Photos by Mary Alys Cherry and David Postma
San Jacinto College Chancellor Dr. Brenda Hellyer is presented the Quasar Award by Bay Area Houston Economic Partnership Board Chairman Todd Caliva at the Jan. 24 Quasar Banquet at South Shore Harbour Resort as BAHEP President Bob Mitchell, right, and incoming BAHEP Board Chairman Robert McAfoos, left, smile their approval.
Seabrook Mayor Thom Kolupski and his wife, Tamara, left, stop for a photo with Bay Area Houston Transportation Partnership Chairman Carl Joiner and his wife, Colleen.
Pasadena Mayor Jeff Wagner, left, with Economic Alliance Port Region CEO Chad Burke.
BRENDA HELLYER HONORED WITH BAHEP’S QUASAR AWARD DR. BRENDA HELLYER, the San Jacinto College chancellor who has taken the Bay Area school to new heights in recent years, received a signal honor Jan. 24 when the Bay Area Houston Economic Partnership presented her with its coveted Quasar Award. BAHEP Board Chairman Todd Caliva presented the award before a blacktie crowd of nearly 600 gathered in South Shore Harbour Resort’s Crystal Ballroom. Besides becoming the educational training partner for the Houston Spaceport, the school has twice recently been awarded the Aspen Prize, listing it in the top 10 community colleges in the country. Afterwards, Bob Mitchell commented on her selection as he joined them on stage to also introduce the new board chairman, Barrios Technology President Robert McAfoos. “Brenda Hellyer represents the best in all of us,” BAHEP President Bob Mitchell said of her selection. “She is the ultimate professional who cares deeply about her family, her students, faculty and staff at San Jacinto College, and her community. Brenda’s passionate commitment to providing educational access and diverse career opportunities for everyone in the region affects us all directly or indirectly. She is highly deserving of BAHEP’s Quasar Award.” Dozens of elected officials and their spouses were in the happy crowd, including Congressmen Dr. Brian Babin,
MARY ALYS CHERRY Pete Olson and Randy Weber, Galveston County Judge Mark Henry and County Commissioner Ken Clark, Harris County Commissioner Adrian Garcia, State Sen. Larry Taylor, State Reps. Dr. Greg Bonnen, Dennis Paul, Mary Perez and Ed Thompson; Mayors Pat Hallisey of League City, Jeff Wagner of Pasadena, Julie Masters of Dickinson, Thom Kolupski of Seabrook, Michel Bechtel of Morgan’s Point, Mark Denman of Nassau Bay, Terri Gayle of Kemah, Louis Rigby of La Porte, Donna Rogers of Webster and Houston Mayor Pro tem Dave Martin Plus, a number of city councilors – David Robinson of Houston, Andrea Wilson, Larry Tosto, Beverly Gaines, Martin Graves, Edward Lapeyre and Jennifer Heidt of Webster; Trish Hanks of Friendswood, Greg Grippon, Andy Mann and Todd Kinsey of League City, Laura Davis, Ed Klein and Joe Machol of Seabrook; Teresa Vasquez Evans of Kemah; Jay Martin, Steve Gillette and Brandon Lunsford of La Porte; and Don
Johnson Space Center Director Mark Geyer, center, visits with MEI Technologies CEO David Cazes and Jacobs Engineering Vice President and GM Joy Kelly as they await the start of the 2020 Quasar Banquet.
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Bay Area Houston Magazine | FEBRUARY 2020
Matter, Bryce Klug, Bob Warters, Matt Prior, John Mahon and Ashley Graves of Nassau Bay. Many educators were there, including San Jac Vice Chancellors Teri Crawford, Dr. Allatia Harris and Sandra Ramirez and SJC Board members Dr. Ruede Wheeler, Larry Wilson, Marie Flickinger, Dan Mims and Erica Davis Rouse. Plus UH-Clear Lake President Dr. Ira Blake and Deans Rick Short and Miguel Gonzalez; Clear Creek ISD Superintendent Dr. Greg Smith and Dickinson ISD Superintendent Carla Voelkel. Johnson Space Center Director Mark Geyer and Deputy Director Vanessa Wyche and their spouses were among a host of aerospace folks enjoying the event – Lockheed Martin VP Dr. Mike Hawes, GB Tech President Gale Burkett, MEI Technologies CEO David Cazes, Barrios Chairman Sandra Johnson and Program Manager Mark Polansky, Boeing officials Brian Freedman and Peter McGrath, Alpha Space CEO Mark Gittleman, NASA’s ISS Program Manager Kirk Shireman, KBR VP Genie Bopp, Oceaneering VP Mike Bloomfield, MRI Technologies President and VP Debbie and Tim Kropp, SAIC Director Charlie Stegemoeller, Cimarron VP Kurt Restemyer, Jacobs Deputy GM Paul Nemeth and Bastion Technologies President Jorge Hernandez. Turning around, you might have
Bay Area Houston Magazine CEO Rick Clapp, Economic Alliance CEO Chad Burke; seated, Jesse Maury of Gulf States Toyota and Truist Bank Marketing President Danielle Parkes.
bumped into Kuraray President and CEO Hitoshi Toyoura and GM Robert Armstrong, BayTran Chairman Carl Joiner, Space City Films CEO Marc Havican, bankers Mike Huss, Kenny and Kristi Konkaba, Brent Cockerham, Jesse Maury and Mathew Orth; Education Foundation CEO Deborah Laine, attorneys Joe Barlow, Dick Gregg Jr. and Dick Gregg III; Rebecca Lilley and Ashlea Quinonez of Memorial Hermann, BayTran President Theresa Rodriguez, Bay Area Houston Magazine CEO Rick Clapp, Economic Alliance CEO Chad Burke, City Managers Gayle Cooke, Seabrook, Danny Presley, Webster, and Jason Reynolds, Nassau Bay; and Houston Airport GMs Mario Diaz and Arturo Machuca. Other faces in the crowd included Elizabeth and Dan Seal, Jeff and Mengo Carr, Debbie and Peter Wuenschel, Phyllis and Dr. Bernie Milstein, Beverly and Dennis Peterson, Steve and Jana Phelps, Pat and Wendell Wilson, Emmeline Dodd and Gene Hollier, John and Shari Wilkins, TJ and Beth Aulds, Harv and Carolyn Hartman, Carol and Bob Robinson and Jack and Marcy Fryday. Joyce Abbey, Kaci Hanson, Eva and Alberto deCardenas, Donald O’Connor and Kimberly Fleming, Cindy and Jeff DeWease, Glenn and Sara Freedman and newlyweds Ernie and Elizabeth Smith.
Attorney Dick Gregg III and Kim Dubois, right, get a warm welcome from BAHEP Membership Director Harriet Pilgrim and her husband, Jon, as they arrive at the Quasar Banquet.
