Private ‘Cotton Ball’ Bash Celebrates Company’s Milestone in Lavish Style

Jenny Antill
Private ‘Cotton Ball’ Bash Celebrates Company’s Milestone in Lavish Style

Franco Valobra, Kristen Cannon, Faith and Lee Majors

A PRIVATE COMPANY eager to celebrate its 25th anniversary right spared no expense at a lavish quarter-century bash at the Post Oak Hotel last week.


Cotton Holdings — an infrastructure support services outfit that cleans up all measure of damage from storms, other national disasters, terrorist attacks and more — welcomed nearly 300 guests to its black-tie (and, in many cases, black cowboy hat) "Cotton Ball." Nodding to the cheeky world play, tables were set with voluminous all-white florals, and mirrored accents, amping up the glamour.

After a fabulous surf-and-turf dinner — during which Cotton execs such as co-founder Pete Bell made moving presentations about the company's history, and sent Patron shots out to the crowd for toasting — a sumptuous dessert buffet was offered up, as were concerts by country star Clay Walker and, in the later hours, the fun and quite accomplished '80s cover band The Spazmatics. The dance floors stayed packed!

A custom 25th anny logo was affixed to almost every available surface, from the mini-Champagne bottles given out as favors, to the French fry and pizza boxes that circulated as the party tilted into after hours.

Spotted in the crowd were Cotton honchos Randall Thompson, Bryan Michalsky, Chris Sneck, James Scaife, Johnny Slaughter and Russell White. Former Navy SEAL and Lone Start Survivor Foundation founder Marcus Luttrell was also on hand, as was Six Million Dollar Man star Lee Majors with wife Faith, and Franco Valobra of Valobra Master Jewelers.

Andrew Cordes and Brian Teichman

Nicki Keenan, Pete Bell, Heather Mountain & Tilman Fertitta

Bailey Bell, Hunter Bell

Chris and Margaret Sneck

Claudia and Brad Freels

Jenny and Rick Bailey

Jeremy and Britney Mahugh

Katy Ellis, Zinat Ahmed, Molly McMurtry

Kim and Patrick Glass

Tracey and Rick Rice

Clay Walker at Cotton Ball

Parties
Duos, Trios and Teams: ‘Mutual Respect and Trust’ Key at M Penner

Murry & Karen Penner

HOW DID THIS duo come about? We’re a husband-and-wife team in a family business. We met in 5th grade at Kolter Elementary School and became lifelong friends. For the record, we didn’t start dating until a few years later — and we just celebrated our 40th anniversary!

Keep Reading Show less

Two hand-stitched pillowcases based on drawings by Houston artists

TO KICK OFF the fall arts season, Andrew Durham Gallery is hosting a unique cross-cultural collaboration between 22 Houston and Texas artists, and 28 members of the sewing co-op and non-profit, Honduras Threads. Founded in 2001, Honduras Threads seeks to provide women in Honduran rural communities with the means to lift themselves out of poverty and support their families.

Keep Reading Show less
Art + Entertainment

IT’S A MILESTONE year for Houston PetSet, a local nonprofit organization working to end Houston’s homeless animal crisis. The much-needed organization will celebrate 20 years of advocating for the animals of Houston with its biggest Fierce & Fabulous Soirée yet!

Keep Reading Show less
People + Places