Oil Hits $70 a Barrel and the Houston Zoo Ball Gets Extra Wild

You just gotta love retired oil exec Jim Postl and his wife, Beverly. Like many generous Houstonians, they spread their wealth to a variety of worthy causes. Saturday night’s Houston Zoo Ball was no exception as Jim fiercely bid to win the opportunity to name a wild elephant in Borneo. Final bid: $21,000. That was a small piece of the record-breaking $1.12 million raised at the black-tie gala held on zoo grounds.

More than 600 conservation and zoo fans contributed to the fundraiser that was themed “An Evening in Borneo: Presented by Phillips 66” to highlight the zoo’s work to protect wildlife in Borneo. Special guest was Dr. Nurzhafarina Othman, a Malaysian scientist and Houston Zoo conservation partner. As is tradition with all Houston Zoo events, animal ambassadors, including a duo of dingoes, made the rounds with their handlers.

On this evening, chaired by Peggy Kostial and Macey Reasoner Stokes, the zoo’s Masihara Pavilion (actually a tented party space) was dressed up for black-tie/white dinner jacket splendor. Amid the colorful decor, guests dined on an island-themed dinner provided by City Kitchen.

The dinner program included a salute by board chair Stacy Methvin to the night’s honoree, Jim Postl, who was recognized for his years of service as a zoo board member and his generosity as a long-standing donor. Zoo president and CEO Lee Ehmke discussed the Houston Zoo’s master plan and the $150 million dollar fundraising campaign targeted for the zoo’s centennial in 2022.

Conservation minded: Bob Stokes, Sue Chin, Kelli and John Weinzierl, Bill White, Cathy and Joe Cleary, Anne and Charles Duncan, Bobbie Nau, Kevin Black and Tony Bradfield, Christina Stith, Cullen Geiselman, Ryan Gordon, Nancy Pustka, Kelley and Steve Lubanko, Molly Voorhees, Deborah and Gardner Cannon, Anne Neeson, Shannon and John Addison, Amy and Blair Garrou, Dr. Farina Othman, Lacey and Jason Salas, and Stacy and Dee Methvin.