MEMBER PROFILES

Diane Holland, Commission President - Diane N. Holland was born in Austin, Texas, to Margie Williams and Louis Kunz who were married February 33, 1937. Diane has one brother, Dwayne, born in 1954. Diane grew up in Houston, Texas. She has three children, with her oldest son being Louis Brett Nicholson, and wife Rebecca who have four children: Joseph Theodore born on September 19, 1994, John Fortnum born on May 20, 1997, James Brett born on July 7, 2000, and Julia Claire born on May 28th, 2002. Diane’s second oldest son, Wesley Wayne Nicholson, and wife Andrea have two children: Kasey Lynn born on May 4, 1994, and Joshua David born on November 28, 1999. Diane’s youngest, a daughter, Lee Ann Nicholson Fuselier, and husband Rob have three children: Madeleine Nicole born on June 26, 1999, Olivia Claire born on February 11, 2000, and Nicholas Jude born on June 11, 2002.

Diane graduated from Milby High School in Houston, Texas and then went on to graduate from Sam Houston State University with a BS in Journalism Education. After teaching school for four years, she went on to become the Tomball Area Chamber of Commerce President for twenty+ years. She then retired for a short time, coming back to work at Klein bank for almost four years. In the Spring of 2004, she became the Program Manager in Community Relations at Tomball College. Being involved in the community is where Diane’s heart always is, as she serves on several community committees: Tomball ISD Foundation Board; Tomball Museum as vice president; ABWA and TBPW as organizer, charter member, and past president; NHMCCD Foundation Board, retired after 11 years; TOMAGWA Advisory Council; Amegy Bank Advisory Board; Rotary Club; Tomball Police Academy Alumni Assoc. Treasurer, TACC Ambassadors’ Committee, TRAC Board Member, Tomball Economic Development Council as treasurer; and as our very own Centennial Commission President. Her hobbies include gardening and poetry writing.

Vickie Butler-Rindos, Commission 1st Vice President  - Vickie Butler-Rindos was born in Shawnee, Oklahoma. She and her one brother were raised in Midwest City, Oklahoma by two wonderful parents. Vickie married T.R. Rindos after dating for 15 years. Together they have two grown sons, Jimmy, who lives in Tomball and Tom who lives in Denver. They also have two dogs, named Reeci and Porche.

Vickie holds an Associates degree in Criminal Justice from Cameron University in Lawton, Oklahoma, a Bachelors degree in Criminal Justice from Sam Houston State University, and a Masters degree in Criminal Justice also from Sam Houston State University. Although the trainings Vickie has completed are too numerous to name at her position at BJ Services, she is certified as a quality system auditor, lead auditor, and software auditor. She is also a certified Business Ethics trainer for BJ Services. In 2003, Vickie was chosen as a Top Ten American Business Woman. Vickie has been working for BJ Services for twenty-four years, beginning in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. She was transferred to Houston at the end of 1984, to work in the Field Engineering group. She then transferred into the Instrumentation group as Production Control Supervisor, for the past seven years. In November, 1992, Vickie, was promoted to Quality System Specialist, responsible for process documentation for the Research & Technology Center in Tomball, Texas. Three years later, she was promoted to the Manager of Quality Systems in Tomball, and still holds this position, responsible for the ISO 9001 certified quality system. She has also been the community liaison for BJ for the past several years.

Vickie’s hobby is volunteerism. Most (if not all) of her spare time is spent working for one of the organizations she is involved with: Board Chairman for the Tomball Area Chamber of Commerce and The Regional Arts Council (TRAC,) and remains active in both organizations; Christian Business Luncheon Board; Tomball Citizen's Police Academy Charter President and Volunteers In Policing (VIPs) for Tomball Police Department member; charter member of the Tomball Charter Chapter of the American Business Women's Association (ABWA) and a national member since 1990; and in the Spring of 2005, the General Chairman for ABWA's District II Spring Conference, with 400 plus women in attendance. As a strong supporter of education, Vickie sits on an advisory board to North Harris Montgomery Community College District. She is a docent for the museum in Tomball, helping with their various events.

Vickie became interested immediately when she received a letter from the City of Tomball about the Centennial Commission. She attended the first meeting and has been attending ever since. She is thrilled to be chosen as the 1st Vice President on the Commission Board. With her strong sense of community and because of her love of the Tomball area, she wanted to do something that would help put Tomball on the map and also leave a legacy for those coming in the next 100 years to enjoy. Vickie is also an avid reader and strongly supports the library systems, both in Harris and Montgomery counties.

Barbara Tague, Commission 2nd Vice President - Barbara was born in Honolulu, Hawaii, at Tripler Army Hospital, at the Schofield Army Barracks, and has seven brothers and sisters. Her dad was in the army and from Georgia and her mother from Korea. She has lived in Hawaii, Japan, Alaska and Oklahoma. Barbara has two daughters, who reside in Tomball. She has three grandsons and one granddaughter, all attending school here in Tomball, except one. She and her husband, David, moved to Houston from Oklahoma in 1970, and have lived in the Tomball area since 1974 and within the city since 1994. Barbara has owned her own businesses since 1981 in Tomball. She graduated from East Anchorage High School where she was the State Secretary for the Alaska FHA, and attended the University of Oklahoma Dalton Business College.

She has shown cocker spaniels since 1981, and owned that businesses since 1974. Barbara has served as the president and secretary of the Cypress Creek Kennel Club and has been a member of the American Spaniel Club since 1981. She has also been on several show committees as chairperson, secretary, hospitality and in other aspects. She has worked with several clubs to become sanctioned clubs by the American Kennel Club. In 2002, she was the hospitality chairman of the American Kennel Club Agility National Championship Show, and the first ASC All Cocker Agility Summer National Show. She was Texas State Representative for the ISCC. Currently, Barbara serves as president of the Downtown Tomball Merchants Association, and is president of the Great Northwest Houston Convention and Visitors Bureau. She is on the Tomball Zoning Commission and is on the Miracle League Board. As the Commission’s 2nd Vice President, she believes that our heritage and history must be preserved as a gift to future generations. She has a firm commitment to Tomball and its heritage because her family has made Tomball its home. Their roots have been put down for their future generations.

Allan Cox, Treasurer - Allan K. Cox, born in Houston, Texas in 1949 to Alyne Keefer Cox and Lowell Lewis Cox, who were married in December 1941.  Allan was named after his Grandfather, Allan H. Keefer, who served as the first Mayor of Tomball and community leader for over a decade, until his death in 1968.  Allan met his wife Sue, a native Houstonian and the first Miss Tomball, while attending TISD.  Many happy memories belong to Allan like riding his bike all over town and leaning it against the hitching rail next to a horse, walking around at night in the light of gas flairs from the many oil wells in town lighting up the night sky, enjoying a town with one police officer and listening to stories from his Grandfather, Allan Keefer, his parents and good family friends, G.W. Brautigam, Poley Parker, Howard Klein, Dr. Norman Graham and many others.    

After graduating from TISD in 1967, Allan attended Baylor University in Waco, Texas, where he graduated in 1971 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Biology.  Instead of heading off to medical school, Allan got sidetracked and went to work with his Father, Lowell L. Cox, at Guaranty Bond State Bank (now Bank of America), attaining the position of Executive Vice President.  Not too long after going to work at the bank, Allan married his high school sweetheart, Sue Wellborn, in September of 1972.  A few years later, Allan and Sue were blessed with two children, Allan K. Cox, Jr., born January 7, 1974 and E. Caitlin Cox, born April 25, 1976, both now making Tomball their home.  Allan, Jr. and Caitlin have further blessed Sue and Allan with two, wonderful and sweet, “grand dogs”, Louie and Annie.

While at Guaranty Bond State Bank in Tomball, Allan secured his Masters Degree in Finance from Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas.  In the mid 1980’s Allan was hired as Regional Vice President for Retail Banking at Gibraltar Savings, Houston, Texas and supervised the 27 Houston area Branches.  Allan was soon back in Tomball by the opportunity to partner with his lifelong friend, Joe Stutts, to form Stutts Cox Builders, Inc. a Tomball based general contracting company specializing in custom homes and commercial buildings.  Joe and Allan are going on their 19^th year in business. 

Although Allan spends some time fishing, golfing and working on “honey do” projects for Sue around the house, he followed in his Grandfather and Father’s footsteps to give back to Tomball in community service.  He has served as President of the Rotary Club of Tomball, Chairman of the Board of the Tomball Chamber of Commerce, Treasurer and Vestry member of the Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd, Board of Director for Guaranty Bond State Bank, Advisory Director of Klein Bank (now AmegyBank) and member of various steering committees for the school, church, chamber and other community groups.  Allan has received several honors while living in Tomball, but the one he cherishes most is being name Citizen of the Year by the Tomball Chamber of Commerce. 

When the Tomball Centennial Commission formed several years ago, Allan noticed that the City of Tomball selected very capable leadership in its President, Diane Holland, who chose several other outstanding community leaders to assist her in the years of planning for the 100 Celebration for 2007.  In early 2006, Diane asked Allan to come on board as the Centennial Treasurer to help with the ever demanding task of accounting for the monies and providing reporting to local, state and national entities.  Seeing the work that all the volunteers are doing to provide the events and community support to celebrate the 100 year anniversary of Tomball existence brings pride to Allan, not only in the event itself, but the untold amount of time the officers, board members, committee chairman and volunteers spend to make the event successful.  Tomball is much better for having dedicated leaders and workers who give their time and their talent to not only move Tomball forward but to reflect and honor Tomball’s wonderful heritage.  Allan urges all citizens, friends and community leaders to join into the fun of celebrating the 100 year birthday of Tomball.  Most of us may only have the opportunity to celebrate a 100 year birthday for Tomball this one time, so do not miss the change.

Terri DeShazier, Commission Secretary  - Terri DeShazier was born in November 1964, in Houston Texas, to Mr. and Mrs. Ernest Brinkmann. She became the oldest of three children when two brothers, Randy and Brian, arrived on the scene. Her family moved to the Tomball area in 1972, seeking as others did, to live in a peaceful, country setting. After marrying her husband, James, in December 1983, she resided in Cleveland only to move back to her favorite area again in 1991. She and her husband of twenty-two years, have three children and one grandchild. Joni, a step-daughter whom Terri raised from the age of two, is now twenty-four and studying to become an ultra-sound technician. James, Jr., aged eighteen, just graduated from high school and is attending college at Tomball College. Jesse, aged nine is still in the nest, and being home schooled at this time. Trenton, aged four, is Terri and James’ first grandchild and is a precious addition to the family.

Terri has always been a people person and works best in that capability, from being in the human resources field for over thirteen years, to volunteering her time and energy to those in need. In 2005, Terri resigned with fourteen years of service from the City of Tomball in order to stay home and care for her youngest son recently diagnosed with diabetes. Terri loves having this opportunity to be a stay-at-home mom, and the extra time to educate and involve Jesse is his own self care and schooling. She is a member of New Hope Baptist church in Decker Prairie, where she teaches Sunday School to first through third graders, and is a member of the Praise Team.

While working at the city, she was recognized as Employee of the Year in 1998 by her peers, and Employee of the Month twice in 2004, by her supervisors, and was very active in the community and a member on various boards and commissions and is grateful to have worked under respected leadership. As the Personnel Coordinator for thirteen years, she was promoted to Administrative Assistant to the City Manager, which was the position she held for her final two years at the city. She has chosen to join and stay on as the Centennial Commission’s Secretary, to offer as much support as she can to the various sub-committees, in helping Tomball celebrate its 100th birthday, for her love of the “Hometown with the Heart” has been strong, all these years. At that time, she’ll reassess her son’s needs and decide whether to jump back into the professional arena. Terri loves to read, write, cook, garden, and volunteer. Web design, photography, wildlife, and horseback riding are also favorite interests.

Michael Blake, Commission Director-At-Large - Michael Blake was born in 1950 in Lincoln, Nebraska, the youngest of three brothers. His family moved to Texas in 1960. He and his wife, Deanna, who is a R.N., have been married for twenty years and have four children; three sons and one daughter. Their oldest son, Ryan, has an undergraduate degree in Business from Texas A & M and Masters from Sam Houston. Dillon, second oldest son, is a senior at Sam, and Nathan, a sophomore at Texas A & M. Their daughter Morgan is a junior at Tomball High School.

Michael graduated high school at Bay City, Texas. He holds BS and MS degrees from Abilene Christian University in Dallas, and graduated from the FBI National Academy, the Senior Management Institute offered by PERF, and the Harvard University School of Government. Michael is or has been a member of numerous professional organizations, such as Spring ISD CATE Advisory Board, Board Member of the FBI Regional Computer Forensics Laboratory, and the Advisory Committee of the Polaris District Boy Scouts, to name a few. He is also serving as the Commission’s Director-At-Large.

Michael began his law enforcement career in 1970. Once he retired in 2000, as Assistant Chief from Garland Police Department, he then moved his family to the valley to assume the Chief position in Harlingen until moving to Tomball to become its Police Chief, in 2002.

Some of Michael’s favorite hobbies are to restore mid-sixties corvettes and other 60’s era muscle cars. He is currently working on a 67 Pontiac convertible.

Sharla Gist, Commission Director-At-Large - Sharla Gist was born in October 1962, and is a native of Tomball. Her father is a descendant of the Simpsons and her mother a Rosehill German descendant. Sharla and her husband, Greg, have two children, Kelly aged eight and Sean aged ten. Sharla has received advanced schooling beyond high school in the medical and legal fields and has held positions of police, paramedic, paralegal, and hospital security. She presently owns her own promotional products company called Ad-mirations, Inc.

Sharla’s favorite hobbies include computer, fishing, outdoors and, volunteering. She is a member of the Tomball Area Chamber of Commerce, ABWA, TBPW, and TRAC. She joined the centennial as a way to give back to her hometown and she is serving as the Commission’s Director-At-Large.

Jean Alexander - Jean Alexander was born in Falfurrias, Texas. She has two brothers and one sister, all of them born to Mr. and Mrs. C.H. Hornsby. She is the widow of Neal W. Alexander and together they had two children, Lisa and Matthew. Her only grandson, Paul, is currently in his third year at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Florida. Jean holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Sociology, with a Minor in History from the University of Texas, in Austin. She has taught Texas History in Texas and Ancient History in New Jersey. When she married, her husband was working in New York City, but they lived first in Morristown, New Jersey, then in West Orange, New Jersey.

After a few years, they were transferred to Germany where they lived in Wiesbaden, Bad Godesberg, and Bad Homburg. After eight years there, they were transferred to Caracas, Venezuela, where they lived for four years. Jean took classes in German in Germany, and classes in Spanish in Venezuela. She is now the Director of the Tomball Museum.

Jean has many interests: history, geology, archeology, needlework, art, music, and reading. She enjoys Yoga and Tai Chi, as exercise. She enjoys visiting all kinds of museums. Jean belongs to many clubs and organization in the U.S., Germany, and Venezuela. She plans to use her ties to the Tomball Museum to help celebrate Tomball’s 100-years.

Janie Aud-Riney - Janie Aud-Riney was born in Owensboro, Kentucky in 1962, the middle child of five siblings. Janie has been married to her high school sweetheart for twenty years. She and John are the proud parents of two Brittany Spaniels.

Janie holds a BHS in Medical Technology from the University of Kentucky. She has twenty plus years in sales and sales management fields and is the owner of Momentum Printing and Graphics, Inc. Janie was the 2006 chair of the Tomball Parade Committee, Secretary to the GNWHCVB, Member Ring Leaders NBI, and NWHCC Ambassador.

Ryan Carstens - Ryan Carstens was born at Heights Hospital in Houston, Texas, in July 1958 and is a 4th generation Texan. Ryan’s grandparents settled in Tomball around 1971, and he has been a visitor to the town for thirty-four years.  His parents both attended Rice University and still live here locally, out at Hooks Airport. Ryan’s grandfather attended the University of Houston, and then worked for Humble Oil his entire career (later called Exxon) as a paleontologist, and discovered a fossil which is named after him - Cibicides Carstensi. Ryan’s grandmother is 90 and still lives in Tomball.

Ryan and his wife, Fay, have five boys, and one grandson. Ryan attended Oklahoma State University receiving a Bachelors degree in German with Social Studies minor, and teaching certificate. He also received a Masters degree in Curriculum & Instruction, with emphasis on the application of technology in teaching and learning. Ryan was included in Outstanding Young Men of America in 1986.

Ryan has worked in higher education, beginning with the University of Houston, then later at several colleges in Arizona, Idaho, and Texas. Currently, he is at Tomball College. Ryan engineered the development of the college district’s “eCampus” distance learning system and associated services. He flies for a hobby, and keeps an airplane at Hooks airport. Ryan also likes to play golf when possible, but it is not very frequent lately. He also sings at church with the choir. Ryan joined the Commission on behalf of Tomball College. Since his family has been connected to Tomball for so long, he looks forward to the opportunity to learn more about this area, in the process of fulfilling the work of the committee.

Elaine Chrisman - Elaine Chrisman was born in Houston, Texas, at the original St. Joseph’s Hospital. She has two sisters and one brother, seven nephews, and two nieces – all born in Houston. She and her husband Terry have been married for thirty years. Her son, Jason is 27, and now married two years to daughter-in-law, Tracy.

Elaine graduated from Spring High School and then went on to attend Tomball College. She received a Graphic Design certification. She is a facilitator of the Steven Covey’s “7 Habits for Highly Effective Teens” and works currently as president of the Tomball Regional Arts Council. Elaine has served in the past for the Texas Agricultural Extension Service, and as coordinator of the Leadership Center Program. She has been a life member of the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo for 7 years and served as Vice Chairman on the Ladies Go Texan Committee. She also has been involved in Community Enrichment and Education, Harris County 4-H Clubs and Project Linus. Her favorite hobbies include Dance, Photography and Agricultural.

Becky Clepper - Becky Clepper was born in Houston, Texas, raised in Tomball, and is a 5th generation Tomballian. She is a Tomball High School graduate of 1972. Her parents also graduated from Tomball High School, with her Father being a former Mayor Pro-Tem. Becky attended Sam Houston State University and holds a B.A. Teaching certificate and a Masters in Special Education. She has been in the “Who Who’s” among American teachers for two years in a row.

Becky has worked for Peet Junior High, in Conroe ISD for twenty years, in her twenty-eight years of teaching experience. She has an English and Public Speech degree, and has written a book, unpublished at the moment, as well as possessing organizational and time management skills. Becky is the 2nd Vice President of the Tomball High School Alumni Association and will use her affiliation to support the Commission in any way it needs the help.

Mary Coker - Mary Coker was born in 1947, in Sherman, Texas. She lived on a cotton farm with her sister, until her parents moved their family to Houston, Texas in 1952. Mary and her husband, Patrick, have two children and five grandchildren. Mary has been in the government field since 1979, and working for the City of Tomball since 1988.

Mary holds an International Municipal Clerk’s certification and a Texas Municipal Clerk’s certification. Gardening and grandchildren are among her favorite hobbies. Mary is a lifetime Committeeman of the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, a member of the First Baptist Church of the Woodlands, and joined the Centennial Committee to assist with the planning of this big year.

Howie Doyle - Howie Doyle was born in Houston, Texas, moving to Beaumont at the age of four, and there his sister was born. His family moved back to Houston when Howie was twelve, and by age thirteen, he was living in Enchanted Oaks in Spring. Since then, he has lived in the northwest Harris County area.

Howie has three children, all girls. His oldest daughter is married, and he is very excited about having grandchildren. Howie graduated from Klein High School in 1980, and during the first couple of years of high school had Hap Harrington as his principal.

In 1983, he went to work for a small print shop in the Champions area as a typesetter and graphic artist. In 1988, he started his own company, Momentum Printing & Graphics, to provide the same services. Around the same time, he acted as the art director for the Northwest Houston Business News and On Call Magazine. In 1993, he began publishing UnderWater Magazine for the commercial diving industry. During this entire time he lived in the FM 1960 area. In 2002, he co-founded CountryStyle, Texas Magazine with Crystal Christmas, and in the same year, he moved to Tomball.

Over the years he has had dozens of hobbies, and a few of them have become lifelong passions. When attending junior college, he published a stamp collector's newsletter, and although he no longer actively collects stamps, the publishing part has become a career for him. He began playing guitar around the time he started college, and since that time has enjoyed writing, performing, and recording music. Late in 2004, he sat in on an oil painting course taught by Lesley Humphrey, and although he had no previous aptitude for painting, the combination of new elements (the medium of oil paints, and Lesley's instruction on how to render light and color) caused lightning to strike...he has been painting ever since.

For several years he served on the boards of the Historical Diving Society in Santa Barbara, California and the Museum of Man in the Sea, in Panama City Beach, Florida. In 1985, he designed the logo for the Houston Northwest Chamber of Commerce (they are still using a variation of this logo), but otherwise had little involvement in local community service until he moved to Tomball. He has made many friends here who are volunteers, and through them he saw the good things it did for the community. He currently serves on the board of the Tomball Sister City Organization, as co-sponsors of the Tomball German Heritage Festival, and has been involved in other projects, in addition to serving on the Tomball Centennial Commission.

Harriet Fether - Harriet Fether was born in Miami, Florida and has one step-sister. Her father was from Poulan, Georgia and her mother from Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Her mother became a naturalized American citizen and made it her life long goal to Harriet to value this wonderful country-the United States. Harriet grew up in a small southwest Florida farming community called Immokalee, Florida. She and her husband Ken (her soul mate) have one daughter, Lisa Anderson, and two grandchildren, named Craig and Amanda. They also have two great-grandchildren named Kaylee and Brendon. During her teaching years, they lived in Miami, Florida and Ft. Lauderdale. Harriet moved to Tomball in 1997, to be near her daughter and family, so she could enjoy her grandchildren as they grew up. After moving here, she has home-schooled her grandson for two years, proving to be a true bonding experience for both of them. After home-schooling, Harriet went to work for The Regional Arts Council, resigning in November of 2003.

Harriet has a Master’s degree in Administration and Supervision. She has taught for thirty-three years, all grades, seven – twelfth, and retired in 1997. Her undergraduate degree is in English and has taught language arts including humanities, SAT preparation, and developed the Teaching Magnet for Miami Senior High School, where she has spent most of her teaching career. She has been named Teacher of the Year at her school at least twice and is proud to say that there is an annual award called the “Harriet Fether Teacher of the Year” award, for a student or students who plan to become teachers. She feels this is an honor to have an award named after you before you die.

Currently, she is utilizing her degree in Tomball College’s Continuing Education program-the Alternative Teacher Certification Program-where she supervises teacher interns during their probationary year prior to becoming certified by the State of Texas. She is also serving as Executive Director for the Texas Master Chorale. She is a people person and enjoys all work that puts her in a position to work with people. When she needs down time, she loves to read, read and read! She also enjoys clubs and organizations and will continue to volunteer wherever she can, including as a member of the Tomball United Methodist church. She belongs to ABWA and joined the Commission because she believes in her adopted home, Tomball, and wants to be a part of its celebratory 100th year.

Barbara Fields - Barbara Fields has been in the Tomball area since 1969.  She has one sister Tracy Avant in Tomball, and her mother Georgia Thompson, resides in Magnolia.  Her father is deceased.  Barbara is married to Byron who is an Ag Teacher.  They have two sons, Cody who is twenty and Ryon who is eighteen.

Barbara graduated from Tomball High School in 1978 and attended NHMCCD receiving her Associates in 1990.  In 2000, she received her Bachelors of Business Administration from Sam Houston State University and in 2003, her Masters of Science Training and Development from the University of Houston.  She has been employed by Dresser Industries from 1980 - 1986 and Dresser Titan from 1986 - 1994.   At present, Barbara is at Aarthun Performance Group, Ltd. 

Barbara's organization affiliations are many from the American Women's Business Association, The Regional Arts Council, and The Miracle League.  She loves to work with non-profit organizations that offer scholarships for students and loves to work with special needs kids.  She has joined the commission to support the community that has supported her for years. 

Kathy Graumann - Mary Kathleen “Kathy” Graumann is married to Reverend Wayne E. Graumann, a Senior Pastor at Salem Lutheran Church of Rosehill in Tomball, Texas; the oldest Lutheran Church in the State of Texas affiliated with the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod. She and her husband of thirty-four years have two children. Their son, Micah, and daughter-in-law Shameka, have a daughter named Mikayla. Their daughter Greta, and son-in-law Bryan Flynn, have a daughter named Aurora.

Kathy attended Concordia Teachers College, in Seward, Nebraska, from 1966-1970, receiving a Bachelor of Science Degree in Education. Then in 1974, she then went on to Texas A & I University, in Kingsville, Texas, receiving a Master of Education Degree, specializing in Special Education. Kathy graduated from Sam Houston State University, in Huntsville, Texas, in 1981, earning eighteen hours beyond her masters’ degree and becoming certified as an Educational Diagnostician.

Kathy’s many work capacities in the teaching field touts her extensive post-graduate training in special education, dyslexia, language arts, gifted/talented instruction, as Child Care Administrator, Educator for Grades PK-12, Educational Diagnostician, Dyslexia Specialist, Special Education, Language Arts, English As Second Language, Severely/Profoundly Handicapped, Self-Contained Elementary Program/Education Coordinator, Diagnostic/Resource Special Education Teacher, Campus Special Education Coordinator, and Clinical Instructor. She is currently at Salem Lutheran School as an Educational Diagnostician and also has been their Language Arts Instructor in Grade 5, Writing/Historical Research and G/T Instructor in Grades 6-8, and Early Childhood Program and Music Educator, in 1981-1987. Because of Kathy’s musical side, she has been a Music Instructor, Handbell Choir Director and Christmas Program Writer and Director.

Kathy is people-oriented, optimistic and gifted in writing as a Bible Class writer and instructor, and she has authored three published books: A Child’s Thoughts in Poetry; A Church on Fire; From Hilltop to Hilltop: A Pioneer Spirit Endures. Kathy was the winner of Region I Search Contest for developing new teacher materials. She is a conference speaker at state conferences for the Association for Children with Learning Disabilities, Early Childhood Conference, Sunday School Teachers’ Convention, and the Houston Area Lutheran Educator Conference.

Bruce Hillegeist - Bruce Edward Hillegeist was born in Tomball, Texas in June, 1960 to Roy and Arleah Hillegeist. He has two brothers, Brian and Blake Hillegeist. Bruce is a fifth generation Texan whose family immigrated to Texas through Galveston from Germany in 1842. He is a lifelong resident of the Rose Hill and Tomball communities, and a member of Salem Lutheran Church. Bruce is a graduate of Tomball Lutheran School, Tomball High School in 1978, and Sam Houston State University, Huntsville, Texas, in 1982. There he received a Bachelor of Science degree in Agriculture Business.

Prior to him becoming President of the Tomball Area Chamber of Commerce in 1994, Bruce spent thirteen years in a career as a hometown banker. He was named Honorary Chapter Farmer of the Tomball FFA in 1992, Tomball Area Chamber of Commerce Citizen of the Year in 1994, Tomball Masonic Lodge Community Builder Award in 2002, American Business Women’s Association (ABWA) Business Associate of the Year in 2003, and was the 2005 Honoree of the Tomball Museum Center’s Heritage Tea.

He is a graduate of the 1996 Class of Leadership North Houston and a graduate of the 2004 Class of the Tomball Police Department Citizen’s Police Academy. Bruce is a member of many area civic and charity organizations including the Tomball FFA Booster Club, Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo Jr. Commercial Steer Committee, Tomball Scholarship Foundation Board of Directors, Tomball Hospital Association, Gulf Coast Chamber Executives past President in 1999, Texas Chamber of Commerce Executives Board of Directors, Greater Tomball Area Pachyderm Club Board of Directors, Tomball Christian Business Luncheon Board of Directors, and others.

In his position with the Tomball Area Chamber of Commerce, Bruce, coordinates many of the Tomball area’s most popular events including the EXPO: Spotlight on Business and Health, Tomball Night, the Tomball Holiday Parade and the Miss Tomball Pageant.

He joined the Centennial Committee because of his passionate love for Tomball and realizing the once in a lifetime opportunity we have to celebrate Tomball’s 100 year history.

Allen Jones - Allen Jones was born in December 1974 in Houston, Texas. He has an older sister and brother. His childhood years were spent in Spring, Texas and eventually his mom and step-father moved their family to South America and later to North Africa. Allen returned to the United States to attend high school in Louisiana.

He has a favorite pet, a chocolate colored, mix-breed dog who is trained to use a litter box and named Charlie after one of his favorite movies as a child, the original "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory."

Allen has a Mass Communications degree with an emphasis in journalism. He has also taken extra courses beyond his degree, in photography, stage, and screen play writing. He has won several writing and photography awards over the course of his college and professional career. Allen is the editor of The Potpourri newspapers, which circulates in the Tomball and Magnolia areas. He has worked with the publication for a little more than five years, starting out as a reporter and was soon promoted to a managing editor position. Prior to The Potpourri, he worked for two years in the composition department of the Houston Chronicle, in its downtown and southwest locations. Before that, Allen was a reporter for the Texas Catholic Herald for a year.

Allen considers his hobbies to be his work. He loves journalism and every thing related to it. He dabbles in screen play writing, as well as portrait photography, and is a big movie buff. Allen is a member of the Society of Professional Journalists. As editor of The Potpourri newspaper, he wants to make sure the local, community publication has a role in putting the celebration together because it is a part of the community and the publication's history is entwined with the city. He hopes to serve in any role that he may be suited
for through the commission.

Rolf Kerr - Rolf Kerr was born at the Methodist Hospital in Houston, Texas in February 1935, becoming a proud Houstonian native. His parents and brother have deceased, leaving sisters, Linda and Becky. Rolf was married for forty-four years to Joan before becoming a widower, and together they had four children, two boys and two girls. They have twelve grandchildren of eight girls and four boys, and one great-granddaughter. Rolf went to Allen Military Academy for five years and received an Associate in Arts. He was named Outstanding Student in his last year, and then went to University of Houston for two years, and has been in the army reserves for thirteen years.

Rolf owned a Cooling Tower company after his father passed away, which he later sold and then went to work for FW Garstner in sales and purchasing for twenty-six years. Rolf lived in Houston until 1998, moving first to Cypress and then to Tomball.

His favorite past-times are woodworking, cross stitching, fishing (freshwater), and clowning. He also likes to volunteer at Tomball Regional Hospital, is the Lay Chaplin for visitation, and assists ladies at church with catering. Rolf is a lifetime member of the Masonic Lodge, past LT. Gov. Optimist, International, and Presenting in Tomball Rotary, and was asked to join the Centennial Commission as a Rotary representative. He has traveled, through the Tomball Rotary, to Guerro, Mexico, to assist with the medical clinic nine times, to date.

Naomi Kleb - Naomi was born in April 1947, in Houston, Texas and has two brothers and two sisters. Her father was from the Fairbanks area (his parents came from Pattison-Brookshire area) and her mother was raised in Katy. They moved and were raised in the Cypress area in 1949. She has been married to her husband, Edwin J. Kleb, Sr., for 37 years. They have one son, John, married to Donna, for five years this October. He has a step-daughter (our only grandchild), Dakota, who is fourteen years old. Naomi graduated from Cy-Fair High School and attended Blinn Junior College. She also attended night classes at University of Houston-Downtown, majoring in finance.

Naomi started her banking career at Guaranty Bond State Bank in Tomball, in 1966. She worked for Community Bank in Decker Prairie, in 1982. She then joined Tomball National Bank (now Texas National Bank), in 1985. Then in 1995, she joined Klein Bank, now Amegy Bank after merging in 2005. She has experienced all phases of the financial world and loves working with her customers, developing lasting friendships.

Naomi loves reading, cooking, traveling, golf, sewing, gardening and family functions. She is an avid cookbook collector and has done catering for special friends on occasion. She is or has been a member of the Tomball Lions Club, Tomball Business and Professional Women, Harris County ESD #21 Board, Tomball Museum, and Tomagwa Board. She joined the commission to give back to the community that has given her so much. Her sub-committee interests are: cookbook, festival, and legacy.

Ann Marie Linkhart - Ann Marie was born in Houston, TX, as an only child to Anthony and Vincie Bilao.  She moved to Tomball in 1990 and is married to Tony.  Together they share her children, Karen who is 38, and Michelle who is 35.  Ann Marie's grandson Shelby is 15, and more than anything she loves to spend quality time with all of them. 

Coming from St. Anne's Elementary School on Westheimer and Shepherd, Ann Marie graduated from St. Pius High School.  She then went on to Massey Business College and in Austin had their own business, Austin Prosthetics Center.  Ann Marie has ventured into the sales field and as a business manager for Kelly Services for 10 years.  There she earned several awards for outstanding customer service, along with Woman of the Year Award from the Business Women's Federation.  She currently works with Cypress Creek as a sales manager. 

Ann Marie is involved with all the events of the Cy-Fair Chamber, as ambassador and co-chairman of the networking committee.  She joins her talents on the Tomball Chamber's Golf Tournament.  She also enjoys or has been involved in the Red Hat Society, Merry Maids of Mirth and Madness, and Tomball Business and Professional Women's Group as secretary, treasurer, and president. Ann Marie joined the committee to get more involved in the Tomball area. 

Grady Martin - Grady P. Martin was born in Brookhaven, Mississippi, in 1943. He has a brother and a sister and his parents have passed on. He and his wife, Sandra, have five children and six grandchildren. They also are very close with their German family and keep in close contact. Grady finished high school at Bogue, Chitto, Missouri, in 1962. He then attended the University of Missouri for one year. Grady went into his family business, at age fifteen, Roofing and Sheet Metal Contracting, where he remains in business until this day. He has owned and operated Texas National Roofing Company since 1980.

Grady speaks German and is very interested in the German/American connection, German heritage, and its culture. He collects antique German beer steins and has a collection of Native American arrow heads and other artifacts. Since collecting these from a young age, he has around 2,000 arrow heads displayed.

Grady is the Chairman of the Tomball/Telgte Sister City Organization and the Tomball German Heritage Festival Committee. He also is interested in festivals.

Roberto Rodriguez - Robert R. Rodriguez was born in Galicia, Spain and soon after moved to Cuba where he grew up and lived, until 1961. He left for Mexico and later came to the U. S., in 1962, arriving in New Orleans, Louisiana. He is one of six children, with the three younger ones being born in Cuba. At the time, he is the only one who left Cuba and finished college. Later, he helped two of his other siblings to leave the country. He completed high school in New Orleans, Louisiana and attended college at Southeastern Louisiana University, where he received a B. A.. Later, Roberto attended Louisiana State University where he received a Master and Ph.D. He and his wife, Irene Kosturakis, have a daughter named Alyssa.
Roberto has taught at the El Paso Community College for ten years, and also served on the El Paso Symphony board, with a theater group on stage, and with a choral group called El Paso Pro-Musica. At Alvin Community College, he has taught for another ten years, Tomball College for six years and presently going into his fifth year at Prairie View A & M University.

Roberto enjoys traveling and the theater. He likes classical music, opera and ballet. He enjoys reading and good conversation. He likes to help the city where he lives, and the people that are involved in this committee and will enjoy learning and sharing his knowledge for the art committee.

Tana Ross -  Tana is a freelance writer/reporter whose articles frequently appear in The Potpourri. She is married to Jim Ross, CFO of Tomball ISD. The two shared classes together at the University of Houston, fell in love at first sight, married in 1975, and raised four children together. Tana is a native Houstonian who loves the country life. After spending 22 years in Colorado County, she came to Tomball in 2004 with an established career in journalism. Over the years she has won many awards for news writing, humorous column writing, editorial writing, feature photo and news photo from the Texas Press Association, South Texas Press Association and other regional professional press organizations.

Tana is a member of the Society of Professional Journalists, Beta Sigma Phi and the First Baptist Church of Glidden. Last year she supported the Tomball Area Chamber of Commerce as a member of the Chairman’s Ball Committee and soon afterwards volunteered her time to the Tomball Centennial Commission. Tana is no stranger to volunteer work, over the years she has worked in many capacities. She has served as a chamber director, chair of a national pageant committee, library advisory board director, Baptist mission chairman, Girls Auxiliary director, president of her local Beta Sigma Phi chapter, and PTO president. In 2006 she was elected president of her homeowners association. Her involvement with the Tomball Centennial Commission, as Tomball Essay Contest chairman, is allowing her to expand her knowledge of her new hometown and discover more about her own German roots.

In her spare time, Tana’s priority is spending time with her family in the country. On any weekend, she can be found outdoors taking photographs of her two-year-old granddaughter, Hailey, and anything else that strikes her fancy. In addition, she enjoys gardening, hiking, horses and camping. Little known fact about Tana is that she collects glass paperweights.

Tana considers her passion for life and her organizational skills, her best assets. She brings these to the Tomball Centennial Commission. Tana said she was eager to serve on the commission because it is a unique opportunity to get involved in the community she now calls home.

Dennis Semmler - Dennis Semmler was born in southern Ohio, in 1949. He has an older and a younger sister both still living. His parents moved to Texas in 2002, but one died that year and the other died this year, both in Tomball. Dennis moved to Texas in 1972, following his college graduation from the University of Cincinnati, with a BS in Pharmacy. He was recognized during his senior year, as the Dean's Award for Outstanding Service to the Community. He has resided in Tomball proper since 1981. One sister moved here in 1974, and the other finally caught up with them here, around the mid-80's. He and his wife, Kathleen, have four children, three girls and a son. They also have three grandchildren. All but one daughter lives in the Tomball area and they are all very close. Their eldest daughter, currently in San Antonio, is looking to re-locate "back home" to Tomball this fall.

Dennis had worked in a retail pharmacy in Austin for one year, but then moved to Houston and worked at MD Anderson, after he married. From there, he worked at the Medical Center Del Oro Hospital as Senior Staff Pharmacist and was promoted to Pharmacy Director at Tomball the following year, in 1976. He has worked for Tomball hospital since then, and was promoted to Administration in 2001, where he remains today.

Dennis has served on the Logo Sub-Committee of the Centennial Commission and has served on most committees in church, as well as professional pharmacy organizations through his work. He is an avid golfer and fisherman, and enjoys most sports. He has enjoyed watching his children participate in Tomball sports of all kinds from soccer, baseball, to softball etc. He joined the Centennial Commission to represent the hospital and to be a part of celebrating such a milestone event in his community's history.

Wanda Sutton - Wanda Sutton was born in Shreveport, Louisiana, along with two sisters. Her parents now deceased, father in 1986 and mother in 1994, moved their family to Houston, when Wanda was just two years old. Wanda graduated in 1974 from Reagan High, ranking 37th of her class and Magnum Cum Laude. She had a GPA of 3.9, being the top 5% of her class, graduating with honors, as well as having achieved honor roll since 7th grade. She is a Company A bugler and trumpet player and had been a Junior Achievement Sophomore Class Treasurer. Wanda has been married to Robert for thirty-two years and they have three children, aged thirty, twenty-six and twenty-three. They also have two grandchildren, aged four and seventeen months and another one due in September 2005. They owned their own home in Houston for twenty-one years until moving to Waller in 1995. She had fourteen years with Experian (TRW Data) taxes and has worked for the City of Tomball for almost eight years. Wanda holds a CPR and A & D certificate, Food & CDL certificate.

Her favorite hobbies are singing, cooking, teaching line dancing, sewing, crocheting, reading novels, and doing ceramics. Through church, she is in the choir, a Sunday School teacher, a church clerk and a music director. She has played professional softball for two years, as a catcher and a centerfield player. The reason why Wanda joined the Commission was to be able to serve the community in any way she could.

Lessie Upchurch - Lessie Upchurch was born in December 1925 in Shiro, Texas, to Mr. and Mrs. George W. Lee. She has three older brothers, Gary, Bill and O.B. Lee. Her husband Mack, now deceased in 1996, came to Tomball with his parents at the opening of the Tomball oilfield in 1933. She and Mack moved to Tomball after their marriage in 1942, and raised their children in Tomball: Mickey and his three girls, Jimmy and his two girls, and Lisa, who married a Magnolia boy and residing there with their daughter and son. Some of Lessie’s revolutionary ancestors were Richard Henry Lee and Robert E. Lee. Lessie went to Madisonville High School and Iola High School. She also attended Sam Houston University in Huntsville, Texas, completing her two-year Library Science Major.

As a homemaker, Lessie has and still volunteers in many organizations. She printed Welcome to Tomball, a history of Tomball, Texas, in 1976. Reprints were published in 1978, 1983, 1988, 1995 and the sixth printing will be ready later in 2005. Her favorite hobbies are grandchildren, great-grandchildren, community organizations, sewing, crochet, music, and collecting Tomball history. Lessie joined the Commission to help celebrate the 100th birthday of an awesome town which began with a diverse heritage of settlers who held admiration for their city, and who continue to live, work, and maintain this “HOMETOWN WITH A HEART”.

Ken Walden - Ken Walden graduated from high school in 1966 and began working for the Tampa Tribune Times in Tampa, Florida in the editorial department. He drew portraits, maps, and other visuals to go along with the news stories. As a temp, he was to fill in for artist who were coming from out-of-state, but who had not arrived yet. Because of his consistent completion of every drawing assignment satisfactory, the Times waived the art degree requirement and kept Ken on staff.

Ken moved to Tomball in 1967 to work at David Wayne Hooks Memorial Airport, as airport supervisor for five years. His father’s sister, Irma Hooks, and her husband, Charlie, owned it. The airport was always a family-owned-and-operated business, but since it had just become memorial to Irma and Charlie’s on, they wanted to employ as many family members as possible.

Ken has had a variety of art jobs including the illustrator for educational pamphlets for Sam Houston state College, the layout artist for an auto resale magazine, and been commissioned to point industrial renderings for several companies. Those paintings were gifts to presidents and CEO’s from their managers.

Ken is currently, and for the last thirty years, a truck driver delivering construction materials to local sites. Drawing and painting are secondary activities right now, but he hopes to open a studio one day and turn out railroad paintings and illustrations. Real railroading, not model, is his passion and steam trains are his favorites and where his illustrating expertise lies.

Ken joined the committee so he can participate in preserving Tomball’s train depot. He chairs the Centennial Profile committee and sketches the portraits; Phyllis Wolford writes the articles.

Jamie White - Jamie White was born in Providence, Rhode Island. She has lived in the greater Houston area most of her life. Her grandparents emigrated from Italy. Jamie has four brothers and sisters. She and her husband, James Strong, have two children, five grandchildren. Jamie graduated from Aldine High School and received a Journalism degree from the University of Houston where she was editor of the daily newspaper.

Jamie has worked at the Houston Chronicle for several years and was editor of The Woodlands Sun for fifteen years. She is presently the Director of Community Relations for Tomball College. Jamie has been a member of several professional and civic organizations over the years, including PTA, athletic booster clubs, Society of Professional Journalists, Rotary, chamber, and Leadership North Houston alumni. She has served on the board of the South Montgomery Woodlands Chamber of Commerce. Jamie is a member of National Journalism Honor Society.