Gracie and Bob weave a rich tapestry of experiences into their lives of work philanthropy and civic engagement. In constant movement with their three dogs trailing behind, they love to throw dinner parties and spend time with friends and family, especially grandson Joey.
Bob: oil & gasman; turn-around guy; political activist; prolific blogger; media personality and author. CEO of Luca Technologies, a renewable fuels venture, Bob is a 35-year veteran of the oil and gas business. He started on an East Texas drilling rig and, with stops along the way at Harvard and SMU, worked his way up to the boardroom. His first book, Disaster on the Horizon was released in October and has received widespread national praise.
Bob’s interests range well beyond the oilfield. He serves on the Boards of Directors for KIPP Houston and the Center for National Policy in Washington, D.C.; and is Senior Chairman of the Board of the Houston Grand Opera. In his spare time he plays the guitar, rides motorcycles, flies helicopters, studies Zen and is a hell of a fine cook.
Gracie: energetic; determined; doesn’t understand the word no; believes that you can do anything you put your mind to, and has spent a lifetime proving it. Over 45 years, her professional life progressed from model, architect, PR wiz to writer. Along the way, she raised children and millions of dollars for charities, including Houston Grand Opera, The Ballet, Lawndale Art Center, Nature Conservancy, Inprint, Houston Center for Contemporary Craft, and The Museum of Fine Arts.
A story about school vending machines motivated Gracie to create Recipe for Success Foundation (RFS) to combat childhood obesity. She launched programs in 2005 and donates her fulltime as CEO. RFS has worked with over 15,000 children, is the largest initiative of its kind in the country, has attracted attention from many activists, the White House and national press, and garnered a dozen awards for Gracie, including national prizes from Dr. Oz. Glynwood Harvest, and Harlequin Publishing.