke Army Medical Center. The cen-ter is slated to open Dec. 1, 2008. DoD photo by Fred W. Baker III

CUTLINE: Jennifer Golden of Golden Construction dis-cusses the features of a video gaming room, just one of

the several rooms in the new $4 million Warrior and Family AssistanceCenter at Brooke Army Medical Center. DoD photo by Fred W. Baker III


B



By Fred W. Baker IIIAmerican Forces Press Service

BROOKS CITY-BASE – As U.S. militaryrecovery teams scour the jungles and mountainsand woods and fields around the world lookingfor missing servicemembers from past wars,they hope to find enough remains to identifyand return to their families for a proper burial.

A jawbone with someteeth intact or a piece ofa thigh bone with itsDNA still salvageablesometimes can be all thatis needed to finally put torest a servicememberwho died fighting on for-eign soil decades ago.

But sometimes there simply are noremains left, or very little, and the recoveryteams return home with what looks to theuntrained eye like only a box of scraps - variedbuttons and corroded buckles, scorched clothand shredded boot soles.

For those cases, the Hawaii-based JointPOW/MIA Accounting Command, the agency

charged with recovering and identifying theremains of missing servicemembers, has one last-ditch try at answering the burning question of fam-ily members: “What happened to my loved one?”

“When the cases come here, we are the lasthope. If we cannot come up with an answer,there may not be an answer for the families whoare waiting,” said John A. Goines III, chief ofthe Life Sciences Equipment Laboratory here.

The JPAC has identified nearly 1,500 for-merly missing servicemembers, mostly througha combination of DNA and dental identifica-tion. But 88,000 are still buried on foreignshores and at sea. And in some cases, like thosethat end up at Goines' lab, it is likely no remainswill ever be found.

The lab deals mostly with identificationsfrom aircraft crash sites, because they are lesslikely to yield human remains. The heat, fed byjet fuel and loaded munitions, incinerates mosthuman remains as temperaturesreach several times those of acrematorium. But many piecesof military uniforms and equipment will with-stand those temperatures.

Goines and his handful of equipment analystsare students of history and experts in aircraft ejec-tion systems, parachutes, life support equipmentand uniforms. Most are veterans. Remarkably,most times they are able to piece together with sci-entific accuracy the likely final moments of ser-vicemembers based on the artifacts.

The lab supports the services' accidentboards investigating current aircraft crashes,

and it also provides feedback to agencies work-ing to develop new uniforms and life-supportsystems. But its primary purpose is to help theJPAC with its cases, Goines said. The JPACsends the lab about a dozen cases every yearthat can take anywhere from a few weeks to sixmonths to work through, Goines said.

The lab began supporting the JPAC mis-sion part-time in 1988 and started supporting itfull-time in 1994. Since 1994, it has analyzed

156 cases and accounted for 172servicemembers. And while anidentity cannot always be madefrom the artifacts, sometimes

they still provide enough clues for the JPACteams to return to the site, Goines said.

The 21,000-square-foot lab at the formerBrooks Air Force Base in San Antonio is hometo more than 50,000 uniforms and pieces ofequipment from as far back as World War I.Parachutes dangle from racks, and rows of 250ejection seats line the walls. The rebuilt cock-pits of more than a dozen aircraft, mainly of theVietnam War era, are parked on its floors, andworkstations with microscopes are scattered

among the artifacts.Goines is a life-long collector of military

uniforms and equipment. His first piece was anAir Force ball cap worn by airmen in his father'sunit, he said. Goines was then 3 years old. Hecontinued collecting patches, uniforms andequipment into his college years. Goineswatched television in his college dorm roomwhile sitting in an F-4 Phantom II fighter jetejection seat, which now resides at the lab,where he started working full-time after college.

Goines estimates he has about 20,000items in his personal collection, which hebrings in when needed to help on a case.

The analysts use the artifacts and equip-ment at the lab as comparisons to those shippedto the lab from a recovery site. Goines is con-stantly on the lookout for new relics to add tothe collection.

“Pretty much every night I'm on eBaylooking for anything we don't have either in mypersonal collection or here in the lab to use as areference item,” Goines said.

Nearly every piece delivered from the fieldyields a clue. Melted pistols reveal portions of

Texas Lab Offers Last-Ditch Effort inquest to Identify Servicemembers

CUTLINE: John A. Goines III, chief of the Life SciencesEquipment Laboratory, shows Sallie Stratton the remains recov-

ered from the crash site of her husband, Air Force Lt. Col. Charles W. Stratton, whosebomber went down Jan. 3, 1971, over Laos. The lab, at Brooks City-Base in SanAntonio, helps the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command, based in Hawaii, identify ser-vicemembers still missing from past wars. DoD photo by Fred W. Baker III

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serial numbers, traceable back to theservicemember. Boot soles can bematched to the servicemember byuniform records. They also can indi-cate whether the pilot was still in thecockpit pressing down on the planerudder at impact. A seatbelt bucklemelted together in the closed posi-tion is a telltale sign that the pilotlikely died in his craft.

These clues are pieced togetherlike a puzzle and matched with his-torical reports, witness accounts,military records and other evidence.

It can be tedious and painstakingwork, said equipment analyst JimHodges. He has worked at the lab since1988 after finishing a career as anegress systems expert in the Air Force.

“It’s very challenging. There’s alot of frustration, too,” he said.

The analysts can spend hourshovering over a microscope analyz-ing fabric and piecing together uni-forms. In Hodges’ last case, hepinned together 122 individualpieces of a flight suit.

Hodges said heviews the lab's mis-sion as the fulfill-ment of the U.S. commitment toreturning servicemembers home.

“When they say we never for-get, that’s not lip service,” Hodgessaid. “There are a lot of people inthis program still trying to accountfor those that are missing. And I’mproud to be a part of that.”

Sometimes, though, despitetheir best efforts, there is not enoughfound at the site to render a conclu-sive identity.

“That’s where the frustration is,when you just can’t figure it out,”Hodges said. “There’s not enoughthere. You need more.”

No speculation is allowed,G o i n e s s a i d . Everything must

be proven. The integri-ty of the lab’s report iscritical, because fami-

lies rely on it, he said.To make an identity, lab offi-

cials work to match the remnantsbrought from a site to those of theaircraft believed to have crashed.This can be done with serial numbersfound on data plates at the site, or byidentifying equipment distinctive toa specific model.

They also try to pinpoint thetimeframe of the crash, based on theartifacts, to verify a match with the

case under investigation. For example,there were many uniform variationsduring the Vietnam War. Those foundat the site must match those worn bythose believed to have crashed.

It also is critical to find artifactsfrom the exact number of peoplereportedly in the crash. For example,recovering the soles of two right-footboots would indicate that two peoplewere in the crash. If the sizes matchthose worn by the two reported in thecrash, that’s more proof of identity.

Finally, the analysts try to deter-mine, based on damage to the arti-facts, if the crash was survivable.

“We have to follow all of thosedifferent leads to try to come up with theanswer [to the question], ‘What reallyhappened at the event?’” Goines said.

A handful of families travel to

the lab every year to find out aboutthe last moments of their lovedones. The lab has an open-doorpolicy and will accommodate any-one wanting to understand its iden-tification process.

“The families who lost some-body lost somebody very important.And the hurt – the ‘miss’ – nevergoes away,” said Robert S. BrowningIII, an equipment analyst at the lab.“There’s no such thing as closure, butyou can answer their questions. Youcan tell them what happened. In somecases, you can put their minds at easethat there was no suffering.”

“You can, in fact, bring them toa better place," Browning said. “Ithink that's an important thing to dofor people who have sacrificed agreat deal.”

By John J. KruzelAmerican Forces Press Service

SEALY, Texas – Conventionalmilitary wisdom holds that enemieshave a vote in combat. But manufac-turers of the mine-resistant, ambush-protected vehicle have worked todisenfranchise them.

When the Defense Departmentin July 2007 requested nearly $1.2billion from Congress and asked foran influx of MRAPs for troops inIraq, BAE Systems was one contrac-tor that answered the call, a responsethat culminated at the facility inSealy last month.

“The question was how manycan you build and how fast can youbuild them?” said Paul Mann, theMRAP joint program manager atBAE, which capped off its end ofproduction with a retrospective fet-ing recently.

The MRAP’s unique V-shapedhull diffuses blasts away from thevehicle's underbelly, which hasproven an effective countermeasureagainst the roadside bombs that have

killed and injured scores of troopssince operations began in Iraq andAfghanistan.

Invoking Defense Secretary

Robert M. Gates’ plea to industry foran additional 2,650 MRAPs, Mannsaid that when the DefenseDepartment made force protectionits No. 1 acquisition priority, itspurred workers here into action.

BAE responded by kicking intohigh gear, more than doubling its pro-duction from about 15 Caiman trucksper day to roughly 35. In total, it hasproduced more than 5,000 MRAP vehi-cles – 2,868 Caimans and 2,182 RG33s– under Army and Marine Corps con-tracts over the past 22 months.

“The quality and quantity ofyour commitment to this missionwill never be forgotten by the armedservices,” Mann told the Sealy plantworkers gathered in a facility roomfor the day’s event.

A news report in June citedroadside bomb attacks and fatalitiesin Iraq as decreasing by almost 90percent since June2007, according toPentagon records andinterviews with mili-tary leaders.

Dennis M. Dellinger, BAE’spresident of mobility and protectionsystems, spoke from an unarmored 5-ton medium tactical vehicle that dou-bled as a stage in a facility warehouse.

“Today’s celebration is aboutthe fact that there are scores of sol-diers that will be able to come homein one piece because of the workyou’ve done,” he said.

Dellinger said it’s “no coinci-dence” that the MRAP program ledto a decline in combat casualties.

“A number of factors went intothat, but one certain-ly was putting theright kind of protec-tion into the vehicles

that they traveled around in,” hesaid. “It was an amoeba if you will,in that we kept adjusting as the threatadjusted.”

Praising the people involved inthe push – from the concept anddesign teams, to the manufacturers,testers, and government assessmentpersonnel – Dellinger said every-body who contributed to the processshould be proud.

“[This] was something thatprobably was not matched anywhereelse in military production historysince at least World War II,” he saidof the speed of production that mettime and cost requirements.

Chris Chambers, the vice presi-dent of medi-um/heavy vehi-cles departmentof mobility andprotection sys-tems, describedthe encouragingtrack record of

the Caimanv e h i c l e ,

the last

of which rolled off the Sealy lot.The vehicle, which holds up to

10 troops, has been targeted in hun-dreds of attacks – everything fromsmall-arms fire to smaller roadsidebombs – including significantattacks that involved large makeshiftexplosives, he said.

“They’ve done very well,” hesaid of the vehicles’ resilience toattacks. “They’re very reliable.”

Providing an eyewitnessaccount of the Caiman’s durabilityunder fire was William Thibaux Jr.,an equipment operator who serves asa petty officer 2nd class in the NavyReserve. While serving in Iraq lastyear, Thibaux said, he saw theeffects on a convoy of MarineMRAPs hit by a makeshift bomb.

“Of the seven that were in thatvehicle, only one walked away witha broken leg,” he recalled. “If youwould have seen the vehicle, youwould have thought everyone wouldhave died,... but everyone survived.”

Besides its contribution to forceprotection, BAE has other ties to themilitary. It is a recipient of theEmployer Support of the Guard andReserve award, a DefenseDepartment honor that highlightsemployers who convey exceptionallevels of support to National Guardand Reserve forces on their payrolls.

The company also employsretired servicemembers like BobGerman, an inventory controlsupervisor here. German, a retiredMarine Corps corporal, has a sonwho recently enlisted in the Armyand is likely to deploy within thenext year, he said.

“Knowing that lives actually dodepend on the vehicles we build

here, and that we are actu-ally saving lives, is phe-nomenal,” German said.“I get a knot in my throatevery time I think about

it. You never know if thevehicle we build could becarrying my son or friends

of my son’s or kids I watchedgrow up.”

Texas Contractor Answers Nation’sCall for Mine-Resistant Vehicles

CUTLINE: Pictured here is a MRAP. The MRAP's unique V-shapedhull diffuses blasts away from the vehicle's underbelly, which hasproven an effective countermeasure against the roadside bombs thathave killed and injured scores of troops since operations began in Iraqand Afghanistan. Photo provided by BAE Systems

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If liberty and equality are chiefly to be found in democracy, they will be best attained when all persons alike share in the government to the utmost. — Aristotle

By Army Sgt. Rebekah L. MaloneSpecial to American Forces Press Service

PINEVILLE, La., - When soldiers fromLouisiana National Guard headquarters andHeadquarters Company, 225th EngineerBrigade, received their mobilization orders,thoughts of what they would be leaving behindfor the next year ran across their minds.

But thanks to onelocal company, thefamiliar aroma of a localmorning brew will begoing with them.Community Coffeerecently volunteered todonate the local favoriteto Louisiana’s deployingsoldiers, and this is notthe first time.

Army Master Sgt. Danny A. Riggs, a res-ident of Carville, La., deployed with the 205th

Engineer Battalion in 2003. “CommunityCoffee donated to the 205th when we deployedto Afghanistan,” he said. “I was excited to hearthat they were willing to provide us coffee thistime around as well.”

During a deployment, with many ofthe comforts of home left behind, Riggssaid, it is imperative to try and have a partof home wherever the soldier is located tohelp with morale.

“It was nice to have a local coffee thisgood and not to have to worry our familieswith coffee requests to mail it over,” he said.

Community Coffee prepared a pallet ofmore than 650 canisters of coffee ready for theengineers to pick up from a warehouse inBaton Rouge. The coffee will be packed incontainers and shipped to Iraq when the 225thdeploys there.

The donation of nearly $3,500 worth ofcoffee is estimated to make 28,000 eight-ouncecups of coffee.

The military-friendly business also sendscomfort to Louisiana’s troops by sponsoring apromotion to match coffee purchased for sol-diers called “Military Match.”

The idea came aboutwhen the corporation heardthat the No. 1 item requested by Louisianatroops overseas is Community Coffee and theNo. 1 miscellaneous item requested is amicrowavable coffee mug.

“If somebody buys a Military Match giftbox, they are buying 4 pounds of coffee. We will

then match an additional 4pounds free,” said Scott Raposo,consumer direct marketing man-

ager for Community Coffee. “This is just some-thing we feel honored [to do]. We want todemonstrate our support for the troops that areserving our country and protecting our freedoms.

“It’s a good thing for us to do,” he contin-ued. “We hope it brings somebody a little com-fort to have some normalcy in their day havingtheir Community Coffee [while deployed].”

--------------------------------------------------------– (Army Sgt. Rebekah L. Malone serves in theLouisiana National Guard with the 225thEngineer Brigade.)

Company Provides ‘Joe’ forDeploying Louisiana Soldiers

CUTLINE: Community Coffee employees pose with soldiersfrom the Louisiana National Guard's Headquarters and HeadquartersCompany, 225th Engineer Brigade of Pineville, La. The soldiers will depart inDecember on a year-long deployment, but not without their Community Coffee,thanks to a donation of nearly 28,000 cups of coffee by the Louisiana business.U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Rebekah L. Malone

DAVIE, Fla. - Only four years after its launchas a homespun specialty baked goods enter-prise, Cookies By Shar has been tapped to pro-vide holiday-themed cookies in all of WholeFoods Market's Florida store locations.

The relationship willlaunch during the 2008winter holiday season,with Cookies By Sharcreating four newdesigns specifically forWhole Foods Marketincluding Star of David,Snowman and Snowflakesugar cookies as well asGingerbread Men cookieswith a hint of Ginger.Each of the cookies will bepriced at $2.99 and are avail-able now in Whole Foodsstores just in time for the2008 holiday season.. “For a small business person, and onewho has only been in the baking business for ashort period of time, it is an incredible honor to

have my products selected by Whole Foods,”said company founder and proprietor Sharmila(Shar) Melwani. “I’m excited to be workingwith the organization and look forward to intro-ducing its customers to ourunique products.”

Cookies By Shar alreadyoffers more than 150 exclusive glazed, fondantand royal iced sugar cookie designs, each ofwhich is personally decorated by Melwani.Additional gourmet cookies offered from

Cookies By Shar include chocolate chip (plainor drizzled with chocolate), oatmeal raisin,peanut butter, key lime, macadamia nut,coconut macaroon and more. A former finan-

cial advisor, Melwani hasbecome renowned throughoutSouth Florida for her intricate

and lavishly decorated creations topped withfondant and royal icing.

Melwani credits the newfound businessrelationship in part to her use of all premi-

um ingredients. “Whole Foods is known forcarefully evaluating potential products toensure the foods they carry offer the highestlevel of taste, purity and quality,” she noted.

The two business enterprises also arelike-minded in their commitment to philan-thropic endeavors: Cookies By Shar donatesfive percent of all sales proceeds to Share OurStrength, a national non-profit organizationwhose mission is to end childhood hunger.

A pioneer in the organic andnatural foods movement,Whole Foods Market is theworld's supermarket leader innatural and organic foods, withmore than 270 stores in NorthAmerica and the UnitedKingdom. All products sold atWhole Foods meet strict quali-ty standards to ensure they arefree of artificial additives,sweeteners, colorings, preserva-tives, and hydrogenated fat.

Cookies by Shar creations were hand-selected as the only sweet treat to be includedin the gift baskets provided to Food Networkcelebrities and VIPS attending the 2008 FoodNetwork South Beach Wine & Food Festival.The delectable delights have been shipped asfar away as Kuwait and London, and corpora-tions from Ferragamo to BMW have called onCookies by Shar for custom-made delicacies.

– PRLog

Cookies By Shar Lands Sweet Dealwith Whole Foods South Florida based Cookies By Shar selected to provide

holiday-themed decorated sugar and gingerbread cookiesfor all Whole Foods Market’s Florida store locations.

CUTLINE: Baked in a commercial kitchen, Cookies by Shar prod-ucts are available at Whole Foods, upscale French bakery EuroBread Café in Davie, theMuseum of Art Fort Lauderdale and online at http://www.cookiesbyshar.com. For addi-tional information, please call Cookies by Shar at 954.689.2205.

LOUISIANA

F LORIDA


HHouston Business Connections Printed Edition • www.houston-businessconnections.com • 832.212.8735 • SPECIAL 2008 PROMOTIONAL • 9


First Legal TexasBourbon sinceProhibition madefrom “Corn to Cork”

Hye, Texas - Garrison BrothersDistillery™, the first legal bourbondistillery in Texas since Prohibition,filled its 100th barrel of “very smallbatch,” 100% Texas-made bourbonwhiskey last month.

Dan Garrison founded GarrisonBrothers Distillery™ atop his TexasHill Country ranch in the fall of2006. He learned the art of bourbonmaking from the masters, travelingback and forth from Texas toKentucky. “I became close to thelegends of the bourbon business: themaster distillers and warehousemenat Buffalo Trace, Heaven Hill, FourRoses, Jim Beam, Makers Mark, andKentucky Bourbon Distillers,” saysGarrison. “In Kentucky, makingbourbon the old-fashioned way is abrotherhood. I will forever feelindebted to these wonderful friends.”

Garrison applied for federaland state distilled spirits plant oper-ating permits. “Our still arrived theweek we secured our permits. We

were official,” says Garrison. “Justdays later we started cooking, andafter six months of testing and tast-ing, we nailed the recipe.”

Garrison Brothers TexasBourbon™ Whiskey is handmade insmall batches, one barrel at a time atthe distillery’s kitchen. Garrisoncooks a “sweet bourbon mash”made from number one organicgrains (yellow corn, soft red winterwheat, barley and rye) in 110-gallonbatches. Each “sweet mash” batchferments for about 96 hours, con-verting the sugar to alcohol, and isthen transferred to the still-house.The bourbon is distilled just once ina 100% copper antique still-origi-nally used by Wild Turkey andBuffalo Trace. The clear distillatethat comes off the still is called“white dog,” a term bourbon dis-tillers use for high proof, un-agedbourbon. “We're using the finestcorn in the world, and you can tasteit in the bourbon,” says Garrison.“Our white dog has more flavor thanany I've tasted anywhere.”

The bourbon isaged in new, white,American oak bar-

rels, gaining flavorand sweetness asthe distillateexpands into theoak in the Texasheat. On cold daysand nights, thebourbon is releasedfrom the wood inthe barrel, takingwith it the sweettannins, lignins,caramels, vanillins,and sugars thatgive bourbon itsrich amber colorand distinct flavor.“The Texas heat isour partner.

Character andcomplexity comequick aroundhere,” explainsGarrison.

Garrison grows some of the softred winter wheat on his Hye, Texasranch. He buys the rest of the grainfrom organic farmers and coops nearHereford and Muleshoe. “We sourceall of our organic corn from Texas,”says Garrison, “and we’d like tosource our wheat from Texas too. Ifthere are organic farmers in Texasgrowing a high-qualitygrain we can use, we'dlike to visit with them.”

“Few businesses are as envi-ronmentally-friendly as ours,”Garrison says. “We recycle, reuse orresell every ingredient or by-productthat is grown on, delivered to, orprocessed here. And we have aningredient that no other whiskeymaker can claim,” he continues,“pure Hill Country rainwater.”Collection systems capture the rain-water from the roof of the still-house. Then a state-of-the-art ozoneand ultraviolet light purification sys-tem filters it. When the bourbon is

bottled, the rainwater is blended in.“Businesses like ours are great forTexas-we provide good jobs forskilled craftsmen. Plus, we are seri-ous consumers of Texas corn andwheat, and after distillation ourbourbon mash is the most nutritiouscattle feed available anywhere.”

Most artisan distillers todaymake vodkas, rums, and ginsbecause they can get them to marketquickly. Non-bourbon whiskey, too,can be made in less expensive andless time-consuming ways. But thatwas never a consideration forGarrison. “Making bourbon welltakes time, patience, and skill. Aknowledgeable bourbon drinker can

smell a blendedwhiskey or awhiskey made with

grain-neutral spirits a mile away,” hesays. “Garrison BrothersDistillery™ was built to make fineTexas bourbon, and as long as I'mrunning the still, fine bourbon is allwe will make.”

Garrison Brothers TexasBourbon™ Whiskey is not availablein any bar, restaurant or store…notyet anyway. “The bourbon is aging.We’re going to give it all the time ittakes to become truly spectacular,”says Garrison. “We think thewhiskey will be worth the wait.”

Garrison Brothers Distillery™

filled its 100th Bourbon Barrel

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Charlotte Russe NamesNew Management Team

SAN DIEGO – Charlotte Russe Holding, Inc. (Nasdaq: CHIC)announced last month that the Board of Directors has named anew executive management team. John D. Goodman, formerlyPresident and Chief Executive Officer of Mervyn’s LLC, hasbeen named Chief Executive Officer; Emilia Fabricant, former-ly President and Chief Merchandising Officer of babystyle®,has been named President and Chief Merchandising Officer; andFrederick G. Silny, formerly Senior Vice President and ChiefFinancial Officer of Guess?, Inc. (NYSE: GES), has been namedExecutive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer. Goodmanand Fabricant will also join the Charlotte Russe Board ofDirectors, and along with Silny, will be based at the Company'sSan Diego headquarters. Len Mogil, who currently serves asInterim Chief Executive and Chief Financial Officer, will workwith the new team to ensure a smooth transition and will resumehis position on the Board of Directors.

Tegal Announces NewVice President of GlobalSales Peter Dijkstra

PETALUMA – Tegal Corporation (Nasdaq:TGAL), a leadingdesigner and manufacturer of plasma etch and deposition sys-tems used in the production of integrated circuits and nan-otechnology devices, has announced the appointment of PeterDijkstra, Vice President of Global Sales, effective immediately.

McDermott Will & EmeryAnnounces ColindresPromoted to Partner

SAN DIEGO – George Colindres focuses on venture capitaland other private equity financings, mergers and acquisitions,

corporate formation and maintenance, cor-porate governance, convertible note andother debt financings, licensing, stockoption plans and executive compensation,executive employment agreements, andventure capital and private equity fund for-mation. (University of California, LosAngeles, School of Law, J.D., 1999;

Georgetown University, B.S.F.S., 1996). The Colindres promo-tion is effective January 1, 2009.

Chevron Announced First Oil From Blind Faith Field in Gulf of Mexico

SAN RAMON – Chevron Corporation (NYSE:CVX)announced last month that it has started crude oil productionfrom its Blind Faith Field in the deepwater Gulf of Mexico.First oil from Blind Faith was achieved on Nov. 11, 2008.Daily production is expected to ramp up to approximately65,000 barrels of crude oil and 55 million cubic feet of naturalgas over the next three months.

Richardson & HarmanWins $3.4 Million JuryVerdict for Client WhoLost His Business

PASADENA – A Los Angeles County Superior Court Juryhas awarded $3.4 million to Paul Yang, a 76 year oldPasadena, CA businessman in a lawsuit against his former wifeand her forensic accountants, whose tactics were found to havedestroyed his business with the Chinese government. Thedefendants were found liable for taking confidential businessrecords from his private business office in advance of her filingfor divorce, leading to the cancellation of a long-term businessrelationship with the People’s Republic of China.

Edward Thompson andTom Bevilaqua JoinInnoPath Board

SUNNYVALE – InnoPath Software, the leader in MobileDevice Management (MDM), announced the addition ofEdward Thompson and Tom Bevilacqua to the company’sboard of directors last month. Edward Thompson will beChairman of the Audit Committee, a position he also holds onthe boards of ShoreTel, Inc., Harris Stratex Networks, Inc. andSonicWALL, Inc.

Ralph G. Adamo Earned aCertificate of Recognition

NEWPORT BEACH – Ralph G. Adamo, Founder and CEOof Integrity Wealth Management, and incoming Chairman of

the Education Committee of the FinancialPlanning Association, Orange County, hasbeen recognized as a unique professional inthe financial services arena with the awardof a Certificate of Recognition from TheAmerican College, a leader in financialservices education. Adamo is a registeredrepresentative at FSC SecuritiesCorporation, which is a member of FINRA

and SIPC. Integrity Wealth Management believes in a compre-hensive, some would say exhaustive, approach to advising itsclients who typically have between $10 and $50 million inassets with at least one million investable dollars.

Hills named managingdirector of The Newman’sOwn Foundation

WESTPORT – The Newman’s Own Foundation in Westport,Connecticut, has named CARI HILLS as managing director.Hills, director of operations at the Committee EncouragingCorporate Philanthropy, which was co-founded by PaulNewman, earlier worked in sales and marketing at JPMorganChase Alternative Asset Management and was a financial serv-ices consultant at Accenture LLP.

Action named associatein Carnegie Endowmentof International Peace

WASHINGTON – The Carnegie Endowment for InternationalPeace in Washington, D.C., has announced JAMES ACTON asan associate in its nonproliferation program. Acton, an experton nuclear disarmament and nonproliferation, was earlier a lec-turer at the Centre for Science and Security Studies in theDepartment of War Studies at King’s College London.

SBA Announces NewWays to Improve SmallBusinesses Access toWorking Capital

WASHINGTON – In response to the credit crunch, last monththe SBA’s Acting Administrator Sandy K. Baruah announcedimportant loan program changes to help the agency’s lendingpartners increase access to capital for small businesses. Formore information on the interim final rule or to share yourcomments, visit www.regulations.gov. To learn more aboutSBA’s guaranteed loan programs visit www.sba.gov. Byaddressing market issues that were impeding the fundingstreams for both lenders and small businesses, SBA is makingcapital more available to America’s small businesses.

McDermott Will & EmeryAnnounces WolkovPromoted to Partner

MIAMI – Ben Wolkov has experienceworking on various U.S. and internationalcorporate and transactional matters. He hasexperience working on cross-border acqui-sitions and financings between the UnitedStates and various jurisdictions in LatinAmerica. (University of Miami School ofLaw, J.D., magna cum laude, 2000; New

College of Florida, B.A., 1996). The Wolkov promotion iseffective January 1, 2009.

Smith Named Presidentand CEO of Blue FrogSolutions

POMPANO BEACH – Blue Frog Solutions, a leadingprovider of Life & Annuity Order Management and Compliancesolutions for the insurance industry, announced last month thatDan Smith has been named President and Chief ExecutiveOfficer, and has been elected a member of the company’s Boardof Directors. Prior to joining Blue Frog Solutions, Smith served asVice President of Technology for New York-based BISYSInsurance Services, which operated as the largest national distribu-tor of life insurance, annuities, long-term care and disability insur-ance. Smith came to BISYS from Claimtrust, Inc., where he wasChief Operating Officer and member of the Board for thisInternet-based service provider to hospitals, vetting outpatientMedicare claims prior to submission, minimizing outstanding A/Rand avoiding federal penalties. He also has held senior technologypositions at Interim Healthcare, Inc., and System One Amadeus, acomputer reservation system for the global travel industry.

Gary Chartrand AssumesRole of ExecutiveChairman, PromotesRobert Hill to CEO ofAcosta Sales andMarketing Company

JACKSONVILLE – Gary R. Chartrand was named ExecutiveChairman of Acosta Sales and Marketing Company andannounced the promotion of Robert Hill Jr. to President andChief Executive Officer effective January 1, 2009. Hill also

was named to the company’s Board ofDirectors. Chartrand, who has led theJacksonville-based company as CEO since1996 and became its Chairman in 1998, willcontinue as Chairman of the Board ofDirectors. Chartrand joined Acosta as busi-ness manager in 1983 after seven years withthe Carnation Company. He was subse-quently promoted to vice president, regional

vice president of Florida, president in 1993, and then presidentand chief executive officer in 1996. He has served as chairmanof the company's Board of Directors since 1998 and will con-tinue in that capacity. As Executive Chairman, Chartrand willwork with Hill in developing the annual strategic plan forboard review and will also help oversee the future develop-ment and growth of the company.

Engle Martin & AssociatesOpens St. Louis Office

ATLANTA – Malcolm K. Clark and John A. Chestnas, havejoined Engle Martin & Associates, Inc. to open its newestlocation in St. Louis, MO. This will be the second Missourioffice for Engle Martin as its Kansas City office wasopened in June 2005.

Georgia

Florida

District of Columbia

Connecticut

California

Wolkov

Colindres

Chartrand

Adamo

ANNOUNCEMENTS The National & International People On The Move Report

THIS SECTION UPDATED WEEKLY AT WWW.HOUSTON-BUSINESSCONNECTIONS.COM • EMAIL INFO TO [email protected]



Robert Webber to BecomeCEO; Warren Haruki toBecome Chairman of MauiLand & PineappleCompany, Inc.

KAHULUI – Maui Land & Pineapple Company, Inc.(NYSE:MLP) announced the appointment of Warren Haruki aschairman and Robert (Rob) Webber as president and CEO,effective January 1, 2009. They replace David Cole whoresigned recently resigned after five years as chairman, presi-dent and CEO of the 100-year old company. Cole will continueto serve as a director and will be the Company’s representativeto the boards of Hawaii BioEnergy and Hawaii Superferry.

Sato Named Director ofMedicare Operations forHumana’s Hawaii Market

HONOLULU – Carol Sato has been named director ofMedicare operations for Humana (NYSE:HUM) of Hawaii, inan announcement made by Debbie A. Smith, regional presidentof senior products for Humana’s West Coast Region that

includes Hawaii. Sato - based at Humana'snew Honolulu office in Restaurant Row at500 Ala Moana Blvd., Suite 400, in SevenWaterfront Plaza - has responsibility forHumana’s day-to-day Medicare operationsstatewide. A registered nurse with aBachelor of Science degree in Nursing, Satowas previously employed by KaiserFoundation Health Plan in Hawaii as direc-

tor of benefits administration from 2006 to 2008 and as direc-tor of product development from 1995 to 2006. From 1976 to1995, she served in a variety of supervisory and nursing posi-tions with Kaiser Permanente of Hawaii in Moanalua and onMaui. Sato can be reached at [email protected].

Sopogy Received theBusiness LeadershipHawaii 2008 “InnovativeCompany of the Year”Award last month

HONOLULU – Before 1,000 members of the business com-munity, Sopogy, Inc. was presented the Business LeadershipHawaii (BLH) 2008 “Innovative Company of the Year” Award.

The event, which took place at the HiltonHawaiian Village, honors the best in thebusiness. The Innovative Company of theYear Award recognizes organizations dedi-cated to developing new approaches to cre-ating products, winning customers, andtackling problems. Sopogy was chosenbased on its innovative MicroCSP technolo-gies, used to create Process Heat, Solar Air

Conditioning, and Electrical Power, and its commitment toleading Hawaii to a sustainable future and curbing the effectsof global climate change. The president and CEO of Sopogy isDarren Kimura.

Midway Appoints NewChairman of the Board

CHICAGO – Midway Games Inc. (NYSE:MWY) announcedlast month that the Company’s Board of Directors has appointedPeter C. Brown as Chairman of the Board. Brown succeedsShari E. Redstone, who has resigned from the Company's Boardof Directors. Ms. Redstone joined Midway's Board of Directorsin 2004, and she was the vice chairwoman of the board and hasserved in the past on the Nominating and Corporate GovernanceCommittee and the Compensation Committee.

McDermott Will & EmeryAnnounces ChristopherLin Promoted to Partner

CHICAGO - Christopher Lin focuses onmergers and acquisitions and general corpo-rate counseling. (University of MichiganLaw School, J.D., 2002; WashingtonUniversity, B.A., magna cum laude, 1999).The Lin promotion is effective January 1,2009. McDermott Will & Emery conductsits practice through separate legal entities in

each of the countries where it has offices.

Tidewater Elects JosephH. Netherland To ItsBoard of Directors

NEW ORLEANS – Tidewater (NYSE: TDW) has announcedthe election of Joseph H. Netherland to its Board of Directorsfor a term expiring in July 2009.

Curt Bloom to HeadsmartFOCUS InternationalOperations

BOSTON – smartFOCUS, the international multi-channelmarketing software company, announced that Curt Bloom hasbeen named President of smartFOCUS International, a newposition that reflects the company’s increasing investment inthe US market. Long a leading European player, smartFOCUSearlier this year bolstered its US presence by acquiringASTECH InterMedia, supplier of data-driven marketing solu-tions for the news media industry. Meanwhile, the companyhas enjoyed continued strong US new business growth, particu-larly with middle market organizations.

McDermott Will & EmeryAnnounces SchusterPromoted to Partner

BOSTON – Rebecca L. Schuster represents venture capitalfirms and both private and public companies in the biotechnol-ogy and other high-tech industries. Her practice focuses ongeneral corporate, securities, mergers and acquisitions, andventure capital financing transactions. (Boston UniversitySchool of Law, J.D., 2002; Cornell University, B.A., 1999).The Schuster promotion is effective January 1, 2009.McDermott Will & Emery conducts its practice through sepa-rate legal entities in each of the countries where it has offices.

Robin Camara NamedVice President of HumanResources &Administration HarvardBusiness Publishing

BOSTON – Harvard Business Publishing (HBP) announcedthat Robin Camara joined the organization as Vice President,Human Resources & Administration last month. Camara willreport to HBP's CEO David Wan and serve on the company'sExecutive Committee. She succeeds Toni Smit, who is retiringfrom the VP of Human Resources & Administration role, afteran 18 year career with Harvard Business Publishing.

Alcatel-Lucent NamesHarvey Nash StrategicOutsourcing Partner

PARSIPPANY– The Harvey Nash Group Plc (Harvey Nash)headquartered in London and the parent company ofParsippany-based Harvey Nash USA, announced last monththat Alcatel-Lucent AG (Alcatel-Lucent) selected the globalcompany to be a key strategic outsourcing partner. A new sub-sidiary company, Nash Technologies GmbH (NashTechnologies), has been incorporated for this purpose and willbe a center of excellence providing wireless technology main-tenance, research and development services. Revenue generat-ed under the contract is expected to be approximately $65 mil-lion over an initial fixed term from October 1, 2008 toDecember 31, 2010.

Synchronoss ExpandsBusiness Developmentwith Appointment toExecutive Team

BRIDGEWATER – Synchronoss Technologies, Inc. (Nasdaq:SNCR) the leading software provider of electronic order man-

agement solutions to the communicationsservices marketplace, announced theappointment of Daniel Rizer as ExecutiveVice President of Business Developmentlast month. In his role, Mr. Rizer will leadthe direction and execution of Synchronoss’strategic initiatives, mergers and acquisi-tions, and the creation of new channeldevelopment activities. Additionally, Rizer

will be responsible for the identification, negotiation and inte-gration of acquisitions, joint ventures, alliances and strategicinvestments to create shareholder value.“We are extremelypleased to welcome Daniel to our executive managementteam,” said Stephen G. Waldis President and Chief ExecutiveOfficer of Synchronoss Technologies, Inc.

Prominent BusinessDevelopers Join HDR CUH2A

PRINCETON – HDR CUH2A announced that Mary M.Williamson in New York and J. Louise McGinnis-Barber,CPSM in San Francisco have joined the firm as Directors ofBusiness Development. With these key hires, HDR CUH2Aexpects to realize an increase in opportunities in the NY andSF offices in the following fiscal year.

Michael L. Smith JoinsCarestream Health Boardof Directors

ROCHESTER – Michael L. Smith, former Executive VicePresident and Chief Financial Officer (CFO) for Anthem, Inc.,and its subsidiaries, Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield, hasjoined the Board of Directors for Carestream Health, Inc.Carestream Health is a world leader in medical and dentalimaging and information technology products, molecular imag-ing systems and non-destructive testing products.

McDermott Will & EmeryAnnounces LEWITTESPromoted to Partner

NEW YORK - Meir A. Lewittes concentrates on private equi-ty, mergers and acquisitions, and securities with a focus oncross-border transactions, private placements, joint ventures,compliance with federal securities laws and general corporatematters. (New York University School of Law, J.D., 2002;University of Maryland, B.A., 1997).

New York

New Jersey

Massachusetts

Louisiana

Illinois

Hawaii

Sato

Kimura

Lin

Waldis



R

Gov. Rick Perry ReappointsNine to Pharmaceutical andTherapeutics Committee

AUSTIN - Gov. Rick Perry has appointed two andreappointed nine members to the Pharmaceuticaland Therapeutics Committee for terms to expire Sept.1, 2009. The committee makes recommendationsabout the contents of the preferred drug lists.

Richard C. Adams of Plano is director of developmental disabilities at theUniversity of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas and TexasScottish Rite Hospital for Children. He is a member of the AmericanAcademy of Pediatrics, Texas Pediatric Society and Society forDevelopmental Pediatrics. Adams received a bachelor’s degree fromLouisiana State University, and a medical degree from the Louisiana StateUniversity School of Medicine. Mario R. Anzaldua of Mission is a physi-cian in private practice. He is a member of the Texas Medical Association andTexas Academy of Family Physicians. He is also a past member of theMission Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors. Anzaldua received abachelor’s degree from Stanford University and a medical degree from theUniversity of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio. Donna Burkettof Austin is director of pharmacy at St. David’s Round Rock Medical Center.She is the current secretary of the Austin Area Society of Health SystemPharmacists, and a member of the University of Texas’ College of Pharmacy’sDean’s Advisory Council and the Round Rock Chamber of Commerce Boardof Directors. Burkett received a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree inpharmacy administration from the University of Texas at Austin. Anthony J.Busti of Salado is an adjunct professor at Baylor University and TexasWoman's University. He is a member of the National Lipid AssociationBoard of Directors and the Southwest Lipid Association Board of Directors.He is also chairman of the Texas Medicaid Drug Use Review Board and amember of the Clinical Lipidology Board of Governors AccreditationCouncil. Busti received a bachelor’s degree from the University of theIncarnate Word, and a doctorate degree in pharmacy from Texas TechUniversity Health Sciences Center. Harris M. Hauser of Houston is a physi-cian at Memorial Neurological Association, where he is also founder, presidentand CEO. He is a member of the American College of Psychiatrists, AmericanAcademy of Neurology and Texas Neurological Society. Hauser attended theUniversity of Texas at Austin and the University of Houston. He received amaster’s degree in neurology from the University of Minnesota in Rochesterand a medical degree from Baylor College of Medicine. Daniel RayHernandez of Harlingen is a pharmacy manager at Texas OncologyPharmacy – Harlingen. He is a member of the Texas Pharmacy Association,University of Texas Pan American (UTPA) Admissions Committee andRegional Advisory Council for UTPA/UT College of Pharmacy CooperativeProgram. Hernandez received a bachelor’s degree from the University of Texasat Austin. He replaces David King of Kingwood. Bob Hillert Jr. of Dallas is acardiologist at White Rock Adult Medicine. He is a member and past presi-dent of the Texas affiliate of the American Heart Association, a member ofthe Texas Medical Association, and a fellow of the American College ofPhysicians, American College of Cardiology and American HeartAssociation. Hillert received a bachelor’s degree from Texas ChristianUniversity and a medical degree from the University of Texas SouthwesternMedical School in Dallas. J.C. Jackson of Seabrook is a retail pharmacymanager at Alvin Medicine Shoppe. He is a member of the NationalPharmaceutical Association. He is also a member of the Knights of Columbus.Jackson received a bachelor's degree from Texas Southern University.Dorinda Martin of Austin is a pharmacist and owner of Dripping SpringsPharmacy. She is a fellow of the American Society of ConsultantPharmacists, chairman of the National Association of CommunityPharmacists Long Term Health Committee, and a past member of the TexasPharmacy Association Board of Directors. Martin received an associate’sdegree from Grayson College, a bachelor's degree from SouthwesternOklahoma State University and a doctorate degree in pharmacy from RioGrande College of Pharmacy. She replaces Julie Lewis of Frisco. ValerieRobinson of Lubbock is an assistant professor and director of child and ado-lescent psychiatry at the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center. She ispast president of the Texas Society of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry andpast secretary of the West Texas Chapter of the Texas Society of PsychiatricPhysicians. She is also a member of the American Psychiatric Association andAmerican and Texas Medical associations. Robinson received a bachelor’sdegree from Texas Christian University and a medical degree from Texas TechUniversity School of Medicine. Guadalupe Zamora of Austin is a physicianin private practice. He is a member of the Texas Medical Association, TravisCounty Medical Society and Texas Academy of Family Practice. Zamorareceived a bachelor’s degree from St. Mary's University and a medicaldegree from the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston.

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t’s a commonassumptionthat peoplewho work for

themselves have theluxury of rolling outof bed at ten o’clockand arriving at workby noon — if theywanted to. But peoplewho are in businessfor themselves will begto differ...strongly.

Sandra J. Peake, a family prac-tice attorney and mediator, says sheloves being her own boss. In fact, shesays it’s the best part about owningand operating her business.

“I may be tied to my office alittle bit more than I would like to beat times, but I have sole control,”she says wittily. “I don’t have toconsult with anyone else before Imake a business decision.”

But that kind of freedom, shesays, requires a certain level of disci-pline and constant preparation —because if you don’t provide the dis-cipline and direction, there is none.

In the legal profession, ifyou’re a solo practitioner, you haveperiods of relative feast as well asfamine. You have to make sure youhave cash flow during unpredictableperiods when cases are not beingopened unless there is an exigent cir-cumstance or dire emergency. That iswhy it is important to learn yourbusiness cycles. She thinks that istrue in any professional. Also, beingaccessible, following up with clientsand being approachable are allmusts. According to her, any case isconsidered a collaborative processbetween her and her client, requiringmutual respect and cooperation.

“I have made a concerted effortto make my practice one where I canpay attention to the client as a per-son, rather than just the case. I don’ttake every case that comes throughthe door. Building sustainable andlong term relationships is achievablebecause of personalized service.”

She and her husband, DavidPeake, started their law practice in1982. Their dream was to fill a nichefor affordable and accessible legalservices. As the years progressed,they decided that although the prac-tice was lucrative, it was also limit-ing because they were not able totake more complex cases under thethen existing format and caseload.At the same time, her husband andbusiness partner began focusingalmost exclusively on the develop-ment of a consumer and small busi-ness bankruptcy practice. She beganfocusing more on developing a pri-marily family and probate practice.They found the combination a goodmix while raising their family. In1998, David left private practicewhen he was appointed a Chapter 13Standing Trustee in the SouthernDistrict of Texas. Sandra has contin-ued to concentrate on her family,probate and general practice.

She has also been able to utilizeher professional expertise in assist-

ing with her memberships, in volun-teer work with, various Houston areawomen’s organizations. She enjoysher volunteer work with AsiansAgainst Domestic Abuse (AADA), anon-profit organiza-tion organized to pro-mote “equal andhealthy family relations through pub-lic awareness” that also providessupport services for Asian Americanwomen and children victims ofdomestic abuse. For her, it has beena gratifying, eye-opening and cultur-ally expanding experience, particu-larly given the multi-cultural citymakeup of the Houston area. It has

afforded her a unique opportunity toexperience the differences in cus-toms and cultures that she would nototherwise experience. Another pas-sion is the Blue Triangle Multi-

Cultural Associationserving children andseniors in the Third

Ward community. “I have been for-tunate to be able to assist theBTMCA Board in a small way. Allthe credit goes to the Board Memberswho have dedicated their time,knowledge, tenacity and resources to

ISANDRA PEAKEFOUNDER OF SANDRA J. PEAKE ATTORNEY AT LAW




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he husbandand wife doctor duoof Monica

and Akili Graham at Graham TimeFamily Physicianssay being in businessfor themselves givesthem peace in theirpractice and flexibili-ty in their schedules.But it hasn’t alwaysbeen a smooth ride.

Akili Graham, a graduate ofPrairie View A & M University,says while he loves having his ownpractice today, he’d rethink thesteps he took to get there.

“I walked away from my posi-tion as the medical director of a groupof family physicians,” he recalls. “Ijust knew I was going to go into busi-ness for myself, practice medicine theway I thought it should be done andpatients would be at my door. It didn’tquite happen that way.”

He can laugh about his strug-gles today, but he says that emo-tionally charged departure from sta-ble employment taught him some ofthe biggest lessons in business.

“The things I have done emo-tionally have brought a lot of chal-lenge to us,” he says, specificallyreferring to financial challenges.“But God has gotten us through itevery time.”

But he says his best businessmove since opening Graham Timein the Third Ward in 2003 was bring-ing his wife into the practice. Headmits Monica’s got a great mind forbusiness that he lacked.

“He was of the school ofthought that if I don’t have themoney to pay a bill, I’ll get it paidwhen I can and I’ll talk to the compa-ny when I get the money. And mostpeople think that way,” says Monicawho obtained her undergraduatedegree f rom TuskegeeUniversity. “But when I arrived, I goton the phone with some of our serviceproviders and explained our situation,and we worked those things out.

“I would tell other new entre-preneurs that businesses understandyou’re just starting out. Do not beafraid to pick up the phone andsometimes they will work with you.That way you’re not running orhaving them chase you,” she says.

It’s been four years since thepractice has opened, and GrahamTime Family Physicians is facing anew set of business challenges.Particularly, patient access to med-ical information on the Internet haskept the two physicians on their toes!

“Empowerment is important. Itell patients to come in for their visitwith their own information. This is adialogue, not a one-way conversa-tion,” Monica says. “I know a lot,but I’ll be the first to admit I don’tknow everything. You’re the onewho has to live with your body.”

“We have a tendency to

believe all people are like us. Ourwork ethic is what we want to see inother people,” he admits. “And it’shard to get an employee to under-stand we have todrop them becausewe won’t drop ourstandards.”

Insurance companies, hesays, add another challenge to thepractice of medicine for doctorseverywhere because of their con-trol over what services will andwon’t be covered for patients. Thispushes doctors into a corner whenthey disagree with the insurancecompanies on the best line of treat-

ment for a patient.But this particular challenge,

they agree, is what pushes them topractice medicine in a holistic way,

focusing on three ele-ments of health —physical, mental andspiritual.

“The bottom line for us is get-ting people where they need to be interms of good health. Everybodydoesn’t get there the same way,”Monica says. “But it all comes backto lifestyle modification. That



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TTHE GRAHAMSFOUNDERS OF GRAHAM TIME FAMILY PHYSICIANS




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t 34years old,Craig

Joseph didn’t haveany interest in own-ing his grandparents’infamous This Is Itsoul food restaurant.He was living thecareer of his dreamsas a firefighter forthe Houston FireDepartment.

But an “insulting” low-balloffer from a stranger to buy the ver-itable Fourth Ward landmark gavehim a change of heart and therestaurant a future. And in 1995,Craig and his wife Georgette car-ried on the legacy and the dream ofFrank and Mattie Jones.

“I’d rather see us lose thebusiness than to give it away,”Joseph recalls. “So, I asked mygrandfather to teach me what heknew.”

Having grown up insideThis Is It, Joseph understoodthe operation of the restaurant.It’s the food he had to master.

“Maintaining the same consis-tency and quality in the food is thehardest thing. With the change inownership, we had to make surenothing about the food changed.Believe me, people would knowand they’d be sure to tell us,” hesays smiling. “Once I mastered thefood and how to cook it, he gave mea trial run cooking on my own.”

But mastering the cuisine ofmelt-in-your-mouth oxtails, tendergreens and moist cornbread wasn’this only hurdle to culinary success.There was a perception Joseph hadto overcome that he couldn’t main-tain his grandparents’ restaurant. Headmits he heard the whispers fromdoubters who believed he’d “losethe business.”

“We tried to change the décorwithout taking away from the char-acter of the restaurant,” he says.“We’ve added uniforms andexpanded the menu. We’ve man-aged to keep it going.”

He’s proud to say the restau-rant has “survived” the manage-ment change, he’s also “blessed” tohave maintained many staff mem-bers for more than two decades andis even preparing for an expansion.

The restaurant moved to itscurrent location in 1995, whichmarked the first time in the restau-rant’s history that it owned thebuilding in which it operated.Today, Joseph says, he’s workingon further expansion plans.

“The only thing that’s missingis him,” Joseph says of his grandfa-ther, who passed away in 1999.

Still, he’s proud to carry onthe family’s legacy and knowshe’s moving in the right direc-tion when customers give himgreat feedback after a great meal.

“My favorite part is when peo-ple enjoy their experience and

they’re pleased - especially whenthey say to me, ‘Keep up the goodwork!’ or ‘I’ll see you next time!’”he says. “But what really makes mehappy is when I see young childrenask their parents tobring them to ThisIs It for their birth-day dinner instead of going toMcDonald’s or Chuck E. Cheese.”

And while much hasn’tchanged at This Is It, Joseph saysthat’s true of the restaurant and foodindustry as well. In fact, the more itseems to change, he says, the moreit stays the same.

“One year it’s don’t drink

wine. Then the next year, it’s okayto drink wine. Then the new trend isdon’t eat eggs. Then the next year,eggs are good,” he quips. “But ifyou go back to our heritage, our

ancestors lived a longtime on these foods.Personally, I think it’s

the chemicals put into the foods thatmake the food bad for you.”

Meanwhile, the future of ThisIs It is stable. Joseph says his chil-dren - 25, 19 and 17 years old -



ACRAIG JOSEPHOWNER OF HOUSTON’S THIS IS IT SOUL FOOD

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www.buffalosoldiermuseum.com


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he creation of RuamaC a m p ’sG.R.A.C.E.

Community Servicesmay truly be the epitome of divine timing. Shortly afterCamp departed fromthe Federal EmergencyManagement Agency(F.E.M.A.), formed herdisaster managementministry and movedinto its permanentoffice, HurricaneKatrina devastated the Gulf Coast inAugust 2005.

At that moment, G.R.A.C.E. wastruly in business and in a big way.

The faith-based organization iscommitted to empowering African-American churches and other minor-ity ministries with disaster prepared-ness training when things like flood-ing, fires, plane crashes, plant explo-sions and terrorism affect their com-munities. Camp considers it life-sav-ing work.

“It’s important so that the nexttime there’s a flood someone knowsto go get Miss Ethel down the streetbecause she’s bound to a wheel-chair,” she says. “And we saw caseslike this in Hurricane Katrina’s after-math.”

Camp, who says her experi-ence working with FEMA was thecatalyst for forming G.R.A.C.E.,believes that minorities don’t typi-cally participate on the service sidewhen it comes to disaster manage-ment. Rather, minorities “are on thereceiving side” of the equation. Shesays it’s her goal to teach and edu-cate minorities how to participate andbecome more disaster ready for theircommunities. Particularly, she sayschurches need to understand how cru-cial their role is in the disaster scenario.

“Often, when a disaster hap-pens, one of the first places peopleturn to or look to for help and assis-tance is the church. And churcheshave got to have disaster prepared-ness plans in place so they can helpthose who are depending on them,”says Camp of her business and min-istry. “We offer training classes likeDisaster 101 and CERT Training toeducate churches on how to put aministry in place. We also help peo-ple learn to navigate through theFEMA system.”

What’s more interesting is theG.R.A.C.E. business model. Campapplies a unique hiring process thatensures the new staffer and the compa-ny is a good fit.

“My staff has to volunteerbefore they get hired. Typically, youinterview for a job and then gethired. But I believe we need to makesure we have a person who trulyembraces what we do,” she says.

“Plus, it allows a potential employeeto see what a typical week is like forus. Volunteers usually work for twoweeks. The longestvolunteer we everhad stayed with usfor five weeks as wewaited for funding to become avail-able to hire her.”

A relatively new organization,G.R.A.C.E. Community Servicesgrew quickly, as the demand for itgrew after Hurricane Katrina. Itshumble beginnings span all the wayback to Camp’s home, eventuallybeing moved into the garage. And

when the hot and uncomfortableconditions of the garage became toomuch to bear, operations were

moved to her SUV.“So, right there in

my truck, I'd pick updisaster survivors, take

them to a place of shelter or whereverthey needed to be and their files wereright there with me. It was a realmobile office,” she recalls with a littlelaughter.

When great changes occur in history, when great principles are involved, as a rule the majority are wrong. The minority are right. — Eugene V. Debs


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RUAMA CAMPPRESIDENT & CEO OF G.R.A.C.E. COMMUNITY SERVICES

Tcontinued on page, P.21

TEXAS


Whatever field of human activity one may take, only those trends that are in harmony with the needs of society show rapid progress. — Nikolai Chernyshevsky

Eric Bolling Named Co-Host of Happy Hour onFOX Business Network

NEW YORK – Eric Bolling joined Cody Willard and RebeccaDiamond as co-hosts of FOX Business Network’s (FBN)Happy Hour, announced Kevin Magee, Executive VicePresident, FOX News. Happy Hour (5PM-6PM ET) is a dailybusiness news program set inside the Bull & Bear bar at the

Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York Citythat provides irreverent banter on the day’smarket activity in a lively open forumatmosphere. Since joining FBN in March2008, Bolling has served as a contributorproviding daily commentary to Money forBreakfast, America's Nightly Scoreboardand Happy Hour, among other program-ming. Bolling is also an independent trader

based out of the New York Mercantile Exchange (NYMEX)specializing in trading commodities such as crude oil, gold, andagricultural commodities. Prior to this, Bolling served as aCNBC contributor for two years, where he was a panelist onFast Money. He also was the recipient of the Maybach Man ofthe Year award at the Trader Monthly Awards in January 2007.FOX Business Network (FBN) is a financial news channeldelivering real-time information across all platforms thatimpact both Main Street and Wall Street. Headquartered inNew York-the business capital of the world-FBN launched inOctober 2007 and is available in more than 40 million homesin major markets across the United States. Owned by NewsCorp, the network has bureaus in Chicago, Los Angeles,Silicon Valley, Washington, DC and London. On the web atwww.foxbusiness.com.

Connie Lindsey electedboard president, DaviaTemin vice president

NEW YORK – New York City-based Girl Scouts of the USAhas elected CONNIE L. LINDSEY as board president andDAVIA B. TEMIN as first vice president. Lindsey, an execu-tive vice president at Northern Trust Company in Chicago, alsoserves on the boards of the Joffrey Ballet, Women Employed,the Metropolitan Club of Chicago, DePaul University Schoolof Education, and the Chicago Finance Exchange. Temin, pres-ident and CEO of marketing consultancy Temin and Company,formerly managed marketing at GE Capital, SchrodersInvestment Bank, Scudder, Citicorp Investment Bank, andColumbia Business School.

Mike Gelhard JoinsDeutsche Bank as GlobalCo-Head of EmergingMarkets Corporate Creditand Special Situations

NEW YORK – Deutsche Bank announced that Mike Gelhardhas joined the bank as a Managing Director and Global Co-Head of Emerging Markets Corporate Credit and SpecialSituations. Gelhard is based in New York and will be responsi-ble for the origination, risk management and distribution ofcorporate credit throughout Latin America and Eastern Europe,the Middle East and Africa. Gelhard and Global Co-Head TimZundel will report globally to Sean Bates, Managing Directorand Global Head of Emerging Markets Credit Trading.Gelhard joins the Bank from UBS where he was Head ofHigh Yield and Distressed Credit Trading for Latin Americaand Asia. Prior to that, he held positions at UBS and Citibankin Sydney, Australia.

Russo Appointed to AlcoaBoard of Directors

NEW YORK – Alcoa (NYSE:AA) announced that its board ofdirectors has appointed Patricia F. Russo, 56, a director of thecompany effective immediately. Russo is the former chiefexecutive officer of Alcatel-Lucent, the world’s leading com-munication solutions provider formed in 2006 by the merger ofAlcatel in France and Lucent in the U.S. Prior to the combina-tion of Alcatel and Lucent, she was Chairman and Chief

Executive Officer of Lucent. She will stand for re-election atthe next shareholders meeting in May 2009.

Timothy J. O'ConnorNamed President ofGramercy Capital Corp.

NEW YORK – Gramercy Capital Corp. (NYSE:GKK) hasannounced the appointment of Timothy J. O'Connor asPresident. A veteran of the commercial real estate industry, heserved most recently as Chief Operating Officer of iStarFinancial Inc. As President of Gramercy Capital Corp.,O'Connor will assume a broad range of responsibilities, with aparticular focus on completing the integration of its GramercyRealty unit into the Company and producing greater opera-tional efficiencies. Gramercy Realty consists of many of theassets and staff that formerly comprised American FinancialRealty Trust, which was acquired earlier this year. The unitmanages a portfolio of net lease commercial properties totalingover 29 million square feet.

Snyderman ReceivesLifetime AchievementAward for Contributionsto Prospective andPersonalized Health Care

DURHAM – Proventys Inc., a healthcare technology companycommitted to advancing personalized medicine at the point ofcare, announced that founder Dr. Ralph Snyderman receivedFrost & Sullivan’s 2008 North American Healthcare LifetimeAchievement Award for his contributions to the field of person-alized medicine. Dr. Snyderman accepted the award last monthat the 2008 Excellence in Healthcare Innovation AwardsBanquet in San Antonio, Texas.

Charles W. Fischer Joinsthe Board of Directors ofNOVA Chemicals

PITTSBURGH – NOVA Chemicals (NYSE:NCX)(TSX:NCX)has announced that Charles W. Fischer was appointed to theBoard of Directors of the company last month. Fischer isPresident and Chief Executive Officer of Nexen Inc., an inde-

pendent, Canadian-based global energycompany. Fischer will serve on the HumanResources Committee, as well as the PublicPolicy and Responsible Care Committee ofthe Board. With the addition of Mr. Fischer,the NOVA Chemicals Board will have 13members. Fischer will serve on the HumanResources Committee, as well as the PublicPolicy and Responsible Care Committee of

the Board. With the addition of Fischer, the NOVA ChemicalsBoard will have 13 members. NOVA Chemicals develops andmanufactures chemicals, plastic resins and end-products thatmake everyday life safer, healthier and easier. Our employeeswork to ensure health, safety, security and environmental stew-ardship through our commitment to Responsible Care®. NOVAChemicals shares are traded as NCX on the Toronto and NewYork stock exchanges.

Former VERITASExecutive JoinsUnitrends’ Board ofDirectors

COLUMBIA – Unitrends, a leading provider of innovative,integrated solutions that protect and restore critical data and sys-tems, announced the appointment of Mike Coney, a formerVERITAS executive, to its seven-member Board of Directors.

Temple-Inland NamedMathis Vice-President,Investor Relations andTreasury and Geoff ReidDirector of Treasury

AUSTIN – Temple-Inland Inc. (NYSE:TIN) announced lastmonth that Chris Mathis has been named Vice President,

Investor Relations and Treasury, and GeoffReid Director of Treasury of the company.The company also announced that RandyLevy, its Chief Financial Officer, willassume the additional title of Treasurer.Temple-Inland Inc. is a manufacturing com-pany focused on corrugated packaging andbuilding products. The fully integrated cor-rugated packaging operation consists of 7

mills and 63 converting facilities. The building products opera-tion manufactures a diverse line of building products for newhome construction, commercial and repair and remodeling mar-kets. Temple-Inland’s address on the World Wide Web iswww.templeinland.com.

Tavis Smiley andNationwide InsuranceMade a Stop in Dallas toHelp Consumers ControlTheir Financial Future

DALLAS – The 2008 Nationwide On Your Side® Tour withTavis Smiley made its final stop in Dallas, Texas, last month at

the Sheraton Dallas Hotel, 400 N. OliveStreet. In the wake of some of the more dif-ficult economic times facing consumerseverywhere, the tour helps people learnabout ways to empower themselves andenhance their financial future. The event ispart of an exclusive partnership betweenThe Smiley Group and Nationwide. “Nowmore than ever, it is vitally important for

consumers to focus on taking the steps to plan for their finan-cial future,” said James Lyski, chief marketing officer forNationwide. “By partnering with Tavis Smiley, we’re engagingthe community in very important dialogue regarding financialplanning and financial responsibility.”

AT&T to Acquire CentennialCommunications, EnhanceService for WirelessCustomers and Businesses

DALLAS & WALL – AT&T Inc. (NYSE:T) and CentennialCommunications Corp. (Nasdaq:CYCL) announced that AT&Tplans to acquire Centennial, a regional provider of wireless andwired communications services, for $944 million in cash. Thetransaction will enhance AT&T's wireless coverage for cus-tomers in largely rural areas of the Midwest and SoutheastUnited States and in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Frank Hughes and DeanCampbell Announce TheirIntent to Retire from RFMBoard of Directors

DALLAS – RF Monolithics, Inc. (NASDAQ:RFMI) (“RFM”or the “Company”), a leader in delivering quality RF hardwaresolutions, announced last month that two of its existing direc-tors, Francis J. Hughes, Jr. and Dean C. Campbell, haveinformed the Board of Directors that they intend to retire nolater than the end of their current terms and will not seek re-election to the board at RFM's Annual Meeting ofShareholders, scheduled for January 21, 2009.

Texas

South Carolina

Pennsylvania

North Carolina

Bolling

Fischer

Levy

Smiley

Announcements continued on page, P.20




Democracy cannot be forced upon a society, neither is it a gift that can be held forever. It has to be struggled hard for and defended everyday anew.—Heinz Galinski

magine visiting amuseum, eager tosee a display of precious jewels

or ancient artifacts or rare textiles from a lost civilization.Undoubtedly, therewould be a rope orsome other barrierkeeping visitors at leastthree feet away from the priceless items on display. Those itemswould most likely bestuffed into a glass casedraped in the glare ofpoorly placed spotlightsall around, makingcloser inspection of the museum’s possessions frustratingly impossible.

But at the Buffalo SoldiersNational Museum in the heart ofHouston, visitors can touch weapons,clothing and real artifacts by justreaching out to the open-air displaysthat populate nearly every wall.

“Our job here is to preserve, pro-mote and perpetuate,” says museumfounder Paul J. Matthews. “Usually,museums put a little bit of stuff on abig wall. We put a lot of stuff on a lit-tle wall so our visitors can touch it andhave an interactive experience.

“The Smithsonian came by andsaid, ‘You have a lot of priceless arti-facts here and just sitting out on atable.’ We flipped the whole exhibitmodel,” Matthews says proudly.

The Buffalo Soldiers NationalMuseum highlights the contributionsof African American soldiers inAmerican military history. And dis-play space isn’t the only thing thatmakes the Buffalo Soldiers NationalMuseum unique. The museum haslicensed its logo, a decision Matthewssays was his best move.

“We get 70 percent of royaltiesfrom wholesalers who sell BuffaloSoldiers National Museum merchan-dise,” says the former Vietnam veter-an. “It protects us from anyone elsesaying they are the Buffalo SoldiersMuseum. There’s only one, and it’s us.That’s a very powerful position to be in.”

His love for the elite group of sol-diers began in the ‘60s with a life-changing decision he had to makeabout his future.

“I was in the ROTC at PrairieView A & M University, and I had tomake a decision about my future,which possibly included me goinginto the military. I read two para-graphs about the buffalo soldiers andI became intrigued,” he remembers,smiling. “Here are a bunch of Blackmen standing up for America whenAmerica was not standing up forthem. Buffalo Soldiers during WorldWar II stayed in France the first two tothree years of the war when the averagetour of duty was only a year.

“Boom! That was my answer.”The popular museum began with

Matthews’ retirement fund and a“hollow room.”

“When I walked through thedoor with the Realtor®, there wasnothing on the walls.But I could see theseflags - the Army,Navy, Marines, AirForce,” he says. “And I told theRealtor this is the place. I took$40,000 of my retirement money andthe artifacts I’d collected in mygarage and moved in. Without anystaff other than my wife and family,

we opened the doors in 2001.” And during its first year of oper-

ation, nearly 20,000 visitors crossedits threshold.

The museum, with a $2 admis-sion price and open six days a week,

grew from there. It nowtouts a budget of$500,000 and has aboard of directors along

with a fundraising arm with membersfrom companies including theHouston Chronicle, Chevron, Center



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El Paso Electric Names David W.Stevens Chief Executive Officer

EL PASO – El Paso Electric (NYSE:EE) announced the selection of DavidW. Stevens as chief executive officer last month. Stevens succeeds J. FrankBates, who has served as interim president and CEO since February, 2008.

Houston’s Aztec Oil & GasAnnounced Waylan R. Johnsonas New President

HOUSTON – Aztec Oil & Gas, Inc. (OTCBB:AZGS) announced thatWaylan R. Johnson has been elected to the position of President. Johnsonassumed the position of President last month. Franklin C. Fisher, Jr. willremain CEO and Chairman of Aztec Oil & Gas, Inc. Aztec also announcedlast month that its corporate offices will remain in Houston, Texas, while thecompany’s operations offices will be relocating to Spicewood, Texas, wherethey will be headed by Waylan R. Johnson.

ATP’s CEO Honored with 2008Rhodes Petroleum IndustryLeadership Award

HOUSTON – ATP Oil & Gas Corporation’s (NASDAQ:ATPG) Chairmanand CEO, T. Paul Bulmahn, was honored with the 2008 Rhodes PetroleumIndustry Leadership Award by the American Society of Mechanical Engineers- International Petroleum Technology Institute (“ASME-IPTI”). The award is

the principal award of ASME designed to honor significantcontributions to the petroleum industry demonstratedthrough management and motivational skills, entrepreneur-ship, innovation and leadership within corporate and indus-try circles. ASME is a 120,000 member professional organ-ization focused on technical, educational and researchissues of the engineering and technology community.Houston-based, the IPTI (Institute) represents: the Ocean,Offshore and Arctic Engineering, the Petroleum Division

and the Pipeline Systems Division.

Weingarten Realty InvestorsAnnounces $271 Million JointVenture With Hines REIT

HOUSTON – Weingarten Realty Investors (NYSE: WRI) and Hines RealEstate Investment Trust, Inc. (“Hines REIT”) announced the formation of ajoint venture transaction in which a subsidiary of Hines REIT will acquire a70% interest in a WRI portfolio of 12 high-volume supermarket-anchoredshopping centers. The aggregate transaction price is approximately $271 mil-lion and the transaction will close on multiple dates. The initial closing

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American Diabetes Associationin Alexandria elects presidentALEXANDRIA – The American Diabetes Association in Alexandria,Virginia, has elected R. PAUL ROBERTSON as president of medicine andscience at the organization. Robertson, president and scientific director of thePacific Northwest Diabetes Research Institute and a professor of medicineand pharmacology at the University of Washington, is one of the country'spreeminent researchers in the area of abnormal islet function. He previouslyserved on the association's national board and as editor in chief of its researchjournal, Diabetes.

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Campcontinued from P.17

Josephcontinued from P.16

have taken their cue from him and theirmom, who “does a little of the bakingand a lot of everything else.” He saysthey will carry the torch of the restau-rant that’s “starred” in the feature filmJason’s Lyric.

“What I want is for my kids to carryit on. They feel much better about it thanI did at their age. And I know they have adesire to carry it on. They look at what Igo through on a daily basis and they arecoming up with menu ideas,” he saysproudly. “I would never want them to sellthe business. Really, I would hope theywould have children to carry it on.”

“The restaurant has been around 48years,” says Joseph, who plans to retire fromhis firefighter’s post in three years.“That’s a long time to be in business, butparticularly in the Black community. Ihope that we, as people, continue to sup-port Black-owned businesses.”

—MICHICA L. GUILLORY

In October of 2005 G.R.A.C.E.opened its Acres Homes area computertraining and tutoring lab. And in July of2006, the company finally found a perma-nent home in the Astrodome/ReliantStadium area, where it’s corporate office isnow housed.

As for the future of G.R.A.C.E.,Camp says she always wants each day tostart with prayer and meditation and for thedisaster survivor to be kept in the forefront.

“Our goal is to see survivors recoverholistically and move on with their lives,”says the mother of two sons, both of whomvolunteer at the ministry. “Their lives maynever be the same but at least they canreturn to some sense of normalcy.”

And she simply wants people to“understand our heartbeat.”

“I would want GRACE to be theministry that is remembered,” she says, “fordoing what it said it would do.”

—MICHICA L. GUILLORY

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Matthewscontinued from P.19

Point and the Greater HoustonConvention & Visitors Bureau(GHCVB). Plus, volunteers do every-thing from writing grants to performingin historical re-enactments.

So, what does all this growth meanto Matthews?

“It’s good and bad,” he simplystates. “It's good because the message thatwe are here is getting out there and reach-ing more people. The bad part is that I'mconstantly in fundraising mode!”

Goals for next year include recruit-ment of an executive director, salariedgrant writers and a resident artist. And atthe top of that short list is financial inde-pendence for what Matthews calls a suc-cessful “mom-and-pop” company.

“Even bringing in museum member-ships, broadening our base of partneringfoundations and developing a rapportwith corporate America is part of thechange that we must incorporate into ourbusiness,” he says.

And while he grows his business,Matthews still finds time to enjoy whatattracted him to start it in the first place- teaching the public about buffalo sol-diers.

“I still enjoy giving the tours. It'samazing the knowledge that the seniorshave about the things we have on displayin here like the kitchen tools and equip-ment,” he says. “Then sometimes wehave the World War II guys come in andthey learn they’re technically buffalo soldiersthemselves, and didn’t know it. Sometimesthey stand with tears in their eyes.”

— MICHICA L. GUILLORY


Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.— Margaret Mead

BUSINESS CONTINUED PAGE • E-mail: [email protected]

By Scott Keeter Director Survey Research, Juliana Horowitz,Research Associate and Alec Tyson, ResearchAnalyst, Pew Research Center for the People &the Press

In the last three gen-eral elections - 2004,2006, and 2008 - youngvoters have given theDemocratic Party amajority of their votes,and for all three cyclesthey have been theparty’s most supportiveage group. This year,66% of those under age30 voted for BarackObama making the dis-parity between young vot-ers and other age groupslarger than in any presi-dential election since exitpolling began in 1972.

This pattern of votes, along with other evi-dence about the political leanings of young vot-ers, suggests that a significant generational shiftin political allegiance is occurring. This patternhas been building for several years, and is under-scored among voters this year. Among votersages 18-29, a 19-point gap now separatesDemocratic party affiliation (45%) andRepublican affiliation (26%). In 2000, party affil-iation was split nearly evenly among the young.

Young voters are more diverse raciallyand ethnically than older voters and more secu-lar in their religious orientation. These charac-teristics, as well as the climate in which theyhave come of age politically, incline them notonly toward Democratic Party affiliation butalso toward greater support of activist govern-ment, greater opposition to the war in Iraq, lesssocial conservatism, and a greater willingness todescribe themselves as liberal politically.

Young people were not, however, crucialto Barack Obama’s victory, according to theexit polls. Obama would have lost Indiana andNorth Carolina, but carried other key statessuch as Ohio and Florida, as well as the nation-al vote. But young people provided not onlytheir votes but also many enthusiastic cam-paign volunteers. Some may have helped per-suade parents and older relatives to considerObama's candidacy. And far more young peo-ple than older voters reported attending a cam-paign event while nearly one-in-ten donatedmoney to a presidential candidate.

While Obama captured 66% of the youthvote, compared with McCain's 31%, voters age30 and older divided roughly evenly betweenthe two candidates. Among those ages 18-29,Obama took a majority among whites (54%-44%), and captured more than three-fourths ofyoung Hispanic voters (76%-19%). However,among both younger and older voters, therewas no difference in the vote of those with col-lege experience and those without.

As with older voters, a gender gap appearsin young voters’ support for the Democraticticket: 69% of younger women votedDemocratic, compared with 62% of compara-bly aged men.

Describing the Young Voter

One of the most strikingfeatures of young voters is theirracial and ethnic diversity. Just62% of voters age 18-29 identifyas white, while 18% are black and

14% Hispanic. Four years ago,this age group was 68% white. In2000, nearly three-quarters (74%)of young voters were white.

Women significantly outnumber menamong younger voters, constituting 55% ofthose 18-29 and 30-44. Among voters ages 45-64, 52% are female, while 51% of voters age 65and older are women.

Compared with those age 30 and older,fewer young voters say they are affiliated witha religious tradition (16% vs. 12% overall), andfewer report regular attendance at worshipservices. Among all voters, 40% attend reli-gious services weekly or more often; amongthose 18-29, just 33% do so.

Party Identification and Issues

The Democrats’ overall advantage inparty identification in the 2008 election wasdriven in large part by the strong Democraticleaning of young voters. Voters ages 18-29were by far the most Democratic age cohort inthe election; 45% identified as Democrats,compared with smaller percentages who identi-fied as Republican (26%) or independent(29%). Older voters also tilted Democratic thisyear, though by nowhere near the margin foundamong those under age 30.

The party gap among young voters hasexpanded over the last four years. Since 2004,Democratic identification among voters underage 30 has increased 8 points, whileRepublican identification has fallen by 9points. The percentage of young voters declin-ing to identify with either of the two major par-ties remained stable at 29%.

In 2000, young voters were about evenlysplit between the two parties: 36% Democratic,35% Republican. Notably, young voters wereactually somewhat less Democratic than oldervoters in 2000. For example, those age 65 andolder were 4 points more likely than theyoungest slice of the electorate to be Democrats.

Consistent with their strong Obama voteand their Democratic Party affiliation, youngvoters were distinctively liberal in their viewson several policy questions. Yet they were sim-ilar to older voters in the relative importance ofdifferent issues to their vote.

Young voters differ most from older vot-ers in their liberal views on the proper scope ofgovernment. Nearly seven-in-ten (69%) of vot-ers ages 18-29 favor an expanded role for gov-ernment, agreeing that it should do more to solveproblems; fewer (27%) say the government isdoing too many things better left to businessesand individuals. Opinion on this question ismore closely divided among older age cohortsand a narrow plurality of those age 45 and oldersays government is doing too much.

Young voters also stand out for their opin-

ions on the Iraq war and offshore drilling. Awide 77%- majority of voters under age 30 dis-approve of the U.S. war in Iraq, making them atleast 15 points more negative on the war thanolder age groups. While the public as a wholedisapproves of the war, opinion is less lopsidedwith 36% approving of the war. Young votershave soured considerably on the war over thepast four years; in 2004, 52% approved of theoriginal decision to use military force against

Iraq, and at that time, young voters' opinionsmirrored those of the larger voting public.

While voters overall favor offshoredrilling by a margin of more than two-to-one(68% to 28%), those under age 30 expresssomewhat less support for offshore drillingthan do older voters. Yet even so, a 57%-major-ity of young voters favors drilling for oil inU.S. waters where it is currently not allowed.Fully 72% of those ages 45-64, and 74% ofthose age 65 and older support increased oilproduction in U.S. waters.

Nearly a third of young voters (32%)describe themselves as liberal, compared with22% of all voters. Those under 30 are about aslikely as all voters to call themselves moderate,but are significantly less likely to identify asconservative: just over a quarter (26%) ofyoung voters do so. By contrast, voters in olderage cohorts are much more likely to call them-selves conservative as opposed to liberal.

Despite holding more liberal views onmany issues, young voters share the same issuepriorities as the electorate at large. More thansix-in-ten (61%) young voters see the economyas the nation's most important problem, aboutthe same share as among the general votingpublic; the war in Iraq is a distant second on theminds of young voters – as it is among all vot-ers – with 12% naming it the country's topproblem. Voters under age 30 differ somewhatfrom all voters in viewing energy policy (10%top problem) as a more pressing issue than ter-rorism (5% top problem); other age cohortsgenerally consider the issues to be of similarimportance or give a slight priority to terrorism.

Mobilization and Turnout

In addition to providingBarack Obama and otherDemocrats with strong supportthis year, young voters wereunusually active in the campaign.According to Pew's post-electionsurvey of voters, fully 28% ofyoung voters in battlegroundstates said they had attended acampaign event, far more thanamong other age groups. They

were less likely than older votersto contribute money to the cam-paign, but according to the sur-vey nearly one-in-ten (9%) didso, compared with the overallaverage of 17%.

But the electoral influence of young votersalso depends on efforts made to mobilize them.According to the exit polls, young voters in keybattleground states this year were far more like-ly to have been contacted by the Obama cam-paign than by the McCain campaign - and insome states they were more likely than oldervoters to have been contacted, a significantreversal from past patterns.

Nationally, a quarter of voters (25%) 18-29 say someone contacted them in person or byphone on behalf of the Obama campaign aboutcoming out to vote. By contrast, just 13% werecontacted by the McCain campaign. In 2004,nearly the same share of young voters wasreached by the Kerry campaign (22%) as wasreached by the Bush campaign (19%).

But the disparity was much larger in someof the key battleground states. In Pennsylvaniaand Nevada, which Obama carried by double-digit margins, more than half of voters underage 30 said they were contacted by the Obamacampaign (54% in Pennsylvania and 61% inNevada). The McCain campaign reached con-siderably fewer young voters in those states –30% in Pennsylvania and 26% in Nevada.Obama's get-out-the-vote operation alsoreached three times as many young voters asMcCain's operation in Indiana (45% vs. 15%)and twice as many in Florida (32% vs. 16%).

The Obama campaignalso reached more voters than theMcCain campaign across someolder age groups, though theadvantage was generally moremodest than that among 18-29year-olds. In North Carolina, forexample, 46% of voters under age30 reported being contacted bysomeone in the Obama campaignabout coming out to vote, com-pared with 29% who reportedbeing contacted by the McCaincampaign. However, Obama'sget-out-the-vote advantage nar-rows somewhat among those ages30-44 (11 points) and ages 45-64(6 points) and completely disap-pears among those age 65 and

older (29% each).With the exception of Virginia, Nevada,

and Wisconsin, the two campaigns were abouteven in their efforts to turn out voters age 65and older in the swing states. Obama reachedfar more older voters than McCain in Virginia(55% vs. 45%) and Nevada (47% vs. 38%),while McCain reached more voters age 65 andolder in Wisconsin (58% vs. 46%).

Official estimates of voter turnout amongage groups won't be available for severalmonths, but the exit polls indicate that mobi-lization efforts aimed at young people mayhave paid off. Voters ages 18-29 turned out ata higher rate in 2008 than in 2004 in severalbattleground states. Young voters increasedtheir share of the total electorate by fivepoints in Indiana, four points in NorthCarolina and Virginia – all of which experi-enced sizeable increases in overall voterturnout – and by lesser amounts in six otherkey states. By contrast, the young declined asa share of the total in Florida, Pennsylvania,and Ohio. Nationally, young voters were esti-mated to be 18% of the total, up slightly from17% four years ago.

-------------------------------------------------------

* Notes: 1 Scott Keeter is also an exit pollanalyst for NBC News

Young Voters play lead role in 2008 Election

Sources; National exit polls conducted by CBS/New York Tyimes (1980-1988),Voters News Service (1992-2000) and National Election Poll (2004-2008).

Democratic Share of Presidential Vote, 1980-2008

depends on the food you eat, thefriends you hang out with andyour spirituality.”

Akili takes it a step furtherand adds that he and his wife alsohelp their patients by living asexamples of good health.

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Meanwhile, the Grahamssay they set themselves apartfrom their competition by devel-oping relationships with theirpatients rather than rushing them

in and out of their office. “We’renot an assembly line type of prac-tice. We spend time with ourpatients. It’s a lost art,” Akili says.“Today, it’s about calculating thenumber of people you need to seein order to make a certain amountof money so you can live thelifestyle you want.”

“We don’t have quickrewards with our type of practice,but it’s peaceful and it’s reward-ing for us.”

Akili and Monica - proudparents of two children who’vebeen married for 13 years - con-sider working with one anothertheir favorite part about being inbusiness. Despite the fact that noteveryone sees eye-to-eye with themon their move to partner in businessas well as in life, they let their suc-cess do the talking for them.

“People said a husband andwife shouldn’t work together.They’d ask us how long we thoughtthis was going to last,” Monicasays. “I think we do this medicinething together pretty well.”


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making sure the Blue Triangle issustained as a community centerand is able to continue providingafter school enrichment and otheractivities for children and seniorsin the community. The BlueTriangle organization consists of aphenomenal group of visionarywomen, who keep the programsrunning and expanding. Theyhave been able to do things intheir “retirement” that you wouldnot believe.” She is also a mem-ber of the Texas Spring CypressChapter Links, Inc. Her chapter'sfocus area is the Fifth Ward, includ-ing Acres Homes. The Chapter pro-vides additional resources for healthawareness, education in area schoolsand cultural enrichment throughpartnerships with other organiza-tions and community groups.

“I believe the best businessdecision we made was to adver-tise.” They realized early on thatin order to survive in a competi-tive market, they had to build andnurture their client base. She hasclients who come in now withadvertisements and correspon-dence from years ago and canidentify the period during whichthe client began using their servic-es. It is always interesting as wellas rewarding to her to see theseparticular clients. It confirms therelationship was firmly estab-lished and the goal of client satis-faction achieved.

“One of the fundamentalchanges in the way we practicelaw having a huge impact on the

legal field is the integration oftechnology into the process. Whenwe started our practice, officeequipment consisted of one type-writer. Back then, word process-ing was considered a technologi-cal advance and accumulating andmaintaining a law library wasessential. Today, we can research,file documents and pay filing feeson line. It’s made the practicemore efficient and less stressfulbecause it saves time.”

In family practice, the prac-tice culture has evolved. “Thecourts, the family bar and litigantsare more cognizant of the negativelong term effects protracted, con-tentious and expensive litigationhas on families, particularly whenthere are children involved. Tothat end, requiring parentingclasses in cases where children areinvolved and requiring mediationprior to trial in most cases, haspositively impacted the way wemanage our caseloads and giveslitigants an opportunity to resolvetheir disputes outside of court.”Parties have an opportunity toopen the lines of communicationand creatively resolve disputes.“Just like you have control overthe creation of your relationships,you can have control over the dis-solution of it.” To her, winningand losing aren't the only impor-tant things. What is really mostimportant is to get her clientthrough the process and makesure the client's objectives are met.

She's an avid reader andloves to travel. “I need to beable to effectively manage mybusiness to be able to have timefor family and outside interests,”she says.

Peakecontinued from P.14

Physicianscontinued from P.15

BUSINESS CONTINUED PAGE • E-mail: [email protected]

ket. Peck credited Woods with contribut-ing to the growth stating “We attributeawareness of our product to Tiger.”

General Motors is one of the threetop U.S. automakers seeking a $25 bil-lion bailout from Congress. The compa-ny has also decreased spending onadvertising during the 2009 Super Bowland Oscars.

Woodscontinued from P.1

There are no highs or lows amongsubgroups for Jindal amongRepublicans. He is a newcomer tonational politics, and already has a rea-sonable base of GOP support.

Palin looks to be stealingHuckabee's thunder among Republicanreligious conservatives and workingclass voters. Huckabee is an ordainedSouthern Baptist minister, and his high-est GOP totals still come from Born-Again Christians (15%) and weeklychurchgoers (18%), but those numbersare about half of those drawn by Palin.Despite his populist economic message,he wins only 10% of blue collarRepublicans.

The interesting finding about Paulis that he is more popular among all vot-ers than he is among Republicans, rein-forcing his appeal as a potential thirdparty candidate.

Pollster John Zogby: "While some-one other than those we listed could stillemerge as Republican contender, GOPvoters seem satisfied with this group.Only 8.2% would choose someone else.Despite all of the bad press and latenight TV parody of Palin, she still leadsthe pack. So it is hard to see what couldshake the faith of her supporters goingforward. If she chooses to run, that solidbase would likely keep her in the racethrough the early primaries. BothRomney and Jindal have appeal toRepublicans, with Jindal having theadvantage of being the new guy whocould bring change to the party."

Palincontinued from P.1

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Featured Event December 13, 2008- Battleship TEXAS SHS - Santa'sSwingin 40's Christmas - Visit theBattleship Texas and enjoy the spirit of theholidays. Write and mail letters to Santa,enjoy hot wassail, meet and have your pic-ture taken with Santa, and much, muchmore. Accessible for wheelchairs on maindeck only. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. (281) 479-2431.

Featured Event December 13, 2008- Martin Dies, Jr. SP - Holiday Celebrationin the Park - Help us celebrate the holidayswith an afternoon of family fun! We pro-vide all the materials needed to construct agingerbread house and decorate a ginger-bread man ornament. Join in and sing car-ols and holiday songs with a live band. 2-4p.m. (409) 384-5231.

Eventscontinued from P.2

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10 Reasons to

for my mom beforeChristmas.. .

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December 2008 Houston Business Connections Newspaper

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