Galveston Cultural Gem Throws Million-Dollar Coastal-Cowboy Gala

Galveston Cultural Gem Throws Million-Dollar Coastal-Cowboy Gala

Roger and Fatima Camp, and Cassie and Wesley Sinor

AT GALVESTON'S HISTORIC Bryan Museum, founded by wildcatter J.P. Bryan and his wife Mary Jon, hundreds of guests gathered to pay tribute to the history of coastal ranching in Texas at a "Coastal Cowboy"-themed event.


The evening kicked off with a VIP pre-party inside the museum's Galveston Orphan's home, which survived the Great Storm of 1900. Cowboy-hat-clad guests then made their way to the property's Conservatory for the main event, welcomed with a platter of Brush Fire signature cocktails. They sipped and surveyed the silent-auction items, including a suite at a Texans game and original art.

The gala, chaired by Kelley Sullivan Georgiades and George Georgiades, honored fifth-generation Galveston rancher Gerald Sullivan with the Buck'n'Bull Award. Sea-glass-inspired decor filled with blooms from Island Flowers and a meal featuring RC Ranch beef, catered by Culinaire, were among the sensory-rich highlights. Guests participated in a lively auction, led by Rodeo Houston auctioneer Randolph Holford, that included an exciting Montana ranch trip donated by Houston native and Yellowstone star Cole Hauser. And afterward, partygoers took to the dance floor and two-stepped the night away to a set by Roger Creager.

In all, the night raised more than $900,000 for the Bryan Museum, which opens its Coastal Cowboys exhibit in November.

Alicia Bryan

Todd and Sarah Sullivan

Chairs George and Kelley Sullivan Georgiades

Russell and Jolyn Sheirman

Champagne Cowgirl at the 2024 Bryan Museum Gala

Romy and Jason Dell’Ario

Cole Lowry and Eloise Haynes

Roger Creager

D'Lisa and John Johnston

Gerald Sullivan, Mac Sullivan

Greg McEldowney and Joanie McLeod

Robert Clay, Colleen and Phillip Smith

Michelle Lilie and Rodney Rudell

Honoree Gerald Sullivan and Family

Michael Fossum and Rusty Hardin

J.P. Bryan, Gerald Sullivan

Melissa Williams Murphy, J.P. and Mary Jon Bryan

Leigh Stubbs, Natalie Crowder, Bill Stubbs

Jackson Alston Berger, Kelley Sullivan Georgiades

Johnny and Sydney Sullivan

John and Andrea Bryan

Jim and Kate Lykes

Parties
Leadership in Action: John Kuykendall Traded Newcaster Dream for Success in Luxury Retail

John Kuykendall, Showroom Manager, Sub-Zero, Wolf and Cove

How did you get to where you are today? Growing up I had envisioned myself as a news anchor, living in NY and enthusiastically saying into the camera “Good Morning America!”. To this day, I am still a news/political junkie. My mother owned fur salons so specialty retail, luxury retail was in my blood through the family business. Eventually, mom shuttered the stores and I was recruited to a large specialty retailer. Over the next 30 years, I was in commissioned sales on the sales floor, became a department manager, worked my way up to buyer and store manager. Although I never became a newscaster, I did live in NYC for a few years. But Texas is home and with aging grandparents, I felt the pull to come back to my roots. A headhunter approached me. I never envisioned myself in the high-end appliance market, but there are so many similarities. Clients want a memorable experience; whether shopping for diamonds and fur or remodeling their kitchen.

Keep Reading Show less

What year was your organization launched? Founded in Houston in 1947, as the Cerebral Palsy Treatment Center, the organization provided services to individuals with disabilities living in Houston and Harris County. In 1989, the organization changed its name and greatly expanded its services to meet the needs of its clientele. Today as Easter Seals Greater Houston, the organization provides multiple outstanding service programs to children, adults, veterans, and service members with all types of disabilities and their families in Harris and sixteen surrounding counties.

Keep Reading Show less

How did you get to where you are today? My journey to where I am today is built on a foundation of hard work, dedication, and perseverance. Every step along the way, I faced obstacles, but I approached each one with determination and a “never give up” mindset. Instead of being discouraged by challenges, I used them as opportunities to grow and improve. Consistency was key—I committed to showing up and giving my best effort every day. I also learned not to take “no” as a final answer. Instead, I saw it as a chance to push harder, adapt, and find another way forward. It’s this combination of persistence, resilience, and unwavering focus that has brought me to where I am today.

Keep Reading Show less