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(Fort Worth) – Fort Bend ISD trustee Jim Rice has earned the designation of Master Trustee upon completion of Leadership TASB, a program sponsored by the Texas Association of School Boards (TASB). During the fifth session, June 26-28, school board members in the 2013-14 Leadership TASB class made presentations of their team’s findings following year-long research. Class participants selected topics related to public school boards facing change and selected narrowed research fields for in-depth study. Their research focused on topics that included strategies to deal with school choice, creating advocacy programs that work, meeting the educational needs of all children, loss of local control, and embracing changing culture.
The Leadership TASB class met in conjunction with TASB’s Summer Leadership Institute in Fort Worth. More than 1,000 new and veteran school leaders received extensive training on every facet of effective board governance, heard keynote addresses from renowned education experts, and picked up valuable ideas from district showcases and networking opportunities.
After the graduation ceremony June 27, participants joined the ranks of more than 700 school board members statewide who are Leadership TASB alumni.
The 2014 Leadership TASB class, composed of 31 school board members, represents Texas school districts of all sizes and property wealth. Participants who completed all required elements of the study program earned Master Trustee status, the highest designation recognized by TASB.
TASB is a voluntary, nonprofit association established in 1949 to serve local Texas school districts. School board members are the largest group of publicly elected officials in the state. The districts they represent serve more than 4.9 million public school students.
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Superintendent of Schools Charles Dupre
Fort Bend Independent School District
Charles E. Dupre has led Fort Bend ISD, the state’s seventh largest public school district, as Superintendent of Schools since April 2013.
With a passion for serving children and young adults, Dupre has invested many hours in shaping the future of others through his role as mentor, Sunday school teacher, camp counselor and friend. Since becoming a superintendent in 2006 in Pflugerville ISD, Dupre’s commitment to developing capable young people has been supported by his background in financial management.
Dupre is an experienced leader who has a proven track record of increasing graduation rates and improving educational outcomes for students, and of creating a cultural shift that emphasizes a positive learning environment that is student-focused and results-oriented. He is a collaborative leader who works with staff, parents and communication to give them a voice in the decision-making process for the District.
Dupre was named Region 13 Superintendent of the Year in 2012, and was recognized by the Texas Association of School Boards (TASB) as one of the top five finalists for Texas Superintendent of the Year. The Greater Austin Chamber of Commerce in 2012 named Dupre Superintendent of the Year in recognition of his efforts to improve college and career readiness rates through the strategic allocation of resources and innovative instructional programming.
In June 2008, The University Council for Education Administration, housed at The University of Texas at Austin, awarded Dupre the Excellence in Education Leadership Award for his dedication to improving the training and development of school leaders.
Dupre previously served as Fort Bend ISD Associate Superintendent and Chief Financial Officer from 1995 to 2006, before joining Pflugerville ISD as Deputy Superintendent and Superintendent of Schools from 2006 to 2013. During his 11-year tenure in Fort Bend ISD, Dupre was responsible for an annual budget that exceeded $500 million as student enrollment grew around 40,000 to more than 60,000. During that same period the district opened more than a dozen new school buildings. Prior to his service in Fort Bend ISD, Dupre worked in the public accounting and energy industries.
Born in Casablanca, Morocco, Dupre was raised near Springfield, Missouri. He received his BBA with a major in Accounting from Harding University in Searcy, Arkansas, and Master's Degree in Educational Administration from the University of Houston. Dupre earned his doctorate in educational leadership from Lamar University in Beaumont, and is a Certified Public Accountant.
Dupre and his wife, Seeju, are the parents of two sons and have one grandson.
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After a months-long search, Missouri City Councilmembers announced at their July 7 Regular Meeting that former Assistant Chief of Operations Mike Berezin would be sworn in as the City’s new Chief of Police on July 9 at the Public Safety Headquarters.
“Having been with the City for more than 25 years, I consider it an honor to work with my fellow Missouri City employees,” Chief Berezin said. “Council, for as long as I can remember, has always been supportive of my department, and I’m grateful to serve the City as Police Chief.”
Chief Berezin has been serving as the City’s Interim Police Chief since former Chief Joel Fitzgerald left to serve as the head of the Allentown, Pa., Police Department, in January of this year. Well-known for his leadership and exemplary service, Chief Berezin was promoted to his assistant chief position in 2011 and was in command of the Patrol and Criminal Investigation Divisions.
Throughout his tenure with the City, Chief Berezin has endeared himself to the countless citizens he has met while serving to protect the community. He quickly rose the ranks of the Missouri City Police Department, building his way up every rank in the department and climbing “every rung on the ladder,” as he puts it. Under previous leadership, he has helped the City become ranked one of the top 20 safest cities in Texas by Safe Wise, a company that specializes in security systems; and he helped facilitate the department’s participation in the City’s homeowners’ association outreach program.
Thanking Council for the opportunity to lead Missouri City’s finest, Chief Berezin said: “You’ve always been there to give the department positive critiques regarding enforcement.”
He began his law-enforcement career with the Missouri City Police Department in January 1989 as a Patrol Officer. He has since served as Field Training Officer, Crime Scene Investigator, Patrol Sergeant, Patrol Lieutenant and Captain of the Patrol Division. In that position, he oversaw the department’s respected community outreach program through which supervisors are assigned to attend homeowners’ association meetings and collaborate with residents on crime prevention measures.
In 1990, Chief Berezin was honored as “Officer of the Year” by the Fort Bend County 100 Club; the award was also bestowed on him in 2001 by the 100 Club of Greater Houston.
“It is an honor to work alongside someone as dedicated to not only his department but to the entire Missouri City community,” City Manager Edward Broussard said. “Chief Berezin’s dedication to the safety of Missouri City residents has never wavered throughout his more than 25 years in the department, and it is inspiring to see someone as passionate as him continue to grow amongst such a wide diversity of City growth, leadership, partnerships and technology.”
Chief Berezin is a graduate of the Leadership Command College at Sam Houston State University in Huntsville, Texas, and of the 236th Session of the FBI National Academy in Quantico, Virginia.
“I am 100 percent looking forward to serving the City as the newest Chief of Police,” Chief Berezin said. “I hope to do bigger and better things than anyone in this City has ever seen.”
For more information about Missouri City, please watch the City website: www.missouricitytx.gov, like us on Facebook—fb/MissouriCityTX, follow us on Twitter—@MissouriCityTX, and watch Missouri City Television (Ch. 16 on Comcast).
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ABOUT MAYOR ALLEN OWEN
Mayor Allen Owen is the 10th Mayor of Missouri City
Mayor Allen Owen is the 10th Mayor of Missouri City
Mayor Owen has made his home in Missouri City for nearly 40 years, and is passionately proud of his city. “I love this city. I have dedicated my life as a committed husband, father, business leader and civic volunteer to making Missouri City the best city imaginable.”
After recently retiring from the banking industry, he has become increasingly involved in improving the quality of life in Missouri City. “For the last 2 years, we have worked hard with our City Council, the economic development team and the local business community to attract over $500,000,000 in new business, leading to hundreds of new jobs.”
According to Forbes Magazine, Missouri City continues to be one of the safest, most affordable, and best places to live in the country. And according to a recent Rice University study, Missouri City was named “…the most ethnically diverse city in the region.”
“I am particularly pleased by the continuing emphasis by our City Council on improving our public safety. We recently opened our first Mini-Police Station, and started construction of Fire Station Number 5. We approved pay increases for our Police and Fire Forces, and hired 5 new Motorcycle Police Officers.” And in spite of struggling economic conditions in other areas, “Missouri City home values have continued to rise but still remain one of the best buys in the region, because of its proximity to Houston and the Texas Medical Center.”
Mayor Owen serves on numerous boards, committees and volunteer organizations, all focused on making Missouri City and the surrounding area a great place to live, work, open a business and raise a family.
Owen and his wife of 45 years are members of First United Methodist Church. Mayor Owen graduated from Stephen F. Austin State University, and Southern Methodist University – Graduate School of Finance and Banking.
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AUBREY R. TAYLOR: "On behalf of Aubrey R. Taylor Communications, publisher of Houston Business Connections Magazine, I want to thank the following community, business and political leaders for finding value in our ONE AMERICA - "Leaders Celebrating Freedom Series" currently being published inside Houston Business Connections Magazine through January 2015. Here are a few of our contributing "THOUGHT LEADERS" who have valued our request to share their insights on freedom and why they're proud to be American as part of our ONE AMERICA - "Leaders Celebrating Freedom Together Series" inside Houston Business Connections Magazine: Harris County Treasurer (Orlando Sanchez), City of Houston Controller (Ronald C. Green), 8th Congressional District U.S. Congressman (Kevin Brady), Congressional Candidate (Niko Letsos), Congressional Candidate (Lt. Col. Sean Seibert), Candidate for Texas Attorney General (Sam Houston), Supreme Court Justice (Jeff Brown), Justice 14th Court of Appeals (Ken Wise), State Representative HD-126 (Patricia Harless), Candidate for State Rep. (Laura Nicol), State Representative HD-144 (Mary Ann Perez), Candidate for State Rep. (Chris Carmona), Judge (Wesley Ward), Judge (Steven Kirkland), Judicial Candidate (David Newell), Judicial Candidate (John Schmude), Judicial Candidate (Farrah Martinez), Businesswoman (Stephanie Boutte), Political Consultant (Philip Owens), Judicial Candidate (Mack McInnis), Candidate for State Rep. (David Hamilton), The Spirit of Freedom Republican Women's PAC (Debbie Fancher), The Houston Republican Liberty Caucus (Rusty Kuciemba), Political Consultant (Phillip Webb), Judicial Candidate (Ramona Franklin), Attorney (Sean Roberts), Lone Star Republicans (Diane Peirson), Judicial Candidate (Kim Bohannon Hoesl), Judge (Jay Karahan), Candidate for Harris County District Attorney (Kim Ogg) more to come...call (832)212-8735 to discuss your inclusion.
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AUBREY R. TAYLOR: "We are currently looking for "THOUGHT LEADERS" as we seek to grow our reader base and become even more diverse and inclusive. Below is our editorial calendar for June 2014 through January 2015. Call us at (832)212-8735 or (832)894-1352 to discuss your inclusion as a "THOUGHT LEADER" or to simply discover solutions to your branding, promotional, advertising, event coverage, press release or marketing needs for 2014."
