Texan Arthur Baird retired as Vice Chairman of the Board of Mrs. Baird’s Bakeries, Inc. in 1998, but he and Philamena continue an active lifestyle of community service and philanthropy.
Arthur has served on the boards of the Greater Houston Partnership, March of Dimes, Houston Business Community for Education, Sheltering Arms, Avancè, and Memorial Hermann Hospital System (for 12 years). His good works have been recognized by Texas Business Hall of Fame, Avancè, and Community Partners of Houston.
Philamena’s charitable endeavors have benefitted the Living Arts Council of The Woodlands, the Academy of Arts’ Summer Camp for Children, Woodlands Symphony Orchestra, the State of Texas’ Commissions for Women and for the Arts, March of Dimes, Child Advocates, Houston Achievement Place, KUHF, and American Heart Association. Philamena’s great passions include children and golf, especially spearheading local and celebrity tournaments supporting children’s charities. She has enhanced learning opportunity through Harris County Education Foundation (founding president), Houston Business Promise to Education, Jung Education Institute, and Community Partners. She has parlayed her love of music and the arts into fundraising for the Texas Institute for Arts in Education, Van Cliburn Foundation on Early Childhood Development, Jewel Charity Ball, Fort Worth Opera, and UH Moore’s School of Music Society. A 2006 Woman of Distinction, her contributions to Houston’s Symphony, Opera, and Ballet companies are innumerable.
Proud parents of 6 and grandparents of 7, Philamena and Arthur are this year’s Heart Ball Community Honorees. Their second home in Steamboat Springs, Colorado, is base for more extravagant community service, sharing time with travel, golf, and fly fishing.