A Polished, Posh Crowd Fetes the Twin Sisters of PetSet and Their Animal-Loving Cause

Quy Tran
A Polished, Posh Crowd Fetes the Twin Sisters of PetSet and Their Animal-Loving Cause

Tena Faust, Brigitte Kalaifor, Tama Lundquist

FOR THE 17TH time, Houston's In Crowd came together for a chic event benefitting one of its favorite causes.


"Houstonians came out in full force and opened their hearts and wallets to make this year's gala a resounding success," said a rep for organizers of the annual Fierce and Fabulous Soirée in support of Houston PetSet, which provides grants to Houston area animal charities and is committed to spaying, neutering, rescuing, adopting, and otherwise caring for the city's homeless pet population.

Guest tippled and mingled and perused the silent auction in the vestibule outside the ballroom at The Post Oak Hotel, at a spirited cocktail hour before entering the dining room for dinner and the evening's program. Highlights of the evening included a live auction and remarks by PetSet's longtime leading ladies, twin sisters Tama Lundquist and Tena Lundquist Faust. They were joined this year by Brigitte Kalaifor as co-chair. Deborah Duncan was a vivacious and sometime musical emcee, and Jan Duncan, the honoree of the evening, delivered moving remarks via video.

Faces in the crowd included Susan and Denis DeBakey, NickBoulle, Denis Boulle, Bill King, Tracy and Harry Faulkner, Peter Farrell, Sandra Smith-Cooperand, Matthew Cooper, Jamie and John Sparacino, Jonathan Cooper, Courtney Hopson, Ellen Weitz, Elaine and Tim Day, Melissa and Michael Mithoff and Trini Mendenhall. Other VIPs such as Sue Smith, Les Alexander and Don Sanders attended the event remotely.

Allison Bereswell, Nick Boulle

Cheryl Byington

Debra Law, Harriett Gertner

Doug Sain, Erin O'Neill

Harry and Tracy Faulkner

Jamie and John Sparacino

Jeff and Kathryn Smith

Jimmy and Betsy Montgomery

Marnie Greenwood, Josh Green

Max Meeks, Kristen Cannon

Melissa and Michael Mithoff

Natascha LaFranchesca, Rob Rutherford, Mauney Mafridge

Tim and Elaine Day

Parties
Reyna Group Owner Leads Real Estate Market with Passion and Excellence

MICHELLE REYNA WYMES, a distinguished name in the Houston real estate market, is the owner of the successful boutique brokerage, Reyna Group. Born and raised in Houston, Texas, Michelle has deep-rooted connections to the community she serves with dedication and pride.

Keep Reading Show less

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

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