Alexis de Tocqueville Society Kicks Off Campaign

From left: Bill Caudill, Chris Caudill and Gene Van Dyke.

More than 170 members of United Way of Greater Houston’s Alexis de Tocqueville (ADT) Society gathered at the home of Astrid and Gene Van Dyke on October 4 to kick off their 2011-12 United Way campaign.

Alie Pruner, chief financial officer for Tudor, Pickering, Holt & Co., LLC and 2011-12 ADT Society co-chair, welcomed guests and thanked Alexis de Tocqueville Society members for their continued generosity. Pruner announced the ADT Society’s campaign goal of $15.4 million and encouraged guests and prospective members to take advantage of the Alexis de Tocqueville Society Challenge Match Program to leverage their gifts and make an even greater impact on our community.

Pruner thanked the ADT Society’s Benefactors and Visionaries, who make the Challenge Match possible. Two new families, Jeanne and Peter Kinnear and Cyvia and Melvyn Wolff, have recently joined this generous group of donors.

Here is how the ADT Challenge Match 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 2010 and who increases their 2011 gift to $15,000 will generate a two-for-one match and be recognized as a Major Donor at $25,000.

Jim Postl, retired president and CEO of Pennzoil Quaker State and 2011-12 ADT Society co-chair, shared the ADT Society’s progress towards their goal and recognized the more than 20 new ADT members to date. Postl talked to guests about the impact this important group of leaders makes on our community year after year.

“The Alexis de Tocqueville Society is the cornerstone of United Way and is absolutely critical to the work United Way does in the community,” Postl told guests. “I encourage each and every one of you to reach out to potential members and show them that our community is worth the investment.”

United Way of Greater Houston President and CEO Anna M. Babin was on hand to thank ADT Society members on behalf of the thousands of people who count on United Way for help.

Other reception attendees included: Dorothy and Mickey Ables; Dede and John Ale; Ginger and Jack Blanton; John Carrig; Kathy and Marty Goossen; Janet and Mark Jacobs; Jane Jones; Ann Kaufman; Rich Kruger; Lynn Mathre and Stewart O’Dell; Nancy and Bob Peiser; and Randy Walker.

United Way of Greater Houston salutes the members of the Alexis de Tocqueville Society. You help shape our community and set a powerful example for others to follow. Thank you for doing something uplifting for so many.

Our special thanks go to Astrid and Gene Van Dyke for hosting and Service Corporation International 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.