Balling Out

Houstonians got gala glam for an Italy-themed celebration at The Corinthian benefiting Mercury, the chamber ensemble music group. Jackson & Company catered the affair, which included a performance by the Mercury orchestra and raised a quarter-million for the organization. ... Following a preview party and cocktail evening on Thursday and Friday, the Junior League’s 69th annual Charity Ball included a rousing auction with items like a chance to hang out with Simone Biles, and diamonds galore courtesy of Tenenbaum Jewelers. The total till reached $740K. ... And at the Good Samaritan Foundation gala, supporters of the nursing profession gathered at the River Oaks Country Club for dinner and dancing, and a moving speech by nurse Mark Barr, whose experience as an amputee called him to the line of work.


Brittany & Kevin Kushner
Special
Leadership in Action: John Kuykendall Traded Newcaster Dream for Success in Luxury Retail

John Kuykendall, Showroom Manager, Sub-Zero, Wolf and Cove

How did you get to where you are today? Growing up I had envisioned myself as a news anchor, living in NY and enthusiastically saying into the camera “Good Morning America!”. To this day, I am still a news/political junkie. My mother owned fur salons so specialty retail, luxury retail was in my blood through the family business. Eventually, mom shuttered the stores and I was recruited to a large specialty retailer. Over the next 30 years, I was in commissioned sales on the sales floor, became a department manager, worked my way up to buyer and store manager. Although I never became a newscaster, I did live in NYC for a few years. But Texas is home and with aging grandparents, I felt the pull to come back to my roots. A headhunter approached me. I never envisioned myself in the high-end appliance market, but there are so many similarities. Clients want a memorable experience; whether shopping for diamonds and fur or remodeling their kitchen.

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Amy Pierce, Sippi Khurana, Dr Namrata Sharma Goel and Ruchi Muchejee (photo by Daniel Ortiz)

A BIG CROWD turned up at the Post Oak Hotel for the Children at Risk gala, raising some $360,000 focused on “understanding and addressing the root causes of child poverty and inequality,” per its mission statement.

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SpaceX Crew - Scott Poteet, Sarah Gillis, Anna Memon, Jared Isaacman

STREAMERS FILLED THE air at the end of the night as 500 guests at the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital gala celebrated raising a record $1.65 million.

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