Events

ROTARY 101 CLASS MEETING TO LEARN ABOUT ROTARY HISTORY, CHAPTERS 3 & 4 FROM THE BOOK "A CENTURY OF SERVICE".

Susan Dio

Chairman and President of BP America

"Advancing the Energy Transition"

(Rotarians - note that Susan is a Paul Harris Fellow and Past President of The Rotary Club of Port Lavaca)

Susan Dio is chairman and president of BP America, providing leadership and oversight to BP's U.S. businesses, which employ around 14,000 people. These businesses include oil and gas exploration and production, refining, petrochemicals, supply and trading, pipeline operations, shipping, retail, and alternative energy.

Susan also serves as chairman of the BP America Board of Directors.
Since joining the company in 1984, she has held key operational and executive positions in the U.S., the U.K., and Australia. Before assuming her current role, Susan served as CEO of BP Shipping, where she managed the fleet of BP-operated and chartered vessels that move more than 200 million tons of products across the globe each year. 

She also previously served as head of audit for BP's Refining and Marketing segment, as business unit leader of the Bulwer Island Refinery, and as plant manager of Texas City Chemicals.

Beyond BP, Susan is a member of the American Petroleum Institute Board and Executive Committee, the Greater Houston Partnership Executive Committee, and the Ford's Theatre Board of Trustees Executive Committee.

John W. Diamond
Director, Center for Public Finance
Edward A. and Hermena Hancock Kelly Fellow in Public Finance
Rice University's Baker Institute

Is a debt and economic crisis coming?

John W. Diamond, Ph.D., is the Edward A. and Hermena Hancock Kelly Fellow in Public Finance and director of the Center for Public Finance at the Baker Institute, an adjunct professor of economics at Rice University and CEO of Tax Policy Advisers, LLC. His research interests are federal tax and expenditure policy, state and local public finance, and the construction and simulation of computable general equilibrium models. His current research focuses on the economic effects of corporate tax reform, the economic and distributional effects of fundamental tax reform, taxation and housing values, public sector pensions, and various other tax and expenditure policy issues.

Diamond is co-editor of "Pathways to Fiscal Reform in the United States" (The MIT Press, 2015) and “Fundamental Tax Reform: Issues, Choices and Implications” (The MIT Press, 2008). He has testified before the U.S. House Ways and Means Committee, the U.S. House Budget Committee, the Senate Finance Committee, the Joint Economic Committee and other federal and state committees on issues related to tax policy and the U.S. economy. Diamond served as forum editor for the National Tax Journal (2009-2017) and on the staff of the Joint Committee on Taxation, U.S. Congress (2000-2004). He has also served as a consultant for the World Bank on the efficacy of structural adjustment programs.

He received his Ph.D. in economics from Rice University in 2000.

***Registration is now open for the Power Networking Lunch***

Please mark your calendars for Sept 9th, 2019, for a fabulous business luncheon, to be held from 11:30 -1:00 p.m. at the wonderful McCormick & Schmick’s restaurant located in Uptown Park.  

You do not need to be a member of the Rotary Club of Houston to attend, and please feel free to invite your colleagues!

The purpose of our Power Networking Lunch is to:

• Network with the Houston business community
• Promote business in the group
• Learn from Industry experts
• Learn how to speak in public
• Perfect your “elevator” pitch
• Meet new friends
• HAVE FUN

The cost is $35.00 and includes tax and tip for a wonderful three course lunch.  

Registration on the day of the event is $40.00.

“PLEASE INDICATE YOUR COMPANY NAME IN THE COMMENT SECTION IN ADDITION TO ANY OTHER SPECIAL REQUESTS SUCH AS FOOD ALLERGIES”

"Increasing Employee Engagement, Retention, and Profits"

SPEAKER

Business Opportunities:

Impact on Houston economy generated by the High-Speed Rail

with

Former Harris County Judge Robert Eckels

Texas Central Railway
President

Robert’s long and distinguished career in the public sector gives him a keen sense of what it takes to make large infrastructure projects a reality. As TCR’s President, Robert is doing what he does best – engaging and bringing together potential investors and project partners, managing key relationships with community and elected officials and TCR’s current partners, and keeping the public and critical stakeholders informed of the project’s progress. Robert’s widely acclaimed leadership acumen and his determination to succeed, especially in efforts offering a significant positive impact to the state of Texas, have placed TCR squarely on the path to success.

Robert served as County Judge for Harris County, Texas from 1995 until 2007 when he joined the international law firm of Fulbright & Jaworski, LLP as a Partner focused on Transportation and Infrastructure, Public Finance, Public Private Partnerships (US P3), Homeland Security and Disaster Law, Government Relations and Public Law. Robert has operated his own independent legal practice and is today a Partner at Husch Blackwell, LLP.

Robert was founding chairman of the Texas High-Speed Rail and Transportation Corporation from 2002 to 2010, a coalition of local governments, educational institutions and the private sector working to bring high-speed rail to Texas.

As County Judge, he served as Chair of the Harris County Toll Road Authority, a 500 lane-mile toll road system - the only county-owned toll road system in the nation and a pioneer in interagency partnerships and applying technology for efficient operations.

With the Texas Department of Transportation and local jurisdictions, he built the Houston Transtar Transportation and Emergency Operations Center into a global model of interagency partnerships for transportation operations and sustained training and planning for disaster mitigation, response and recovery.

For a decade, until he left office in 2007, Robert served as chair of the Houston Galveston Area Council Transportation Planning Council and has served on numerous state transportation finance and planning commissions and committees.

Judge Eckels received international recognition for Harris County’s response to Hurricane Katrina and the floods, wind and storm surge that led to massive destruction and loss of life in New Orleans and the U.S. Gulf Coast from Louisiana to Alabama.  The Harris County Astrodome and Reliant Park became the largest shelter operation in U.S. history as over 250,000 residents of storm ravaged areas fled to the Houston region.

For his work in hurricanes Katrina and Rita, Esquire Magazine named him “Best and Brightest - Citizen of the Year” of 2005 for his extraordinary leadership.  “When the City of New Orleans evacuated to Houston, Harris County Judge Robert Eckels was an island of competence in the face of catastrophe,” Esquire wrote.  American City and County Magazine named Robert “County Leader of the Year 2006.”

Robert, who was first elected as a State Representative in his 20’s, served six terms in the Texas Legislature before being elected county judge — a role in which he oversaw executive, legislative and judicial functions of a county that is home to nearly four million residents.

***Registration is now open for the Power Networking Lunch***

Please mark your calendars for Sept 9th, 2019, for a fabulous business luncheon, to be held from 11:30 -1:00 p.m. at the wonderful McCormick & Schmick’s restaurant located in Uptown Park.  

You do not need to be a member of the Rotary Club of Houston to attend, and please feel free to invite your colleagues!

The purpose of our Power Networking Lunch is to:

• Network with the Houston business community
• Promote business in the group
• Learn from Industry experts
• Learn how to speak in public
• Perfect your “elevator” pitch
• Meet new friends
• HAVE FUN

The cost is $25.00 and includes tax and tip for a wonderful three course lunch.  

Registration on the day of the event is $30.00.

“PLEASE INDICATE YOUR COMPANY NAME IN THE COMMENT SECTION IN ADDITION TO ANY OTHER SPECIAL REQUESTS SUCH AS FOOD ALLERGIES”

"Increasing Employee Engagement, Retention, and Profits"

SPEAKER

Business Opportunities: 

Impact on Houston economy generated by the High-Speed Rail

with

Former Harris County Judge Robert Eckels

Texas Central Railway
President

Robert’s long and distinguished career in the public sector gives him a keen sense of what it takes to make large infrastructure projects a reality. As TCR’s President, Robert is doing what he does best – engaging and bringing together potential investors and project partners, managing key relationships with community and elected officials and TCR’s current partners, and keeping the public and critical stakeholders informed of the project’s progress. Robert’s widely acclaimed leadership acumen and his determination to succeed, especially in efforts offering a significant positive impact to the state of Texas, have placed TCR squarely on the path to success.

Robert served as County Judge for Harris County, Texas from 1995 until 2007 when he joined the international law firm of Fulbright & Jaworski, LLP as a Partner focused on Transportation and Infrastructure, Public Finance, Public Private Partnerships (US P3), Homeland Security and Disaster Law, Government Relations and Public Law. Robert has operated his own independent legal practice and is today a Partner at Husch Blackwell, LLP.

Robert was founding chairman of the Texas High-Speed Rail and Transportation Corporation from 2002 to 2010, a coalition of local governments, educational institutions and the private sector working to bring high-speed rail to Texas.

As County Judge, he served as Chair of the Harris County Toll Road Authority, a 500 lane-mile toll road system - the only county-owned toll road system in the nation and a pioneer in interagency partnerships and applying technology for efficient operations.

With the Texas Department of Transportation and local jurisdictions, he built the Houston Transtar Transportation and Emergency Operations Center into a global model of interagency partnerships for transportation operations and sustained training and planning for disaster mitigation, response and recovery.

For a decade, until he left office in 2007, Robert served as chair of the Houston Galveston Area Council Transportation Planning Council and has served on numerous state transportation finance and planning commissions and committees.

Judge Eckels received international recognition for Harris County’s response to Hurricane Katrina and the floods, wind and storm surge that led to massive destruction and loss of life in New Orleans and the U.S. Gulf Coast from Louisiana to Alabama.  The Harris County Astrodome and Reliant Park became the largest shelter operation in U.S. history as over 250,000 residents of storm ravaged areas fled to the Houston region.

For his work in hurricanes Katrina and Rita, Esquire Magazine named him “Best and Brightest - Citizen of the Year” of 2005 for his extraordinary leadership.  “When the City of New Orleans evacuated to Houston, Harris County Judge Robert Eckels was an island of competence in the face of catastrophe,” Esquire wrote.  American City and County Magazine named Robert “County Leader of the Year 2006.”

Robert, who was first elected as a State Representative in his 20’s, served six terms in the Texas Legislature before being elected county judge — a role in which he oversaw executive, legislative and judicial functions of a county that is home to nearly four million residents.

Joe Gamaldi

Houston Police Officers’ Union FOP Lodge 110 President

Houston Police Officers’ Union, FOP Lodge 110 President Joe Gamaldi was born and raised on Long Island, NY. Following high school he attended the University of Hartford, where he earned a degree in Criminal Justice, with minors in Political Science and Sociology. After graduation, Officer Gamaldi was hired by the NYPD in 2005 where he worked as an officer for approx. 3 years. He then transferred to the Houston Police Department in 2008 and graduated from Class #197. 

Shortly after graduation from the academy, he completed his Masters Degree from Long Island University in Homeland Security Management. Officer Gamaldi then went on to serve as a Board Members of the HPOU, before being elected the Second Vice President from 2012-2017 and was elected President of the Houston Police Officer’s Union in January 2018. Officer Gamaldi is the chair of the Labor Relations Committee, the Ways and Means committee, has served on the bargaining team for several contract negotiations, and served as lead negotiator for the most recent negotiations. He also coordinates the Safe Ride Home program, founded the Houston Officers Peer Assistance (HOPA) a stand alone non-profit dedicated to providing per assistance to police officers, assisted in the creation of the HPOU mobile app and runs all the social media platforms for the HPOU. 

Please join us at our monthly reception Wednesday evening at Rotary House from 5:30-7:00, 1600 Holcombe Blvd.  This event is held every third Wednesday of the month. When arriving off Holcombe the valet will hand you a parking card and direct you to the garage.  For those who have not been, I especially encourage you to attend as we bring some comfort and joy to our out of town friends staying at the hotel while receiving cancer treatment at MD Anderson.  It is a great time for friendship and fellowship and I promise you will meet some great people.

Mimi Swartz
Executive Editor Texas Monthly 
and 
Author of Power Failure and Ticker

Mimi Swartz, the author, with Sherron Watkins, of Power Failure, The Inside Story of the Collapse of Enron, is an executive editor of Texas Monthly. Previously, she was a staff writer at Talk, from April 1999 to April 2001, and a staff writer at the New Yorker from 1997 to 2001. Prior to joining the New Yorker, she worked at Texas Monthly for thirteen years. In 1996 Swartz was a finalist for two National Magazine Awards and won in the public interest category for “Not What the Doctor Ordered.” She was also a National Magazine Award finalist for her November 2005 issue story on tort reform, titled “Hurt' Injured' Need a Lawyer' Too Bad!” and won the 2006 John Bartlow Martin Award for Public Interest, Magazine Journalism, for the same story. In 2013 she won her second National Magazine Award (again in the category of public interest), for “Mothers, Sisters, Daughters, Wives,” a compelling look at the state of women's health care in Texas.

Over the years, Swartz’s work has appeared in Vanity Fair, Esquire, Slate, National Geographic, and the New York Times’ op-ed page and Sunday magazine. It has also been collected in Best American Political Writing 2006 and Best American Sportswriting 2007. She has been a member of the Texas Institute of Letters since 1994.

Join The Rotary Club of Houston as we join the Rotary Club  of West U and other area Rotary Clubs in a meal packaging event for Rise Against Hunger. 

This will be our third year participating.  Last year we packaged more than 24,000 meals in less than three hours with close to 100 Rotarians from 10 separate clubs. Those meals went to help refugees at the Columbia border where thousands of refugees flee from Venezuela daily.