September 2012 - The Business Lifestyle Magazine Digital Edition

Volume 30 • No. 9

2012 HONORING AMERICA’S HEROES GALA

THE BUSINESS LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE

September 2012

KRIS ALLFREY GIVES HIS ALL INSIDE FEATURE / STORIES

Fort Bend Banking & Finance Future Concert/Performing Arts Venue in Sugar Land Can I See It In A Video?

Fort Bend Newsworthy & Names in the News Fort Bend Chamber of Commerce Newsletter 4.95

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PRSRT STD U.S. POSTAGE PAID PERMIT NO. 600 HOUSTON, TEXAS

Join us for

Pretty in Pink Town Square Presented by

Kelly Dempsey, M.D. and Sandra Templeton, M.D. in partnership with Methodist Sugar Land Hospital and the Fort Bend Junior Service League

Friday

October 19, 2012 6-9 p.m.

Sugar Land Town Square

Light up Town Square Pink at sundown to honor all cancer survivors.

Pretty in Pink – Town Square is a charity event for the entire family.

100% of the proceeds from Pretty in Pink will stay within our community to assist patients with the personal costs associated with fighting cancer.

Keynote Speaker: Gail Parker, Breast Cancer Survivor Pink Fire Truck Live Music Moonwalk Face Painting Magician Balloon Artist

To Donate

Go to MethodistSugarLand.com and click “Pretty in Pink _Town Square” This ad generously donated by Fort Bend Business Journal.

Thank You to Our Sponsors Kelly Dempsey, M.D. & Sandra Templeton, M.D. Texas Spine and Neurosurgery TNT Dynamite Sugar Land Vein Specialists Pierre Chevray, M.D., Ph.D. Consolidated Home Health Houston Radiology Associated Methodist Orthopaedic Specialists of Texas Renew Laser and Skin GHA Brain and Spine Clinic, PA Colorectal Surgical Associates Richmond Gastroenterology Associates Sugar Land Colon and Rectal Clinic Stephen Phillips, M.D. Advance Oncology Charles Conlon, M.D. Clive Shkedy, M.D. Randy & Gail Parker Sugar Land OB/GYN Sugar Land Oncology Sugar Land Pulmonary Associates Uttam Tripathy, M.D. & Imran Mohiuddin, M.D. Turner Construction Company

TExAS DiRECT AUTO

Named $30,000 keystoNe spoNsor at Fort BeNd CouNty Fair & rodeo

T

exas Direct Auto, the nations’ largest independent car dealership located in Fort Bend County, will continue to support the Fort Bend County Fair & Rodeo as a 2012 Keystone Sponsor donating $30,000 in part towards the Fort Bend County Fair scholarship program! Texas Direct Auto believes that education is a vital part of our community and focuses on providing opportunities for higher education to youth in the Fort Bend County community. This unique partnership with the Fort Bend County Fair will help finance a number of scholarships awarded to local qualifying youth, as youth education is the primary focus of the fair as well. A long-standing tradition, the FBCFA awards thirty-two scholarships to high school youth through their involvement with the fair.

Texas Direct Auto Director of Business Development Jessica DeMarr states, “Our own program, ‘Scholarship Stars,’ is one example of our commitment to help students increase their educational opportunities. We are very happy to support FBCFA as they continue to honor qualifying county students with scholarships each year.”

The 2012 Fair President Russell Gibson spoke about the Texas Direct Auto sponsorship saying, “We are very pleased to have Texas Direct Auto back as a sponsor for another

year. Not only do they help us with financial assistance, they also help us with events such as supplying vehicles for the parade, items for the first ever Diaper Derby and much more.”

Saturday, September 29th has been named Texas Direct Auto Day at the Fort Bend County Fair & Rodeo.

In addition to their commitment as Keystone sponsors, Texas Direct Auto will also provide the following: • Host all Fair Queen Candidates at Texas Direct Auto ticket stop to help them sell their tickets resulting in scholarships.

• Provide prizes for seniors on Senior Citizens Day. The fair takes place September 28th through October 7th at the Fort Bend County Fairgrounds. Special event days include: • Senior Citizens Day: September 24th • Parade: September 28th • Texas Direct Auto Day: September 29th • Diaper Derby: September 29th • Barbeque Cook-off: October 5th & 6th • PRCA Rodeo & Mutton Bustin’: October 5th & 6th • PRCA Bull Bash & Mutton Bustin’: October 7th For more information, visit www.fortbendcountyfair.com.

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Editor’s Preview

by Sharon Wallingford

The Editorial Advisory Board

Fall is coming! Fall is coming!

F

Kolbe Curtice CCIM, CLS Managing Director – Colliers International | Fort Bend

ort Bend County begins

To gear up for the elections in

to feel a little cooler in

November study your local needs as

September. Seems as though

well as what you need to know about

an invisible current is lurking

the nation’s electric grid and what

around the corner that might cool Texas

changes need to take place. What about

in the not so far future. Maybe the next

those pending tax hikes, what’s going

day will be cooler..maybe the next.....until

to happen with healthcare, Medicare,

it finally arrives for a day or even two.

Medicaid, and Social Security, do

September brings so much for all

change regulations that hurt businesses

immediate communities. Classes are in

and job growth, Hey, what about the

session. Art shows and craft festivals are

environment? It’s your call on the ballot.

underway. Bazaars are inviting exhibitors

It’s your bank account when it becomes

of homemade jams, sauces and pickles

law.

and the month becomes an ideal 30-day

Veteran Kris Allfrey is someone to

notice to alert us the holidays are on the

meet. He’s putting his name on the line to

way. Shopping then becomes an active

run for elected office. Read about him and

verb.

his family - all the trials and tribulations front of him. He’s a candidate for Texas

want to sit down and familiarize, educate

State House Representatives District 27. coming to Missouri City. The water

all out - ask does it affect my business,

bottling plant is bringing more jobs and

family or self - and don’t for a minute

is a welcome development for the entire

shy away from getting your questions

county.

Keep those cash registers ringing!

then stop all the ridiculous political thunderbolt gossip you possibly can.

2

Tim Stubenrouch President First Community Bank

John Whitmore Whitmore Company

There’s even more to come in October.

- the library, the Internet, your elected officials have phone numbers too - and

Alan Sandersen Certified Public Accountant Sandersen Knox & Co. L.L.P.

Stay cool by reading about Niagara

updates you can possibly find. Check it

answered. Use all the resources available

Becky Munnell President and CEO Blue Jungle Marketing

and the bright future that is unfolding in

preparation for the conventions, you may and study the most recent legislative

Dee Koch Grant Officer The George Foundation

we audit the Feds, stop foreign aid,

of us to see and do in and around our

Politics remains in the air. In

Jacqueline Baly Chaumette President and CEO Baly Projects, LLC

Sharon K. Wallingford

Fort Bend Business Journal • September 2012

Contact: Sharon K. Wallingford Sharon@FortBendStar.com Mary Doetterl Mary@FortBendStar.com 281.690.4204

M A I N TA I N I N G A F U L L R A N G E OF MOTION REQUIRES A FULL RANGE OF SERVICES.

When you can’t perform at your best because of an injury or are simply suffering through pain and need a total joint replacement, turn to St. Luke’s Sugar Land Hospital. Our board-certified orthopedic surgeons will diagnose and develop a treatment plan that’s right for you. Whether your need is rehabilitation or surgery, you can rest assured that you’ll receive the best care possible, backed by a name you know and trust. Our priority is to get you back on your feet in the shortest time possible, so you can go back to enjoying your active lifestyle.

StLukesSugarLand.com generated at BeQRious.com

Highway 59 one block north of Highway 6 at Lake Pointe Parkway 1317 Lake Pointe Parkway, Sugar Land, TX 77478 | 281-637-7000

CONTENTS

Fort Bend/Katy

Cover Story

Volume 30 • Number 8 • September 2012 For subscriptions send check for $25 to Fort Bend Business Journal

Kris Allfrey Gives His All pg.

26

Special Feature

4655 Techniplex Dr., Suite 300 Stafford, Texas 77477 281-690-4200 TOLL FREE 1-888-430-7478 www.fortbendstar.com Single copy $4.95

PUBLISHER.................................... Beverly Carter

Fort Bend Banking & Finance. .................................................... 13

Inside Stories

GENERAL MANAGER............Michael Fredrickson

EDITOR ...........................................Sharon Wallingford

Sugar Land gains concert venue.................................................................................................. 6

ADVERTISING DIRECTOR ..................Mary Doetterl

County judge hosts Homeland Security executive education seminar..........................30

MARKETING

Attention cruisers, port business booms.................................................................................40

CONSULTANTS................ Jennifer Pappas-Blancas

Two new businesses locate in Sugar Land Town Square...................................................42

Diane Strehl Ann Sturrock

Mason Creek developers share confidence...........................................................................44 Anson Aviation breaks ground...................................................................................................48

RESIDENTIAL REAL ESTATE

Niagara brings plant to Missouri City.......................................................................................56

SPECIALIST.........................................Becky Hall

Harrison Gregg Jr. named to Bar Association Hall of Fame...............................................50

Monthly Columns Alan Sandersen

ART DIRECTOR.................................Joey Belleza

Kolbe Curtice CCIM, CLS

Tax Smart

Commercial Real Estate

Discusses Build a Future For Your Heris...

And Your Business......................... 18

Discusses New Accounting For Leases To Have Dramatic Impact.................... 29

Chad Ellis

Elsa Maxey

Law and Business Discusses The Affordable Care Act: A Tax, For Doing Nothing................ 39

CONTRIBUTOR ...........................Wayne Chandler

GRAPHIC DESIGNER / WEB.............Carlo Arcillas

Star Digital Studios

Discusses Can I See It In A Video?................... 43

Monthly Departments Fort Bend Chamber of Commerce Newsletter...................................................31-38 Newsworthy ......................................................................................................46-49 Names in the News...........................................................................................50-51 Data Beat...........................................................................................................52-55 Service Directory...............................................................................................60-62 Meet & Eat - Food, Drink & Entertainment Guide............................................62-64

4

Fort Bend Business Journal • September 2012

ON THE COVER KRIS ALLFREY

©2012 Fort Bend Business Journal Magazine No material from this publication be copied or in any way reproduced without written permission from the publisher.

Butch Watterson Denise & Greg Houser

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Agreement approved for future concert/performing arts venue in Sugar Land

T

he Sugar Land Development Corporation and Sugar Land City Council approved on Aug. 7 a Letter of Intent with ACE Sugar Land, LLC, for the development of a future concert and performing arts facility.

The agreement defines the terms of a public/private partnership for a 6,500-seat concert and performing arts facility in Sugar Land. The venue’s proposed location is a 21-acre site near the intersection of U.S. Highway 59 and University Boulevard, an area that will include a larger mixeduse development within an area of Telfair identified for commercial, office and entertainment purposes. No time line has been set for completion of the project.

The Letter of Intent establishes funding to begin programming and schematic design, with a focus on creating a signature facility that will be financially feasible and operationally self-sustainable.

The concert/performing arts venue is expected to benefit the community by promoting economic development, creating employment opportunities and enhancing educational offerings.

In 2007, a citizen-appointed Visioning Task Force identified five preferred entertainment venues it felt would fulfill the vision of developing Sugar Land as a destination location for residential, employment, retail and medical services and entertainment. The Task Force’s top three priorities included a professional minor league baseball park, an outdoor festival site and an indoor concert venue. Sugar Land voters overwhelmingly approved the proposed venues and funding in a November 2008 referendum. Constellation Field opened in April 2012, and more than 250,000 visitors

6

have attended ballgames to date, exceeding all prior attendance projections.

A 2008 Market Analysis and Feasibility Study and an updated 2012 study showed that a concert/performing arts venue in Sugar Land would promote capital investment, create new jobs, enhance educational opportunities and create unique destination activities attracting local and regional visitors.

“Making Sugar Land a destination for culture and entertainment has been a long-held vision of our citizens and City Council,” said Mayor James Thompson. “We believe this will fill a much-needed gap in entertainment needs in this part of the greater Houston region and bring many more people here to enjoy the arts and all that our City offers.”

In May 2011, the City approved a memorandum of understanding with ACE SL LLC, a company selected based on its operational experience and knowledge of the entertainment industry.

“My partners and I are honored to be selected by the City of Sugar Land as its partner in the planning and development of this exciting project,” stated Allen Becker, chairman of ACE SL LLC. “We have been fortunate in our over 30 years in the live entertainment business to have worked in the major cities of the United States and Canada, as well as in many markets throughout the world. But nothing beats home, and we will work as hard as it takes to make this facility a success for the City of Sugar Land, and to bring the best in entertainment to this community, our community!”

ACE SL, LLC, brings an experienced team of locally-based entertainment industry professionals to the project, led

by Allen J. Becker, TONY Award-winning founding chairman of PACE Entertainment

Fort Bend Business Journal • September 2012

Corporation. The ACE Executive Team also includes Brian E. Becker, Gary D. Becker, David M. Anderson, Gary A. Markowitz and Kirk B. Feldmann. Together, they offer more than 175 years of experience and success in local, national and international entertainment ventures, including pioneering the development of new music and theatrical venues, as well as the entertainment to fill them.

As a regional employment center, Sugar Land is home to numerous high-profile regional and international corporations housed in more than 22 million square feet of commercial space, including Minute Maid, Schlumberger, Fluor Corporation, Bechtel EO and Aetna.

Sugar Land has also uniquely positioned itself as a hub for premium shopping, dining and entertainment. Venues such as the Houston Museum of Natural Science at Sugar Land, the recently announced Constellation Field, as well as the future concert/performing arts center and Sugar Land Heritage Museum will further establish the community as a cultural and historical destination.

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September 2012 • Fort Bend Business Journal

7

Sugar Land Surgical Hospital re-opens its doors to serve growing community

O

n September 4th, Sugar Land Surgical Hospital will be re-opening its doors in a brand new, shining facility and ready to serve the Sugar Land area with expanded offerings and a friendly, caring staff. The new Sugar Land Surgical Hospital will be very easy to access, located at the intersection of 59 South and Sweetwater Blvd. The Emergency Rooms are open 24/7/365 to handle major and all minor injuries and illnesses with no wasted time spent in the waiting room.

The new Sugar Land Surgical Hospital will offer a full service laboratory, as well as on-site radiology services that will include x-ray, diagnostic ultrasound, MRI, and CT scanning capabilities to

handle your individual emergency situation quickly and effectively. The Emergency Department at Sugar Land Surgical Hospital is staffed by qualified physicians and nurses who have many years of ER experience and specialize in fracture care, lacerations, abdominal pain, dehydration, and other ailments.

Sugar Land Surgical Hospital accepts all private insurances, as well as Medicare and Medicaid. It is also fully licensed by the State of Texas as an acute care hospital and is accredited by The Joint Commission. This accreditation is a symbol of quality patient care, and reflects Sugar Land Surgical Hospital’s commitment to meeting established performance standards and best practices.

Sugar Land Surgical Hospital has been a part of Sugar Land’s medical

service community since 2002 and has earned an established reputation for providing first-class surgical and emergency services in a safe, comfortable, and welcoming environment. Sugar Land Surgical Hospital is also proud to be partnered with some of the best physicians in the local area. At Sugar Land Surgical Hospital, you are not just another patient.

You are an individual who receives personalized attention, treatment, and care that you would expect from your choice of emergency services.

Sugar Land Surgical Hospital is located at 16906 SW Frwy, Sugar Land, or visit www.sugarlandsurgicalhospital. com.

For additional information contact JP Crawford, Operations Manager at 281-243-1000.

Fulshear State of the City

Presented By

with

Mayor Tommy Kuykendall To register for or to sponsor any event, contact Angie at 281.342.5464 or angie@cfbca.org.

Friday, October 12 - 7:30 am - 9:00 am Irene Stern Community Center - 6920 Katy Fulshear Road - Fulshear

Save the Date November 10

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Fort Bend Business Journal • September 2012

September 2012 • Fort Bend Business Journal

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Mirvana Acupuncture is getting to the point!

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hrough the dedication and leadership of business owner Sonya Patel, LAC, Mirvana Acupuncture & Chinese Herbs continues to expand and thrive as a place where patients receive excellent care.

Located in the heart of Sugar Land at 736 Highway 6, Suite 103, the clinic is now in its second year of operation and continues to maintain the coveted A rating from the Better Business Bureau (BBB). In addition Mirvana Acupuncture recently received the 2012 BBB Award for Excellence, Winner of Distinction. Ms. Patel is passionate about not only providing individual patients with customized services but also collaborating with other healthcare providers in the community to offer the best options when it comes to complementary medicine.

Through the use of acupuncture and herbs

Ms. Patel addresses a variety of conditions including Fertility, Pain Management, Stress/Anxiety, Sleep Disorders, Menopause and Allergies/Asthma to name a few. The office décor and location of Mirvana Acupuncture and Chinese Herbs have also been instrumental in its success. It is an upscale, contemporary clinic designed with the patient’s comfort in mind. The clinic is reminiscent of a spa; soothing decor and natural material enhance the relaxation and healing therapies. Mirvana Acupuncture combines ancient medicine with modern technology including 24 hour on-line scheduling, email reminders for appointments and an electronic patient database.

Sonya understands the importance of giving back to the community. She has been a volunteer for the American Red Cross, and has helped raised funds for victims of

natural disasters, Shriner’s Hospital, and was a rider for the MS-150. She continues to volunteer & raise funds for charities throughout Texas.

Sonya is nationally certified and a Fellow of the American Board of Oriental Reproductive Medicine, Integrative Pain Management, and Cosmetic Acupuncture, and Cancer care by Memorial SloanKettering. Sonya is a member of the National Association of Professional Women. She graduated as valedictorian of her class from both the University of Houston (BS Nutrition & Foods, 1999) and in 2002 with a Masters of Science from the American College of Acupuncture & Oriental Medicine.

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Fort Bend Business Journal • September 2012

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7/17/12 11:09 AM September 2012 • Fort Bend Business Journal

Special Feature Fort Bend Banking & Finance

Irrevocable does not mean Immovable

By Paul B. Jackson, CFA, AIF Centurion Advisors Corp.

T

here are many reasons why establishing trusts to hold assets make sense. These include for estate tax purposes, liquidity, legacy, appreciation and blended families just to name a few. When it comes to planning for these trusts, working with a qualified estate attorney as well as a competent asset manager who understands the ins and outs of asset management within trusts is a must.

In addition to establishing new trusts for these benefits, maintaining existing trusts with the right partners is just as important.

Much has taken place over the past decades to the trust market, including small banks and trust companies being acquired by large multinational firms, and trust client outsourcing. As a result of these transfers to larger banks and increased costs, minimum asset and fee requirements have been raised.

The result is trustees being forced to either find new partners with which to work, or accepting a lower level of service than previously received from more personal relationships with community banks.

In addition, mediocre investment performance and demand for open architecture in asset management has occurred. With the conversion of trusts to different platforms over the years, the expertise in asset management has taken the passenger seat to consolidation of services through bundled trust service environments.

As the beneficiary of or trustee for a trust, it is important from time to time to benchmark what services you are receiving, as well as the fees being charged for these services. Do you have the right team working for you and receiving the appropriate level of services for the fees being charged? The right team is significant to the trust’s success in achieving its objectives.

So, what does this team look like?

There are four important partners to this

team – an estate attorney, a custodian, a corporate trustee, and an asset manager.

The most important item to consider is independence among the partners. For example, for fiduciary purposes, a trustee should not also act as the asset manager to avoid conflicts of interest.

At Centurion Advisors, we have developed independent relationships with these partners to assist you in your trust management. All partners act independently of one another, but together for administration and management of the trust. This type of unbundled arrangement can assure that the best in class for each area is working for you.

Paul Jackson is President of Centurion Advisors Corp, a Registered Investment Advisor located in Sugar Land, TX. Paul is a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) charterholder and an Accredited Investment Fiduciary (AIF) designee.

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Fort Bend Business Journal • September 2012

Individual and institutional investment management Portfolio management based on your risk assessment Variable annuities investment consulting 401(k) / 403(b) portfolio management 401(k) plan development and benchmarking Comprehensive wealth management

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Special Feature Fort Bend Banking & Finance

Houston Community Bank, N.A. rates 5 Stars

A

re you looking for new ways to achieve your Business Goals?

• Are you constantly faced with complex business issues and can’t seem to get satisfaction from your advisors?

• Has your bank disappeared or been purchased by a completely unknown entity?

• Do you remember when you were on a first name basis with an experienced Banker?

If you would like assistance in any of these areas, Houston Community Bank wants to HELP YOU!!!

Claude B. Leatherwood, Vice Chairman and C.O.O. of Houston Community Bank and a Sugar Land resident stated, “For over 31 years, Houston Community Bank (HCB) has been assisting small business owners with comprehensive solutions to their financial needs and requirements. HCB Bankers are experienced businessmen who understand the financial service needs of our small - to mid-size business clients, and we would like to help you, too. Additionally, the Bank also offers a wide range of customized business products and services to assist you in navigating these ever changing economic currents.”

Leatherwood explained that HCB has steadfastly maintained its Principles for Sound Banking Practices.

“As a result, our financial institution is Safe and Sound and is consistently rated a 5 Star Bank which means we are one of the Strongest Banks in the Nation.

Our entire organization is extremely proud and honored by this prestigous designation.” (See our Ad).

“As you know by now, all Banks are not alike. HCB’s Strong Capital position and sound banking practices provide businesses and consumers a safe place to bank locally and a safe place to maintain their hard-earned dollars. We also believe ready access to credit is an integral part of the life cycle of every business. HCB has over 31 years of experience in assisting businesses with these traditional sources of financing.

Accordingly, HCB is committed to

working with and creating new relationships and effective solutions for you.”

So, if you are looking for Confidence, Reassurance and a Personal Relationship in your Bank, look no further.........Choosing the right local bank just got alot easier.

Please come in or call any of our convenient Fort Bend Banking Centers (281-343-7700) and let our experienced team tell you more about how Houston Community Bank, N.A. can benefit you and your business.

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Our capital provides a strong financial foundation. We honor our commitment to you, our customer, and to our community. If you are considering a new banking relationship, please give us a call.

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houstoncommunitybank.com September 2012 • Fort Bend Business Journal

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Special Feature Fort Bend Banking & Finance

NewFirst Bank is primed for action as Fort Bend County heats up

W

hile the Fort Bend economy continues to outperform virtually all other U. S. metros, NewFirst Bank has seen a noticeable increase in loan requests. “Our pipeline of potential deals has not been this full since before the Great Recession,” remarks Fort Bend Market President Tom Shirley. “It’s as if a switch was flipped at the start of this year, especially in commercial credit requests.”

The uptick in commercial loan demand is particularly felt in Sugar Land. VP Chip Voss comments, “In Sugar Land alone, we currently have four commercial real estate loans in various stages of funding, including income producing, owner-occupied and land development. The local real estate market is heating up, and NewFirst continues to offer attractive financing options for our commercial clientele.”

The increased loan demand is not limited to commercial borrowers. As VP Terry Crockett can attest, “We have a successful residential construction program in Fort Bend that is garnering much attention.

We can take the homeowner from lot purchase, through construction and into their permanent loan.” NewFirst offers a full spectrum of conventional mortgages through their mortgage division headed up

by Nina Rivera located in their Rosenberg office.

While Fort Bend County is urbanizing before our very eyes, NewFirst has not forgotten its roots. Founded in 1902, the bank continues to emphasize agricultural lending as well. VP James Vincek serves as the Fort Bend market’s agricultural lending expert. “Loans made to produce commodities, consisting of crops and cattle, continue to be a mainstay for the West Fort Bend market.” says Vincek.

When customers enter NewFirst’s Rosenberg office, they are greeted with the familiar face of VP Chris Garza. Garza has been a lender in the Rosenberg area for 36

16

years. “I handle all types of consumer loan requests including home improvement, home equity and auto,” says Chris.

In addition to the vast array of credit facilities available at NewFirst, the bank is very proud of its treasury management services led by Dan Roach, Melody Hess, and Nancy Hoffmann. NewFirst is a community bank armed with a wide assortment of technological solutions for

their commercial clients, including remote deposit, lockbox, positive pay, merchant services and online business banking.

Fort Bend offices of NewFirst are located in Sugar Land, Rosenberg, and Needville.

Other locations include El Campo, Victoria, Wharton and Houston.

Visit www.NewFirst.com to learn more about this dynamic, 110 year old community bank.

From left to right: James Vincek, Terry Crockett, Tom Shirley, Chip Voss and Chris Garza.

From left to right: Melody Hess, Dan Roach and Nancy Hoffman.

Fort Bend Business Journal • September 2012

Special Feature Fort Bend Banking & Finance

Left to right: Tom Shirley, NewFirst, Dana Atkinson, Anson Aviation, Chip Voss, NewFirst

www.NewFirst.com NewFirst National Bank is proud to finance the construction of Anson Aviation’s state of the art hangar facility at Sugar Land Regional Airport.

Founded in 1902, NewFirst is committed to the continued growth of Fort Bend County through commercial construction and development lending.

Anson Aviation broke ground on the 24,000 square foot facility on July 31. Anson operates the FAA approved pilot school at Sugar Land Regional Airport. According to Dana Atkinson, founder and president of Anson, “we see training pilots and renting airplanes as a lifestyle business, not an airplane business.”

Rosenberg 2214 Avenue H

Needville 8914 Main Street

Sugar Land 50 Sugar Creek Center Blvd., #100

The new facility will afford Anson the ability to revolutionize the way pilots are trained in Sugar Land. Anson plans to acquire full motion flight simulators and integrate them completely into their training courses.

Concerning the construction of the project, Atkinson commented, “NewFirst National Bank is the ideal lending partner for our expansion and for our business going forward. The team at NewFirst immediately understood our plan and worked seamlessly to provide attractive financing.”

To learn more about Anson Aviation, please visit their website at www.ansonair.com.

Chip Voss, VP Commercial Lending (832) 344-2077 l cvoss@newfirst.com

September 2012 • Fort Bend Business Journal

17

Special Feature Fort Bend Banking & Finance

Y O U

A N D

Y O U R

T A X E S

Tax Smart

By Alan Sandersen

Sandersen Knox & Co. L.L.P.

Build a future for your heirs... and your business

T

he time is now for baby boomers to develop a plan to transition out of their company leadership roles.

This means everything from naming a successor to choosing the right method for shifting ownership to that successor and perhaps other family members.

Find the best candidate -Who will lead the enterprise? In a family-owned operation, finding a successor can be difficult. Family members may be qualified but have no interest in taking the reins or they may be interested but lack sufficient experience. You might have to tiptoe around sensitive family issues — especially if you have more than

one family member in the business or you have children from more than one marriage.

Take time now to develop future leaders.

Identify children or other key employees who hold leadership potential and expose them to all aspects of running the business. Share a well-defined path to find out what they need to do to become leaders of the business and design appropriate fringe benefit, deferred compensation plans, and incentive pay to help retain. This could be a decade long process, not overnight.

Make it a family affair - Encourage the entire family — whether or not they’re active in the business — to participate in the planning process and to understand the financial and personal consequences of an

unsuccessful succession.

Address how to equitably divide assets among heirs when only some of them will have control of or receive ownership interests in the business. Consider purchasing life insurance to provide for any children who won’t be involved in the business, and give ownership interests only to those who will be involved. Or, establish a family trust to own and operate the business, so that the entire family shares the risks and benefits.

Transfer ownership - The simplest way to transferring ownership of your construction company is to sell it to family members

ALAN SANDERSEN... continued on page 24

Tax Accountants • Auditors Consultants to Business Member: American Institute of Certified Public Accountants

Our professionals proudly serve Fort Bend & the Greater Houston area.

• Taxation • Tax Controversies • Litigation Support

Alan Sandersen 18

• Audits of Commercial and Governmental entities • Construction Companies

Fort Bend Business Journal • September 2012

130 Industrial Blvd., Suite 130 Sugar Land, TX 77478

281.242-3232 www.sktx.com

Special Feature Fort Bend Banking & Finance

LoweryBank: A tradition in community banking

B J. Michael Dinges President LoweryBank

uilding on tradition, strength and stability, LoweryBank announces the joining of J. Michael Dinges as President in August 2012. Michael has over 25 years of banking experience as a senior examiner with the Texas Department of Banking and as a senior lending officer with area community banks.

In addition to his duties at the bank, he served on the Board of Directors of the Fort Bend County Fair Association, is President of Fort Bend County LID #19, and was a member of the 2007 Leadership Program with the Central Fort Bend Chamber of Commerce. He is also active with the Greater Fort Bend and Katy Area Economic Development Councils, Katy Area Chamber, Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, and the Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association. A life-long resident of Fort Bend County, Michael graduated from Dulles High School and served three terms as

Mayor of Fulshear. He resides in Sugar Land.

LoweryBank is a tradition in community banking.

A division of Huntington State Bank which was established in 1961 in East Texas, the family-owned Texas bank hosts 10 offices, 9 offices primarily in East Texas, and our Sugar Land location. LoweryBank has been serving the Fort Bend County community since 2005 and its staff is deeply rooted in the Sugar Land community.

LoweryBank is a full service bank offering all the usual conveniences and friendliness a Texas bank can offer. This includes a twenty-four hour ATM location, safe deposit boxes and a full array of consumer and commercial products and services to meet your needs.

Our difference is old-time personal attention from the people who care about making your banking experience the best it can be - each and every time you call or enter our doors.

Come meet Michael and his staff.

September 2012 • Fort Bend Business Journal

19

Special Feature Fort Bend Banking & Finance

Recession: Made in China?

S

low growth has dominated storylines around the world for much of the last four years. As the developed world comes to grips with significant structural issues, emerging markets have become relatively…boring. No impactful news has come out of Brazil, Russia, India and China (the BRICs) in the last several quarters, which should give the prudent investor pause.

China is now the second largest economy in the world, moving at a breakneck pace in the 2000s. It has posted annual GDP growth of more than 7 percent in every year, with a high of 14.2 percent in 2007. By comparison, the US economy has grown by more than 4 percent only once during the decade. Now, after years of

“unachievable” growth, it appears the Chinese economy is slowing down.

China’s second quarter GDP growth was 7.6 percent, its slowest pace since the 2008-‘09 global recession. No doubt this is very high, compared to growth rates in the developed world, but still low compared to what we have seen from China during the last 20 years.

Actions by China’s central bank flag concern about slowing economic growth.

Interest rates have been lowered for the first time since 2008, an indication that policy makers are concerned with China’s struggling real estate market.

The country’s export growth has been trending down since the mid-2010s, and in July hit a low of 1 percent. As global consumers continue to pay down debt, the

Providing fee-only services to individuals, families and businesses since 1996.

(281) 634-9400 • www.wjinterests.com

20

Fort Bend Business Journal • September 2012

world’s demand for China’s products seems to be dwindling.

The Chinese government keeps an iron fist on published economic data, which makes it difficult to come to too many definite conclusions. One thing is certain: a recession in China would impact the entire global economy, which answers the question “why should I care about China as a US investor?” If you would like to know how to protect your investments from a recession in China and perhaps a global contraction, contact your local fee-only financial advisor.

WJ Interests is a fee-only financial planning and investment management firm in Sugar Land. For more information, please contact us at wj@wjinterests.com or 281-634-9400.

Special Feature Fort Bend Banking & Finance

Texans helping Texans with their financial needs for 144 years

F

ounded in1868 by Col. T.C. Frost, Frost Bank has been helping Texans with their financial needs for 144 years. As the banking subsidiary of Cullen/Frost Bankers, Inc., a $20.9 billion financial holding company headquartered in San Antonio, Frost is the largest Texas-based bank that operates only in Texas.

Frost was the only one among the top10 Texas-based banks to survive the economic downturn of the 1980s without federal assistance or a takeover by an out-ofstate financial institution. In the recent financial crisis, Frost was the first bank in the nation to turn down TARP bailout funds and has operated well and helped clients navigate through the recession.

Frost today offers customers a broad range of financial services, from consumer and business banking; treasury management services and insurance products to

investments, private trust, retirement and financial management services, as well as investment banking services.

While its way of doing business is still based on a personal approach and oldfashioned values that go back as far as Texas itself, the bank also embraces leading-edge technologies.

Frost Bank operates more than 115 financial centers across Texas in the Austin, Corpus Christi, Dallas, Fort Worth, Houston, and Rio Grande Valley and San Antonio regions.

With mergers creating immense coastto-coast banking organizations, Frost continues to reinforce its core business strategy and strengthen its Texas roots, offering the resources, products and technology of a larger bank, delivered with the personalized customer service of a community bank.

Based on its 144-year heritage of

helping Texans meet their financial goals, Frost is building a legacy for the future on the bank’s founding principles of personalized service and strong banking relationships.

and the Jessicas. And the Victors, Michelles and Davids. We believe a bank is only as successful as the people it serves, so we make sure to put our customers first. If your current bank isn’t as considerate, consider a new bank.

Stafford 3531 S. Main Sugar Land 8410 Hwy 90A (will relocate to 620 Hwy 6) Missouri City 3600 FM 1092

September 2012 • Fort Bend Business Journal

21

Special Feature Fort Bend Banking & Finance

Trustmark Wealth Management gets goals

A

s our economy continues its recovery, you may be wondering who you can turn to for financial advice. The professionals at Trustmark Wealth Management, a division of Trustmark National Bank, are here to help you with your financial needs. By integrating our many capabilities, we offer comprehensive wealth management services to help our clients identify and achieve their financial goals.

Since 1949, Trustmark Wealth Management has been assisting clients with their accumulation, preservation and transfer of wealth and today administers approximately $8.5 billion in client assets. Trustmark Wealth Management is composed of several divisions that are focused on specific products and services.

Our Trust Group offers estate planning services, IRAs, 401(k)s, conservatorships/guardianships, retirement plan services, and revocable trusts and investment management accounts. The portfolio managers of Trustmark Investment Advisors, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Trustmark National Bank, develop and implement asset management and asset allocation strategies for the Trust Group.

We provide access to risk management solutions through Fisher Brown Bottrell Insurance, Inc., a licensed insurance agency and wholly-owned subsidiary of Trustmark National Bank.

Trustmark Wealth Management also provides modular or comprehensive financial planning services by our CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNERTM professional.

Uncommon

We develop relationships that last a lifetime.

Trustmark has been dedicated to helping clients accumulate, preserve, and transfer wealth since 1949. Our philosophy is to offer the widest breadth of financial services and products available. Our commitment to each client is of the utmost importance, and we provide straightforward advice from some of the most experienced financial professionals in the industry. As your financial partner, we have the strength, experience, and knowledge to assist you in addressing your financial goals.

Contact us today at 713-407-1245.

22

Fort Bend Business Journal • September 2012

There are more than 150 skilled professionals under the Trustmark Wealth Management umbrella. The average industry tenure among our staff is more than 20 years. Our professionals are individuals whose titles include JD, CFP®, CFA, CPA, MBA, CWS®, CLU, ChFC or CTFA designations.

Your local Wealth Management office in Houston provides convenient access to all of these products, services, and professionals to assist you in your individual financial needs.

After learning about you and your specific goals, our professionals will recommend suitable products and services to help you achieve your financial objectives.

For more information, contact Brent Miller at 713-407-1245 or David Cargill at 713-407-1253.

Special Feature Fort Bend Banking & Finance

WJ Interests again named top advisor

by Financial Advisor magazine

WJ

Interests, LLC, has been ranked by Financial Advisor magazine among the top financial planning firms in the United States for the fifth year running.

WJ Interests is ranked 402 for 2012.

“It’s always gratifying to see ourselves recognized in this ranking,” said Jared Jameson, chief investment officer and vice president of WJ Interests. “We truly appreciate the confidence our clients continue to show us.”

WJ Interests provides financial planning and investment management services for an array of clients, including individuals, families, businesses and foundations. Based in Sugar Land, the firm was founded in 1996.

“We work to assist our clients in realizing their financial goals,” said Bill Jameson, president of WJ Interests. “We’ve structured our business to manage our clients’ wealth in a transparent and proactive fashion, while keeping them informed and educated.” ‘‘We believe our clients’ trust is the most valuable asset we manage,’’ Jared said. ‘‘Our clients trust us with their financial future and we take that responsibility very seriously.’’

For more information, contact WJ Interests at 281-6349400 or wj@wjinterests.com.

that takes your money, but not your phone calls. That’s why we have an actual person on the other end of each of our phones.

Hard to believe? Try us.

frostbank.com/switch Missouri City 3600 FM 1092 Missouri City, TX 77459 Stafford 3531 S. Main Stafford, TX 77477 Sugar Land 8410 Hwy 90A Sugar Land, TX 77478

Attention Trustees and Trust Beneficiaries Centurion Advisors is hosting a free webinar for trustees and trust beneficiaries which will clarify and examine the right partners to have in place for successful trust administration and asset management. A special discussion with William Engelhaupt, Estate Attorney will be included to focus on trusts that are appropriate for estate planning.

Don’t miss this unique opportunity to review and benchmark whether your trust is in the right hands.

Webinar event will be offered.

Limited space is available: September 18th at 2pm Please contact Paul Jackson at (281) 207-5485 or at paul@centurionadvisors.net to reserve your space.

19901 SW Freeway, Sugar Land, TX 281.207.5485

www.centurionadvisors.net

Guadalupe RIVERFRONT DUPLEX Each duplex can accommodate four adults and four children or rent both for groups.

More pictures at

RioRatonDuplex.com book at

832-788-2294 September 2012 • Fort Bend Business Journal

23

Special Feature Fort Bend Banking & Finance

Build a future for your heirs... and your business ALAN SANDERSEN... continued from page 18

A TRADITION OF TRUST. Forbes Magazine honored IBC Bank as one of the nation’s 100 Most Trustworthy companies. ibc.com

. . . if they want to buy it and can afford it.

You can also transfer ownership by gifting interests over time, but there are potential gift tax liabilities — and it won’t generate a retirement income stream. If you’re ready to make a larger transfer in 2012 you can take advantage of the record-high $5.12 million gift tax exemption to make tax-free gifts. The exemption is scheduled to drop to $1 million in 2013 if Congress doesn’t extend the current exemption or make other estate tax law changes.

Be clear to what extent you’ll stay involved after you leave. If you stay too involved, you may inadvertently block your successors from succeeding.Create a management structure that will survive your departure and keep the business on sound financial footing while ensuring adequate liquidity to fund your retirement or a buyout. Include a buy-sell agreement in the succession plan. It allows you to restrict transfers of ownership interests and can help minimize income and estate taxes.

Just do it - While everyone talks about the need for a succession plan, too few actually follow through with developing one. The final key to success is starting now and just doing it..

Alan Sandersen is a columnist for the Fort Bend Business Journal and is a Partner with Sandersen Knox & Co, L.L.P., Certified Public Accountants.

He can be reached at 281-242-3232. www.sktx.com. H

A Sugar Land Tradition... Renewed

For information on membership options, contact Kelly Buettner in our Sales and Marketing office today!

281.494.9131 x134 • www.sugarcreekcctexas.com 420 Sugar Creek Boulevard 24

Fort Bend Business Journal • September 2012

Methodist Sugar Land Hospital’s Breast Center brings advanced technology to residents

D

igital mammography revolutionized breast cancer screening with the ability to detect even the smallest tumors. Now, women with dense breast tissue have access to technology that can identify tumors often not visible with digital mammography.

The Breast Center at Methodist Sugar Land Hospital (MSLH) is the first in the greater Houston area to offer low-dose molecular breast imaging (MBI) as a secondary diagnostic tool for women with suspicious findings and difficult to interpret mammograms.

The LumaGEM™ Low Dose MBI is the first FDA-approved digital imaging system that uses proprietary breast imaging technology.

Forty percent of women who receive mammograms have dense tissue, and these women are five times more likely to develop breast cancer. However, mammograms are not as effective at detecting cancer in dense breasts. Mammography uses X-ray technology, so

METHODIST...

Photo comparison of mammography versus molecular breast imaging of a lesion in a patient with dense breast tissue.

continued on page 44

DON’T LET HAND PAIN

hold you back!

Dr. Dean Dominy joins Methodist Orthopaedic Specialists of Texas (MOST) Pain in the hands or upper extremities can severely limit your lifestyle, making even the simplest of activities impossible. Dr. Dean Dominy, a fellowship trained hand and upper extremities specialist, can help. The newest addition to the MOST lineup of specialists brings a unique collaborative style and expertise in the latest clinically proven techniques to ensure that patients achieve maximum function — with minimal disruption to their daily lives.

Dr. Dominy’s areas of focus include: ● Endoscopic carpal tunnel release ● Elbow and wrist replacement ● General Orthopedics

● Tendon and nerve problems ● Birth defects of the hand

● Shoulder ● Fracture care

Don’t struggle with daily pain. Schedule an appointment with Dr. Dominy — or any of the outstanding orthopedic specialists at MOST — and get a helping hand toward recovery.

Call 281-494-MOST (6678) or email MOSTappts@tmhs.org for a personal appointment.

1201 Brooks Street Sugar Land, Texas 77478

1327 Lake Pointe Pkwy., Ste. 425 Sugar Land, Texas 77478

281-494-MOST (6678)

•

MOSTappts@tmhs.org

•

MethodistOrthopedics.com

September 2012 • Fort Bend Business Journal

25

COVER STORY

BY MIKE HODGSON

K KRIS ALLFREY GIVES HIS ALL

ris Allfrey is a person that gives his all. I learned this as I sat down with Kris to find out why he was running for the Texas State House of Representatives. It did not take long to find out that Kris is one of the unique people that instead of walking away from a challenge he deals with it head on. Here is how Kris described himself to me, “I am a winner whether it is beating poverty, overcoming a lack of a formal education, fighting obesity or building two companies from the ground up I have beaten the odds at every opportunity.

I am proud to be a husband, Father, Decorated Disabled Combat Veteran, a community activist and a small business owner. I am a person who has come to believe that you only get out of life, what you put in to it so my family and I spend a significant amount of our time giving back to our community with our time, talent and treasure.”

His life experiences give him a very unique perspective of government and community. He stands committed to improving the education system, reducing government bureaucracy on small business and improving the quality of life for all Texans. He firmly believes in the U.S. Constitution and the Texas Constitution and he supports the rights guaranteed by them.

He has spent his life striving to improve himself, while simultaneously helping others and making a difference in the lives of the people in his community. He intends to continue to do that very same thing as a Texas State Legislature for House District 27, when YOU decide to elect him in November.

What I admired most about Kris is the path that he took to get where he is today. The many challenges he has been through truly have shaped and molded him into an American success story. I learned that to really get to know him you really have to know where he came from and what he has been through.

Born in Texas City, Texas in December 1968, Kris Allfrey is proud to be a native Texan. Being born with a severe heart murmur Kris has had to fight just to survive since he was born. His father was an Air Force Officer, and his mother was a hairdresser. However, his mother divorced his father when Kris was very young, after enduring years of abuse. Kris had to deal

Sherrie & Kris Allfrey

26

Fort Bend Business Journal • September 2012

Political ad paid for by Kris Allfrey campaign

with significant hearing problems during most of his early childhood years and spent a lot of time in doctor offices and hospitals trying to regain his hearing.

After divorcing Kris’ father, Wilhelmina made her children the center of her world; she did everything she could for them with little regard for herself. “I watched my mom come home and collapse on many occasions from working 16 hour days in order to provide food for three kids and herself.” Kris’ earlier years were spent living in low income apartments in Alief, Texas and dealing with the problems that are commonly associated with that situation.

Attending Alief Youens Elementary, Kris had many problems that low income kids tend to have such as: eating disorders, learning disorders and behavior problems. One of Kris’ fondest memories of elementary school was when his class broke the world record by making the longest paper chain in the world. All the students in the school pitched in to make the chain with the assistance of most of the teachers.

It was a moment that would lead to a life of dreaming and pushing himself further and further, in order to achieve his continues...

My life experiences give me a very unique perspective of government and community. xxxxxxxxxxx

continues....

Political ad paid for by Kris Allfrey campaign

September 2012 • Fort Bend Business Journal

27

dreams. It was also a moment when he first noticed the strong power associated with a group of people working together, and the collaboration proved to be inspirational.

Kris started working at the age of twelve, with his first job being the neighborhood yard service where he was in charge of mowing yards throughout the neighborhood. As he walked around the neighborhood on Saturday and Sunday mornings, he remembers knocking on doors and asking if he could mow their yard. Even at an early age, his entrepreneurial spirit was alive and well! He would use the money to buy food for himself and his family, teaching him further about humility and sacrifice.

During his teen years, Kris’ sister got pregnant and it completely changed their world, as well as his perception of the choices that life presents. No teenager should ever have to deal with the thought of abortion, but having a pregnant 16 year old sister and being raised by a single mother in poverty, the family was forced to do some soul searching and make one of the hardest decisions a family will ever have to make.

Deciding that life deserved a chance, his sister gave birth to Kris’ niece in 1983. The downside was that Kris needed to work even more to assist his struggling family. He then started bagging groceries after school at the local grocery to store to help make ends meet in the house. Even at a young age, he didn’t shy away from responsibility and dedicated his efforts to his family.

Kris attended Alief Hastings High School.

While in high school, he continued to work in the evening and on weekends. His mother

continued to struggle to make ends meet, so Kris had to make the choice to leave high school to take a full time job with a home remodeling business, to further assist his family. After several months of full time employment, he made the choice to serve his country and joined the military.

In May of 1986, Kris enlisted in the U.S. Army and his first duty station was in Ansbach, W. Germany. While in Germany, Kris continued to help his mother raise his niece financially, while proudly serving his country. While in Germany, not only was he a full time soldier, but Kris would spend his nights and weekends taking college courses to further improve his education, taking full advantage of the opportunity the military had afforded him!. His second duty station was in El Paso, TX, where his life would change forever. While in El Paso, Kris met his future wife, Sherrie. They met on January 4th 1989 and without time to waste, were married March 16th 1989. On September 10, 1990, Kris was deployed to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in support of Operation Desert Shield, which ultimately became Operation Desert Storm. Kris was deployed while his wife was 8 and half months pregnant his oldest son was born 13 days after his departure on September 23, 1990. Kris would not get to hold his son for first time until March 8, 1991.

Kris and his wife have been happily married for 23 years, adding three wonderful kids to their family along the way. His wife owns Cartridge World of Missouri City and Kris owns The Legal Wizards, Inc, showing that the entrepreneurial spirit he

had captured at a young age, is still with him today. Kris has a keen understanding of the struggles and successes that small businesses face in today’s rough economy. His mother continues to be the hero that he looks up to; she made it work regardless of the obstacles and it is that tenacity that she instilled in Kris, which has allowed him to become a successful business owner.

Today Kris works full time running his own litigation support firm, helping his wife run her Cartridge World store and is actively involved in the community. He is a member of the SW 59 Sunrise Rotary Club, American Legion, Toastmasters and the VFW. I was surprised to learn that at the age of 42 Kris started running marathons and in the process lost 165 pounds. His favorite pastime is reading and his favorite topics are politics, economics and education.

Kris will be a Texas State Legislator that we can be proud of and in him we will have a Representative that is accountable, responsible and ethical. He will be the voice we need in Austin to change the way we fund education, to fix our broken property tax system and to relieve the pressure of the franchise tax on small business. His goal is to assist at the legislative level to insure that future the of Texas remains bright and the citizens of Texas have a state government that is adequately funded and beneficial to all residents. He has spent his life striving to improve himself, assisting people around him and working to improve the community he lives in and he will continue to do that once elected to the Texas House of Representatives.

2012 HONORING AMERICA’S HEROES GALA

C

ol. Oliver North will be the keynote speaker at the annual Honoring America’s Heroes Gala Friday, November 9, 2012 at the Marriott Hotel Town Square.

Sponsored by the Southwest 59 Sunrise Rotary, the gala will honor Fort Bend’s first responders and military personnel.

The beneficiaries of the HAH Gala are Fort Bend veterans and first responder organizations. Last year, SW 59 Sunrise Rotary distributed over $25,000 to these local groups and expects to donate much more in 2012.

Kris Allfrey and Rick Miller are the cochairs of this year’s event and are diligently working with all committee chairmen to have the many details of this event

28

Retired LtCol Ollie North

Fort Bend Business Journal • September 2012

completed by early September.

The band “Nobody’s Fool” is signed to provide the music and Lexi Stavinoha will sing the national anthem.

John St. John is contacting all Fort Bend County city mayors to get their nominations for the outstanding policeman, fireman and EMTs to be honored this year.

He and his committee are also meeting with local military groups to receive their outstanding personnel nominations. Ret. Col. Larry Davis is contacting the high school JROTC units to arrange for our color guard.

“It’s important to note,” said Rick Miller, “that all proceeds from our gala go to Fort Bend County veterans and first responder groups.”

Political ad paid for by Kris Allfrey campaign

R E A L

E S T A T E

Commercial Real Estate

By Kolbe Curtice, CCIM, CLS

Managing Director Colliers International - Fort Bend

New accounting for leases to have dramatic impact I typically dedicate this space to a discussion about new commercial real estate activity in Fort Bend County. I learned not long after starting this column a number of years ago not to delve into a myriad of commercial real estate metrics every month that most readers don’t care about. For the most part, they want to know what new restaurants will be opening in the neighborhood or which stores will be opening in the new shopping center under construction on the freeway. With that in mind, I hope that you will bear with me as this month’s topic is about real estate accounting.

A new standard for real estate accounting is taking shape that will have a dramatic impact on future commercial real estate lease and purchase decisions. I wrote about this in the winter of 2010 when the new accounting standard was beginning to gain traction. The topic has been

at the forefront of discussions in the accounting and commercial real estate industries for the past few years and it now appears that the changes are imminent. It is expected that the standard will be completed later this year and enacted in 2013.

Over the past few years, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB), which sets American accounting standards, has been working with the International Accounting Standards Board to merge its generally accepted accounting principles, or GAAP, with international standards. One major piece of the puzzle is the accounting for leases. The new standard will require that companies book leases as assets and liabilities on their balance sheets.

The change will significantly impact the balance sheets of companies that lease commercial space and it will be critical that company CEO’s be

conversant with the new accounting standard.

Currently, companies list leases as footnotes on their financial statements. The Securities and Exchange Commission estimates that as a result of the accounting standard change, public companies will have to put approximately $1.3 trillion in leases on their balance sheets. The number could be closer to $2 trillion when adding private companies which also follow GAAP accounting.

As a result, things could get ugly. On the day the standard gets implemented, companies will suddenly have to record much higher rent (as the lease liability will be amortized similar to a mortgage), and they are going to have to record this as a significant liability on their

KOLBE CURTICE... continued on page 59

September 2012 • Fort Bend Business Journal

29

Special Feature Fort Bend College & Private School

HCC Southwest

County Judge Hosts Homeland Security Executive Education Seminar

HCC places more students into jobs, helps increase their earning potential by $5,000 per year and transfers more students to the university of their choice.

With a wide range of classes to choose from, a quality college education is available at an affordable price.

Flexible schedules and payment plans available.

WeSt Loop 5601 West Loop South Houston, TX 77081 713.718.7868

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MiSSouri City 5855 Sienna Springs Way Missouri City, TX 77459 713.718.2900

Tweet us on Twitter @HCC_Southwest

southwest.hccs.edu

NewFirst National Bank presents Chamber’s ‘State of Fulshear’ breakfast

T

he Central Fort Bend Chamber Alliance will host a “State of the City” breakfast, featuring a presentation from Fulshear Mayor Tommy Kuykendall, on Friday, Oct. 12.

The address, which is the third in a three-part series highlighting Chamber stakeholder cities Rosenberg, Richmond and Fulshear, is scheduled for 7:30 a.m. to 9 a.m. at Irene Stern Community Center, 6920 Katy Fulshear Road, Fulshear.

Kuykendall, an engineer with CivlCorp, Inc., was elected Mayor of Fulshear in 2010. Fulshear is located Tommy Kuykendall in northwest Fort Bend County at the crossroads of FM 359 and FM 1093. The city limits stretch across approximately 10 square miles. The city was incorporated in 1977 and is a general-law city.

It’s primarily a farm and ranch community with a growing commercial district. The Presenting Sponsor is NewFirst National Bank. At press time, Table Sponsors are Costello, Inc. and Cross Creek Ranch.

Table and Corporate Supporter Sponsorships are available.

Individual reservations for the luncheon are $20 for Chamber members and $30 for prospective members and guests. After Oct. 5, a $10 late fee will be added.

To sponsor or purchase individual tickets, contact Angie Wierzbicki at 281-342-5464 or angie@cfbca.org. For more information, log on to www.cfbca.org.

30

Fort Bend Business Journal • September 2012

Pictured from left to right: Jeff Braun, Fort Bend County Office of Emergency Management, Emergency Management Coordinator; Dr. Mary desVignes-Kendrick, Fort Bend County Director of Health and Human Services; and Robert Hebert, Fort Bend County Judge.

I

n the same week that Fort Bend County was recognized as StormReady by the National Weather Service, County Judge Robert Hebert hosted a Homeland Security Executive Education Seminar presented by the Center for Homeland Defense and Security.

Elected officials, hospital administrators, school administrators, business executives, emergency managers, health officials, and other Fort Bend County community leaders met to discuss issues of communication, continuity of operations, and public safety during emergency situations. The Executive Education Seminar was held at the Gus George Law Enforcement Academy in Richmond.

“Fort Bend County is a diverse and thriving community; it is imperative that the leaders of our county come together to share ideas and discuss plans to determine the best way for the community to respond during an emergency. Response during Hurricane Rita and Hurricane Ike was excellent; but improvements in preparedness and collaboration can always be made,” said Hebert.

A primary focus of the discussion revolved around the actions that the key leaders would take during a pandemic influenza.

Fort Bend County Director of Health and Human Services, Dr. Mary desVignes-Kendrick said, ““From a public health perspective, I think the discussions were very productive and will definitely improve our communication and our outcomes.

This cooperation between the public and private sector is a clear example of what can occur when the two work handin-hand to achieve outstanding disaster preparedness”.

HOMELAND... continued on page 59

Fort Bend Chamber of Commerce Newsletter www.FortBendChamber.com

September 2012 • Fort Bend Business Journal

31

Membership The following firms have realized the importance of economic growth and development for the Fort Bend County area. They have pledged their support to the cause by investing their time and efforts in the Fort Bend Chamber of Commerce. Please support your community by calling on these organizations when you have a need for products and services.

Fort Bend Chamber of Commerce Newsletter

Welcome New Members DIREC Recovery Network

La Quinta Inn & Suites

John Lindgren, CEO/Founder 16107 Kensington, Suite 273 Sugar Land, TX 77479 832-451-9003 Health Care

Jagdish Patel, General Manager 5719 Highway 6 Missouri City, TX 77459 281-969-1990 Hotels and Motels

Star Pipe Products

Total Body Work

Rishi Bhutada, President 4018 Westhollow Parkway Houston, TX 77082 281-558-3000 Manufacturers

Dr. Casey Bullock 4775 Lexington Blvd.

Missouri City, TX 77459 281-969-8919 Health Care

Human Resources and Payroll Lea Ann Gibson, Business Development Director 14550 Torrey Chase, Suite 100 Houston, TX 77014 Human Resource Services

For membership information, contact: Jan-Michael Jenkins 281-491-0218

SAVE the DATE 2012 State of Higher Education

Friday, October 12, 2012 11:00 am - 1:00 pm Sugar Land Marriott Town Square 16090 City Walk - Sugar Land

www. FortBendChamber.com Please contact Farrah Gandhi for more information at farrah@fortbendcc.org - 281.566.2152

TheAdvocate Advocate for for business business excellence The excellenceininFort FortBend BendCounty County

32

Fort Bend Business Journal • September 2012

www.FortBendChamber.com

Fort Bend Chamber of Commerce Newsletter

UPCOMING EVENTS September

Government Relations September 10, 2012 • 11:30 am – 1:00 pm Fort Bend Chamber of Commerce 445 Commerce Green Blvd., Sugar Land

Business and Professional

Legal Seminar with Carl Favre September 26, 2012 • 11:30 am 1:00 pm Fort Bend Chamber of Commerce 445 Commerce Green Blvd., Sugar Land

Network Nites

Modern Spine September 13, 2012 • 5:00 pm – 7:00 pm 16659 Southwest Freeway, Suite 151, Sugar Land Chamber Young Professionals

Sugar Creek Country Club 9 Hole Golf Tournament

Infrastructure Division

Infrastructure Conference September 27, 2012 • 7:30 am - 5:00 pm Safari Texas Ranch 11627 FM 1464 Rd. Richmond

September 20, 2012 • 3:30 pm – 7:00 pm 420 Sugar Creek Blvd., Sugar Land

Governmental Relations

Business and Professional

October 8, 2012 • 11:30 am – 1:00 pm Fort Bend Chamber of Commerce 445 Commerce Green Blvd., Sugar Land

October 17, 2012 • 11:30 am – 1:00 pm Fort Bend Chamber of Commerce

Commissioner James Patterson

October

Education Division

2012 State of Higher Education

November

Future of Marketing with Howard Spencer

Network Nites

Alamo Stone

October 12, 2012 • 11:30 am – 1:00 pm Sugar Land, Marriott Town Square 16090 City Walk, Sugar Land

October 18, 2012 • 5:00 pm – 7:00 pm 13020 S. Kirkwood, Stafford

2012 Fort Bend Chamber Challenge November 5, 2012 • 8:00 am – 4:00 pm Quail Valley Golf Course 2880 La Quinta Drive, Missouri City

Business and Professional

Government Relations November 12, 2012 • 11:30 am – 1:00 pm Fort Bend Chamber of Commerce 445 Commerce Green Blvd., Sugar Land

Dominik Hussl Seminar November 28, 2012 • 11:30 am – 1:00 pm Fort Bend Chamber of Commerce 445 Commerce Green Blvd., Sugar Land Network Nites

Sugar Land Surgical 1211 Highway 6 S • Suite 70, Sugar Land

SAVE THE DATE www.FortBendChamber.com

September 2012 • Fort Bend Business Journal

33

We Believe in you.

Thanks for Believing in US! 1 Year

Mercyfull Home Health, Inc. Mercy Grant, 281-232-7500 Houston Scheduling Services Jack Molho, 281-207-8778 Lasagna House III Lauren Dorn, 281-277-340 Modern Spine, PLLC Kenneth J.H. Lee, 713-774-6337 Santikos Theatres Chris Prichard, 210-496-1300 GattiTown Traci Munsey, 281-313-0307

Fort Bend Chamber of Commerce Newsletter

Luby’s Nada Hasimovic, 281-980-1696 Prudential Financial Christopher Sideris, 832-325-6858 Catholic Charities Patricia Garmon, 281-206-6220

Texas Sports Medicine Institute Wayne Horak, 832-223-9200 Sugar Creek Executive Suites Neal Singh, 832-886-2800

2 Years

Dorf Ketal Chemicals Specialty Catalyst, LLC Matthew Knight, 281-243-4487 Hyatt Place Houston / Sugar Land Michael Gleeson, 281-491-0300 Colony Limousine of Sugar Land Hamid Mirabi, 281-265-5466

Sunrise Natural Foods Kamal Dama, 281-240-6887

Telios Corporation Brian Peterson, 281-265-1636

6 Years

Joe Ochoa Roofs & Even More Joe Ochoa, 281-890-0000

Texas State Healthcare Connie S. Fodrie, 281-208-4344

3 Years

West End Ranch Jessica Medrano, 281-265-3000

JR Bullion John R. Wotford, 281-302-5448

HealthSouth Lisa Collins, 281-276-7574

Greater Houston Retailers Cooperative Association, Inc. Romina Kadiwal, 281-295-5300

Chicago Title Tita Horrell, 281-565-1027

Elements Therapeutic Message Sibel Mandalinci, 281-403-5300

Crossbridge Church Chuck Land, 281-313-8300

Richmond Bone and Joint Memorial Hermann Medical Group Cheryl Bertrand, 281-344-1715

American Diabetes Association Betsey Pelham, 713-977-7706*6086

Palms at Cinco Ranch Apartments Melinda Laramore, 281-392-0777

5 Years

Bancroft Feldman Plastic Surgery Greg Bancroft, 281-785-2592

Associated Testing Laboratories, Inc. Priti Singh, 713-748-3717

Mitchell & Duff, LLC. Amy Mitchell, 281-341-1718

Milestone Member

4 Years

Promptsource, Inc John Varghese, 832-955-1766 PKV Engineering George O. Puig, 713-202-3237 Renaissance Physician Organization - Southwest IPA Richele Rainosek, 832-553-3576 Hilton Garden Inn Houston/Sugar Land Lailani Argao, 281-491-7777

Homewood Suites Stafford / Sugar Land Leola Judge, 281-265-2760

7 Years

Traffic Engineers, Inc. Rachel Carleton, 713-270-8145

8 Years

Fort Bend Focus Magazine Lisa Fredrickson, 281-690-4242 Living Water International Jerry Wiles, 281-207-7800

9 Years

Second Mile Mission Center Sarah White, 281-261-9199 Sullins, Johnston, Rohrbach & Magers Bill Rohrbach, 713-521-0221 Burney Road M.U.D. Tom Sage, 713-758-2852

GlobalSpex Web & Graphic Design Christina Hawkins, 281-940-7002

34

Fort Bend Business Journal • September 2012

www.FortBendChamber.com

Fort Bend Chamber of Commerce Newsletter

For membership information, contact: Jan-Michael Jenkins 281-491-0218 jan@fortbendcc.org

Milestone Member 10 Years Freese and Nichols, Inc. Jeff Taylor, 713-600-6831

Kindred Healthcare-Southwest David Cross, 281-275-6000 Dagley Insurance & Financial Services, Inc. Nathan Dagley, 281-980-4600 Hooters Ruben Salazar, 281-242-9464 Transtar A/C Supply Inc. Thomas Abraham, 281-499-1142

Milestone Member 15 Years

AMC 24 @ First Colony Mall Dutch Betke, 281-277-5858 Wallstreet Texas Michael Sachs, 281-953-2050

16 Years

RE/MAX Heritage Don R. Burns, CRS, 281-491-6274 LJA Engineering, Inc. Calvin T. Ladner, 713-953-5200

21 Years

Costello, Inc. Stephen Costello, 713-783-7788

23 Years

Ed’s Pharmacy Ed Sziy, 281-499-4555 Southwest Exterminating Company Nick Spillios, 281-498-3232

28 Years

Animal Hospital * Highway 6 Jeffrey P. Hauke, DVM, 281-980-8387

PerryLee Home Health Care Services, Inc. Marion Tresvant, 281-491-2200

Dennis Halford, DDS, MS Dennis Halford, 281-980-8351

Riverstone Development Co. Tom Wilcox, 281-403-8770

HDR Engineering, Inc. James Andrews, 713-622-9264

12 Years

17 Years

Fort Bend Star / Fort Bend Business Journal B. K. Carter, 281-690-4223

11 Years

Federal Maintenance Services, Inc. Tim Garcia, 281-498-0588 City of Missouri City Edward Broussard, 281-403-8690

Tallas Insurance and Financial Services Jeff Tallas, 713-271-2000

18 Years

The Terrace at First Colony Justin Morin, 281-903-2000

Davis-Greenlawn Funeral Chapels & Cemetery James B. Duke, 281-341-8800

Chick-fil-A at Missouri City Milton Kubala, 281-261-7100

Klotz Associates Inc. Tom S. Ramsey, 281-589-7257

13 Years

19 Years

Medical Insights & Care Unlimited, LP Lucena DeVilla, RN, BSN, MS, 713-774-6428

14 Years

River Pointe Church Beth Harborth, 281-277-6767 Bluebonnet Nutrition Corporation Gary Barrows, 281-240-3332

www.FortBendChamber.com

34 Years

All * Star Storage, Inc. Kathy R. Salinas, 713-304-8500 Trent Internationale School Uttara Rangraj, 281-680-5800

20 Years

Fort Bend County Women’s Center Vita Goodell, 281-344-5750 Fort Bend Habitat for Humanity Paul Fontenot, 281-403-0708

2012

Location:

QUAIL VALLEY GOLF COURSE

SAVE THE DATE November 5th, 2012

For more information contact Jan-Michael Jenkins at 281-491-0218 or jan@fortbendcc.org

September 2012 • Fort Bend Business Journal

35

Ribbon Cuttings

CardioVIP 1327 Lake Pointe Pkwy, Suite 500 Sugar Land, TX 77478 281-565-2800 www.sugarlakesfamilypractice.com

C Fort Bend Chamber of Commerce Newsletter

ardioVIP is the first and only heart health approach of its kind creating an integrated, personalized approach to cardiovascular wellness. The CardioVIP offering combines a unique mix of the latest cutting-edge cardiovascular physical diagnostic tests and state-of-the-art blood tests with a team of seasoned, experienced health care professionals to drive improved outcomes. At the core of the CardioVIP Program is the personalized coaching that delivers current tailored lifestyle, fitness and nutrition information and education.

CardioVIP provides

physicians and patients with comprehensive test results and information that characterize the degree of heart disease and stroke risk in more depth than other standard tests.

CardioVIP is the most comprehensive clinical solution to improved cardiovascular health, fitness level and wellbeing – minimizing heart disease and stroke risk factors, now and for the long term.

River Pointe Surgical Center 21155 Southwest Freeway Richmond, TX 77469 281-822-1155

R

iver Pointe Surgical Center provides a full spectrum of surgical services including Pain Management, Plastic Surgery, Gynecological Surgery, Spine Surgery, Foot and Ankle Surgery & General Surgery. The Center is licensed by the Texas Department of Health and is in the process of obtaining accreditation by AAAHC. River Pointe Surgical Center, L.P. provides the Fort Bend County and Greater Houston community with a state-of-art outpatient surgery center.

The Center is owned by Dr. Bryan Blonder, Dr. Ronald

36

Fort Bend Business Journal • September 2012

Buczek, Dr. Shannon Crowe, Dr. Azul Jaffer, Dr. Paul Kobza, Dr. Kenneth Lee, Dr. John Nguyen, Dr. Marco Vargas, Dr. Tim Wong, and First Surgical Partners.

www.FortBendChamber.com

Fort Bend Chamber of Commerce Newsletter

www.FortBendChamber.com

SPECIAL OFFER!!!

2012

Fort Bend

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Monday, November 5, 2012

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Register online at www.fortbendchamber.com or fax registration to 281.491.0112

September 2012 • Fort Bend Business Journal

37

FORT

BEND

LEADERSHIP F

O

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U

M

Opening Retreat Sponsors

Fort Bend Chamber of Commerce Newsletter

Nalco an Eco Lab Company Southwest Water Company Crossmark Development & Construction, LLC Iberia Bank Champion Realty, the Palmquest team EE Reed Construction, LP Jack Molho, Broker La Escondida Mexican Grill Methodist Sugar Land Hospital Planned Community Developers Republic Waste Spartan Wealth Management St. Michael's Emergency Traffic Engineers, Inc. Trinity Risk Solutions UHY Advisors

38

Fort Bend Business Journal • September 2012

www.FortBendChamber.com

A T T O R N E Y - A T - L A W

Law and Business

By Chad Ellis

Attorney-At-Law Ellis and Irwin, L.L.P.

The affordable care act: A tax, for doing nothing Everyone by now is aware the U.S. Supreme Court upheld President Obama’s signature legislation, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, which includes the hotly debated individual mandate to purchase health insurance.

Rarely does a ruling from our highest Court garner such attention. However, few predicted that the Court would uphold the Act as a tax, or that Chief Justice John Roberts, appointed

by President George W. Bush, would author the majority opinion so holding. The opinion, at nearly 200 pages, is too lengthy to fully analyze in my short space here. However, several points of Robert’s reasoning certainly merit discussion.

The Government’s first argument was that Congress has authority to require the purchase of health insurance under the Commerce Clause of the Constitution, which authorizes Congress to regulate conduct that substan-

tially effects interstate commerce. Many have already observed, and Roberts unsurprisingly agreed, the Commerce Clause presupposes an activity to be regulated and failing to purchase insurance is not an activity. In short, Congress cannot regulate a person for doing nothing, and therefore the Act fails constitutional muster under the Commerce Clause.

But the case doesn’t end there. The Government’s second argument was that the individual mandate is constitutional as a tax. Robert’s opinion on this point is now well known. Most interesting about Robert’s opinion is his observation that while Congress has no authority to regulate a person for doing nothing, Congress does have authority to tax a person for doing nothing. Indeed, this is troubling. But Roberts is quick to point out that it is abundantly clear that the Constitution makes no guarantees a

person may avoid taxes by inactivity. In fact, the Constitution explicitly contemplates a tax for simply existing. Roberts writes at length explaining this point. In short, however, Congress can tax a person for doing nothing. Therefore, the Act is constitutional.

Roberts took care to repeatedly point out that the Court was not passing judgment on the wisdom of the Act, or whether the Act embodies sound policies, pointing out that such judgment is entrusted to the Nation’s elected leaders who, as Roberts puts it, “can be thrown out of office if the people disagree with them.” If that wasn’t clear enough, Roberts goes on to say, it is not the Court’s “job to protect people from the consequences of their political choices.”

CHAD ELLIS... continued on page 42

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www.colliers.com/markets/sugarland September 2012 • Fort Bend Business Journal

39

Attention cruisers, port business booms

By Wayne Chandler

C

ome December, there will be 15,000 passengers getting on and off five huge exciting cruise ships every week in Galveston.

Carnival’s Magic, the largest and newest ship ever based in Texas, and a sister ship, Triumph, will be in Galveston all year long. Royal Caribbean’s Mariner of the Seas, Disney’s Magic, and Princess’ Crown Princess arrive soon and will be at the port until next April. All of these cruise liners are expected to be at nearcapacity with fun-seeking vacationers, mostly from the Greater Houston area.

It will be the first time that Port of Galveston personnel will be handling so many ships and people and with a precision that will test everyone’s nerves.

“There are 16 million persons within a seven-hour drive of our port, “ said Port Director Michael Mierzwa, “a great driveup advantage for everyone.”

Cruise business for the port already is at record proportions for 2012. The projection for this year is for a total 1.2 million cruise passengers. That’s 600,000 getting on and that many getting off, Mierzwa noted.

These figures make Galveston the fourth busiest port in the U.S., ahead of New York City, slightly behind Port Canaveral, Florida. Miami, with 4 million passengers, and Port Everglades (Fort Lauderdale, Florida), with 3.6 million, are the leaders.

It may be a while before Galveston will have a third terminal, but Mierzwa and staff already are looking at developing a 100-acre site at Pelican Island, just north of the current wharves. “We probably would have to do some dredging, but Pelican Island could provide a third docking area,” Mierzwa said.

To lure and accommodate more cruise business the port has renovated two old warehouses, added gangplanks and

40

expanded waiting areas, at a cost of $60 million. With 253,000 square feet of space -- three city blocks long --it is the biggest terminal in the nation, Mierzwa said.

Galveston is a convenient and safe port for cruisers. Even with these cruisers getting bigger, they’re designed not to draft much more depth than their older models, he said.

Carnival Magic carries 3,690 passengers, and will arrive November 14, replacing Carnival Ecstacy, which handled 485 cruises out of Galveston during the past seven years. Carnival Triumph, with 2,758, is doing four and five-day itineraries. Royal Caribbean’s Mariner of the Seas , with 3,114 passengers, will be in Galveston next month and stay until April for sevennight cruises. Disney Magic, 2,700 passengers, will be in port in September and stay until April for seven nighters, and Crown Princess, 3,080 passengers , will arrive in December and stay until late April.

All of these ships will travel to Western Caribbean destinations.

Fort Bend Business Journal • September 2012

Mierzwa signed on as assistant port director in 2000 when Celebrity Cruise Lines first tested the cruise waters in Galveston.

“I remember that the Celebrity ship would come back into port at 7 a.m, and we’d wonder if we could make all the departures and changes in order for this small ship to get back out by 4 p.m, “ Mierzwa recalls. Now, with all the port improvements they handle several times that much work and in less time.

The Port of Galveston has earned this business. “Galveston people knocked on cruise lines doors for years before Carnival brought its first ship here as a home base,” said Captain John Peterlin, port director of marketing and administration. “There had been an occasional cruise ship, but none based here.” he said. Royal Caribbean challenged the Carnival business in 2001, and Princess did so a couple of years later, and both Carnival and Royal Caribbean have competed for Texans’ business ever since. Now Disney has joined in, and Princess is back.

And, this may be just the beginning.

ver i n n 5th A

sary

Meet the JEWELS of Fort Bend

Joyous, Extraordinary Women Enriching Lives

Mary Favre Jacqueline Chaumette

Melissa Hayslip

proudly announces the 2012 Sandra Billingsley

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Champagne Reception, Luncheon and Style Show BENEFITTING

Safari Texas Ranch Thursday, September Twentieth, Two Thousand and Twelve 11:30 am - 1:30 pm Safari Texas Ranch u 11627 FM 1464 u Richmond, Texas Special Thanks to Our Official Jewels Contributors

Alisa Murray Photography - Official Photographer J Loggins Jewelers - Official Jeweler Pamela Printing - Official Printer

MASTER OF CEREMONIES Michael Garfield The High-Tech Texan®

Safari Texas Ranch - Official Venue Salon Eben & Day Spa - Official Salon May W. Tape, D.D.S. - Official Entertainment Sponsor

Tickets & Sponsorship Opportunities u 281-690-4242 or www.FortBendFocus.com

September 2012 • Fort Bend Business Journal

41

Two new businesses locate in Sugar Land Town Square

P

lanned Community Developers has added two new businesses to Sugar Land Town Square.

Whiteflash Inc. and ICAP Energy LLC are expected to contribute to the diversity of businesses already seen in Sugar Land Town Square offices. These leases, totaling over 8,000 in square feet, add to the ever-growing occupancy levels at Sugar Land Town Square.

Whiteflash Inc. Whiteflash Inc., a retailer and manufacturer of fine jewelry, has opened its doors at 2150 Town Square Place, Suite 330 in Sugar Land. Since August it has occupied 4,355 square feet of office space. The space includes a showroom that will be open to the public weekdays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

There, customers will be able to view their selection of diamonds, engagement rings and fine jewelry, as well as design their own custom jewelry.

“The showroom enables us to evolve an important area of our business by providing an intimate venue for our jewelry designer

partners,” said Debi Wexler, CEO of Whiteflash. “The project as a whole will enable us to take the business to a new level.”

Winner of the 2012 Better Business Bureau’s Pinnacle Award for the best retail jeweler in the greater Houston area, Whiteflash has been serving the Houston area since 2000. Their award winning Whiteflash.com website, was hailed by Kiplinger’s Magazine as the “Lord of the Online Rings” “Sugar Land is one of the finest and fastest growing communities in Texas,” said Chief Operating Officer Eliezer Eber.

“This demographic is a perfect match for our expertise in top quality diamonds and designer engagement rings. Providing an exciting new venue for customers to physically see and feel the quality of our products will enhance our business in very important ways.”

Chris Lewis with Griffin Partners, Inc. represented Whiteflash Inc. in the transaction. Don Janssen, executive vice president of PCD, represented PCD.

Fulshear Ranch Academy CERT Graduation

A

re you ready to respond if disaster strikes in your community? Fourteen students completed the Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) training hosted by the Fulshear Ranch Academy and offered by the Fort Bend County Office of Emergency Management, they are ready.

Simulations and hands-on drills provide the core curriculum of the twice-weekly program covering Fire Extinguishment, light Search and Rescue, and First Aid. Alan Spears, Deputy Emergency Management Coordinator Fort Bend County OEM presented certificates at the June 29, 2012 graduation ceremony and final exercise.

Spears commented, “We’re extremely proud of our recent CERT Graduates and the hard work and time they’ve dedicated to complete this course.”

42

The new Fulshear Ranch Academy CERT team tested their skills with the assistance of Fulshear Ranch Academy’s previous CERT graduates and staff as they performed search, rescue, triage and treatment at a mock explosion and simulated building collapse providing both mass casualty skills and patient extrication.

The Team established incident command and managed community emergency response efforts until the arrival of career rescuers.

Fort Bend County Office of Emergency Management facilitates a CERT course at The Fulshear Ranch Academy approximately every three to four months through Fort Bend County OEM volunteer programs.

For more information on the County’s volunteer programs, visit www.fbcoem. org or contact the Fort Bend County Office of Emergency Management at 281342-6185.

Fort Bend Business Journal • September 2012

ICAP Energy LLC ICAP Energy LLC, a voice and electronic interdealer broker and the source of global market information and commentary for professionals in the international financial markets, is located at 2245 Texas Drive, Suite 470 and occupy 4,045 square feet of office space.

ICAP Energy is a leader in the energy and shipping industries, providing full-service and over the counter brokering and advisory capabilities to a broad spectrum of businesses throughout the world. The group, which is a unit of ICAP plc, has approximately 350 staff located across the globe in London, North America, Amsterdam, Bergen, Singapore, and Sydney. ICAP Energy had 2011 revenues of £203 million ($317 million).

“Having the ability to customize the space from the ground-up allowed us to meet our exact business requirements,” said Loren Miller, project manager at ICAP Energy LLC. “The surrounding hotels and restaurants provide ease and convenience for our employees and clients. We are excited to be a part of the Town Square community. ” Warren Alexander of CBRE represented ICAP Energy LLC in the transaction.

Janssen represented PCD.

CHAD ELLIS... continued from page 39

None of this of course has ended the debate about the Act. Both parties continue to spout their talking points on whether Roberts got it right, and no doubt efforts will continue to repeal the Act or challenge other aspects of it. So while the future of the Act may remain uncertain, what is clear, as Benjamin Franklin observed long ago, “in this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes.”

Chad Ellis is a columnist for the Fort Bend Business Journal and a partner with Ellis and Irwin, L.L.P. This article is not intended to provide specific legal advice for a particular situation.

Legal advice can only be provided in the course of an attorney-client relationship with reference to all the facts in a specific situation. He can be reached at 832-595-1242. www.ei-law.com.

DIGITAL

STUDIO

VIDEOS

Behind the Scene

By Elsa Maxey

Executive Producer Star Video Productions

Can I see it in a video?

Today, organizations are under more pressure to deliver messages that in the end turn out to be better than interacting as if one were physically in the same room delivering an instruction or something else.

The experience on the part of the person watching comes with the ability to pause, go back, review, and watch several times… to get it! This enables the receiver to fully understand what in reality is a fluid message set in visual motion giving a person an opportunity to get it clearly – both visually together with audio, and there’s even text on screen. Simple solution!

What’s there not to understand has been heard from those in management. Today’s video messages can change everything.

What’s more, the more people using it, the higher the value.

Everything is probably already in place in a meeting room, office, the lunch room or elsewhere in an office setting. New employee orientations, a review of goals and objectives outlined and explained by an executive…why this form of communication the first time or as an accessible resource has the potential to become as universal as the telephone in businesses in no time.

Now, more than ever the business and economic climate demands alternatives to traditional ways of doing business.

That’s because sometimes workgroups are dispersed and bringing them together in one setting turns out to be inconvenient and works counter productively with cost effectiveness. It is important to be aware of how competitive and time-to-market or delivery pressures are increasing. In the

final analysis, companies everywhere are looking to reduce their carbon footprint in more ways than one by using more effective systems that employ various methods towards a desired end result.

The word is out! Organizations worldwide are realizing the bottom-line benefit of using video communications with their many workgroups. This new level is fast becoming the new normal.

Give us a call and we’ll help you with your videos.

Elsa Malakoff Maxey is a contributor to the Fort Bend Business Journal and the Fort Bend Star. She is the Executive Producer of Star Digital Studios and can be reached at 281-690-4280. Visit www.starvideoproductions.com or email elsamaxey@starvideoproductions.com.

IT’S HERE! Video. On Demand. 24/7.

On your website. Are you taking advantage of this powerful tool to set yourself apart from the competition?

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Google and other search engines love video. A video on your website will place you higher in search rankings.

And your customers love video. It’s dynamic and engaging.

At Star Video Digital Productions, we can help you from conception to completion with your video marketing. Whether you need high-quality video for your website, a TV commercial for traditional cable or broadcast or a promotional video on DVD to deliver to potential customers, we can help.

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4655 Techniplex Dr. Suite 500 • Stafford, TX 77477• www.starvideoproductions.com September 2012 • Fort Bend Business Journal

43

Mason Creek developers share confidence

D

evelopers of a 10.8 acre, 135,330 square foot two-story building are starting construction this month without a tenant.

It’s called Mason Creek Office Center, to be at I-10, just east of the Grand Parkway, with access from both I-10 and South Mason Road.

Developers are Myers,Crow & Saviers, Ltd., of Little Rock, Arkansas, and Moody Rambin of Houston.

“It’s a speculative project,” said R.Mark Saviers, “but we are optimistic that we’ll find a tenant,” he told the Katy Area Economic Development Council.

KAEDC CEO Lance LaCour noted that this will be the first major speculative office building in the Katy area west of Park Ten. “The EDC assisted with the site selection search and will help with marketing

and incentives. We are excited about this facility and the business recruiting and job opportunities it will bring to the Katy area.”

“We re very confident,” said Bob Cromwell of Moody Rambin, “ that we’ll find a single tenant before we complete the project next April.’

Cromwell said that it’s not every day that you build such a center without a commitment, but Moody Rambin has done so with a handful of similar projects in the last few years. Moody Rambin developed Northbelt Office Centers, Oak Park Office Centers in Westheimer and 2929 Briar Park.

And some of clients for the two developers have been J.P.Morgan/Chase, Jacobs Engineering, The Men’s Wearhouse headquarters, Emerson Process Management, State Farm and Continental Airlines.

“We’ve looked for such a project in the Katy area for the past couple of years,”

Cromwell said, “and market conditions seem right now for this venture.”

The building configuration will have 67,500 square feet on each floor, expandable to nearly 150,000 square feet. Key factors which Cromwell said should be of interest to a big tenant are the fact that it is deed restricted to office space, and there’ll be 680 parking spaces. Some 124 spaces will be covered, and they might cover more, Cromwell said. Cromwell noted also that this easy access is within the busy Energy Corridor, one of the area’s most dynamic high growth employment centers, and is only a quarter mile from the one and only Tier IV data center in Houston.

It will be environmentally friendly, have bright open floor plans with 10-foot ceilings to maximize light. It’ll have two-story entry atriums, a Class A lobby and oversized restrooms with quality finishes.

Methodist Sugar Land Hospital’s Breast Center brings advanced technology to residents

Medical Director of the Breast Center at Methodist Sugar Land Hospital. “Having played a key role in the clinical research of MBI, I am confident it will contribute to the general health and well-being of women.”

According to Phillips, mammography will continue to be the gold standard, but MBI gives this patient population an even stronger diagnostic tool.

Since opening in 2009, the Breast Center at MSLH has continued to expand, linking women to the best care in the region. As the first full-service center of its kind in Fort Bend County, patients benefit from the full continuum of care.

For patients diagnosed with breast cancer, the Breast Care Navigator can help coordinate all necessary care with oncologists, breast surgeons, radiation oncologists and reconstructive surgeons who are on staff at Methodist Sugar Land Hospital.

Case reviews are held with the multidisciplinary team, where the breast care specialists discuss and evaluate newly diagnosed patients and create personalized treatment plans.

The Breast Center provides a full array

of diagnostic services, including breast MRI, diagnostic ultrasound, digital mammography, ductograms, fine needle aspirations, molecular breast imaging (MBI), MRI-guided biopsy, stereotactic biopsy and ultrasound biopsy. (281-2427465).

October 19th Pretty in Pink, an exciting community event held at the Sugar Land Town Square on Friday, October 19, from 6 - 9 p.m. Methodist Sugar Land Hospital and the Fort Bend Junior Service League will partner with breast surgeons Sandra Templeton, M.D. and Kelly Dempsey, M.D., to host this event. 100 percent of the donated proceeds will be used to assist patients in the community with personal costs associated with all types of cancer.

There will be live music, a pink fire truck, moonwalk, face painting, magician and balloon artists. After sundown, Town Square will be lit up in pink to honor all cancer survivors.

Keynote speaker, Gail Parker—former Central Fort Bend Chamber Alliance president and breast cancer survivor— will discuss how staying positive helped her during her breast cancer treatment.

METHODIST... continued from page 25

the images of both tumors and dense breast tissue often appear white on the image. (See Photo) Whereas, clinical studies show that MBI gives a clearer image of the lesions and is able to detect three times as many cancers in women with dense breast tissue, and the amount of radiation is equivalent to digital screening mammography.

The Breast Center at Methodist Sugar Land Hospital is proud to offer its patients the latest in breast imaging technology. Now, women with dense breast tissue have access to technology that can identify tumors often not even visible with digital mammography.

“We are excited to offer this new technology and to be the first in the area to do so,” said Dr. Stephen Phillips,

44

Fort Bend Business Journal • September 2012

ATTENTION : Fort Bend High School Seniors

CONGRATULATIONS! Alicia Boczar

Congratulations to Alicia Boczar, a graduate of Fort Bend Christian Academy, for being selected as Texas Direct Auto’s “Scholarship Star” for September! Rachel Cochran, Events Coordinator, presents the $1,000 check. While at Fort Bend Christian Academy, Alicia was a varsity player on the volleyball, soccer and golf teams; she also served as an athletic trainer for the baseball team. Alicia has received multiple awards for her sports performance, including a volleyball leadership award in 2010. She was a member of National Honor Society, National English Honor Society, Interact Club and ASL Club. In 2010, Alicia received a Merit Award for her academic achievements. Alicia plans to study Business Management and Child Life and Development at Baylor University. Alicia was selected as part of Texas Direct Auto’s commitment to educational excellence through the “Scholarship Stars” program. Application details are listed below.

Register now and win a

1,000

$

SCHOLARSHIP! Find complete details and forms at

www.fortbendfocus.com

September 2012 • Fort Bend Business Journal

45

NEWSWORTHY

Fort Bend Symphony supports Breast Cancer Awareness Month Orchestra to perform free concert at Sugar Land Town Square on Sept. 29 The Fort Bend Symphony Orchestra will perform a free, outdoor concert as part of the annual M.D. Anderson Pink

Lighting event at Sugar Land Town Square on Saturday, Sept. 29 beginning at 7 p.m.

The concert features “Stars and Stripes Forever” and a salute to members of the U.S. Armed Forces. Also on the program

are some Disney tunes and other fun music that the entire family will enjoy.

The concert is hosted by Square Land Town Square.

Attendees should bring lawn chairs and wear pink in support of Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

The Fort Bend Symphony Orchestra opens its 21st anniversary season on Sunday, Oct. 26 at the Stafford Centre.

FBSO is under the musical direction of Dr. Héctor Agüero. More information about the upcoming season is at fbso.org.

Validas moves its headquarters into Sugar Land Town Square suite The Fort Bend Symphony Orchestra will again perform a free concert in Sugar Land Town Square to bring awareness to breast cancer.

Fort Bend County receives StormReady recognition Gene Hafele from the National Weather Service has presented Fort Bend County Judge and the Office of Emergency Management with a StormReady Certificate. The StormReady program guides communities to take a new, proactive approach to improving local hazardous weather operations by providing emergency managers with clearcut guidelines on how to improve these operations. Fort Bend County is one of 30 counties in Texas that has received this designation, and the only county in this region.

Those present to accept the certificate were Fort Bend County Judge Robert Hebert, Jeff Braun, OEM Emergency Managment Coordinator; Alan Spears, OEM, Deputy Emergency Management Coordi-

46

nator; Danny Jan, Fort Bend County Sherrif’s Office, Emergency Management; and Deputy Richard Swonke, Sherrif’s Office.

StormReady is a “grass roots” program sponsored by NOAA’s National Weather Service that focuses on improving communication and severe weather preparedness in communities. It helps community leaders and emergency managers strengthen local hazard mitigation and emergency response plans.

From tornadoes to tsunamis, floods to winter storms, and wildfires to hurricanes, communities will be better prepared knowing they have the best possible chance of being warned before a weather disaster strikes.

Visit fbcoem.org for more information.

Fort Bend Business Journal • September 2012

Validas Inc., a software service company that offers solutions for helping businesses and consumers save money on wireless bills, moved its headquarters to Sugar Land, and in the process more than tripled its space.

The company moved in August into its new 5,725-square-foot office space in Sugar Land Town Square, developed by Planned Community Developers Ltd. and designed by the architecture firm Ambrose and House.

The company currently employs about 20 workers and has plans to grow to 30 by the end of the year, according to Kerry Chrapliwy, the company’s chief marketing officer. He added that the new space can accommodate more than 30 people.

The new office has a mostly open floor plan, which provides for a collaborative environment, Chrapliwy said. In addition, Validas is allowing its employees to decorate their own spaces by choosing their own floor tiles.

As for why the company chose Sugar Land, Chrapliwy said, “We think Sugar Land is a great community that is a start-up in itself. There are also great local amenities.”

Submit Newsworthy items to sharon@fortbendstar.com

Mayor declares Commute Solutions Month Sugar Land Mayor James A. Thompson has declared a Commute Solutions Month in Sugar Land, one component of a broader effort to inform citizens about the Commute Solutions Program.

Commute Solutions is a program of the HoustonGalveston Area Council (H-GAC) that provides a “onestop” alternative transportation resource for commuters and Pictured (L-R) during a City Council recognition on Aug. 7 are Rick Conley, director of real estate and office businesses in the Houston services for Fluor Corporation; Ch’rese Jackson, H-GAC region. Services include - senior telework planner; Alan Clark, H-GAC director of carpool or vanpool matching, transportation planning; Thompson; and Lisa KocichMeyer, City of Sugar Land principal planner. teleworking assistance and the NuRide incentive program.

The NuRide program provides rewards, Land residents is located online at www. such as discounts to local shops and sugarlandtx.gov/tlrp/Transitservices.asp. restaurants to incentivize green trips Fluor Corporation, a local such as walking, carpooling, taking Sugar Land business, is already transit or telecommuting. Information participating in the program and about transit services available to Sugar encourages others to join them.

Artisan & Antique Market Time to shop Historic Richmond The fall Artisan & Antiques Market hosted by the Historic Richmond Association arrives downtown Richmond October 13. From 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. on Morton Street shoppers can stroll the sidewalks and through some of the oldest buildings in Fort Bend county.

“This bi-annual show will feature an amazing array of quality antiques and handmade artisan goods from artists and dealers throughout the southeastern Texas area,” said Shereen Lary, chair and organizer, Artisan& Antique Market.

“Decorators, collectors, treasure hunters and bargain hunters alike dealing in perusing the unique artisan wares and interesting vintage and antique items, as well as getting a taste of the local cafés and unique boutiques Richmond has to offer,”

Lary said.

Lary noted, European and American accessories, furniture, vintage garden items, glassware and textiles will be among the offerings.

Also, local food vendors and performing artists will be entertaining the crowd for a fun-filled day.

“October is a great time of the year to be out and about antique shopping, so mark your calendars now and plan to enjoy a leisurely lunch or snack while listening to local talent perform,” Lary said.

For more information and/or vendor information, please go to the Historic Richmond Association’s website, www.historicrichmond.orgor call 832.525.6105.

The MD Anderson Regional Care Center hosts Look Good…

Feel Better class The University of Texas MD Anderson Regional Care Center in Sugar Land hosts a series of classes for the Look Good…Feel Better program, a free, public service program created by the American Cancer Society to inspire women with cancer and improve their self-esteem during treatment and recovery.

The Look Good…Feel Better program consists of a series of classes where volunteer cosmetologists teach women diagnosed with cancer how to cope with skin changes and hair loss due to chemotherapy or radiation treatments. Each woman attending the class will receive a complimentary cosmetic kit selected to enhance her complexion type. All cosmetics and skin care products are donated

by The Personal Care Products Council Foundation and are tested to be safe for women undergoing chemotherapy treatment.

UPCOMING CLASSES: Wednesday, September 5, from 10 a.m.-noon

Lamar CISD among 27.6 percent of Texas districts to meet AYP Lamar CISD was one of the very few school districts in the state of Texas that met Federal Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) under the No Child Left Behind law.

Only 27.6 percent of Texas school districts met this requirement. That breaks down to 339 Texas public school districts meeting the standard, with 876 districts not achieving AYP. “We can’t attribute this accomplishment to just one thing,” said Lamar CISD superintendent, Dr. Thomas Randle. “Every child is a priority at Lamar CISD and when you focus on one student at a time, you’ll see results like these. Meeting AYP is a credit to our teachers, administrators, staff, parents and the students themselves. ”

September 2012 • Fort Bend Business Journal

47

NEWSWORTHY Missouri City Branch Library to celebrate twentieth year

In celebration of its 20th year, Fort Bend County Libraries’ Missouri City Branch Library, 1530 Texas Parkway, will host an anniversary celebration on Saturday,September 22, from 2- 4 pm, in the Meeting Room of the library.

A brief ceremony will begin at 2:30 pm in the Meeting Room. Local, county, and city officials will be on hand for the celebration.

The festivities will include a display depicting the changes in library technology over the past 20 years, as well as photographs of Missouri City in 1992. Refreshments courtesy of the Friends of the Missouri City Branch Library will be available throughout the afternoon.

The Missouri City Branch Library was built on a 2.5-acre site adjacent to the Missouri City Civic Center, and opened in June 1992.

The 18,462-square-foot facility was part of a $10.9-million bond approved by voters in 1989 for the construction of the Missouri City Branch, the First Colony Branch, the Sugar Land Branch, and upgrades to the Mamie George Branch in Stafford.

In addition to the county bond money, contributions from Missouri City and funds from the Library Services and Construction Act (LSCA) from the Texas State Library were used to build the branch.

The Missouri City Branch Library exemplifies the way in which city, county and state can work together to bring a worthwhile project to fruition.

The public is invited to join the anniversary celebration. For more information, call the branch library at 281-238-2100 or the library’s Public Information Office at 281-341-2677.

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Anson Aviation breaks ground in Sugar Land August was a busy month for Anson Aviation. The company broke ground at on its 24,000 square foot, state-of-the art office and hangar facility at Sugar Land Regional Airport. Anson Air already operates the only FAA approved pilot school at the airport.

The $3 million facility will allow Anson to expand its offering of innovative aviation services and create 15 new aviation jobs at Sugar Land Regional.

“Our business plan has always been based on challenging the traditional assumptions of our industry. For example, we see training pilots and renting airplanes as a lifestyle business, not an airplane business.

The mobility and freedom available to pilots

of personal airplanes fits perfectly with the premium lifestyle offered by Sugar Land and Fort Bend County,” says founder and president Dana Atkinson.

The customer service driven attitude of Anson’s business also involves helping aspiring professional pilots to achieve their dreams

Historic Richmond exposes The Secret Garden A quaint shop called The Secret Garden recently opened in Historic Downtown Richmond. Located at 209 South Fourth its entry is filled with antiques, while elegant facial treatment rooms provoke a relaxing atmosphere and a courtyard in the back promises to catch the eye with its architectural remnants and garden accessories by this fall.

Owner Shereen Lary used her passion to renovate the building and also became an antique dealer. “Shereen holds a Master’s Degree in Historic Preservation and has restored many historic homes. The Historic Richmond Association, in which she is co-vice president, is going to take advantage of her knowledge for future plans for downtown,” said Rebecca Maitland, president, Historic Richmond Association.

When Shereen moved into her new store, she noted how in the early 2000s something happened that would change the course of her life.

“My skin became a problem and most products irritated it. In desperation I purchased numerous expensive products, visited dermatologists, all in vain,” Lary said.

Lary turned to the Internet and by using her historical background, she reviewed century old pharmaceutical texts with listed

Fort Bend Business Journal • September 2012

Photo by Jennifer Marie Heylmun

natural herbs healers that had been used to cure skin aliments.

“I began to mix my own creams and lotions. Through months of trial and error, I finally created facial products that cured my skin, and made it look more luminous with less wrinkles. I gave my products to my friends and family, and they loved them, too.”

Lary’s product line, Bramble, is available at her new store. The community is already beginning to discover that they work, but what most people love is they cost much less and products are made fresh.

For appointments or product information, call 832.525.6105 or drop by The Secret Garden. Hours Tuesday – Friday 11:00 a.m.

– 4:00 p.m. and Saturdays 11:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

Submit Newsworthy items to sharon@fortbendstar.com

of flying careers. Anson offers a full range of pilot courses and the company provides flight training for the professional pilot programs at San Jacinto Community College and Mountain State University.

In coming months Anson plans to announce additional innovative aeronautical services for pilots, airplane owners, and the general public. Atkinson adds, “It is our vision to provide all of the services and expertise needed to enable our customers to enjoy private airplanes for business and personal travel. Airplane owners, pilots who rent airplanes and the general public will find a friendly, inviting, professional atmosphere with everything they need for personal air transportation.”

Sugar Land Regional Airport is a wellestablished and rapidly expanding center for aviation. It is the fourth largest airport in the greater Houston area, and one of the foremost general reliever airports in the Gulf Coast region.Visit us on the web at www.ansonair. com.

The Noble Group relocates to Sugar Land Town Square offices The Noble Group has relocated to Sugar Land Town Square.

The Noble Group, a rapidly growing employee benefits and retirement plan consulting firm, is relocating its current office in Sugar Land to 2245 Texas Drive, Suite 170. The firm will occupy approximately 5,700 square feet of office space, according to Planned Community Developers, Ltd. The Noble Group works within the everchanging landscape of employee benefits to provide corporate clients with the framework and guidance needed to offer the most competitive benefit plans. The company’s wealth management division works with individuals to implement strategies to grow

their wealth while simultaneously striving to protect their assets.

“As a growing firm, we are excited to expand into a corporate office where our clients will feel comfortable and welcomed,” said Tom Noble, managing partner of The Noble Group. “We believe that the professional atmosphere offered at Sugar Land Town Square will contribute to our corporate culture of camaraderie and high morale. An environment where we can work, shop, live and play combines as a perfect fit for us.”

Louie Crapitto of Jones Lang LaSalle represented The Noble Group in this transaction. Don Janssen, executive vice president of PCD, represented PCD.

Special Feature OCTOBER 2012 ISSUE

Fort Bend General Election To Advertise call Mary Doetterl 281-690-4204 Direct • 713-397-6279 Cell Mary@FortBendStar.com

Deadline: September 10 Fort Bend/Katy

September 2012 • Fort Bend Business Journal

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NAMES IN THE NEWS Assistant County Attorney Harrison Gregg, Jr. named to Bar Association Hall of Fame Senior Assistant County Attorney Harrison Gregg, Jr. was recently inducted into the National Bar Association’s Hall of Fame.

Gregg is only one of five members from across the United States who were inducted into the Hall of Fame at the Association’s annual convention in July.

The Hall of Fame was created in 1986 to honor those lawyers who have been licensed to practice for over 40 years and who have made significant contributions to the cause of justice. Founded in 1925, the National Bar Association is the nation’s oldest and largest national network of predominantly African American attorneys and judges with about 44,000 members.

Gregg joined the Office of the Harris County Attorney in 1999, serving as a civil prosecutor in child abuse and neglect cases.

He has handled thousands of cases involving abused and neglected children.

Gregg is currently assigned to the County Attorney’s Compliance Practice Group where he appears in court hearings daily and represents Harris County in cases in Justice Courts, County Civil

His accomplishments include having been the first African American to be appointed Associated Judge IV-D Master for the Second Administrative Judicial Region for the state of Texas in 1987. Gregg is currently a board member of the Houston Lawyers Association, a panel chair of the State Bar of Texas Grievance Committee, and a board member of the National Bar Association’s Judicial Council Division.

Harris County Attorney Ryan said, “Our office is pleased to have attorneys of the caliber of Harrison Gregg. We applaud his commitment to public service.”

Harrison Gregg (left) is congragulated by County Attorney Vince Ryan upon Mr. Greggs being conducted into the National Bar Association’s Hall of Fame.

Courts at Law and the District Courts.

After having served in the United States Army, Gregg attended the Thurgood Marshall School of Law at Texas Southern University.

He became a founding partner of Bush & Gregg Law Office. He has served as city attorney for the city of Kendleton, Texas.

Lopez named to the Rehabilitation Council of Texas Five state professionals have been named to the Rehabilitation Council of Texas. Included in the pick is Manuel Lopez, Jr. of Rosenberg who is manager of the Texana Learning Manuel Lopez, Jr. Center. The council partners with the Texas Department of Assistive and Rehabilitative Services (DARS) to advocate for people with disabilities in the vocational rehabilitation process.

Lopez is a mentor for the Rosenberg Exchange Club and past member of the Lamar Little League Board of Directors.

Lopez received a bachelor’s degree from the University of Houston. He is appointed for a term to expire Oct. 29, 2014.

The other four include Jeff Foster, a regional

50

general manager for Lowe’s Companies Inc., of Mount Vernon; Martha Garber, a licensed professional counselor and director of applied research and development at the University of North Texas. She is president of the Texas Rehabilitation Association and board secretary of the Association of Community Rehabilitation Educators, of Coppell; Saul Herrera,chair of the State Independent Living Council and a member of the National Senior Corps Association, of Midland; and Joyce Delores Taylor, a member of the American Psychological Association, Society of Women Engineers, National Management Association, Federation of Houston Professional Women, National Management Association, Society of Human Resource Management, and Houston Area Industrial and Organizational Psychologists, of Houston.

Fort Bend Business Journal • September 2012

Child Advocates of Fort Bend announces new development director Child Advocates of Fort Bend announces the addition of Ken Kelly to its staff. Kelly will serve as the agency’s Development Director.

Kenneth Kelly has Kenneth Kelly 22-years of experience with a proven track record in all aspects of fund development. Prior to joining Child Advocates of Fort Bend, Ken served as the Director of Development for Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese GalvestonHouston. His fundraising background includes two years as the Administration and Development Director for Rio Bend Foster Care Community, five years as a fundraising and marketing consultant and seven years at the AIDS Foundation Houston, Inc. where he served as Vice President of Marketing & Development, Director of Communications and Special Events Coordinator.

Ken has served on the boards of the Clements High School Global Languages Academy, The Honor Roll School, the Association of Fund Raising Professionals, and First Colony Little League in Sugar Land where he has lived for many years.

Submit Newsworthy items to sharon@fortbendstar.com

City of Richmond receives distinguished budget presentation award

T

he Government Finance Officers Association of the United States and Canada (GFOA) is pleased to announce that City of Richmond has received the GFOA’s Distinguished Budget Presentation Award for its budget.

The award represents a significant achievement by the entity. It reflects the commitment of the governing body and staff to meeting the highest principles of governmental budgeting. In order to receive the budget award, the entity had to satisfy nationally recognized guidelines for effective budget presentation. These guidelines are designed to assess how well an entity’s budget serves as: • a policy document • a financial plan • an operations guide • a communications device Budget documents must be rated “proficient” in all four categories, and the fourteen mandatory criteria within those categories to receive the award.

When a Distinguished Budget Presentation Award is granted to an entity, a Certificate of Recognition for Budget Presentation is also presented to the individual or department designated as being primarily responsible for its having achieved the award. This has been presented to Finance Department.

For budgets including fiscal period 2010, over 1,289 entities received the Award. Award recipients have pioneered efforts to improve the quality of budgeting and provide an excellent example for other governments throughout North America.

The Government Finance Officers Association is a nonprofit professional association serving nearly 17,400 government finance professionals throughout North America. The GFOA’s Distinguished Budget Presentation Awards Program is the only national awards program in governmental budgeting.

City of Richmond receives an (A-) Rating

from Standards and Poor’s Rating Services The Outlook is Stable Standard & Poor’s (S&P’s) Ratings Services affirmed its ‘A-’ underlying rating (SPUR) on Richmond, Texas’ general obligation (GO) debt. The outlook is stable.

According to the report the rating reflects S&P’s view of the city’s: • Stable, but somewhat limited, local economic base with access to the diverse Houston metropolitan statistical area (MSA); • Adequate wealth and income levels; and Moderate overall debt levels.

Offsetting these factors, in S&P’s opinion, are the city’s: • Thin financial position, with an adequate general fund balance; and • Lack of formalized financial management policies, including the lack of a formal general fund balance reserve policy.

The city’s limited ad valorem tax pledge secures the bonds.

The local economy has diversified and includes health care, metal, oil and gas services, and retail operations. Wealth and income indicators remain below state and national averages. Median household effective buying income is adequate, in S&P’s opinion, at 86% of the national average. Market value per capita, an indicator of wealth, is low, in S&P’s opinion, at $27,620. While county government limits and dominates the city’s employment base, residents have access to a broader job market in the diverse Houston MSA. The mostly residential property tax base has seen consistent growth over the past several years, increasing by 14% over the past five years; however, assessed value (AV) decreased by 4.8% in fiscal 2011 to $376.8 million.

Leading taxpayers, led by Wal-Mart Stores Real Estate Business Trust, Wal-Mart Stores Texas LP, and Matrix Metals (an industrial company), account for a diverse 15% of total market value.

Richmond’s financial performance and position are low, in S&P’s opinion. The city is in the preliminary budget writing

stages for fiscal 2013, and city officials are optimistic they will pass a balanced budget.

For fiscal 2012, the city ended with a $38,000 general fund drawdown. While this figure is nominally small, it represents 30% of the city’s general fund reserves. Audited results for fiscal 2011 indicate the city maintained an unreserved general fund balance of $126,000, or an adequate 1.2% of operating expenditures. Officials intend to adopt a formal policy to maintain $500,000, but have not been able to build up reserves to surpass this threshold in recent years. Officials expect to continue to transfer money from water and sewer operations to help offset debt service expenses and administrative costs. Property taxes account for 45% of total general fund revenues, followed by sales tax revenues, which account for about 41% of total general fund receipts; year to date, all major revenue streams are trending inline with management’s budget.

Richmond’s financial management practices are considered “standard” under Standard & Poor’s Financial Management Assessment methodology, indicating the finance department maintains adequate policies in most, but not all, key areas. In terms of revenue and expenditure assumptions, management prepares its budgets based on five-year historical revenue and expenditure trends. Officials monitor the budget monthly and make adjustments twice a year, but have the flexibility to make adjustments as needed.

Richmond lacks policies in some areas, including a long-term financial plan, capital improvement plan, and debt management.

The only formal written financial management policies exist for investments, which follow investment guidelines outlined by state statutes; management provides the governing body with informal updates at least quarterly.

After taking into account some selfsupport provided by the city’s water and sewer operations, the overall debt burden is moderate at $2,619 per capita and moderately high at 9.5% of market value. Amortization is rapid, with 74% of principal to be retired in 10 years and all principal in 20 years. Debt

AWARD... continued from page 59

September 2012 • Fort Bend Business Journal

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DBA (Assumed Names)

Data Beat (+) = More Names

This is a sample of the Assumed Names (DBAs) filed at the Fort Bend County Clerk’s office for July 2012. More Assumed Names may be viewed online at http://ccweb.co.fort-bend.TX.us/RealEstate/SearchEntry.aspx. There were 354 Assumed Names with Notary Fee for month of July. There were also 75 Assumed Names without a notary fee.

Sankholkar Rohit Rad Technology Solutions 2850 Mesquite Dr 77479

Wokocha Chidi Esiaba Good Heart Care 6303 Southwood Ct South 77035

Mckenzie Linda Fresh Start Counseling Center P O Box 16993 77496

Bonner Shannon T (+) Global Clinical Network Consultants 2302 Rushbrook 77489

Yarborough Gregg BGK Holdings 4102 Marchant 77047

Intrinsik Media LLC Intrinsik Media 1303 N Medio River Cir 77478

Yarborough Evelyn Main 1 Educational Resources 4102 Marchant Rd 77047

Youngs Robert Wayne (+) C.W.Y. Youngstopher Foundation 16407 Ash Point Lane 77498

Salazar Claudia A (+) SS Group 3523 Cedar Hill Ct 77459

Bennett Keith Eugene (+) Drop Table Sys.Systable Computer Services 5707 Berwick Ct 77479

Ali Akbar Sadaat (+) Swift Ninja Welding 5007 Berkshire Ct 77475 Rashid Alliya Rashid Enterprises 10055 Belknap Rd Suite 122 77498 Sanders Jonathan EKO Card 1831 Crestview Ct 77459 Adams Nicky Usxraybuyers 3515 Moss Trail Dr 77459 Bordelon John (+) Bordelon Property Management 9720 Thompson Lake 77459 Viola-Vu Megan (+) Be The Difference Foundation 17703 Strolling Stream Ln 77407 Davis Michelle Henry Mich’e Concierge Services & Party Planning 8618 Pamunky Lane 77469 Aboutaleb Mohamed (+) Mohson Ventures Inc DBA Alpha Int’l Auto Center 13406 Naples Bridge 77498 Zepeda George Sr (+) From The Earth 4905 Greenwood Dr 77471 Ewumi Hakeem A Trends Kitchens & Export Co. 26706 Hawkstone Ct 77494

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Aidoo Ransford A Royalhouse Chapel Texas Mission 17714 Strolling Stream Ln 77407 Chadick Paige Paige Chadick Graphics 3423 Greenfields Drive 77479 Garcia Deren Sienna Spikes Baseball 10307 Rudolph Ct 77459 Raza Fawad Cell & Repair USA 19743 Bluff Canyon Way 77450 Gaba Dental Clinic LLC Perfect Dental Of Rosenberg 4114 Ave H 77471

Edwards Danielle T Dee Dee Cleaning Services 1707 Stone Lake Dr 77489

Love Stephen Paul (+) SW Land 3531 Tamarisk Ln 77459

Yarborough Steve (+) Am/Pm Air Conditioning & Heating 12 Greenway S 1100 77046

Nraj LLC Baloch Ice Cream & Juice 403 Highway 6 Suite E 77478

Robertson Ashley Reighn Of Fashion 2503 Hammerwood 77489 Envital Inc Envital Home Health 18150 Sorrell Oaks Ln 77407 Hashmani Muhammad Salim S. Hasmani Business LLC. 5055 Hwyway Blvd 77494 Willis Darlene (+) G. Willy’s Enterpise 806 Azucar Court 77498

Wright Regina Y Cora’s Cobbler House 4715 Cedarfield Rd 77494

Schofield Ha River Schofield 10111 Hutton Park 77494

Carpenter Barry Barry Carpenter Services 14006 Susan Ct 77498

Ranauro Steven J Layer 1 Consulting 7035 Glenwood Drive 77479

Carpenter Barry Booth Tech 14006 Susan Ct 77498

Thompson Wanda E Q Balls Shavede Ice P O Box 803 77545

Pena Christine (+) Red Cardinal Flea Market 211 Randon Dyer 77471

Majors Delwin Major Transportation 911 Rock Springs Dr 77469

Owolabi Jaiyeola (+) F.U.N. Wear 1214 Garden Brook 77479

King Terrence King’s Home Improvement and Repair 1218 River Rock Dr 77489

Aguirre Amanda Coral (+) Refrescas 411 Main St 77498 Johnson Latricia Party Affairs By Trish 1526 Chandler Pk Ln 77545 Shulick Susan T Topdeals888 6722 Chester Oak Dr 77083

Shulick Susan T Nguyen Hong Hanh T (+) Winwin11 Star Nails & Spa 6722 Chester Oak Dr 77083 22720 Bellaire Blvd Ste 300 77469 Cranvest Inc Belt Morris E Jr Cran Drill DBA Skip Belt Campaign Fund 4208 Stonebrige Ln 77459 2810 Hampton Dr 77459 Qureshi Salman (+) Lopez Blanca O (+) Ultimate Solutions B&C Signs 15000 W Airport Blvd 3522 George Washington 77459 Apt 814 77498

Pencak Anne Onsite Cpr Services Ogbezuwa Kingsley 714 7Th St 77498 King’s Motors 8402 W Sienna Cove Ln 77083 Gamble Gerold Oneal (+) Gamble Logistics & Pirooz Investment Corp Motorsports Richmond Krispy 2702 Fort Caney Dr 77406 Krunchy Chicken 1101 Jackson St 77469 Vu Chi B Elegant Nails & Spa Ha Angela (+) 4504 Highway 6 77478 Courtyard Events 14103 Millglen Court 77498 Sheppard Theresa (+) Global Transportation Green Eugene Services Right-A-Way Transport 7435 Towerview Ln 77489 5511 Kashmere St 77026

Fort Bend Business Journal • September 2012

Ajeleti Francis Olatunde Foa Group Home 1802 Elm Shadow Dr 77489

Ewell Robert T B.E. Safe Training Solutions 24818 Almond Orchard Ln 77494 Omojola Ilaria A Ria’s Consulting 3943 Southern Bnd 77459 Heiskell Helen Happening By Helene 15927 Ruppstock Dr 77489 Fiduciary Partners LLC Stor-It 4 Less 1220 Fm 2977 77469 Muradali Nazneen (+) Klassik Kreations 3976 Bluebonnet Dr 77477

Luker Scott Wade Luker Trucking 502 Land Grant Dr 77406 Wade Lane Alan Casa Bravos Mexican Restaurant 4514 Hwy 6 South 77479 Colony Limosine Enterprises Inc Colony Limosine School Bus And Charter Services 9731 Mula Rd 77477 Colony Limousine Enterprises Inc Colony Limousine of Sugar Land 9731 Mula Rd 77477 Bayne Virna Marie (+) Vmb Dew Drop Bus Service 15227 Mission Oak Dr 77083 Sherman Denise L Variety Braids 1323 Gentle Bend Dr 77489 Black List Productions LLC (+) Black List Training LLC 6510 Archer Ranch Ln 77471-6606 Medlock Calvin Jr Medlock Pitching Academy 1814 Millbury Dr 77489 Lopez Lilia Pineda Lily’s Party Services 2106 Ave I 77471 Chambers Chad Triton Needles 2419 Braer Ridge Dr 77494

DBA (Assumed Names)

Data Beat (+) = More Names

Campbell Marcus Wayne Sr Time And Season 7822 Summerdale Dr 77469

Kheraz Inc Jack’s $ 3801 B Ave H 77471

Knox Carlos (+) Cain’t Stop Now Beats 10539 Long River Dr 77498

Valcor Group, Inc Valcor Appraisals 503 Mckeever Rd #1508 77583

Shah Naresh (+) Enviropro Consulting Services 5402 Brook Bend Drive 77479

Vanburen Essence Twixxy 7502 Corporate Dr Apt 17 77036

West Houston Group Inc West Houston Property Management 111 Bridge Crest Blv 77082

Jacson Elizabeth Carol (+) Sister Liz’s Accessories 17424 W Grand Pkwy S #220 77479

Scott Gary L Advanced Geophysical Products 9115 S. Fitzgerald Way 77459

Martinez Guadalupe Party Solutions 15118 Sam Street 77498

Coleman Delbert Lynn (+) Delbert Coleman A/C P O Box 755 77451

Coverdale Vera L (+) Accounting Solutions 1110 Briarmead Dr 77406

Chourp Chap Westco Donut 4610 Fm 723 77406

Scott Gary L Scott Consultants 9115 S. Fitzgerald Way 77459

Land Kenneth Jrj K.Land Photography (+) 2311 Stoneburg Ct 77479

West Houston Group Inc West Houston Auto Sales and Services 111 Bridge Crest Blvd 77082

Education Partner Inc Holley Youth Intervention Services 2922 Richland Spring Ln 77479

Makkah Mart (+) Zaytoon Restaurant 10560 Synott Rd Ste #180 77498

Matthews Angela Bling Is A Blessing 14090 Sw Fwy #300 #111 77478

Rodriguez Yvonne Haydee Coco’s Paws Dog Supplies 7139 Siena Vist Dr 77083

Onaiwu Monday E Lcb Tax Professionals 12311 W Bellfort Ave 77477

Hancock Kurt ABA Service 2522 Sage Brush Ln 77479

Pierson Dechelle P (+) Brilliantly Baby 16310 Split Willow Dr 77083

Trinidad Francisca (+) Chiral Cleaning Services 5014 Ridge Creek Cir 77053

Knox Carlos (+) Csn Beats 10539 Long River Dr 77498

Castillo Isabel C (+) Affordable Insurance Hunter’s Multiservices 12921 SH 36 77461

Zatarz Services LLC Carepulsar 6314 Dryaton Hall 77459

Kirkpatrick James Wade Fulshear Family Karate 18311 Austin Oak 77407

Dave Ishwar R Ishwar Dave Engineering Services 2914 Rimrock Drive 77459

Onyemachi Samuel Okwudiri Smart Security Services 16307 Arametos Drive 77083

Hurst Raeyaan Elite Marketing & Promotions 1201 Dulles Ave 77477 Tien Lifang Gt Learning Academy 4102 Laguna Cir 77459 Nayani Aljavad J Sarena Travel 415 Indian Summer Dr 77479 Rios Susie Susie Construction 1627 Hwy 36 West 77471 Plake Gina (+) Anna Drew Designs 6214 S Saddle Creek Ln 77441 Lonestar Dining Group LLC Casa De Bravos Mexican Restaurant 4515 Hwy 6 South 77479 Robinson Angela Larie (+) Special Hearts Senior Services Po Box 1807 77487 1807

Abughazaleh Ehab M Deliverit Pharmacy Inc 13303 West Airport Blvd 77478 Bean & Archer Holding Ragz 5755 Katy Gaston Rd 77494 Bean & Archer Holding Ragz Car Wash 5755 Katy Gaston 77494 Nelson Charles Charles Nelson Inspection Service 14415 Twin Twist Ct 77489

Warren Wayne C (+) Warren Firearms 1901 J Meyer Rd 77469

Ullah Sibghat Xpeed Packing and Freight Forwarding 14829 Armitage Ln 77478

Busch Lida (+) Eagle Remodeling Services 3515 Mallard Pass Lane 77494

Ehab M Zuhair Abughazaleh LLC Emza Usa LLC 1122 Forest Knoll Lane 77479

Eldar Yifat Romy Ice Cream 2055 Bluffton Ln 77450 Hill Tonnette W York Jefferies Studio Designs 16603 Lost Quail 77489 Mckinney Jennifer (+) The Cozy Cottage Christian School (+) 5415 E Fifth St 77493

Trividan LLC Smart Media Consultants 9119 Highway 6 Suite 230 #176 77459 Mmm Const Products Inc Lerma Construction Services 1011 S 6TH St 77469 Ates Carnelius Fontaine (+) Triple C’s Rodeo and Riding Club 7714 Lana Lane 77485 Siems Billy R Siemco Lawn Services 99 Island Blvd 77459 Toddler Arts LLC Yoga 4 Family 507 Fernglade Dr 77406

Thagard Jason (+) Gulf Tech Electric 10323 Dannhaus Rd 77461

Zatarz Services LLC Zatarz Services 6314 Dryaton Hall 77459

Okotie Tania O Elyon Classic Fashionaries 3631 Benjamin Franklin Ln 77459

Ellis Simone A Dmd Pc Texas Dental Assisting School 6130 Hwy 6 77459

Edmond Roxanne (+) Cougar Movers Po Box 5313 77491

Hernandez Angela (+) Task Masters 5915 Yaupon Ridge Dr 77469

Celestine-Johnson Melinda K Minister Faith Keep’s 7210 Lilac Manor Lane 77469

Powers Cindy 1 - 2 - 3 Service’s Because We Provide More Then One Service 315 N Pine St 77583

Adams Joint Ventures LLC (+) Intranet Diffusion (I.D.) 9432-A Hwy 6 S 77083 Perez Connie Regal Homes and Restoration 2801 N 10Th St Ste A 78501 Chellaram Taro Tc Global Commercial Real Estate 2930 Mesquite Drive 77479

Abraham Blessy Johns Universal Supply and Oil Field Company Han Liqing 3727 Heritage Colony Dr 77459 Williams Tania E M Eye Vision Gia Logistics Transportation LLC 6725 S Fry Road Ste 400 77494 Comparetto John Dillan 18123 Spring Run Lane 77407 Rls Landscaping Han Liqing and Tree Service Jones Fredrick Ray M-Eye Vision 15418 Parl Glen Dr 77498 Jones Superior Building Service 6725 S Fry Road Ste 400 77494 12345 Bob White Drive Singh Balvinder (+) #1510 77035 Paramount Services LLC Sugar Land Pc Repair Paramount Lending L L C 16339 West Bellfort 77498 Shakoor Zubair 16754 Southwest Frwy Z Online Biz (+) Suite B 77479 10500 Fountain Lake Dr #814 77477

Hood John K A B Vending 1811 Pinewood Ct 77498 Rajwani Amirali A To Z Grocery Store 4227 B Ave H 77471 Collins Desiree (+) Neaux Image 3001 Dove Country Dr 102 77477 Alhamra Motors LLC Ginza Motors 12507 Murphy Road 77477 Hall Dorothy J Dorvin Enterprises 7534 Rabbitt Ridge 77459 Malhotra Vikrant M S Diamonds 54 Sugar Creek Center Blvdsuite 321 77478

September 2012 • Fort Bend Business Journal

53

Data Beat

August 2012 Sales Tax Allocation Comparison Summary Reports

Sales Tax Allocation Comparison Summary reports present data about monthly local sales and use tax allocation payments to local sales taxing jurisdictions.

These net payments represent monies identified for the local jurisdictions since the previous month’s distribution. These reports will allow you to compare current year sales and use tax payments with the previous year. When used with other local economic indicators, they may help indicate present and future trends.

County/City Fort Bend

Net Payment This Period

Comp Payment Prior Year

% Change To Date

2012 Payments To Date

2011 Payments Change

Percent

Arcola Beasley Fulshear Kendleton Meadows Place Missouri City Needville Orchard Pleak Richmond Rosenberg Simonton Stafford Sugar Land Thompsons

33,187.14 8,089.08 67,589.43 1,700.10 94,718.59 630,186.13 39,828.17 5,152.10 5,585.98 270,118.30 1,246,669.08 8,397.15 1,424,147.91 4,770,919.62 0.00

30,079.08 7,927.98 51,407.91 2,256.80 85,515.58 667,212.57 31,894.02 4,759.44 4,357.20 362,288.21 1,126,428.25 15,581.69 1,297,710.01 3,590,050.72 1,828.90

10.33% 2.03% 31.47% -24.66% 10.76% -5.54% 24.87% 8.25% 28.20% -25.44% 10.67% -46.10% 9.74% 32.89% -100.00%

234,090.05 64,921.82 424,483.08 7,686.71 688,117.47 4,286,988.68 267,247.70 25,442.24 58,038.64 2,594,903.65 8,547,501.96 91,322.25 9,715,846.67 29,423,286.16 11,119.50

182,714.31 51,980.04 308,919.46 12,956.59 605,494.60 3,978,278.77 238,543.84 28,292.31 33,177.55 2,612,537.11 7,729,804.90 87,893.26 8,976,849.69 26,740,957.37 16,559.32

28.11% 24.89% 37.40% -40.67% 13.64% 7.75% 12.03% -10.07% 74.93% -0.67% 10.57% 3.90% 8.23% 10.03% -32.85%

COUNTY TOTAL

8,606,288.78

7,279,298.36

18.22%

56,440,996.58

51,604,959.12

9.37%

Top 20 City Sales and Use Tax Comparison Summary - August 2012 Please note that Sugar Land is 17th in sales tax revenues in the state.

City

Houston San Antonio Dallas Austin Fort Worth Arlington El Paso Corpus Christi Plano Amarillo Round Rock McAllen Lubbock Midland Frisco Irving Sugar Land Abilene Grand Prairie Laredo

54

Net Payment This Period

Comp Payment Prior Year

% Change To Date

2012 Payments To Date

54,040,581.09 22,618,016.89 22,330,974.56 14,598,568.47 9,633,041.16 8,606,657.23 6,740,174.16 6,778,700.99 6,824,133.91 6,157,872.86 5,550,732.50 5,507,130.78 5,325,732.77 4,959,186.24 4,755,662.38 4,705,167.88 4,770,919.62 3,663,299.15 3,888,629.50 3,269,807.11

49,836,242.99 22,306,962.62 21,472,297.32 13,658,947.72 13,763,588.35 8,332,620.91 6,780,873.24 6,315,148.33 6,530,082.24 5,977,960.23 5,335,292.35 5,027,518.52 4,847,763.35 4,337,808.27 4,401,176.88 5,011,289.11 3,590,050.72 4,035,271.85 3,770,748.57 3,359,566.77

8.43% 1.39% 3.99% 6.87% -30.01% 3.28% -0.60% 7.34% 4.50% 3.00% 4.03% 9.53% 9.85% 14.32% 8.05% -6.10% 32.89% -9.21% 3.12% -2.67%

376,690,044.11 162,218,027.02 153,745,961.07 104,890,990.34 74,733,720.25 59,374,039.94 49,912,031.66 48,013,677.89 47,198,833.98 43,742,433.51 43,284,183.08 40,158,804.51 37,068,193.55 35,159,259.94 32,761,902.24 32,153,372.65 29,423,286.16 28,013,385.80 26,396,694.12 25,339,486.47

Fort Bend Business Journal • September 2012

2011 Payments Change

338,666,729.29 149,305,595.29 144,486,540.19 96,942,635.77 70,842,858.29 56,476,265.92 49,672,794.58 41,703,166.75 44,292,890.18 41,616,114.75 43,212,784.10 37,662,428.50 34,621,811.28 30,858,813.49 29,303,497.72 31,906,712.06 26,740,957.37 25,508,678.01 23,372,777.46 23,408,292.48

Percent

11.22% 8.64% 6.40% 8.19% 5.49% 5.13% 0.48% 15.13% 6.56% 5.10% 0.16% 6.62% 7.06% 13.93% 11.80% 0.77% 10.03% 9.81% 12.93% 8.25%

Data Beat

Commercial Building Permits

Some significant building permits in cities in Fort Bend during the month of July ADDRESS

TYPE OF PERMIT

VALUE

MEADOWS PLACE 11934 Scottsdale Drive

Commercial Remodel

$136,722.46

Grand Total Valuation (Commercial & Residential)

07/01/12-07/31/12

$136,722.46

MISSOURI CITY 4909 Hwy 6 3505 FM 1092 8800 hwy 6 100 Res B

Commercial New Commercial Remodel Commercial Lease Space New

$3,470,800 $100,000 $200,000

Grand Total Valuation (Commercial & Residential)

07/01/12-07/31/12

$3,775,800

ROSENBERG 2404 Avenue H 3701 Fountains Dr 23519 Brazos Town Crossing

Commercial Building Commercial Building Commercial Building

$9,477 $8,478 $95,000

Grand Total Valuation (Commercial & Residential)

07/01/12-07/31/12

$112,955

STAFFORD 12670 Jebbia Ln 10455 Fountaingate Dr 13833 North Promenade 500 12300 Southwest Frwy 609 Dulles Ave 750 3531 South Main 12502 Exchange Dr 400 10245 West Airport Blvd 3950 Greenbriar Dr

Commercial Building Commercial Building Commercial Building Commercial Building Commercial Building Commercial Building Commercial Building Commercial Building Commercial Building

$380,000 $650,000 $320,000 $75,000 $45,000 $164,446 $68,000 $100,000 $398,093

Grand Total Valuation (Commercial & Residential)

07/01/12-07/31/12

$2,217,539

SUGAR LAND 2222 Texas Dr 4025 1/6 Austin Pkwy 2245 Texas Dr Level 2 16535 Southwest Fwy 1470 First Colony Blvd 1403 State Hwy 6 Ste 100 11420 Dairy Ashford Rd Ste 106 2125 Lone Star Dr 12300 Dairy Ashford Rd Ste 200 19875 Southwest Fwy Ste 140 1449 State Hwy 6 Ste 320 13131 Dairy Ashford Rd Ste 255 345 State Hwy 6 16980 Southwest Fwy 77 Sugar Creek Center Blvd Ste 565 One Fluor Daniel Dr Ste S1 16651 Southwest Fwy Ste 400 2277 Plaza Dr Ste 290 3616 State Hwy 6 15700 Lexington Blvd 16529 Southwest Fwy 403 State Hwy 6 Ste D 1327 Lakepointe Pkwy Ste 420 1327 Lakepointe Pkwy Ste 416 1327 Lakepointe Pkwy Ste 518 1327 Lakepointe Pkwy Ste 430 17510 W Grand Pkwy S Ste 310 16550 B Southwest Fwy 14090 Southwest Fwy Ste 150 One Fluor Daniel Dr Bldg A

Commercial Addition Commercial Addition Commercial Addition Commercial Addition Commercial Addition Commercial Buildout Commercial Buildout Commercial Buildout Commercial Buildout Commercial Buildout Commercial Buildout Commercial Buildout Commercial Remodel Commercial Remodel Commercial Remodel Commercial Remodel Commercial Remodel Commercial Remodel Commercial Remodel Commercial Remodel Commercial Remodel Commercial Remodel Commercial Remodel Commercial Remodel Commercial Remodel Commercial Remodel Commercial Remodel Commercial Remodel Commercial Remodel Commercial Remodel

$340,000 $25,000 $19,435 $20,000 $55,149 $14,000 $48,875 $174,787 $300,690 $44,918 $126,000 $146,604 $100,000 $870,123 $95,000 $116,143 $84,012 $30,335 $135,778 $48,500 $200,000 $22,500 $30,000 $32,000 $75,000 $80,000 $48,500 $142,876 $45,000 $71,565

Grand Total Valuation (Commercial & Residential)

07/01/12-07/31/12

$3,560,695

OWNER/CONTRACTOR Crowe/Fire Reconstruction Inc.

JSN Hospitality Group Inc Ewing Construction Hwy 6/Sienna Parkway LTD/Robert Dering Construction

Dawson Foundation Repair USA Shade & Fabric Structures Warwick Construction

Texas Textile/ MRE Builders MSF Electric/Resico LLC/ Owner/Occupant Victaulic/ Carrs General Contracting Sams Club #8246/Sams Real Estate Bs Trust/Powerhouse Retail Srvs Jambeto’s Bakery/ Bakery-Tenant Build Out Frost Bank/ Beldon Roofing Co Fusion GSS, Inc./ Krause Interests Inc CertainSource Technology Group, LLC Tyco Valves Controls/ O’Donnell/Snider Construction

Town Center Lakeside, LTD/D E Harvey Builders, Inc. Centerpoint Energy Houston ELE/AT&T Mobility LLC Town Center Lakeside, LTD/D E Harvey Builders, Inc. First Colony Mall LLC/AT&T Mobility LLC API Realty, LLC/ABC Awning Company Silverlake Ventures, LLC/C.T. Haught Construction Co Stafford Dorothy/Hermon Worldwide Town Center Lakeside, LTD/Apollo Construction Cabot II-TX2L01, LP/Angler Construction KM-TS Greatwood, LLC/PLK Services Davita First Colony Dialysis/HM General Contractors GPI-M Sugar Creek, LP/Ruppel Construction Wal-Mart Real Estate Business/North Texas Refrigeration (GC) Rawlins/Mycon general Contractors Inc. NNN Sugar Creek Center LLC ETA/Cannon Enterprises, Inc Lakepointe Assets, LLC/Mahaca Construction TMH Medical Office Buildings/South Coast Const Services Inc. Town Center Lakeside LTD/D E Harvey Builders, Inc. Omega Construction Gables Lions Head, LTD/Ling Construction JC Penny Prop Inc/EMJ Corporation Sugar Crossing Partners, LTD/Elite Flooring & Construction Dr. Hernandez/JH Premier Construction, Inc Dr. Hernandez/JH Premier Construction, Inc Dr. Hernandez/JH Premier Construction, Inc Dr. Hernandez/JH Premier Construction, Inc Memorial Hermann Hospital/Meridian Constructors, LLC One Sugar Creek AP Partners LP/Preferred Contracting Services Inland Western Sugar Land Colo/Meridian Constructors, LLC Colonial Green LLC ETAL/Textron Construction Company

September 2012 • Fort Bend Business Journal

55

Niagara brings water company plant and jobs to Missouri City

N

iagara, the second largest bottled water company in the United States, is constructing a new facility, this time in Fort Bend County. The company will break ground on a vertically integrated manufacturing and distribution center in Missouri City during summer 2012.

Niagara’s Missouri City plant is scheduled to be fully operational in Lakeview Business Park in the first quarter of 2013. When complete, the facility will encompass more than 356,000 square feet, with water processing, bottle manufacturing, warehousing and a distribution facility. The 168-acre Lakeview Business Park, located adjacent to major thoroughfares such as the Sam Houston Parkway, Highway 90A and U.S. Highway 59, is currently home to manufacturing and distribution companies representing a variety of industries.

Bob Graf, Missouri City’s Economic Development Coordinator, reports that Niagara will be including their planned Phase 2 in their initial construction plans, which adds production of a third bottling line to the facility. This also increases new competitive jobs to be created from 59 to 98 within the first year of operation and more than 269 direct and supplemental positions within its

first 10 years of operation in Missouri City.

The city of Missouri City, Fort Bend County, and FBWC&ID No. 2 granted property tax abatements to Niagara.

Niagara’s land purchase has spurred Lakeview Business Park developer Trammell Crow to

NIAGARA... continued on page 58

Enlarged Prostate? Get relief

I

t’s been said, “All men will have an enlarged prostate if they live long enough.” Also known as benign prostatic hyperplasia, or BPH, this condition is not cancer and doesn’t raise your risk of prostate cancer, but it can be quite uncomfortable. Fortunately, help is available.

“The prostate is a walnut-sized gland that surrounds the urethra (the tube urine passes through) between the bladder and the penis,” says Lawrence Baum, M.D., board certified urologist on staff at Methodist Sugar Land Hospital. “As men age, the prostate gland slowly grows bigger and puts pressure on the urethra, which may slow urine flow.” BPH rarely causes symptoms in men younger than 40, but about 50% of men in their 60s and most men in their 70s and 80s have some symptoms.

“Severe BPH can cause serious problems over time, including urinary tract infections,

56

bladder or kidney damage, bladder stones and incontinence,” says John Boon, M.D., board certified urologist on staff at Methodist Sugar Land Hospital. “An enlarged prostate can also cause sudden and complete bladder blockage.” If you are unable to urinate at all, this is an emergency and not a normal symptom of BPH. Contact your health care provider.

Finding BPH early lowers your risk of developing complications. Symptoms of BPH include: • Frequent need to urinate • Difficulty starting and stopping urine flow • Decreased size and s strength of urine stream • Painful urination or bloody urine (these may indicate infection) If you’ve been experiencing symptoms of BPH, your doctor will likely perform a digital rectal exam to determine your

Fort Bend Business Journal • September 2012

Carl Ogletree, M.D.; John Boon, M.D.; Lawrence Baum, M.D. and Antoine Makhlouf, M.D.

prostate’s size and shape. Your doctor may also check your urine for infection and take a blood sample. “Although BPH isn’t caused by prostate cancer, a rising prostate-specific antigen (PSA) level is often an indication of BPH,” says Carl Ogletree, M.D., board certified urologist on staff at Methodist Sugar Land Hospital. “We may also order an ultrasound exam or biopsy of the prostate to help make the diagnosis.”

“If we determine that you have BPH, we may suggest a wait-and-see approach if you have mild symptoms,” says Antoine

PROSTATE?... continued on page 59

Comptroller Susan Combs distributes $632 million in monthly sales tax revenue to local governments

T

exas Comptroller Susan Combs reports that state sales tax revenue in July was $2.05 billion, up 10.1 percent compared to July 2011.

“Business spending in the oil and natural gas industry and other sectors continues to be robust,” Combs said. “That spending, along with increases in consumer sectors such as retail trade, continues to boost sales tax collections. State sales tax revenue has now increased for 28 consecutive months.”

Combs will send August local sales tax allocations totaling $632.1 million to cities, counties, transit systems and special purpose taxing districts. August sales tax allocations are up 4.2 percent compared to August 2011.

Local Sales Tax Allocations (April 2012) The sales tax figures represent monthly sales made in June as well as April, May and June sales by businesses that report tax quarterly.

For details of local sales tax allocations in August to individual cities,

counties, transit systems and special purpose districts, locate the Monthly Sales Tax Allocation Comparison Summary Reports on the Comptroller’s Web site at www.window.state.tx.us/ taxinfo/allocsum/compsum.html.

August 2012 Allocations

Change from August 2011

Year-to-date Change

Cities

$418.0m

p2.7%

p7.6%

Counties

$40.6m

p7.8%

p13.7%

Transit Systems

$142.3m

p5.4

p9.3%

Special Purpose Taxing Districts

$31.2m

p14.8%

p22.6%

Total

$632.1m

p4.2%

p9.0%

Recipient

%

Carol Adams authors Historic Katy

K

aty historian, writer, civic leader Carol Adams has just completed a book, Historic Katy, in partnership with the Katy Heritage Society and Texas-based Historical Publishing Network.

The book becomes available for a $50 donation to the new Katy Heritage Society Scholarship Fund. You’ll find it at the Wright Museum in Katy when the park is open, the MKT Depot Visitors Center and online at the society’s website. .

HPN asked Adams to author this book due to her decade-plus achievements as executive secretary for the Katy Heritage Society and her 75 monthly magazine articles about Katy’s past.

Adams notes that a number of histories about Katy have been written –one 60 years ago –and other stories have been handed down. Adams spent hours checking facts, searching tax and land records, and collecting stories and more than 120 photographs. She also took on the project of talking with “old timers” who were members of JoElla Exley’s Katy High

School English IV Honors class of 1986 who had compiled a history. All of this has taken her 18 months to complete.

“There is no way one book can tell all the stories of Katy,” Carol said, “but I enjoyed visiting with folks to make this as complete as possible. It is broken divided into chapters on rice farming, ranching, oil and gas, schools and more. That way, if someone is interested in one topic, they don’t have to slog through the 150 years covered inside to find the information.”

Adams said that she was fascinated to find that there had been a moonshine operation in Katy, and that, during World War II there were some strong feelings against many of the Katy residents whose parents and grandparents had come from Germany.

“This book is about events, people, hardships, heartache and opportunities that resulted in what we are today,” Carol said. “It was written with sincere respect for the sacrifices of the earliest settlers, and the optimism of our founders. Many of their decendents still live here.”

Local businesses and families were invited to help sponsor the book by purchasing pages to tell their own

history in a special section, “Sharing The Heritage.” Sponsors include Amber’s Designs Jewelry, Brazos Valley Services AC, Christus St. Catherine Hospital, City of Katy, Consolidated Communications, Enterprise Bank, First Baptist Church of Katy, First United Methodist Church of Katy, Timothy M. Hale, DDS, Hibiscus Hill, Houston Community College, Katy Family YMCA, Katy Heritage Society, Ben Keel Financial and Insurance Consultants, Memorial Hermann Katy Hospital, Memorial Lutheran Church, Mills-Holly Enterprises, Ltd., the Minze family, Moore Control Systems, Inc., Pregnancy Help Center of West Houston, Ranchers Meats, Matt Schomburg State Farm agency, Tradition Bank, the Tucker family, Wild West Honda and Dr. John Zerwas.

A native Houstonian, Adams came to Katy in 1992. She has served as a councilperson for the City of Katy for five years, has won a host of awards for community service and volunteerism. She has a score of membership affiliations from throughout the Katy area.

All proceeds from this book will go to aid scholarship candidates.

September 2012 • Fort Bend Business Journal

57

Niagara brings water company plant and jobs to Missouri City

Business Blender held at Fort Bend Family Health Center

NIAGARA... continued from page 56

move forward with $2.75 million in drainage and road improvements in Phase 2 of the business park. Missouri City has three years to reimburse the developer for these improvements and will do so with Metro sales tax rebates earmarked to be used for general mobility projects. Needed water and sewer improvements will be managed and reimbursed through WCID No. 2.

“On behalf of the city, we appreciate the coordination between Jack Belt of the Greater Fort Bend Economic Development Council and Fort Bend County, to help bring Niagara to Missouri City,” said Mayor Owen. “From our first discussions, Niagara has talked about its involvement in the communities where its bottling plants are located, and we are really looking forward to welcoming our newest community partner.”

Fort Bend County Precinct 2 Commissioner Grady Prestage worked with City and County officials throughout Niagara’s evaluation process of Missouri City as a potential location.

“Niagara Bottling values quality, integrity and true civic involvement,” said Commissioner Prestage.

“Working together, the City and the County were able to help Niagara find the perfect location—notjust geographically, but in terms of the right community fit as well.”

“We’re a family-owned company,” said Brian Hess, executive vice president of operations and legal affairs for Niagara, “and the values of family and community are very important to us.

We conducted comprehensive research before considering a new location, and Missouri City is the kind of place we want to call home.”

The Missouri City plant will be the company’s 12th location countrywide, and will serve an expansive regional market for private label bottled water. Headquartered in Ontario,California, Niagara has bottling plants in eight states including Texas. Niagara Bottling was represented by J. Michael Boyd of Boyd Commercial in the real estate transaction.

Additional information about Niagara can be found on its website: NiagaraWater.com.

For more information about the city and county, visit online at MissouriCityTX.gov and FortBendCounty.com.

58

The Central Fort Bend Chamber Alliance partnered with Fort Bend Family Health Center for a Business Blender on Aug. 7. FBFHC showcased its newly renovated location at 400 Austin Street in Richmond and announced it will expand its Women Infants Children (WIC) program to include counties bordering Fort Bend. Shown at the event are Kay Beard; Congressman Pete Olson, Dist. 22, and Barry Beard, Post Oak Bank.

Eight office leases signed

E

ight recent office lease renewals and expansions in the Sugar Land Town Square development spurs business at US 59 and Hwy. 6.

“From January to May of this year, we’ve seen significant growth and a rise in interest among current and prospective tenants,” said Don Janssen, executive vice president of PCD. “With the business-friendly environment in Fort Bend County and array of amenities within the Sugar Land Town Square development, we expect this trend to continue as the economy strengthens.”

Recent deals include renewals and expansions with HirePower Personnel, Inc. and Medical Properties Trust, Inc.; and renewals with Roberts Markel Weinberg P.C.; Innovative Management Solutions, Inc.; Patrick Berrios Designs, Inc.; Jeanne H. McDonald, P.C., LabAnswer, Inc. and Circle D Land and Cattle Company, LLC. “My employees and I find the location wonderful as we are within walking distance to numerous restaurants and shops,” said Jeanne McDonald, owner of Jeanne H. McDonald PC. “My clients love the easy access from

Fort Bend Business Journal • September 2012

the freeway and the plentiful parking attached to my building. The sophisticated look coupled with the easygoing attitude here in Town Square hits just the right note for both my employees and my clients.”

In these recent transactions, Jeffrey D. Roberts, Esq. of Roberts Markel Weinberg P.C. represented Roberts Markel Weinberg P.C.; Celeste Glass, president of HirePower Personnel, Inc., represented HirePower Personnel, Inc.; Jeff D. Oetting of S.E. Covington & Company, Inc. represented Innovative Management Solutions, Inc.; Patrick Berrios, president of Patrick Berrios Designs, Inc., represented Patrick Berrios Designs, Inc.; Jerrel Kee, CFO of LabAnswer, Inc., represented LabAnswer, Inc.; Steve Hamner, executive vice president & CFO Medical Properties Trust, Inc., represented Medical Properties Trust, Inc.; Jeanne H. McDonald represented Jeanne H. McDonald, P.C.; and Brad Marnitz of NAI Houston represented Circle D Land and Cattle Company, LLC. Don Janssen represented PCD in each transaction.

For more information visit www.

PCDLTD.com/officeor call (281) 242-2000.

KOLBE CURTICE... continued from page 29

balance sheet. As written, there would be no grandfathering clause when the rule takes effect, so all active leases would have to be recorded on the balance sheet. Companies will record as a liability the cost of rent over the remaining term of the lease and record as an asset their right to use the space. This could have a number of implications, including weakening companies in the eyes of investors and activating debt covenants with lenders. It could also affect credit ratings. While many ratings agencies say they already take into consideration rent obligations, the new standard will require additional disclosures that could shed new light on lease terms.

The new standard is expected to have a significant impact on the leasing market. One of the primary changes will be the way companies account for property that they own and property they lease. This may cause more companies to buy their offices and drive down demand for leased space, experts say. There may also be an impetus to shrink the length of a lease. If a company has a 10-year lease, it will mean putting twice as much debt on the balance sheet as a five-year lease, so some companies may want to go short term.

City of Richmond receives distinguished budget presentation award AWARD... continued from page 51

service carrying charges represent a moderate 11% of fiscal 2011 expenditures. City officials indicate the city will issue additional debt in the next 18 months to address water system facility upgrades to remain in compliance with state guidelines.

The city provides pension benefits for all of its eligible employees through the Texas Municipal Retirement System (TMRS), a nontraditional statewide benefit plan. For fiscal 2011, the city met its annual required contribution of approximately $1 million.

The stable outlook reflects our expectation that management will continue to remedy its weak financial position and manage its limited capital needs. If the city continues to make draw-downs to its reserves, downward pressure may be put on the rating. Alternatively, if the city is able to build reserves up to meet the threshold set by city officials, an upward rating action could be considered. S&P does not expect a rating change within their two-year horizon.

Among those most heavily affected by the changes will be companies that are already struggling under heavy debt loads, as well as large retailers that have hundreds, if not thousands, of leases.

Further complicating matters is the accounting for lease renewals. Many companies sign leases with renewal terms, like a 10-year lease with an option to renew for another five years. Under the new rules, if it is likely that the company will execute the renewal option, they must account for the lease as if it were actually 15 years. Because this will mean adding more debt to the balance sheets, renewal options could become less popular.

The news isn’t all bad. FASB is currently considering exempting shorter term leases which, by definition, only cover a small percentage of the expected life of the building. What that definition will be is still being debated. Also, under the new standards, companies that lease space are considered to be buying the right to use that space for a certain amount of time. So, not unlike a home buyer who begins with a large mortgage but then reduces it as the principal is paid down, companies will record their rent as a major liability at the start, but will eventually reduce this debt

over the term of the lease.

Both landlords and tenants in Fort Bend should begin preparing for the new changes by reviewing their leases with their commercial real estate broker and discussing the financial ramifications with their CFO’s and tax accountants to avoid potential financial surprises if and when the changes are adopted.

As I stated above, I know better than to end with this. That said, “Aura Restaurant”, one of Fort Bend’s most highly awarded restaurants, will soon be opening in Sugar Land Town Square.

Named one of the Houston Chronicle’s top 10 new restaurants, Aura has gained a multi-city following and enjoys a Zagat rating of 29/30 for food and service. The casually elegant retreat has been one of Fort Bend’s most successful culinary success stories. I can’t wait!

Kolbe M. Curtice CCIM, CLS is a licensed Texas Real Estate Broker and is the Managing Director of Colliers- Fort Bend., 15999 City Walk, Suite 250, Sugar Land, Texas, 77479. He can be reached at 281-494-4769 phone / 281-494-3227 fax / Kolbe. curtice@colliers.com.

County Judge Hosts Homeland Security Executive Education Seminar HOMELAND... continued from page 10

The Center for Homeland Defense and Security (CHDS) flew in several subject experts to help facilitate the discussion much in the same way they have done with communities across the country.

The Department of Homeland Security,

PROSTATE?... continued from page 56

Makhlouf, M.D., board certified urologist on staff at Methodist Sugar Land Hospital.

“The most common symptoms that lead to treatment include interrupted sleep because of needing to urinate at night and extreme urgency to urinate.”

“Antibiotics may be prescribed to clear up any infection before treating the BPH itself,” Dr. Baum adds. Drug treatments are available for BPH, including hormone blockers that shrink the prostate and alpha-blockers that relax muscle cells in the bladder neck, making the flow of urine easier. “Surgery can shrink or remove prostate tissue for severe, persistent symptoms,” Dr. Makhlouf says.

in coordination with CHDS, developed this executive education program to assist state and local executive leadership to have an open and informed dialogue about homeland security, and to strengthen the capacity to respond to natural disasters and terrorism in a partnership with other localities, states, DHS, FBI and other federal agencies and the private sector.

If you’re having urinary problems, ask your doctor about what kinds of treatment can help. To make an appointment with an urologist in your area, please call our physician referral line at 281-274-7500.

FREE PROSTATE CANCER SCREENINGS! Join Dr. Baum, Dr. Boon, Dr. Makhlouf and Dr. Ogletree for FREE Prostate Cancer Screenings- September 17 and 18, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Located at Methodist Sugar Land Hospital Cancer Center with easy access off Town Center Blvd., 16675 Southwest Freeway. Limited appointments available. Call 281-274-7500 to schedule your screening.

Prostate-specific antigen blood tests and digital rectal exams (DRE) will be given.

September 2012 • Fort Bend Business Journal

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Advertising

SERVICE DIRECTORY

Fort Bend / Katy Business Journal 281-690-4200 www.fortbendstar.com Fort Bend’s ONLY business publication.

Fort Bend Focus 281-690-4242 www.fortbendfocus.com Fort Bend’s ONLY feature magazine Direct mailed to almost 40,000 homes every month in Fort Bend’s most affluent subdivisions.

Fort Bend Star 281-690-4200 www.fortbendstar.com We have been delivering a free community newspaper to homes throughout Fort Bend County longer than ANY OTHER Newspaper.

Acupuncture Mirvana Acupuncture and Chinese Herbs 281-491-0110 www.mirvacu.com Email: info@mirvacu.com. 736 Hwy 6, Suite 103, Sugar Land TX 77478. Mirvana Acupuncture and Chinese Herbs is an upscale, contemporary clinic where patients receive individualized services for a variety of conditions including Fertility, Pain Management, Stress/ Anxiety, Sleep Disorders, Menopause, and Allergies/ Asthma to name a few. The clinic is reminiscent of a spa; soothing decor and natural material enhance the relaxation and healing therapies.

Mirvana Acupuncture and Chinese Herbs combines ancient medicine with modern technology including 24 hr. on-line scheduling, email reminders for appointments and an electronic patient database.

Auto Repair / Maintenance Auto Central-Automotive Service & Sales 281-499-9684 www.autocentral.biz david@autocentral.biz. David Fauvelle, 2526 Fifth Street, Stafford, Texas 77477, Fax: 281-499-0183, Fast, Friendly and professional automotive repair.

ASE Blue Seal Certified, State Inspection Station, Diesel Repair, Open Saturdays 8-3.

Charlton’s Auto Body Repair and Vehicle Detailing 281-499-1126 www.charltonsbodyrepair.com Chuck Charlton, 1131 Staffordshire @ 5th Street, Stafford, Texas 77477, Charbody@aol.com, Fax: 281-499-1694, Complete collision repair. Frame & Unibody straightened. Expert computer color matching. Custom painting & pin stripping. Honest service. 79 Years Strong and 3 Generations Proud!

Colony One Auto Center 281-980-4440 www.colonyoneauto.com Rod Tate, 1131 Dulles Avenue, Stafford, TX 77477, Fax: 281-261-0048, Complete state of the art automotive repair & maintenance facility.

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First Tire & Automotive 281-313-2886 www.firsttireandauto.com Craig Popp, owner, 3 Sugar Land Locations. 960 Eldridge, 281-313-2886 & 2303 Williams Trace Blvd.

281-980-2666 (First Colony), 20015 Southwest Freeway. 281-343-5666 (Greatwood), Diagnostic testing and evaluation, Manufacturer’s routine recommended maintenance, domestic and foreign vehicle repairs, AAA approved, ASE certified. Ask about our Fleet Service!

Banks The State Bank of Texas - 281-494-6686 www.tsbot.com nbb@tsbot.com. Nicki Black, 13010 Murphy Road, Stafford, TX 77477, Fax: 281-494-6747. Locally and independently owned - our prime interest is you!

Economic Development The Katy Area Economic Development Council (Katy Area EDC) www.KatyEDC.org - 281-396-2200 The Katy Area Economic Development Council (Katy Area EDC) , a 501 (c) 6 non-profit corporation, is a full service economic development corporation representing the Katy ISD area (Katy Area). Katy Area EDC : recruits new businesses, helps retain and expand existing businesses, helps create new businesses, facilitates the construction of business infrastructure and helps improve the quality of place and quality of life of the Katy Area.

Country Clubs & Golf Courses Quail Valley Golf Club 281-403-8518 (Direct) 281-403-5910 (Golf Shop) www.golfquailvalley.com Quail Valley Golf Course offers 36 holes of championship golf, a full practice facility, lessons and a fully stocked golf shop. The Missouri City Community Center at Quail Valley Golf Course hosts the Bluebonnet Grille at the 37th Hole, multiple event rooms as well as the 300 seat Magnolia Ballroom. Quail Valley Golf Course and the Missouri City Community Center are the perfect sites for your next meeting or big event. For more information visit www.golfquailvalley.com Quail Valley Golf Course 2880 La Quinta Dr. is located at Missouri City, TX 77459.

Riverbend Country Club 281-269-2526 www.riverbendcountryclub.org triciarbcc@gmail.com. Tricia Hawks, 1214 Dulles Avenue, Sugar Land, TX 77478. Conveniently located in the heart of Sugar Land, Riverbend Country Club is just 25 minutes south of downtown Houston, Texas. Established in 1957, Riverbend continues its tradition as Fort Bend County’s only member owned club. Whether you’re looking for championship golf, fine dining, pools, tennis, fitness facilities or a wide variety of social and golf activities Riverbend is definitely the place to belong.

12 MONTHS LISTING FOR ONLY $300

Fort Bend Business Journal • September 2012

The Houstonian Golf & Country Club 281-494-4245 www.houstoniangolf.com A private golf and country club providing the area’s finest golf course and golf practice facilities along with fitness, pool, tennis, spa and dining amenities. Golf and Club (non-golf) Memberships are currently available.

Floral Flowers By Tiffany LLC 281-208-8681 www.FlowersByTiffanyStafford.com 508 F.M. 1092, Suite D, Stafford, TX 77477. 2011 CMUS Power Award Winner – Internet Customer Service Award. Beautiful Flowers for all occasions, Weddings, Events, Funerals, Plants, Fruit & Gourmet Baskets.

Member of the Better Business Bureau and Fort Bend Chamber of Commerce. Mention the Fort Bend Business Journal for a special discount.

Golf Carts / Mobility Scooters CBC Golf Cart Services, Inc. - 281-494-1164 Mobility Scooters by CBC - 281-494-3454 www.cbcgolfcarts.com chris1001@windstream.net, 203 Ulrich Street, Sugar Land, TX 77498 (Behind Imperial Sugar).

CBC offers Sales, Service, New & Used, Rentals and Parts for two lines of products, GOLF CARTS and MOBILITY SCOOTERS. Authorized Dealer for Fairplay and Pride Mobility products. fax 281-494-1189

Home Health Care Texas State Healthcare 281-208-4344 www.txstatehealthcare.com What we do: Skilled Nursing - Home Health Aide Physical/Speech/Occupational Therapies Medical Social Worker assisting with durable medical equipment needs and helping to provide Resources & Services in the Community - Wound Care - Catheter Care - Diabetic Care Lab Services - IV Therapy and more... “Hometown Nurses Helping Hometown People”

Insurance Agencies Prince Benefits Group - 713-884-8399 www.princebenefitsgroup.com Partner with a strategically uncompromising and experienced insurance agency that specializes in employee benefits.

We help you attract the right talent and keep them happy!

The jewel in our crown of insurance is group insurance but we offer the complete spectrum of benefits for groups and individuals: health, dental, life, vision, disability, 401k, general liability, property, worker’s compensation, umbrella, commercial auto, COBRA administration, HR compliance, etc.

Prince Benefits Group provides your company the leverage it needs to get what it needs.

Insurance Solutions of Texas 281-565-2222 • 281-341-5060 www.insurancesolutionsoftexas.com Jay Harris, Auto, Home, Business, Flood Insurance.

14140 Southwest Freeway, Suite 150, Sugar Land, Texas 77478. 281-565-2222, Fax 281-565-3333.

2515 Ave. H, Rosenberg, Texas 77471. 281-341-5060, Fax 281-341-5558.

The Gold Connection Jewelers 281-344-9900 • We Buy Gold www.goldconnection.net Full service jewelry store. Diamonds, Gold & Silver Jewelry and Watches. Repairs done on the premises.

Custom design are our specialty. Front door parking.

206 Hwy 90A, Richmond, Texas 77406.

Magazine Fort Bend / Katy Business Journal 281-690-4200 www.fortbendstar.com Fort Bend’s ONLY business publication. Reaching over 10,000 businesses monthly. The place to advertise to reach the vital Fort Bend County business community.

Fort Bend Focus - 281-690-4242 Pearland Focus - 281-690-4242 Focus on Women - 281-690-4242 www.fortbendfocus.com Fort Bend’s ONLY feature magazine Direct mailed to almost 40,000 homes every month in Fort Bend’s most affluent subdivisions.

Medical Billing Complete Business Solutions 1-888-445-8609 cbsolutions@callmykate.com www.cbsbillingservices.com Complete Business Solutions, the medical billing professionals, is dedicated to improving your cash flow results. Our goals include: lower billing costs, savings of up to 50% by outsourcing with us, reduced rejection rates, faster payment of claims, average of 14 days response. To find out more about this and other services, visit our website for a FREE practice analysis and 50% off the initial set-up fee.

Medical Supplies Synicare Medical 281-378-8040 www.synicaremedical.com synicaremedical@yahoo.com. 20333 State Highway 249, Suite 200, Houston, TX 77070, Fax 888-397-1240.

Synicare Medical is focused on providing high-quality service and customer satisfaction. Our entire team is committed to meeting those needs with professionalism and integrity. Synicare Medical specializes in durable medical equipment,medical supplies, and third party billing.We accept all private insurance and strive to meet the needs of every patient in a professional and caring way. Synicare Medical is owned and operated by Synicare Group LLC.

Newspaper Fort Bend Star 281-690-4200 www.fortbendstar.com We have been delivering a free community newspaper to homes throughout Fort Bend County longer than ANY OTHER Newspaper.

Open MRI

Real Estate / Residential

Upright MRI of Sugar Land 281-494-0505 www.mri911.com CLAUSTROPHOBIC? Upright MRI is the only True OPEN MRI in Sugar Land. We scan patients standing, sitting, or lying down. For the first time, patients can be scanned in weight-bearing postures and in their position of pain. It is ideal for patients who have difficulty lying down due to respiratory or cardiac problems. Mention this ad and receive $25 off your first scan. 2655 Cordes Drive #150, Sugar Land, 77479. Open Monday – Friday 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Optometrists Elissa R. Wedemeyer O.D., FCOVD, F.A.A.O 281-499-2600 www.drwedemeyer.com 6026 Hwy. 6 Missouri City, TX 77459. Therapeutic Optometrist; Visual Perceptual / Binocular Therapy; medical management of eye infections and diseases. The office has a large selection of fashion frames.

Pediatric Therapy MedCare Pediatric Group, LP 713-773-5100 www.medcarepediatrics.com Occupational, Physical, Speech Therapy at home or at Rehab Center located at 12371 S. Kirkwood, Stafford, TX 77477. We also provide in home nursing services. All services available in Houston and surrounding counties.)

Pharmacies Ed’s Pharmacy 281-499-4555 Ed Sziy, 3740 Cartwright, Missouri City, TX 77459, Fax: 281-499-7088.

Physicians Immunizations & Drug Testing IMU Southwest, The IMUnization Clinic 281-313-7468 www.IMUnizationclinic.org imusouthwest@windstream.net. 3727 Greenbriar Dr. Suite 403, Stafford, TX 77477- Vaccines for children and adults for school, fertility, work, immigration, or travel needs. Daytime, Evening, and Saturday hours and no wait appointments available. Vaccine titers and Drug Testing for individuals or corporations. Certified Drug Testing Center & CDC Designated Yellow Fever Provider.

We perform oral HIV testing also. Mobile on-site clinics available for churches and corporations.

Printers / Graphics Star Printing 281-690-4200 www.fortbendstar.com We professionally design and print flyers, postcards, brochures, magazines, newspapers and catalogs in high-quality digital graphics.

Colliers International, formerly Curtice Commercial Real Estate 281-494-4769 kcurtice@curticecommercial.com. Kolbe M. Curtice, CCIM, CLS, 15999 City Walk Suite 250, Sugar Land Square located at U.S. Highway 59 and State Highway 6, Fax: 281-494-3227, Brokerage, Development, Investment & Tenant Representation, 25 yrs exp. in Fort Bend.

Riverstone Development Co. 281-499-8700 www.riverstone.com tomw@johnsondev.com. Tom Wilcox, 4855 Riverstone Blvd, Missouri City, Texas 77459, Fax: 281-499-8704, Luxurious waterside living in Fort Bend from $200s to the many millions.

Jeanne Gregory, CRS, GRI 281-344-8918 www.jeannegregory.com jeannegregory@earthlink.net.

14905 Southwest Freeway, Sugar Land, Texas 77478, Fax: 281-242-6754, Re/Max Southwest. Residential real estate sales & corporate relocation.

Jennifer Weaver, ABR, CRS, GRI 281-207-5037 www.jenniferweaver.com RE/MAX Southwest, 14905 Southwest Freeway, Sugar Land, Texas 77478. Residential sales and corporate relocation since 1979.

Rain Gutters Sugar Land Rain Gutters & Remodeling 713-204-4664 SugarLandRainGutters.com Sales and installation of seamless rain gutters; repairing and cleaning out existing gutters and repairing fascia boards. Free Estimates and a 15 year warranty with all new installations. Also offering Organic Gardens and Landscaping by a degreed horticulturist. (Consulting and design fees apply).

Locally owned and operated in Sugar Land, Texas.

Remodeling / Outdoor Living Living Improvements 281-499-7000 www.living-improvements.com AWARD WINNING - 2010 & 2011 Houston’s BEST “Outdoor Living Space” Living Improvements’ commitment to excellence makes us the perfect fit for your building needs. We have over 200 years cumulative in-house experience in the remodeling and construction industry making us highly skilled, professional and detail oriented striving to exceed our customer’s expectations. We feature outdoor living spaces, custom homes, interior and exterior renovations. Our commitment to excellence is just one of the reasons we have over 5,000 satisfied customers.

SERVING FORT BEND & SURROUNDING COUNTIES FOR OVER 35 YEARS.

See more on page 62 September 2012 • Fort Bend Business Journal

61

SERVICE DIRECTORY

Jewelers

SERVICE DIRECTORY

Skin Care NeriumAD Age Defying Treatment 863-673-5256 www.shortmouthyblond.nerium.com NeriumAD improves the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, uneven skin tone, enlarged pores, aging and sun damaged skin. Created by a local hospital to aide in the treatment of skin cancer the effects of this cream are beyond amazing! Join the network marketing program that is second to none - get in on the ground floor today or just experience the best anti-aging cream you will ever find!! 30 day money back guarantee! See the results for yourself at shortmouthyblond.nerium.com.

FOOD, DRINK, ENTERTAINMENT GUIDE WHERE TO EAT NOW - The following is a list of exceptional restaurants throughout in Fort Bend County & Katy Area. Prices reflect the average cost of a three-course dinner for one person, excluding drinks, tax and tip. $$$$=Very Expensive ($60 & Up). $$$=Expensive ($40-$60). $$=Moderate ($20-$40). $=Inexpensive (Under $20) . FB=Full Bar. WB=Serves Wine & Beer.

Video Services Star Digital Studios 281-690-4280 www.starvideoproductions.com A full service video production studio providing all phases of video production including professional writing, videography, editing, DVD duplication, distribution; also video deposition services to the legal community. For video needed for a TV commercial, website posting, employee training, promotional DVDs, special presentations, coverage of live events/trade shows, or corporate videos, give us a call. If you are interested in something you do not see on our website, let us know and we’re ready to accommodate your needs!

Aling’s Hakka Chinese Cuisine Welcome to Sugar Land’s first Hakka Chinese Restaurant! Using family recipes, Chefs Lin Motiwala and Gary Yan present this unique “Chindian” cuisine, a delicious fusion of both Chinese and Indian cookery (without the curry undertones). From savory steamed or pan fried Dumplings to traditional Indian-style Hakka dishes, as prepared in Bombay/Pune, like Chicken Lollipop, as well as American Chop Suey, each dish is prepared using the freshest ingredients to bring you a dining experience like no other. Lunch specials start at $6.95 for a 4 course meal. Open Tuesday - Sunday. Lunch: 11am-3pm (Tues-Fri). Dinner: 5:30pm-10pm (Tues-Thurs & Sun) and 11pm (Fri & Sat). Aling’s is located in the First Colony Commons shopping center at Hwy 59 and Williams Trace Blvd. between Home Depot and Office Depot. 15425 Southwest Freeway, Sugar Land. Call 281-242-0432. www.alingshakka.com. $$

GOT NEWS?

AURA Restaurant Chef/Owner Frédéric Perrier brings over 30 years experience to his newest venture - AURA. In an upscale yet casually comfortable setting, Innovative American Cuisine reigns and is highlighted in the numerous Daily Specials. AURA features only the finest, freshest ingredients. A three course prix fixe lunch for $12.95 to Mussles Marinieres, Roasted Red Snapper or Filet Mignon with Cognac Peppercorn Sauce. No need to go to Houston or into Sugar Land for a truly high quality dining experience... you will easily find it at AURA (without ‘Big Restaurant’ prices!) at Township Square - Missouri City. Lunch Mon-Sat 11-2. Dinner MonThurs 5-9 and Fri-Sat 5-10. Please call for Reservations &/or Catering ~ 3400 FM 1092, 81-403-AURA (2872). $$ • WB

Email your news or press release to sharon@ FortBendStar.com We love to hear from you. Also, don’t forget to read The Fort Bend Star or visit www.fortbendstar.com Ideas & suggestions are also welcome.

Fort Bend/Katy

4655 Techniplex Dr. Suite 300 Stafford, TX 77477

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BLU Restaurant | Lounge (New Listing) BLU boasts a globally influenced, Euro-Asian menu from acclaimed Executive Chef Junnajet “Jett” Hurapan. With a diverse background that spans cuisine from Thailand to New American and Mediterranean, Chef Jett’s dinner menu offers an extensive array of both small and larger plates perfect for sharing.

Looking for a great deal, come enjoy an incredible three-course lunch menu for $12 Tues - Fri, and $4 happy hour menu Tues - Sun. BLU recently started a Live Jazz Sunday Brunch from 11am to 3pm! Visit www.blusugarland.com ~ 2248 Texas Drive - 281.903.7324. $$ • WB Candelari’s Pizzeria Albert Candelari began making sausage over 50 years ago. As the years have passed the flavor remains the same, which is why Candelari’s is the “King of Sausages”! They take that delicious Italian sausage and put it in pizzas, pastas, and sandwiches. Enjoy appetizers, salads, pastas, sandwiches, pizzas and desserts in there dining room, large patio, or full bar with large screen TV’s. Happy hour is Monday - Thursday 3 to 7pm.

This casual dining experience is available at two locations in Fort Bend. Call either location for take-out or delivery. 7425 Hwy 6 S (Just North of Sienna) 832-947-0440 / 6825 S Fry Rd (Fry & 99) 281-395-6746. www.candelaris.com. $ • FB

Fort Bend Business Journal • September 2012

Fernando’s Latin Cuisine We are pleased to announce the arrival of Fernando’s Latin Cuisine-An exotic culinary adventure! Started by, Fernando Echeverria, the same owner of Los Andes by the Compact Center in Houston-Another wonderful Latin American restaurant. Fernando’s Latin Cuisine is located in the same building where Ruth’s Chris used to be. Featured dishes include Empanadas appetizer, Fileton, (Filet mignon) and Asada Y Camarones, Casually called the surf and turf. 14135 Southwest Freeway, in Sugar Land.

281-494-9087. wwww.fernandosrestaurants.com. $$ • FB Karl’s At The Riverbend Romantic Dining in the Country, across the creek from a horse farm.

Swiss Chef Karl Camenzind’s menu features Angus steaks, Prime Rib, Wienerschnitzel, Trout Almondine and other fresh fish, Rack of Lamb, Steak and other wild game, Atkins specials, a budget weeknight menu offered along with the regular menu, plus a wonderful Sunday Brunch Buffet. Company Luncheons and Rehearsal Dinners invited. Open TuesSat for Dinner and Sunday Brunch 5011 FM 723 Richmond 281-2389300 www.karlsrb.com Read our reviews at www.b4-u-eat.com. $$ • FB Las Alamedas Restaurant & Cantina Las Alamedas Restaurant and Bar Continues the long standing tradition of fine Mexican food and beverages that began in 1980, is now relocated in Katy at The La Centerra Center. Join us seven days a week for our warm hospitality and anything from brunch on the weekends to private corporate events and everything in between. We are a total scratch kitchen featuring an extensive selection of authentic dishes.

We are family friendly with a great children’s menu. Our patios were voted one of the top two in the Houston area. Please visit our website and like us on Facebook! The only thing missing is you! We are open for lunch and dinner seven days a week and we serve brunch Saturdays and Sundays from 10am to 2pm. Our bar and lounge offers full meal service from open to close. Hours of operation are, Monday thru Thursday from 11am to 10pm, Friday from 11am to 11pm, Saturday from 10am to 11pm, Sunday from 10am to 9pm. BAR 11am till closing. 23501 Cinco Ranch Blvd., Suite F-140, Katy, TX 77494. 281-347-3030. Reservations accepted by phone and on line by visiting our web site www.lasalamedas.com. $$ • FB Las Haciendas Mexican Bar & Grill Santos Escobar and his brother Ascension Escobar serve up dozens of heaping traditional gourmet Mexican plates. Lunch Specials run weekdays from 11am - 3pm. Great margaritas, fajitas and much more. Catering available as well as a party room for private parties. • 12821 Southwest Freeway. 281-240-3060. $ • FB Lupitas Mexican Restaurant Jaime and Lupe Garcia have lived in Fort Bend for 36 years. Twentythree of those years have been spent in the restaurant business. If you want authentic Mexican food made from only the freshest ingredients and at a reasonable price, go to Lupitas Mexican Restaurant formerly Pico De Gallo Mexican Restaurant. The Garcias continually concentrate on customer satisfaction. That includes the quality and freshness of their food as well as the family atmosphere of their restaurant. Dine-In, Take-out, and Catering

available. 3121 Highway 6, Sugar Land • Call 281-265-6556. $ • WB Nizam Kitchen Not your Average Indian Cuisine! Welcome to the best cuisine from two of the most vibrant cities in South Asia -- Hyderabad in India and Karachi in Pakistan.

Hydrabadi Cuisine boasts of Biryani, Haleem, Mughlai and Tandoori specialities that are reminiscent of the lavish entertainment by the aristocrats. Combining the best of both of these exotic cities, you will be treated like royalty when you step into Nizam’s Kitchen. We will surely look the other way if you are tempted to lick your lips in anticipation when the aromas come wafting through and your mouth begins to water... Open TUE. THU. 11am-3pm/5pm-9:30pm; FRI. - SUN. 11am-10pm, MON. CLOSED. We are 100% Zabihah Halal. Located at 5211 Highway 6 south, Suite F., Missouri City, Tx 77459. 832-284-7007. Nizamskitchen.net $$ Panda Garden Panda Garden Restaurant, the three times winner for Best Oriental Restaurant in Fort Bend County, located at 3563 Highway 6 in Kroger Center, provides a warm, casual environment to best service all diners. The goal of our restaurant is to offer 100% satisfactory to the customers with variety selection of popular Hunan Cuisine. “We offer fresh, made from scratch meals that is unforgettably delicious!” Manager Kenny adds. The restaurant offers accommodations for small group meetings and wonderful party tray for catering to the near by businesses and schools. Panda Garden is open 7 days a week on Mon. – Sat.: 11a.m. – 10 p.m. and Sun. 11a.m. – 9:30p.m. Delivery is available everyday with a min. of $15.00 purchase. A lunch special is offered daily as well as the full regular menu offerings. 3563 Hwy 6 @ Williams Trace, 281-265-0303. $ • WB Post Oak Grill Restaurant & Bar The Rios Family invites you to come and experience the same quality, ambiance and service that you have at the original Post Oak Grill. Join us for a wonderful culinary adventure featuring fine prime beef, chops, fresh seafood, soups, sandwiches, salads, and outstanding wine selection. Open lunch & dinner - Monday-Thursday 11:00-10:00pm, Friday 11:00-11:00p.m., Saturday 4:00-11pm, Sunday 10:00-9:00pm, & Sunday Brunch 10:00-2:00pm. Happy Hour 4:007:00pm. 1550 Lake Pointe Parkway, Sugar Land • Call 281-491-2901. www.PostOakGrillSugarland.com $$ • FB Tradicao Brazilian Steakhouse Tradicao Brazilian Steakhouse is the best new steakhouse in Fort Bend. Tradicao, pronounced Tra-dee-son, was named after the Brazilian word for “tradition” and founded on the idea to continue this traditional way of grilling. They are a family owned and operated churracaria whose goal is to make sure your dining experience is one you will never forget. Their prixe fixe menu includes 14 cuts of perfectly grilled meats brought to your table side, a large salad bar and hot sides. Tradicao would like to invite you to come join them, sit back and relax. Lunch Mon-Fri 11am-2pm, Sat Closed, Sun 12-3pm. Dinner Mon-Thurs 5-9:30pm, Fri 5-10pm, Sat 4-10pm, Sun 5-9pm. Phone: 281-277-9292. 12000 Southest Freeway, Meadows Place, TX, 77477, www.

TradicaoSteakhouse.com.

September 2012 • Fort Bend Business Journal

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cut here

1-800-561-WCJC (9252) wcjc.edu Richmond Campus Programs • Administrative Assistant • Computer Science: Cisco Router Networking Computer Programming PC Technical Support Network Administrator • Early Childhood • Emergency Medical Services • Engineering Design • Human Services • Law Enforcement • Paralegal Studies • Office Administration • Police Academy (Basic Peace Officers Training) • Associate of Arts Degrees (transfer programs to four-year institutions) • Associate of Applied Science Degrees • Certificate Programs • Texas State Technical College also offers programs at this campus.

Sugar Land Campus Programs • Associate Degree Nursing • Associate of Arts Degrees (transfer programs to four-year institutions) • Associate of Applied Science Degrees • Early Childhood • Certificate Programs • Computer Programming • Computer Simulation and Game Development • Construction Management • Paralegal Studies • Conveniently located with the University of Houston Sugar Land, making it easy to take the first two years of courses with WCJC before transferring to UHSL or another four-year institution.

Wharton County Junior College • Saves Fort Bend County Residents Time with campuses conveniently located in Sugar Land and Richmond.

• Saves Students Money by making tuition affordable and less expensive than a four-year institution.

• Makes Receiving An Education Easier by offering personal attention through small class sizes, and through counseling, advising, and financial aid services.

• Our Courses Transfer to Four-Year Institutions and offer a great start for your education.

• Partnerships at Our Locations with the University of Houston Sugar Land and Texas State Technical College in Richmond give students more choices for their education.

Fort Bend County Locations Richmond Campus 5333 FM 1640 Richmond, Texas 77469 281-239-1500 • Serving Rosenberg since 1970 and Richmond since 1980.

Sugar Land Campus 14004 University Blvd.

Sugar Land, Texas 77479 281-243-8447 • Serving Sugar Land since 1989

Also available: High School/College Dual Credit Courses • Continuing Education • Kids’ College Summer Program

Other campus locations in Wharton and Bay City

BACK PAIN? NECK PAIN? The Spine Center at Methodist Sugar Land Hospital is the comprehensive, coordinated option for you in Fort Bend County.

For back and neck pain, there’s only one premier choice — Methodist Sugar Land Hospital’s Spine Center. Whether you’ve had pain for just a few days or several long years, you’ll find everything you need to diagnose and treat your condition in a convenient location, with access to premier spine specialists and a complete range of treatment options.

Getting started is easy. We will guide you through a customized treatment plan, with expedited access to world-class neurologists, neurosurgeons, orthopedic spine surgeons and interventional pain specialists.

Plus, physical therapy, occupational/hand therapy, and the most advanced imaging and surgical technologies in the world are available on-site.

Stop enduring pain. Call or email today and begin your personal treatment plan. 281-313-BACK (2225) or SpineCenter@tmhs.org.

16655 Southwest Freeway • Sugar Land, Texas 77479 281-313-BACK (2225) • MethodistSugarLand.com

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