Arthur Smith Sr., his wife Darlene Koffey Smith, son Arthur Smith III, also known as “Yung Giant”, Gloria Sanderson, SVP, CRA/Fair Lending Officer for Pioneer Bank are the featured individuals on the cover of “VERSION 1” of Houston Business Connections Magazine’s “2017 Year-End Review” edition. Houston Texans football player J.J. Watt is also featured on the cover of this version. Inside this edition, J.J. Watt shares how he plans to distribute the millions of dollars the J.J. Watt Foundation received in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey. Beyoncé, Mattress Mack, Jim Crane, State Senator Borris L. Miles, State Rep. Shawn Thierry, Dr. Letitia Plummer, Judge Loyd Wright, Judge Christine Riddle Butts, Judge John Schmude, Judge Renee Magee, Attorney Sandra Peake, and Attorney Melanie Wilcox Flowers are just a few of the other distinguished individuals featured inside this edition. Houston Business Connections Magazine© is published by Aubrey R. Taylor Communications. All Rights Reserved. Cover photo by: Kennedy Hall, Phillis Wheatley High School Journalism Department/Photographer
HBC MAGAZINE© REPORTS
We’re sure you’ve heard of the passage of scripture in James 2:14-17 which reads, “What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food and one of you say to them, “Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,” but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit? Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.”
FAITH AT WORK
By now, most of you know that the struggle for Houstonians trying to recover in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey is still ongoing for many. Arthur J. Smith, Sr., his wife Darlene Koffey Smith, and their son, Arthur J. Smith, III, are just one example of what families are going through as they struggle to keep the faith; hold out hope, and trust God.
After putting thousands of dollars of their hard earned money into renovating their small building in Houston’s historic Fifth Ward, the pouring rains from Hurricane Harvey came along and threatened to put the Smith’s out of business for good. “The roof just wasn’t strong enough to hold up,” says Arthur J. Smith, Sr. as he discusses the challenges Super Bold City, a micro-factory for printing T-shirts faced following the storm. “Everything was just all messed up,” he says.
According to Smith, Hurricane Harvey’s relentless downpour of rain is what did the most damage to his building. “The rain, and after that, the moisture just took its toll and caused us to consider just throwing our hands up,” he says. “Everything we invested appeared to be lost forever.”
THE SBA SAID “NO”
After the storm was over Arthur J. Smith, Sr., and his wife Koffey began searching for help in all the usual places. They felt pretty confident that help would come by way of the (SBA) Small Business Administration. However, their hopes were quickly dashed when the SBA said, that they couldn’t help. “We filed for a $50,000 dollar SBA Loan, but was turned down,” he explains. “We thought all hope was lost after that…but a knock on the door changed it all.”
PIONEER BANK SAID “YES”
“Gloria Sanderson, the SVP,CRA/Fair Lending Officer is a perfect example of why it is vitally important for banks and other lending institutions to have caring people who value our community in positions of authority,” says Aubrey R. Taylor, publisher of Houston Business Connections Magazine©. “From what I’ve been told, upon reading their story in the Houston Chronicle, titled: “Harvey abruptly changes economic fortunes, for better and worse” written by: Lydia DePillis and Collin Eaton back on Friday, September 29, 2017 – Gloria Sanderson felt compelled to act,” says Taylor. “She didn’t have to start calling around to try and find Art and Koffey. She could have just ignored their story (or waited for someone else to act) like most other people did,” explains Taylor. “But Gloria Sanderson isn’t that type of person – she truly cares about the community she’s dedicated to serving. It took some effort on her part, but she eventually found Arthur J. Smith and Koffey – and promised to help them!”
GLORIA SANDERSON -- (281)222-7458
When everyone else said “NO” to Arthur J. Smith, Sr. and Koffey, the people at Pioneer Bank said “YES”. “On behalf of Houston Business Connections Magazine©, I want to personally thank Gloria Sanderson and Pioneer Bank for helping this fine, hardworking family by delivering $15,000.00 dollars by way of their “Small Business Recovery Grant Program” done in partnership with the Federal Home Loan Bank of Dallas to help small businesses get back on their feet after Hurricane Harvey,” says Aubrey R. Taylor.
ART AND KOFFEY ARE GRATEFUL
“On behalf of Super Bold City, Art, our son (Yung Giant) and myself (Koffey) we want to personally thank Pioneer Bank and Miss Gloria Sanderson for hearing our cry; noticing our need to be helped out financially, and taking action to help us reach our level of progress as a small business. We are working hard every day to continue to serve our under-served community/society after being affected by Hurricane Harvey ourselves. Miss Gloria Sanderson went above and beyond the call of duty. She went the extra mile for us, by traveling from Sugar Land, Texas to 5th Ward in search of helping us out. And to hear her say that she could not get the image of my husband Art printing that T-Shirt with a hole in the roof after seeing our story in the Houston Chronicle made us feel appreciative just to know that someone out there cared enough to help.”
GLORIA SANDERSON IS A TRUE PIONEER
“Pioneer Bank has a true gem in Gloria Sanderson,” says Aubrey R. Taylor. So, if your business has been negatively impacted by a natural disaster, such as Hurricane Harvey, Gloria Sanderson, the SVP, CRA/Fair Lending Officer is a great person to know. She can be reached directly at, (281)632-1516, or by cell at, (281)222-7458. Her email address is, Gloria.sanderson@pioneer.bank if you have any questions. WAY TO GO GLORIA SANDERSON!
Art Smith dries the ink on a t-shirt he just printed at Super Bold Print Shop on Tuesday, Sept. 19, 2017, in Houston. The storefront T-shirt print shop's roof and walls were damaged in the floods in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey. Their T-shirt drying machine left waterlogged and inoperable, heavily damaging their home and business. (Brett Coomer/Houston Chronicle)
AUBREY R. TAYLOR COMMUNICATIONS
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HOUSTON, TEXAS 77058-3039
PHONE: (832)212-8735
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