December 2005 Houston Business Connections Newspaper

BUSINESS CONNECTIONS

Gearing Up For ChristmasSen. Cornyn speaks to Salvation Army Christmas and Disaster Centervolunteers in Dallas, Texas calling for support for their efforts. Sen.Cornyn introduced the GIVE Act in the Senate to protect volunteers thisholiday season.

Houston

Published By Houston Highlights Publishing, L.L.C. Proudly Serving The Houston Community Since 1998 • Email: [email protected] • DECEMBER 2005

HoustonBUSINESS CONNECTIONSCommunity News & Business ReportsCommunity News & Business Reports

HOUSTON —The Port of Houston Authority (PHA)commission approved several recommendations involvingcontract awards, bids and proposals, professional servicesand general administrative and operational matters duringits public meeting held recently at the PHA Executive

Office Building. Chairman Jim Edmonds presided over themeeting with Vice Chairman Kase Lawal, Commissione

PHA Commission Delivers Bayport,Security, Capital Improvement Matters

Please see PHA COMMISSION, P.8

OPRAH DELIVERS

Billionaire Helping FamiliesOprah’s Angel Network surprises storm survivorfamilies with American Dream of Homeownershipby partnering with Houston Habitat For Humanity tofund the construction of 50 homes. PAGE • 12

Friendswood, TX; —Meetings and Events Network,LLC has been awarded thecontract to manage the(HMBC) Houston MinorityBusiness Council's “Sailing forSuccess” cruise event. HMBCmembers, families and friends

will set sail on March 2, 2006from Galveston, TX. The 4night voyage onboard the beau-tiful Carnival Elation will visitthe azure waters of Cozumel,Mexico.

While adults enjoygrownup pleasures such as cre-

ative workshops, networking &party activities, swimming, lux-urious spa treatments & fitnessprograms, scrumptious cuisine,full casino, Vegas-style enter-tainment, exciting shore excur-sions and the internet café, chil-dren ages 2 to 17 will be

involved in an incredible choiceof age appropriate activitiesin the care of highly trained,fun-loving counselors atCamp Carnival. The Houston

Houston Minority Business Council takes networking to the high seas!

Please see COUNCIL, P.10

INDEXHouston Minority Business Council’s 2005Expo held at George R. Brown.....................2Cautious Against Holiday Identity Thieves ...3HNN Upcoming Events.................................3Dillard Students Are Coming Home..............3Eckels Asks For Public Input To AssessHurricanes Katrina, Rita Operations.............8Houston Minority Business Council takesnetworking to the high seas!...............................10Institute for OneWorld Health Receives $30 million Gates Foundation Grant...........11Wesley AME Church Hosts Community Holiday Children’s Party..............................13IRS Announces 2006 Mileage Rates..........14Tips for Online Security...............................15

Drayton McClane Jr. is chair-man of McLane Group, chairman ofThe Houston Astros Baseball Club andchairman of Astrodome, USA. McLane wasborn and raised in Cameron, Texas, where hisfather, Drayton McLane Sr., owned awholesale grocery distribution center.At age nine, the young McLane wentto work for his father’s business (afamily-owned entity that had beenestablished by his grandfather, RobertMcLane, in 1894). McLane spentmost Saturdays and summers duringhis teen years sweeping floors andlearning various aspects of thewholesale grocery business.

After earning his business degreeat Baylor University and a master’sdegree in marketing at Michigan State

B I O G R A P H Y O F S U C C E S S

Please see BIOGRAPHY, P.20

Drayton McClane Jr.

Shopping Online For Christmas?Tips for Online Security this Holiday Season,See Page• 15

Headlineswww.houstonbusinessconnections.com

AGREEMENT SIGNING: Inter-AmericanCommittee on Ports of the Organization ofAmerican States Executive SecretaryCarlos Gallegos (left) and U.S. PrincipalDeputy Assistant Secretary of the Army(Civil Works) John Paul Woodley, Jr. repre-senting PIANC sign a memorandum ofagreement at a ceremony during the OAS-CIP meeting.

Please see PORT, P.8

Texas UnemploymentInsurance Tax RatesDecrease for Employers

AUSTIN – The Texas WorkforceCommission (TWC) has announcedemployer tax rates for Calendar Year(CY) 2006, and most Texas employerswill see a decrease in their tax rate compared to last year as the economycontinues to improve.PAGE • 4

———————————————

IRS Warns of e-MailScam about Tax Refunds

WASHINGTON — The InternalRevenue Service has issued a consumeralert about an Internet scam in whichconsumers receive an e-mail informingthem of a tax refund. The e-mail, whichclaims to be from the IRS, directs theconsumer to a link that requests personal information, such as SocialSecurity number and credit cardinformation.PAGE • 3

————————————————

Port OrganizationsSign Agreement

HOUSTON—A Memorandum ofAgreement between the Inter-AmericanCommittee on Ports of the Organization ofAmerican States (OAS-CIP) and theInternational Navigation Association (for-merly Permanent InternationalAssociation of Navigation Congresses, orPIANC) was signed recently at the HiltonAmericas — Houston Hotel. The agree-ment provides the basis for mutual under-

Johnson

IT’S A DONE DEAL

Hall Clutterbuck Hittner

DISTRICT B DISTRICT C

60.4% 39.6% 58.4% 41.6%

Johnson, Clutterbuck,Lovell, Kamrani, Marshall,Hernandez All HandleBusiness on Election Day

Jarvis Johnson handily defeated FeliciaGalloway-Hall in the District B race just as ourreaders said he would in our November 2005edition. Meanwhile Anne Clutterbuck madequick-work of George Hittner in the District C race.

Other results: Sue Lovell slid by JayAiyer by a slim margin of 50.9% to 49.1% inthe at-large Position 2 race. PAGE • 12

BUSINESS ANNOUNCEMENTS/Publisher’s Page

Mercedes-Benz of Sugar Land • 15625 South West Freeway • Sugarland, Texas 77478

Because You Deserve The BEST!Purchase your next car from Kesa Guest

Mercedes-Benz of Sugarland15625 South West FreewaySugarland, Texas 77478

Direct: 281.207.1519Cell: 713.703.5185

Kesa GuestExecutive Sales Associate

Star Achiever

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••Support Companies That Support Diversity! A message from Houston Highlights Publishing, L.L.C.

The Publisher’s Desk

Aubrey R. Taylor, president and CEO ofHouston Highlights Publishing, L.L.C., pub-lisher of Houston Business Connections.

HHPHouston Highlights Publishing, L.L.C.

Houston Highlights Publishing, L.L.C.Mailing: 957 Nasa Parkway #251Houston, TX 77058.

Connections Line: (832)212-8735 Fax Line: (530)348-6423Email News & Press Release info to:[email protected] Request For Advertising Info to:[email protected]

Houston Business Connections is published on amonthly basis by Houston Highlights Publishing, L.L.C.all right reserved. No articles may be copied, rewritten,published, or otherwise distributed without the prior writ-ten approval of the publisher. For special requestsemail: [email protected]

2 • DECEMBER • Houston Business Connections Monthly • www.houstonbusinessconnections.com • 832.212.8735

ongratulations to JarvisJohnson our newly electedDistrict B councilman andAnne Clutterbuck our newly

elected District C councilwoman both arepart of the Houston HighlightsPublishing, LLC (publisher of HoustonBusiness Connections) family of support-ers. Their victories serve as a shinningexample of what can happen when candi-dates choose to use minority owned prod-ucts and services to aid them in theircampaign bids.

The completion of the runoff electionmarks the official beginning of a newone. The March primary is just aroundthe corner and the election will featuremany heated race. One such race is forState Representative 146. Al Edwardsthe current Representative will have for-midable opposition this time around astwo African American businessmen areseeking to unseat the long-time incum-bent. This race promises to be exciting andcould represent a changing of the guard inthe African American community shouldEdwards suffer defeat to one of his worthyopponents.

We wish you a very merry Christmasand a happy New Year!

C

Over 1,300 corporate representatives;200 corporate exhibits including govern-mental agencies and educational andfinancial institutions, along with morethan 900 minority business owners weremajor participants at EXPO 2005, theHouston Minority Business Council’s(HMBC) marketing event of the year.Texas’ largest minority business develop-ment trade-fair was held recently at theGeorge R. Brown Convention Center,Exhibit Hall C, Houston, TX.

Now in its 29th year, EXPO 2005began its day-long event with a breakfastto salute corporate and minority businesssponsors at 7:15 a.m. followed by the offi-

cial ribbon-cutting ceremony at 8:30 a.m.with the Texas Southern University’s JazzCombo leading the way. The KeynoteSpeaker was Reginald “Reggie” Williams(author, facilitator, CEO, Television Host,and Corporate American consultant). TheEXPO 2005 Corporate Chairman wasHaywood A. “HAP” Payne, president ofChevron Business and Real EstateServices (BRES), San Ramon, CA. TheEXPO 2005 MBE Chairman was RichardCortez, president/CEO, MCACommunications, Inc., Houston, TX.

The importance of EXPO is thatMinority Business Enterprises (MBEs)obtain awareness of contracting opportu-

nities available to them with major corpo-rations and governmental agencies. Foryears, corporations have utilized EXPO toexpand their supplier and contractor base.MBEs, on the other hand, view EXPO asan easy and cost effective way of access-ing key purchasing personnel.

Through EXPO MBEs are able tomake 200 sales calls in a day, all under oneroof; to increase their market base; to gaininsight into today’s business environment;to establish relationships with Houston’sleading corporations and to enjoy thecamaraderie of being in the company ofHouston’s top corporate and entrepreneur-ial executives and key decision makers.

Statistics indicate that at least two-thirds of EXPO participants report con-tracts ranging as much as $2 million with-in eights months of the event.

The Houston Minority BusinessCouncil provides on-going programs andactivities that support the growth anddevelopment of minority-owned business-es including educational seminars, man-agement workshops, mentoring opportu-nities, scholarships, funding programs andnetworking events.————————————————

For more information about HMBC,please visit www.hmbc.org or call (713)271.7805.

Houston Minority Business Council’s 2005 Expo held at George R. Brown

Houston Business Connections Monthly • www.houstonbusinessconnections.com • 832.212.8735 • DECEMBER • 3

Please see LISTING, P.5

NEWS BRIEFS & EDITORIALS

Acres Home CitizenChamber Of Commerce(713) 692-70036130 Wheatley StHouston, TX 77091

Arab U.S. Chamber Of Commerce(281) 447-2563525 N Sam Houston Pkwy EHouston, TX 77060

Arab-us Chamber National(713) 963-46201330 Post Oak BlvdHouston, TX 77056

Asian Chamber OfCommerce(713) 782-72227457 Harwin DrHouston, TX 77036

Australian AmericanChamber Of Commerce(713) 467-214611935 Cobblestone DrHouston, TX 77024

C I S American ChamberOf Commerce(713) 464-48008707 Katy FwyHouston, TX 77024

Caribbean Chamber Of Commerce(713) 977-83087171 Harwin DrHouston, TX 77036

Chamber Of Commerce North(281) 872-870016825 Northchase DrHouston, TX 77060

Chamber Of CommerceNorth Channel Area(713) 450-3600P 9759 Ste Ste 100Houston, TX 77213

Clear Lake Area EconomicDevelopment Foundation(281) 486-55352525 Bay Area BlvdApollo, TX 77058

Clear Lake ShoresChamber Of Commerce(281) 488-76761201 Nasa Rd 1Apollo, TX 77058

Cy-fair Houston Chamber Of Commerce(281) 955-110011050 Fm 1960 Rd WHouston, TX 77065

Cy-fair Houston Chamber Of Commerce(281) 765-888811050 Fm 1960 Rd WHouston, TX 77065

French American Chamber Of Commerce5373 West Alabama, #209Houston, TX 77056(713) 960-0575

German AmericanChamber Of Commerce(713) 877-11145599 San Felipe StHouston, TX 77056

For Consideration Email Editorials to: [email protected]

The following is a comprehensivelist of Houston area Chambers of Commerce--------------------------

News Briefswww.houstonbusinessconnections.com

Over a Million Tax Bills are “UP” on Average and “IN THE MAIL”

New Property Tax System Replaces 30-Year Old Mainframe

HOUSTON — Harris County Tax Assessor-CollectorPaul Bettencourt has begun mailing 1,356,000 property taxbills for 2005, to Harris County residents. For the first timeever, taxpayers will receive with their tax bill a 5-yearproperty tax history that will show the amount of propertytax increases and decreases for the county, cities, communi-ty colleges and special taxing jurisdictions. The same 5-year tax history information is also available for eachHarris County property tax account on the Tax Office Website at www.hctax.net. ————————————————————————

IRS Warns of e-Mail Scam about Tax Refunds

WASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service hasissued a consumer alert about an Internet scam in whichconsumers receive an e-mail informing them of a taxrefund. The e-mail, which claims to be from the IRS,directs the consumer to a link that requests personal infor-mation, such as Social Security number and credit cardinformation.

This scheme is an attempt to trick the e-mail recipientsinto disclosing their personal and financial data. The prac-tice is called “phishing” for information.

The information fraudulently obtained is then used tosteal the taxpayer’s identity and financial assets. Generally,identity thieves use someone’s personal data to steal his orher financial accounts, run up charges on the victim’s exist-ing credit cards, apply for new loans, credit cards, services orbenefits in the victim’s name and even file fraudulent tax returns.

The bogus e-mail, which claims to come from “[email protected]” tells the recipient that he or she is eligi-ble to receive a tax refund for a given amount. It then saysthat, to access a form for the tax refund, the recipient mustuse a link contained in the e-mail. The link then asks forthe personal and financial information.

The IRS does not ask for personal identifying or finan-cial information via unsolicited e-mail. Additionally, taxpay-ers do not have to complete a special form to obtain a refund.

If you receive an unsolicited e-mail purporting to befrom the IRS, take the following steps:

• Do not open any attachments to the e-mail, in casethey contain malicious code that will infect your computer.

• Contact the IRS at 1-800-829-1040 to determinewhether the IRS is trying to contact you about a tax refund.

The IRS has seen numerous attempts over the years todefraud the public and the federal government through avariety of schemes, including abusive tax avoidance trans-actions, identity theft, claims for slavery reparations, frivo-lous arguments and more. More information on theseschemes may be found on the criminal enforcementpage at IRS.gov.————————————————————————

Shoppers Urged To Be Cautious AgainstHoliday Identity Thieves

The Houston Police Department is warning shoppersand stores to keep their guard up as this holiday seasonrolls around. HPD Financial Crimes Unit Sergeant RickyCampbell says would-be identity thieves are not who youthink they are and your vital information can never be fullysafe. “These predators are always looking for ways to stealyour identity and in some cases will convince your co-workers to obtain your information for a price,” saidSergeant Campbell. Identity theft is much bigger than mostrealize, leading to other crimes such as forgery, counterfeit-ing, check and credit card fraud, computer fraud, imperson-ations and even terrorism.

A recent article printed in Money Magazine calledidentity theft, America’s No. 1 consumer complaint. HPDFinancial Crimes Unit supervisor, Lieutenant CraigWilliams commented that anyone is a potential victim ofIdentity Theft.

“It’s not a matter of if you become a victim, it’s a mat-ter of when, and it’s extremely easy.” Thieves routinely use


By Dr. Marvalene HughesPresident

I arrived in New Orleans lastsummer to become only the ninthpresident of Dillard University, oneof America’s oldest historicallyblack colleges and an institutionwith a rich, proud and triumphanthistory. While I knew it would be achallenge, I could not imagine thattwo months later my campus wouldbe under eight feet of water and mystudents relocated to universitiesand colleges all over the country.

I am not complaining. Morethan 2,000 people in New Orleanslost their lives, and partially or com-pletely their personal properties.All our students are safe andaccounted for, and we are looking tothe future, not the past.

Recently I visited SpelmanCollege in Atlanta where a group ofmy students were waiting for me ata reception. When we spied eachother, we rejoiced.

We were all a long way fromhome. They told me about theirclasses at Spelman and Morehouse,and I answered their questionsabout relocated Dillard students. Iwas very frank about Katrina'sdestruction-three dorms destroyedby fire, those lovely civil-war eraclassroom buildings consumed bywater and muck, and everywhere,on that beautifulcampus, sludge,broken trees andtorn roofs. A sub-dued tone overtookour conversation as the magnitudeof our loss gripped us. For just amoment, no one said anything.

Then one of the young women,a senior, broached what all of themwere thinking.

“They’ve been so nice here, Dr.Hughes. But it's hard. Please tell us- are we ever going back?” Shebrushed away a tear and I quicklyembraced her.

“You bet we are going back,” Isaid. “In January we will be tem-porarily located at the Tulane cam-pus. Yes, Dillard is not only goingto survive, it will to be greater thanever. My senior administration and Ihave vowed to preserve Dillard’s136-year legacy of outstanding edu-cation. We will be back. We will befocused: We will be even stronger.”

I am so grateful to all the col-leges and universities that openedtheir hearts and their doors to ourstudents so they could temporarilyrelocate and continue their educa-tion. The trauma of Katrina hasbeen particularly tough on Dillard'sseniors who for three years havelooked forward to the traditionalgraduation ceremonies when theymarch through the beautiful“Avenue of the Oaks.” I havepledged to our seniors they will notbe denied that experience. It is whatdrives my every waking hour sinceKatrina turned our world upsidedown. The 2006 commencement is

scheduled on the Dillard campusin June.

One major task is raising fundsto rebuild Dillard. Insurance willnot cover nearly our needs orreplace what we have lost. Thisreality consumes so much of mytime in fundraising. We are makingprogress, but not as fast as I wouldlike. Fortunately for us, Dillard isspecial, not just to those of us whoare part of it and whose lives it haschanged, but to people and organi-zations around the country whohave learned about Dillard beforeand after the storm. The resolve andthe resiliency of our young studentsin the face of such disaster touchedtheir hearts, and the response hasbeen overwhelming. It has been

heartening to havepeople like PresidentClinton, Bill Cosbyand Jamie Foxx ask-ing what they can do,

offering to lend their celebrity to raisemoney or bring attention and supportto our efforts.

Ivy League universities Brownand Princeton have formed a part-nership to guide us in restoring andre-envisioning our campus. Thissupport is a labor of love to BrownUniversity President RuthSimmons, a Dillard graduate andone of many distinguished Dillardalumnae around the country. It is aleap of trust and faith for PrincetonUniversity President ShirleyTilghman.

These women’s hearts and val-ues uplift us. From them, andthrough actions of their recoveryteam leaders, my staff and I areenergized and inspired to remainfocused on our rapid recovery.

Adversity is nothing new toDillard. In its 136-year history, ithas overcome social, political andenvironmental obstacles andbecome very well known for thequality of its academic program.Shortly before Katrina struck, U.S.News & World Report rankedDillard among the top ten liberalarts universities in the south.Dillard has earned an internationalreputation for excellence, attractingstudents this past year from 34

Dillard StudentsAre Coming Home

Hughes

Please see EDITORIAL, P.14

Editorial

AUSTIN – The Texas Workforce Commission(TWC) has announced employer tax rates forCalendar Year (CY) 2006, and most Texas employerswill see a decrease in their tax rate compared to lastyear as the economy continues to improve. TexasUnemployment Insurance (UI) rates are down morethan two-tenths of a percentage point, on average, andinitial claims for UI have declined by more than 25percent over the last 12 months.

Sixty-seven percent of Texas’ 400,000 employ-ers will pay the minimum tax rate of 0.40 percent forCY 2006. This low rate is a result of the proactivemeasures undertaken in 2003 by TWC to issue bonds

in order to sustain the Unemployment Insurance Trust fund.The average tax rate of 1.51 percent for CY 2006

is down from 1.74 percent in 2005, while the averageexperience tax rate is down from 1.63 percent in 2005to 1.37 percent for CY 2006. The experience tax rateis the sum of the general tax rate, the replenishmenttax rate and the obligation assessment tax rate for the year.

The components of theCY 2006 tax rate are:

• The obligation assessment rate – to collect theamount needed to repay the bond obligations due nextyear. It is experienced rated, based on an employer’s2005 tax rate.

• The general tax rate – based on claims againstan employer’s account. If TWC has paid benefits toformer employees who were laid off or separatedthrough no fault of their own in the past three years,

then those employers will pay a general tax.• The replenishment tax rate – charged to all

employers to cover unemployment claims notcharged to a specific employer. This tax tends to fallduring times of economic expansion when there arefewer layoffs and claims decrease.

• The employer training assessment – charged toall employers who are eligible for a computed tax rateto finance the Skills Development Fund and theEnterprise Fund. The Employment TrainingAssessment calculation is a separate line item on theEmployer’s Quarterly Tax Report. The replenishmenttax rate is reduced by the same amount, so there is no

increase in employers’ tax rates due to this assessment. The 79th Texas Legislature changed the way the

Skills Development Fund is financed. SkillsDevelopment Fund provides new and incumbentworkers customized assessment and training inresponse to the needs of Texas businesses. This pro-gram is funded by a flat rate assessment, called theEmployment Training Assessment, and is a compo-nent of the unemployment tax rate.

TWC is dedicated to finding ways to lower thefinancial impact of unemployment on the employersof this state. In an ongoing effort, the agency hasinstituted initiatives to ensure program integrity inseveral areas, and to increase UI fraud detection andprevention. Through the use of increased work-searchverifications, improved automated processes anddatabase cross matches with other agencies, TWC hasseen a reduction in UI overpayments since January2004. TWC pledges its continued efforts in helping tokeep taxes as low as possible and mitigating theeffects on Texas employers.

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Small business owners access recordamount of capital, according to latest government data

SAN FRANCISCO – Despite rising costs for energy,healthcare and housing, one of the bright spots for the U.S.economy is the continuedgrowth of small business-es. They are still drivingthe U.S. economy for-ward, as evidenced by thelatest, most comprehen-sive government data onsmall business lending.In 2004,financial institu-tions lent $93 billion tosmall business ownersnationwide (in loansunder $100,000), showinga healthy demand for cap-ital and a strong sense of optimism in their future businessprospects.

With 95 percent of all small businesses generating lessthan $2 million in annual revenues, tracking loans under$100,000 is an important measurement to gauge how finan-cial institutions are meeting the capital needs of small busi-ness owners.

For the third year in a row, Wells Fargo led this catego-ry, extending over 540,000 loans totaling $13.6 billionnationwide – 15 percent of the industry total. Wells Fargowas the #1 lender to small businesses in Low and ModerateIncome neighborhoods (loans under $100,000), with over114,000 loans totaling more than $3 billion dollars (16% ofthe industry total), according to the 2004 CommunityReinvestment Act (CRA) data. Additionally, Wells Fargowas also the #1 lender to businesses with less than $1 mil-lion in annual revenue. CRA data provides the industry’smost comprehensive set of small business lending figures.

“As uncertainties continue, small businesses are clearlyanchoring us through economic ups and downs,” said WellsFargo’s president and chief operating officer, John Stumpf. “They are over 20 million strong, have created 55 millionjobs, and generate 50% of the total U.S. GDP – roughly $5trillion. There is no denying that small business is big business.”

Small businesses represent more than 99 percent of allemployers, employ half of all private sector employees, andgenerate between 60-80 percent of new jobs annually.

And they are still growing. According to the latest U.S.Census Data (1997 – 2002), small businesses overall grew10 percent, with the diverse segments growing even faster.African American-owned businesses grew 45 percent;Latino-owned businesses grew 31 percent; Asian-ownedbusinesses grew 24 percent; and women-owned businessesgrew 20 percent.

“We’re closely connected to the nation’s diverse smallbusiness community, and as one of the country’s leadingfinancial institutions, we believe it is our responsibility tocontinue identifying and addressing the needs of small busi-ness owners nationwide,” said Mike James, head of WellsFargo’s Diversified Products Group, and responsible for thesmall business segment. “Wells Fargo’s year-over-year lend-ing growth confirms we are successfully reaching out to ourcustomers. The road ahead is full of opportunity, and we willhelp our customers achieve even greater financial success.”

Texas Unemployment Insurance TaxRates Decrease for Most Employers

Year TaxableWage Base MinimumTax Rate MaximumTax Rate AverageTaxRate AverageExperienceTax Rate

2006 $9,000 0.40% 7.64% 1.51% 1.37%

2005 $9,000 0.58% 8.02% 1.74% 1.63%

2004 $9,000 0.67% 8.26% 1.74% 1.64%

2003 $9,000 0.67% 8.47% 1.67% 1.56%

Wells Fargo Remains TheNation’s #1 Small BusinessLender —Extends $13.6 BillionIn Loans Under $100,00 ToSmall Business Owners

Richard M. KovacevichChairman and Chief Executive Office


Houston Hispanic Chambers Of Commerce(713) 644-72152900 Woodridge DrHouston, TX 77087

Houston NorthwestChamber Of Commerce(281) 440-347614511 Falling Creek DrBammel, TX 77014

Houston NorthwestChamber Of Commerce(281) 440-416014511 Falling Creek DrHouston, TX 77014

Houston West Chamber Of Commerce(713) 785-492210777 Westheimer RdHouston, TX 77042

Houston West Chamber Of Commerce SpringBranch Division(713) 467-93308400 Long Point RdHouston, TX 77055

Indo American ChamberOf Commerce OfGreater Houston(713) 850-11441990 Post Oak BlvdHouston, TX 77056

Interamerican Chamber Of Commerce(713) 975-6171510 Bering DrHouston, TX 77057

Italy-america Chamber OfCommerce Of Texas Inc.(713) 626-93034605 Post Oak Place DrHouston, TX 77027

Japan Business Association Of Houston(281) 493-151214133 Memorial DrHouston, TX 77079

League City Chamber of Commerce(281) 554-5595 P.O. Box 977League City, Texas 77574

National U.S. Arab Chamber Of Commerce(713) 963-46201330 Post Oak BlvdHouston, TX 77056

North Chamber OfCommerce(281) 872-870016825 Northchase DrHouston, TX 77060

North Channel AreaChamber Of Commerce(713) 450-360013301 E FwyHouston, TX 77015

North Houston Greenspoint Chamber Of Commerce(281) 872-870016825 Northchase DrHouston, TX 77060

Seabrook Chamber Of Commerce(281) 488-76761201 Nasa Rd 1Apollo, TX 77058

Listingcontinued from P.3


•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••Support Companies That Support Diversity! A message from Houston Highlights Publishing, L.L.C.

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Tuesday, December 13thHouston Networking News-

HNN Women's Group 2nd AnnualHoliday Celebration. 5:30- 8 p.m.,Americas Restaurant, 1800 Post OakBlvd. Speaker: Dr. Priscilla Slade,President, Texas Southern University.Cost: $10 prepaid or $15 at the door.Houston's premier business network-ing organization's annual celebration.

Dr. Slade is one of Houston'sleading woman professionals and has asuccessful story to share. Join us andmany others for one of Houston's bestnetworking events and celebrations. Appetizers will be provided anddoor prizes will be given out to lucky winners. Feel free to share withothers this event information.

Tuesday, December 20thHouston Networking News- 3rd Annual HNN Holiday Party.

5:30 -8 p.m., Tribeca Lounge, 2707 Fountainview. Cost: $10 prepaidor $15 at the door. Information: Houston's premier business networking organization'sannual celebration. Join us for a festive evening of networking, cele-bration and good fun.

Thursday, December 22ndHouston Networking News- Business Networking Luncheon,

11:30 a.m.- 1 p.m., DoubleTree Guest Suites Hotel, 5353Westheimer. Speaker: Star Of Hope CEO/President Randy Tabor.Join us for our final event for 2005. Business professionals fromacross the Greater Houston Area will meet and network with others.Hear one of Houston's top non-profit leaders sharing the good newsof the Star of Hope Mission at this event. Cost: $25 for HNN mem-bers and $35 for non-members.

Houston Networking News Upcoming EventsFor more information on any of the events listed call 281-778-6661, email [email protected] or visit www.houstonnetworkingnews.com

Slade

Houston Business Connections Reports

The runoff is over and we now know who will be sitting at the council table to lead the City of Houstonfor the next two years. Anne Clutterbuck led a field of sevencandidates in the Tuesday, November 8, primary for the seatmany pundits thought she couldn’t win. However, win she did,albeit by a slim margin of only forty-two votes to force a runoff.Then, the golden-girl showed up big-time in the runoff election bysoundly defeating fellow Republican George Hittner to take hold ofthe seat to be vacated by term-limited Councilman Mark Goldberg.

The race for District B was a hard fought contest betweenbusinessman Jarvis Johnson (the son of long-time CommunityActivist Cleo Glen-Johnson) and Felicia Galloway-Hall (thedaughter of current District B Councilwoman Carol MimsGalloway). Johnson gained 26.3% of the vote in the Novemberprimary to force a runoff with Galloway-Hall who earned37.5% in an eight-candidate field. Johnson then went into thesecond phase of his strategy for the runoff by gaining a HoustonChronicle endorsement and a major endorsement from well-known State Representative Sylvester Turner, as well as manylocal ministers throughout the district. Turner’s endorsementwas timely and key as he further built on the brand he builtthrough advertising in Houston Business Connections (thispublication) to establish his brand among business people andAfrican American News & Issues a Houston area newspaperdirectly catering to the African American community from ablack perspective) to reach a largely black audience. Radioadvertising was also used. This strategy turned out to be a win-ning combination for the savvy businessman. Galloway-Hallwas no match for Johnson as he mustered his might overcom-ing a negative mail campaign, lies, and continued attacks on hiscredibility on his way to victory. Galloway-Hall ran a racelargely on the name of her mother and failed to change herstrategy or focus on real issues. The strategy employed by theGalloway-Hall camp was a losing strategy from the beginningas the camp failed to listen to the voice of the people or providea meaningful action plan. An online non-scientific poll con-ducted by this publication showed Galloway-Hall trailingJohnson by a wide margin among business people, profession-als, community leaders, web-surfers, and campaign supporters.Rather than take the information and strategize—the GallowayHall camp chose to lash out in an attempt to discredit the pollfindings. Houstonians never really got a chance to know Galloway-Hall—nor did they learn anything about what she would do if elected.

Anne Clutterbuck on the other hand didn’t become bitterat the online poll results and reached out through advertising in this publication before the Tuesday, November8, election which helped her to build name recognition and branding throughout the City of Houston in generaland among Houston Business Connections readers in particular.

Sue Lovell defeated Jay Aiyer in the at-large Position 2 runoff race by a slim margin.

NEWS BRIEFS & ANNOUNCEMENTS


stolen credit cards repeatedly, taking over accounts, using personal information to open new ones. The Houston PoliceDepartment Financial Crimes Unit averages approximatelytwenty thousand cases yearly and that number is growing.

Identity theft components take on many forms.

• Computer Crimes result in theft of personal informa-tion by use of Spyware, e-mail hackers and in many casesthrough online transactions.

• Personal Betrayal is when friends, co-workers andeven relatives manage to gain access to your personal dataand sells it to someone else.

• Document Loss is the most common. Information isgathered from stolen wallets, checkbooks, credit cards andstolen mail, mainly bills or invoices.

• Business Leaks are associated with consumer fileslost or material breached over a period of time.

Other modes of operation for identity thieves are steal-ing purses from shoppers who leave them in shoppingcarts, cars or pick-pocketing wallets in crowds such assporting events.

Rummaging through residential trash cans or businessdumpsters called “Dumpster Diving” is very popular.Obtaining credit reports by posing as someone like land-lords and employers is not uncommon. Some thieves breakinto homes searching for personal information on paper orcomputers.

For more information about how to reduce yourchances of becoming a victim contact the Houston PoliceDepartment Financial Crimes Unit at 713-308-2500.

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Area Shelter Facing Bleak HolidaysEarly November results point to “Donor Fatigue”

Houston, Texas— At least one area charity fearssharply lower contributions this year. Open Door Mission,a Houston homeless and rehabilitation shelter, is recordinga dramatic drop of 43% in direct mail donations thisNovember compared to November 2004.

“That kind of drop can only be a result of ‘donorfatigue,” explains Rick Hill, Executive Director of theMission. “We’ve been concerned that we’d see it this year.Now it looks like it’s really happening.”

Donor fatigue can occur when consistent charity sup-porters become severely stretched because of numerousfundraising appeals. This year Hurricanes Katrina and Ritaleft hundreds of thousands of people in the Gulf Coast areadisplaced and homeless. The ensuing relief effort quicklybecame the largest of its kind in U.S. history. Donorsgenerously opened their hearts, and pocketbooks, to theevacuees. Now, however, charities are seeing the beginningof a ripple effect where critical support is declining.

This is part of a disturbing national trend. TheAssociation of Fundraising Professionals reports that“nearly half of U.S. charities have seen their fundraisingdecline because of the Gulf Coast Hurricanes and the asso-ciated relief efforts.”

“Those national statistics definitely apply here inHouston,” continued Hill. “And they definitely apply toOpen Door Mission. And it’s even more of a concernbecause November and December traditionally are ourmost important months for receiving financial support.Thirty-seven percent of our total annual donation incomefalls in these two months. A big drop in November andDecember really hits us where it hurts. And we don’taccept funding from FEMA or any other governmentagency so we can’t recover our expenses associated withhurricane relief.”

Still, Mission officials are positive about the rest ofyear. “The big majority of our donations come from indi-viduals,” added Hill. “And Houstonians have always comethrough with surprising generosity when situations get dif-ficult. We’re confident that will happen again this year.”

Open Door Mission, one of the area’s largest emer-gency and rehabilitation shelters, is located in Houston’sEast End at 5803 Harrisburg. For more information go towww.opendoorhouston.org

News Briefswww.houstonbusinessconnections.com AUSTIN – With the beginning

of the holiday season, and surges inholiday hiring among workers of allages, the Texas WorkforceCommission would like to make thepublic aware of the existence of alaw that increases the safety ofyouths hoping to make extra holi-day money by delivering newspa-pers. The law prohibits the directsale of newspapers to the generalpublic by youths under 18 years

old. The law also requires childrento be at least 11 years old to delivernewspapers under any circum-stances, such as a regularly estab-lished newspaper delivery route.

Potential employers, youths sell-ing newspapers and their parentsshould be aware of the law, whichwas passed by the 79th Legislatureand went into effect in the TexasLabor Code on Sept. 1.

Recent Texas Workforce

Commission (TWC) Child LaborLaw investigations of the newspa-per delivery industry revealed thatselling newspapers, such as on thestreet or street corners, may pose asafety threat to young children. Lastyear, an investigation revealed thata child was struck by a car whileselling papers from the median of a

Added Protections for Texas Children With Newspaper Routes

Please seePROTECTIONS, P.9

Shoppers Urged To Be CautiousAgainst Holiday Identity Thievescontinued from P.3

Washington, DC -Congressman Al Green (TX-9)questioned the Acting Director ofFEMA’s Recovery Division, DavidGarrett, about the agency's inabilityto formulate a policy that providesviable housing options for evacueesand its failure to honor its commit-ment to the City of Houston.

The Financial ServicesCommittee hearing examinedFEMA and HUD programs

designed to respond to theemergency housing needs ofresidents affected byHurricanes Katrina and Rita.Committee Membersexpressed disappointmentthat HUD was absent fromthe proceedings.

In his opening state-ment, Green made clear thatFEMA's decision not to honortwelve month lease agreements,

and in effect force moreevacuees into short-termleases, “raises financialconcern for the City ofHouston and create anxi-ety among evacuees.”

Green’s line of ques-tioning focused onFEMA’s policy changesthat adversely impacted

the City of Houston's efforts to aidevacuees.

Congressman Al Green: FEMA’s Policies Place FinancialBurden on Houston and Heightens Anxiety Among Evacuees

Green

IT’S A DONE DEALCouncil Table Now Set With Clutterbuck, Johnson, Lovell winning runoff races

Eye On Houston

Office of the [email protected]

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Email editorial comments to: [email protected]

Make Your Voice HeardWeb-Page launched to give citizens of Houston a collective voice.

www.eyeonHouston.houstonbusinessconnections.com

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White

Parker

Lawrence

Johnson

Clutterbuck

Edwards

Wiseman

Khan

Holm

Garcia

Alvarado

Brown

Lovell

Sekula-Gibbs

Green

Berry


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Community Shares of Louisiana will use contributions to rebuild its nonprofit giving cooperative

Workplace giving federations, fundsand others across the country are mobiliz-ing support for an enterprising young non-profit federation that had its 2005 commu-nity appeal wiped out by HurricaneKatrina. $17,000 has been pledged to helpCommunity Shares of Louisiana engageits member nonprofits and local employ-

ers in the rebuilding of workplace givingin Greater New Orleans.

Over the past several years, localnonprofit leaders have been workingtogether to form a cooperative workplacefundraising campaign on behalf of organi-zations fighting poverty, discrimination,homelessness, environmental degradationand other critical problems facing peoplein New Orleans and throughout Louisiana.

Groups such as Equality Louisiana,Greater New Orleans Fair Housing ActionCenter, New Orleans AIDS Task Force,the Coalition to Restore CoastalLouisiana, and the Louisiana BucketBrigade made a long-term commitment to

building Community Shares in order tosecure a new flow of unrestricted revenuesand heighten awareness about their work.

In the fall of 2004, their hard workbegan to pay off. Community Shares ofLouisiana (CSLA) raised nearly $40,000from employees of the City of NewOrleans, the University of New Orleans,and Tulane University. The NationalAlliance for Choice in Giving (NACG)recognized the success of this emergingfund by awarding CSLA its 2005 ProgressAward.

Nationwide Workplace Giving Network Rallies ToHelp New Orleans Federation Recover From Katrina

Please see NEW ORLEANS, P.11

Perry AnnouncesPlan to AccelerateInterstate 69

Ambitious Transportation Corridor Will Create Jobs, Trade Opportunities

HOUSTON —Gov. Rick Perryhas announced an ambitious plan topartner withthe privatesector todevelop ani n t e r s t a t e -quality high-way corridorwith addition-al rail freightcapacity thatconnects the Lower Rio GrandeRiver Valley to I-37 and continuesalong the south and east portions ofTexas from Corpus Christi throughHouston all the way to northeastTexas. The visionary transportationproject, TTC-69, will connect indus-trial hubs in South Texas and theMidwest.

“When construction is com-plete, Texas will benefit fromunprecedented trade opportunities, afaster, more reliable transportationsystem, and thousands of new jobs,”Perry said. “For decades Texas hasrelied on the private sector to financeand build our telecommunicationsand utility infrastructure. It’s timewe harnessed the private sector tofinance our roads and railroads, too.”

Perry made the announcementat the annual meeting of the I-69Alliance, a non-profit group of pub-lic and private sector leaders fromeast and south Texas. The Alliancewas formed 12 years ago to advancethe goal of developing the I-69 corri-dor. I-69 is the combination of twofederally designated High PriorityCorridors, which together form theshortest route between the industrialnortheast and the South Texas borderwith Mexico.

“Instead of baby steps, I say it’stime for Texas to take a giant leapforward. We can build the neededcorridors that will connect the Texascities and towns along the proposedI-69 route,” Perry told the group.

Perry pointed out that Texasreceived scant support to design andconstruct transportation routes in thelast two federal transportation bills.A recent overhaul of the Texas trans-portation code expanded the authori-ty of TxDOT in both highway andrail infrastructure development.

“Texas has never been a statethat waits for others to lead or inno-vate, and we’ve never been afraid totry something new when the oldways don’t work anymore,” Perrysaid. “We have no better choice thanpublic-private partnerships. Theyare the wave of the future becausethey are faster, cheaper and fairer,charging a cost only to those whouse toll roads.”

Perry previously advanced thedevelopment of I-69 in 2002, whentransportation secretary NormanMineta asked Texas to propose ahighway project for acceleratedenvironmental review. Since then,

Perry

Please see PERRY, P.20

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NEWS ANNOUNCEMENTS

Steve Phelps, CommissionerJim Fonteno, CommissionerJimmy Burke, CommissionerCheryl Thom- pson-Draper, andCommissioner Janiece Longoria.

BAYPORT MATTERS(Agenda item G3) The com-

mission authorized the PHA toaward an estimated $21.96 mil-lion construction contract toMorganti Texas, Inc. for theoffice building at the first phaseof the Bayport cruise terminal.

(Agenda item G4) The com-mission awarded an estimated$40.4 million construction con-tract to Orion Construction, LPfor wharf and dredging for the firstphase of the Bayport cruise terminal.

(Agenda item G5) The com-mission also awarded a nearly$15.28 million construction con-tract to Zachry ConstructionCorporation to develop the siteand utilities for the first phase ofthe Bayport cruise terminal complex.

(Agenda item G6) Thecommission awarded an estimat-ed $1.4 million professionalservices contract to TerraconConsultants, Inc. for materialtesting for the first phase of theBayport cruise terminal.

(Agenda item G7) Thecommission awarded an estimat-ed $243,233 contract to LXE,Inc. for the purchase and installa-tion of a radio data terminal com-puter system for Bayport.

(Agenda item L1) The com-mission also evaluated andranked qualifications and author-ized the PHA to negotiate apotential professional servicescontract to provide air qualityconsulting and to monitor andmaintain particulate samplers atthe Bayport terminal constructionproject at an estimated cost rangeof $180,000 to $220,000. TRCEnvironmental Corporationreceived the commission's topranking followed by Weston

Solutions, Inc.SECURITY MATTERS

(Agenda item K2) Thecommission evaluated andranked competitive sealed pro-posals (CSPs) and authorized thePHA to negotiate a potential con-tract for unarmed, uniformedsecurity gate officer services atPHA terminal gates and thecruise terminal parking lot at theestimated cost range of $6 mil-lion to $7.1 million. SmithProtective Services received thecommission's top ranking fol-lowed by Initial Security.

CAPITALIMPROVEMENTMATTERS

(Agenda items G9) Thecommission authorized the PHAto award an estimated $1.78 mil-lion construction contract toOrion Construction LP for repairof slope failure at ManchesterWharf No. 1 and drainage improve-ments at wharves 1, 2 and 3.

(Agenda item G2) The com-mission also authorized the PHAto award an estimated $2.7 mil-lion construction contract to RLBContracting, Inc. for the decom-missioning of the Greens BayouDredge Disposal Area.

PHA Commission DeliversBayport, Security, CapitalImprovement Matterscontinued from P.1

Edmonds Fonteno Longoria DraperBurkeLawal

Houston - Harris CountyJudge Robert Eckels is askingfor the public's help in assess-ing the operations ofHurricanes Katrina and Rita.

“We need to document andlearn from the incredible storythat unfolded in Harris

County”, saidJudge Eckels.“ W o r k i n gtogether, wehad an enor-mous impacton the lives ofthe people ofLouisiana who

were driven from their homesby Hurricane Katrina. Thenbetween 2 to 3 million peoplefled Brazoria, Galveston, andparts of Harris counties seekingsafety from Hurricane Rita.There are lessons to be learned

from both operations and wedon't want to leave any stoneunturned.”

More than 60,000 volun-teers came from all over thenation to help in the Katrinarelief effort. Faith-based organ-izations, hospitals, non-profits,and government agencies arestill working together to thisday to comfort and support theover 250,000 evacuees whocame seeking hope and help.

The Hurricane KatrinaEvacuee Relief Operation wasthe largest shelter operation inthe history of our nation. Theevacuation of Brazoria,Galveston, and parts of HarrisCounty during Hurricane Ritawas the largest evacuation inour nation’s history.

To participate in the survey,visit www.judgeeckels.org.

Eckels Asks For PublicInput To Assess HurricanesKatrina, Rita Operations


Lawal

standing and cooperation between the two organizations by acknowl-edging their common purposes and interests. As hosts of the OAS-CI’sexecutive board meeting, the Port of Houston Authority’s ChairmanJim Edmonds and Executive Director Tom Kornegay delivered remarksfocusing on building and promoting trade relationships and opportuni-ties among ports throughout the U.S. and Latin America.

Port Organizations Sign Agreementcontinued from P.1

The Texas Department ofLicensing and Regulation(TDLR) is conducting a series ofregional public meetings inthrough January, at locationsaround the state, to solicit com-ments on a comprehensive revi-sion of the rules regulating thecosmetology and barbering pro-fessions.

The public meetings arebeing conducted in two sessions.The first, from 9:30 a.m. to noon,is targeted toward salon and shopowners and schools. The second,from 1:30 to 4 p.m., is targetedtoward operators and specialtylicensees. All barbers and cosme-tologists, and everyone who isinterested in the barbering andcosmetology professions, areencouraged to attend the publicmeetings, which will be conduct-ed at the following locations:

• Monday, December 12 -South Texas Regional Meeting –

in Edinburg, at the Region OneEducation Service Center, 1900West Schunior.

• Monday, December 12 –North Texas Regional Meeting –in Richardson, at the AbramsBuilding of the Region 10Education Service Center, 400East Spring Valley Road.

• Monday, December 19 –Central Texas Regional Meeting– in Austin, at William P. HobbyState Office Building, 333Guadalupe St., Room 100 (cos-metologists) and Room 102 (bar-bers).

• Monday, December 19 –Southeast Texas RegionalMeeting – in Houston in the FineArts Center at the North Campus

of San Jacinto CommunityCollege, 5800 Uvalde atWallisville, Room F103 (cosmetol-ogists) and Room A1034 (barbers).

• Monday, January 9, 2006 –East Texas Regional Meeting –time and location to beannounced.

• Monday, January 9, 2006 –West Texas Regional Meeting– in Midland at the Region 18Education Service Center,2811 LaForce Boulevard at theair terminal, InformationSystems Room 1 (cosmetolo-gists) and Conference RoomsA and B (barbers).

Senate Bill 411, which waspassed by the 79th Texas legisla-ture, transferred regulation of the

cosmetology and barbering pro-fessions to TDLR effectiveSeptember 1, 2005. Since thetransfer, the agency has conduct-ed a thorough review of all of therules regulating both professions.The goal was to update andstreamline the rules to make themmore protective for the publicwhile offering more flexibility tobarbers and cosmetologists.

"Our goal was to developcommon sense rules and elimi-nate many antiquated and outdat-ed provisions," said WilliamKuntz, TDLR’s executive direc-tor. "We believe these rules willprovide greater flexibility for thelicensees while also improvingconsumer protection. We are ask-

ing the professions to reviewthe proposals and confirm thatthe proposed rules are workableand accomplish what we set outto do."

Many of the revisions in therules are based on informationand suggestions gathered frombarbers and cosmetologists at 13public meetings TDLR conduct-ed during the summer of 2005 atlocations around the state.TDLR also was advised by itsBarber and Cosmetology advi-sories boards during develop-ment of the rules. The proposedrules will be available on theCosmetology and Barbering pro-gram pages on TDLR’s website,www.license.state.tx.us.


BUSINESS MEETING ANNOUNCEMENTS

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Andre’ WalkerNew & Preowned Sales(713)558-8252 Direct(832)283-1660 CellEmail: [email protected]

MIKE CALVERT TOYOTA2333 SOUTH LOOP WESTHOUSTON, TEXAS 77054

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TDLR Conducting Public Meetings On Rule ProposalsAgency Seeks

Input from Barbersand CosmetologistsOn ComprehensiveRules Revision

busy intersection, which raisedconcerns about younger childrenselling newspapers in unfamiliarparts of town or at busy intersections.

"When most people think ofa child delivering newspapers,they think of a kid with a basketon the front of a bicycle or throw-ing papers out the window oftheir parent's car," said Rep. JoeDeshotel, sponsor of the bill. "Iwas stunned to learn that not onlywere kids hawking newspapers atbusy intersections but that somewere being injured or killed doingso. My bill was designed to allowolder kids to continue to makemoney and learn the value of hardwork, while ensuring their safety."

The purpose of Chapter 51 isto ensure that a child is notemployed in an occupation that isdetrimental to the child’s safety,health or well-being. For safetyreasons, the law continues to pro-hibit "crewing," the act of trans-porting children to unfamiliarneighborhoods where they godoor-to-door at strangers’ resi-dences and sell newspaper sub-scriptions or other items withoutparental knowledge and closesupervision.

TWC’s Labor Law Departmentis responsible for investigatinginstances or complaints of childlabor violations. Allegations ofchild labor violations may bereported to TWC’s Labor LawDepartment by calling 1-800-832-9243 or 512-837-9559.

Added Protectionsfor Texas Children With Newspaper Routescontinued from P.6

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Minority Business Council is trulytaking networking to the next level.

Specializing in group travel andevents, Meetings and EventsNetwork, LLC is tasked with coordi-nating all onboard HMBC events, aswell as booking cabins, meal prefer-ences, excursions, etc. “As a MBEand members of the HoustonMinority Business Council, we areencouraged that the HMBC is look-ing outside of the box for innovativeways to network and foster new busi-ness relationships,” said Martin &

Pat Smith, Principals, Meetings andEvents Network, LLC.

The HMBC “Sailing forSuccess” cruise event is open to allHMBC members and their families,as well as anyone interested inexploring business partnerships withHMBC members.———————————--———

For more information aboutthe HMBC “Sailing for Success”cruise event call Meetings andEvents Network, LLC at 281-992-1833.

Houston Minority Business Counciltakes networking to the high seas!continued from P.1

NEWS DIVERSITY & NETWORKING


Diversity Newswww.houstonbusinessconnections.com


CLEVELAND – In its endeavors toadvance the Richard T. Farmer School ofBusiness from a top 50 to a top25 school, Miami Universityrecently received a $50,000Key Foundation grant support-ing the launch of a derivativesecurity class in theDepartment of Finance.

Under the grant, MiamiUniversity will integrate derivative securitiesinto its core Finance curriculum by purchas-ing software licenses for teaching, testingand providing feedback on the category aswell as funding additional Bloomberg termi-nals to allow for real-time data introduction.The new course provides students with basicknowledge of derivative securities and math-ematical operations as well as integratingreal-time individual applications and casereporting.

“We’re honored to have the support ofKey Foundation,” said Jayne Whitehead,vice president for university advancement."Their generous contribution to benefit theMiami University Campaign For Love andHonor will help Miami and the Richard T.Farmer School of Business realize its goals."

In tandem with enhancing the

Department of Finance’s curriculum, RogerL. Jenkins, Ph.D. and dean of the school ofbusiness, is intensifying efforts to cultivate amore diverse student population essential forclassroom experiences relevant to the multi-cultural workforce in today’s global econo-my. As part of its recruitment efforts, theschool will target all major Ohio cities andselect out-of-state cities with high minoritypopulations.

“Taking our academic programs andrecruitment initiatives to the next level, saysDr. Jenkins, "requires an extraordinary com-mitment to providing classroom experiencesand skills development training valued bytoday’s students and their prospectiveemployers. Support from businesses likeKey, where financial expertise and diversityare imperative to success, ensure our contin-ued leadership in our efforts help businessessustain a well-educated, highly skilled andinclusive workforce.”

The Key Foundation’s donation to theMiami University Richard T. Farmer Schoolof Business reflects KeyCorp’s (NYSE:KEY) growing work with institutions ofhigher learning to provide students access toleading-edge technologies and more real-to-life learning experiences.

The Key Foundation Grants $50,000 to Miami UniversityRichard T. Farmer School of Business; CurriculumEnhancements and Diversity Endeavors to Set School Apart

Dr. Jenkins

NETWORKING EVENTNETWORKING EVENT

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espite past predictions of itsdemise, the holiday office partyremains a cherished traditionamong a majority of staff andmanagement alike. In recent

surveys, 73 percent of managers at Fortune1000 companies and 74 percent of workerspolled said their company hosts an office party.Of those who do have holiday soirees, 77 per-cent of managers and 71 percent of employeessaid they enjoy celebrating the winter holidayswith their colleagues. The results indicate amore festive spirit than prevailed four yearsago, when 64 percent of executives in a simi-lar survey said the annual get-together had fall-en out of favor.

The surveys were developed byOfficeTeam, a leading staffing service special-izing in highly skilled administrative profes-sionals, and were conducted by an independentresearch firm. The management surveys arebased on responses from 150 senior executivesat the nation’s 1,000 largest companies. Theemployee survey includes responses from 594men and women 18 years of age or older andemployed in office environments.

Executives and staff were asked, “Do youenjoy your company’s office holiday par-ties?” Their responses:

Managers EmployeesYes 77% 71%No 18% 24%

5% 5%

100% 100%

In 2001, executives were asked, “Is theoffice holiday party more or less popularamong staff today than it was 10 yearsago?” Their responses:

Much more popular 1%Somewhat more popular 10%Same/no change 15%Somewhat less popular 33%Much less popular 31%Don’t have a party 7%Don’t know/no answer 3%

100%

“Holiday get-togethers are great opportu-nities for businesses to reward staff and cele-brate the year’s accomplishments,” said DianeDomeyer, executive director of OfficeTeam.“Employees can meet colleagues in otherdepartments or divisions of the companyand build camaraderie that is beneficial allyear round.”

For those firms that shy away from partiesbecause of cost or concerns about cultural sen-sitivities, Domeyer noted that it is possible tohost a safe, inclusive gathering that won’tbreak the budget. “A nondenominational eventheld during business hours – perhaps an on-sitepotluck lunch, for example – would allay manyof these concerns and provide a venue forworkers to share in the spirit of the season,”she said.

Domeyer had the following suggestions for companies that decideto host more elaborate affairs:

*Involve staff members in the planningprocess. This will not only generate good ideasabout location, menu and other details, but alsoencourage team spirit and excitement amongcolleagues.

*Be careful about timing. Weekends inDecember quickly become overbooked, soconsider scheduling the event on a weekdayimmediately after work.

*Create a buzz. Give employees plenty ofadvance notice so the maximum number canattend. Generate excitement for the eventthrough e-mail and internal newsletter updates.

*Encourage networking. Providenametags and encourage people to mingle andget to know one another better.

*Recognize staff members. Elaborateprizes and gifts are not necessary. A simple butheartfelt “thank you” is a great way to publiclyacknowledge employees’ hard work and loyalty.

——————————————————

OfficeTeam has more than 300 locationsworldwide and offers online job search servic-es at www.officeteam.com.

Who Doesn’tLike A Party?

New Surveys Show Holiday CelebrationsGet High Marks from Managers, Employees

Don’tknow/noanswer

D

Nationwide WorkplaceGiving Network Rallies To Help New OrleansFederation Recover From Katrinacontinued from P.7

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SAN FRANCISCO—TheInstitute for OneWorld Health,the first nonprofit pharmaceuti-cal company in the U.S., hasannounced that it has receiveda $30 million grant from theBill & Melinda GatesFoundation to initiate and eval-uate the impact of a pilot pro-gram to dramatically reducemorbidity and mortality fromvisceral leishmaniasis (VL) inthe rural communities of India,Bangladesh, and Nepal.

VL, also known as kalaazar (“black fever”), is a fataldisease transmitted by sandflies, which spread leishmaniaparasites that attack internalorgans. VL is endemic in 62countries, and the number ofnew VL cases per year is esti-mated at 500,000. With the

exception of malaria, VL killsmore people than any otherparasitic disease.

OneWorld Health com-pleted phase III clinical testinglast year with paromomycin,an off-patent antibiotic, for thetreatment of VL in India. Thislarge-scale clinical trial inBihar, India, demonstrated thatparomomycin is both safe andeffective. OneWorld Health issubmitting an application fordrug approval to the Indian reg-ulatory agency in early 2006.

Institute for OneWorld Health Receives$30 million Gates Foundation Grant

Bill and Melinda Gates

Yet there will be no workplace giving campaigns in NewOrleans this year. Local workplaces were devastated by HurricaneKatrina. In response, NACG's nationwide network has ralliedaround its sister fund, conducting a special appeal to raise the fundsCSLA will need to regain its momentum and restore its position inlocal philanthropy.

“As the philanthropic sector returns to life in greater NewOrleans, it is essential that the democratic values and diversityembraced by Community Shares of Louisiana be front and center,”said NACG Executive Director Matt Howe. “Groups dedicated tosocial and environmental justice deserve a voice and broad visibili-ty in upcoming community charitable campaigns.”

Donated funds will be used to sustain Community Shares' workuntil local campaigns can begin again. This includes promotingmember agencies’ roles in the rebuilding efforts and highlighting thestruggle to rebuild that these groups are facing. Many groups areestablishing temporary offices in Baton Rouge and other cities untilthey can move back into the metropolitan area.

“Our member agencies have been calling for better protectionof the Louisiana wetlands, and better treatment for the forgotten cit-izens of New Orleans for years,” said CSL Executive Director NoraWall. “Now we will ensure that respect for the environment, andrespect for all people, will be integral parts of the rebuilding effortsin the city we love.”

Leading contributors to the appeal are: Community Shares of Wisconsin, Madison, WI $2,900 Community Shares of Greater Milwaukee $2,000 Fund for Community Progress, Providence, RI $2,000 Montana Shares, Helena, MT $2,000 Women's Funding Alliance, Seattle $2,000 Earth Share, Washington, D.C. $1,000 Changemakers, San Francisco $2,000

“This is an extraordinary level of support from organizationswhose own 2005 workplace campaigns may be affected by thisyear's hurricanes,” noted NACG Executive Director Matt Howe.“It’s a measure of the strength and cohesiveness of the nationwidenetwork of federations and funds dedicated to choice and diversityin employee giving. Much more is needed but this is a great start.”

Many individuals also have pledged. Most of the contributionswill be received and allocated by NACG's Fund for WorkplacePhilanthropy, a pool of capital that directs strategic investments tocommunity-based workplace giving projects nationwide.

Organizations and individuals that would like to supportCommunity Shares of Louisiana's recovery efforts may giveonline or request a contribution form from the NACG Office bycalling 207-761-1110.


ABOUT THE SURVEY: The management surveys are based on responses from 150senior executives at the nation’s 1,000 largest companies.


COMMUNITY SPONSORED BY Bayway Lincoln Mercury

Faith Christian ChurchInternational relocated from4410 Reed Road, Houston,Texas to 5517 Broadway, SuiteK in Pearland, Texas. (KeyMap 614Q.) Faith ChristianChurch International held itsfirst service in the new locationrecently to celebrate the GrandOpening of the new building, aswell as the 10th ChurchAnniversary.

Pastor Debra A. Ford,Senior Pastor of Faith ChristianChurch International remarked,“Our ministry is so excitedabout our move to Pearland,Texas. This move is not aboutthe building itself, but moreabout ‘Kingdom Building’ andbeing effective in the body ofChrist.” She added, “I believethat Pearland is about to receivea fresh wind of the Spirit in a newand profound way. Get ready.”

Worship services areSundays at 10:00 a.m. andWednesdays at 7:00 p.m. Lifein the Word Bible Study isSunday mornings at 9:00a.m.For more information, call281-997-1151 or log on towww.debrafordministries.com.

The vision of FaithChristian Church Internationalis to reach out globally to allnations with the gospel of JesusChrist and to make ready a peo-ple to know God Jehovah,declaring His glory throughmighty exploits and worship.Pastor Ford comments, "Weare with great anticipationready and equipped to bringglory to God in this nation andregion as God enables us by His

Spirit to bridge the gapsbetween the nation in the earth."

Rev. Debra Ford is alicensed and ordained ministerof the Gospel of Jesus Christ. In October 1995, Rev. Fordreceived a call from God toleave her traditional Baptiststructure to start a new spirit-filled non-denominational church.

As Senior Pastor andfounder of Faith ChristianChurch International, PastorFord’s vision is to raise minis-ters for the mission field andevangelism by spirituallyempowering them for the work

of ministry. In 1998, PastorFord founded Faith MinisterialFellowship, The School of theProphets, The Women ofDestiny Conferences andReleasing the Glory Five-FoldLeadership Conferences. FaithMinisterial Fellowship pro-vides leadership and pastoralcovering for a coalition ofChristian churches and ministries.

The School of the Prophetsis a Christian School ofTheology where students trainfor ministry and learn how todevelop their spiritual gifts,especially in the areas of five-

fold ministry. The School ofthe Prophets will remain at4410 Reed Road in south-cen-tral Houston.

Pastor Ford is married toThaddeus J. Ford and has oneson, Moses. Pastor Ford flowsapostolically and propheticallywith the Flaming Sword of theLord to set the captives free.As an anointed prophetic voice,Pastor Ford has made numer-ous appearances as a guest on“Praise the Lord,” on theTrinity Broadcast Network inHouston and on Day Star TV.

Faith Christian Church InternationalCelebrates 10th Year Anniversary,Grand Opening of Pearland Church

Pearland Mayor Tom Reid (L)with Pastors Debra and Thaddeus Ford of Faith ChristianChurch International at the recent “Grand Opening” of their new building in Pearland.

Oprah’s AngelNetwork SurprisesStorm SurvivorFamilies withAmerican Dreamof Homeownership

Partnership With OprahWinfrey Funds Constructionof 50 Houston Habitat ForHumanity Homes

HOUSTON —Houston Habitatfor Humanity announced plans tobegin building 50 permanent, single-family homes for low-income fami-lies who have been displaced by therecent Gulf hurricanes and plan toremain in Houston. The project, acollaboration between HoustonHabitat and Oprah’s Angel Network,was announced recently on Winfrey'snationally televised program.Winfrey detailed the nature of theHabitat for Humanity project whileshowing footage from a recent trip toHouston where she surprised thegrateful families with the news theywould soon be homeowners.

On November 13, HoustonHabitat brought together familieswho, unknowingly, had already beenselected to purchase a home throughthe program. The families wereoverwhelmed with emotion whenWinfrey walked onto the auditoriumstage at Madison High School insoutheast Houston to give them thenews they had been pre-qualified topurchase homes at cost and withzero-interest mortgages throughHouston Habitat's program.Winfrey’s private foundation and theviewer-supported Angel Network areunderwriting the cost of land andbuilding materials for the project.Local volunteers will work alongsidethe homebuyers to construct the homes.

“Following Hurricane Katrina,Houston Habitat for Humanitypledged to double our existing goalof building 50 homes each year forhard-working, low-incomeHoustonians in need of affordablehousing to aid an additional 50 stormvictim families,” said HoustonHabitat President Laurence J. Payne.“We are so grateful to OprahWinfrey and her viewers for makingthis possible even sooner than weexpected,” added Payne.

The 50 homes are being con-structed in the Village at Glen Irissubdivision on a street dubbed“Angel Lane.” The first dozen hous-es will be completed before yearend; the remainder will be construct-ed in the first quarter of 2006.

Winfrey

Reverend Robert L. Thomas, Jr., Pastor

3115 Lyons Avenue • Houston, TX 77020

SUNDAY: Morning Worship—11:00A.M. TUESDAY: Bible Study—7:30 P.M.

(713)224-1515

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••Support Our Supporters! A message from Houston Highlights Publishing, L.L.C.

OLIVET MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH

Prepared To Praise...

...Motivated To Minister

The Olivet Missionary Bapt ist Church family of believers would like to invite you to come out and wor-ship with us. We believe you will have a Spirit-filled encounter with the Almighty God. If you do not have a

church home we would like nothing more than for you to consider Olivet Missionary Baptist Church.

“Over 73 Years Of Service”

Email comments or suggestions to Pastor Thomas at: [email protected]

Prepared To Praise...

...Motivated To Minister



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Board Members at Gulf CoastCommunity Services Association helpedput this year’s Holiday Toy Drive over-the-top. Members brought toys to theDecember Meeting of the Board Monday,Dec. 5. Bearing gifts (from left) are:Walter Hunt, Vice Chairman; PoltonWinfrey, Dr. Jonita Solomon, GCCSACEO; Jaime de la Isla, Board Chair, Dr.Susan Moreno, Pam Guthrie (behindMoreno), Olivia Garza, In-coming Chair;Dr. R. Joseph Rodriguez,Parliamentarian and Mary Ramos,Secretary. Coordinator of this year’sHoliday Events for the Agency is HRDirector Mrs. Alicia Williams. (GCCSA Photo)

GCCSA Board Helps Toy Drive Meet Goal of 2000 ToysWesley AME ChurchHosts Community Holiday Children’s Party

HOUSTON— On Thursday, December 22,2005 from 12:00p.m. to 3:00p.m. Wesley AMEis dedicated to “taking the church to the people.”

As part of their community outreach,Wesley is inviting caregivers and parents tobring their children (ages 1-16) to the churchwhere each child will receive an age-appropriategift and enjoy in some holiday cheer.Refreshments will be served. Wesley AMEChurch is located at 2209 Dowling St. inHouston, TX 77003. For more informationcontact Crystal Clear [email protected].

NEWS BRIEFS & ANNOUNCEMENTS


Trustworthy

Courteous

Honest

Loyal

• SCHEDULED COURIER SERVICES

• GUARANTEED QUALITY SERVICE

• LARGE OR SMALL PACKAGES

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“You’ll Get More With Moore”

Corporate Headquarters: 2600 SOUTH LOOP WEST • SUITE 630 • HOUSTON, TEXAS 77054

Moore Transportation Services

(713)668-0500Fax: (713)524-7100

“MooreTransportationServices wasfounded byAntwan Moorein March of2000 to service theneeds of oneclient. Today,we haveclients throughout the city ofHouston andmore than 25 drivers to service theirneeds. WeInvite you tojoin our growing list of satisfied customers.”

Call Us Today!

WASHINGTON — The InternalRevenue Service has issued the 2006optional standard mileage rates used to cal-culate the deductible costs of operating anautomobile for business, charitable, med-ical or moving purposes.

Beginning Jan. 1, 2006, the standardmileage rates for the use of a car (includingvans, pickups or panel trucks) will be: 44.5cents per mile for business miles driven;18 cents per mile driven for medical ormoving purposes; and 14 cents per miledriven in service of charitable organiza-tions, other than activities related toHurricane Katrina relief.

The new rate for business miles com-pares to a rate of 40.5 cents per mile for thefirst eight months of 2005. In September,the IRS made a special one-time adjust-ment for the last four months of 2005, rais-ing the rate for business miles to 48.5 centsper mile in response to a sharp increase ingas prices, which topped $3 a gallon.

“The IRS took the extraordinary stepof temporarily increasing the standardmileage rates in the aftermath of HurricaneKatrina,” IRS Commissioner Mark W.Everson said. “We promised to continueclosely monitoring the situation. The 2006mileage rates reflect that gas prices havedropped.”

The standard mileage rates for busi-ness, medical and moving purposes arebased on an annual study of the fixed andvariable costs of operating an automo-bile. Runzheimer International, anindependent contractor, conducted thestudy for the IRS.

The mileage rate for charitable miles

is set by statute.For the first eight months of 2005, the

standard rate for miles driven for medicalor moving purposes was 15 cents per mile,and, except for special Hurricane Katrinarates, the standard rate for miles driven inservice of a charitable organization was 14cents per mile.

For the last four months of 2005, theagency raised the standard rate for milesdriven for medical or moving purposes to22 cents per mile. The standard rate forcharitable miles remained at 14 cents per

mile––except for chari-table miles relating toHurricane Katrina.

SpecialRates forKatrina-RelatedCharitableMiles

Congress this yearalso approved specialrates in connection withmiles driven in serviceof charities providingHurricane Katrina relief.

For the period Aug.25 to Aug. 31, 2005, therate for miles driven forcharities providingHurricane Katrina reliefis 29 cents, for deduc-tion purposes, and 40.5

cents, for reimbursement purposes. For themonths of September through December2005, the special Katrina-related rates are34 cents for deductions and 48.5 cents forreimbursements.

For 2006, these Katrina-related chari-table rates will be 32 cents per mile fordeduction purposes and 44.5 cents per milefor reimbursement purposes.

Revenue Procedure 2005-78 containsadditional information and limitations onthe use of the standard mileage rates.

IRS Announces 2006Standard Mileage Rates

ABOUT THE NEW RATE: The new rate for businessmiles compares to a rate of 40.5 cents per mile for thefirst eight months of 2005. In September, the IRS madea special one-time adjustment for the last four months of2005, raising the rate for business miles to 48.5 centsper mile in response to a sharp increase in gas prices,which topped $3 a gallon.

states and a dozen foreign countriesDillard was the only university inLouisiana to earn an A+ rating forfour consecutive years in its teachertraining program.

Soon our students will be cominghome. Tulane University-which wasnot as devastated by Katrina — hasoffered us facilities to commenceclasses in January. We had similarinvitations from other schools aroundthe country, but returning to NewOrleans will allow us to reconnectphysically, emotionally and spirituallywith our roots while repairs and recon-struction are underway.

With its reputation for exceptionaleducation, Dillard alumni/alumnaerepresent multi-family generations. Ipromise them, when we come back,Dillard will be even better. We will re-envision our curriculum in creativeways and re-master plan our facilities.We are more determined than ever toresume our role as a leader in liberalarts education and extend our legacyof success and hope for our prospec-tive students.

The New Dillard will raise the bar even higher.

Dr. Marvalene Hughes was presidentof Cal State Stanislaus for 11 years beforebecoming president of Dillard Universityon July 1, 2005. —————————————————Contributions to the Dillard UniversityHurricane Relief fund may be sent to:Dillard University, 1301 K Street, NW,Eighth Floor East, Washington, DC 20005.


Dillard Students Are Coming Homecontinued from P.3


According to a national sur-vey conducted by an online loy-alty marketer, online shoppingthis year is expected to increaseby 25 percent over last year, sig-nificantly escalating the risk ofpersonal security breaches. Lastyear, the Federal TradeCommission reported that almosthalf the $547 million lost to iden-tity theft was from internet-relat-ed scams. EDS Security andPrivacy experts recommend con-sumers implement the followingsecurity steps to help protect theirpersonal information when shop-ping online this holiday season.

1. Know the business youare dealing with. Know the rep-utation of the company you aredoing business with. If it is anew, or unfamiliar company,check the website for contactdetails that show a physicaladdress and phone number. Also,check whether the site belongs toa trustmark or trust seal program.

This accreditation certifies thatthe business meets the program'sapproved business standards.Alternatively, check with thelocal Better Business Bureau.

2. Ensure you are shoppingat a secure web site. A secureweb site uses encryption technol-ogy to scramble your credit infor-mation like your credit card num-ber. Secure web sites addressesalso include https:// prefacing theURL. The “s” indicates a securewebsite. Also look for a closedpadlock displayed at the bottomof your screen. An open lock mayindicate an insecure site.

3. Beware of phishingemails that appear to be fromtrusted businesses. Identitythieves are becoming increasing-ly sophisticated in their attemptsto steal personal information.Phishing emails look increasing-ly similar to the sites they are try-ing to emulate so it is importantto be wary of emails you receive

from organizations asking forpersonal information. Reputablebusinesses will never ask you todivulge personal informationfrom an unsolicited request. Toensure you are not accessing aphony site, visit the actual siteinstead of clicking on the embed-ded e-mail link.

4. Review privacy andsecurity policies of the compa-nies you do business with. Allreputable companies' web sitespost a privacy and security policyor statement containing. Thisshould tell you what informationthe company collects, how theyuse it and what is shared. To help

ensure that your informationremains private, make sure youcan request that your informa-tion remains confidential. If thisoption is not offered, re-considerwhether you want to do businesswith this company.

5. Be aware that interna-tional security and privacystandards may be different.When you shop in the U.S., youare protected by state and federalconsumer laws that may notapply if you place an order interna-tionally.

If it's not a reputable mer-chant and there's a problem, itmay be difficult for you toresolve the issue. You shouldprint out and date a copy ofterms, conditions, warranties,item description, company infor-mation and even confirming e-mails, and save them with your

BUSINESS ALERTS


•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••Support Candidates Who Support Diversity! A message from Houston Highlights Publishing, L.L.C.

Tips for Online Security this Holiday Season

SIGNING ON TO THE WEB: Antwan Moore of MooreTransportation & Courier Services is seen here signing on tothe internet to conduct a little business. Moore is just one exam-ple of the many Houston area business owners who use theinternet to conduct business on a daily basis. (Photo By A. Taylor)

Judge, 308th District Court

Pol. Adv. Pd. for by the Georgia Dempster Campaign In compliance with the voluntary limits of the Judicial Campaign Fairness Act. P.O. Box 236, 5315 FM 1960 West, Houston, TX 77069.

Please see TIPS, P.20

Re-Elect

Primary Election DateMarch 7, 2006 First Day of Early VotingFebruary 21, 2006Last Day of Early VotingMarch 3, 2006

Vote For Georgia Dempster!

Judge Georgia Dempster. Efficient, Respectful, Compassionate and Fair.

Efficient, Respectful, Compassionate, and Fair.

PROFESSIONALQUALIFICATIONS

& EXPERIENCE

Judge, 308th State District Court, January 1, 1995 to date *Practicing attorneyfor ten years - family law and domestic relations *Certified mediator in the stateof Texas, with specialized family law training *Juris Doctorate from SouthTexas College of Law and Bachelor of Science from the University of Utah*Licensed to practice in Texas, U.S. District Court for the Southern District ofTexas and the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals *Appointed by the Texas SupremeCourt to a nine-member state Committee on the Unauthorized Practice of Law*Member of the College of the State Bar *Founding member of Ad Litem TaskForce, now Childrens Friend in Court *Member of The Council on DomesticViolence *Member of the Harris County Juvenile Board and the Juvenile JusticeAlternative Education Program *Liaison between the Family Law judiciary, theAttorney General's Office and the IV D Masters *Member, CommunityAdvisory Board of the Junior League of North Harris County

PROFESSIONALAFFILIATIONS

Admitted to the Texas State Bar in 1984 *Member of the American BarAssociation, Texas Bar Association, Houston Bar Association, HoustonNorthwest Bar Association*Member of the International Association of Familyand Conciliation Courts *Member of the Garland Walker Inn of Court *Fellow,Texas Bar Foundation, Houston Bar Foundation * Member, American JudgesAssociation & Foundation *Member, National Association of Women Judges*Member, Texas Association of State Judges *Member Junior League of NorthHarris County* Member of the Cy-Fair Chamber of Commerce *Member,Houston Northwest Chamber of Commerce

BUSINESS SHOWCASE & Something To Think About

PURCHASE • REFINANCING

Thelma MooreSenior Loan Officer

(713)664-6761

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2600 South Loop West, Suite #620Houston, Texas 77054

MYRNA L.SLACK-WILSONAttorney at Law

(713)721-9600(713)721-9605 Fax

Family Law • Personal Injury • Probate

5322 West Bellfort, Ste. 106 Houston, Texas 77035

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PERSONAL INSURANCE DEPT.• HOMEOWNERS • RENTERS

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• COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES • GENERAL LIABILITY• CHURCHES

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Codwell FamilyFoot Center

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BUSINESS SHOWCASE is a monthly inspirational platform sponsored by the businesses showcased. All advertisements are accepted at the discretion ofthe publisher. Although Houston Highlights Publishing, L.L.C. makes every effort to check the authenticity of our advertisements, we accept no responsi-bility or liability for the contents therein. The advertiser assures that advertisements will not contain any matter that is libelous or violates any person's rightof privacy or constitutes copyright infringement or is otherwise contrary to law. The advertiser assumes all responsibility in connection with the advertise-ment placed in this publication. Houston Highlights Publishing, L.L.C. shall be held harmless from any claim, loss, damage (including reasonable attorneys'fees) that may be incurred or suffered for any reason including but not limited to a breach of any kind associated with advertisers included in this section. To include your business in this section call 832.212.8735 or email your request to: [email protected]


Of all base passions, fear is most accursed. —William Shakespeare

What a new face courage puts on everything! —Ralph Waldo Emerson

A good disposition is a virtue in itself, and it is lasting. — Avid

Codwell FamilyFoot Center

The RoadLess Traveled

Survey Shows WorkersTake Fewer Business TripsToday Than Five Years Ago

MENLO PARK, CA –The bleary-eyed businesstraveler is becoming a lessfrequent sight in airports andhotels across the country, anew survey suggests. Nearlyhalf (48 percent) of employ-ees polled said they travelfor work less frequentlycompared to five years ago.

The survey was devel-oped by Robert HalfManagement Resources, theworld’s premier provider ofsenior-level accounting andfinance professionals on aproject and interim basis. Itwas conducted by an inde-pendent research firm andincludes responses from 972men and women 18 years ofage or older and employed inprofessional environments.

Workers were asked,“Are you currently travelingfor business more or less fre-quently than you were fiveyears ago?” Their responses:

Much more frequently

15%Somewhat more frequently

21%No change

16%Somewhat less frequently

21%Much less frequently

27%“Companies that scaled

back travel allowances overthe past several years contin-ue to closely monitorexpenses, despite an improv-ing economy,” said PaulMcDonald, executive direc-tor of Robert HalfManagement Resources.“Many firms are capitalizingon less-costly communica-tion channels, such as web-casts and videoconferences,to facilitate project manage-ment and information shar-ing between remote parties.”

McDonald cautionedthat while virtual interaction

Please see SURVEY, P.17

From: Max MessmerChairman & CEO, Robert Half International

Theodore Sims Jr.Complete Insurance

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Worry is aform of fear, andall forms of fearproduce fatigue. A man who haslearned not to feel fear will find the fatigue of daily life enormouslydiminished.

— Bertrand Russell

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The Pharmacy“ Yo u r F a m i l y ’s H e a l t h I s O u r C o n c e r n ”

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Hunter’s Insurance Agency

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Christian Emmanuel, CEO

• Accounting• Insurance• Clerical• Reception• Administration• Computer• Medical• Engineering• Sales & Marketing

Columbia Personnel Services

Nothing Is More Valuable Than A Valuable Employee....6601 Savoy Suite #212 • Houston, Tx 77036

LINDA D. POPE, M.D.COSMETIC EYE SURGERYSurgery and Diseases of the Eye

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Linda D. Pope, M.D., P.A.Ophthalmologist

“For the Gift of Sight”PATIENTS ARE PRECIOUS

6500 Fannin Suite 1108 • Houston, Texas 77030(713)797-1500 Office • (713)797-1150 Fax

ANDRE L. LIGON

ATTORNEY AND COUNSELOR

Not Certified By TheTexas Board Of LegalSpecialization

713.662.2500Phone

713.222.2126Fax

• Employment LawDiscriminationWrongful Termination

• Workers Compensation• Family Law

DivorceChild SupportChild Custody

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1314 Texas Avenue, Ste. 525Houston, Texas 77002

Call Today!

Live Entertainment Wednesday Thru Friday!NO COVER CHARGE FOR BANDS

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THE STEWARTGROUP

713.729-5761

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207 Gray Street • Houston, Texas

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A merry heart doeth good like a medicine.— Wisdom from Proverbs 17:22 Life reflects your own thoughts back to you.—Wisdom from Napoleon Hill

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God gave you a gift of 86,400 seconds in a day. Have you used one to say “thank you”?—William Arthur Ward

The finest test of character is seen in the amount and the power of gratitude we have. — Thoughts of wisdom from Milo H. Gates

Thanksgiving is a sure index of spiritual health. —Maurice Dametz

No one keeps up his enthusiasm automati-cally. Enthusiasm must be nourished with newactions, new aspirations, new efforts, new vision.It is one’s own fault if his enthusiasm is gone; hehas failed to feed it. —Papyrus

might save time and money, itoften cannot replace the value ofa handshake. “Meeting withclients or vendors in person,even if it requires occasionaltravel, strengthens business rela-tionships by encouraging opendialogue on critical issues.Face-to-face discussions allowfor more direct communication,enable participants to pick up oneach other’s nonverbal cues andreduce the potential for misun-derstandings.”

Surveycontinued from P.16

Human Resources

University OfPhoenix HoustonExpands Offerings In Human Resources,Project ManagementCertifications

HOUSTON - Recruiting andretaining the best employees inHouston's competitive marketplaceremains a major challenge forhuman resources managers. Inresponse, University of Phoenix -Houston has expanded its education-al opportunities for hiring profes-sionals to include three HR certifi-cate programs. Offered through itsCenter for ProfessionalDevelopment, the initiatives addressthe development of HR skills atvarying stages of one's career.

For a newer manager, theCenter for ProfessionalDevelopment has partnered with theSociety of Human ResourceManagement to offer a two-day HREssentials program. The introducto-ry program is conducted at theHouston campus or at the partici-pant’s employer location to enhancetheir management knowledge as itrelates to their organization.

To cater to seasoned HR profes-sionals who want to keep their skillscurrent, the Houston campus offersa certificate program in HumanResource Management. This pro-gram addresses employment prac-tices, employment law, compensa-tion, benefits, safety, health andemployee development.

Those planning to becomenationally certified by the ProjectManagement Institute as a ProjectManager Professional may find thecertificate program in ProjectManagement helpful preparation forthe exam. This program equips pro-fessionals with the skills to manageprojects of varying sizes anddegrees of complexity through suc-cessful team and project leadershipexercises. Course instructors arepractitioners in the field who inte-grate real-world experiences withtheoretical knowledge.

Both the Project Managementand Human Resource Managementcertifications are eight-month-longprograms that require professionalsto take six 5-week classes that meetone night a week. This allows busyadults to continue working full-timewhile still forwarding their careerpath by obtaining job-specific certi-

Please see PHOENIX, P.18


* After Hours & Weekend Service Available By Appointment

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PANASONICTOSHIBACOPYSTARSUB-DEALER

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Tax Deductible!Donations needed:

• Vehicles • Trailers • Land • Boats • Cash • Tractors

• Other sellable itemsSunscape Equine

Rescue, Inc.(501c3 nonprofit)

713-560-4201www.TexasRescue.org

When we accept tough jobs as a challenge to ourability and wade intothem with joy andenthusiasm, miraclescan happen. When we do our work witha dynamic, conquer-ing spirit, we getthings done. —Arland Gilbert

Energy, even like the Biblical grain of a mustard seed, will move mountains—John Muir

South Belt Ellington ChamberOf Commerce(281) 481-551611555 Beamer RdHouston, TX 77089

Swedish American Chamber OfCommerce(281) 990-99444130 Pine Crest TrlApollo, TX 77059

Swedish American Chamber OfCommerce(713) 914-0015Houston, TX 77052

Taylor Lake Village ChamberOf Commerce(281) 488-76761201 Nasa Rd 1Apollo, TX 77058

Texas Israel Chamber Of Commerce Inc(713) 785-88552425 Fountain View DrHouston, TX 77057

Tomball Chamber ofCommerce281.351.7222

Women’s Chamber OfCommerce Of Texas In Houston(713) 665-1637Houston, TX 77052

Listingcontinued from P.5

fications.“Human resource is a

demanding profession that hasseen unprecedented challenges inthe last couple of years,” saidChad Bandy, University ofPhoenix - Houston VicePresident/Director. “Most recently,we conducted a survey of workingadults that found 67 percent ofthem were looking for a new job.Through continuing education,such as these certificate programs,HR professionals become moreaware of employment trends andare better prepared to addressthem.”

University of Phoenix, whichhas served working adults fornearly 30 years, has made its mis-sion to remove barriers to educa-tion for busy adults by providingaccessible scheduling and rigorousdegree programs centered on pro-fessional goals. The University isthe largest private accredited uni-versity in North America and isowned by parent company ApolloGroup, Inc. As of August 31,2005, 307,400 students attendApollo Group, Inc., institutions.The University's focus on smallinteractive classes, highly person-alized teaching and comprehensiveacademic accountability systemshas won praise and recognition bynoteworthy academic and businessleaders. The University is accredit-ed by The Higher LearningCommission and is a member ofthe North Central Association.

Phoenixcontinued from P.17

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University, McLane returned to work forhis father. His first job was on secondshift, and three years later he moved intomanagement as vice president of pur-chasing. He then served 14 years as gen-eral manager of operations, beforebecoming president and CEO of McLaneCompany in 1978 and chairman in 1992.

McLane Group, which is based inTemple, Texas, is still a family-ownedholding company that owns and operatesThe Houston Astros Baseball Club,Astrodome USA, MC-International (aglobal import/export trading company),

M-Group (which sells computer softwareand logistics planning consulting servic-es to the distribution industry), McLaneInternational, Inc. (provider of wholesalefood distribution facilities overseas), andClassic Foods (a Fort Worth-based man-ufacturing company).

During his years with the company,McLane assisted his father in building aneffective grocery distribution networkthat served convenience stores, super-markets,and the fast-food industrynationwide. When he became Presidentand CEO, he added 16 distribution facil-ities across the United States, andMcLane Company experienced an aver-age yearly sales growth of 30 percentfrom 1964 through 1993.

In 1990, McLane Company mergedwith Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., and McLaneaccepted the position of vice chairman ofWal-Mart. He resigned his positions aschairman of McLane Company and vicechairman of Wal-Mart in 1994 to devotemore time to his responsibilities as chair-man of McLane Group.

In addition to traveling extensivelyfor his business, McLane also devotesmuch time to his community, serving onthe Executive Board, Heart ‘0 TexasCouncil, Boy Scouts of America; asdirector of Scott & White MemorialHospital; as director of the GreaterHouston Partnership; as advisory directorof Texas Commerce Bancshares; asmember of the National Board of

Governors of the Children’s MiracleNetwork; and as deacon and past chair-man of the Deacon Board of First BaptistChurch in Temple. In addition, McLaneis a trustee for Baylor University, SouthTexas College of Law, and CooperInstitute for Aerobics Research.

His past civic activities include act-ing as president of the Temple Chamberof Commerce, Baylor UniversityDevelopment Council and United Way(Temple, Texas), and as a member of theTexas State Board of Mental Health andMental Retardation. His industryinvolvement includes serving as chair-man for National American WholesaleGrocers Association and president ofTexas Wholesale Grocers Association.

Biographycontinued from P.1

the Texas Department ofTransportation has beenstudying the corridor todetermine how to mini-mize the project’s envi-ronmental impact. Thestudy is approaching thehalf-way point.

“We don’t know exact-ly what needs to be builtand where it will go untilafter the environmentalstudy is complete. But I-69was always envisioned asan upgrade of the existinginfrastructure into interstatequality roads,” Perry added.“Widening existing roads,adding truck lanes besideexisting lanes, adding addi-tional freight rail capacity,they are all components ofthe I-69 dream that theTrans Texas Corridor modelcan build much, much sooner.”

Perry unveiled his

Trans Texas Corridor planin 2002. The plan is a newvision for transportationthat leverages the resourcesof the private sector to buildneeded infrastructure morequickly. The Corridor willbe built as the state growsover the next 50 years and isexpected to create hundredsof thousands of jobs, savecommuters time with speedlimits up to 85 mph, takehazardous cargo out of ourmost populated areas, pro-vide for passenger railbetween cities, and signifi-cantly reduce air pollution.

The U.S. Departmentof Transportation has saidthat the Trans TexasCorridor is helping makeTexas “a national exam-ple for all states” forinnovative transportationsolutions.

Perry Announces Plan toAccelerate Interstate 69continued from P.7

records of your purchase.Also, inspect your purchasewhen you receive it and con-tact the seller immediately if youdiscover a problem.

6. Do not use personalinformation for pass-words. Many online mer-chants now require con-sumers to register a username and password. Besure that your passwordscontain at least eight char-acters and include numbersor symbols. Using informa-tion such as Social SecurityNumbers, account numbers,birth dates, names, e-mailaddresses or telephonenumbers as passwords canmake you an easy target foridentity theft.

7. Proactively protectyour security. Regularlyupdate your PC's anti virusand firewall software andregularly apply criticalsecurity patches to yourPC's operating system. Runvirus scans weekly, andremove any unwanted

adware and spyware.Check at least monthly withthe operating system ven-dor's web site and installnew critical system patchesand updates. Taking thesesteps will reduce, and inmost cases, eliminateyour PC's potentialinfection from new virus-es and worms.

8. Check your creditreport regularly. To ensureyou are not an identity theftvictim, check your creditreport regularly. Consumerscan annually obtain a freecopy of their credit reportfrom the three major creditbureaus: Equifax, Experianand Trans Union. TheFederal Trade Commission'sIdentity Theft web s i tei s a l so an informativeidentity theft informationsource; providing adviceand guidance on the stepsyou should take if youridentity is s tolen. Visit:http://www.consumer.gov/idtheft/index

Tips for Online Security this Holiday Seasoncontinued from P.15

LAND ACQUISITIONS AND COMMUNITY REVITALIZATION PROJECTSRenaissance Strip Center • HEB Grocery Store •Taco Bell • McDonald’s • Papa John’s Pizza • Houston Independent School District (Old

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Real Estate...At The Speed Of Life

20 • DECEMBER • Houston Business Connections Monthly • PUBLISHED BY HOUSTON HIGHLIGHTS PUBLISHING, L.L.C. • 832.212.8735

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