Alexis de Tocqueville Society Kicks Off Campaign

Diana Hudson, Anna Babin, Anne Neeson and Dorothy Ables

More than 115 members of United Way of Greater Houston’s Alexis de Tocqueville (ADT) Society gathered at the home of Diana Hudson and Lee Kaplan on October 14 to kick off their 2009-10 United Way campaign.

Dorothy Ables, chief administrative officer for Spectra Energy and 2009-10 ADT Society co-chair, welcomed guests and thanked Alexis de Tocqueville Society members for their past generosity. Ables stressed the importance of keeping United Way strong as the needs in our community grow and the demand for services increases.

Ables encouraged guests and prospects to take advantage of the ADT Society Match to leverage their gifts to make an even greater impact on our community.

Here is how the match program works:
A new Society member contributing $10,000 annually will generate a $5,000 match for United Way. Existing members who increase their gifts by 10 percent will generate a dollar-for-dollar match. Increases of $5,000 or more will generate a two-for-one match. For example, an existing member who contributed $10,000 in 2008 and who increases their 2009 gift to $15,000 will generate a two-for-one match and be recognized as a Major Donor at $25,000.

Bobby Tudor, ADT co-chair and chairman and CEO of Tudor, Pickering, Holt & Co., talked to guests about the can-do spirit of Alexis de Tocqueville Society members and how this important group of donors makes a profound impact on our community year after year.

“In Houston, we understand that it’s up to us to take care of each other,” Tudor said. “Working together to do something about it, we can achieve extraordinary things. It is wonderful to be part of such a community-minded group.”

Other reception attendees included Sue Payne; Jennifer and Chris Brown; Jim Postl; Martha Turner and Glenn Bauguss; Wayne McConnell; Brent and Jenny Bailey; Jack and Leslie Blanton; Joe Hafner; George and Shiang-Ling Yang; Bob Jewell; Greg Rizzo; Paula Hinton and Steven Lawrence; Pattie Dale and Jim Tye; Sue and Rusty Burnett; Sabra Harrington; John Eldridge; and Anna M. Babin.

United Way of Greater Houston salutes the members of the Alexis de Tocqueville Society. As the cornerstone of our annual campaign, you help shape our community and set a powerful example for others to follow. Thank you for doing something about it.

Our special thanks go to Andrews Kurth LLP and Spectra Energy for sponsoring this event.

For more information about the Alexis de Tocqueville Society, contact Diane Likeness at 713-685-2319.

View a photo gallery of this event.