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Franco Valobra, Louisiana’s New Honorary Italian Consul, Honored at Grand French Quarter To-Do

Franco Valobra, Louisiana’s New Honorary Italian Consul, Honored at Grand French Quarter To-Do

Franco Valobra, Hon. Helena Moreno, Chris Meek

ONE OF HOUSTON'S favorite personalities and businessmen — Franco Valobra, who divides time between here and New Orleans — recently celebrated a high honor in his other home state of Louisiana. He was named Louisiana’s Honorary Consul for Italy, and he threw a grand party at the new Italian Honorary Consulate in the French Quarter to celebrate.

“The Italian-themed celebration at the new consulate on Royal Street included lot of Franciacorta toasting and two ribbon cuttings,” said a rep for Valobra. A red, white and green ribbon was cut by the Italian Consul General of Houston, the Honorable Mauro Lorenzini, and a blue ribbon, meant to represent the state flag of Louisiana, was cut by Helena Moreno, president of the New Orleans City Council.

Among other special notes, a car with an interesting history was parked outside. The 1966 Fiat 600 Multipla originally served as the official vehicle for the mayor of Firenze in the 1960s.

Dignitaries from both the State of Louisiana and the City of New Orleans turned out to toast Valobra. New Orleans City Councilman Eugene Green, and Judge Kevin Centanni of Jefferson Parish Court were among them. Honorable Consul members of Uruguay, the Phillipines, Latvia, Iceland, Albania, South Africa, Dominican Republic and others also attended.

The festivities continued at an after party at Brennan’s nearby.

Alberto Gonzales, Patti Murphy

Alexander Monteleone, Gabrielle Dupuy, Greer and David Monteleone, Euan Monteleone

Ashley Davis, Peter and Peggy Breslin

1966 Fiat Multipla

David DeLeon, Franco Valobra, Cecil and Katrina Arnim, Roxanne DeLeon

Franco Valobra, Mary Ann and David McKeithan

Lacey and Gibbons Monteleone, Gabrielle Dupuy, Alexander Monteleone

Mark and Lisa Ammerman

Tucker Crawford and Giorgio Valobra

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Cool for ‘Schools’! CIS Wants to Transport You to a Whimsical ‘Wonderland’ at Milestone Gala

Cool for ‘Schools’! CIS Wants to Transport You to a Whimsical ‘Wonderland’ at Milestone Gala

CIS 2024 Gala Honorary Co-Chair Judy Tate, Co-Chair Lauren Brollier, Co-Chair Cassie Milam, Honorary Co-Chair Kirby McCool

WHETHER YOU PREFER Alice, the Mad Hatter or the Queen of Hearts, Communities In Schools of Houston’s A Night in Wonderland 45th Anniversary GalaA Night in Wonderland 45th Anniversary Gala is not to be missed! Join in the celebration for a whimsical good time on Thursday, April 4th, at the luxurious Post Oak Hotel.

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Leadership in Action: ‘Family, Community and Spiritual Connection’ Drives Success for Henry Richardson

Al Torres

How did you get to where you are today? The present moment is a combined history of my family, my time as an athlete, my passion for learning, and my desire to see the world be better. I grew up as a successful springboard and platform diver, however, an injury caused me to seek alternative treatments to heal my body. In that process, I discovered the power of yoga, exercise, meditation, mindset, and nutrition. This holistic approach eventually led me to open a Pilates and cycling studio called DEFINE body & mind. I opened studios around the nation, and after selling most of my business between 2017-2019, I was ready to explore how I could make an even greater impact on the wellbeing of our community. In 2023, I started actively working on a brand new multi-family/apartment concept called, Define Living. The idea focused on offering health and wellness services within a beautiful apartment setting to increase the wellbeing of our residents. Having a strong sense of community is the number one factor in living a happy life, so why not build a community where daily fitness, cooking classes, and social connection are the norm? We opened Define Living in March of 2024, and we couldn’t be happier with how things are being received. We are already looking at building more concepts like this in the Houston area and beyond.

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Leadership in Action: ‘Setting Clear Goals’ Among Secrets of Success for Attorney Jess Bailey

Al Torres

How did you get to where you are today? A few key principles integrated into my life: setting clear goals, maintaining a growth mindset, building strong habits, and surrounding myself with the right people. Goals provided direction, while a growth mindset helped me turn challenges into opportunities for learning. Consistent habits, like disciplined work and effective communication, kept me moving forward. Being surrounded by motivated, supportive individuals has elevated my standards and kept me accountable. They’ve provided advice, encouragement, and sometimes that extra push I needed to stay on track. With these elements, I’ve been able to create a framework that helps me succeed and ensures I continue to grow and evolve.

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