A WHO'S WHO of Houstonians — from the arts, big business, the media, philanthropy, pro sports and much more — came together to celebrate CityBook and Gittings Photography’s 2022 “Leaders & Legends” portrait series, presented in partnership with Residences at The Allen and Bentley Houston.
The annual event was cancelled in 2020 and 2021 due to Covid, so the VIP guests were thrilled to gather in person for the occasion, in Residence’s at The Allen’s sunny hospitality space, in the shadow of its rising hotel and condominium tower. Along with CityBookExecutive Publisher Lisa Holthouse and Editor Jeff Gremillion, The Allen developer Roberto Contreras, himself among the Leaders & Legends honored, welcomed guests with warm remarks.
Many other honorees, all of whom were featured in the magazine’s mid-spring issue, were also on hand, including Astros owner Jim Crane, society doyenne Hallie Vanderhider, fundraising legend Carolyn Farb, popular locavore restaurateurs Benjy Levit and Aaron Lyons, noted gallerist Mimi Sperber-Wasserberg of Off the Wall and Marilyn Oshman, founder of the Orange Show organization and the Art Car Parade.
China and Roberto Contreras IV
Lisa Holthouse and Ray Childress
Page Parkes
Connor Walsh and Chae Eun Yang
Vanessa Barrow
Hallie Vanderhider, Fady Armanious and Ally Shell
Lucinda Loya and Felicia Stone
Randy Hale, Michael Holthouse, Kim and Dan Moody
Aaron and Stefanie Lyons
Amanda Mills and Mark Sullivan
Josh and Trisha Weisman
Carolyn Farb and Danny Nguyen
Katelyn Leonard and Jack Vielhauer
Demola the Violinist and Bianca Bucaram
Leslie Siller and Cheryl Byington
Roberto Contreras
Mario Gudmundsson and Marcelo Saenz
Hamilton Rowan and Mimi Sperber-Wasserberg
Karen deGeurin and Peter Remington
Bentleys on display
Kathy Flanagan and Lloyd Gite
Leisa Holland Nelson and Marilyn Oshman
Franklin and Cindi Rose
Chris Hendel and Beth Wolff
Lisa Gochman, Chloe Dao and Lindsey Word
Todd Ramos
Leaders & Legends is an annual portrait series that seeks to honor both icons of the city, responsible for its growth and prominence, as well as Houston’s current leaders, charting the path forward.
Guests enjoyed fun, fabulous treats from Monarch Hospitality including lobster “corn dogs,” timber-smoked Wagyu carpaccio under glass, caviar “twinkies,” foie gras and cognac mousse served in little ice cream cones and adult Cosmopolitan popsicles. DJ TK kept the scene lively.
Father-and-son UH basketball coaches Kelvin and Kellen Sampson were also among the community luminaries featured in the 2022 “Leaders & Legends” collection.