Houston’s Woman and Man of the Year Power a Record $1.4 Million River Oaks Night — Winning For the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society

What: The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society Man & Woman of Year announcement party

Where: River Oaks Country Club

PC Moment: There was big news on this night of celebrating the various candidates who spent 10 weeks holding special fundraising events in the hopes of being the top earner and therefore being named Man/Woman of the Year. Overall contributions totaled a record $1.4 million with Woman of the Year Meredith Jamail Rice, senior wealth advisor at Mariner Wealth Advisors, making a record-breaking contribution in her own right — $735,765, almost half of the total raised. Never before in the history of the Texas Gulf Coast chapter has such a figure been raised.

Man of the Year Chris Bolio, Alair Southeast Texas Regional Partner, contributed $152,602 to the event’s bottom line. While that might pale in comparison to Rice’s total, his total was in very good standing with previous winners.

For the annual nationwide fundraiser, candidates from across the country compete in honor of a local boy or girl who is a blood cancer survivor in an effort to raise the most funds for research geared to bring a world without blood cancers.

Also taking bows on this cocktail-attire evening were Maggie Noel, recipient of the Volunteerism Award; Laura Lewis, receiving the Community & Corporate Involvement Award; and Rice, also receiving the Mission Integration Award.

“Congratulations to our winners, and to all of our candidates and campaign team members who participated in this year’s Man & Woman of the Year campaign,” said Billie Sue Parris, LLS Texas Gulf Coast executive director. “These exceptional volunteers are all unstoppable leaders in their communities

“Together, we are getting closer to LLS’s goal of a world without blood cancer.”

In raising his funds Bolio and his wife Michelle hosted a fundraiser at the Baths of America showroom where Dr. Michael Bublewicz shared the story of his wife’s battle with blood cancer and his point-of-view from a physician’s perspective. Alyssa Parrish-Bublewicz served as co-chair of the event along with Terie Gresham. Close family friends, the Bolios became passionate about supporting LLS following Alyssa’s diagnosis and set out to create further awareness about the life saving research that LLS funds.

Sponsor partners of the Bolio event included Alair, Baths of America, Toner Home Matters, Thermador, Pura Vida Tequila, Luckenbach Road Whiskey and Cambria.