Clear Lake Chatter 1

Outgoing BAHEP Board Chairman Charles Stegemoeller and his wife Annette arrive at South Shore Harbour Resort for the 2022 Quasar Banquet. State Sen. Carol Alvarado, right, stops to say hello to San Jacinto College Vice Chancellor Teri Crawford, left, and Caraway Group President Kippy Caraway as they enjoy the Quasar Banquet. Dr. Greg Bonnen, 2021 Quasar Award winner, and his wife Kim enjoy the Bay Area Houston Economic Partnership’s Quasar Banquet at South Shore Harbour Resort. Harris County Commissioner Adrian Garcia, right, makes a point at the Quasar Banquet with Clear Creek ISD Superintendent Dr. Eric Williams, left, as Trustee Arturo Sanchez looks on. Attorney Dick Gregg III and his wife Kim look over the crowd as they make their way into the South Shore Harbour ballroom for the BAHEP Quasar Banquet.

Dr. Greg Bonnen, Dave Martin are honored at BAHEP Quasar Banquet

ABLACK-TIE CROWD of nearly 600 cheered their approval when the Bay Area Houston Economic Partnership honored two of our best known elected officials at the 2021 & 2022 Quasar Banquet – Houston Mayor Pro Tem Dave Martin and Texas State Rep. Dr. Greg

Bonnen.

Dr. Bonnen was presented the 2021 Quasar Award while Dave Martin was the recipient of the 2022 Quasar Award since the banquet was not held last year because of the COVID pandemic. Both seemed humbled to be recipients of the coveted award and said so in their acceptance remarks. BAHEP President Bob Mitchell introduced the 2021 BAHEP board chairman, SAIC executive Charlie Stegemoeller; and the new 2022 board chairman, Texas Bank CEO Kenny Koncaba, along with Barrios Technology Vice President Robert McAfoos, the 2020 board chairman – with all working together to present an enjoyable program, with only one sad note. That came from Bob Mitchell, who told the audience that this would be his last Quasar Banquet, as he plans to retire at the end of the year.

MANY VIPs

And, what an audience – lots of elected officials, top educators and company executives including Congressman Randy Weber, State Sen. Larry Taylor and State Rep. Ed Thompson, Harris County Commissioner Adrian Garcia, Johnson Space Center Director Vanessa Wyche, UHCL Interim President Dr. Richard Walker, Special Assistant to the UH Chancellor Dr. Ira Blake, Texas A&M Galveston Vice President Col. Michael Fossum and San Jacinto College Chancellor Dr. Brenda Hellyer, Superintendents Dr. Eric Williams of Clear Creek ISD, Dr. Walter Jackson of La Porte ISD and Carla Voelkel of Dickinson ISD, CIS-Bay Area Executive Director Dr. Peter Wuenschel and CCISD Trustees Jonathan Cottrell and Arturo Sanchez. Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner headed a number of mayors, including Mike Foreman of Friendswood, Carl Joiner of Kemah, Louis Rigby of La Porte, Pat Hallisey of League City, Michel Bechtel of Morgan’s Point, Bob Warters of Nassau

MARY ALYS CHERRY

Bay, Kevin Cole of Pearland, Thom Kolupski of Seabrook, Jon Keeney of Taylor Lake Village and Donna Rogers of Webster, along with Mayor Pro Tems Trish Hanks of Friendswood, Jay Martin of La Porte, the Rev. William King III of Dickinson, Don Matter of Nassau Bay and Beverly Gaines of Webster – many with their spouses.

CITY OFFICIALS

Councilmembers joining the celebration included Sally Branson and Steve Rockey of Friendswood, David Robinson, Sallie Alcorn and Robert Gallegos of Houston, Teresa Vazquez Evans of Kemah, Brent McCaulley of La Porte,

Hank Dugie, Andy Mann, Larry Millican and

John Bowen of League City, Sandra Mossman, Ashley Graves, Bryce Klug and Phil Johnson of Nassau Bay, Thomas Schoenbein of Pasadena, Joe Machol, Ed Klein and Mike Giangrosso of Seabrook, Bob Davee of Taylor Lake Village, and Martin Graves and Larry Tosto of Webster. Nearby, you might have spotted Boeing Vice President John Mulholland, Aegis Aerospace CEO Mark Gittleman with wife, Joan; Griffin Partners founder Fred Griffin and his wife, Betsy; Lockheed Martin Vice President Kirk Shireman and wife, Kris; GB Tech President Gale Burkett and wife, Jean; Barrios Technology CEO Sandy Johnson and President Kelly Page; Jacobs Clear Lake Group GM Joy Kelly and husband, Don; MRI Technologies execs Tim and Debbie Kropp; HCA Clear Lake Hospital CEO Todd Caliva; BayTran Executive Director Amy Skicki, Minuteman Press owners Jim and Jane Sweeney; HomeTown Bank Senior VP Bill Provenzano and wife, Mindy; Assured Partners President Ron Masters and his wife, Julie; Kuraray VP Sam Suzuki and wife,Tamiko; and Houston Airport officials Mario Diaz and Arturo Machuca.

HONOREE TABLE

The two Quasar Award recipients and their wives, Kim Bonnen and Julie Martin, joined the BAHEP president and his wife, Joan McKinney, and grandson Drayton Mitchell, at the honoree table, as did JSC Director Vanessa Wyche and her husband George, along with Charles Stegemoeller and Kenny Koncaba and their wives, Annette and Kristi, plus Robert McAfoos and his daughter, Laura, and Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner. Clear Lake Chamber President Cindy DeWease and husband Jeff were also in the crowd, as were Pat and Wendell Wilson, Marc Havican, Mike

and Marilyn Huss, Kippy Caraway, Brent and Amy Cockerham, Steve and Jana Phelps, Rick and Debbie Williams, Peggy Zahler, Pamela Archer, Simon Urbanic, Sara and Dr. Glenn Freedman, Marcy Fryday, Laura and Jamieson MacKay, Mark and Michelle Rush, Jon and Harriet Pilgrim, David and Marie Flickinger and

Paul and Sharon Maaz, to name a few.