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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By Aubrey R. Taylor
Publisher of Houston Business Connections Magazine
On behalf of Aubrey R. Taylor Communications, publisher of Houston Business Connections Magazine, our supporters, sponsors, advertisers, and readers, I would like to take a moment to congratulate and thank the following individuals for finding value in our mission to inspire, inform, uplift, promote, brand, and empower people striving to reach their full God-given potential. What we do to build bridges and empower people would not be possible without the support of "DISTINGUISHED AND RESPECTED" individuals like: Mayor Allen Owen (the mayor of Missouri City), FBISD Superintendent Dr. Charles Dupre, FBISD Trustee Grayle James (the FBISD President of the Board of Trustees), Judge Loyd Wright (District Probate Judge for Court #1 in Harris County), Judge Christine Riddle Butts (District Probate Judge for Court #4 in Harris County), Controller Ronald C. Green (City of Houston Controller), Educator/Attorney Carroll G. Robinson (2015 Candidate for Controller of Houston), Businessman Bill Frazer (2015 Candidate for Controller of Houston), Dr. Michael O. Adams (Director of the eMPA and MPA programs at Texas Southern University), and last, but not least Businessman Craig Joseph (owner of Houston's This Is It Soul Food).
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PEOPLE ON THE COVER
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PEOPLE ON THE COVER
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MAYOR ALLEN OWEN – Mayor Allen Owen is Missouri City's 10th mayor since the city's incorporation in 1956. He’s faithfully served as Missouri City’s mayor since 1994. He has a long-standing documented track record of placing the citizens of Missouri City first. His track record and dedication was part of the reason Missouri City was honored as one of the top 10 safest cities in Texas by real estate website Movoto back in August of 2014. Movoto combined crime data from the top 100 most populous municipalities in Texas, and used the FBI’s 2012 Uniform Crime Report to determine that Missouri City is the sixth safest city in Texas. 24/7 Wall St., a web-based corporation designed to report financial news and opinions, also recently ranked Missouri City 16th on their list of the top 50 places to live in the United States. Using data to rank municipalities based on factors such as employment, economy and infrastructure, 24/7 Wall St. celebrated Missouri City’s low crime rate, proximity to Houston and affordability. Missouri City was the only city in the Houston area to make the list; other Texas cities on the list include Richardson (#17) and Flower Mound (#9). The news organization’s profile of the “Show Me City” also reflected the following details: Median household income: $84,511; Median home value: $163,000; Average commuter travel time: 29.5 minutes. Missouri City is also one of the most diverse cities in America.
Mayor Owen and his family have lived in Missouri City more than 36 years. And he continues to dedicate much of his time and expertise towards the development of a community where he and his wife of 47 years, Jane, raised their three children.
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FBISD SUPERINTENDENT DR. CHARLES DUPRE – pictured with Mayor Allen Owen (left). On April 11, 2013, the Fort Bend ISD Board of Trustees unanimously approved Dr. Charles E. Dupre (right) as Superintendent of Schools for the state’s seventh largest school district. Dr. Dupre officially assumed duties of the Fort Bend ISD Superintendent on April 29. With a passion for serving children and young adults, Dr. 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, Dr. Dupre’s commitment to developing capable young people has been supported by his background in financial management. He is the first African American to serve as Fort Bend ISD’s Superintendent.
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FBISD TRUSTEE GRAYLE JAMES – Grayle James (left) currently serves as the President of the Fort Bend ISD Board of Trustees. She was elected to Position 2 on the FBISD Board of Trustees in May 2012. She received her Bachelor of Science degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of California, Berkeley, and her Secondary Education teaching credentials in mathematics and physical sciences from California State University, Bakersfield. Grayle has volunteered for many years at multiple FBISD schools, and has served as the PTO/PTA President for Lakeview Elementary, First Colony Middle School and Kempner High School. In the past, she has served as PTO/PTA Treasurer and VIPS Coordinator, as well as serving on the FBISD Parent Advisory, Health Advisory and Discipline Advisory committees. Grayle and her husband, David, have three children, who all currently attend or have graduated from FBISD schools.
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PROBATE JUDGE LOYD WRIGHT – pictured with Judge Christine Riddle Butts (right). Judge Loyd Wright (left) currently serves as the Probate Judge for District Court #1 in Harris County. As an attorney with over 27 years experience in probate, trust guardianship, estate planning, and elder law, he’s developed a solid reputation as a man who is very capable of handling the matters entrusted to him with diligence and integrity. A wealth of the experience brought to the bench by Judge Wright was gained through the extensive experience he’s garnered as an attorney assisting executors, administrators, trustees, guardians, and beneficiaries in complex probate proceedings while recovering millions of dollars in assets lost through fraud and breach of fiduciary duty. Over the years, he has been appointed by fellow probate judges to handle both contested and uncontested estate and guardianship matters. The experience he’s garnered over the last thirty years has served him well on the bench.
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PROBATE JUDGE CHRISTINE RIDDLE BUTTS – pictured with Mayor Allen Owen (left). Judge Christine Riddle Butts (right) currently serves as the Probate Judge for District Court #4 in Harris County. In November of 2010, after fourteen years of practice as a probate lawyer in Harris County, Judge Riddle Butts was elected by the people of Harris County to serve as the judge for Probate Court #4. As a probate judge she presides over probate, guardianship, and civil mental health cases. Judge Riddle Butts’ mission is to serve families in times of crisis in a thoughtful, compassionate, and deliberate way, whether that crisis involves the loss of a loved one, the need for a guardianship, or a mental health issue. Her experience and caring nature has served her well on the bench.
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CITY OF HOUSTON CONTROLLER RONALD C. GREEN – pictured with Mayor Allen Owen (left). Ronald C. Green (right) was elected as the first African American Houston City Controller on December 12, 2009, after serving three terms on Houston City Council, At-Large, Position Four. He has been reelected to three consecutive terms and cannot run for reelection as Houston’s city controller in 2015.
On City Council, he chaired the Budget and Fiscal Affairs Committee, overseeing the City’s annual budget of nearly $4 billion. While he served on City Council, his work entailed regular financial and operations reports, strategic purchasing, and municipal court reform. He also served as a member of the Transportation, Infrastructure and Aviation Committee and the Ad-Hoc Committee on Legislative Affairs. As City Controller, he oversees a $13 billion debt portfolio and over $2 billion of investments. With rates at historic lows during the past three years, the Controller’s Office has sought out several refinancing opportunities that have generated over $220 million in savings without extending the life of the debt. In addition to management of the City’s treasury functions, every payment issued by the City of Houston is processed by the Controller’s Office. The Office also prepares several reports to provide financial data and operational statistics regarding the City, including a monthly report, an annual audited comprehensive statement, and a trends report. The Controller’s Office also includes the Audit Division, which has primarily concentrated on identifying inefficiencies and evaluating the City’s outside contracts. Through Audit’s efforts, the City has realized $7.5 million in savings.
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EDUCATOR AND ATTORNEY CARROLL G. ROBINSON – pictured with Mayor Allen Owen (right). Carroll G. Robinson (left) 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.
Professor Robinson is a Life Member of the NAACP and Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. He is the author or co-author of numerous legal and public policy articles and commentaries. Robinson 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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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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TSU PROGRAM DIRECTOR DR. MICHAEL O. ADAMS – Michael O. Adams, Ph.D., is the Director of the eMPA and MPA programs. He currently serves as the Interim Director of the Barbara Jordan Research Institute. He is a tenured professor, teaching classes in Public Administration and Political Science. He provides expertise where education, policy administrations, and community participation intersect.
Dr. Adams steadfast dedication to the success of the school’s educational programs was recently rewarded when the MPA program was granted a seven year accreditation from the National Association of Schools of Public Affairs and Administration, which will last until 2018.
His educational focus revolves around the development of administration and policy analysis. In order to solve policy and administration dilemmas, Dr. Adams uses cutting-edge research that he seeks out to integrate the civic community, academic community, and public managers. Since his tenure at Texas Southern University, he has worked to propose and develop new programs in Public Administration. He has lectured, presented, and chaired task forces, regarding major challenges in immigration, homeland security and safety, foreign relations and policy, e-governance, information technology, voting rights, and much more.
Dr. Adams is at the cusp of addressing pivotal policy issues. In recent years, Dr. Adams received a fellowship from the Foundation for the Defense of Democracy to participate in its Academic Fellows Program in Tel Aviv, Israel. The program, entitled, “Defending Democracy, Defeating Terrorism,” featured lectures by academics, diplomats, military and intelligence officials, and politicians from Israel, Jordan, India, Turkey and the United States. The goal of the program was to offer information and training to teaching professionals about the latest trends in terrorists’ ideologies, motives, and operations.
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BUSINESSMAN CRAIG JOSEPH – Craig Joseph is a well-known successful businessman who owns one of the oldest family-owned restaurants in the Houston area. Established in 1959 by the late Frank and Mattie Jones, Houston’s This Is It Soul Food is still going strong under the direction and management of Mr. and Mrs. Craig Joseph Sr., the grandson of the late Frank and Mattie Jones.
Combined with Southern Hospitality and excellent customer service, Houston’s This Is It Soul Food owners and staff take great pride in being an excellent family diner. In addition, Houston’s This Is It Soul Food offers a catering service to the Greater Houston Metropolitan area to accommodate any "Special Occasions". Committed to providing quality, cost efficient food service to Houston and surrounding communities, Houston’s This Is It Soul Food could very well be the right choice to cater your next event.
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To request your copy of this edition of Houston Business Connections Magazine you can should email your request to us at (aubreyrtaylor@gmail.com) or call (832)212-8735. If you need to speak directly with Aubrey R. Taylor call (832)894-1352. *The individuals featured on this page are not connected or associated with one another in anyway unless noted. Houston Business Connections Magazine is published by Aubrey R. Taylor Communications. All rights reserved.
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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.
Professor Robinson is a Life Member of the NAACP and Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. He is the author or co-author of numerous legal and public policy articles and commentaries. Robinson 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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