The Center for Houston’s Future inspires leaders to identify matters of the highest importance to the long-term future of the greater Houston region and to collaborate in addressing those challenges for the benefit of all.
As we celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Center for Houston’s Future and our Business/Civic Leadership Forum, we’re highlighting the significant impact our 1,400 Leadership Forum Alumni have had across all facets of our community. We’ve selected an honor roll of
75 Leaders Who Stand Apart for their important work in our region and will be narrowing the list to
25 CHF Leaders to celebrate in 2025. The final group of 25 Leadership Forum Alumni will be honored throughout the year as part of our look at the Center’s vital contributions to the community over our 25 years. Please join us as we celebrate our esteemed Alumni!
Leadership Forum alumni recognized for their important work across the Houston region, with their cohort.
Dorothy Ables
Chief Administrative Officer, Spectra Energy, Fall 2001
Willie J. Alexander
Former NFL Player & President, W. J. Alexander & Associates P.C., Fall 2000
R. Edwin Allday
Trustee, Fondren Foundation, Fall 2006
Adeeb Barqawi
President & CEO, ProUnitas, Fall 2015
Laura Bellows
CEO & Chairman, W.S. Bellows Construction, Spring 2009
Patra Brannon-Isaac
Director of Education and Community Projects, Kinder Foundation, Spring 2015
Alex Brennan-Martin
Owner, Brennan’s of Houston & Commander’s Palace, Fall 2006
Richard Campo
Chairman & CEO, Camden Property Trust, Winter 2002
Alberto “Beto” Cardenas
Chairman, BC Global LP, Spring 2011
Denise Castillo-Rhodes
Chief Financial Officer, Texas Medical Center, Spring 2012
Anne Chao
Co-Founder, Houston Asian American Archive, Fall 2006
Donna Cole
Founder, Cole Chemical & Distributing, Spring 2005
Marcus Davis
Owner, The Breakfast Klub, Spring 2014
Suzan Deison
CEO, President & Founder, Greater Houston Women’s Chamber of Commerce, Spring 2014
George DeMontrond, III
President & CEO, DeMontrond Automotive Group, Fall 2003
Beverly Denver
Founder, Editor & Publisher, Houston Women’s Magazine, Fall 2014
Amanda Edwards
Principal, The Community Based Solutions Firm, Spring 2014
Bob Eury
Retired President & CEO, Central Houston, Inc., Fall 2000
Sidney Evans, II
Director, Community Engagement, Reliant Energy, Fall 2014
Marcia Faschingbauer
President & CEO, Excargo Services, Spring 2014
Larry Faulkner
President Emeritus, University of Texas at Austin, Fall 2006
Margaret Ford Fisher
Chancellor, Houston Community College, Fall 2010
Michael Fowler
Principal, Madison Resources, Fall 2006
Roland Garcia
Shareholder, Greenberg Traurig LLP, Fall 2007
Cullen Geiselman
Board Chair, Houston Parks Board, Spring 2014
Elliot Gershenson
Principal Consultant, Gershenson Consulting, Spring 2008
Lisa Gonzalez
Vice President & Executive Director, Audubon Texas, Fall 2017
Bernard Harris, Jr.
Former NASA Astronaut, Fall 2002
Allison Hay
CEO, Houston Habitat for Humanity, Fall 2012
Winell Herron
Senior Vice President of Public Affairs, Diversity and Environmental Affairs, H-E-B, Fall 2011
Paul Hobby
Founder & Managing Director, Genesis Park, Fall 2001
Michael Holthouse
Chairman, Holthouse Foundation for Kids & Friends for Life, Fall 2001
Lharissa Jacobs
Executive Director, Fit Houston, Fall 2022
Kenneth Janda
Founder & Principal, Wild Blue Health Solutions, Fall 2009
Laura Jaramillo
Executive Director, LISC, Fall 2004
Joe Jaworski
Owner, Jaworski Law Firm, Spring 2011
Melanie Johnson
President & CEO, Collaborative for Children, Spring 2014
Harris “Shrub” Kempner, Jr.
President & Portfolio Manager, Kempner Capital Management, Spring 2005
Judy Lee
Partner, Foster LLP, Spring 2010
Ann Lents
Board Member, Texas Children’s Hospital, Fall 2001
Janiece Longoria
Former Chairman, Port Houston, Fall 2006
Robin Mansur
President & CEO, Houston Health Foundation, Spring 2014
Stan Marek
CEO, Marek Brothers, Fall 2006
Nancy Martin
Partner & Shareholder, Shannon, Martin, Finkelstein & Alvarado, P.C., Fall 2004
Ruthanne Mefford
CEO, Child Advocates of Ford Bend, Fall 2009
Anne Mendelsohn
Associate to the President, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Winter 2002
Trinidad Mendenhall
Founder, Trini and O.C. Mendenhall Foundation, Fall 2003
Laura Murillo
President & CEO, Houston Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Spring 2005
Roxann Neumann
Sr. Vice President, Silver Eagle Distributors, Spring 2011
Staman Olgilvie
Retired EVP, Hines, Fall 2001
Carrin Patman
U.S. Ambassador to Iceland, Fall 2015
Leila Perrin
Former VP, Marketing, Better Business Bureau of Greater Houston and South Texas, Spring 2008
Daron Peschel
Sr. Vice President, Houson Branch, Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas, Spring 2012
Wilhelmina “Beth” Robertson
President, Cockspur, Inc. & Westview Development, Inc., Fall 2000
Judson Robinson, III
President & CEO, Houston Area Urban League, Spring 2009
Margaret Robinson
Co-Founder & Principal, Asakura Robinson Company, Fall 2008
Carrie Glassman Shoemake
Co-Founder, GSMA Architects, Spring 2012
Peggy Smith, Ph.D.
Professor, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Baylor College of Medicine, Fall 2000
Gil Staley
Former CEO, The Woodlands Area Economic Development Partnership, Fall 2009
Lois Stark
Author, Producer & Speaker, Fall 2001
Kimberly Sterling
Principal, Sterling for Good, Winter 2002
Y. Ping Sun
Of Counsel, Yetter Coleman LLP, Fall 2010
Rives Taylor
Director of Design Resilience, Gensler, Spring 2012
Heida Thurlow
Founder, Chantal Cookware, Fall 2006
Bill Toomey
EVP, Regional President, Houston & Central Texas, Truist, Spring 2015
Linda Toyota
Market Executive, LiftFund, Spring 2009
Bobby Tudor
Founder & CEO, Artemis Energy Partners, Fall 2000
Claudia Vasquez
LPL Financial Advisor, Wallstreet Texas, Spring 2016
Massey Villarreal
President & CEO, Precision Task Group, Fall 2001
Brock Wagner
Founder, Saint Arnold Brewing Company, Spring 2014
Barron Wallace
Public Finance Partner & Practice Group Co-Head, Bracewell LLP, Winter 2002
Marc Watts
President, The Friedkin Group, Spring 2004
Pamela Wells, Ed.D.
Public Education Supporter, Wells Education Consulting, Spring 2014
Beth Wolff
Founder & Chairman, Beth Wolff Realtors, Spring 2002
Joe Zimmerman
Mayor of Sugar Land, Fall 2000
