|
| Dec 26 |
|
No Meeting - Happy New Year |
| Dec 19 |
Speaker
Ken Magidson
US
Attorney
|
Ken Magidson is Assistant United States
Attorney for the Southern District of Texas. He has served for many years
as an assistant USA after a distinguished career as an Assistant District
Attorney in the Harris County District Attorney's Office under both Carroll
Vance and Johnny Holmes.
Ken
has tried numerous complex and complicated cases in his career. He
now is the coordinator for the Justice Department's Organized Crime Drug
enforcement Task Force for a multi-state area including Texas.
The OCDETF Program was established in 1982 to conduct comprehensive,
multi-level attacks on major drug trafficking and money laundering
organizations. |
| Dec 12 |
|
Todd Olsen has extensive
experience writing and producing winning political direct mail campaigns,
as well as consulting for political candidates, public policy campaigns
and non-profit coalitions. Prior to forming Olsen & Shuvalov,
he managed political and public policy campaigns and served as Executive
Vice President of Karl Rove + Company. The firm earned a national reputation
for creating winning political strategies that have helped elect U.S.
Senators, governors, legislative leaders and reform candidates to the
Texas Supreme Court. e went to
Washington to be a part of the Bush White House.
He will speak about what trends he sees from the 2006 mid term election
and to specifically compare/contrast the election results from Dallas
County and Harris County. |
| Dec 5 |
Speaker
Roger Sofer
Photo Not Available
American Israel Public Affairs Committee
|
Roger Sofer is a member of the board
of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, He has taken many
individuals, including US Senator John Cornyn, on educational tours
of Israel. His most recent trip in November was to accmpany
a group on a visit of the Islrael iborder including the air force
base used to in the recent war with Lebanon and in meetings with Israeli,
leaders,
Roger will give us an overview
of Israel politics from Rabin to Ohmert and the war in Lebanon and
Iran. |
|
| Nov 28 |
Speaker
Laura Florenta Cahil
Assistant County
Attorney in office of Mike Stafford
|
Laura Cahill works with Mike Stafford,
the Harris County Attorney.
She will discuss the problems created by
the recent Supreme Court Kelo decision, which greatly expanded the
scope of the imminent domain powers of local government. |
| Nov 21 |
Speaker
Jay Guerrero
|
Jay Guerrero will discuss his position as Southeastern Regional Director
for Senator John Cornyn, the effects of the 2006 mid term elections
and the turn-over of the majority in Congress
to the Democrat Party and about the prospects for legislation on illegal
immigration.
Jay established the Southeast Texas office in January 2003
after the senator was elected, and he manages a region of 25 counties
along the Texas Gulf Coast. This includes six million constituents,
the large urban areas of Houston, Galveston, Beaumont and Victoria
and the Texas Medical Center, the Port of Houston, the Johnson Space
Center, and one of the world’s largest concentrations
of refineries.
Prior to his position with Senator Cornyn, Jay worked at the James
A. Baker III Institute for Public Policy at Rice University where he
managed programs for Secretary James
A. Baker III, Russian President Vladimir Putin, Nelson Mandela, and
the King and Queen of Jordan
Jay has been professionally and personally involved in politics in
Texas for the past 16 years and acted as
Vice Chairman and Chairman of the Republican National Hispanic Assembly
of Harris County. He was born and raised in
Houston, Texas, where he lives with his wife Karyn.
|
| Nov 14 |
Speaker
Chris Baker
Talk Show Host
KTRH 740 |
Chris Baker is a well known local talk
show radio host on KTRH 740 AM, where his program airs from 3 to 7
pm weekday afternoons. In addition, he has over 20 years in show busineess,
TV, music, an das a stand-up comedian, as well as in radio.
His strong opinions and quick wit have made his show the most listened-to
in town.
Chris will speak about the 2006 mid term election results - good news
or bad!!! |
| Nov 7 |
 |
NO MEETING - Vote REPUBLICAN.
If you don't vote a straight party ticket, then don't forget
the "down ballot" races - our judges and other elected officials need
your support!. |
|
| Oct 3 |
Speakers
Reagan Helm
Bill Harman
Jay Karahan
Analia Wilkerson
Judges of County Criminal Courts 1, 2, 8, and 9 |
Judges Reagan Helm (Criminal Court #1),
Bill Harman (Criminal Court #2), Jay Karahan (Criminal Court #8) and
Analia Wilkerson (Criminal Court #9) will discuss their candidacies
for re election to their Criminal Courts. |
| Oct 10 |
Speaker
Mike Schneider
Judge 315th Juvenile Court
|
TBA |
| Oct 17 |
Speaker
Paul Bettencourt
Harris County Tax Assessor / Collector |
Paul Bettencourt has served as Harris
County Tax Assessor-Collector for six years. He leads a Tax Office
staff of 500 that annually handles 3.7 million vehicle registration
renewals (generating $696 million annually), collects $2 billion on
1.3 million individual property accounts, and maintains a voter registration
roll of 1.8 million.
The hallmark of his administration is been “Smart Government,” which
means being accountable to the taxpayer. As Tax Assessor-Collector,
he has often provided information to the public on issues impacting
the taxpayer. He is a strong advocate for property tax appraisal caps.
Paul has held a number of positions in the Harris County Republican
Party, including Vice-Chairman and Treasurer, and has worked in various
capacities in at least 40 political campaigns. |
| Oct 24 |
Speaker
Charles Baccarisse
Harris County District Clerk |
Charles Baccarisse is running for re-election
for Harris County Distict Clerk with the objective of continuing his
success in bringing e-government to Harris County. Now, through http://www.hcdistrictclerk.com,
the public can change their jury duty date, file documents in Civil
and Family law cases, as well as retrieve and purchase civil case files
and orders. "We're taking the courthouse to the people. As we bring
more of our business onto the web, we've finally made the office accessible
to more citizens."
While driving these ground-breaking changes, he has led the District
Clerk's Office in raising private and foundational dollars through
an innovative partnership with the Houston Bar Foundation to restore
historic court documents - some dating back to the founding court in
the Republic of Texas. Under Charles Baccarisse's leadership, the
District Clerks Office is making
history and saving history,
all at the same time. |
| Oct 31 |
Speaker
Jim McGrath
CEO Communications
Speachwriter for GHW Bush |
Jim McGrath will talk on "Ten Reasons to Vote Republican - Proudly."
Jim McGrath has worked for George Bush
since 1991, first at the White House, then as his post- presidential
spokesman, liaison to the national and international press, and as
his speechwriter. He is a founding partner of CEO Communications,
a Houston-based strategic communications firm that delivers a broad
range of services to Fortune 500 companies and senior elected officials.
Jim McGrath is is also an author and documentary film maker. He advises
the Bush Clinton Houston Hurricane Relief Fund, which distributes private
funds to victimes of hurricanes Katrina and Rita.
Jim McGrath studied journalism
and government at the University of Maryland. He lives in Houston with
his wife and two children. He .
|
|
| Sept 5 |
Speaker
Jim Murphy
Republican Candidate for State Representative, District 133 |
Jim Murphy is a lifelong Republican
who has been active in the party as a grassroots volunteer, candidate,
and elected official.
For the last three years, Jim has been the principal
driving force behind the Westchase District, when he was named its
first Executive Director. He has helped make this business district
one of Houston's leading areas in terms of business activity and commercial
development.
Jim believes that limited govenrment means limited spending, that
transportation issues present Houston with our greatest long-term
economic and environmental challenge, that Texas needs a better educated
work force to compete and win in our global economy, in protecting
traditional family values in the Texas Legislature. . |
| Sept 12 |
Speaker
Talmadge Heflin
Republican Candidate for State Representative District 149 |
Talmadge Heflin is a principled and experienced
leader who served in ghe Texas Legislature from 1983 through 2004, where
he became known as a legislative leader on budget and taxes.
Talmadge's campaign focuses on solutions to key issues
of education, law enforcement, property taxes, health care, limited
governement spending and border security:
- Better use of education funds bycontinuing to demand that at least
65% of every education dollar be spent in the classroom
- Secure the manpower and equipment necessary to help our local
law enforcement identify and root out the criminal elements in our
community
- Lowering the cap on the increases in property tax values
- Encourage more federal investment in better equipped community
health care facilities and streamline
the CHIP programto address the health care needs of
our children
- Find and eliminate waste in state government, review services
and organizations prior to renewal, and hold government
accountable for its spending
- Ensure that state resources are effectively used in the area of
law enforcement against illegal immigration
|
| Sept 19 |
Speaker
Shelley Sekula-Gibbs
Republican Candidate for US Representative
District 22 |
The Texas Republican Party has endorsed
Shelley Sekuyla-Gibbs as a write-in candidate to replace Tom Delay,
who is not running for office, on the November ballot for US Representative
in Congressional District 22. If elected, she will serve the remaining
two months of Mr. Delay's term.
Shelley is currently a member of the Houston City Council.
Her platform is to secure our borders and control illegal
immigration without granting amnesty to illegal immigrants, to strengthen
homeland security and fight terrorism, to cut spending and to replace
the income tax with a fair (consumption) tax, and to guard the sanctity
of life and preserve marriage as the union of a man and a woman. |
| Sept 26 |
Speaker
Annette Galik
Judge
245th Family Court |
Annette Galik is Judge of the 245th State
District Court having been elected in 1994 and re-elected in 1998 and
2002. She is seeking re-election again in 2006. Judge Galik
hears family law matters including divorce, child custody cases, and
family violence protective orders.
Since taking office, Judge Galik has disposed of nearly 60,000 cases. In
addition to presiding over trials and giving rulings on motions before
the court, she also
effectively manages a court staff and efficiently administers a docket
of over 1,000 pending cases, New filings number in the hundreds
each month. Matters
heard in the Family Courts are contentious and emotionally charged,
requiring a knowledgeable, caring, compassionate, tough, fair-minded
and even handed judge to hear these cases day after day.
Judge Galik continues to keep the promises she made during her original
campaign in 1994. They are:
- Make families and children the No. 1 priority in her court,
- Process cases through the judicial system in a timely manner,
- Provide a fair and impartial playing field in which to put cases
to trial; and,
- Show respect and dignity to all litigants and lawyers.
Annette is proud to be a Republican Family Court Judge. |
|
| August 1st |
Speaker
Michael McCaul
US Congressman
Texas Congressional District 10 |
In November of 2004, Michael McCaul was
elected to represent Texas' 10th District, stretching across 8 counties
from Austin to the Houston suburbs, in the United States Congress.
Congresman
McCaul is a member of the House Committee on Homeland
Security,
where he serves as Chairman of the Subcommittee on Investigations.
He is also a member of the House Committees on International Relations
and on Science. Congressman McCaul is a strong proponent of border
security, and he works to strengthen and secure our borders
and to protect America from the threat of terrorism.
Prior to coming to Congress, Michael McCaul served as Chief of Terrorism
and National Security in the U.S. Attorney’s office for the Department
of Justice in Texas. He participated in the Joint Terrorism Task
Force that was charged with preparing Texas to detect, deter
and prevent terrorist activity. Congressman McCaul also served as
Texas Deputy Attorney General under current U.S. Senator John Cornyn.
When we look to our Congress for leadership, we look to Congressmand
McCaul to continue hs stong commitment to our nation. |
| August 8th |
|
State Representative Martha Wong, a native
Houstonian and second generation Chinese American, has proudly served
District 134, which includes much of the heart of Houston, of Texas
since 2003.
Representative Wong brings the strength, diligence
and warmth that personifies Houstonians to her work in the Texas House
of Representatives. Representative Wong is Vice-Chairh
of the House Urban Affairs Committee with jurisdiction
over many matters pertaining to large cities. She is also serving
in her second term as Vice-Chair of the House Rules and Resolutions
Committee, and she serves as a member
of the powerful House State Affairs Committee,
Martha Wong is opposed in the upcoming mid term election,
and we need to send her back to Austin to continue her work on lowering
property tax appraisal caps, improving education and health care, and
to protect the qualtiy of life in our neighborhoods. |
| August 15th |
Speaker
Jim Kollaer
President
Greater Houston Partnership |
Jim C. Kollaer served as president and
CEO of the Greater Houston Partnership for an unprecedented 15 years
from 1990 through 2005. He then joined the Staubach team
as EVP/Partner of the Houston Corporate Sevices operation.
Prior to his service on the Greater Houston Partnership, Jim served as
president and chief operating officer of Henry S. Miller/Grubb & Ellis'
Texas real estate operations. From 1980 to 1987, Kollaer served as president
of the company's Houston commercial operations.
Kollaer is a member of the College of Fellows
of the American Institute of Architects and a senior fellow of the
American Leadership Forum and a member of the board of the U.S.
Chamber of Commerce and the Board of Directors of the American Chamber
of Commerce Executives. He has been honored by the American Chamber
of Commerce Executives with its Chairman's Professional Leadership
Award.
Jim will discuss the significant role played by the Greater Houston
Partnership in our city's programs.
|
| August 22nd |
Speaker
Joe Nixon
Texas State Representative
District 133 |
As a Texas State Representative serving
House District 133 in Houston, Rep. Joe Nixon worked tirelessly in 2003
to pass House Bill 4, an historic piece of comprehensive tort reform
legislation addressing many issues affecting the civil justice system.
HB 4, enacted in 2003 will bring more balance to the Texas civil justice
system and reduce litigation costs.
For his efforts in passing the legislation,
Nixon has been recognized by several tort reform advocacy groups, including
Texans for Lawsuit Reform, which awarded him Legislator of the Year
in 2003.
With a lot of controversey over the effectiveness of the Republican
Party and concerns about the mid term elections in November, Joe
will stress "10 PositiveThings" of the Republican Party.
|
| August 29th |
Speaker
Richard Kroger
|
Speaker details not yet available.
The Armor Holdings Aerospace & Defense Group
is dedicated to meeting the complex and evolving needs of today’s
military, of homeland security, and of allied military forces. These
needs require integrated survivability solutions unique to any other
time in history and include innovative protective
products that enable warfighters to safely accomplish their missions.
|
|
| July 4th |
 |
NO MEETING Celebrate the signing of
the Declaration of Independence and honor our country! |
| July 11th |
Speaker
Larry Youngblood
Houston
Leader
Minutemen Civil Defense Corp. |
Larry will talk on THE REALITY OF
ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION and share with us his eye opening experiences and
slide photos from his time as an observer and a Falfurrias Minuteman
CDC Volunteer. |
| July 18 |
Speaker
The Honorable Judge
Mike Anderson
Criminal District Court 262
|
Judge Mike Anderson will speak on
criminal cases, in which he served as prosecutor.
In the "Cheerleader Mom Pom-Pom
Mom" case
he prosecuted Wanda Holloway, and our own President, Robert Shults,
represented the victim's family as they sued the would be killer and
negotiated the family's movie rights, etc.
The current Galleria/Rape
Case has just recently been tried in his court - Criminal Court
262. |
| July 25th |
Speaker
Dr. Robin Armstrong
Vice
Chairman of the Republican Party of Texas
|
Dr. Armstrong is the recently elected
Vice Chairman of the Republican Party of Texas.He will outline his
values and priorities for the Republican Party of Texas, as well as
what challenges and problems he anticipates.
He became a Republican in 1989 after he
became a Christian, and the abortion issue was the initial motivating. He
has since found many other common beliefs with the conservative movement. His
religious convictions led him to the medical professional where He
currently serves as an inpatient physician at the
Mainland Medical Center, Texas City.
His involvement
in politics was born from a desire to see our communities reflect the
values that have made our Nation great. He
has served on the State Republicn Party Executive Committee and as
a Precinct Chair. He is a member of the Galveston Pachyderm Club. |
|
June
6th |
Speaker
John T. Humphrey
Heart of a Champion Character Development Program
|
The co-founder
and board treasurer of Heart of a Champion oversees the operational
and production elements of this non-profit organization. He will
discuss the organization’s signature Heart of
a Champion Character Development Program, which is dedicated to providing
quality character education resources for both youths and adults. This
program reaches over 50,000 students weekly. |
June
13th |
Speaker
Louse Whiteford
President, Texans for Immigration Reform
|
The President of Texas'
largest immigration reform organization will Focus attention on
the problem of illegal immigration and provide the latest
information on this growing problem. |
June
20th |
Speaker
Andrew Biar
Strategist for Public Affairs
|
A highly repsected
Republican leader speaks about the challenges to the Republican party
looking ahead to the fall 2006 and 2008 elections.
Andrew Biar is the President of Strategic Public Affairs, Inc., a
full-service public affairs firm specializing in corporate grassroots
and government affairs strategies, grassroots mobilization, political
fundraising, advocacy and government relations support, among other
services. He is a founding partner in the National Field Resource
Network that specializes in providing a source for public affairs action
on legislative and public policy issues.
Mr. Biar helped garner bipartisan, support from the Texas Congressional
Delegation for the passage of the 2005 Central American Free Trade
Agreement, and during the hurricane Katrina relief efforts in 2005
his firm represented FEMA, providing crisis communication at the Houston
Astrodome Complex.
Mr. Biar is a member of the Greater Houston Partnership and a Life
Time Member of The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo. He serves
on the board of the Houston Chapter of Citizens Against Lawsuit Abuse. |
June
27th |
Speaker
Robert Stevenson
Certified Public Accountant
|
The Secretary of the Greater
Pachyderm Board and member of the Spring Branch ISD School Board Budget
Committee will update the club on recent legislation passed by the
Texas legislature, including House Bills 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5.
Alhtough these bills have been very controversial, especially HB 3
that levies a tax on business general revenues, Robert will agrue
that all of the bills must be considered together as a comprehensive
package that overall reduces taxes on Texans, makes appropriate use
of the current budget surplus, and addresses the critical school funding
issue.
Robert is also a legislative liaison to the Texas Legislature for
the Texas Society of CPAs,and he spoke at the Texas Tax
Reform Commission’s
Public Hearing in Houston on his solution for funding public education
in Texas. |
|
May 2nd |
Speaker
Jared Woodfill
Chairman, Harris County Republican Party |
A graduate of the University
of Texas, Jared practices law in partnership with the
former jurist Paul Pressler. Jared has beenChairman of the Harris
County Republican Party (HCRP) since 2002. He
formerly served with HCRP as Chairman of the Finance Committee, Chairman
of the Judicial Screening Committee, and as Legal Counsel.
Jared Woodfill believes that
people are the strength of the Republican Party and his goal is to
expand its membership numbers and unite the diverse cultures of Harris
County. He is committed to strengthening
the Party’s financial base, and believes the Party should help
politically and financially in key races. He is committed
to focusing on the future to build a stronger, more unified party in
order to elect more Republicans to office.
Jared will speak on challenges facing the Republican
Party, |
May 9th |
Speaker
Ken Hoagland
Fair Tax Organization |
The Fair Tax and the Fair
Tax Organization
Ken Hoagland is a private consultant who
has worked on a variety of issues including national tax policy, healthcare
policy, aviation safety, and telecommunications issues. He began his
career in public policy working for former Texas Governor Dolph Briscoe
devising economic development projects and policy on the Texas/Mexico
border. More recently, he developed the grassroots campaign for Texans
for Lawsuit Reform that resulted in sweeping changes to Texas’ civil
justice laws over the last ten years.
He brings
to FairTax.org a long list of
credentials, lending his expertise in policy development, communications,
and grassroots mobilization. He is currently a Fair Tax Special
Consultant and Spokesperson for the Fair Tax Organization. |
May 16th |
Speaker
Bill King
Former Mayor
Kemah, Texas |
William E. King is the, former Mayor of Kemah, Texas. He presently
serves as Houston Office Managing Partner
and Law firm Management Committee Chair at Linebarger Goggan Blair & Sampson,
LLP. Mr. King is also a member of the Governor's Task Force on Evacuation,
Transportation and Logistics.
Mr. King will speakt he problems of taxation
and the tax debate in Texas.
|
May 23rd |
Speaker
Bobby Eberle
Producer and Editor, GOPUSA |
Dr. Bobby Eberle is the
Producer and Editor of GOPUSA one of the top conservative website destinations
bringing the conservative message throughout America. He is also CEO
of Endeavor Media Group .
Bobby Eberle has served as President of the Young Republicans and
currently is seeking the position of Vice Chairman of the Republican
Party of Texas.
|
May 30th |
Speaker
Marjorie Arsht
Author |
Marjorie Arsht is the author of "All the Way from Yoakum, The
Personal Journey of a Political Insider." Marjorie's story is fascinating
and exemplifies her commitment to our basic Republican philosophies.
Marjorie will review her book, her challenges and how she met them
in her life.
Marjorie is a long standing member of Pachyderm and
of Magic Circle Republican Women's Club.
|
|
| April 4th |
Speakers
Jim
Murphy
Mike
Schofield
|
Run-Off Forum, Texas House of Representatives
District 133
In this hotly contested
race to fill the vacan Texas House Seat in District 133, the two
candidates will square off in a Run-Off Forum.
Jim Murphy is the General
Manager for the Westchase Business District and a Houston
Community College System Board Member. He is a UT graduate
who was also named one of Five Outstanding Young Texans
in 1995.
His platform addresses:
- Limited government / limiting spending
- Sensible mobility
- Better schools
- Protecting the family
Mike Schofield is an attorney
who served as Gov. Perry's Assistant General Counsel until he resigned
in September of 2004, and moved back into the District to run for
the seat. Mike has degrees in Political Science from Rutgers University
and in Law from LSU.
His platform addresses:
- Property tax relief - appraisal caps
- Eductaion reform
- Immigration reform
|
| April 11th |
Speaker Beverly Woolley State Representative
District 136
|
RUN-OFF ELECTION DAY
- DON'T FORGET TO VOTE!
Beverly
Woolley is Chairman of the prestigious
Calendars Committee, and also serves on the civil
Practices and Ways and Means Committees. With a special Session
for our State Legislature, the focus issues will be School Financing
and Property Tax Reductions.
According to recent news, work has already
begun in the Committees, which will bring their findings
and proposals for a vote.
Beverly Woolley will discuss
these issues and the problems and compromises that may
result.
|
| April 18th |
Speaker H. Thomas Kornegay
Executive Director, Port of Houston Authority.
|
H. Thomas Kornegay was appointed Executive Director of the Port
of Houston Authority
in April, 1992. Before his appointment by the Port Commission, Kornegay
served as the
Port Authority's managing director for five years. In May 2005, Kornegay
became president of the International Association of Ports and
Harbors (IAPH) during the organization’s conference in Shanghai,
China. Among many other duties, Kornegay has served on
the executive committee of the Transportation
Research Board, which is responsible for recommending transportation
policy and
programs to the National Research Council.
The Port of
Houston Authority has been able to expand its business opportunities
to better serve existing customers and to create
opportunities for future customers, such as the construction
of the Bayport Container and Cruise Terminal. The awarding of nearly
$17 million in Federal Security Grants to the Port of Houston Authority
is credited to the Port's proactive stance to broaden public awareness
of security issues along the world's sixth largest Port. The Port
of Houston is the first U.S. Port to receive the Port's
Certification for ISO 14001 Compliance.
Mr. Kornegay will review
the many positive influences the Port gives to
our city and surrounding area.
|
| April 25th |
Speaker Mona Lisa Chambers
Senatorial District Thirteen Chairman
|
Mona Lisa Chambers was born in Bryan,
Texas and raised in Houston. She is a professional educator, a trained
muscian, a gospel vocalist, a licensed insurance and Senior Solutions
Specialist, and a Republican Party Activist.
Mona Lisa is the recently
elected Republican Chair of Senatorial District Thirteen and is an
SREC Proxy in the Replublican Party of Texas. She has served in many
capacities espousing our Republican cause. In 2004 she was named the "Voilunteer
of the Year" Republican
Party of Texas. She has authored "Recruiting and Training black voters
to become PCT Chairs" for the Harris County Republican Party.
She is determined
to reach out to "non traditional" Republican voters, who
believe in the principles upon which the Republican Party was founded
- freedom, faith, equality, and free markets. Mona Lisa has her work
cut out for her in District 13 (Senator Rodney Ellis), but her discussion
of the history of the Republican party as the party of civil rights
and inclusiveness will show why her goal to create a more "diverse" Republican
party with its members pulling in the same direction is not beyond
reach.
Mona Lisa will share her commitment and enthuriasm
with us. |
MARCH 2006 PROGRAMS
|
| March 7 |
|
NO MEETING! Primary Elections for State
and Local Offices, Republicans vote on four "sense of the people" (non
binding) resolutions:
- Voter ID: Should photo identification be required
to vote?
- Private Property Protection: Should private
property be protected from being taken for economic gain?
- Spending Cap: Should government bodies be
required to restrict spending increases to the growth of population
plus inflation?
- Appraisal Cap: Should the cap on property
appraised value increases be changed from 10% to 5%.
|
| March 14 |
|
Kim Ogg is the Executive Director of CRIME STOPPERS
of HOUSTON and spokesperson for the most successful Crime
Stoppers Program in the world. She brings the Crime Stoppers mission
of solving crimes through anonymous tips for cash rewards to the
neighborhoods, schools and streets of Houston.
In today's culture
we have been made tragically aware that within our population there
are those persons who choose to commit crimes. Luckily, in our city,
we have Crime Stoppers. Since Crime Stoppers began here in 1981, Crime
Stopper tips have solved more than 24,000 felony crimes in the greater
Houston area. Kim Ogg will detail her background in the City of Houston's
Mayors Anti-Gang Task Force, as a board certified member of Texas
Board of Legal Specialization, as a speialist in Criminal
Law, and an Adjunct Professor at the University of Houston
Downtown. With the incidence ofcrime in our city steadily increasing
we are fortunate to have Kim Ogg who has received a national award
for her work in the Field of Criminal Justice.
|
| March 21 |
Speaker: Fred Zeidman, Chairman, U.S.
Holocaust Memorial Council, Washington D.C., Chairman, Corporate Stretegies,
Inc.
|
Fred Zeidman is a much honored community leader
in Houston and across the nation. He will bring his rich experience
in leadership and his commitment to world issues t the Pachyderm meeting..
Fred Zeidman was
a highly recognized leader in the Victory 04' Florida Outreach Bush-Cheney
04 campaign. He serves as Vice Chairman, Board of Regents for Texas
Southern University. He received the Lifetime Hero Award from Texas
Southern University and the Guardian of the Human Spirit Award from
the Holocaust Museum in Houston in 2005. Fred Zeidman is admired for
his commitment to our Republican philosophies and his willingness to
serve.
|
| March 28 |
 |
Nina Hendee and her husband Edd own and operate the Taste
of Texas Restaurant. Nina is a native Texan with a passion for
the history of our great state. Nina is a member of the Texas Historical
Foundation and an active member of the Houston Livestock
Show and Rodeo's Speakers Committee, She has won the coveted "Mega-Mouth" Award
for the past 8 years. In 1997, she was named the HLS & R Speakers
Committee, "Speaker of the Year."
Nina started her speaking career with
area school children sharing her love of Texas and its rich history.
Today approximately 13,000 Houston area students look forward
to the Taste of Texas Field Trip where they hear great tales of
our Texas forefathers, tour the restaurant, and enjoy a lunch
compliments of the owners.
|
FEBRUARY
2006 PROGRAMS
|
|
February 7
|
|
Speaker: Hon.
Peggy Hamric, Texas State Representative, District 126 and Candidate
for Texas Senate District 7 www.peggyhamric.com
Elected
to the Texas House in 1991, Hamric has received considerable praise
and accolades from some of the leading conservative organizations
in Texas, like the Texas Chamber of Commerce, the Texas Federation
of Republican Women, and the Young Conservatives of Texas. She
led the fight to pass former Gov. Bush's juvenile justice reforms
in 1995 and continues to work hard to keep our neighborhoods safe
by pushing for more resources for local law enforcement. As a former
teacher, Hamric has consistently advocated strengthening our education
system by reducing administrative overhead and putting more money
into the classrooms. As a member of the House Appropriations Committee,
she worked closely with leadership to reduce the state budget by
$10 million when we faced a shortfall in 2001. Hamric
will share her views on how she will best serve District 7 should
she be elected to the Texas Senate.
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February 14
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Program: Candidate
Forum - Race for open seat in District 133, Texas House of Representatives
Barbara
Larson www.barbaralarson.com
Jim Murphy www.votejimmurphy.com
Mike Schofield www.mikeschofield.com
In
the hotly contested race to fill the soon-to-be vacant Texas House
seat in District 133, these three excellent candidates will square
off in a Candidate Forum program format. Seeking the GOP nomination
in the March 7th Primary Election are: Barbara Larson, an attorney,
CPA and former Spring Branch ISD board member with degrees in Political
Science from UT and Law from St. Mary's University; Jim Murphy,
General Manager for the Westchase Business District and a Houston
Community College System Board member who is a UT graduate who
was also named one of Five Outstanding Young Texans in 1995; and
Mike Schofield, an attorney who resigned as Gov. Perry's assistant
general counsel in September of 2004 and moved back into the district
to run for the seat who also has degrees in Political Science from
Rutgers University and in Law from LSU. They will discuss their
candidacies and qualifications on how to best serve our state and
the constituents in District 133.
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February 21
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PROGRAM CHANGE
PROGRAM CHANGE |
Speaker: Charles Bacarisse, a Club member and the Harris County
District Clerk, will give his presentation to our Club this Tuesday
concerning, "THE COUNTY BUDGET FROM THE BOTTOM UP" - a
rare insight into how the County conducts its budgeting process, where
the tax money comes from and where it goes throughout all County programs.
He will also give us
an update about the latest news from the Harris County Historical
Document Preservation Program and his dedication to establishing
a successful future by respecting what has been done in the past.
Charles was kind enough
to re-arrange his schedule to fill our speaker’s
role when the two House candidates who were to appear in a forum
cancelled at the last minute. Let’s
turn out to hear this very interesting presentation and support Charles
for his dedication to the Pachyderm Club. |
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February 28
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Program: Candidate
Forum - Race for Harris County Treasurer
Jack
Cato www.co.harris.tx.us
Orlando Sanchez www.orlandosanchez.com
The Harris
County Treasurer is the chief custodian of county funds and disburses
them as directed by the Commissioners Court. The Treasurer, who
also serves the Flood Control District and the Port of Houston
Authority, is elected to a four-year term. Running for this post
is Incumbent Jack Cato and former Houston city council member Orland
Sanchez. Both will address us in a Candidate Forum program format.
Cato was first elected to the position in 1998 after 25 years as
a television reporter and four as a spokesperson for the Houston
Police Department. Sanchez, currently a member of the Board of
Directors for Capital Bank, served three terms on city council
before running twice unsuccessfully for Mayor of Houston, first
in 2001 and then again in 2003. Both candidates will discuss how
they feel they can best serve Harris County residents in this strictly
administrative position, one that has been abolished by many other
Texas counties.
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JANUARY
2006 PROGRAMS
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January 3
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Speaker:
Hon. Robert Eckels, Harris County Judge
www.judgeeckels.org
As presiding officer of the Harris County Commissioners Court since
1995, Eckels is the only member of the Court who serves all of the citizens
of our nation's third most populous county. Recently named one of the "30
Best and Brightest Americans" by Esquire Magazine, Eckels is a conservative
steward of public funds who has brought constituencies together to develop
solutions on issues ranging from transportation to public health. Most
recently, in his dual role as Director of Harris County's Office of Homeland
Security and Emergency Management, he coordinated the largest response to a
hurricane tragedy our nation has ever seen. The Judge will recount the story
of how he and his team met our area's unprecedented crisis management
challenges in the aftermath of Katrina and then again in the face of Rita.
His efforts gained nationwide acclaim and our area's response has tagged
Houston as "the city with a heart". Judge Eckels will also swear-in our new
Greater Houston Pachyderm Club Officers and Directors for 2006.
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January 10
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Speaker: Dan
Patrick, Candidate for Texas Senate District 7 www.danpatrickforsenate.com
A
community advocate, conservative radio talk-show host, author, and
now a candidate for Texas Senate District 7, Patrick's passionate
concern about the issues and needs facing our community developed
during his prominent career in television and radio broadcasting.
During the 2003 legislative session, he led citizens to Austin to
rally for lowering the property tax appraisal cap. As a result of
these efforts, he later formed CLOUT (Citizens for Lowering Our Unfair
Taxes), which currently boasts 20,000 active members across our state.
Patrick can be seen and heard regularly championing conservative
issues and Christian causes on FOX News and numerous MSNBC programs.
He also frequently serves as guest host on the Michael Reagan and
Laura Ingraham nationally syndicated talk shows. Patrick will discuss
his candidacy and his six-point "Patrick Pact with Texas" should
he be elected to the Texas Senate.
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January 17
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Speaker: Hon.
Ted Poe, United States Congressman, 2nd District of Texas www.house.gov/poe
A felony
court judge in Houston for over 22 years, Poe just completed his
first year as a freshman representative in the United States Congress.
One of Poe's first actions in Washington was to form the Congressional
Victims Caucus. The caucus facilitates discussions, organizes meetings,
and disseminates information on causes of victimization to help
achieve greater understanding and to formulate sensible solutions.
Poe has also obtained significant appointments to the House Committee
on Transportation and Infrastructure, the House Committee on International
Relations, and the House Committee on Small Business. He will discuss
some of his experiences while serving in his first year in Congress.
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January 24
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Speaker: Hon.
Joe Nixon, Texas State Representative, District 133 and Candidate
for Texas Senate District 7 www.joenixon.com
First elected
to the Texas House of Representatives in 1994, Nixon has spent
the past 11 years fighting for lower taxes, balanced budgets and
traditional family values. He has effectively worked to be a positive
part of the solution in Austin, not the problem. Texans who know
Nixon best clearly recognize the positive leadership he has provided
on critical issues affecting our state. He has been re-elected
six consecutive times, while his fellow Republicans have continually
elevated him to positions of great trust and responsibility in
the Texas House. In the last session, Nixon was appointed Republican
Whip by his peers. He also chaired the Civil Practices Committee
and served on the Juvenile Justice and Family Issues Committees.
Nixon is an attorney who is board certified in Civil Trial Law.
He will share his views on how he will best serve District 7 and
the citizens of our state should he be elected to the Texas Senate.
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January 31
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Speaker: Hon.
Mark Ellis, Houston City Council Member At-Large, Position One
and Candidate for Texas Senate District 7 www.mark-ellis.com
First elected
to Houston City Council in 1999, Ellis was reelected as the District
F Council Member in 2001 and then as an At-Large member in 2003.
Predicated upon conservative principles, common sense, and an understanding
of local issues, Ellis is committed to enhancing our business climate,
reducing property taxes, and limiting the growth of government.
He was named 2002 Council Member of the Year by the Houston Police
Officers Union and was appointed by Gov. Rick Perry in 2004 to
serve on the Texas Public Finance Authority. As a certified financial
planner and successful businessman, Ellis was driven to public
service as a result of his frustration with high taxes, poor city
services and an understanding that government can do a better job,
more efficiently, with less money. He will discuss his candidacy
to represent District 7 in the Texas Senate.
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