Houston Excellence Awards Highlight an Underrated College’s True Might

Record $617,000 Raised in Power Players’ Night

By Shelby Hodge // May 9, 2018

Photography Roswitha Vogler

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Houston Community Gala at Hilton Americas-Houston

Gala co-chairs Lina & Michael Sabouni with T.J. Wainerdi accepting the Crystal Eagle Individual Award on behalf of his father. Dr. Richard Wainerdi.

Houston Communication Foundation Gala at Hilton Americas Houston

Gala co-chairs Lina & Michael Sabouni, Auction Chair Ann Hayworth, Foundation execitove director Karen L. Schmidt

Eva Loredo, Maria Rios, David Regenbaum, Mary Williams

Susan Gainer, Sam Gainer, scholarship recipient Brittaney Wilmore, Norma Gainer

Roy Montalbano, Fred Dally

Mary & Will Williams

What: Houston Community College “Igniting Excellence Gala”

Where: Hilton Americas-Houston

PC Moment: Applause were generated not only for chairs Lina and Michael Sabouni, who led the evening to a record $617,000, but also to three honorees. Richard Wainerdi, Texas Medical Center president emeritus, received the Crystal Eagle Individual Award while Skanska USA earned the Crystal Eagle Corporate Award and the David & Jean Wiley Foundation was bestowed the Crystal Eagle Foundation Award.

The “Igniting Excellence” event spotlighted HCC’s 15 Centers of Excellence, which include a variety of specialties including health sciences, public safety, construction, advanced manufacturing, automotive, digital and information technology and more.

Key players in the evening were emcee Jacquie Baly, HCC chancellor Cesar Maldonado and HCC Foundation board president Mary Williams.

Who: Congressman John Culberson, Consul General of Qatar Khamis Rashid Al-Kaabi, BBVA Compass Houston president Mark Montgomery, Hungary honorary consul Phillip Aronoff, Fort Bend ISD superintendent Charles Dupre, HCC chancellor Cesar Maldonado, Harris Health System president and CEO George Masi, chair of the board.