The All-Nighters
Some of the season’s hottest looks are inspired by work clothes with an edgy ’80s vibe. Suit up sexy, work late if you have to, and, by all means, take care of business.
Sep. 19, 2017

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.
What lessons have you learned that might enlighten and inspire others? The best advice I ever received was “Hire happy people”. There is a wealth of knowledge to be absorbed in any specialty field. Most companies have various trainings and on boarding practices to ensure all that knowledge gets shared. But even the best trainers cannot impart the fundamentals of being happy, in your workplace or personal life.
I believe happiness comes from within and is an active practice. I became a widower in my 40’s and at the time, my son was still in high school. Navigating the devastating effects of cancer from diagnosis to hospice takes a toll. But self-pity, doubt, and negativity could not creep into our lives. There had been so much hardship, it was my responsibility to ensure he saw optimism, and enthusiasm for the life we have now. I could not dwell on the loss but chose to move forward with gratitude. I now try to carry that attitude in everything I do.
The pandemic was a prime example of why hiring happy people matters. With everyone spending significantly more time in their homes, we saw a huge surge of kitchen remodels and demand, while keeping our USA manufacturing moving forward became a challenge. The work and dedication from everyone in this organization, down to my very own team, are what got us through, and we are now stronger than ever. That hard, dedicated work had its origins in happy people coming together, and I am so proud of the efforts made by everyone to keep us moving forward.
What’s new or upcoming for Sub-Zero, Wolf, and Cove? In recent years, our engineering teams have put significant innovation into the aesthetics of our appliances. From a complete revamp on the features of Sub-Zero Classic Series Refrigeration last year, to the introduction of Wolf’s Accent Door Collection this year, featuring white and black ranges to accompany an assortment of knob and bezel options that help personalize your cooking appliances to your design style. Both lines look incredible, and we are thrilled to see where this will lead us in the future. We have all of these new appliances on display, so we welcome folks to make an appointment and see them in person.
What do you like most about what you do? I strongly value working for a company whose values align with their product. Sub-Zero, Wolf, and Cove appliances are built to last 20+ years of daily use and the performance is incredible. Whether a customer is looking for our iconic red knobs, or the equipment to make their culinary dreams a reality, we help find the best configurations for their space and are confident in the appliances we put in their home.
What drives you? My mom instilled a great work ethic in my siblings and me. Working alongside my team to surpass expectations keeps me motivated. The Sub-Zero, Wolf, and Cove showroom has a hard-earned reputation in the market for elevated experiences from client demonstration dinners to happy hour for our dealer partners, and events for the designer community.
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.
Set against a celestial backdrop, the outer-space-themed gala launched with a cocktail reception that sparkled with star power. VIPs—including the Polaris Dawn space crew—mingled with St. Jude families and supporters while sipping the evening’s signature cocktail: the Miracle Mule, a shimmering purple twist on the classic.
After floating through a constellation of silent auction items, the crowd made their way into the ballroom at The Revaire for a program hosted by event chairs Erika and Neil Billingsley-Michaelsen. One of the night’s most moving moments came as Amal Zakhem Nassar was presented with the Mission Maker Award, lovingly introduced by her daughters, Natalia and Daniella.
Emotions continued to soar as Shane and Shari Anne took the stage to share the journey of their son, Slater, a St. Jude patient. Diagnosed with Stage IV Neuroblastoma at age 4, Slater’s odds were daunting—but thanks to therapies pioneered by St. Jude, his survival rate increased from 51% to an astounding 74%. As Slater and his brother Sawyer joined their parents on stage, the crowd was reminded exactly why they were there.
The lively auction included a Polaris Dawn jacket with St. Jude patient artwork and a space-flown flight tag selling for $30,000. A luxury watchmaking class for four, paired with an exclusive IWC timepiece, clocked in at another $30,000.
The celebration turned festive as the band Infinite Groove took the stage. The UH vs. Duke game was projected on two large screens and the second big cheers of the night erupted when the Cougars beat the Blue Devils.
George Zakhem and Amal Zakhem Nassar
Aliza Dutt, Laura Mafrige, Debbie Pakzaban
Steve Froelich
Sarah Pappas and Julia Wang
Neil & Erika Billingsley-Michaelsen
Norman Abdallah, Andy "Riggs" Riggle, Rea Foster and Joe Sauger
Dr. Tze Lyn Stephanie Tseeng & Brian Gallagher
Rea Foster, Matt & Ann McCabe
Suzy Godwin & Tamara Mannen
Phoebe and Bobby Tudor
ONE OF THE most elegant and anticipated galas of the year — Asia Society Texas’ Tiger Ball — drew some of the society set’s heaviest hitters. And it scored a new personal best in terms of dollars, raking in a whopping $1.73 million.
The big win seems to have had a lot to the with the honorees for the evening, philanthropy all-star Y. Ping Sun and husband, David Leebron, the former president of Rice. Leebron was also recently honored by CityBook as one of the media company’s 2024 “Leaders & Legends.”
As an Asia Society rep noted: “Led by Ball Chairs Shawn Stephens and Jim Jordan and Michelle and Rishi Varma, alongside Honorary Chairs Nancy C. Allen, Anne and Albert Chao and Margaret Alkek Williams, the record-breaking event welcomed 600 guests into a breathtaking showcase of red and gold.
A VIP hour for the honorees and society leadership led off the night, before the gala began in full. “Guests arriving for the main event were welcomed to the red carpet by Hanfu performers dressed in vibrant traditional Chinese attire and the rhythmic sounds of drummers stationed outside the Gala Pavilion,” noted the rep. “Inside, the Pavilion glittered in shades of rich crimson and gold with Chinese lanterns suspended above the dance floor. Taking up a large portion of the AST parking lot, the Pavilion encompassed the area’s live trees adorned with red Bougainvillea blossoms that complemented a copious amount of strikingly draped red fabric floating over dinner tables laden with bouquets of roses, tulips, amaranthus and hydrangeas.”
The food never disappoints at the Tiger Ball. This year, with inspiration from Shanghai, passed apps included tea smoked salmon on wasabi potato cakes, duck crepes with hoisin and scallions, and spicy Hunan minced quail with walnuts and orange zest on endive. For dinner, guests enjoyed a starter of five spice-roasted duck with yams, Sichuan pepper and wood ear mushroom; the entree was pan-seared sea bass with forbidden rice, scallion-braised fava beans and carrots with ginger and honey. For desset: A lavish buffet of sumptuous sweets meant as a fuel for the dancing the night away to the beats of DJ Alx.
Boldface names in the crowd included Gracie and Bob Cavnar, Theresa and Peter Chang, Anne and Albert Chao, China and Roberto Contreras IV, Molly and James Crownover, Lily and Charles Foster, Renu and Suresh Khator, Leigh and Reggie Smith, Phoebe and Bobby Tudor, and Ileana and Michael Treviño.
Asia Society Texas’ mission is to advance cultural exchange by celebrating the vibrant diversity of Asia, inspiring empathy, and fostering a better understanding of our interconnected world, the organization says.
Margaret Alkek Williams and Shawn Stephens
Dancing the night away at the Tiger Ball
Harlee McCourt, Tuu and Jim Teague, and Nathalie Roff
Durga and Sushila Agrawal
Robert Gondo and Jaewon Kang Gondo
Anant Shankar
Charles and Lily Foster
David Leebron and Y. Ping Sun