Calendar

Sep
1
Fri
September Monthly Lunch @ Laurenzo's Restaurant
Sep 1 @ 11:30 – 13:00

EVENT CANCELLED

Credit card payments made for tickets are being refunded and should post within 5-7 days

Oct
6
Fri
October Monthly Lunch @ El Tiempo Cantina "1308" Annex
Oct 6 @ 11:30 – 13:00

October Monthly Lunch:
Buddy Wellborn’s Navy Football Update

As you may recall, our September monthly lunch, originally featuring Buddy Wellborn’s Navy football kick off was cancelled due to Hurricane Harvey.  Buddy, a resident of Dickinson, sustained flood damage.  As a result, we’re fortunate to have Buddy as our October lunch speaker.  Please join us for our October lunch, as this is our only lunch, in this format, for the fall season.

Friday October 6, 2017: 11:30-13:30

  • Agenda (times estimated)
    • 11:30-12:00 Networking & margaritas
    • 12:00 Seats, introductions, announcements, lunch orders
    • 12:15 Guest Speaker
    • 12:20-12:30 Lunch plate service during speaker
    • 13:15 Speaker conclusion, final announcements B&G

El Tiempo “1308 Annex”: 322 Westheimer Rd

  • Lunch Menu
    • Chips & salsa, guacamole, & queso
    • Choice of Entree:
      • Chicken or beef fajitas
      • Seafood enchiladas
      • Las Vegas platter

Prices

  • Limited seats available
  • $30 online advance pre-sale, through September 29
    • ​($25) Members get extra 15% discount with code @ check-out
  • $32 online pre-sale, after September 29
    • ($27) Members get extra 15% discount with code @check-out
  • $35 online RSVP only & purchase at the door
    • Walk-ups (without RSVP) only allowed if seats available
    • ($30) Members get extra 15% discount at the door

TxGC Chapter membership has its benefits…

  • Members get 15% when they enter their promo code at check-out
  • Contact John Augusto or Rich Bulger if you have questions or difficulties with tickets

About Buddy Wellborn USNA ’59

Buddy Wellborn is a native Texan and graduated from USNA with the Class of 1959 winning the Thompson Trophy for Athletics. For all three of his varsity years, he played on Navy football teams with
winning seasons: 1956 (6-1-2); 1957 (9-1-1); and, 1958 (6-3). He was on
the Navy’s 1956 team that beat Notre Dame (and Heisman Trophy winner Paul Hornung) 33-7 in Baltimore, and then the next year he was AP’s Back of the Week for scoring all three touchdowns in Navy’s victory over Notre
Dame in South Bend. He shared the rushing honors for the Navy team that shutout Army (Anderson and Dawkins) 14-0 in 1957, and then beat Rice 20-7 for the Cotton Bowl Championship in 1958. The next season he
scored the winning touchdown in Navy’s 20-14 victory over Michigan in the “Big House.”

After commissioning, he married the girl of his dreams from Cartersville Georgia, and Houston’s prima ballerina, the beautiful Gladys
Camilla Hamby. They had three sons, R. Burke, Jr. (USNA ’85), Robert Guy (TRF Kings Bay), and John Paul (Savannah). Unfortunately for this
“Dream Team,” Gladys suffered from renal tubular acidosis that took her life 16 March 1993.

In July 1959, he first served in USS FRANK KNOX (DDR-743) deployed to WESPAC on patrol in the Formosa Strait off the islands of
Quemoy and Matsu. All in all he served thirty years on active duty logging over seventeen years at sea, half of which was in submarines. He had four commands at sea during the 70’s and the 80’s deploying with 2nd Fleet to
the North Atlantic and Arctic (Lofoten Islands); with 7th Fleet to the Western Pacific (YANKEE Station) and an excursion into the Indian Ocean
(Persian Gulf); and, with 6th Fleet to the Mediterranean. During his last deployment he commanded USS DETROIT (AOE-4)
and was the Battle Group’s Logistics Coordinator for OPERATION ELDORADO CANYON, the US air strike on Libya during the early
morning darkness of 15 April 1986– again, “…to the shores of Tripoli.” He received his MSEE from NPGS in 1969, and his MA from NWC in
1976. He was the Director of ASW Programs for the Naval Sea Systems Command, and managed the first installations of the Navy’s advanced
Tactical Towed Array Sonar (TACTAS) system. He has authored several professional papers, including Seaman’s Eye– Seaman’s Mind; RAS– the Multiplier; TRIXS– Tactical Readiness Information Exchange System; The Decibel—an Acoustic Primer; Again “…to the shores of Tripoli;”
The Efficacy of Submarine Warships; THREAT-21—Radical Islam; et al.

Buddy taught at Texas A&M Galveston in the 90’s but now only teaches part-time for ATI. For the last five years, he has posted reports of
Navy Football games on the internet for many USNA alumni groups that have acclaimed that his reports not only are exactingly informative but are reminiscence of the style of legendary sportswriter Grantland Rice.
In 2009, he was nominated to be a trustee for the NAAA.

Nov
9
Thu
(Nov. Lunch) Salute to Veterans @ Junior League of Houston
Nov 9 @ 11:30 – 13:00

Salute to Veterans luncheon
presented by Rotary Club of Houston, West Point Society of Greater Houston, & the Naval Academy Alumni Assoc., Tx Gulf Coast Foundation

  • November 9, 2017 – starts promptly at 11:30 a.m. and ends at 1 p.m.
  • ​Location: Junior League of Houston, 1811 Briar Oaks, Lane, Houston, TX 77027
  • Buying a ticket through us (TxGC Ticket) get’s you a seat at our VIP table
  • SPEAKER:
    • MG Tony Cucolo, former Commandant of the US Army War College, presently the Associate Vice Chancellor for Leadership Development & Veteran Affairs at the University of Texas System
  • In addition to our distinguished speaker we are proud to announce that other special guests will include WWII, Korea, & Vietnam War Veterans plus active duty members of the Army, Navy, Coast Guard, Marines, and Air Force and some of their outstanding commanders; Your additional donation helps pay for our deserving guests!

Tickets at the TxGC Foundation table have ended; please consider buying a ticket via Rotary’s website, or at the door.

Jan
4
Thu
Smith McCool Sword Lunch @ Taste of Texas
Jan 4 @ 10:30 – 12:30

Thursday January 4, 2017: 10:30-12:30

  • Agenda (times estimated)
    • 10:30-11:00 Networking & margaritas
    • 11:00 Seats, introductions, announcements
    • 11:15 Lunch service
    • 11:45 Speaker & presentation
    • 12:30 Final announcements B&G

Taste of Texas: 10505 Katy Freeway

  • Lunch Menu
    • Dinner salad
    • Choice of Entree:
      • Grilled chicken
      • Beef tip sirloin
    • Wild rice pilaf
    • Chocolate cake

TxGC Chapter membership has its benefits…

  • Members get 15% when they enter their promo code at check-out
  • Member’s promo code emailed out in newsletter
  • $30 ($25 for members): Advance Purchase
  • $35 ($30 for members): RSVP (pay @ door), day of purchases, walk-ups (if not sold out)

2018 Awardee: Midn. Michael D. Walker

Michael Walker is from College Station and a graduate of St. Joseph High School.   At USNA, he is a Trident Scholar and Bowman Scholar studying Mechanical Engineering, with a focus in automotive engineering and vehicle dynamics.  He is a member of the Marathon Team, SCUBA club, and Mountaineering Club, and is currently serving as the 14th Company Executive Officer.  After commissioning, he will attend the Naval Postgraduate School and then join the Navy submarine force.

Keynote Speaker & Presenter: NASA Astronaut Chris Cassidy ’93

Christopher J. Cassidy (Captain, U.S. Navy) was selected by NASA in 2004 and is a veteran of two space flights, STS-127 and Expedition 35.  During STS-127, Cassidy served as a Mission Specialist.  For Expedition 35, Cassidy and the European Space Agency astronaut Luca Parmitano had their unplanned spacewalk to replace a pump controller box cut short when Parmitano had cooling water leak into his helmet.  Cassidy, a U.S. Navy SEAL, has been deployed twice to both the Mediterranean and Afghanistan and is a recipient of Bronze Star with combat ‘V’ and Presidential Unit Citation.

About the Smith McCool Sword Award

In January, each year, the TxGC Foundation awards the Smith-McCool Sword to the Midshipment from the Chapter area, with the highest order-of-merit, going into their First Class year.  The sword, is named after astronaut Michael Smith ’67, who was lost in the Challenger disaster, and astronaut William McCool ’83, who was lost int he Columbia disaster.

Feb
2
Fri
February Monthly Lunch @ El Tiempo "1308 Annex"
Feb 2 @ 11:30 – 13:00

Friday February 2, 2017: 11:30-13:30

  • Agenda (times estimated)
    • 11:30-12:00 Networking & margaritas
    • 12:00 Seats, introductions, announcements, lunch orders
    • 12:15 Guest Speaker
    • 12:20-12:30 Lunch plate service during speaker
    • 13:15 Speaker conclusion, final announcements B&G

Guest Speaker: The Liberato Family

“Topics related only by Birth:  Lawyer Stories and Advising Latin American Militaries”

Description:  Mom and daughter of USNA grads, Lynne Liberato will share stories from arguing at the U.S. Supreme Court to representing the NFL during the Houston Super Bowl.  Son Callon Nichols (’08) will follow with stories from his experiences as a Marine –advisor in Central America.  And they both share memories from Grandfather Frank Liberato (’51), who flew reconnaissance during the Cuban Missile Crisis and was the only American pilot to survive being run over by a carrier.

El Tiempo “1308 Annex”: 322 Westheimer Rd

  • Lunch Menu
    • Chips & salsa, guacamole, & queso
    • Choice of Entree:
      • Chicken or beef fajitas
      • Seafood enchiladas
      • Las Vegas platter

TxGC Chapter membership has its benefits…

  • Members get 15% when they enter their promo code at check-out
  • Member’s promo code emailed out in member-only version of Newsletter
Mar
2
Fri
March Monthly Lunch @ El Tiempo "1308 Annex"
Mar 2 @ 11:30 – 13:00

Friday March 2, 2018: 11:30-13:30

  • Agenda (times estimated)
    • 11:30-12:00 Networking & margaritas
    • 12:00 Seats, introductions, announcements, lunch orders
    • 12:15 Guest Speaker
    • 12:20-12:30 Lunch plate service during speaker
    • 13:15 Speaker conclusion, final announcements B&G

Speaker: Ms. Regan Katz, Managing Director, Wortham Insurance

Regan joined Wortham in 2012. Prior to that, she worked in public accounting and for a publicly traded insurance brokerage. During her tenure in insurance, she focused on professional service clients, providing advice on risk management for law firms, non-profit/social service organizations and retail/hospitality.

March’s lunch: Cyber/Privacy Coverage: What’s Next?

2017 was a year of ransomware cyber attacks… WannaCry, ExPetr, BadRabbit changed the landscape of ransomware forever.  Ransomware became a $1B industry in 2016.  In 2017, those attacks became focused on corporations instead of individuals.  The targets of these attacks include everyone- from federal governments, private equity firms, financial institutions all the way to retailers and credit card companies.  Find out why ransomware will continue to be the fastest growing industry in 2018. We will discuss how the landscape has changed, some specific examples and how insurance may provide relief in the event of a cyber attack.

El Tiempo “1308 Annex”: 322 Westheimer Rd

  • Lunch Menu
    • Chips & salsa, guacamole, & queso
    • Choice of Entree:
      • Chicken or beef fajitas
      • Seafood enchiladas
      • Las Vegas platter

TxGC Chapter membership has its benefits…

  • Members get 15% when they enter their promo code at check-out
  • Member’s promo code emailed out in member-only version of Newsletter
Apr
6
Fri
April Monthly Lunch @ El Tiempo "1308 Annex"
Apr 6 @ 11:30 – 13:00

Friday April 6, 2018: 11:30-13:30

  • Agenda (times estimated)
    • 11:30-12:00 Networking & margaritas
    • 12:00 Seats, introductions, announcements, lunch orders
    • 12:15 Guest Speaker
    • 12:20-12:30 Lunch plate service during speaker
    • 13:15 Speaker conclusion, final announcements B&G

Speaker: Mr. Rob Eissler, Legislative Consultant at The Schlueter Group

Rob Eissler is a Legislative Consultant with The Schlueter Group of Austin, TX since January 2013. He was previously the President of Eissler and Associates, an executive recruiting firm based in his hometown of thirty-six years, The Woodlands, Texas. He received a B.A. in Architecture from Princeton University, and then served his country as a carrier-based attack pilot and LSO aboard the USS John F. Kennedy (CV-67) in the United States Navy.

Rob Eissler has spent twenty-eight years dedicated to the public education system of Texas, 18 of which were on the Conroe Independent School District Board of Trustees, including two terms as President, and 10 years serving on the Public Education Committee of the Texas House of Representatives, the last 6 as its Chairman. He has also served as the Vice Chair of the House Human Services Committee.

In 1999, he was named one of 25 “Original Hometown Heroes” for The Woodlands by The Woodlands Villager/Courier newspapers and The Woodlands Operating Company, L.P. The Chamber of Commerce named him “Citizen of the Year” in 1991, where he served as the Chairman of the Board in 1988-89. Mr. Eissler has also served as the President of the Woodlands Rotary Club and as a board member of the South Montgomery Y.M.C.A. He coached youth sports for twenty years and is well known as one of the voices of High School Football on the local internet broadcast of area games.

Mr. Eissler was elected to represent District 15 as State Representative in November of 2002. He was appointed to serve as Chairman of the Public Education Committee in his third session. Among many other honors, Rob Eissler was named one of Texas Monthly ́s “Top 10 Legislators” of 2009. He received Honorable Mention for this in 2007. His work on reforming the public school accountability system during the 81st Legislative Session helped place Texas at the nation’s forefront in public education reform. In 2005, he was named one of the Top Texas Legislators of the 79th Legislative Session by Capitol Inside. Rep. Eissler has also been named Legislator of the Year by the Texas Council of Special Education Administrators, received The Texas Foreign Language Association’s Distinguished Public Service Award, The Texas Art Education Association’s Governmental Award for Meritorious Service in the Arts, The Texas Music Educators Association Distinguished Service Award and the Champion for Free Enterprise Award by the Texas Association of Business three times. He also served as a Director of The Texas Education Reform Foundation.

He was presented with the Star Award by Texans Standing Tall in recognition of his efforts during the 79th Legislature to reduce and prevent the consequences of underage alcohol use and binge drinking. He is a member of the Southern Regional Education Board comprised of 16 southern states and was appointed by the Governor to their Executive Board. He has received the STAR award from the Texas Classroom Teachers Association twice. Governor Perry appointed Representative Eissler to the Education Commission of the States in October of 2007 where he represents Texas as one of 7 Commissioners. In February, 2008, he was awarded the Legislative Advocate of the Year by the Texas PTA and the 2008 Friend of Texas Children Award from the United Ways of Texas. He was also awarded Legislative Advocate of the Year by the Texas PTA again in 2009.

Rob and his wife Linda have three adult children and are members of The Woodlands United Methodist Church.

El Tiempo “1308 Annex”: 322 Westheimer Rd

  • Lunch Menu
    • Chips & salsa, guacamole, & queso
    • Choice of Entree:
      • Chicken or beef fajitas
      • Seafood enchiladas
      • Las Vegas platter

TxGC Chapter membership has its benefits…

  • Members get 15% when they enter their promo code at check-out
  • Member’s promo code emailed out in member-only version of Newsletter
May
4
Fri
May Monthly Lunch @ El Tiempo "1308 Annex"
May 4 @ 11:30 – 13:00

May Monthly Lunch: Annual Blue & Gold Officer Appreciation

Annually, the TxGC Chapter honors our area BGOs, recognizing the hard work they do, day in and day out, in ensuring the Naval Academy has qualified candidates from the Houston area, that will represent themselves and our country proud at USNA, and in the Fleet.

If you’re one of our area BGOs, please contact Rich Bulger (rlbulger69@gmail.com, 281-788-3915), to ensure you’re signed up as an honoree, in order to be recognized during the festivities.

Featured Speaker: CAPT Paul Tortora, USN (Ret.)

Capt. Paul Tortora, USN (ret), was the first Chair of the new Cyber Science Department at the United States Naval Academy. He recently retired from the Navy following a 26-year active duty career as both a Nuclear Submarine Officer and a Naval Intelligence Officer. During his active service he served and deployed on two nuclear fast attack submarines, two amphibious assault ships, and a nuclear aircraft carrier, conducting peacetime and combat operations across the globe.

His ashore assignments included Director of Training at the Navy and Marine Corps Intelligence Training Center, on the staff of the Director of Naval Intelligence, as the Intelligence Officer and Naval Aide to the Secretary of the Navy, and on the staff of the Office of the Director of National Intelligence.

Friday May 4, 2018: 11:30-13:30

  • Agenda (times estimated)
    • 11:30-12:00 Networking & margaritas
    • 12:00 Seats, introductions, announcements, lunch orders
    • 12:15 Guest Speaker
    • 12:20-12:30 Lunch plate service during speaker
    • 13:15 Speaker conclusion, final announcements B&G

El Tiempo “1308 Annex”: 322 Westheimer Rd

  • Lunch Menu
    • Chips & salsa, guacamole, & queso
    • Choice of Entree:
      • Chicken or beef fajitas
      • Seafood enchiladas
      • Las Vegas platter

TxGC Chapter membership has its benefits…

  • Members get 15% when they enter their promo code at check-out
  • Member’s promo code emailed out in member-only version of Newsletter
Sep
7
Fri
Sept. Lunch: Buddy Wellborn @ Tony Mandola's
Sep 7 @ 11:00 – 13:00

Buddy Wellborn’s Navy Football Preview

Monthly Lunches are back! Join us for our annual Navy Football Preview, featuring Buddy Wellborn ’59.  Buddy is well regarded as a Navy Football expert, having served as NAAA Trustee.  Full bio.

TxGC MEMBERS ALWAYS GET $5 OFF!

  • Advance purchase online: $30 ($25 for TxGC members)
  • Week-of-event & walk-ups*: $35 ($30 for TxGC members)
    • *if seats available
  • TxGC Member discount is provided by a discount code via member-only newsletter

MENU

  • Ice tea, water, soda, cash bar
  • Choice of Sicilian salad or Mama’s gumbo
  • Choice of entree
    • Chicken John Kim: grilled chicken topped in mushrooms, roasted peppers, white wine butter sauce
    • Penne Pasta with Meat Sauce: traditional penne pasta with Mama’s slow cooked meat sauce
    • Blacked Trout: filet topped with etoufee served with red-skinned mashed potatoes and vegetables
  • Choice of chocolate cake or cheesecake
Oct
5
Fri
Oct. Lunch: Austin Huckabee @ Tony Mandola's
Oct 5 @ 11:30 – 13:00

Austin Huckabee

Commissioned as an Armor Officer from Sam Houston State University in 2007, Austin served as an Abrams tank platoon leader and an Air Assault Infantry platoon leader in Baghdad, Iraq from 2009-2010. Since 2012, he as worked for the Houston Police Department as a patrol officer in Greenspoint and Acres Homes, in the Gang Division in a city-wide street level anti-gang unit, and in the SWAT detail as a part-time officer. In 2016, he became a contract instructor for the State Department and Justice Department in Ukraine, training multiple law enforcement agencies in and around Kiev in high-risk tactics.   Austin will talk to us about his experiences in training Ukrainian law enforcement agencies how to handle and respond to high risk tactical situations and the impact of the Ukraine’s current political climate affects its law enforcement’s ability to fight corruption.

TxGC MEMBERS ALWAYS GET $5 OFF!

  • Advance purchase online: $30 ($25 for TxGC members)
  • Week-of-event & walk-ups*: $35 ($30 for TxGC members)
    • *if seats available
  • TxGC Member discount is provided by a discount code via member-only newsletter

MENU

  • Ice tea, water, soda, cash bar
  • Choice of Sicilian salad or Mama’s gumbo
  • Choice of entree
    • Chicken John Kim: grilled chicken topped in mushrooms, roasted peppers, white wine butter sauce
    • Penne Pasta with Meat Sauce: traditional penne pasta with Mama’s slow cooked meat sauce
    • Blacked Trout: filet topped with etoufee served with red-skinned mashed potatoes and vegetables
  • Choice of chocolate cake or cheesecake