Preston Hollow People May 2021

LEGISLATIVE HELP IN THE WORKS FOR CRACKING DOWN ON STREET RACING 4

MAY 2021 VOLUME 17 NO. 5

“THE BEST COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER IN TEXAS”

PRESTONHOLLOWPEOPLE.COM

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FAMILY AFFAIR Longtime teammates Courtney Tauriac and Crystal Gonzalez, now with the newly-formed Beck Realty Residential, balance family time with quality customer service. PAGE 20 (PHOTO: MANNY RODRIGUEZ/MANNY RODRIGUEZ PHOTOGRAPHY)

COMMUNITY

SCHOOLS

LIVING

10

30

38

Volunteers preserve Forest Lane Mural

Lessons learned by pandemic parenting

How a receptionist became an editor

2 May 2021 | prestonhollowpeople.com

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shooter. And the American dream! Coming from Pakistan at age 18 and building his life as the top salesperson in the country for Ralph Lauren in Highland Park Village to then opening a store there!

He has a huge heart, and his laugh is contagious! “ “CLAY JENKINS!! He’s safe-sexy.”

“US Representative Colin Allred. Rising national star who is both calm and charismatic. “ “Stephen White, he is the definition of peak male performance.”

“William Taylor, he’s the best editor in the world.”

(Ahem) It’s nice to know, though, that 18 of you had answers at the ready for our question, just in case we ever DO decide to have a ‘Sexiest Man’ issue.

More to look for:

We launched People@Home, our new real estate and homes newsletter, last month.

Subscribe, and get the latest news in real estate, home decorating advice, and weekly guides to great open houses.

We sent questionnaires to all 14 candidates vying for Dallas City Council seats in Districts 6, 11, and 13. Election day is May 1, so if you haven’t voted yet, head to our news section at peoplenewspapers.com to read up.

After 107 years, The Hockaday School announced in April that it would begin the process of phasing out its longstanding boarding program, citing a desire to recruit a more diverse student body, faculty, and staff.

Read more about the decision in our Schools section.

Contents News ................................. 4

Camps ............................ 28

Crime ............................... 8

Schools ........................... 30

Community .................... 10

Society ............................ 35

Business .......................... 14

Living.............................. 38

Real Estate Quarterly...... 18

Classifieds ....................... 43

Sports ............................. 26

20 Under 40 ......... Section B

2021

Experience it all from the safety of your car. Social distancing and safety protocols will be observed.

Samuell-Grand Recreation Center 6200 E. Grand Ave. Dallas, TX 75223

t’s been a rough year, and we wouldn’t have dreamed of participating in April Fools hijinks last year — a tornado followed by a pandemic was more than enough confusion; thank you very much.

But this year, in a fit of hopefulness (some of us had just gotten our first shots, and others finally had appointments), we started talking … why not?

But it was deputy editors Bethany Erickson and Rachel Snyder who came up with the idea to jokingly take nominations for People Newspapers’ Sexiest Man Alive.

“We get a weird amount of email that we’re certain is actually meant for People Magazine,” Erickson explained. “So one night, we thought it would be hilarious to just embrace it on April 1.”

When the rest of the staff got on board, Imani Chet-Lytle created mock covers, and we set up a very real survey to get nominations and shared it on social media. And some of you all played along wonderfully.

A sampling of some of the responses: “John Michael Stewart: a caring, talented dentist, rearing three wonderful sons, married to another dentist. He is a blessing to our neighbors; he has a heart of service... doesn’t hurt that he was an all-American FB player at SMU!” “Ed Shaikh He is one if not the most stylish men in Park Cities! If not the country! He owns the more incredible store in Highland Park Village Hadleigh’s. One of the last family-owned stores in the village. He is an incredible dad of three daughters. A skilled bird

Campbell Green Recreation Center 16600 Park Hill Dr. Dallas, TX 75248 PRESENTED BY

EDITORIAL Editor William Taylor Deputy Editors Bethany Erickson Rachel Snyder Sports Editor Todd Jorgenson Art & Production Director Melanie Thornton

A DV E R T I S I N G

O P E R AT I O N S

Senior Account Executive Kim Hurmis

Distribution Manager Don Hancock

Account Executives Tana Hunter Quita Johnson Evelyn Wolff

Distribution Mike Reinbolt

Client Services Coordinator Mia Carrera

Interns Riley Farrell Stacey Najera Norishka Pachot

Marketing & Digital Production Manager Imani Chet Lytle DART.org/seniors

Questions? Contact us at TransitEducation@DART.org or 214-749-3494.

Publisher: Patricia Martin

Preston Hollow People is printed on recycled paper. Help us show love for the earth by recycling this newspaper and any magazines from the D family to which you subscribe.

Preston Hollow People is published monthly by CITY NEWSPAPERS LP, an affiliate of D Magazine Partners LP, 750 N. Saint Paul St., Suite 2100, Dallas, TX 75201. Copyright 2021. All rights reserved. No reproduction without permission. Submissions to the editor may be sent via e-mail to editor@ peoplenewspapers.com. Correspondence must include writer’s name and contact number. Main phone number, 214-739-2244

prestonhollowpeople.com | May 2021 3

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News

TOO FAST, TOO FURIOUS, TOO BAD YOU HAVE NO MORE CAR Lawmakers craft bill designed to take keys from street racers - permanently Chief Jesse Reyes told a state house committee in March.

But a new bill filed by state Reps. John Turner, Morgan Meyer, and Toni Rose may give police more in their tool kit the ability to permanently take the keys of the cars of repeat offenders or those who break other laws while racing.

If passed, House Bill 2315 would let police seize and potentially forfeit cars used in street racing.

First-time offenders would likely get ticketed, but repeat offenders and those who (for instance) were driving while intoxicated or with an open container of alcohol could find themselves without a car.

“These events are already illegal,” Turner told the Texas House Judicial Jurisprudence committee. “But we do need additional tools.”

Reyes and city of Dallas attorney Chris Caso testified in favor of the measure.

“This is a tool that will help the police departments because we’re writing the tickets, and it’s not making an impact on these folks,” Caso said.

Taking their cars, however, hits them

where it hurts.

“This car is their baby,” Reyes said. “It’s their girlfriend. So this is another tool in our toolbox.”

The Dallas City Council made it a priority to lobby the state legislature to provide officers with more enforcement options.

“One of the legislative priorities of our city council this session is to expand enforcement tools available to DPD, so they can do more to stop street racing,” said Dallas city council member Cara Mendelsohn.

The North Dallas Chamber of Commerce also supports the bill and sent a letter of support to the committee.

“Dallas and Texans across the state have seen a significant increase in illegal and dangerous street racing in the last several years,” the letter read. “We support the proposed modifications to the code of criminal procedure to add civil asset forfeiture to disincentivize future street racing activities.”

Check peoplenewspapers.com for updates as the bill moves through the Legislature.

This car is their baby. It’s their girlfriend. So this is another tool in our toolbox.

Jesse Reyes

State representatives John Turner and Morgan Meyer, along with Toni Rose, authored a bill designed to allow police to confiscate cars used in street racing. (PHOTO: SALEH ZAFAR)

By Bethany Erickson People Newspapers

I

n the first week in April, Dallas police made 193 traffic stops related to street racing, towed nine cars, and made five felony arrests.

But even with a street racing task force, officers know that with existing laws, they

can ticket spectators and drivers and tow vehicles, but it doesn’t serve as enough of a deterrent.

“If we stop you … you can get arrested, your car gets towed, but as soon as you are released, you can take your paperwork to the auto impound, have your car released, and two days later you’re able to race again,” Dallas Police Department Assistant

HP-Bred Actor Charged In Capitol Riot ‘Believed These Were The Last Days’

By Rachel Snyder People Newspapers

Before going to the U.S. Capitol during the Jan. 6 riot where he allegedly brandished a crutch, and charged at officers, Highland Park-bred Luke Coffee found QAnon conspiracy theories online.

Coffee, 41, faces multiple charges in connection with the Jan. 6 riot, including assault of a federal law enforcement officer with a dangerous weapon and disorderly conduct on Capitol grounds, court documents show.

“I can’t imagine — who possessed him to think the way that he was thinking because I don’t believe he was a Trump supporter. I believe that he truly believed these were the last days,” said Becky Jane Romine, a friend of Coffee’s who acted alongside him in the 2007 comedy Cake: A Wedding Story. “He said he was going — his intentions were not to create chaos when he went to the Capitol.”

In late January, he told Texas Monthly from a Hill Country resort where he stayed and spoke with FBI agents before his arrest in

February that he went to Washington D.C. to “be part of history” and “to bring all this criminal behavior to light.”

He returned to Dallas from Washington D.C. Jan. 7, and turned himself in at the Earle Cabell Federal Building and Courthouse Feb. 26.

The chief judge of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia April 9 affirmed a magistrate judge’s decision to grant Coffee’s release pending trial under certain conditions, including that he submit to location monitoring and avoid all contact with “anyone associated with the incident on Jan. 6, 2021.”

Prosecutors argued in court documents that Coffee had “charged at the officers while still holding the crutch” and posed a “serious risk of flight.”

His defense lawyer, Jim Burnham, however, argued Coffee was “not a violent man, but rather a peacemaker” who “tried to stop the riots and prayed for peace.”

People Newspapers reached out to the U.S. Marshals office of public affairs to confirm whether or not he had actually been released, but didn’t hear back by press time.

“Susan’s connections helped us find a home.

She is incredibly plugged into the Dallas market and makes things happen. In a market like this, you need to use the best expert.”

Authorities entered police body camera footage from the Capitol riot into evidence as part of a criminal complaint against Luke Coffee. (PHOTO: SCREENGRAB) Coffee graduated from Highland Park High School and went to Baylor University.

After graduating from Baylor, he worked in Los Angeles for five years, during which time he worked as the post-production coordinator for such shows as Everwood and Las Vegas, according to his IMDb page. Coffee returned to Dallas around 2010 and started a production company.

He was dating a woman from Dallas who was killed in a hit-and-run crash in 2006 at the age of 22, Texas Monthly reports.

Family members told the magazine that Coffee became withdrawn and depressed after the accident.

“I’m telling you, it blew his mind when he lost (his girlfriend) so quickly...it messed him up,” Romine added. “He really loved that girl.”

prestonhollowpeople.com | May 2021 5

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Crime Reports March 8 – April 11 March 16

Finding easy loot proved more than a pipe dream for a prowler working in the 5000 block of Seneca Drive when he spotted a crack in a plumber’s defenses.

A Hydro Plumbing of Arlington van sat unlocked before 12:49 p.m. March 8. The painful joke was typed on March 15.

Before 11:31 p.m., a prowler stole contents from a 28-year-old woman’s vehicle at a home in the 6800 block of Lakehurst Avenue.

March 9 Reported at 12:26 p.m.: A woman saw a prowler outside her back fence in the 4900 block of Mill Run Road.

March 11 Overnight before 10:44 a.m., a burglar broke a vehicle window to steal from a 20-year-old woman from the 6800 block of Bandera Ave. March 13 Reported at 12:42 p.m.: a 57-year-old Allen man’s unlocked vehicle at a home in the 5100 block of Shadywood Lane made an easy target for a thief on March 11.

March 17 Before 12:12 p.m.: a ruffian pulled a knife and threatened to kill a 55-year-old woman and 60-year-old man in a parking lot at NorthPark Center.

March 18 Can’t cut it. Before 10:53 a.m., a thief stole a lawnmower from a 54-year-old man’s vehicle at a home in the 6900 block of Prestonshire Lane.

March 20 Before 1:29 a.m., a carjacker used a gun to take a 36-yearold woman’s vehicle in the 6200 block of West Northwest Highway.

March 15

March 23 Overnight before 8:24 a.m., a crook entered the backdoor of a home in the 6500 block of Norway Road and took the belongings of a man and woman, both 62.

Reported at 4:37 p.m.: A high-flying charlatan f raudulently used air miles belonging to a 60-year-old woman f rom the 6000 block of Waggoner Drive.

March 24 Before 5:51 a.m., two thieves forced their way into a 29-year-old man’s apartment in the 4800 block of West Lovers Lane and, in the parking lot, struck a 28-year-old

man’s vehicle with a bat.

March 25 A 52-year-old man discovered at 12:26 p.m. that the property he left unattended in a vacant commercial space at NorthPark Center was no longer there.

March 27 Officers don’t know what kind of object a vandal used overnight before 8:05 a.m. to damage the mailbox at a 77-year-old woman’s home in the 5800 block of Watson Avenue.

definition of losing something.

A 62-year-old man f rom the 8600 block of Thackery Street is “unaware where” his property went missing on April 2.

April 7 Prospecting for oil? Before 3:56 p.m., a burglar rummaged through the Kwik Kar Lube & Tune on Inwood Road near Forest Lane.

April 8 Before 11:10 a.m., a robber

March 29 Forfeited to police at 12:49 a.m.: a gun found in a vehicle repossessed at apartments in the 3900 block of West Northwest Highway.

April 1 No joke! Before 8:58 p.m., a thief took the tailgate off a 52-year-old Whitehouse, Texas, man’s vehicle at a home in the 4700 block of Forest Lane.

April 4 Reported at 1:34 p.m.: the

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Targeting PetSmart in the 12100 block of Inwood Road again? Overnight before 7:31 a.m., a shooter fired bullets through the f ront windows of the store. Someone on March 24 had shot through the f ront door.

Officers responded at 6:15 p.m. March 27 to a “major disturbance” at Whole Foods Market at Preston Forest Shopping Center. A customer entered the building and refused to wear a mask.

April 2 Ouch! Before 7:40 p.m., a BB gun-wielding jerk shot a 64-yearold man from the 11300 block of Royalshire Drive.

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presented a note, took money, and fled Prosperity Bank-Preston Royal in the Preston Oaks Shopping Center.

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For more crimes visit peoplenewspapers.com/category/crime/

(PHOTO: WWW.123RF.COM, ILLUSTRATION: MELANIE THORNTON)

March 8

prestonhollowpeople.com | May 2021 9

10 May 2021 | prestonhollowpeople.com

Community

MURAL PAINTED BY ‘70S TEENS STILL UNITES NEIGHBORS Volunteers maintain Forest Lane wall art 45 years after debut

By Bethany Erickson People Newspapers

A

sunny, Texas-warm spring day found Crystal Wilson and Jill Cartwright painstakingly brushing new paint over faded artwork on a wall that stretches along a swath of Forest Lane.

Wilson is out almost every weekend — her car pulled up near the sidewalk so she can easily reach her paints and brushes, radio keeping her company.

“I needed help with some of the detail work, so I asked Jill to come help me,” she explained as she touched up some bright orange flames.

It’s amazing; it still excites people, still attracts people, still brings us all together in spite of what is going on in the world around us. That means something.

Jill Cartwright Cartwright sat on an overturned milk crate a few feet down, painstakingly sprucing up another section of the illustration.

The wall, which stretches from Midway Road to Snow White Drive and then from Snow White Drive to almost Rosser Road, has survived a neighbor in the early 2000s who wasn’t a fan of the public art and, more recently, an out of control vehicle that plowed into it.

The wall was borne from a desire to make an old beige brick wall less of a blank slate for taggers — all the way back in the 1970s. In 1976, according to AIA Dallas, W.T. White High School art teacher Mary Beth Neale encouraged her students to create a design and then paint a mural over the wall, turning the eyesore into public art.

But nobody imagined it would be there decades later.

The fact that the wall is still here, still has fans, and still has volunteers willing to maintain the artwork that was first painted by high schoolers 45 years ago doesn’t surprise Cartwright, though.

“See, that’s what this wall does. It brings people, a community together,” she said. “For most of us, it is a symbol of our youth. It was the meeting place, a location, a point of interest, and now a historical marker, I hope. It involved an art teacher at a high school and a bunch of students who were able to transform a wall of graffiti into a piece of art. It’s amazing; it still excites people, still attracts people, still brings us all together in spite of what is going on in the world around us. That means something.”

M O R E H I STO RY See more of the history behind the Forest Lane Wall - and the volunteers who maintain it to this day - at peoplenewspapers.com

Jill Cartwright, seated, painstakingly refreshes the paint on the Forest Lane Wall. Crystal Wilson is out nearly every weekend, sprucing up the Forest Lane Wall. (PHOTOS: BETHANY ERICKSON)

prestonhollowpeople.com | May 2021 11

The Mad Housewife Returns For years I wrote for Preston Hollow People – until I went into overdrive as a mom and took some time off.

Since 2015, I have hovered, smothered, and MICHELE managed our VALDEZ kids’ lives. At a recent family dinner that felt more like an intervention, they suggested I start writing again.

Since my last column, we moved from one Preston Hollow home to another.

In both neighborhoods, we enjoy walking, but on streets without sidewalks, it’s a challenge.

When we first moved to Preston Hollow, our real estate agent pitched that roads sans cement walkways make the area exclusive, like a village in New England. Dallas is no village, and over the years, we have realized that dodging rain puddles and texting drivers is no picnic.

While our current home was under construction, we rented a place in University Park.

I had rarely ventured into the Park Cities except to shop at Mustang Donuts and only knew that my youngest referred to kids from that side of town as “Parkies,” like they are a different type of human. After living in Parkie World, I can honestly say – they are.

To begin with, the residents south of Northwest Highway are younger than those who live north of the great divide.

Parkies are also cuter, which is hard to believe because all my village people are adorable. Women looked like Gigi Hadid, and the men like Rory Mcilroy. Even the kids were adorable.

I felt like Ugly Betty.

What’s more, the Parkies were nice. They always said, “Hi,” as they bounced along with the little ones on their evening strolls to dinner. Yep, they walked to restaurants.

No self-respecting resident of Preston Hollow would ever walk to dinner – people might think you’re homeless.

Then one day, as I drove down a narrow, slalom-like University Park road, it dawned on me. The Park Cities aren’t so great. The streets are almost un-navigable.

Why? Because the Parkie city planners squeezed in sidewalks.

Which gets me back to where I started: I never expected to miss the puddled village roads of Preston Hollow or our evening ambles playing cat and mouse with teen drivers, but I did, and I am so glad to be back.

Michele Valdez, a slightly compulsive, mildly angry feminist, has been an attorney, volunteer, and The Mad Housewife columnist. She has four demanding adult children and a patient husband.

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12 May 2021 | prestonhollowpeople.com

Bishop: ‘Wear Masks Out Of Charity’

Despite kerfuffle, few protest at Holy Trinity

By Rachel Snyder People Newspapers

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For all the social media furor, few attended planned protests at Holy Trinity Catholic Church, where police had removed a North Texas politician’s daughter after she refused to wear a mask at Mass.

And the 14 or so who showed seemingly preferred, in the words of the Gospels, to hide their lights “under bushel baskets.” They pointlessly demanded their photographs not be published (journalists don’t need permission to use images of protesters in public spaces) and refused to provide their names.

The maskless protestors, who said they typically attend other churches in the Roman Catholic Dioceses of Dallas and Fort Worth, gathered off Oak Lawn Avenue to pray while the Holy Trinity held Mass outside on April 10.

One woman called the removal of Deirdre Hairston from 5 p.m. Mass March 14 “unjust.”

Hairston, the daughter of former GOP state Sen. Don Huffines, went on at least two podcasts to talk about being approached by the Rev. Milton Ryan, the pastor of the Uptown Dallas parish, when she went to 5 p.m. Mass with her 1-year-old child.

She shared a video she took of the incident on the video podcast of Taylor Marshall, an advocate for traditionalist Catholicism and author of 2019’s Infiltration: The Plot to Destroy the Church from Within. She also appeared on former White House Chief Strategist Steve Bannon’s “War Room: Pandemic” podcast.

According to an incident report, Dallas

Police officers arrived during Mass and gave Hairston a trespass warning.

“When RO’s (reporting officers) went into the location and made contact with the suspects,” the report said. “Suspect Deirdre, who was holding her infant, ignored RO’s directions to leave (the) location to talk outside.”

The Diocese of Dallas issued a statement two days after her interview was posted on YouTube.

“The pastor of the parish has required masks at Mass out of concern for the health and welfare of his entire congregation. Canon law grants pastors jurisdiction over their parishes, and while the bishop has not mandated masks for every parish, he has left these specific details to the pastors of the Diocese, adding that he expects the faithful to wear masks out of charity and concern for others,” the statement read.

Holy Trinity parishioner Kathy Palter said the church was “inundated” with emails and voicemails after the episode.

“It’s upsetting,” she said. “Of course, as we all know, everything is played out in public on social media, and I’ll tell you it feels helpless when a simple little Facebook page for your home parish, which probably gets one or two hits a day if it’s lucky, is suddenly blowing up with comments that are so hateful that you don’t even recognize the place where you attend and worship.”

It feels helpless when a simple little Facebook page for your home parish… is suddenly blowing up with comments that are so hateful that you don’t even recognize the place where you attend and worship.

Kathy Palter

Editor’s Note: People Newspapers publisher Patricia Martin serves as Holy Trinity’s Parish Council Chair and serves in other volunteer ministries.

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TOP: Former GOP state Sen. Don Huffines praised his daughter on Facebook. (SCREENGRAB) BOTTOM: A group of around 14 gathered outside Holy Trinity Catholic Church during an April 10 Mass service. (PHOTOS: RACHEL SNYDER)

Finding Grace at Taco Bell?

And the King shall answer and say unto them, “Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.” – Matthew 25:40 The King James Ve r sion wording of this text came to mind as I thought about how Deirdre W I L L I A M TAY LO R Hairston has described her ejection by police from Mass in March for refusing to wear a mask at Holy Trinity Catholic Church.

The 28-year-old nursing mom told traditionalist Catholicism podcaster Taylor Marshall how officers met her as she returned from receiving Holy Communion.

“You still have the Eucharist, Jesus Christ, still in you, and you are being cast out,” an outraged Marshall said.

An usher followed them out and urged officers to “write her up, write her up,” Hairston added. “He almost kind of reminded me, not to flatter myself, of, “Crucify her! Crucify her!”

When reflecting on “the least of these” Jesus mentions in Matthew 25, I usually think of the homeless, hungry, and imprisoned, rather than the pregnant daughter of a still politically ambitious former state senator.

Marshall thought of the homeless, too,

contrasting their treatment with Hairston’s.

“I remember a person, a homeless woman once coming in during Mass and kind of causing a thing, and everyone was pretty delicate and gracious and charitable,” he said.

It wasn’t clear whether Hairston had made anyone at Holy Trinity aware of her need for charity: She often feels light-headed while wearing a mask.

Regardless, it’s not a good look to have a worshiper removed by police during prayer.

Still, what are pastors and ushers to do when someone insists on ignoring a church’s COVID-19 protocols? You don’t have a mask requirement if someone can stay while refusing to comply.

I suggested to my church leaders that we needed to consider how ushers should respond in similar situations. But I was told to trust that people coming to worship would cooperate.

That’s naïve, I fear. Haven’t we all seen videos of angry people berating store employees when told to mask up?

Hairston said she goes along with masking, as needed, everywhere else, but at church, she does not want to “play these, you know, communist games.”

“You are more likely to get treated with Christian charity and grace at a Taco Bell than you are at church, unfortunately,” she claimed.

Beware. If you have an encounter with Hairston, it appears likely that would prove true.

Four Ways to Address Migrant Crisis SMU Dedman School of Law’s Natalie Nanasi researches and teaches on issues relating to immigrant women and children and has volunteered at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center, which houses more than 1,500 teens apprehended at the southern border.

Nanasi insists t h e e m e r ge n c y migrant shelter must not become another prison for migrant youth in the margins.

She offered four ways for addressing this humanitarian crisis:

this country and can safely say that the Dallas Convention Center is not, and does not feel like a jail… But strict rules are already in place, and it is not difficult to imagine a path that leads to lockdowns and a more combative, custodial relationship.”

Pragmatism supports providing aid to our neighbors in Central America; financial support for these countries may stem the tide of migrants. But it is also the right thing, the moral thing, to do.

Natalie Nanasi

1. Release the children from the decompression center as efficiently as possible. “Every boy I spoke to … has a family member in the United States that he longs to reunite with. Vetting of these sponsors ensures that kids are released to safe adults, but every effort must be made to expedite the process,” Nanasi said.

2. Care should be taken that this decompression center remains more like a shelter than a prison. “I have represented immigrants detained by law enforcement in

3. Sites like the Dallas emergency mig rant shelter should be temporar y. “ Volunteers are moving mountains to make the Convention Center as comfortable as possible... But the facility does not compare to a licensed shelter that affords privacy, safety, and critical services such as mental health counseling. Popup decompression centers cannot become the norm,” she said.

4. We as a countr y must rediscover our compassion. “Pragmatism supports providing aid to our neighbors in Central America; financial support for these countries may stem the tide of migrants.

But it is also the right thing, the moral thing, to do,” Nanasi said.

– Staff report

prestonhollowpeople.com | May 2021 13

14 May 2021 | prestonhollowpeople.com

Business

‘THE MOST IMITATED RESTAURANT IN AMERICA’

Mariano’s Hacienda celebrates 50th anniversary of frozen margarita machine

By Kirk Dooley

Special Contributor

I

f there were ever a perfect time to celebrate with a frozen margarita, May 11 would be the day.

On that Taco Tuesday, Mariano Martinez will celebrate the 50th anniversary of his invention of the frozen margarita machine, which revolutionized the American restaurant industry.

The original Mariano’s Hacienda location – also 50 years old in May – was on Greenville Avenue, just a stone’s throw from the Park Cities.

Our frozen margarita machine was duplicated throughout the nation, and it ushered in the National Drink of Baby Boomers.

Mariano Martinez It featured a cantina bar section packed with Village Apartment swinging singles, SMU students, flight attendants, Dallas Cowboys, and local media personalities.

As restaurant chains like Chili’s, Applebee’s, and Steak & Ale followed suit and rolled out frozen

LEFT: In this 1991 photo, Mariano Martinez shows off the frozen margarita machine at Mariano’s Hacienda. (PHOTO: COURTESY MARIANO’S HACIENDA) RIGHT, FROM LEFT: Mariano and Wanda Martinez with the original frozen margarita machine. (PHOTO: COURTESY THE SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION)

margarita machines to thirsty Americans in all 50 states, the tequila-based concoction became the national drink of choice.

Suddenly all restaurants and mom-and-pop cafes could serve tasty, consistent frozen margaritas for a reasonable price without hiring a bartender. For many smaller restaurants, the margarita was the difference between breaking even and making a profit.

After 35 good years in the Old Town Village on Greenville Avenue, Mariano’s moved to a larger location at 6300 Skillman Street at Larmada Street 15 years ago, and business never skipped a beat.

“We changed a lot of things,”

Martinez said. “Our frozen margarita machine was duplicated throughout the nation, and it ushered in the National Drink of Baby Boomers. Mariano’s became the most imitated restaurant in America. The original margarita machine is now on permanent display at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History in Washington, D.C. That invention changed our nation’s culture forever.”

Seventeen years ago, Martinez and his wife, Wanda, moved from their large East Dallas compound near White Rock Lake to a larger home in the heart of Highland Park.

After six years of searching,

they found a 1914 home designed

by Lang and Witchell, a prominent architectural firm in Dallas from 1905 to 1942. The firm created masterpieces such as Highland Park’s Town Hall and the State Fair Music Hall. The Highland Park home was built while SMU was being constructed, and it used the same bricks as SMU. Since 1914 the Martinezes are the second family to live there. Jessie Lee Johnson’s family, including son Searcy, were the original owners.

“We loved living in East Dallas, but we made the move in order to have the emergency services that the Town of Highland Park is known for,” Martinez said. “As we

get older, a quick paramedic response time becomes more and more important to us. Our bedroom is upstairs, so we also added an elevator.”

For Mariano and Wanda Martinez to take a moment to celebrate the golden anniversary of their restaurant and the invention of the frozen margarita machine will keep them busy for a while.

But they need to conserve their energy because, in a few months, they will celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary – most likely with a couple of margaritas and a well-deserved toast to half a century of health, happiness, and blue agave.

Come Together With a ‘Mixtape’ App

Pair of SMU business school graduates channel music nostalgia of the ’80s and ’90s

By Josh Hickman

Special Contributor Matt Sidhom mused recently over coffee about the present social woes and an idea for connecting with music, personalized giving, and nostalgia.

“People were so apart, and social media seemed in some ways to be breaking them apart even further,” he said. “People seemed to be pushing people apart except those who agree with you.”

Music has always revealed to us how much more alike we are than different. Many of us older folks remember making mixtapes and CDs in the ’80s and ’90s for our friends or that special someone we were wooing.

They were often very personal gifts with notes and even photos or drawings added.

Sidhom smiled as he recalled making his

future wife mix CDs and writing notes about each song. As the world began to digitize and become more online, she asked him how she could hang onto these precious mementos.

“I give her credit,” he said, laughing. “It was sort of her idea.”

Eight years in the making, the new Super Awesome Mix app grew from an inspired idea and was launched this spring by two recent SMU business school graduates.

Sidhom and his business partner, Samer Abousalbi, were occupied with other projects initially but brought the concept to fruition after noticing the isolation and pain the COVID-19 pandemic and recent political strife thrust upon people.

“This seemed to be a way of pulling people together that was sort of agnostic — Democrat or Republican,” Matt said. “You can, of course, make playlists on Spotify or other online ser-

Music is such a powerful connection.

Matt Sidhom

Find The Super Awesome Mix app on the Apple app store, at superawesomemix.com, or through social media @superawesomemix.

(PHOTOS: COURTESY MATT SIDHOM)

vices, but it was adding that personal touch to bring people together — remembering that concert we went to or that road trip we went on.”

The more they talked to people in different places (Samron relocated to New York), the

more their confidence in the idea grew.

“Music is such a powerful connection,” Sidhom stressed. “We added a feature where you could add your own voice to each track. Maybe a loved one passed away, and you now have their music and what they thought about it.”

The audience isn’t just nostalgic Gen-Xers; a younger generation embraces the music and style of the mixtape era, often passed down by their parents.

“A friend of mine told me she was just telling her 14-year-old son about making mixtapes by recording radio broadcasts. That oral history gets handed down,” Sidhom added with a chuckle.

And on the graphics side, he said, “We will soon make it a marketplace for visual artists who can make a little money that way.”

The app is free, but adding a personal voice intro costs 99 cents. People can add illustrations, either from a set provided by the app or ones supplied by the user.

What does the future hold for this nostalgic idea? Matt beamed, “We’re really excited about the response we’ve gotten so far.”

prestonhollowpeople.com | May 2021 15

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All material presented herein is intended for informational purposes only. Information is compiled from sources deemed reliable but is subject to errors, omissions, changes in price, condition, sale, or withdrawal without notice. All measurements and square footages are approximate, but not guaranteed and should be independently verified. This is not intended to solicit property already listed. Nothing herein shall be construed as legal, accounting or other professional advice outside the realm of real estate brokerage. Compass is a licensed real estate broker. Equal Housing Opportunity.

16 May 2021 | prestonhollowpeople.com

Shop May Be Closed, But Not Forgotten

Wicker Basket couple still fills orders for flowers, other plants

By Evelyn Wolff

People Newspapers On a Friday in March, Floyd and Johnetta Burke were making sure Presbyterians, Methodists, and Catholics would have palm branches for Palm Sunday services – just as they have done for many years.

The Burkes closed their retail shop, The Wicker Basket, in 2019, but devoted patrons still call for poinsettias at Christmas, altar flowers for funerals, and unique blooming gifts.

Longtime residents will remember the little shop on Eastern Avenue, which Julie Weissert founded in 1981.

Sneak one of your favorite vases or containers out of the house, and let me create a beautiful arrangement for any special occasion.

Johnetta Burke Floyd and Johnetta were looking for a business they could do together and had bids on three: the Jack in the Box on Lovers Lane, The Wicker Basket, and another florist.

After all three proposals were accepted one afternoon, they weighed their options and went with The Wicker Basket.

“I was inspired by Miss Cane’s in Bossier City, Louisiana,” Johnetta said. “It was an antique shop that had been a florist, and I thought I could use antique and vintage containers to create beautiful arrangements.”

Johnetta is not one to throw something broken away. She loves old things and loves repurposing them. Over the years, she has filled garden trugs, watering cans, and bird feeders with violets, begonias, Gerber daisies, and greenery.

Floyd and Johnetta met at SMU in 1964.

Floyd had been recruited from his high school in Amarillo to play running back for the Mustangs and was studying business.

He took a ceramics class, and just across the hall, hometown girl Johnetta Alexander was taking Intro to Drawing.

THEN AND NOW: Floyd and Johnetta Burke at SMU, where they met in 1964 (PHOTO: LAUGHEAD PHOTOGRAPHERS) and on their front porch recently.

(PHOTO: EVELYN WOLFF) Though The Wicker Basket storefront (as seen in a 1981 photo) has closed, the Burkes still provide altar flowers and other arrangements, and Johnetta repairs and refashions jewelry. (PHOTOS: COURTESY THE BURKES) “Floyd was fast, but I was faster and chased him down,” she said. “We married in April of 1968 and graduated together that May.” The newlyweds lived in an apartment on Dickens and then managed two apartment complexes before purchasing a home on Southwestern Boulevard in 1971.

The two-bedroom, two-bath house was bursting at the seams as they welcomed their first two sons, Andrew and Spencer.

Johnetta was expecting their third son, Nathan, when they underwent a massive remodel and added a second story.

Comings and Goings

“There were 44 children under six who lived on that block of Southwestern,” Floyd said. “Almost all of them played on very successful boys and girls soccer teams. Everything the kids were involved in, one of us attended.”

Today the Burkes live in a jewel box of a house on Southern Avenue in West Highland Park – the same neighborhood where Johnetta grew up. With cans of “oops” paint, Johnetta painted Wedgwood blue and geranium pink rooms to showcase the antiques they have collected over the past 53 years. Johnetta’s motto: “I know I can

make this something beautiful.”

“I love it when people bring me their containers for me to fill with cut flowers or plants,” she said. “Sneak one of your favorite vases or containers out of the house, and let me create a beautiful arrangement for any special occasion.”

NOW OPEN

Audrey Dixon’s aunt. Jana Rae Howell opened the first two locations in Fort Worth and Wichita, Kansas. Her beloved recipes include an assortment of cupcakes, cheesecakes, cakeballs, cookies, and seasonal pies.

Natural Grocers

Preston Forest Village The all-natural grocer, located at 11661 Preston Road for more than a decade, has reopened after closing for two months to incorporate space formerly occupied by Panera Bread and update the store’s layout and fixtures.

J.Rae’s Bakery Lucky’s Hot Chicken

(PHOTOS: VANDELAY HOSPITALITY GROUP)

J.Rae’s Bakery

(PHOTO: JOSEPH BREWSTER)

Pavilion on Lovers Lane The family-owned bakery serves up homemade desserts at 5600 W. Lovers Lane while paying homage to owner

BLOOM COUNTING Call 469-583-1532 to order custom arrangements for pick up or delivery from The Wicker Basket.

Lucky’s Hot Chicken

6309 Hillcrest Ave The Nashville hot chicken concept opened its second Dallas-area location in April. The second location introduces some firsts for the eatery – the “Velvet Chicken & Waffle” plus boozy frozen cocktails and soft-serve to cool down after hot chicken.

prestonhollowpeople.com | May 2021 17

18 May 2021 | prestonhollowpeople.com

Real Estate Quarterly JUST HOW BUSY IS THE DALLAS-FORT WORTH MARKET? First-time homebuyers better pack patience along with their fine china

By Bethany Erickson People Newspapers

The Lay of the Land

I

t’s a wild and wooly time to buy a house, but it can be especially trepidatious for the first-time buyer, now tasked with navigating the process during a time when homes sometimes only last hours on the market.

But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try, said Allie Beth Allman and Associates executive vice president Susan Baldwin and Rogers Healy, owner of the eponymous Rogers Healy and Associates.

Looking for a home and getting to the closing table can feel like a marathon, not a sprint. But it will be worth it.

Susan Baldwin

DALLAS-FORT WORTH-ARLINGTON MARCH MARKET NUMBERS Median Listing Price: $383,000 Median Listing Price (year-over-year): 

12% Active Listing Count (year-over-year):  69% New Listing Count (year-over-year):  36.6% Median Days on Market: 34 Median Days on Market (year-over-year):  12% February 2021 For-Sale Inventory: 21,340 February 2020 For-Sale Inventory: 31,439 DALLAS COUNTY FEBRUARY 2021 Median Home Price: $315,000 Median Home Price:  Days on Market: 45

 48.3% Months of Inventory: 1.3 months Active Listings:

2.6 months Pending Home Sales for February, Southern US:  13% Months of Inventory February 2020:

“My advice to the first-time homebuyers is to get pre-qualified in advance. Many areas are seeing multiple offers, and it’s hard to compete with a cash buyer without being really ready,” Baldwin said.

“I can’t stress patience enough.

Today’s market is more competitive than we have ever seen it, and not just for entry-level homes,” said Healy. “Luxury homes are just as competitive. Be patient with the process and trust that everything happens for a reason.”

“As you are looking for a home, I urge you to put yourself in the seller’s shoes. Thinking like a buyer can change the way your

Sources: MetroTex Association of Realtors, National Association of Realtors, Zillow deal works,” he added.

Healy and Baldwin said that managing expectations for buyers is also part of their jobs now.

“Right now, individuals in the Dallas-Fort Worth market aren’t just competing against each other; they are competing with the thousands of other people who are relocating to North Texas,” Healy said. “It can be frustrating to not only lose out on an offer but lose out on an offer from someone who has only toured the

home virtually.”

“I tell my sellers that the best offer may not be the highest offer because some buyers get overly enthusiastic but really can’t perform,” Baldwin added. “And it’s always a good idea to send a letter with a photo to personalize yourselves in a multiple bid situation.”

Healy said that once you’re in home buying mode, it’s a bad time to make many big decisions.

“While you are waiting for your closing date, make sure you

Closed Median sales price

(PHOTO: 123RF.COM/TEERAWUT MASAWAT , ILLUSTRATION: MELANIE THORNTON)

more dynamic offer that includes things that might be more beneficial to the seller, like a free leaseback or slightly shortening the option period.

But most of all, both say that buying a home right now — for anyone — is an exercise in patience.

“Looking for a home and getting to the closing table can feel like a marathon, not a sprint,” Baldwin said. “But it will be worth it.”

are not making any major life changes,” he said. “One of the worst things to happen is to lose the house after having your offer accepted. Make sure your finances aren’t changing, you aren’t switching jobs, and you aren’t making any major purchases. Keep a low profile until after you have closed.”

He also said that real estate professionals might need to get a little more creative to help their homebuyers find that dream home. He suggests crafting a

MARKET NUMBERS: PRE STON HOLLOW Month

28.6%

MARKET NUMBERS: PARK CITIE S

Price per Sold to Active Days on Months’ sq. foot list price listings market supply

Month

Closed Median sales price

Price per Sold to Active Days on Months’ sq. foot list price listings market supply

March 2020

76

$860,100

$297

96%

265

87

4.5

March 2020

62

$1,276,000

$376

96%

245

61

3.8

June 2020

75

$1,144,500

$316

94%

338

116

6.2

June 2020

76

$1,244,500

$411

96%

298

54

5.3

Sept. 2020

68

$888,500

$294

95%

291

65

4.9

Sept. 2020

89

$1,295,750

$426

95%

242

58

3.7

Dec. 2020

87

$1,176,800

$324

95%

192

104

3.0

Dec. 2020

83

$1,480,000

$459

96%

153

68

2.2

March 2021

90

$1,040,000

$331

96%

106

77

1.6

March 2021

89

$1,587,500

$445

98%

93

58

1.3

Source: North Texas Real Estate Information Systems Inc.

How’s working from home working for you?

Find your new home office at daveperrymiller.com

prestonhollowpeople.com | May 2021 19

Four Things You Should Know Before You Decorate Your First Home Buying your first home is an exciting milestone. For most people, it’s their first chance to make a space truly their own.

However, firsttime homebuyers might also find the prospect of decorating a whole home daunting. Below MARGARET are some tips that I CHAMBERS think all first-time homebuyers should know before they start decorating.

Plan Your Space in Advance Get your hands on the plans for the house if possible. Having these will help you see ahead of time which of your furniture will fit and if you need to knock down walls to create a more open layout. If your house needs significant renovations, bringing in a design team will save you a lot of stress later.

Identify Your Favorite Design Styles Most people have more than one interior design style that inspires them. When in doubt, pick one that complements your home’s architecture. There’s no need to use the same style in every room, but remember to have at least one design element in common (such as a color) that connects the rooms.

Start with the Rooms You’ll Use the Most The best rooms to begin with are the ones you’ll spend the most time in. If you

like to entertain, those rooms might be your living room and dining room. Your anchor pieces for each room (such as your bed, sofas, or dining table) should take priority in your budget. You can, and should, spend a lot less on accessories for the moment.

Layer Items Over Time Instead of Buying Everything at Once One mistake first-time homebuyers often make is rushing to buy everything at once and getting matching furniture sets. The best homes have a layered look that mixes old and new pieces. Combine items that are complementary in color, material, and scale, and remember that you can always reupholster a piece if you don’t like the fabric. Don’t be in a rush to pick your paint color, either: try testing out swatches instead.

Finally, remember that most people only stay in their first home for a few years. The items you prioritize in your budget should also be ones you can take with you to your next home. On the other hand, if you plan on enjoying your home for many years to come, consider hiring a professional designer. Designers get to know you so that we can design a space that is perfectly suited for you and your family.

Margaret Chambers, a registered interior designer (RID) and member of the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID), leads Chambers Interiors and Associates. Her colleague Caitlin Crowley helped edit this column.

Find more design advice at chambersinteriors. com/blog.

TOP: The clean transitional style for this den matches the home’s simple, almost farmhouse architecture. Blue and white is always a popular color scheme. BOTTOM: Although dining chairs should complement the table, you don’t need to use those that came with it. Use a different but complementary set to create more interest. Aqua and cream colors help pull this dining room together. (PHOTOS: MICHAEL HUNTER)

SPECIAL ADVERTISING CONTENT

People To Know

The Perry-Miller Streiff Group

LEFT TO RIGHT: Charles Gregory, Lance Hancock, Laura Michelle, Ryan Streiff, Karen Fry, Courtney Jubinsky, Jamie Kohlmann, and Jason Bates

T

REAL ESTATE

welve years ago, when Dave PerryMiller needed someone to help him run his multi-million dollar book of listings, Ryan Streiff, a former investment banker, came alongside to implement the day-to-day details. Their unique collaboration became the formula for the way The Perry-Miller Streiff Group transacts business today.

“When a buyer or seller works with one of us,” Ryan says, “they have the strength of 10 agents behind them.”

Every Wednesday, this special task force comes together via Zoom to gather intelligence, implement creative strategies for each listing, and discuss their buyers’ needs.

“All of our agents are highly skilled and well-networked across other brokerages and in the neighborhoods they serve,” Ryan says. “When an agent places a house on the market, we push the property out through all of our networking groups.

One of our seasoned agents may showcase the home, while one of our newer agents may help show the listing.

“On the buyer’s side, our agents have knowledge of properties before they go on the market, and therefore they are able

to place buyers in front of opportunities in these highly competitive markets in the Park Cities, Preston Hollow, East Dallas, and Lake Highlands.”

This strategic collaboration has earned the Perry-Miller Streiff Group the distinction of being ranked the number two team in DFW, the number four team in Texas, and the number 54 team in the country, per RealTrends.

The team includes Broker Associate Laura Michelle, Courtney Jubinsky, Jamie Kohlmann, Jason Bates, Karen Fry, and Lance Hancock. Holly Alredge, who handles all of the marketing for The PerryMiller Streiff Group, also plays a vital role on the team.

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20 May 2021 | prestonhollowpeople.com

Dallas Midtown Redeveloper Launches Beck Realty Residential

Courtney Tauriac, Crystal Gonzalez to propel new North Texas real estate venture

By Bethany Erickson

and to be a part of something bigger than just the sale of a home.

Our team is heavily invested in Dallas, and we want to work with a company that is just as passionate about our city as we are.

People Newspapers

When Dallas Midtown redeveloper Scott Beck turned his eye to the Dallas residential real estate market, he knew he needed a team that knew the landscape and could provide a certain level of service.

He found Courtney Tauriac and Crystal Gonzalez, a long-standing team with Compass before moving to the newly-formed Beck Realty Residential.

We loved the idea of partnering with a company who is pouring their resources locally into our great city and to be a part of something bigger than just the sale of a home.

Courtney Tauriac and Crystal Gonzalez

FROM LEFT: Courtney Tauriac, Marcos Hernandez, Crystal Gonzalez. (PHOTO: MANNY RODRIGUEZ/MANNY RODRIGUEZ PHOTOGRAPHY) “They really know the market well, and they’re both super smart,” the president of Beck Realty said.

Beck said that he envisions this new endeavor as “offering whiteglove service, but it’s for the entire Metroplex, not just luxury buyers.”

Tauriac and Gonzalez are joined by real estate associate Marcos Hernandez and transaction coordinator Rebecca Fletcher.

Tauriac and Gonzalez answered our questions recently. See more at peoplenewspapers.com.

ORIGINS COUNSELING DALLAS, TX

You’re working parents, which means even during normal times, you’re juggling a very busy and demanding business with family life, too. But with the pandemic and school closures, it’s been even harder. How do you manage?

Last year was definitely a trying time for everyone. There was an incredible amount of uncertainty, and our families were like everyone else’s in the world, trying to juggle working from home and our children’s education, all while keeping everyone sane and safe at the same

time. It really came down to prioritizing and time management.

Whether it be real estate or any other industry, it’s all in what you’re willing to put into it.

What enticed you to work with Scott Beck?

Beck Ventures attracted us because of their tremendous pride in our city and continued contribution to economic development. We loved the idea of partnering with a company who is pouring their resources locally into our great city

Scott mentioned that his hope was that your group would be able to offer a more egalitarian white-glove service. How will you do that?

Though we have been selling in Dallas over 20 years, neither of us are originally from here. We were both able to build our business, one client at a time, and grow with our clients over the years. As they have gotten married, had children, lost a loved one, or experienced another life change, we have been a part of those transitions and have helped them navigate through the nuances regarding their living situation and where they call home. We are fortunate enough that we are now helping our clients purchase their dream homes while assisting their children in investing in their first home. We don’t concentrate our efforts on only one neighborhood or price point. We have developed with Scott the most important resources one might need when buying or selling their home, and these services will be offered to every Beck Realty client.

LET US FIX YOUR MONSTER MESS.

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prestonhollowpeople.com | May 2021 21

Entertainer’s Dream Estate 781 Knob Hill Offered for $3,100,000 7 Bed / 9,889 Sq.Ft. / 2.5 Acres Clarke Landry 214.316.7416 clarke.landry@alliebeth.com

Inhale the Beauty 5403 Preston Fairways Circle Offered for $1,150,000 4 Bed / 5 Bath / 4,707 Sq.Ft. Susan Bradley 214.674.5518 susan.bradley@alliebeth.com

22 May 2021 | prestonhollowpeople.com

Just Sold – Multiple Offers 5111 W. Amherst Avenue — SOLD Offered for $1,799,000 5 Bed / 5.2 Bath / 5,303 Sq.Ft. Marc Ching 214.728.4069 marc.ching@alliebeth.com

Prestigious Princeton SOLD! 3214 Princeton Avenue – SOLD Offered for $2,085,300 4 Bed / 3.1 Bath / 3,972 Sq.Ft. Doris Jacobs 214.537.3399 doris.jacobs@alliebeth.com

prestonhollowpeople.com | May 2021 23

Fresh Light Living 3429 University Boulevard Offered for $2,450,000 5 Bed / 4.1 Bath / 4,891 Sq.Ft. Susan Baldwin 214.763.1591 susan.baldwin@alliebeth.com

Designed to Entertain 5122 Horseshoe Trail Offered for $2,250,000 5 Bed / 4.1 Bath / 6,059 Sq.Ft. Chad Barrett 214.714.7034 chad.barrett@alliebeth.com

All listing information, either in print or electronic format, is deemed reliable but not guaranteed and listing broker is not responsible for any typographical errors or misinformation. Prospective buyers are instructed to independently verify all information furnished in connection with a listing. This information is current as of the distribution of this material, but is subject to revisions, price changes, or withdrawal without any further notice. Allie Beth Allman & Associates strictly adheres to all Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity laws and regulations.

24 May 2021 | prestonhollowpeople.com

Outside is IN 3821 Potomac Avenue Offered for $5,499,000 5 Bed / 6.1 Bath / 6,017 Sq.Ft. Shirley Cohn 214.729.5708 shirley.cohn@alliebeth.com

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Brittany Mathews | 214.641.1019 brittany.mathews@alliebeth.com

alliebethallman alliebeth.com All listing information, either in print or electronic format, is deemed reliable but not guaranteed and listing broker is not responsible for any typographical errors or misinformation. Prospective buyers are instructed to independently verify all information furnished in connection with a listing. This information is current as of the distribution of this material, but is subject to revisions, price changes, or withdrawal without any further notice. Allie Beth Allman & Associates strictly adheres to all Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity laws and regulations.

Real Talk: Eurico Francisco

By Bethany Erickson

work, and it will speak for itself (it always does, isn’t it true?)

“Dallas is the largest American city without a school of architecture or design inside its city limits,” said Park Cities resident Eurico Francisco. Because of that, the Brazilian immigrant credits the Dallas Architecture Forum with filling the gap for the city when it comes to learning about architecture.

Francisco, who is vice president at Callison RTKL in Dallas, was named president of the forum’s board of directors in March.

What is a design trend you are excited about?

I’m excited not so much by a design trend per se, but by a social trend that is reflected in our urban environment: I’m speaking about the revitalization of our city centers, the renewed interest in historical downtowns, the return to city living and the mixture of uses that have been the hallmark of great cities – live, work and play, all interconnected. The pandemic has, of course, disrupted the trend, but I am confident that reinvestment in our cities will resume as we take control of the situation in the public health realm.

If anything, the pandemic has only reinforced the notion that we miss being around other people, that we miss the energy of vibrant cities and all the opportunities that they offer. Telecommuting is convenient, and thank God for Zoom, but, in the end, we can’t forever live in virtual spaces.

People Newspapers

How long have you been in architecture and design, and what led you to this career?

I have been practicing architecture for 35 years, which comes as a shock to me as I write it down. I’m still fascinated by it, and I feel that I learn something every time that there’s a new project or every time that I visit a new place. I am the first architect in a family of dentists and lawyers, and I credit my mother for pointing out architecture to me early on – I remember that she would always comment on buildings as she took me around the city as a young boy.

If anything, the pandemic has only reinforced the notion that we miss being around other people, that we miss the energy of vibrant cities and all the opportunities that they offer.

Eurico Francisco

If you could go back in time and give yourself advice as you started your career, what would it be?

It would be: Your professors and mentors are ready to guide you through these early years – listen to them!

It would also be: don’t worry so much about what comes next – just do your best

Can you give us a couple of fun facts about yourself?

Not sure that this is fun or even funny, but I’ve been in the U.S. for more than half of my life, but when I open my mouth, people immediately can tell that I’m didn’t grow up here. I’ve tried and tried to lose the accent and sound more like a local, but by now, I’m resigned to just live with it.

Go to peoplenewspapers.com to find out Franciso’s second fun fact and where his favorite buildings are.

prestonhollowpeople.com | May 2021 25

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Sports

CATCHING ON: WTW’S DENNIS GOES FROM NEWCOMER TO LEADER Two-sport standout and photography buff will attend SFA next year

By Todd Jorgenson People Newspapers

W

.T. White catcher Korbin Dennis has spent his senior season making up for lost time.

His first year at the school, after transferring from Red Oak, was cut short by the COVID-19 pandemic. That also curtailed his chance to establish a leadership presence with his new teammates from arguably the most important position on the field.

“It was an exciting experience I was hoping to have, but we didn’t get to play many games together. It was kind of devastating,” Dennis said. “I lost the chance to build a greater chemistry with the team and really bond with them. We didn’t get a chance to hang out even after the season was cut short because of COVID.”

He’s a true leader, and he shows you with his actions.

Matt Whatley With a full season now underway, Dennis has flourished both at the plate and in the field as the Longhorns are chasing a Class 5A playoff spot.

“When you’re a catcher, everybody is watching you at all times. They’re going to react to you. We need to have a guy back

Senior catcher Korbin Dennis has been one of the top hitters this season for W.T. White. (PHOTOS: CHRIS MCGATHEY) there that we can trust,” said WTW head coach Matt Whatley. “Watching him develop relationships with everybody on the team has been really awesome.”

Dennis came to WTW when his father, Jeff, got a job as an assistant football and baseball coach. The move also enabled him to play baseball briefly alongside good friend J.P. Rathbun, who graduated in 2020.

Dennis has signed to play college base-

ball next season at Stephen F. Austin, also Whatley’s alma mater. However, Dennis said the school was equally appealing because of its art program, which will help him pursue his dream of a photography career. “[Whatley] helped me out a lot, talking with the coaches. We had a lot of meetings online,” said Dennis, who also played linebacker for the Longhorns on the football field last fall. “It’s going to be a great fit.”

He grew up mostly playing football in

the small town of Onalaska, Washington, but gravitated more toward baseball as he got older.

Regardless of the sport, Whatley said his work ethic is what makes Dennis stand out among his peers.

“We’ve got a great group of seniors.

They really have fun and enjoy each other,” Whatley said. “It doesn’t take long to notice Korbin. He’s a true leader, and he shows you with his actions.”

Alcuin Tennis Tandem Makes History at State

TAPPS title winners found success through late-season decision

By Todd Jorgenson People Newspapers

FROM LEFT: Alex Bishop and Alex Blackwell teamed up to give Alcuin its first TAPPS state tennis title. (COURTESY PHOTO)

It was a calculated risk when Alcuin School tennis players Alex Bishop and Alex Blackwell — both singles specialists — decided to form a doubles tandem for the first time at the TAPPS regional tournament this spring.

A few weeks later, the payoff was a state title, marking the first for the school in any sport since starting a high school athletic program six years ago.

“We really haven’t had any opportunities where we had a realistic shot at championships,” said Alcuin athletic director Andy Silverman.

“It was definitely a proud moment, knowing where the program started and where we’re at now.”

The Hawks also claimed the overall boys team championship in the TAPPS 1A division at the state tournament in Waco, thanks to performances by Max Bassichis and Akshay Karthik in singles, as well as Johann Blackwell and Ian Espino-Barros in doubles.

Bishop and Alex Blackwell took

an unusual path to the top. Bishop’s primary sport is basketball, while Blackwell focuses more on swimming and rowing.

Each admits to putting down their respective tennis rackets during the COVID-19 pandemic, with doubts about whether they had the passion to continue.

“I was kind of iffy coming back,” said Bishop, a junior. “Now I’m definitely going to put more work in and make this a sport past high school.”

At the state tournament, the duo survived a close match and a weather delay in the quarterfinals, then won a tight three-set contest in the semifinals. And that came without any help from their coach, Kym Malone, who stayed home because of COVID-19 quarantine protocols.

“There was a lot riding on those semifinal rounds. It was a high-pressure situation,” Silverman said. “They just played a really flawless championship match.”

In the final, the Alcuin pair defeated siblings Clayton and Jackson Darby of Longview Christian

Heritage in straight sets.

“In the earlier matches, we were a lot more stressed,” Bishop said.

“Once we got going, we got focused and got it done.”

Blackwell, a senior, hopes the accomplishment will help spur growth in tennis and other sports among the small student body at Alcuin, even among novices and newcomers.

It was definitely a proud moment, knowing where the program started and where we’re at now.

Andy Silverman Because [the school] is so small, it gave me the opportunity. I started getting better and better as I played and developed a stronger serve and a stronger forehand,” Blackwell said. “Just the fact that we won a state title, people can see that and try it out as well.”

prestonhollowpeople.com | May 2021 27

28 May 2021 | prestonhollowpeople.com

Camps

CAMP SUMMIT FOCUSES ON ABILITIES RATHER THAN DISABILITIES After virtual 2020, program returns to Paradise, Texas, for summer 2021

By William Taylor

WA N T T O H E L P ?

People Newspapers

C

amp Summit, committed to serving people of various abilities and ages, never turns a camper away, not even in a pandemic.

Of course, in 2020, that meant providing camp online.

“We brought our campers a virtual lineup of activities, Zoom events, and even some sidewalk sing-a-longs,” said Meg Frainey, of Preston Hollow, who serves on the camp’s Board of Directors. “We stayed connected and provided a break from the boredom and isolation our campers were facing.”

But this summer, Camp Summit aims to return to its barrier-free Wise County facility in Paradise, Texas, where clients ages 6 to 99 engage in traditional activities and stay in cabins with their peers for a week.

“Although 2021 may look a little different with some new guidelines and safety procedures, we know our campers and their families will be pleased to add camp back into their routines,” said Abbey Cumnock, marketing and public relations manager.

“With community support, Camp Summit will be able to continue to offer individuals

• Visit CampSummitTx.org to learn how those with disabilities can thrive through camp experiences.

• Support a signature fundraising event such as the 20th annual Boots and Bandanas Dinner and Gala on Nov. 4.

• Join the Council of Ambassadors to support and advocate for Camp Summit clients.

At its barrier-free Wise County facility in Paradise, Camp Summit offers clients ages 6 to 99 a week of traditional camp activities adapted to their individual needs. (PHOTOS: COURTESY CAMP SUMMIT) with disabilities assistance with the tuition they need, so their loved one with a disability can experience and enjoy the benefits of camp.”

The summer season will run from May 23 to Aug. 13, and the fall season from Sept. 19 to Nov. 19.

Since its first session 73 years ago with 19 campers, Camp Summit, initially known as Camp Soroptimist, has offered individuals

acceptance for who they are, Frainey said.

More than 2,500 campers participate annually now, and by offering a 2:1 camper-to-counselor ratio and an on-site medical team, the camp can even serve medically fragile clients.

“Whether someone is in a wheelchair, has an intellectual disability, or needs 100% assistance with daily life-skills, Camp Summit makes the impossible happen,”

• Phone 972-484-8900 for memberships or donations.

Frainey said. “We give each camper a ‘Yes I Can’ fun-filled week.”

The fee for a week of camp is $1,600, but with 90% of campers receiving help through the Campership and Financial Assistance Project, many often pay as little as $50 toward tuition, Cumnock said. “By anticipating and removing all barriers, we can focus on our campers’ abilities rather than their disabilities.”

Behaving Properly at Twirlarama Proves Too Much To Bear I was no stranger to summer camps growing up.

My favorite was attending Bill Allen’s “Twirlarama” with The Farmers Branch Bomberettes when I was 10 to 12.

It was a week at BayTA N A H U N T E R lor University, and we felt so grown up staying in the dorm rooms and eating in the cafeteria.

Our walk to twirling classes each day included passing the Bear Habitat, and one day I

could not help putting my baton through the fence and doing some “thumb flips,” which resulted in my dropping it down in the bear pit.

It was embarrassing enough, but the director of the Bomberettes was also my mother, Jacqueline Alexander Hunter, who had her first dance studio in Snider Plaza.

Needless to say, I was in double trouble and had to March around the football field several times as punishment.

FUN FACT: The girl in the white yarn pigtails is Judy Trammel, the

director of the Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders (She never got into trouble).

Tana Hunter, an advertising account executive for People Newspapers, still likes to ham it up and clown around.

SUMMER STORIES Got a story from camp or another summer program you’d like to share? Send it and a photo to editor@ peoplenewspapers.com.

Girls enjoy a twirling camp at Baylor University in 1972. (COURTESY: TANA HUNTER)

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Want To Make a Difference? Consider a Summer of Service I clearly remember that feeling of the last day of school and the summer before me -- one filled with swimming lessons, Girl Scout camp, and all kinds of fun activities that my mom would find for us.

As I became involved professionally with youth development in the 1990s, we realized how K I R S T E N vital that out-ofB R A N D T JA M E S school time was and started to see the stark differences for those with access and opportunity and those with limited or no access to quality out-of-school experiences.

The “summer slide” risk for children from underser ved communities has been well documented and researched.

A 2011 research repor t by the RAND Corporation found that summer learning loss, particularly in reading, disproportionately affects economically disadvantaged students.

In 2021, we are dealing with something even more devastating: The COVID-19 slide has put thousands of children behind in both reading and math in school.

According to a recent article in the Dallas Morning News, “The pandemic has caused deep, ‘horrifying’ learning losses for Dallas children, and underscored the disparities among Black students, according to new DISD results. Half of all Dallas ISD students experienced learning loss in math during disruptions caused by

COVID-19, and nearly a third slipped in reading, according to the district’s analysis of start-of-year assessments given to students in September and October.”

(Dallas Morning News, 11/5/2020) Project Transformation was founded 23 years ago to address the need for quality out-of-school time activities, strengthen communities, and help young adults discern their purpose and learn about service.

We will accomplish this mission in 2021 with summer day camp programs at 11 sites throughout the Dallas area conducted in collaboration with churches. We have programming for students in grades one through 12. We will be in person this summer following all current CDC guidelines and protocols for COVID-19.

More than ever, our children and youth need opportunities to learn and grow in a loving and fun community.

Our programs are planned and implemented by talented young adult leaders who commit a summer or year of their lives to build relationships with children and experience intentional community with their peers.

Because young adults are in a stage of life where they ask – “What is my purpose?” – we provide a paid service opportunity where they can explore their strengths and put their faith in action.

While our young adults invest in children through the program Monday through Thursday, we provide a space where they can invest in themselves on

We help our young adults find that place where their deepest joy intersects with the world’s deepest need.

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Following CDC COVID-19 guidelines, Project Transformation will collaborate with churches to offer summer day camp programs for grades one through 12 at 11 sites throughout the Dallas area. (PHOTO: COURTESY PROJECT TRANSFORMATION NORTH TEXAS) Fridays. Through weekly visits with local leaders who have dedicated their lives to supporting their community, we help our young adults find that place where their deepest joy intersects with the world’s deepest need.

We know that only in collaboration with our community is our work made possible.

Kirsten Brandt James is the executive director for Project Transformation North Texas.

WA N T T O H E L P ?

• Refer a college-age young adult to apply for a summer of service with Project Transformation North Texas.

• Volunteer as a virtual reading buddy or in some other way.

• Visit ptnorthtexas.org to learn more about how to make a difference in the summer of 2021.

30 May 2021 | prestonhollowpeople.com

Schools

HINOJOSA: LEGISLATION COULD HURT DALLAS ISD

Bills threaten campus rankings, local control, district finances

By Bethany Erickson People Newspapers

T

hose gathered for the Dallas ISD board of trustees’ monthly briefing in April knew Superintendent Michael Hinojosa meant business when he took his mask off so his words wouldn’t be muffled.

“I’ve had both my shots,” he said.

“I’m not gonna mince any words about what I’m going to talk about with the Legislature.”

And he didn’t.

Hinojosa started by giving the good news — House Bill 1468, authored by Keith Bell (R-Forney), clears the way for schools to continue to offer virtual schooling past the pandemic, such as Denton ISD’s all-virtual elementary school and Dallas ISD’s hybrid elementary school at Stephen J. Hay, both slated to open next year.

I’m not gonna mince any words about what I’m going to talk about with the Legislature.

Michael Hinojosa “For our new school, this would be extremely helpful,” Hinojosa said.

Bell’s bill made it out of committee

and onto the Texas House calendar, which means it stands a good chance of making it to the floor.

But from there, it was all downhill.

Hinojosa did not hold back, first taking on HB 3270 filed by Harold Dutton Jr. (D-Houston) as a companion bill to Senate Bill 1365 filed

by Paul Bettencourt (R-Houston).

Dutton’s bill would provide much broader authority for the Texas education commissioner, including making the commissioner’s decisions and orders final and unappealable. After a lot of debate, the bill moved out of committee on a 7-6 vote.

“Right now, you have to meet certain thresholds in governance, accountability, and your finances. Some of those guardrails are not in this proposed legislation,” Hinojosa said.

Dutton also filed HB 3731, which would make a grade of D in the state’s accountability ratings equal to an F. “Then why have both a D and an F?” asked trustee Edwin Flores.

“That’s our point,” Hinojosa said. “Why have a D and an F if a D is failing?”

State Rep. Dan Huberty (R-Kingswood) filed HB 3445, which would only allow school districts and charter schools to carry a fund balance equal to 110 days of district operating expenses.

“It says that school districts have too much fund balance,”

Texas State Capitol (PHOTO: WIKIMEDIA COMMONS/LONESTARMIKE) Hinojosa said. “If you have more than 110 days of fund balance, you either have to lower your tax rate, pay down debt, or the commissioner can take your money that exceeds the 110 days.”

Hinojosa said this is troubling for districts like Dallas ISD, which have worked hard to strategically build a fund balance that can withstand all the variables thrown at an urban school district (even a tornado). The district built the fund balance, he

B I L L S T O WAT C H :

said, “by being efficient and by being good stewards of the money.”

“And this board took a referendum to the community to fund our strategic initiatives and to park that money in a fund balance so that we would have future money for pre-K so that we would have future money for strategic compensation, that we would have future money for these kinds of issues,” he said. “This bill would put those goals in jeopardy for our school district.”

HB 3270 and SB 1365 Gives the TEA more authority.

HB 1468 - Makes it easier for school districts to open virtual schools.

HB 3731 - Makes a D score unacceptable, just like an F. HB3445 - Will only allow schools to carry a fund balance to cover 110 days.

Pandemic Experience Provides Lessons Through Family Conversations

Sarah Naughton, pictured here flanked by her sons Connor and Will, said her family learned a few things during the pandemic. (PHOTO: LORI WILSON PHOTOGRAPHY)

By Bethany Erickson People Newspapers

Like most parents, Preston Hollow's Sarah Naughton, found herself caught by surprise last spring in the early stages of the pandemic. Schools moved online at the same

time that her job as senior director of events at Match also moved to work-from-home status.

“I really think last year has been a testament to the fact that things cannot always be 50/50. There were some days that I just had to give more attention to my kids

as we adjusted,” she said. “And then, on the flip side, there were days when work was all-consuming, and at Match, we just had to adjust to a virtual environment like everyone else.”

She said having a supportive work environment, with everyone from the upper management down encouraging people to put family first, helped a lot.

“I had a husband who, all of a sudden, was occupying the home office. The kids were trying to figure out remote learning,” she recalled. “We’re all trying to figure out ‘where’s my space’ in the house, and in one moment, I became the lunch lady, the tech support, the school counselor, and also a manager concerned about the wellbeing of my own work team.

“So it was just a lot of things all at once, but never once did it cross my mind that I wouldn’t be able to manage both. Match really came through in big ways for me.”

But in those months, her boys, who are now in eighth and 12th grades at Jesuit, got to see her and her husband working. They began asking questions. Her oldest, a senior at Jesuit, began asking more questions about the business world as he neared the college years.

“I think this has really opened up opportunities for deeper conversations,” she said. “We had to openly talk about what

was happening, and it was unsettling and scary, and COVID personally impacted our family. We know families who have lost loved ones to this terrible virus. So I think the opportunity for more conversations that are tough meant that more so than a year ago, they’re comfortable with asking questions and talking about it, and they’re more cognizant of what’s going on in the world.”

Naughton said that although there were days she wouldn’t want to repeat, she and her family are more hopeful now, as many are.

“I would never want to go back to the days of the internet crashing, and there’s a paper due, and someone’s in the middle of a test — I would never want to relive that day,” she said, laughing. “But as a collective whole, I think that the things that have emerged from this have been so meaningful and important.

“Time moves on, and things are getting a little better with the vaccinations, and I think there’s this sense of hope that I see in my children, and I feel in myself. There’s a deeper appreciation, I think, for them and for us as a family.”

SEE MORE To see more of our conversation with Sarah Naughton, head to peoplenewspapers.com.

prestonhollowpeople.com | May 2021 31

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32 May 2021 | prestonhollowpeople.com

Hockaday a Logical Fit For New/Gen Advocacy

Expanding student-led organization advocates for women’s rights

Premanshi Agarwalla will lead new/gen globally next school year as the organization’s president. Zoom meetings help new/gen Hockaday members connect during the pandemic.

(PHOTOS: COURTESY NEW/GEN HOCKADAY)

By Norishka Pachot People Newspapers

A student-run women’s rights organization that launched last year at the Greenhill School before expanding in the U.S. and overseas has taken hold at The Hockaday School.

Premanshi Agarwalla, now a junior, learned about new/gen on Instagram soon after its launch in May 2020 and thought it would fit well at Hockaday, where “everybody is a feminist to some extent.”

Greenhill’s Sheena Kwon, motivated after the 2020 Women’s March in Dallas, purposely didn’t capitalize the name of the organization she founded because lower

case text, often used among teens, signifies casual, carefree, and relatable.

In July 2020, Agarwalla started an Instagram account with which she began following students and others around the community to further the feminist movement.

Slowly, the roles of journalists, social media managers, and editors filled out as Hockaday students became involved with new/gen, Agarwalla said.

Now, new/gen Hockaday has 30 or so students in Instagram leadership, 100-plus

club members, and more than 800 supporters in the community.

The pandemic has limited what new/gen can do, but volunteers partnered with the Genesis Women’s Shelter and distributed Halloween costumes to children in need last year.

Much of the new/gen work has involved building connections and promoting conversations.

“We’ve been more focused on engaging with the community that we have rather than doing random community hours,”

Everybody (here) is a feminist to some extent.

Premanshi Agarwalla

Agarwalla said.

Next school year, Agarwalla will lead new/gen globally as its president, but she said the credit belongs with all of the girls who participate.

“The organization would be nowhere without all the girls that are involved,” Agarwalla said. “At the end of the day, it’s just another organization that people can choose to be a part of or not, and the fact that many people chose to support it means so much.”

LEARN MORE Instagram: @newgenhockaday newgen0.org/hockaday

82-Year-Old Studies Economics, Asian Environments at Harvard Pandemic sends Preston Hollow’s Barbara Ingram back to college

By Maddie Spera

Special Contributor Even skeptics of the phrase, “It’s never too late,” may have to reconsider when Barbara Ingram speaks those words.

The 82-year-old Preston Hollow resident is finishing her second semester at Harvard University and has no plans to slow down anytime soon.

Ingram enrolled in her first class last year when the shutdown was in full force. “ W h e n COVID came, I found myself sitting around not doing anything, and I didn’t want to not use my brain or stimulate it, so I decided that I would try going back to school,” she said. “I talked to my family about it, and they were really supportive. At my age, I feel like

I’m the luckiest person walking around at 82 to be able to go back to school and take these subjects.”

Ingram chose to take the most challenging classes within the subjects that interested her most. She took Economics her first semester and is taking East Asian Environments now.

“I love it and am amazed at how the mind works,” she said. “Things started coming back to me that I hadn’t studied in 60 years, since I was in college. I started remembering things, even after not using those parts of my brain in many years.”

As if going back to school at 82 was not already a feat by itself, Ingram also had to adjust to an entirely virtual learning environment.

Despite the significant learning curve, she enjoyed adapting to the world of online classes, message

I’m just telling people my age, or anyone who wants to go back to school, if I can do it, you can do it.

Barbara Ingram

Barbara Ingram shows off her Harvard gear. (PHOTO: MADDIE SPERA)

boards, and virtual lectures.

“I love learning new things and being part of a class where there are people from every country, all over the world, and meeting them,” Ingram said. “I love talking with my professors, and I love history and the fact that a lot of the history goes back to things that happened when I was younger and learning more about it. So it’s just been a wonderful adventure and journey for me.”

Ingram has a message for anyone who may be apprehensive about going back to school or think the time for higher learning has already passed.

“I’m just telling people my age, or anyone who wants to go back to school, if I can do it, you can do it,” Ingram said. “I made it a challenge, but yet I didn’t put stress on myself. I’ve made it non-stressful, and I’ve made it kind of fun.

When I go out with my friends, they always want to know what I’m learning, and it’s kind of a great dinner conversation to be able to tell them. I’ve really surprised myself.”

prestonhollowpeople.com | May 2021 33

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this race. Now more than ever, we

Leland is a perfect fit to serve our

elevate our Council and serve our

need strong, experienced financial

community and to keep our city

citizens well.

expertise on the council.

headed in the right direction.

Hon. Ann Margolin

Hon. Tom Leppert

Former Councilmember

Former Mayor of Dallas

Micki Rawlings

Former First Lady of Dallas

• 35 years of business,

• A neighborhood perspective as President of his

finance and budgeting

homeowners’ association – he’ll protect the character

expertise – much-needed

and integrity of our neighborhoods.

experience as our City faces declining sales

• Strong on public safety – the Dallas Police Association

tax revenue.

endorsed Leland Burk saying he’s “the most

• Hands-on experience navigating City government

committed to helping

as a two-time appointee of Councilwoman Jennifer

police officers protect

Staubach Gates – he’ll make an immediate difference.

Dallas Families.”

Leland Burk for City Council is endorsed by: Vote early April 19 – April 27.

Election Day is Saturday, May 1.

Dallas Police Association

Dallas Fire Fighters Association

Visit www.lelandburk.com to find an early voting location close to you.

Political ad paid for by Friends of Leland Burk, 1505 Elm Street, #1601, Dallas, Texas 75201.

34 May 2021 | prestonhollowpeople.com overseas and worked briefly for a customer rewards app company before co-founding Tinder in 2012.

She was determined to reinvent the internet for women. On the Bumble app, women must send the first message to men they are interested in within the first 24 hours of matching. As she told SMU Magazine in 2018, “When you think about it, women are making the first move, which is empowering.”

Sheffield Hall gift

‘Empowering’ first move

Maybe this spring’s graduation speaker wouldn’t mind if audience members look at their phones and “swipe right” instead of listening closely to her commencement address on May 15.

Then again, they might better pay attention to what the 31-year-old entrepreneur and SMU alumna learned during her quick rise to success.

Whitney Wolfe Herd, founder and CEO of Bumble Inc., became the youngest woman to take a company public when she celebrated the initial offering of her dating app shares on the Nasdaq Stock Market in February.

“Our graduates will feel a sense of kinship with her as it has been only 10 years since she walked across the stage in cap and gown,” said SMU President R. Gerald Turner.

The outdoor ceremony, scheduled for 8 a.m. in Ford Stadium, will be streamed live at smu.edu/live.

Wolfe Herd founded two companies while pursuing her international studies degree. After graduation, she volunteered

A $15 million gift from Sharoll and Bryan S. Sheffield (Class of 2001) to the Edwin L. Cox School of Business will empower future entrepreneurs by creating new technology-equipped collaborative spaces.

Their commitment will establish Bryan S. Sheffield Hall, part of the future Cox School renovation and expansion project.

“The Cox School, and its BBA program, in particular, taught me to anticipate future business landscapes,” said Bryan Sheffield, founder and managing partner of Formentera Partners. “This facility will give our next-generation CEOs experience in a data-driven, collaborative environment – and the skills to build trust with customers.”

Sheffield Hall will serve as the new hub for Cox School’s Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) program, including BBA admissions, academic advising, and student records. It will house classroom space on the lower level and faculty offices on the second floor.

– Compiled by William Taylor

TOP: Whitney Wolfe Herd founded two companies before graduating from SMU: One marketed fair trade clothing; another raised funds for wildlife affected by the BP oil spill. (PHOTOS: COURTESY SMU) BOTTOM: Located on the southwest corner of the renovated business school quad, Sheffield Hall will feature Collegiate Georgian-style construction with up-to-date classrooms designed for collaboration and data-focused problem-solving. (COURTESY PHOTO)

prestonhollowpeople.com | May 2021 35

Society

MAD HATTER’S TEA

Brenda Brown and Lillian Dona

Prashe Shah

Carmen Hancock

Elizabeth Smith-Theis

Laura Freeman and Lizzy Martin

Kimble Wooten

Jan Tittle and Joli Humphrey

Jordi Bostock ( P H O T O S : C H R I S M C G AT H E Y )

Daniela Goonetilleke and Dee Dee Arroyo

Brooke Grisham

Excitement at the return of in-person fundraisers was in bloom at the Mad Hatter’s Tea April 15 benefiting the Women’s Council of the Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden and A Woman’s Garden.

Chaired by Jolie Humphrey with Carole Ann Brown serving as honorary chair, the event started with a champagne reception followed by the judge’s hat awards presentation and a fashion promenade at A Tasteful Place Gardens with looks from Tootsies.

In keeping with the theme of Out of Africa — Into the Garden, judges chose the best headpieces in categories including “most True to Africa,” “most outlandish,” “most elegant,” and “cocktail hour in Africa: Most Fascinating Fascinator.”

36 May 2021 | prestonhollowpeople.com

LOOKING AHEAD FOR MAY

Annette Strauss Artist Square

Arts Performance for Vogel Alcove “Wouldn’t It Be Nice” and “Fun, Fun, Fun” to spread some “Good Vibrations” and support Vogel Alcove, an early childhood education and parent opportunity center.

The Beach Boys will perform during a picnic scheduled for 5 p.m. May 1 at the AT&T Performing Arts Center Annette Strauss Artist Square off of Flora Street.

The concert starts at 6 p.m., followed by an after-party from 7:30 to 9 p.m.

Wolfgang Puck Catering will provide picnic meals and an open bar onsite at the 29th annual benefit Arts Performance. Social distancing, masks, and temperature checks will be required.

Unable or not ready to attend such an event in person? A $1,000 virtual sponsorship package includes a secure online link

Nexus Mothers Day

and Party-Package Gift Basket for those who want to host remote parties at their homes.

Visit vogelalcove.org/artsevent or contact Greg Brinkley – gbrinkley@vogelalcove.org or 214-368-8686 – for more details.

Nexus Pop-Up Flower Shop Pre-pandemic, the Auxiliary of Nexus would hold a spring luncheon to generate funds and awareness for treatment services for Dallas women with substance use disorders.

Instead, this year, auxiliary volunteers will operate a Pop-Up Flower Shop to spread Mother’s Day cheer for moms everywhere, including those served by the Nexus Recovery Center.

“Most of us on the auxiliary are mothers ourselves, so we are handpicking exactly what we would want come Mother’s Day morning,” said Lauren Gillette, Nexus Auxiliary Advisory board president. “We are basically personal shoppers for all those kiddos and significant others out there.”

Whether ordered ahead of time online or in-person the day of, each arrangement must be picked up via drive-through from 2 to 4 p.m. May 8 on Nexus’ campus, 8733 La Prada Drive. Individuals may also sponsor a gift basket for a mother in the on-campus recovery program. Visit nexusrecovery.org/mothersday.

ReuNight Garden Party The Family Place has reimagined its ReuNight fundraiser as an upscale party

Patrick and Kristy Sands under the stars in the Nasher Sculpture Center’s garden.

“We are all looking forward to finally ‘Reu-Nighting’ with our friends at the Nasher Sculpture Center,” said Paige Flink, CEO of the Dallas-based family violence addressing agency.

Limited to 100 guests, the May 13 event begins with cocktails at 7 p.m., followed by dinner at 8 p.m., and a small, curated luxury live auction. In celebration of the longtime patronage of honorary chairs Kristy and Patrick Sands, the Sands Family Foundation recently awarded The Family Place with a $100,000 donation.

Visit familyplace.org, email ReuNight@ familyplace.org, or call 214-443-7770 for more details and registration.

– Compiled by William Taylor

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38 May 2021 | prestonhollowpeople.com

Living

RECEPTIONIST TO EDITOR: A JOURNALIST’S UNEXPECTED JOURNEY

I

came to Dallas in 1985 looking for something, although I wasn’t sure what.

Although, taking a job as the Park Cities People receptionist didn’t feel like a life-changing experience, little did I know.

I just needed a job. The economy — thanks to the oil industry — in my home state of Oklahoma was in the GLENDA dumpster. Businesses VOSBURGH were closing almost hourly in the town where I lived. Dallas — too big, too impersonal, seemed the last place I’d end up — yet here I was.

I’d answered a help wanted ad.

The word newspaper got my attention. I’d worked in advertising sales and production for a daily paper and, after working briefly in another industry, wanted to return.

The woman at the employment agency told me excitedly that the job was in the Park Cities.

“What’s the Park Cities?” I asked.

She answered with phrases like “wealthy

enclaves” and “high society.”

I decided the job probably wasn’t a good fit for me. Nonetheless, I interviewed with owner and publisher, Reid Slaughter. Not long after, he offered me the job.

A few months later at a company party, I mentioned that I wrote fiction in my spare time. Slaughter asked to see my work.

After reading a recently published short story, he told me to let him know when I wanted to write for the paper.

My answer was immediate: “How about now?”

My first assignment was for an advertising section on the antique stores in Forney.

I spent an entire day wandering from shop to shop, interviewing owners and customers for my article. I was hooked.

I was still the receptionist but was able to write articles, too. After proving myself, publisher Tom McCartin made me a fulltime reporter. I was ultimately promoted to senior writer, then managing editor.

One of the best things about my job was the variety. My duties included covering Highland Park schools and University Park police, fire and municipal news. I wrote about high-profile murder trials, school board and city council elections, non-profits, community leaders, school carnivals, and the list goes on. I also served as the movie reviewer, allowing me to interview celebrities.

One thing I’m most proud of, along

Opportunity doesn’t often come with a neon sign. Sometimes, the most benign situations turn out to be the most profound.

Seldom has our reporting tackled more unsettling or graver concerns than with the suicide of Elisa McCall, who struggled with an eating disorder and depression. (PHOTOS: PEOPLE NEWSPAPERS ARCHIVES) with fellow reporters and long-time friends Carolyn Tillery and Janet Ragland, is winning a Katy Award from the Dallas Press Club for the series Elisa’s Story. It focused on a young woman, Elisa McCall, whose personal struggle with eating disorders drove her to end her life. The Elisa Project, founded in her memory, helped others embroiled in the same battles. It was a privilege to have a role in telling her story.

One of my favorite interviews was with the Grande Dame of real estate, Ebby Halliday. She was witty, entertaining, and incredibly gracious.

My plan was to stay a year at the paper, maybe two. It turned into more than 13 years. Opportunity doesn’t often come with a neon sign. Sometimes, the most benign situations turn out to be the most profound.

John Wesley’s Traveling Pulpit Gets New Home at SMU

SMU will house collections of the closed World Methodist Museum, including John Wesley’s traveling pulpit, Frank O. Salisbury’s portrait of John Wesley, The Scholar, and a Henry Perlee Parker painting of the child Welsey’s rescue from a fire. (PHOTOS: COURTESY SMU)

The World Methodist Museum’s historical and theologically significant collections are moving in May to SMU’s Bridwell Library, where public exhibits and opportunities for study will ensure their long-term integrity and accessibility.

The collections tell the story of Methodism, which began in England with brothers John and Charles Wesley meeting as a small student group at Oxford University in the early 18th century before their mission work carried their beliefs to the American colonies and beyond.

Portraits of the early founders are included, plus rare books,

manuscripts, letters, and the traveling pulpit of John Wesley.

One painting depicts the young John Wesley’s rescue from a fire that consumed the family home in Epworth, England. “Is not this a brand plucked as from the burning” became a verbal and visual motif and mantra for Wesley’s life.

“We are very proud to assume the responsibility for these collections, which tell the very human stories behind the faith and vision of the Wesley brothers and illuminate the impact they have had on Christianity,” said SMU President R. Gerald Turner.

The World Methodist Museum in Lake Junaluska, North Carolina,

closed in February, Part of the collections focuses on Charles Wesley, who wrote more than 9,000 hymns and poems, including such interdenominational favorites as “Christ the Lord Is Risen Today” and “Hark, the Herald Angels Sing.”

Craig Hill, dean of SMU’s Perkins School of Theology, said the acquisition would enhance Bridwell’s standing as a global center for students of Wesley and the world Methodist traditions.

“Wesley Studies has always been a strong point of Perkins, and this gift creates new and undreamed-of prospects for its future,” he said.

– Staff report

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prestonhollowpeople.com | May 2021 39

How Musician Ben Rector Fell In Love With Dallas

Artist enjoys golf at Trinity Forest, lunch at Honor Bar, and shopping at The Village

By Riley Farrell

into splitting Ding’s Crispy Chicken Sandwich with me,” Rector said. “Post lunch, I’d walk around Highland Park Village and window shop. For dinner, it’s tough, but I’d either head to Uchi for some sushi or, if I felt like reliving my college days, I’d head to Campisi’s for lasagna with red sauce.”

People Newspapers During any other year (sans-pandemic), Dallas would serve as one of Ben Rector’s most popular tour stops.

From Toyota Music Pavilion to various college concerts, the singer-songwriter has played around 30 shows in North Texas, and Dallas ranks among Rector’s top streaming markets, according to Spotify analytics.

The affection is mutual with the musician considering Texas “like a second home” – perhaps a bit puzzling for a Tulsa-native and University of Arkansas graduate based now out of Nashville.

But Rector has friends in the Dallas area, and his wife is from just down I-35, in Waco. He also briefly interned at Metropolitan Capital Advisors, a Dallas-based real estate capital provider, and recorded here half of his second album, Something Like This.

“My history with Dallas is deep,” Rector said. “I can honestly say I always look forward to playing there. Kind people and good venues is a tough combination to beat.”

Rector feels a backyard pride in how Dallas has grown and calls the city “a Texas-flavored Los Angeles.” He means that as a compliment.

The proliferation of cultural amenities and culinary hotspots relates to his favorite memory of North Texas. The moment came

I can honestly say I always look forward to playing there. Kind people and good venues is a tough combination to beat.

Ben Rector

Ben Rector served as a mentor on the April 4 episode of American Idol. Learn more about his music and watch for future events at benrectormusic.com. (PHOTO: AVERY KING/ ELICITY PUBLIC RELATIONS) near the end of his 2015 Brand New Tour after a South Side Ballroom performance.

“It had been a long run, and we were all pretty tired, so after the show, we decided to celebrate by going to Velvet Taco,” Rector said. “It was so delicious - most of the guys hadn’t been and were all blown

away - I think for a minute we all forgot about the road weariness and felt lucky to be there.”

His ideal Dallas day?

“I’d play an early round of golf at Trinity Forest, then head over to Honor Bar, get a Kale salad and try to talk my lunch mates

In the 15 years since releasing a self-titled EP record while in college, Rector has gotten married, parented three children, and released seven studio albums.

American Idol featured Rector’s music recently. The Southern artist mentored contestants who performed his hits, “Love Like This” and “Brand New” for the “AllStar Duets” April 4 episode.

And Rector doesn’t plan on slowing down soon.

Rector, who hinted he is working on a new record for later in 2021, plans to release a single in May, and, of course, is looking forward to touring again and returning to Dallas.

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Canine Cowboys Fanatic, Jet-Setting Sisters Star in Books For Children books will provide all children with the chance to see the world through the adventures of two sweet, silly sisters.”

By Riley Farrell

People Newspapers The Sissies Adventure Series

By Marisa Howard (Page 8B) $39.95 for threebook bundle bookstore.weeva.com For all those 1 to 4-year-olds tired of being cooped up at home, the three books in the Sissies Adventure Series offer literary escapism. Read more about author Marisa Howard of University Park on Page 8B of our 20 Under 40 section.

The books – Sissies at The Sea, Sissies in The Mountains, and Sissies Go To Mexico – are sold separately or packaged together in a giftable box set with a handle for travel.

Based on Howard’s family vacations to Florida, Colorado, and Mexico, the short stories teach about the bonds of sisterhood and seeing the world through children’s eyes.

“Each book was created with lots of love and captures the bonds of sisterhood,” Howard said. “My hope is that these

“Football Freddie and Fumble the Dog: Gameday in Dallas”

By Marnie Schneider $14.95 mascotbooks.com A love letter to all the things that make Dallas delightful, Football Freddie and Fumble the Dog: Gameday in Dallas follows two friends as they wander through the city’s most iconic spots, making their way to AT&T Stadium to cheer for the Cowboys. Along the way, they stop at such places as the Katy Trail, Pioneer Plaza, and the Dallas Zoo. In just 38 pages, the book gives young readers the history behind Dallas football and a rundown about football in general.

The Gameday series, marketed for 6 -to 8-year-old readers, features Freddie and Fumble touring cities around the country for their love of culture and football.

Though author Marnie Schneider is not from Dallas, she has always loved football. A Philadelphia native, Schneider was taught to value sports by her grandfather, Leonard Tose, who owned the Philadelphia Eagles, founded Ronald McDonald House, and helped build NFL Films. The book series functions as Schneider’s way of giving back to the many great football communities across the nation, the author said.

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The Sissies Adventure author Marisa Howard sits with her two daughters. (PHOTOS: LAUREN LAMP/ PLUG PUBLIC RELATIONS) Gameday in Dallas author Marnie Schneider holds her book and a dog.

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prestonhollowpeople.com | May 2021 41

Dogs in Trouble? Former ‘Cheaters’ Star ‘To The Rescue’

Preston Hollow’s Tommy Habeeb showcases heroes from across the U.S.

By Riley Farrell

People Newspapers Fitzgerald, a rescue dog featured on the new televised docu-series To The Rescue, found himself in a precarious position: The Chihuahua-terrier mix needed rare heart surgery.

With help f rom Dallas Pets Alive, Fitzgerald and the To The Rescue cast road tripped from Texas to Baton Rouge for the dog’s cardiac operation at Louisiana State University’s Veterinary Hospital.

After the successful life-saving surgery, a Texas family adopted Fitzgerald on March 21.

Fitzgerald’s story and more like it are captured in the half-hour weekly syndicated TV program, which premiered on Oct. 17, 2020, and airs in 200-plus markets nationwide.

The show follows stories across the United States, peeling back the rescue industry’s curtain and exploring the relationships between shelters, non-profits, animal control, and veterinarians to illustrate how essential they are to rescuing and rehoming dogs.

To The Rescue host Tom m y H a b e e b touts the show as the CW Plus network’s top weekly program.

Habeeb’s name may look familiar because he is best known for hosting and producing the popular reality TV show Cheaters, which first aired in 2000.

Pulling in millions of viewers each week,

FROM LEFT: Rescue dog Fitzgerald journeys by car to LSU’s Veterinary Hospital, and To The Rescue host Tommy Habeeb holds his family’s pet, a Portuguese Water Dog. (PHOTOS: AMANDA LENCINA/LOBELINE COMMUNICATIONS) Cheaters investigates and exposes partners in relationships who committed acts of infidelity.

Still working in entertainment, Habeeb pivoted from a show about adultery to an educational program focusing on altruism, but he sees a common “human” element of all of his projects.

“For me, it is always about people needing

It’s all about the honesty and the kindness. . . When you rescue a dog, the dog rescues you.

Tommy Habeeb Hosts

help and emotional engagement,” Habeeb said. “If you watched me on Cheaters, you know I cried right along with those people who came to us with a problem. My job is still helping people with To The Rescue.”

A “Texan - through and through,” Habeeb was born in Corpus Christi and lives in Preston Hollow. As a young adult, Habeeb had a Weimaraner, appropriately named Traveler, who voyaged with him all over the world.

In 2020, Habeeb founded Forever Family Rescue Foundation to partner with the show.

“It’s all about the honesty and the kindness,” Habeeb said. “I think that’s what people need in our world today, especially with the bad stuff going on. When you rescue a dog, the dog rescues you.”

LEARN MORE Visit totherescuetv.com for TV listings and episode information.

Visit foreverfamilyrescue.org to learn more about the Forever Family Rescue Foundation.

Spring Savings are in the Air Flowers aren’t the only thing blossoming this season at The Forum at Park Lane – our spring savings are in full bloom. With a full schedule of Lifestyle360 activities and our Five Star Dining Experience, our exceptional lifestyle is best shared. Now when you move in before April 30th, 2021, you’ll not only get to experience life in full bloom, you’ll get 2 months rent-free.*

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42 May 2021 | prestonhollowpeople.com

SPECIAL ADVERTISING CONTENT BRIGGS FREEMAN SOTHEBY’S INTERNATIONAL REALTY

Rare and Refined: A Preston Hollow Find

5722 Park Lane, represented by Seth Pogoloff for $7,850,000.

Not often does such striking design combine with a feeling of relaxed senses in a private estate property.

The exceptional home at 5722 Park Lane in Preston Hollow was designed by top firm SHM Architects and crafted by top builder Ellerman Homes.

The five-bedroom, five-bath beauty offers exceptional modern-day luxuries: a timeless kitchen with marble countertops and chef-level appliances; a light-filled breakfast room; a spacious den with fireplace; an impressive great room with vaulted ceilings and stone fireplace; a temperaturecontrolled wine room; and a sophisticated library with a fireplace and French doors that open to a private patio.

The luxurious primary suite is spacious, with a fireplace, vaulted ceilings, sitting area, and large windows that allow abundant light. The spa-style private bath offers two vanities and two large closets.

The backyard is equally luxurious, with a large covered patio, an infinity-edge pool, a cabana and a built-in grill and prep sink.

5722 Park Lane is represented by Seth Pogoloff for $7,850,000.

Briggs Freeman Sotheby’s International Realty, founded in the Park Cities in 1960, represents luxury homes, high-rises, ranches, land and commercial properties. Its briggsfreeman.com website is a cutting-edge portal featuring properties, neighborhoods, schools, virtual tours, architecture guides and more.

DAVE PERRY-MILLER REAL ESTATE

2016 Midway Hollow Home Big on Space, Amenities

This custom-built 2016 home is set on a lush .42-acre lot, just blocks from Central Market and dining options. 4110 Highgrove Drive (4110highgrove. daveperrymiller.com) is listed by Marlene Jaffe for $1,650,000, and covers 3,600 square feet (building plan), with four bedrooms, 3.5 baths and a threecar garage with gated drive.

The open-concept kitchen and paneled family room with fireplace, unite under a vaulted ceiling.

At either end, large windows bring the outdoors in.

The downstairs primary suite with electric shades and private patio, also features a vaulted ceiling with designer chandelier. In the bath are heated marble floors, soaker tub, and large walk-in closet. A guest room and bonus room are also on this floor.

The second level has two bedrooms with custom built-ins, a second living area, and bath with separate vanity.

In the spacious backyard are a 37-by-13-ft. covered patio, plus a custom outdoor cooking area.

To schedule a showing, contact Jaffe at (214) 893-3413 or marlene@daveperrymiller.com.

Dave Perry-Miller Real Estate (dpmre.com) is a division of the Ebby Halliday Companies, a Berkshire Hathaway affiliate, with four locations that specialize in Preston Hollow, Park Cities, North Dallas, Lakewood, East Dallas, Uptown, Kessler Park and Farm & Ranch properties.

ALLIE BETH ALLMAN

Relocation Buyers Looking for Homes, Firm Reports

The start of a new year means another influx of people moving to Dallas. While the fourth quarter is often considered an off season for homebuying, that wasn’t the case last year, according to the experts at Allie Beth Allman & Associates.

If you are planning to sell your home, keep in mind that it needs to connect emotionally with buyers. They want homes updated, move-in ready homes. Inside, put all the clutter away and freshen up the paint.

Outside paint should be touched up as well. Make sure the landscaping is up to par by trimming those trees, plants and bushes. The impression it gives will influence a prospective buyer’s opinion of the rest of the property. A consultation with a qualified real estate agent is the best place to start your preparations.

Corporate relocations are not the only thing driving people to Dallas. During the first quarter, scores of families seek out premiere neighborhoods so they can live close to the best schools. These buyers often use the holiday season to begin their search.

Whether for work or family dynamics, all signs point to more people moving Dallas. It is imperative that sellers begin preparing their home today for prospective buyers.

EBBY HALLIDAY

New Ebby Home-Search App Now Available

Ebby Halliday Realtors’ new app means your new home could be just a tap away.

“With our new app, MLS listings across North Texas are in the palm of your hand,” says Travis Mathews, vice president of Strategic Growth & Technology for the Ebby Halliday Companies. “Our primary goal for this release was providing consumers with the most intuitive mobile real estate experience possible.”

Whether you’re shopping by price, location or aesthetics, as a user of the new Ebby app you’ll find it’s easier than ever to browse homes for sale.

“Our new mobile app provides access to real-time property information and smart messaging tools,” Mathews says. “It makes it easy to connect with your agent from any mobile device, as well as create saved searches and add favorites at your convenience.

Simply put, our mobile-first home search with built-in chat makes collaboration fast, easy and fun.”

The new Ebby Halliday app seamlessly integrates with ebby.com so your saved searches and favorited properties sync between the app and websites.

The Ebby Halliday Realtors app is available on the Apple App Store and on Google Play. Download the app today for free and experience modern home searching with ease.

ALLIE BETH ALLMAN ALLIE BETH ALLMAN

Best of The Allmanac:

Reading the news might give you the impression that you can’t find a home on the market that meets your needs – but that’s not the big picture.

New listings in sought-after neighborhoods are announced every day via the Allie Beth Allman & Associates exclusive list. Homes not found through an online search.

Some sellers want to avoid online searches for various reasons, including privacy or a desire to limit access during the pandemic. Other sellers, reacting to a fast-paced market like today’s, want their homes announced as soon as possible, often before information can be entered into the MLS database that feeds online searches.

That’s where the Allman team’s strong communication network comes into play. These 400+ agents announce office exclusives up to the minute with each other.

According to one client, an Allman agent’s connections are critical to finding a home today: “This market moves fast and we were competing with dozens of offers on homes we found through the online searches. But our agent found us a home in a great neighborhood before it even hit the market. Our agent made it happen.”

To connect with an agent, visit alliebeth.com.

Market knowledge is the key to success in today’s real estate market. Each week, Allie Beth Allman & Associates analysts compile an executive summary of industry insights through The Allmanac newsletter.

Here’s what you need to know: North Texas led the state in 2020 home purchases.

Statewide, real estate agents sold 363,615 houses, an all-time high and an increase of 9.5 percent from 2019.

DFW real estate agents sold 112,545 of those houses.

The number of non-Texans looking to make a move into the Lone Star State has doubled in the past year, a recent survey found. Where are they coming from?

Los Angeles, San Francisco and Seattle, to name a few places. Texas has been a top state for relocation for many companies and has only increased during the pandemic.

Rising home prices are starting to worry some policymakers. Home prices in January, usually a slow month in real estate, were up 14 percent over the same period last year. Low inventory and low mortgage rates coupled with high demand are driving the increase. U.S. Senate Banking Chair Sherrod Brown of Ohio says flat wages and rising home prices may price many potential homebuyers out of the market.

To register for The Allmanac newsletter: alliebeth. com/registerfornews

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9110 Rockbrook Drive 5 Bed | 6.2 Bath | 7,596 SqFt. Offered for 3,650,000 Designed by Richard Drummond Davis, this French Transitional custom home blends traditional Austin stone exterior with timeless contemporary finishes. Museum finished walls, cased openings and exquisite mill and tile work are throughout. 1st floor owners’ suite has a vaulted ceiling with wood beams, dream closet, fireplace and a private patio. Open gourmet kitchen features large island, marble countertops, Ann Sacks tile and Thermador Professional Appliances. The adjoining covered patio with outdoor kitchen and fireplace leads to a Harold Leidner designed custom pool and beautifully landscaped yard.

Upstairs is a large central game room, a media room with kitchen and 4 bedrooms, all accessible by elevator. 3 car garage completes an amazing lifestyle opportunity. For more information please contact Robin Webster, 214-543-8963.

The luxury home category in North Texas was one of the fastest-growing categories of residential sales in 2020. In fact, the Dallas-Fort Worth region outpaced Houston in the volume of homes sold at prices above $1 million.

According to the Texas Luxury Home Report, 2,130 homes valued at more than $1 million were sold in North Texas from November 2019 to October 2020.

Despite the pandemic, that was an increase of more than 20 percent over the previous year.

Allie Beth Allman & Associates led North Texas again last year in the sale of homes and estates priced above $3 million, $4 million, $5 million and $6 million, according to MLS. ABA agents also sold more homes than any other brokerage in the premier neighborhoods of Preston Hollow, Highland Park and University Park combined.

Today’s luxury buyer is looking for a floor plan that accommodates a more flexible schedule that includes remote work and schooling, plus outdoor space that offers the perfect setting for after-hours rest and relaxation, small-scale entertaining (for now) and beautiful views.

For expert advice on luxury real estate in North Texas, the boutique firm of Allie Beth Allman & Associates is here to help. Visit alliebeth.com.

prestonhollowpeople.com | May 2021 43

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Richard Lentz, President of Lentz Landscape Lighting says, “We have many customers who are faced with living alone for whatever circumstance in their lives, and one of their first calls is to Lentz to install more outdoor illumination. It gives them great piece of mind when we identify vulnerable spots to install customized security lighting.” One of Lentz’s long-time customers recently upgraded her lighting system to include special remote controls on some of her outdoor lights, thus enabling her to turn lights on and off if she heard something suspicious in her backyard. Additionally, Lentz noted, “We also design and install interior lighting systems featuring timers/remote controls that our clients can customize when out of town or out of the house at night. “ In summary, professionally- installed lighting is an integral part of any effective home security system. Lighting, especially outdoors, discourages would –be intruders from targeting your home by increasing the risk of being caught.

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C L ASSIFIEDS To place your ad in People Newspapers, please call us at 214-523-5239, fax to 214-594-5779, or e-mail to classified@ peoplenewspapers.com. All ads will run in Park Cities People and Preston Hollow People and online. Pre-payment is required on all ads. Deadline for our next edition is Monday, May 3. People Newspapers reserves the right to edit or reject ads.

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The true value of security lighting lies in its ability to deter trespassing in the first place.

A home that is properly illuminated gives the impression the residence is occupied and trespassers are hesitant to venture onto a property where someone could be home.

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A SUPPLEMENT TO PARK CITIES PEOPLE AND PRESTON HOLLOW PEOPLE

MAY 2021

2B May 2021 | People Newspapers | 20 Under 40

PROUD TO PRESENT OUR 20 UNDER 40

I

ADVAITH SUBRAMANIAN Cracking The Wonder Code Education: Highland Park High School

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ighland Park High School junior Advaith Subramanian and his team started their nonprofit after teaching Hyer Elementary robotics program pupils to code using Wonder Bots and iPads.

“As the program was coming to a close in January, we talked about the importance of exposing young students to coding,” he said.

The conversation also turned to how many underprivileged students might not have access and exposure to that type of instruction.

So, in the spring of 2020, Subramanian and his friend, Sophie Minick, a senior at HPHS, started their Cracking the Wonder Code (CTWC) initiative to spread science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics (STEAM) education.

“We both are extremely passionate about pursuing medicine and surgery and are the captains of our high school robotics team,” Subramanian said.

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(COURTESY PHOTO)

The team, which also includes students Where do you see yourself and/or your August Ryan and Hailey Balekian, has career 10 years from now?

Te n years since organized from now, I can workshops and We both are extremely see myself doing camps to teach children the basics passionate about the early years of coding and of my surgical pursuing medicine and technology. residency, doing “Through this surgery and are the ever ything I initiative, I’ve been can to go into captains of our high able to connect neurosurgery or school robotics team. with many of c a rd i o t h o r a c i c surgery. my like-minded peers and adults to help bring about our vision to teach more kids STEAM Favorite nonprofit causes(s): Boles Home and the Equal Justice outside of the Park Cities, and through my school, I have been able to volunteer Center. at Hyer Elementary’s robotics program as well as talk to many physicians and If you could buy a book (or rent a movie) clinicians through our Pre-Med student for your neighbor, what would it be and organization,” Subramanian said. why?

Subramanian serves as a co-president The Martian, because the book and of the Pre-Med student organization and movie unfold the fascinating world of is active with other organizations. astronomy.

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first became involved in putting our 20 Under 40 section together last year and was impressed by the young professionals we received nominations for then.

Now, after a year defined by neighbors helping neighbors while remaining apart, I’m proud to say this year’s nominees can be counted among those who made a difference in their workplaces, chosen career fields, and communities during a challenging and uncertain time.

I’m even more proud to be able to see firsthand and tell the stories of how people in the Park Cities and Preston Hollow communities showed ingenuity and worked to provide solutions to the intractable problems we were all faced with this year.

From medical workers and innovators serving on the frontlines of the COVID-19 pandemic, people involved in nonprofits that saw more demand for their services than ever this year, to business owners, this year’s 20 Under 40 picks, nominated by readers and selected by members of our team from each department, made an impact in various ways.

Some standouts this year include an anesthesiologist who’s also a Real Housewives of Dallas cast member, a CEO of a ridesharing company, a prosecutor of COVID-19-related fraud cases, and the director of communications for a company that’s innovating in the diagnostic testing space during the pandemic.

In addition to our 20 Under 40, this section also highlights a real power couple.

We hope you enjoy meeting your neighbors.

Rachel Snyder, deputy editor rachel.snyder@peoplenewspapers.com

For the full Q&A’s of the honorees and more 20 Under 40 content, follow us online at peoplenewspaper.com and on our Instagram page @PeopleNewspapers.

Help share content – and even your own rising stars – by using #peoplenewspapers20under40

(JOHN CAIN PHOTOGRAPHY)

20 Under 40 | People Newspapers | May 2021 3B

Amy McEvoy Community volunteer Education: SMU

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Amy McEvoy dived into fundraising and nonprofit work shortly after graduating f rom SMU by joining the

interior architectural design firm Wilson Associates and Trisha Wilson’s nonprofit, the Wilson Foundation.

“Trisha taught me so much at a young age – her ‘can do’ spirit was infectious,” McEvoy said. “She challenged me to push the envelope every day in securing press for the awe-inspiring international hotel projects the firm was completing.”

The Wilson Foundation helped those in need locally and had several initiatives for funding in rural and impoverished parts of South Africa, McEvoy said.

“Our work there was extremely critical, and being able to travel there with her and see it first hand was life-changing,” McEvoy said. “I wasn’t prepared for the poverty I encountered.”

The foundation got an infectious disease specialist from UT Southwestern Medical Center to provide in-country education, treatment options, and medication supplies.

“We were making a difference one

child/one mother at a time halting the transmission of (HIV ),” McEvoy said.

“This truly started my personal journey to do more and give back.”

Giving back is also something instilled in her by her family.

“My parents were the first people to expose me to the value of hard work and giving back to something bigger than yourself,” she said.

McEvoy’s father led an orthopedic surgical mission initiative in the Dominican Republic after an earthquake struck Haiti in 2010 and took a team to Hispaniola to perform adult reconstructive surgery. He also put together a coalition to build and equip a new prosthetic lab, hire a certified prosthetist, and provide prosthetic limbs and braces for children and adults missing extremities.

McEvoy assisted his efforts with media content, fundraising, and grant applications.

“Something really clicked for me,

bolstering an initiative that changed the quality of life for thousands of people,” McEvoy said.

She also supports local organizations, including Community Partners of Dallas and Clayton Dabney for Kids with Cancer.

Most recently, McEvoy rallied her block in University Park to donate perishables and gift cards for Childcare Group of Dallas’s Friendsgiving in November 2020.

Biggest business/career success in the past 12 months: My biggest success as a mother was to live through the pandemic this past year and meet the challenges of virtual learning.

It has tested us as parents and challenged our children as well. Nourish your children, listen to their needs, and find the right way to help them. They all have unique learning styles and different needs. It has been comforting to know that we are all facing these challenges, and we are all in this together.

Fun fact that someone wouldn’t know about you: I love musical theater. I was ‘Gypsy,’ the Acid Queen, in my high school production in St. Louis of the rock opera, The Who’s Tommy. Now that was fun!

-Amy McEvoy PCP_20Under40-PageAd-Final.pdf 1 3/31/2021 10:54:23 AM

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4B May 2021 | People Newspapers | 20 Under 40 and pain management at UT Southwestern Medical Center serves on the board of the Family Place, lets off steam on TikTok, and belongs to this season’s cast of Bravo’s Real Housewives of Dallas.

Moon was inspired to work in the medical field by a doctor treating her father after a car wreck when she was young.

“One doctor, in particular, made an impression on me because she actually took the time to explain to me what she was doing to help my dad,” she said.

Moon joined the UT Southwestern faculty in 2012 and is certified by the American Board of Anesthesiology.

Her research includes obesity, thoracic anesthesia, pain perception under general anesthesia, difficult airways, and neuromuscular blockade and reversal.

She won the Dennis F. Landers, M.D.,

Ph.D. Faculty of the Year Teaching Award in 2014.

Moon serves on multiple committees for the American Society of Anesthesiologists and is an oral board examiner for the American Board of Anesthesiology. She also serves on the Board of Directors for the International Society for the Perioperative Care of the Obese Patient (ISPCOP). She’s the principal investigator on multiple clinical research grants and has received numerous research awards.

“I definitely see myself still practicing medicine, but I want to continue to explore activities that also exercise the right side of my brain and my creativity,” Moon said.

Her teenage stepdaughter introduced her to TikTok near the beginning of the pandemic. Moon’s TikTok’s had grown to more than 345,000 followers as of late

(PHOTO: ESTHER HUYNH)

I’m still working to find my voice and to be comfortable using it.

Dr. Tiffany Moon

UT Southwestern Medical Center Education: UT Southwestern Medical School

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Dr. Tiffany Moon is everywhere these days.

The associate professor of anesthesiology

March. Her husband, 5-year-old twins, and 16-year-old twin stepchildren often make appearances in her videos.

She’s on the Board of The Family Place, an organization that helps families affected by domestic violence.

During the pandemic, she also started selling candles, face masks, surgical scrub hats, and necklaces online to support The Family Place and Women in Anesthesiology.

“I didn’t think anyone would buy anything, but it sort of took off, and I’ve been able to raise so much more than I ever expected for families affected by domestic violence,” Moon said.

Which leadership skills were the most challenging for you to develop and why?

It was hard for me to learn to voice my opinion. Growing up, I was always praised for being quiet and obedient, never for having (much less voicing) my own opinion.

I’m still working to find my voice and to be comfortable using it.

Toughest business/personal challenge:

Edward Chalupa

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Highland Park ISD Education: University of North Texas

Edward Chalupa tells the stories of students and staff of Highland Park ISD through video, social media, and more as the district’s communication specialist and video producer.

He also has his own business, Chalupa Productions, a video production company that creates specialized content for brands from short features to music videos.

“I believe that my purpose is to develop impactful bonds between businesses and their community stakeholders through engaging media and communication practices,” Chalupa said. “My involvement with Highland Park ISD allows me to serve a variety of constituents throughout the community. Through digital media, I am able to help share the stories of future leaders and through my lens demonstrate how education is the cornerstone to success for our future.”

He’s also worked with the Park Cities Historic and Preservation Society to showcase historically and architecturally significant homes in the Park Cities.

Chalupa learned about the potential of using digital media to tell compelling stories

at an early age.

“I have always been drawn to the art of storytelling. Reflecting on my educational experience, I was lucky to have grown up in a school district where STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, mathematics) education was in practice before the term STEAM had even been coined,” he said.

“It was in my eighth-grade robotics and video production class where I learned that storytelling and technology could be so well connected. Throughout the rest of my education, I continued to pursue areas of focus that would allow me to interact with digital media as a means of communication.”

During the pandemic, he’s helped local organizations with hosting virtual events.

Among the virtual programs Chalupa Productions produced this year were three for CultureMap’s Tastemaker awards.

“Since the whole program was virtual, it further emphasized the need for the creative to be engaging and purposefully driven,” Chalupa said. “The results turned out phenomenal, and I am pleased with the efforts my team put forth to get the project delivered in such a timely manner.”

What’s on your bucket list?

My bucket list item number one is to create a feature film. I’m not looking to create the world’s next Citizen Kane (1941) but rather something that both entertains and engages audiences. This would be an endeavor purely out of self-interest and something that I would not consider as a business move. I would like to make a movie.

What would you tell an 18-year-old you?

The world is built on relationships, and the sooner you put yourself out there, the more likely you will have greater opportunities open up for you. Make these connections now so that once you enter the professional world, you will be able to leverage your contacts that can help guide you to success.

Uber and Lyft?”

He founded rideshare company Alto about two years ago.

“I’ve always been excited by the travel industry, but it was my work studying the disruption of personal mobility, and the opportunities and challenges faced by incumbent players led to Alto,” Coleman said.

(COURTESY PHOTO)

(COURTESY PHOTO)

Deciding to cut back on my career, which I’ve worked my entire life for, in order to be more present and spend more time with my family.

-Dr. Tiffany Moon

Will Coleman

Alto Education: University of Texas

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Will Coleman has been an entrepreneur since he was 12. As a preteen, he started Coleman Computer Consulting to help clients in his neighborhood set up home networks, install printers, and remove viruses from their computers.

“I was the original Geek Squad, and I learned that being a geek had its perks.

By the time I was 16, I’d made enough money to pay for most of my own car, insurance, and gas,” Coleman said. “I loved the freedom of being my own boss, and it made me want to build my own ‘real company’ someday.”

It didn’t take him long to realize that dream.

Coleman started his career as a consultant at McKinsey & Company, where he became a partner in the Dallas office.

He spent almost 11 years helping consumer travel companies like airlines, hotels, and car rental companies solve their strategic challenges. During the last five to six years of his time as a consultant, a frequent question was, “How do I respond to the disruption caused by the rise of

I loved the freedom of being my own boss, and it made me want to build my own ‘real company’ someday.

This year, the COVID-19 pandemic challenged all rideshare companies. Still, Alto pivoted by launching Alto Market to provide on-demand delivery of essential goods like fresh fruit, produce, bread, as well as implementing strict safety measures for traditional riders.

The company even expanded to Los Angeles in its first foray out of Texas this year despite the challenges brought on by the pandemic.

“Faced with an existential threat to our survival as a 1-year-old company, I couldn’t be prouder of what the team did to leverage the brand we’d built and pivot our business to stay alive,” Coleman said.

“We built more in three months than we’d built in the 18 months prior, and we’ve come out stronger than we ever would have been otherwise.”

Favorite nonprofit causes(s)?

Anything education. Jesuit, Cristo Rey, The Rise School.

What would you tell an 18-year-old you?

Don’t buy that ridiculous car stereo.

Invest it in Google instead.

20 Under 40 | People Newspapers | May 2021 5B

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Kevin Kirksey is growing his career where it began – ALM First Financial Advisors.

ALM First, founded in 1995, focuses on financial advisory services for credit union clients. Kirksey joined the firm in 2011, building financial models for two years.

He took a year-long hiatus from the company to work on Goldman Sachs’ mortgage trading desk. He analyzed whole loan trades and securitizations and performed mortgage valuations for various capital raises, mergers, and IPOs. After that, CFA Emily Hollis allowed Kirksey to return to ALM First as a manager, and he hired his first employee.

“Since then, I obsessed over curating a high-performing team from operations and technology to client service and M&A,” he said. “My parents, clients, and mentors in peer groups helped me further cultivate a mission orientation and navigate me through my professional journey as ALM First continued to augment and enhance its service offerings and client base.”

Now, Kirksey is a principal with the firm overseeing the Strategic Solutions Group, which conducts merger and acquisition services, capital planning and stress testing, ALM and CPST model validations, CECL analysis, and ALM reporting. Additionally, Kevin oversees the operations and technology departments.

The company’s continued to grow, and Kirksey said he hired two managing directors in December.

When he’s not working, he enjoys

Lisa Henderson Lisa Henderson Interiors Education: Baylor University

supporting nonprofits, including Dallas Pets Alive! where he serves on the board. The agency provides resources, education, and programs aimed at eliminating the killing of companion animals in North Texas.”

Fun fact that someone wouldn’t know about you?

I care deeply about the future of our global environment so I estimate my carbon footprint annually and purchase offsets through Gold Standard, which certifies projects and maintains a registry of those carbon credits. the future of our global environment so I estimate my carbon footprint annually and purchase offsets through Gold Standard, which certifies projects and maintains a registry of those carbon credits.

What would you tell an 18-year-old you?

“You will find your soulmate in 4 years, share 10 amazing years with your best friend/French bulldog, Pierre, and have two incredible children.”

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The cozy, inviting atmosphere of Lisa Henderson’s Bible study leader’s home in high school still inspires her in the spaces she designs today.

Henderson began her career at Cathy Kincaid Interiors and founded her own Lisa Henderson Interiors in 2010.

“I learned so much under her tutelage,” Henderson said of Kincaid. “My time with her helped instill my own detailed approach and tenacity to make use of every minute to complete a task — values I hold high in my own business today.”

My favorite way to find inspiration is by traveling (prepandemic!) — mainly throughout Europe.

Henderson’s style blends livability and timelessness.

“I am passionate about educating my clients about the quality, beauty, and longevity of the products and pieces I source for their homes,” she said. “I’m also a self-professed life-long learner, eager to listen and observe everywhere I travel — and I encourage my clients to do the same.”

More recently, she launched a line of textiles and wallpapers and designs each pattern.

“My favorite way to find inspiration is

(PHOTO: JERSEAN GOLATT)

ALM First Analytics Education: Davidson College

(PHOTO: IMANI CHET LYTLE)

Kevin Kirksey

by traveling (pre-pandemic!) — mainly throughout Europe,” Henderson said. “My textile print, Firenze, was inspired by a recent trip to Florence, Italy. All products by Lisa Henderson Textiles are made in the USA and sold internationally.”

When she’s not working, Henderson serves as the social chair for The Day School at Highland Park Presbyterian and has been in a French cookbook club for the past 10 years.

Which leadership skills were the most challenging for you to develop and why?

Learning to delegate. As a small-business owner, I’m used to wearing all the hats, but when I delegate certain tasks, I am free to truly focus on design.

If you could buy a book (or rent a movie) for your neighbor, what would it be and why?

I love a good period drama. I just finished Bridgerton – the set and costume designs were divine. I am excited for the next season already!

Congratulations, Nora Clark Named 20 Under 40 214.797.6935 | nora.clark@alliebeth.com

Murphey Sears

Dallas Children’s Advocacy Center Education: Vanderbilt University

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Murphey Sears started her career in TV ad sales. Now, in the nonprofit world, Sears likes to say she does “sales with a purpose.”

She made the move into the nonprofit space during the economic downturn in 2007.

“I went back to my altruistic roots,” Sears said. “I have been a lifelong volunteer and have always loved helping others. My father ingrained in me to work in a field that interests me and inspires passion in me.”

Over the years, she’s worked at the Texas Women’s Foundation, Genesis Women’s Shelter and Support, and the Museum of Nature and Science.

“Each mission holds a dear place in my heart, and I am honored to serve and make an impact for the most vulnerable populations,” Sears added.

Her work became even more critical during the COVID-19 pandemic. “ W hen the stay at home order started, my world flipped upside down much like everyone else,” Sears said.

“How could I possibly hit fundraising goals in a business that relies heavily on relationship building and seeing people

when seeing people wasn’t safe?

“Luckily, I was insanely motivated to work hard despite challenging circumstances on behalf of the thousands of children we serve. I was (and am still) grateful for my safe home because (for many) sending children home during the pandemic has meant they were stuck with their abusers and without the safe and trusted individuals like teachers who know the red flags of child abuse. So, I reminded myself constantly about the critical need DCAC serves.”

When she’s not working, she enjoys taking her four children to local parks.

She’s been a book-fair co-chair on the Armstrong Elementary P TA board the past two years, has been involved in the Armstrong-Bradfield Preschool Association, and held leadership roles at the Highland Park United Methodist Church Day School. She also was an active Junior League member for 13 years until she became a sustainer. She served as president of the junior group of the Dallas Garden Club last year.

Biggest business/career success in the past 12 months: Just last week, DCAC was awarded a prestigious $1 million grant from Crystal Charity Ball. To have that impressive group of philanthropists, with their rigorous and astute vetting process, select us is humbling. I have been constantly overwhelmed and grateful at how the Dallas community has shown up for abused children.

Fun fact that someone wouldn’t know about you: I’ve been in two TV commercials that both aired regularly — one in D.C. and one in several cities across Texas. My husband finds this so hilarious that he endearingly played both as a surprise (humiliation tactic?) to our entire rehearsal dinner. And I married him anyway!

(PHOTO: PAXTON MARONEY)

(PHOTO: IMANI CHET LYTLE)

6B May 2021 | People Newspapers | 20 Under 40

Lexie Aderhold

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SparkFarm Education: SMU, University of Texas

Lexie Aderhold came to marketing in a happy accident.

“I was a financial analyst in the airline industry and loved what I did but was introduced to marketing while at Sabre Holdings and quickly knew that was where I wanted to be,” Aderhold said.

“I quickly realized I prefer to work with clients directly and utilize my analytical skills to help their businesses succeed.”

After graduating from SMU’s MBA program, she returned to the airline industry in a marketing strategy role at American Airlines, then started at SparkFarm about five years ago.

“Like many other moms, I wrestled with how to still do the work I loved, but not at the expense of also being a loving and present mother for my son (and now daughter). Wrestling with this out loud among friends and colleagues led me to SparkFarm, a local marketing firm of industry veterans who see it as their moral imperative to reshape the workplace for women and – by extension – for their sons and daughters.”

Out of the office, Aderhold likes to spend her time traveling and supporting

nonprofits, cultural organizations, and her children’s schools in Preston Hollow.

She served as the 2020 chairperson for the Partners Card fundraiser benefiting the Family Place.

“Our committee was able to lead the typically in-store retail-based fundraiser to exceed goals despite COVID shutdowns,” Aderhold added.

She’s also a board member of The Family Place Partnership Auxiliary, a member of the Women’s Auxiliary to Children’s Medical Center Dallas, and an active supporter of The Texas Ballet Theater and Community Partners of Dallas.

Biggest business/career success in the past 12 months: Chairing Partner’s Card while also supporting my clients and overseeing e-learning for my two small children who were at home due to COVID school closures. Unexpectedly, our business became in high demand during COVID when a lot of companies decided to prioritize digital advertising.

If you could buy a book (or rent a movie) for your neighbor, what would it be and why?

Local author Meagan Brown’s Beautiful Boards. I first heard Meagan speak at a MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) event and loved her advice on how to make entertaining easy. On the side, I am a Scout & Cellar wine consultant and love sharing clean-crafted wine and a beautiful board at all my wine tasting events.

What would you tell an 18-year-old you?

If I were giving advice to an 18-yearold, I would tell them to make travel a priority in their early years while life is more flexible. I was lucky to have had the opportunity to travel the world while working for American Airlines, and those experiences have positively impacted many aspects of my life.

What was your first job, and what did you learn from it?

(MATTHEW SHELLEY PHOTOGRAPHY)

I babysat a lot in high school and college. I learned patience from that. I also waited tables in college on top of babysitting full-time for a family and going to school full-time. Being in the service industry is something I think everyone should do at some point in their lives. It has given me a different approach to family law- we provide a service to our clients with the most important thing on the line- their kids.

-Francesca Blackard

Francesca Blackard McClure Law Group Education: New York Law School, DePaul University

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Francesca Blackard, a managing partner on the board of the Preston Hollow Early at McClure Law Group, always knew she Childhood Association. She also served on wanted to be a lawyer, joking she “used to the board of the St. Anne’s Society at Christ negotiate with the tooth fairy.” the King Catholic Church.

Her father and both of his brothers are Blackard also has co-authored a family attorneys. violence curriculum “The best advice I textbook, Stopping Abuse I tend to always ever got was from my & Transforming Your boss, Kelly, and my uncle, find my work to Life, with her fatherJudge Phil Robertson,” Kirk Blackard. be a great place to in-law, she said. “They both It’s under review by the told me when I passed put my head down Texas Council on Family the bar that young Violence and set to hit and work hard to printers soon. lawyers often make the Her father-in-law mistake of trying to get through tough also helped create the be tough in their cases situations. nonprofit Bridges to Life, versus approaching each opposing attorney kindly, which seeks to help heal even when they don’t necessarily deserve it.” crime victims, rehabilitate offenders, and When she’s not working, Blackard serves reduce recidivism rates.

“It is really an incredible program that has an 80% rate of keeping their members out of jail once they’re released. It is used worldwide and has been recognized by Pope Francis for its incredible impact on the community,” she added.

Toughest business/personal challenge: I lost my sister to cancer in 2010 – the summer of my first year in law school (I did not take summers off from school to graduate early). My mom was also in serious cancer treatment at the same time for Stage 4 breast cancer. I really have never suffered so much stress in my life, but somehow law school was a safe place to channel my negative energy. I tend to always find my work to be a great place to put my head down and work hard to get through tough situations.

(PHOTO: IMANI CHET LYTLE)

20 Under 40 | People Newspapers | May 2021 7B

Brooke Donelson Sendero Education: SMU

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As a consulting analyst at Sendero and Dallas CASA is a nonprofit that an advocate for Dallas Court Appointed recruits, trains, and supervises community members to ser ve as Special Advocates (CASA), Brooke Donelson volunteer advocates for CASA is very makes a difference for children living in the clients and children. dear to my state’s protective care.

Donelson’s worked at Donelson has volunteered heart, and their as an advocate for the the firm for about three nonprofit for about three years, where she helps mission is so years and recruits others guide business, nonprofit, important and and startup clients to reach to get involved as an impactful. their full potential. advocate recruitment co“A career in consulting chair.

“CASAs advocate on behalf of abused has enabled me to gain valuable experience in a range of industries and meet many and neglected children in the Dallas talented professionals in our community,” County welfare system and provide judges she said. “I do not think there are many reports for court hearings that help decide other industries that offer such great the best possible outcomes for children in exposure and learning opportunities so early foster care,” Donelson said. “CASA is very dear to my heart, and their mission is so on in a career as consulting.”

A dedicated volunteer, Donelson also important and impactful.” gets coworkers and others involved with the More recently, in response to needs causes important to her, like Dallas CASA. caused by the pandemic, she’s become a

regular blood donor and hosted a drive through her work with the American Red Cross.

What would you tell an 18-year-old you?

I would probably tell a younger version of myself to lighten up a bit. I was a notable teacher’s pet and a voracious student, and while a focus on academia is important, forming personal connections with peers and social experiences are equally as important to fostering a fulfilled life.

What’s on your bucket list?

I would really like to live abroad for at least a year in a Spanish-speaking country.

I have been taking Spanish classes since middle school and have a goal to one day be fully bilingual. I’m actually currently enrolled in a Spanish conversation class through SMU’s continuing education department to freshen up on my skills.

Fun fact that someone wouldn’t know about you: I have been skydiving five times. My favorite jump was off the coast of Spain, at Skydive Empuriabrava. The view was astonishing, and you could even see across the Pyrenees mountains into France. What made it even more special was that my mother and younger sister, who were visiting, made the jump with me.

-Brooke Donelson

BANK OF TEXAS CONGRATULATES VINCE MANNA For Being Named To The Top 20 Under Forty List For 2021.

Vince Manna Private Wealth Advisor 214.525.7615 vmanna@bankoftexas.com

www.bankoftexas.com

Powered by BOK Financial Corporation, a top 30 U.S. financial service company. Bank of Texas® is a trademark of BOKF, NA. Member FDIC. Equal Housing Lender , banking subsidiary of BOK Financial Corporation. © 2021 BOKF, NA

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8B May 2021 | People Newspapers | 20 Under 40

Marisa Howard

GeneIQ Education: University of Texas

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As the COVID-19 pandemic has uprooted everyone’s lives, Marisa Howard has managed to make the most of it.

She works as director of communications and media at her husband, Frank’s company GeneIQ, a molecular diagnostic testing laboratory serving corporations, long-term care facilities, physician practices, state and local governments, small businesses, and others.

Our sister publication D Magazine reported how the company developed a test that detects COVID-19, two different strains of the flu, and the common cold, without the more invasive version of the nasal swab.

Howard also published a series of children’s books about two sisters and their travels.

“Juggling our business and promoting my books has been a challenging dance, but I

finally feel like I’ve found my place in my career,” she said. “I was finally able to see my creative talents translate into tangible assets. In 10 years, I hope to see two more sets in the Sissies Adventure series and to have helped build our molecular diagnostics business to be one of the top three leading laboratories in the world, with an innovative advantage.”

Howard said a “varied and unusual path in multiple creative industries” led to her career.

She spent a decade in fashion working for Neiman Marcus, JCPenney, Skinceuticals, Stanley Korshak, and American Airlines.

She also worked part-time in the design district at Samuel Lynne galleries for two years, received yoga certification, and created a blog, Marhow.

Her family supports such nonprofits as Dallas Children’s Advocacy Center and the

Family Place. She chaired DCAC’s Art for Advocacy in 2017 and the Family Place’s Texas Trailblazer Awards Luncheon in 2019.

“I enjoy supporting various causes but focus mostly on those that serve children,” Howard said.

What was your first job, and what did you learn from it?

I had my first summer job when I was 15 years old. My older sister and I did data entry in cubicles at UMC United Medicorp for our dad, who was the CEO. I remember being bored out of my mind and saying that I would never want a desk job, which is probably why I desired to work in so many creative industries... It’s ironic that 20 years later, I love living at my desk… and my dad is pleased that his daughter followed in his healthcare footsteps.

Fun fact that someone wouldn’t know about you: I collect art. My favorite is a contemporary piece by British artist Benjamin Shine, a large acrylic box with hot pink tulle in the shape of Andy Warhol. We designed our contemporary home around much of our art collection.

-Marisa Howard

(ADRIAN FAUBEL PHOTOGRAPHY)

C O N G R AT U L AT I O N S

Sara Fredericks 20 Under 40 Sara joined the Dallas office of Newmark as a Director in 2013.

She is responsible for providing tenant representation and corporate services to both local and global businesses. Her recent deals include the renewal of Istation’s headquarters, purchase/acquisition of Goliath Games’ North American headquarters and the relocation of Affinity Health Partners headquarters.

OJ DeSouza

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Signature Baking Company Education: Northwestern University -Kellogg School of Management

Follow Sara on Instagram @sarabythesquarefeet

nmrk.com

OJ Desouza, continuing a family tradition that started in 1909, joined the family business, Signature Baking Company, right after college.

“Growing up, my siblings and I always helped out with whatever was needed, but starting in 2006, I began assisting with the business’s sales,” DeSouza said. “For the last 15 years, our company has grown organically and mainly through word of mouth throughout DFW.” His father inspired him to continue the family business.

“After majoring in biomedical engineering and applying to medical schools, my dad challenged me to spend a year shadowing him at the family business that he built from the ground up to see if it interested me,” DeSouza said. “After landing Maple & Motor and Snuffer’s as new clients, I fell in love with it. I was meeting with clients, tackling operational issues, and

brainstorming growth opportunities.”

While Signature Baking Company is rooted in tradition, the pandemic inspired it to adapt with a home delivery model.

“By creating our home delivery model, we have met so many fantastic people in Dallas – influencers, families, charities, and companies.

The pandemic pushed us to formally introduce our company to Dallas,” DeSouza said. “We’ve never advertised our company or services before – we didn’t even have social media!

“It’s been fun to showcase what we’ve been doing behind the scenes in Dallas for the last 42 years and even better to feel the love back from our city.”

Eventually, DeSouza hopes to take it national.

When he’s not working, he serves on the board of directors for the Wilkinson Center, a nonprofit he got involved with a decade or so ago.

“The mission of providing pathways to self-sufficiency is something I greatly believe in,” he said. “Our company is proud to donate hundreds of loaves and buns to the food pantry every week.”

If you could buy a book (or rent a movie) for your neighbor, what would it be and why?

The Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri. It’s a story about an Indian couple migrating to America and starting a family. I connected with that movie, and I know my parents did as well as it follows similarly our family history of migrating to America to begin the bakery in Dallas.

Fun fact that someone wouldn’t know about you: I sang in an all-male acapella group in college and performed in summer musicals at ESD.

Fabio Leonardi

U.S. Department of Justice Education: Georgetown University Law Center

35

As a first-generation immigrant, college student, and now lawyer, introducing himself in court “on behalf of the United States” has special significance for Fabio Leonardi.

Leonardi grew up in a small town at the foot of the Italian Alps and learned English as a second language shortly before moving to the U.S. in his early 20s to attend law school.

“I am proud to be an immigrant and to now call this country my home,” he said.

His first job in the legal profession was as an associate at Sutherland Asbill & Brennan LLP, a large law firm in Washington D.C. From there, Leonardi practiced for about eight years with the international law firm of Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP in Washington D.C., where he represented clients charged with or investigated for various white-collar crimes. He’s also taught financial crime as an adjunct professor of

law at Georgetown University Law Center.

He and his wife moved to Preston Hollow about three weeks before the COVID-19 pandemic hit.

As an assistant U.S. Attorney with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Texas in Dallas, Leonardi investigates and prosecutes whitecollar crimes such as financial fraud and corruption. During the peak of the pandemic, he was appointed the coronavirus fraud coordinator for the district.

Since moving to the neighborhood, he and his wife became members of the Hockaday Neighborhood Association as well as parishioners at St. Rita Catholic Community.

When he’s not working, he enjoys supporting Masinyusane, a non-profit youth education organization operating in Port Elizabeth, South Africa. Founded by a former Wall Street banker and a South African TV personality, Masinyusane provides children in impoverished communities with literacy support and reading coaching.

(PHOTO: COURTESY OF NEWMARK)

(PHOTO: IMANI CHET LYTLE)

20 Under 40 | People Newspapers | May 2021 9B

Sara Fredericks Newmark Education: Trinity University

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Babysitting taught Sara Fredericks essential skills that she uses now in her career in commercial real estate.

“Babysitting taught me the importance of communicating to a variety of audiences under one roof and the importance of a diversified client portfolio,” said Fredericks.

“Parents are a lot like the C-Suite, and kids remind me of the body of an organization; sometimes the two aren’t always in sync, and yet you need to get everyone focused on the same outcome and keep them happy, so you get hired again.”

She began her commercial real estate career at Mohr Partners in 2006.

In 2009, she joined Hudson Peters Commercial, a small boutique commercial real estate firm, as an assistant vice president, specializing in representing tenants and landlords in the greater Dallas area.

If you could buy a book (or rent a movie) for your neighbor, what would it be and why?

As an avid reader of science fiction, I will say Children of Time by British author Adrian Tchaikovsky. Praised by The Financial Times for “tackling big themes — gods, messiahs, artificial intelligence, alienness — with brio,” this book is truly one of the most imaginative and creative space operas I have ever read.

Fun fact that someone wouldn’t know about you: I whisked my now wife away to London, under false pretenses, and proposed to her at the Italian Gardens in Hyde Park.

She joined the Dallas office of Newmark as director in January 2013.

“The Dallas business scene weaves webs that affect our everyday life. How we work, live, and play is really guided by the businesses that choose this community as their home,” Fredericks said. “I get to be part of the process as companies take into consideration where to lay roots, where to increase a presence or back off. Honestly, it’s just a lot of fun.”

When she’s not working, Fredericks enjoys being involved with the Junior League of Dallas.

Fredericks is also involved with Community Partners of Dallas’ Women’s Auxiliary.

Biggest business/career success in the past 12 months: Honestly — surviving virtual school with a 9 and 7-year-old while meeting my clients’ ever-changing needs. It often felt like a roller coaster, and luckily the decisions we made as a family and the ones I helped my clients make are bringing us into a great start of 2021.

Which leadership skills were the most challenging for you to develop and why?

Finding a voice. There weren’t other tenured women brokers at my first commercial real estate firm to serve as a mentor, much less an example. I was basically in a frat, which, don’t get me wrong, made for a fun work environment, but I quickly realized I inherently communicated differently.

Fun fact that someone wouldn’t know about you: I’m an Army brat and lived in Bolivia as a teenager.

Fun fact that someone wouldn’t know about you: At HPHS, I competed in One Act Play every year and even won Best Actress a couple of times. It was my dream to study theater at SMU.

(PHOTO: COURTESY PARAGON HEALTHCARE)

-Liz Silva

Liz Silva

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Paragon Healthcare Education: Vanderbilt University, SMU

Liz Silva worked in SMU in alumni relations while attending graduate school at Vanderbilt and often found herself connecting other SMU alumni with people interested in internships or jobs.

That led to her career in staffing. Silva ran her boutique staffing agency for five years before joining Paragon Healthcare.

“I realized I had a unique opportunity to leverage my network and relationships into a business,” she said. “I started a staffing agency that ultimately led me to my position at Paragon, and I’ve never looked back.

At Paragon, Silva oversees talent acquisition, human resources, and community relations.

“Our motto of ‘People. Purpose. Passion.’ drives everything we do, and I can’t imagine working anywhere else,” she said.

Her University Park roots run deep.

Her family moved to the city in 1996 when Silva was in fifth grade.

Her parents still live in the city, and it’s where she and her husband, Nick, are raising a son and soon a daughter.

“University Park is incredibly walkable, and nothing beats our beautiful parks within a few blocks no matter where you live. We especially love having Williams Park down the street in one direction and SMU in the other,” Silva said. “We can easily walk to football games to cheer on our Mustangs — our favorite thing to do as a family.”

She is heavily involved in her son’s school, Armstrong Elementary, where she started a Veterans Day program three years ago to educate students about the holiday’s meaning.

“As an Air Force wife, I felt it was important to do something to honor the service and sacrifice of our military. It’s become a tradition at Armstrong and one of the highlights of the year for our family,” Silva said.

What was your first job, and what did you learn from it?

My first job was an internship at The Richards Group while I was an advertising student at SMU. Although creative, it was a very structured environment, and I got to see the campaign process from start to finish. I learned a lot, but mostly that I was not passionate about the industry, which ultimately helped me shift gears and set new career goals.

Where do you see yourself and/or your career 10 years from now?

Personally, still in UP with my husband, Nick, and our kids. Our son, Sam, will be 18, and our daughter (due this August) will be 9 – one in college (hopefully SMU, of course!) and another at Armstrong. Two different worlds. Professionally, I hope I’ve continued to grow with Paragon and feel just as challenged, fulfilled, and motivated in my career.

Nick Silva American Airlines Education: SMU

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Many young boys dream of taking to the skies as pilots, but Nick Silva turned that dream into a reality.

“The lightbulb moment was visiting the cockpit and getting a pair of plastic wings from the pilot when I was 6 years old,” he said.

Silva’s been a DFW-based Airbus pilot with American Airlines for the last seven years. In addition to flying, he chairs a national committee for the pilots’ union. He’s also an officer in the Air Force Reserves, where he’s worked for the last 16 years as an enlisted aircrew member, pilot, and liaison officer.

“My second lightbulb moment that drove me to pursue my MBA was hearing other airline pilots talk about their careers being devastated by 9/11,” he said. “Combined with a strong interest in business and entrepreneurship, hearing those stories gave me the motivation to take control of my own future so that I could always have something to fall back on.”

After graduating from SMU’s Cox School of Business, he started Crosswinds Consulting, where he works to help small businesses develop strategic plans to realize their potential.

When he’s not working, he coaches his son’s basketball and baseball teams and runs the Dads Club’s carpool program at Armstrong Elementary, where his son goes to school. Next year, he’ll be Dads Club president.

He’s also volunteered with Genesis Women’s Shelter HeROS program, which seeks to engage and mobilize men to volunteer to help the shelter’s efforts to end domestic violence. As part of the program, Silva’s helped host barbecues and other events throughout the year.

Which leadership skills were the most challenging for you to develop and why?

Humility was the most difficult for me to develop. In my childhood, a lot of things came easy to me, and I didn’t take the time to appreciate what others brought to the table.

When I was finally given a chance to lead in the military, I had to have the humility to bring out the talents of my teammates so that we could achieve the best results.

Fun fact that someone wouldn’t know about you: While I am a military and commercial airline pilot, I am terrified of heights. Looking out of a window at 30,000 feet is no problem, but 6 feet up a ladder, and I start to get nervous.

What’s on your bucket list?

My wife and I got married during a really hectic time in our lives, and I still have not been able to take her on the honeymoon she deserves. My bucket list item is to take her on a three-week vacation throughout Europe, especially to Switzerland.

(PHOTO: COURTESY OF ALLIE BETH ALLMAN & ASSOCIATES)

(COURTESY PHOTO)

10B May 2021 | People Newspapers | 20 Under 40

Nora Clark

Allie Beth Allman & Associates Education: University of Texas

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Nora Clark took an unusual path to her career in real estate.

She taught for a decade before joining Allie Beth Allman & Associates about five years ago.

“I discovered how much I enjoyed working in residential real estate. Similar to teaching, you are walking someone through a process,” Clark said. “As with my former students, you are so bonded with your clients by the end. That was very surprising to me in the best way.”

Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, she said 2020 was her team’s most successful year to date.

“Being a top producer at Allie Beth Allman & Associates is huge for us. In our company, we are truly surrounded by the best,” Clark said. “We set specific,

measurable goals for our team each year… and I’m proud of all the clients we helped transition during an abnormally trying year.”

When she’s not working, she serves as a member of the Junior League of Dallas, the Dallas Garden Club, and the Caruth Hills & Homeplace Neighborhood Association board. Clark also belongs to the Incarnation Academy Parents Association, Boone Preschool Association, and Boone Elementary PTO. “Volunteering has always filled my cup.

I have volunteered at The Notre Dame School of Dallas for the last eight years working with special needs students. I commit to over 60 hours a year, and it has been such a wonderful experience,” Clark said.

What makes the Park Cities or Preston Hollow home?

The awesome schools, friends, and community members. We actually bought a home on Purdue to remodel and were just pulling permits when COVID hit, and we were stopped in our tracks. Everything changed so quickly, and we had to pivot based on the circumstances. We learned first-hand how important “home” was and couldn’t have made it through without support from our village.

What was your first job, and what did you learn from it?

I worked retail in high school at a store called Jean Connection in Preston Center.

I learned that I genuinely liked meeting new people and helping them. I was also introduced to the concept of budgeting.

My first month, I purchased more than I earned.

What’s on your bucket list?

(PHOTO: IMANI CHET LYTLE)

To be a full-time coach. As someone who grew up loving sports, I always thought that sounded like the most fun job you could have in the world. While it would be a tough way to pay the bills now, I hope to create the ability to do that one day. Rugby, basketball, hockey…

I don’t think the specific sport would even matter.

-Vince Manna

Vince Manna

Bank of Texas Education: Arizona State University

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Wealth adviser Vince Manna, who’s worked with BOK Financial since graduating from college eight years ago, lives by his industry phrase, “doing well by doing good.”

The Bank of Texas vice president sees himself as fortunate to participate in a BOK Financial rotational training program where he learned about more industries to focus on in the financial services sector.

“Through that process, I fell in love with the investment management business and had some great mentors over time to guide my path,” Manna said. “I loved the idea of being so directly aligned with my clients’ best interests and waking up every day working to help them achieve their own goals.”

As part of his role, he does financial planning and investment management and

helps lead the bank’s financial education efforts.

“During times of financial stress for many, we started offering complimentary financial seminars to bank clients, and it is a privilege to be able to teach these concepts to people in the community because, unfortunately, it is just not something covered in our education system,” Manna said.

When he’s not working, he enjoys mentoring students and fundraising with Youth Entrepreneurs, a nonprofit that facilitates entrepreneurship and business management courses for at-risk high school students in the Dallas area.

“It is a hands-on program that actually funds students’ business ideas,” Manna said.

“It’s a special feeling to be able to see the lightbulb switch on and see those students

realize economic opportunity through their work.”

What was your first job, and what did you learn from it?

My first job was handing out flyers throughout the neighborhood for my dad, who was a real estate agent. It was a summer job, walking door to door in 120-degree heat, but we always ran out of flyers before I was ready to stop working. Five dollars an hour went a long way when I was 9 years old.

Fun fact that someone wouldn’t know about you: I’m a licensed ordained minister - I had the privilege of officiating the wedding of some close friends recently, which was truly an honor.

(PHOTO: IMANI CHET LYTLE)

20 Under 40 | People Newspapers | May 2021 11B

Kyle Marmillion

Marsh & McLennan Agency Education: University of Texas

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Kyle Marmillion is a busy guy.

His day job is as an adviser with the insurance brokerage Marsh & McLennan Agency, specializing in property and casualty, employee benefits, and personal insurance.

“I have had tremendous opportunities, and I am very grateful for each of the opportunities I have taken. In the grand scheme of things, I still feel as though I am just getting started,” Marmillion said.

He spends time outside work serving through the Rotary Club of Park Cities, where he’s filled leadership roles the last three years, including as sergeant at arms and on the club’s foundation and Fourth of July planning committees. He also manages the club’s website and serves meals monthly with the Ronald McDonald House team of volunteers.

He also coaches a boys youth lacrosse team.

“I am grateful to serve in each of these cold in the winter), and it instilled a deep areas and others as well,” Marmillion said. appreciation for nature and the outdoors “I remember traveling up to the Park Cities at a young age that continues to be very area in college on lacrosse trips and was important to me.” just blown away by the welcoming people and how What was your first job, In the grand close together everything and what did you learn from it? was. When I moved to scheme of First job was in outside Dallas, I was quickly things, I still sales. I learned so much. reminded of this, and the My biggest takeaway is the people and the community feel as though I make it a great place to call of relationships am just getting importance home.” and building them at all Marmillion first moved started. levels. to Austin from Vermont in 2002.

If you could buy a book (or rent a movie) “The road to the house in Vermont for your neighbor, what would it be and was dirt, and it wound through woods why? before opening up to Lake Champlain,” he Anyone that likes an adventure and great said of his home state. “It was absolutely humor should read A Walk in the Woods by stunning (beautiful in the summer and very Bill Bryson.

What’s on your bucket list?

Travel the world with our children. Our 5 month old already has a passport and global entry, but COVID is keeping us stateside for now.

-Zachary & Joanna Dreyfuss

ZACHARY AND JOANNA DREYFUSS Zachary

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Joanna

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Dallas Pulmonary and Critical Care Education: Tulane University School of Medicine

UT Southwestern Education: Baylor College of Medicine

(SUMMER SPOONER PHOTOGRAPHY)

Z

achary and Joanna are high school sweethearts who fell in love with Dallas while doing their medical residency training at Parkland/UT Southwestern.

“Even though Zach and I both grew up in Houston, we chose to come back to the Dallas area to settle,” Joanna said. “There is something about the connections that you make in residency that really tie you to a place – most doctors stay in the cities where they train.”

When picking a place to settle, they became drawn to the Park Cities because of the strong public school system, she added.

“Obviously, as doctors, we have been in school for a long (long) time, and so education has always been very important to us.”

Zachary works in pulmonology as a partner at Dallas Pulmonary and Critical Care seeing pulmonary patients, including those with COVID-19, COPD, asthma, and other breathing problems. Joanna works in the Park Cities office of UT Southwestern’s Obstetrics and Gynecology department.

Zachary’s group covers many different ICUs across North Texas and sees pulmonary patients in hospitals and the clinic.

“This entire year has been the most challenging, from planning with hospital administration and staff regarding COVID prior to making its way to DFW, to seeing two to three times the number of critically ill patients that I normally see,” Zachary said. “Obviously, when the COVID numbers were so high, it was hard to make sure that I was giving all my patients the high-quality care that I expect myself to give. Sometimes I would have to take a break in my day and step out of the ICU so that I could recharge. It was also hard outside of work being isolated from friends and family and not being able to do the things we usually do to recharge (for us travel).”

Outside of work, Zachary coaches their daughter’s soccer team through the YMCA. When COVID-19 first hit, he did an online forum about it through Park Cities Chatter.

Fun fact that someone wouldn’t know about you: Zach: I was the mascot at Rice University, Sammy the Owl Joanna: I was a cheerleader at Duke University

Obviously, as doctors, we have been in school for a long (long) time, and so education has always been very important to us.

Joanna Dreyfuss Favorite nonprofit causes(s)?

Both: North Texas Food Bank.

We also supported other food banks in cities around the country this holiday season where different family members live instead of giving traditional gifts.

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12B May 2021 | People Newspapers | 20 Under 40

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