Houston’s Biggest Names All Gather in One Room For Powerful Conversations

Neiman Marcus fashion guru Ken Downing, Houston Police Chief Art Acevedo, interior designer Lucinda Loya and KPRC meteorologist Frank Billingsley: When would you ever encounter such a disparate group of bold-faced types in one room?

Only once a year, during City Artworks‘ Art of Conversation luncheon.

Thus, the ballroom of the Junior League of Houston was packed with notables leading the table talks led by the likes of Harris County Judge Ed Emmett, private equity whiz and Laura Mercier Cosmetics founder Janet Gurwitch, PaperCity magazine editor Holly Moore and Bryan Museum founder and oil man J. P. Bryan.

It was a rock star event chaired by Nancy Marcus Golden, John Cone and Gregory Fourticq. The luncheon was well-organized, unlike many, so that there was plenty of time for visiting with table hosts including Becca Cason Thrash, H-E-B’s Scott McClelland, Tootsie’s Fady Armanious, à bientôt founder and owner Betty Bentsen Newton, and Stages’ actor extraordinaire Sally Edmundson. Time for chatting, eating (oh, those delicious Junior League orange rolls) and tuning into the brief program. Bravo!

KHOU Channel 11 meteorologist Chita Craft emceed the affair that honored City ArtWorks founder April Gauss and put Neiman Marcus in the spotlight as the first corporate honoree. The Neiman Marcus Community Foundation, which focuses on children and the arts, has been a supporter of the nonprofit for many years.

Who: Michael Mandola, Patsy Fourticq, Karen Mayell, John Thrash, Lenny Matuszewski, George Lancaster, Alissa Maples, Virginia Steppe, Elizabeth Allen, Mary Ann McKeithan, Dana Kervin, Karen Henry, Stacy Swift and Rachel Regan.