BUSINESSMAN BILL FRAZER – pictured with Judge Loyd Wright (right). Bill Frazer (left) has been a Certified Public Accountant since 1975. He is a past President of the Houston CPA Society and has served on the Board of Directors of the Texas Society of CPAs for the past 20 years. CPAs must meet stringent educational and professional requirements and are trained to establish effective business operations. They must adhere to strict state licensing guidelines that distinguish them from other accountants and professionals in the financial services industry, and they must abide by a strict code of professional ethics.
Frazer was raised in San Antonio and graduated from the University of Texas at Austin in 1973 with a BBA in Accounting. He began his accounting career in Houston as a staff accountant with Ernst & Ernst. He has been a licensed CPA since 1975. He and his wife Jean, also a CPA, moved into the Ayrshire area 37 years ago. Their two children, Jennifer and Jeremy, attended public schools and graduated from Bellaire High School.
Frazer plans to put his vast experience and know-how to work for the people of Houston should voters choose him as the best candidate in the race for City of Houston Controller on the Tuesday, November 3, 2015 City of Houston Mayoral Election ballot.
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INTERVIEW: Bill Frazer (2015 Candidate for City of Houston Controller) answers a few questions asked by Aubrey R. Taylor about his dream, mission in life, outlook for 2015, and advice to others striving to achieve their dream
QUESTION #1
AUBREY R. TAYLOR: What was life like for you as a child growing up?
BUSINESSMAN BILL FRAZER: I grew up in a neighborhood with lots of families with lots of kids, plus we had a lot of family and friends of my parents who were always around our house. The one thing that was paramount was to be respectful of other people no matter who they are or how different they appear to be. We were also expected to work for whatever we wanted. My parents provided all the basics, everything else was up to me. So from an early age I had some sort of job, ultimately leading to waiting on tables in high school and throughout college.
BUSINESSMAN BILL FRAZER: I grew up in a neighborhood with lots of families with lots of kids, plus we had a lot of family and friends of my parents who were always around our house. The one thing that was paramount was to be respectful of other people no matter who they are or how different they appear to be. We were also expected to work for whatever we wanted. My parents provided all the basics, everything else was up to me. So from an early age I had some sort of job, ultimately leading to waiting on tables in high school and throughout college.
QUESTION #2
AUBREY R. TAYLOR: What did you dream of becoming as you were a child growing up?
BUSINESSMAN BILL FRAZER: I wanted to own a restaurant.
AUBREY R. TAYLOR: What did you dream of becoming as you were a child growing up?
BUSINESSMAN BILL FRAZER: I wanted to own a restaurant.
QUESTION #3
AUBREY R. TAYLOR: Did you achieve your childhood dream, or did it evolve into something different?
BUSINESSMAN BILL FRAZER: Let’s just say I haven’t stopped dreaming. I got a job working in the lease accounting department of the Texas Land Office my junior year in college. It paid a whole lot better than restaurant work and allowed me to get some experience in my major and finish school. That led to a job offer in Houston with a major accounting firm, Ernst & Ernst, and my career as a CPA took off. However, working in the restaurant industry taught me a lot about people, and solidified what my parents taught me about hard work, always dealing honestly with people and being respectful.
AUBREY R. TAYLOR: Did you achieve your childhood dream, or did it evolve into something different?
BUSINESSMAN BILL FRAZER: Let’s just say I haven’t stopped dreaming. I got a job working in the lease accounting department of the Texas Land Office my junior year in college. It paid a whole lot better than restaurant work and allowed me to get some experience in my major and finish school. That led to a job offer in Houston with a major accounting firm, Ernst & Ernst, and my career as a CPA took off. However, working in the restaurant industry taught me a lot about people, and solidified what my parents taught me about hard work, always dealing honestly with people and being respectful.
QUESTION #4
AUBREY R. TAYLOR: What is your mission in life?
BUSINESSMAN BILL FRAZER: To live according to the Seven Christian Habits: A personal relationship with God, daily personal prayer, regular study of the Bible, adjusting my will to God’s will, service to others, maintaining a relationship with people who serve God, and maintaining stewardship of the resources provided to me.
AUBREY R. TAYLOR: What is your mission in life?
BUSINESSMAN BILL FRAZER: To live according to the Seven Christian Habits: A personal relationship with God, daily personal prayer, regular study of the Bible, adjusting my will to God’s will, service to others, maintaining a relationship with people who serve God, and maintaining stewardship of the resources provided to me.
QUESTION #5
AUBREY R. TAYLOR: Do you have a recent accomplishment you would like to share?
BUSINESSMAN BILL FRAZER: I give thanks each day for the loving relationship I have with my wife, Jean. We’ve been married for over 42 years and have 2 wonderful children, now grown and “out of the house”, who remind us of how truly blessed we are.
But I also like to tell as many people as I can about two organizations I serve. One is with Volunteer Interfaith Caregivers – Southwest. Its mission is to help frail, elderly, and health-impaired people in the southwest Houston area remain independent in their own homes and to be able to meet their health care needs to preserve their quality of life. Our basic service is to help them meet very critical transportation needs, such as trips to doctor appointments and to the grocery store. Such basic needs are critical in helping them remain in their existing homes. Transportation needs of seniors is a growing problem in this City and we all need to do more to address these issues. As a Board member I’ve been able to help this group raise needed operating capital and to address some critical issues in data management and volunteer outreach. This group must be able to keep track of the seniors who need our services as well as volunteers who provide free transportation. Better computer and data systems help us deliver better service.
The other organization I work with is a skilled nursing home in Baytown, which is part of the Episcopal Diocese of Texas. As a Trustee I’ve been able to help the permanent staff solve some pressing financial issues. This has enabled the facility to keep up with falling Medicaid reimbursements and to utilize donations more effectively. Most of our residents rely completely on Medicaid funds for a place to live. These funds are woefully short of actual cost of care, and we are able to bridge the gap to provide a safe, clean and caring home that our residents and their families can be proud of.
AUBREY R. TAYLOR: Do you have a recent accomplishment you would like to share?
BUSINESSMAN BILL FRAZER: I give thanks each day for the loving relationship I have with my wife, Jean. We’ve been married for over 42 years and have 2 wonderful children, now grown and “out of the house”, who remind us of how truly blessed we are.
The other organization I work with is a skilled nursing home in Baytown, which is part of the Episcopal Diocese of Texas. As a Trustee I’ve been able to help the permanent staff solve some pressing financial issues. This has enabled the facility to keep up with falling Medicaid reimbursements and to utilize donations more effectively. Most of our residents rely completely on Medicaid funds for a place to live. These funds are woefully short of actual cost of care, and we are able to bridge the gap to provide a safe, clean and caring home that our residents and their families can be proud of.
QUESTION #6
AUBREY R. TAYLOR: What is your outlook for 2015?
BUSINESSMAN BILL FRAZER: My goal for 2015 is to help the residents of the City of Houston how we can better utilize the resources we have to solve some very difficult and important issues. To do this will require being honest in our assessment of our pension systems and the condition of our streets and other infrastructure. It is a difficult task and it won’t be easy. But I firmly believe that by addressing these difficult issues now we will become better organized and the skills and hard work of the best and brightest people in the City will develop meaningful solutions.
AUBREY R. TAYLOR: What is your outlook for 2015?
BUSINESSMAN BILL FRAZER: My goal for 2015 is to help the residents of the City of Houston how we can better utilize the resources we have to solve some very difficult and important issues. To do this will require being honest in our assessment of our pension systems and the condition of our streets and other infrastructure. It is a difficult task and it won’t be easy. But I firmly believe that by addressing these difficult issues now we will become better organized and the skills and hard work of the best and brightest people in the City will develop meaningful solutions.
QUESTION #7
AUBREY R. TAYLOR: What advice would you give to someone out there striving to achieve their dream?
BUSINESSMAN BILL FRAZER: Andrew Jackson’s mother gave him the following advice, and I’ve always liked to repeat it when someone starting their career asks me what advice I’d give. “Andrew….in this world you will have to make your own way. To do that you must have friends. You can make friends by being honest, and you can keep them by being steadfast. You must keep in mind that friends worth having will, in the long run, expect as much from you as they give to you.”
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AUBREY R. TAYLOR: What advice would you give to someone out there striving to achieve their dream?
BUSINESSMAN BILL FRAZER: Andrew Jackson’s mother gave him the following advice, and I’ve always liked to repeat it when someone starting their career asks me what advice I’d give. “Andrew….in this world you will have to make your own way. To do that you must have friends. You can make friends by being honest, and you can keep them by being steadfast. You must keep in mind that friends worth having will, in the long run, expect as much from you as they give to you.”
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"I would like to take this moment to thank Businessman Bill Frazer for finding value in our vision to uplift, inspire, inform, and empower others in association with our "2014 Year-End Review" edition of Houston Business Connections Magazine." -- Aubrey
As President and CEO of Aubrey R. Taylor Communications, I encourage you to support the people, small business, organizations, corporations and ministries who support our mission and vision to uplift, inspire, inform, and empower others as we climb.
Best regards,
Aubrey R. Taylor
Publisher of Houston Business Connections Magazine
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**** Please do not forget that your support can enable us to reach more people with our message of encouragement, hope, inspiration, and empowerment. So email me your request for a hard-copy of our “2014 Year-End Review” edition of Houston Business Connections Magazine today at: (aubreyrtaylor@gmail.com). And don’t forget that our ad prices start at a very low $40.00 dollars per issue. WE CAN ACHIEVE OUR INDIVIDUAL AND CORPORATE GOALS AND DREAMS BY FINDING CREATIVE WAYS TO WORK TOGETHER!!!
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PEOPLE FEATURED ON THE COVER: Businessman Craig Joseph (owner of Houston's This Is It Soul Food). FBISD Superintendent Dr. Charles Dupre, TSU Program Director Dr. Michael O. Adams (Director of the eMPA and MPA programs at Texas Southern University), Judge Loyd Wright (District Probate Judge for Court #1 in Harris County), Businessman Bill Frazer (2015 Candidate for Controller of Houston), Controller Ronald C. Green (City of Houston Controller), Mayor Allen Owen (the mayor of Missouri City), Judge Christine Riddle Butts (District Probate Judge for Court #4 in Harris County), Grayle James (the FBISD President of the Board of Trustees), and Educator/Attorney Carroll G. Robinson (2015 Candidate for Controller of Houston). Email your request to (aubreyrtaylor@gmail.com) if you would like to have a copy of our "2014 Year-End Review" edition of Houston Business Connections Magazine mailed directly to your home or business.
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Boasting accreditation from the Network of Schools of Public Policy, Affairs and Administration (NASPAA), the master of public administration (MPA) program at TSU is a 48-credit-hour program that has produced key change agents in human resources, international development and policy. For more information about these programs, please contact Dr. Michael O. Adams, 713-313-7760.
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Launched in Fall 2013, the emergency management and homeland security (EMHS) program is designed to create graduates with extensive theoretical and applied knowledge in emergency management and disaster research. The Bachelor of Science in Emergency Management and Homeland Security prepares students for careers in emergency management and public safety careers and will introduce students to the all-hazards approach, emergency disaster management phases, risk assessment, prevention and management, counter-terrorism, consequence management, mitigation, and recovery. For more information about these programs, please contact Dr. Michael O. Adams, 713-313-7760.
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Boasting accreditation from the Network of Schools of Public Policy, Affairs and Administration (NASPAA), the master of public administration (MPA) program at TSU is a 48-credit-hour program that has produced key change agents in human resources, international development and policy. For more information about these programs, please contact Dr. Michael O. Adams, 713-313-7760.
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Launched in Fall 2013, the emergency management and homeland security (EMHS) program is designed to create graduates with extensive theoretical and applied knowledge in emergency management and disaster research. The Bachelor of Science in Emergency Management and Homeland Security prepares students for careers in emergency management and public safety careers and will introduce students to the all-hazards approach, emergency disaster management phases, risk assessment, prevention and management, counter-terrorism, consequence management, mitigation, and recovery. For more information about these programs, please contact Dr. Michael O. Adams, 713-313-7760.
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About Carroll G. Robinson
Carroll G. Robinson is an Associate Professor and a former Associate Dean of External Affairs at the Barbara Jordan-Mickey Leland School of Public Affairs at Texas Southern University (TSU) in Houston, Texas. Professor Robinson is currently a member of the Board of Trustees of the Houston Community College System (HCC) and a Citizen Member of the Board of Trustees of the Houston Firefighters’ Relief and Retirement Fund. He is a former member of the Board of Directors and Board of Advisors of K9s4COPs. He is also a past chairman of the Houston Citizens Chamber of Commerce.
Professor Robinson is a former At-Large (elected citywide) member of the Houston (Texas) City Council. As a member of the City Council, Professor Robinson chaired the city’s Transportation, Technology and Infrastructure Committee.
Professor Robinson represented the City of Houston on the Board of Directors of the Houston-Galveston Area Council, the local council of regional governments. He served as a member of the Board’s Budget Committee and was a Vice Chair of the Transportation Policy Council. He also represented the City of Houston on the Board of Directors of the Alliance for I-69 Texas and TEX-21, a statewide transportation coalition of elected officials, business leaders and transportation and infrastructure professionals.
Professor Robinson is a former member of the Board of Directors of the National League of Cities where he served as a member of the Board’s Finance Committee and was a member of the Energy, Environment, and Natural Resources Steering Committee. He is a former member of the Texas Municipal League’s Utilities and Environment Committee, and Transportation Task Force; Advisory Board of the Texas Environmental Defense Fund; a past President of the Texas Association of Black City Council Members where he was also a member of the Housing Committee; a former member of the National Black Caucus of Local Elected Officials (NBC-LEO); a former member of the Texas Attorney General’s Municipal Advisory Committee (1998); Founding Chairman of the Democratic Leadership Council’s Local Elected Officials Network; a former Chairman of the National League of Cities Democratic Municipal Officials; a former member of the Democratic National Committee (DNC); and a former General Counsel of the Texas Democratic Party.
Prior to his election to the Houston City Council, Professor Robinson was an Associate Professor at the Thurgood Marshall School of Law at Texas Southern University. He has also worked as an adjunct Professor at South Texas College of Law.
Professor Robinson has worked in the Texas Legislature as Chief of Staff and General Counsel to Texas State Senator Rodney Ellis. He received his Bachelor of Arts (with Honors) in Political Science from Richard Stockton State College in Pomona, New Jersey (where he received a Certificate of Academic Accomplishment in African-American Studies) and his Juris Doctorate from the National Law Center at George Washington University in Washington, D.C.
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