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.
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
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
Camaraderie, Free Appetizers, Drink Specials
Join us for the first, for 2018, of our quarterly, NORTH SUBURBS area, Happy Hours, with West Point Society of Greater Houston, as we commemorate pre-West Point Founders Day. All veterans welcome. Bring your family & friends.
- Free appetizers while they last
- Drink specials
- Networking and camaraderie
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 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
TxGC Exclusive, Private Tour
- Limited space- no walk ups
- Must have TxGC Member code to sign up (provided via member-only email)
- Three areas will be visited: The Space Vehicle Mock-up Facility, the Mission Control Center and the Neutral Bouyancy Lab
- The tour will start at 0800 at the Rocket Park near the front gate of the Johnson Space Center
- The tour will conclude at 11:45 at the Rocket Park
- We will plan to have an informal lunch in the area afterwards
- NEW! Lunch to follow at El Tiempo- Webster
- A list of attendees with full names that match photo IDs must be provided a week before the tour
- If your name is not on the list, then no tour
- There is no cost for the tour
- Pay special attention to Guest Ops Attachment for rules on dress, safety protocol and behavior
