Fort Bend Lifestyles and Homes Magazine Aug 2009: Business News 1

Julie Fix, a Sugar Land resident and director of undergraduate studies and an instructional professor at the University of Houston ’s Jack J. Valenti School of Communication, is the recipient of the Houston chapter of the Public Relations Society of America ’s Excalibur Legacy Award honoring outstanding contributions to the field from professionals who have been active for 25 years or more.

Fix graduated from UH with a bachelor’s degree in journalism and is accredited in PR through PRSA. She has applied her expertise as a communicator to positions at the Houston Chronicle, Baylor College of Medicine, Fort Bend Mirror and her own public relations agency, Fix and Associates. She also taught high school journalism and history at C.E. King High School in the Sheldon Independent School District.

In 1998, she brought her extensive knowledge of writing and public relations to UH classrooms as an adjunct instructor. Six years later, she became a full-time member of the faculty and has been a driving force in the JJVSoC ’s advertising/public relations program.

Fix has received awards for her diligent work in PR from the Texas Press Association, Texas Public Relations Association, Houston Press Club and the Houston chapter of PRSA.

the position of service area director for CenterPoint Energy’s Fort Bend/Sugar Land Service Area. He began his career with CenterPoint Energy in 1999 as an engineer. He holds a bachelor ’s degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Texas and is a registered professional engineer in the state of Texas.

Brown, the chief executive officer of Memorial Hermann Sugar Land Hospital has a history of tackling challenges that prepared him for his current leadership role at the hospital. Brown ’s introduction to the healthcare industry began in his hometown of Paris, Texas. After earning a master ’s degree at Trinity University in San Antonio, Brown returned to the Paris hospital and, within five years, rose from an administrative resident to vice president.

communications director, Ethan will oversee the chamber’s LAN, administer the Web site and publish the monthly newsletter, along with a multitude of other media-related duties.

Broughton, membership director, joined the chamber staff in May, following seven years of business management experience and community involvement. He is a graduate of Sam Houston State University, where he received his Bachelors of Science in Agriculture Business & Marketing. He also received an Associates of Science from The Victoria College in Victoria.

Montgomery is a Realtor with Prudential Gary Greene, Realtors’ Fort Bend office. She and a group of members of the Cancer League of Fort Bend started the Pink Lady Golf Tournament in 2003 to promote awareness of breast cancer. The nine-hole charity event is held every October for women who have never played or rarely play the game, with funds going to the American Cancer Society. Last year, the event raised more than $40,000.

“It’s volunteering for a cause,” Montgomery said. “To me this is really important. It’s amazing how many people have had breast cancer.” Montgomery, a breast cancer survivor, is a lifetime member of the American Cancer Society. Her passion for the organization stems from her concern for friends and family members who have suffered with breast cancer.

“The purpose of the Pink Lady Golf Tournament is to raise awareness. We have people of all ages, from young mothers to ladies in their 70s and 80s playing. The players swing for the pinkest team, pinkest lady and sip pink champagne. ”

Sugar Land Mortuary is a new, full-service funeral home joining the Sugar Land community in October 2009. The 12,000-square-foot flagship location is under construction at 1818 Eldridge Road and will offer families premium-level service options rarely found at most funeral homes today.

As the Fort Bend community continues to grow and thrive, the needs of its families are growing with it. Final arrangements, while a highly personal and sensitive subject, is one that all families must consider in the course of time. Having an experienced, professional, community-based business to turn to for future concerns and immediate needs can be a comforting and reassuring solution.

Sugar Land Mortuary Funeral Director L. Donnell Williams is a Sugar Land resident and is licensed in the states of Texas and California. He comes from a family legacy of founding independently owned and locally operated funeral homes, and his strong sense of duty as a community public servant is matched by his passion for providing stellar service and compassionate guidance to families in their hour of need. Williams is proud to bring the first independently owned, locally operated facility to the Sugar Land area.

“Most funeral homes today are part of a large chain and are corporately owned,” says Williams.“Living in the same community where my business is conducted means I see the families I serve outside the office —at church, local restaurants, grocery stores, civic meetings, and even movie night at Sugar Land Town Square. That community intimacy means I will be held to a higher standard of accountability, that I answer directly to the families, and I am deeply honored for the opportunity to do so. ”

OakBend Medical Center now provides full service cardiac care. Under the medical leadership of Dr. Uttam Tripathy, cardiovascular and thoracic surgeon, the first coronary bypass with graft surgery was performed on Janie Becerra Martinez.

The program was developed under the direction of Jody Jones Noirot, senior vice president and chief operating officer, and Sue McCarty, chief nursing officer responsible for the Intensive Care Unit at OakBend Medical Center. For the last several months the Perioperative staff and ICU nursing staff have been undergoing extensive training for open heart surgical patients and their special needs.

When asked why she agreed to be the first patient to receive this treatment at OakBend, Martinez said, “They were taking such good care of me, I just felt good about it. I trusted the doctor and the ICU director. ” Four days after the procedure and just prior to being released from the hospital, Martinez was very happy about heading home, and when asked about the quality of care she had received during her stay, she said, “One hundred percent quality of care—they took very good care of me, even staying in my room while I slept.”

“This is just the next step in reaching the goals we have set for offering comprehensive health care to the community we serve including the establishment of the OakBend Institute of Diabetes, Heart and Vascular Disease, ” said CEO Joe Freudenberger. “It is because of the excellent physicians and staff who have chosen to be a part of the OakBend Medical Center team that OakBend can provide nationally recognized, award-winning services in stroke, cancer, women ’s health and respiratory care.”

“Everyone at the hospital is very excited to have reached this level of care,” said Jody Jones Noirot, chief operating officer. “We have been working toward this for some time and were committed to ensuring that we were prepared by engaging the right people, implementing the necessary training and following very deliberate and detailed protocols. We are extremely proud of our entire team for providing the best possible outcome for Mrs. Martinez and all future heart patients at OakBend Medical Center. ”

Sonal Bhuchar was elected to fill the interim vacancy for the Texas Association of School Boards ’ Board of Directors, Region 4, Position G. Bhuchar replaces Steve Smelley in the position following his retirement from the school board in May. She will resume Smelley ’s three-year term which began in July 2008.

Bhuchar was elected to the Fort Bend ISD board in 2006 in Position 2, and then re-elected to a new three-year term in the election held on May 9. She has served as secretary and most recently as president of the Fort Bend ISD school board. She has also served on the District Accountability Task Force, Audit and Finance Committee and the Discipline Management Committee. Additionally, she led the formation of the Student Leadership and legislative advocacy programs in Fort Bend ISD.

Sharon Valiante, Missouri City’s assistant director of public works, was named Professional Manager of the Year for Emergency Management by the Texas Public Works Association. The state-wide award was presented to Valiante during the annual TPWA Conference in El Paso.

Valiante was honored for her work during and after Hurricane Ike. Serving as Public Works shift commander at the city ’s Emergency Operations Center during the storm, she coordinated teams of city employees who worked around the clock to protect residents ’ lives and safety during the hurricane. Soon after the storm passed through Missouri City, Valiante helped direct recovery operations on the streets, coordinating crews to assess damage to public infrastructure and private structures and clear roads of downed trees and debris.