Mayor White Applauds Alexis de Tocqueville Society

Anytime the mayor calls, it's a special occasion. That was the case recently when Mayor Bill White stopped by The Houstonian to thank the Alexis de Tocqueville Society for its strong leadership in shaping our community's future.

"More than ever before, it is the responsibility of the private sector to work with local social service organizations to meet the needs of our community. Your involvement and generous commitment to United Way assure Houston's social safety net remains strong," White said to more than 100 Society members.

The September 21 breakfast sponsored by Chase Bank was the first event of the 2007—08 campaign year for the Society.

Society Co-Chairs Joel Staff, Scipio Interests, LLC, and Diana Hudson, partner, Andrews Kurth LLP, thanked members for last year's great results, asked for their continued commitment this year, and encouraged everyone to recruit at least one new member.

Staff expressed his deep appreciation to Jack Sweeney, owner and publisher of the Houston Chronicle and past community campaign chair, for the Alexis de Tocqueville Society and Women's Initiative ads that appeared in the newspaper. He also saluted members Stanford Alexander and Ric Campo for their generous support as ADT Challenge Match donors.

Hudson asked members to increase their involvement this year. She also asked everyone to mark their calendars for the combined ADT/Women's Initiative kick-off event on October 22 at the Lucy's Legacy exhibit at the Houston Museum of Natural Science.

Among those on hand to greet Mayor White were Martyn Goossen, president of Chase Bank – Houston, and wife Kathy; United Way President Anna M. Babin; Paula Hinton, 2007-08 Women's Initiative chair; United Way Board Chairman Bob Harvey; Sheridan Williams; Jack and Ginger Blanton; and other past United Way community campaign chairs Jim Crownover, Jim Postl and Joe Hafner.

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