2007 HOMETOWN HEROES SELECTED

Four individuals and one business have been selected as the 2007 Hometown Heroes. Dr. David Gottlieb, John Haynes, Robert “Bob” C. Kinnear, Jr., Dr. Edmund “Ed” Robb III and Montgomery College (North Harris Montgomery Community College District) are the honorees that will be recognized and praised for their many contributions to the community at The WoodlandsCelebration of Excellence Gala benefiting Interfaith of The Woodlands.

The gala will be held on Saturday, October 13, 2007 at The Woodlands Waterway Marriott Hotel and Convention Center, according to Susan Vreeland-Wendt, director of marketing for The Woodlands Development Company. The 2007 Hometown Heroes were chosen by a Selection Committee composed of Hometown Heroes alumni, a group that now includes 67 residents of The Woodlands and four businesses that have contributed to the educational, civic, cultural and spiritual fabric of the community. The annual tradition of honoring Hometown Heroes began in 1999 as a part of The Woodlands 25 th Anniversary Celebration, and has continued ever since.

“The Hometown Heroes are those who consistently exemplify that giving spirit through their commitment of time, hard work, compassion, and dedication,” Vreeland-Wendt said. “Many of the Hometown Heroes are pioneers in the community who have helped create and nurture the many community organizations and hometown values that make The Woodlands a very special place to live.”

Dr. David Gottlieb is congratulated by his wife Brenda upon hearing the news of being selected as a 2007 Hometown Hero.

Dr. David Gottlieb has played a major role in the founding and growth of cultural institutions, the arts and education in the community for many years. As President and CEO of The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion from 1995-2002, he was instrumental in developing their Musical Score program which honors goal-setting, at-risk student achievers with a day of fun and motivation at The Pavilion. He also helped initiate a free admission program for seniors, and helped establish Partners, the volunteer and scholarship arm of The Pavilion.

Dr. Gottlieb, whose name is synonymous with arts in The Woodlands, is Founding President and current Executive Committee Board Member of The Woodlands Waterway Arts Festival Board and a member of the Town Center Improvement District Committee for Arts and Culture. In addition to The Woodlands Waterway Arts Festival, a juried art show, he has also established a scholarship program for high school seniors seeking careers in the arts.

Dr. Gottlieb has also served on important service and civic organizations in The Woodlands, including Montgomery County United Way, The Woodlands Symphony Orchestra, Montgomery College Advisory Board, Montgomery County Youth Services, Texas New Community Alliance, the Montgomery County Women’s Center and the Woodforest Charitable Foundation. A participant in the Interfaith Scribes program, he has also written two books and donates significant contributions from the book royalties to local non-profit groups.

John Haynes (left) receives the news about being selected as a 2007 Hometown Hero from Susan Vreeland-Wendt (center), director of marketing for The Woodlands Development Company and Hometown Hero Alumnus Bob Williams (right).

John Haynes has been an outstanding resident of The Woodlands for 15 years, serving the community in many ways. Haynes has been an active member of the Kiwanis Club since 1993. He has been honored multiple times as “Kiwanian of the Year”. He has served as Past President, Board Member and Chairman of Membership for Kiwanis as well as played a pivotal role in the annual Prayer Breakfast, the Special Olympics, and the “Kids Fishing” tournament. Haynes also sets a positive example for students involved in the Key Club organization at the high schools, and has served as a mentor to a Collins Intermediate School 6 th grade student.

Along with his background in the financial advisory industry, Haynes is an ordained Deacon with The Woodlands Community Presbyterian Church and has been for 15 years. He has served the congregation in other capacities assuming leadership roles, such as Chairperson of the Finance and Stewardship committees, Vacation Bible School teacher, trained Stephen Minister, and has worked alongside pastors to support members in times of crisis.

Robert “Bob” C. Kinnear, Jr. is congratulated by his wife Reverend Vivian Kinnear (left) and his stepdaughter Angela Hosler (right).

Robert “Bob” C. Kinnear, Jr. has been a leader in the development of The Woodlands Town Center for 12 years where he has served on the Board of Directors for the Town Center Improvement District (TCID). His service to the community as a public official includes two terms as Chairman of the Board of Directors, Chairman of the Convention Center Task Force (which created The Woodlands Waterway Marriott Hotel and Convention Center), Chairman of the Special Projects Committee, and most recently, Chairman of the Committee of Governance and Nominations. In addition, Kinnear was instrumental in the development of Market Street, the expansion of The Woodlands Mall and Town Green Park.

Kinnear is an active member of Christ Church United Methodist in The Woodlands. He has served as Chairman of the Mission Committee, men’s ministry leader, and was responsible for the construction phase of Climbing Tree, the children’s development center at the church. The community room at The Climbing Tree was named “Bob’s Room” in his honor. In addition to his own ministry service, he is also a partner in ministry with his wife, Reverend Vivian Kinnear, Associate Pastor of the church.

Dr. Edmund “Ed” Robb III is cheered on by his friends at The Woodlands United Methodist Church for being selected as a 2007 Hometown Hero along with Dr. Ann Snyder, executive director for Interfaith of The Woodlands. Front row left to right: Lyn Bronstad, Pam Herron, Jane Jordan, Becky Hamrick, Reverend Ed Robb, Jessica LaGrone, Terry Loughridge and Dr. Ann Snyder. Back Row left to right: Candy Randolph and Jim Neikirk.

Dr. Edmund “Ed” Robb III , and his wife Beverly, arrived in The Woodlands in 1978. Fresh from the seminary, Reverend Robb established a new church, The Woodlands United Methodist Church. He started with a small group of families meeting at the original Information Center to the current congregation of over 7,500 families with ministries reaching throughout The Woodlands’ community and across the globe.

Reverend Robb’s rapid response in the wake of Hurricane Katrina mobilized countless volunteers and converted a large portion of the church facility into a service center and shelter for three months. From dormitories housing 227 individuals, legal and medical assistance, to tutoring and counseling, the service center provided assistance for over 5,000 evacuees.

During his tenure, Robb has served the community on a number of boards including Director and past Chair of the Town Center Improvement District (TCID) Board of Directors; member of the Steering Committee for the Development Board for Reaching Pines, a Montgomery County Women’s Shelter project; past Board Member of the South Montgomery County YMCA Board; past Chair at Interfaith of The Woodlands; and past Board Member of the Board of Directors for The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion. He also sits on various TCID committees.

Montgomery College was selected as a 2007 Hometown Hero. Dr. Ann Snyder (center), executive director for Interfaith of The Woodlands congratulates Dr. Tom Butler (right), president of Montgomery College and Dr. Richard Carpenter (left), chancellor of North Harris Montgomery Community College District.

Montgomery College (North Harris Montgomery Community College District) has a list of major community initiatives and innovative partnerships that have benefited people of all ages in The Woodlands. The Academy for Lifelong Learning at Montgomery College (ALL@MC); the Center for Creative Discovery Summer Program; “Programa Mejoremos”; and The Montgomery College Child Care Center are four major achievements of Montgomery College.

In 2000, the ALL@MC program began offering classes and programs for active, older adults. In 2005, membership in ALL@MC reached more than 1,000. This past summer, Montgomery College and the Montgomery County Arts for Youth presented its 11 th consecutive year of the Center for Creative Discovery Summer Program. The program offers classes for youth in science, technology, personal development and sports while focusing on creative thinking and forming an appreciation of the arts. Beginning in 2003, Montgomery College and Conroe Independent School District (CISD) Newcomers’ Center created a literacy program called “Programa Mejoremos” (Spanish for “Let’s Get Better”) for Spanish-speaking parents of CISD students and other interested adult through adult basic education and training. In 2005, the Montgomery College Child Care Center began operation with the start of the fall semester. A partnership with Interfaith of The Woodlands allowed the college to provide this service for students with children.

For the past 20 years, the NHMCCD Small Business Development Center has provided free counseling and training to small businesses in The Woodlands. In 2004, the NHMCCD Training and Development Center opened in The Woodlands to provide a venue for meeting and training for our community and corporate partners.

Montgomery College received the prestigious “Drum Major Award” in 2003, sponsored by the Martin Luther King, Jr. Commemorative Celebration that is held annually in The Woodlands. The award was earned due to the significant work in the community that Montgomery College provided. One of these projects involved extensive tutoring and educational support in the Tamina community.

Criteria for the selection of the Hometown Heroes included, but were not limited to:

• Positive role model
• History of volunteerism
• Sacrificing personal gain to achieve noble goals
• Leadership and courage
• Embodies the values of The Woodlands community; family values, importance of education, the arts and culture, environmental consciousness
• Dedication to public service

The Celebration of Excellence Honoring Hometown Heroes is the largest annual fundraiser for Interfaith of The Woodlands, the primary social services organization in the community. The event is sponsored by many businesses and organizations in The Woodlands. To purchase a table or make a donation, contact Meghan Warren, Interfaith’s Special Events Coordinator, at mwarren@woodlandsinterfaith.org or call 832-615-8223.