The Social Book Celebrates “Houston’s Ten Most Beautiful Couples” by Warner Roberts-Fall 2024

Photo by Priscilla Dickson
Nichole and Benny Agosto, Jr. are committed to serving a multitude of charitable organizations. Together they founded the Nikki and Benny Agosto, Jr. Houston Baptist University Scholarship benefiting single mother students. Nichole is a board member at Cy-Hope MABATx Foundation and President of FABLE (Friends of Aldine Library). Nichole and Benny are longtime supporters of The Houston Bar Foundation as well as UNCF. They donated $1 million to the Greater Houston Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Foundation which is the single largest contribution to the GHHCF in its 45-year history as well as the single largest investment nationwide from a Hispanic donor to a Hispanic foundation, The donation supports the Emerging Leaders Institute, which provides professional training and development, mentorship and recruitment opportunities for up-and-coming leaders. They also donated $3 million to the South Texas College of Law Houston in 2021 for the school’s diversity center. The donation was one of the largest single gifts to any law school for this purpose. Benny, who is the managing partner at the law firm, Abraham, Watkins, Nichols, Agosto, Aziz and Stogner, says, “Change can begin in your own community, but when you reach out to other communities, you can change the world, one act of kindness at a time.”

Photo by Gittings
Zane and Brady Carruth decided at an early age that service would be an integral part of their lives. Zane credits her mother with her desire to help others. She is a successful children’s book author of three books and a coloring book in an award-winning series, The World’s First Tooth Fairy .. Ever and The Legend Begins. Understanding the value of childhood literacy, Zane has donated hundreds of books to nonprofit organization Books Between Kids. Brady’s father, Allen H. (Buddy) Carruth was Chairman of the Board of the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo from 1979 to 1981, and his mother was Chair of the Rodeo’s School of Art committee. Working his way through many committees and positions, Brady became the Chairman of the Board of HLSR in 2021 and re-elected three times until 2023. Zane and Brady chaired the 2017 Houston Grand Opera Ball, the 10th anniversary Discovery Green Conservancy Gala, the SPCA Gala, which was held in the beautiful new Carruth Education Center, and the Theatre Under The Stars gala, “Lights Up!” Zane has served on the boards of Houston Grand Opera, Discovery Green Conservatory and the SPCA board, where she served on the capital campaign committee personally raising over $3 million for the new campus. Zane is also Vice-President of the Carruth Foundation.

Photo by Gittings
Jana and Richard Fant, one of Houston’s most philanthropic couples, share a passion for giving back to the community. They are very devoted to supporting children in need. Jana is Co-Chairman of The Fant Foundation where she oversees the day-to-day responsibilities and directly interfaces with the various charities and individuals the Foundation supports. Additionally, she serves on the boards of The Houston Ballet, K9s4Cops, Hope Stone and Houston Children’s Charity. She and Richard have supported Houston Children’s Charity since 2013 with major table purchases to the annual Gala and currently their dedication has been to the Houston Children’s Charity Chariots for Children program. During the most recent gala, they made a monumental gift of 30 vans for the children to add to the 25 wheelchair accessible vans they have sponsored since 2016. Jana is also active on the board of the Houston Ballet, the development board of Casa de Esperanza and the Fant Foundation. Richard has served on several boards and is Chairman of Fant Foundation and New Process Foundation, both of which support a wide range of charitable causes.

Photo by Gittings
When Cheryl and Bill King were joined in the state of matrimony last year, they were also joined in their love of giving back to the community. Together they will chair the Memorial Hermann Foundation gala next year. Cheryl has long been involved with the Covenant House serving as President of the Guild and as chair and co-chair of numerous galas. A longtime devotee of the Houston Symphony, she is a member of the Houston Symphony League and has co-chaired the spring luncheon and the annual gala, which raised over $1.1 million. Bill Is well-known in the Houston Community for his service in many areas. He wrote for the Houston Chronicle in a bi-weekly column and served on the editorial board. He has authored two books, the most recent of which is titled Unapologetically Moderate: My Search for Rational Center in American Politics. He contributes to Real Clear Politics and publishes a widely followed blog at www,BillKingBlog.com. He served two terms as the Mayor of Kemah. Totally committed to serving many charitable and civic organizations, he has had leadership roles in Interfaith Ministries, Methodist DeBakey Heart Council, HISD Foundation, Crime Stoppers, Galveston Bay Foundation, Memorial Hermann Foundation, Trees for Houston and others.

Photo courtesy of Daniel Irion
Kirk Kveton and Daniel Irion, married since 2014, are dedicated to working together to uplift the Houston community that they love. Kirk, a third-generation graduate of Texas Christian University (TCU), remains actively involved with the TCU Alumni Association. His board membership in Houston Boychoir reflects his commitment to youth enrichment through the arts. Daniel’s passion for supporting cancer research and care is demonstrated in his work with Texas Children’s Hospital, as well as BRASS, a research grant support organization for Baylor physicians. He also serves on the board of A Shelter for Cancer Families, where he promotes its mission to provide crucial support to families facing the challenges of cancer. Kirk and Daniel are ardent supporters of the arts, particularly Houston Grand Opera and Houston Symphony. Also, their advocacy for animal adoption and care has led them to support CAPS and Houston PetSet.

Photo by Kim Padgett
Jessica Rossman and Gordon Bethune recently co-chaired the inaugural Hope Biosciences Research Foundation’s (HBRF) gala. Proceeds from the event support research and clinical trials for regenerative technologies in adult cell therapy for conditions including Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis, lupus and spinal cord injuries. Gordon, one of Houston’s most respected businessmen, recently shared his personal journey with Parkinson’s disease and his remarkable stem cell treatment success with HBRF. At the organization’s first lunch, he was recognized as a Visionary Sponsor through establishment of the Gordon Bethune Parkinson’s Research Fund. His successful experience has made the opportunity available to others living with the disease at more than 75 years of age, an unprecedented undertaking in adult cell therapy research. Jessica, recently retired as Senior Managing Counsel and Managing Director – International at United Airlines, Inc., has had leadership roles in numerous charitable organizations. She is an Advisory Board member and long-time supporter of Latin Women’s Initiative. She co-chaired the Aids Foundation Houston, Inc. annual fundraiser event, “Dining Out for Life.” In recent years, Jessica was honored by the March of Dimes as one of Houston’s Best Dressed.

Photo by Gittings
Elizabeth and Alan Stein have been dedicated to supporting multiple Houston charitable organizations for many years. Elizabeth has co-chaired two Ballet Bravo balls, served on the Houston Ballet Board, chaired the Nutcracker Market and has been a guild member for over 20 years. As an active member of VICTORY Houston, Elizabeth co-chaired the Cattle Barons Ball, served as vice president and president and has served on the board for many years. Many charitable organizations have benefited from Elizabeth’s leadership, such as Citizens for Animal Protection, Family Services of Greater Houston, Holocaust Museum, Houston Achievement Place, Houston Symphony, Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo and others. Alan Stein has been an active member of the YPO/WPO since 1990. Currently he is a member of CEO, The Corkscrews supporting the HLSR, a founding member of the Houston Sheriff’s Foundation and a Founding member of the Houston Professional Fire Fighters Foundation. Elizabeth and Alan chaired the Houston Symphony Wine Dinner and Collector’s Auction. Together they founded and have chaired for the past seven years the very successful Red Hot Gala benefiting the Houston Professional Fire Fighters Association Charitable Foundation to provide state-of-the-art equipment not covered in its government budget.

Photo by Gittings
Phoebe Tudor is an active community volunteer who was the founding Chairman of the Julia Ideson Library Preservation Partners, a $32 million renovation project of Houston’s oldest library. She is the Vice Chairman of the Houston Archeological and Historical Commission and serves on the boards of the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, Houston Ballet, Greater Houston Preservation Alliance, Hermann Park Conservancy, Teach for America and the National Trust for Historic Preservation, among others. She has served as Chairman of the Astrodome Conservancy. Robert is also very active in the community and has served as President of the Houston Symphony Society, as President of the Board of the United Way of the Texas Gulf Coast and chair of Greater Houston Partnership. He is a member of the Rice University Board of Trustees, M. D. Anderson Cancer Center Board of Visitors, Houston Public Library Foundation and others. He is the former President of the Board of the Society of the Performing Arts. The Founder, Chairman and CEO of Tudor, Pickering, Holt & Company, LLC., Robert serves on the National Petroleum Council and the Board of Deltic Timber Corporation.

Photo by Gittings
Betty and Jess Tutor’s history of philanthropy in Houston is awe inspiring. Together they have chaired the Houston Symphony Ball, Houston Symphony Opening Night, Houston Symphony Men’s Event, Maestro Collection Fashion Show, Houston Symphony Auction, Annual Fund Giving Campaign, Houston Grand Opera Concert of Arias, American Diabetes Gala and Houston Symphony Legacy Society Awards. Betty has chaired, co-chaired, or served as a board member of the following: Texas State Orchestra Conference, Menninger Clinic Luncheon and Foundation, Houston Symphony Children’s Fashion Show, Houston Grand Opera and Moores School of Music. She is a founding member of the Salvation Army Guild; she has served as underwriting chair for Houston Symphony Opening Nights, Balls, Wine Dinners, Children’s Style Shows, and the Musical Magic Morning events as well as chair of Houston Symphony Men’s Smoker. She is a past board member of Child Builders; past president of Houston Symphony League; is vice president of Houston Symphony Fundraising; and is a creator and past chair of Houston Symphony Cultivation Dinners. Jess has served as past president and chair of the Houston Symphony Society, president of the Houston Symphony Endowment, a Steering Committee member and chairman for Men of Distinction Luncheon and chair of the Houston Symphony annual fund committee.

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Laura has volunteered her time and expertise to multiple charitable organizations, such as the Arbor School and the Houston Furniture Bank. She led the capital campaign for the Dave Ward Building at Crime Stoppers of Houston where $10 million was raised; she has chaired the Houston Police Foundation’s gala for sixteen years, raising over $11 million to support Houston’s police officers. Over 27 years ago, she founded, along with six other Houstonians, Houston Children’s Charity where, as President and CEO, she has broken fund raising records. Her most recent gala provided an astonishing $6.2 million to minister to almost four million of Houston’s abused, disabled and underprivileged children. Dave has been called the “Voice of Houston” and “The Face of Channel 13.” As anchor of the ABC-Channel 13 nightly news, he is now listed in the Guiness Book of Records as the longest running television anchor in the same market; a street now bears his name, and innumerable honors document his service. Dave has served many organizations, such as Houston Easter Seals Society, the American Cancer Society, the Leukemia Society, the Partnership for Baylor College of Medicine, and the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, where he broadcast the Parade for 49 years. Currently, he serves on the board of the Houston Police Foundation and on the Advisory Board of Houston Children’s Charity. He was instrumental in establishing Crime Stoppers in Houston and throughout the world. The first Crime Stoppers headquarters in the nation is named The Dave Ward Building, Crime Stoppers of Houston. This month Dave is being inducted into the prestigious Lone Star EMMY 2024 Gold Circle recognizing his lifetime of outstanding contributions to the television industry including five decades as News Anchor. Sincere congratulations to my friend and to everybody’s neighbor.