Local Leaders to be Recognized at 53rd Alumni Awards Dinner

On September 20, 2007, the Houston Alumni Organization will host its 53rd Awards Dinner and celebrate the 80th anniversary of the University of Houston. The momentous evening will honor an outstanding group of alumni and friends for their extraordinary professional achievements and dedicated service to UH. The dinner will be held at the Hilton Hotel - Houston Post Oak at 8:00 p.m. and will be preceded by a cocktail reception beginning at 7:00 p.m. Tickets can be purchased at a cost of $175 and various levels of sponsorship are also available. For more information on the event, contact the Houston Alumni Organization at 713.743.9550 or visit www.myCougarConnection.com/awardsdinner.

Distinguished Alumni Award Recipients

Gerald McElvy (’75)
For more than 30 years, Gerald W. McElvy (’75) has used his financial expertise to move up the ranks within ExxonMobil and the Esso Companies. Today, he is proud to serve the ExxonMobil Corporation as deputy manager and president of the ExxonMobil Foundation, which serves in a philanthropic role for the company. McElvy also serves on the Dean’s Executive Advisory Council for the C.T. Bauer College of Business, received a Distinguished Alumni Award from the Bauer College, and was honored to serve as the keynote speaker for a Bauer College commencement.

The Honorable Martha Wong (M.Ed. '76, Ed.D. '83)
Dr. Martha Wong is the first Asian American female to be elected to the Texas House of Representatives, representing District 134 from 2003 to 2006. She is well-known as an outgoing community ambassador and outstanding public servant. She received her master's and doctorate degrees in education from UH and was honored as a Distinguished Alumna by the College of Education.

Distinguished Service Award Recipients

Margaret Bock
Margaret Bock attended UH in the 1950’s, started her volunteer work with the Houston Alumni Organization in the 1980’s and still tirelessly serves today. In addition to her work with HAO, she has served on and chaired numerous committees and has a special place in her heart for UH students. Currently, she is the office director of the Delphian Office as well as the trustee of the Houston Assembly of Delphian Chapters Scholarship Foundation Fund, and the liaison to UH for the foundation. The foundation has given scholarships to UH students for over 75 years and mentors the students to ensure that they graduate.

Sonny Messiah-Jiles ('74)
Sonny Messiah-Jiles says that a monumental turning point in her life occurred when she discovered that the University of Houston gave her “a sense of independence and an ability to juggle responsibilities.” That sense of independence and ability to juggle has led her to an impressive career as publisher and owner of the Houston Defender, Houston’s leading black newspaper. She was the first African-American woman to serve on the Greater Houston Partnership board and was honored by Ebony Magazine as one of the 100 Most Influential Black Americans. Messiah-Jiles served as the chair of the Houston Alumni Organization from 2002 to 2003.

HAO Chair Award Recipients

Jim McIngvale
Jim “Mattress Mack” McIngvale founded Gallery Furniture in 1981 and quickly turned it in to the second largest single-location furniture store in the United States. Affectionately known as “Mattress Mack” to scores of Houstonians, he is also well-known for his philanthropic contributions to the community, donating furniture to area schools, the poor and victims of natural disasters. In 2002, he co-authored "Always Think Big" with the C. T. Bauer College of Business’ Thomas Duening and John Ivancevich. McIngvale has a long-standing connection to the University of Houston and is thrilled that his daughters Elizabeth and Laura are now Cougars.

Bill Moffit
Bill Moffit, former director of the University of Houston Marching Band and Cougar Brass, is known by our community for his musical passion. He is credited for taking the marching band’s storied military-style marching past into its present-day marching style. Today, Moffit has pioneered and patented his Patterns of Motions, for which the high-energy, high-stepping Cougar marching band, The Spirit of Houston, is now known. So revered is Moffit that the Band Alumni Association and the Moores School of Music have worked to create the William C. Moffit Chair, an endowed professorship in his honor.

Outstanding Volunteer Award

Cynthia Oliver Coleman ('71)
The first African-American woman to graduate from the chemical engineering program at UH, Cynthia Oliver Coleman’s professional and personal efforts from her graduation day in 1971 until today have focused on inspiring other minorities to achieve their dreams. Coleman had an impressive 33 year career at ExxonMobil before retiring in 2004. She continues to serve her community through her involvement with countless service organizations and the Houston Alumni Organization. Coleman’s dedication and commitment has empowered many others, including her daughter Kelly, to attend the University of Houston and continue a well-established legacy.

Alumni Committee Searches for New HAO Leader

The Houston Alumni Organization has formed a seven-member committee to lead the nationwide search for its next president and CEO. The group is currently identifying the most qualified and outstanding candidates and will offer recommendations to the Board of Directors. HAO hopes to have a candidate selected by the end of this year.

Members of the search committee include Ron Page (’80), Cheryl Creuzot (’81, J.D. ’92, L.L.M. ’99), Stephanie Foy (M.S.W. ’94), Downey Bridgwater (’84), David Doll (’88, M.B.A. ’92), Jason Fuller (’94) and Marvin Nathan (’66, J.D. ’69)