parties

Texas Heart Institute’s ‘Supper Club’ Bash Marks Its Glam Return to Gala Game

Texas Heart Institute’s ‘Supper Club’ Bash Marks Its Glam Return to Gala Game

Lauren and Tilman Fertitta

ONE OF HOUSTON'S most beloved healthcare and research institutions has returned to the gala game after a long hiatus.

The Texas Heart Institute hosted its first gala in seven years at The Post Oak Hotel, with a “Supper Club” theme. “The ballroom was transformed into an iconic Supper Club from the 1940s, offering a blend of sophistication and fun,” explained a rep for the event’s organizers “More than 400 guests had the opportunity to enjoy great entertainment, sip on pink martinis, connect with friends, and, most importantly, celebrate the successes achieved in the ongoing battle against cardiovascular disease.”

Big Band-style music fitting of theme was provided by Pink Martini. An appropriately decadent old-school-posh menu of shrimp cocktail, filet mignon, buttery mashed potatoes and ice cream for dessert also helped the effect. The event was chaired by Kelli Kickerillo and Todd Forester, with Kelli’s parents, home-building titans Mary and Vincent Kickerillo, serving as honorary chairs.

“Some of The Texas Heart Institute’s many contributions were highlighted in a short video,” said the rep, “which featured a 33-year-old mother who suffered a cardiac arrest at her office and remained unconscious in the ICU for eight days before her heart started beating on its own once more. She has since made a full recovery and was introduced at the event with her family.”

THI CEO Joseph Rogers noted in his remarks that “the technology that saved this young mother, much of which was created, refined, or tested at The Texas Heart Institute, took years to develop.” He called the Institute’s research “high-risk, high-reward.”

More than $800,000 was raised to continue THI’s research and lifesaving work. Among the guests were Rose Cullen, Bud and Rachael Frazier, Alfred Glassell, III, Windi and David Grimes, Joan Schnitzer and Post Oak Hotel owner Tilman Fertitta, who is only rarely on-hand at events at his ballroom.

Dr. Bud Frazier, Walter Johnson, Dr. Billy Cohn

Giorgio and Cathy Borlenghi

Hallie and David Grimes

Julie and Miles Voss

Ken Valach, Polly Bowden, Theresa Blades, Murry Bowden

Leslie and Eric Wade

Lisa and Jerry Simon

Rosie Meyer, Tony Gonzalez

Trent Hrncir, Courtney Hopson

Michelle and Sandy Aron

From Your Site Articles
People + Places
promoted

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

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

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.

Keep Reading Show less
music

HGO's First-Ever 'Family Day' Features a Production of 'Cinderella' and More!

Photo by Lynn Lane

HOUSTON GRAND OPERA’S second fall repertoire production is Gioachino Rossini’s Cinderella. The colorful, commedia dell'arte-inspired production opens Friday, Oct. 25, and stars Grammy Award-winning mezzo-soprano Isabel Leonard — a breathtaking brunette beauty, even when doused in soot — in bel canto role of Angelina, known to her mean step-sisters as “Cenerentola.”

Keep Reading Show less
Art + Entertainment
music

Halloweekend Vibes! Organist Brett Miller Brings Silent-Film Double-Feature to Life at Jones Hall

BRETT MILLER WAS just 10 years old when his parents took him to a screening of the 1925 silent film, The Phantom of the Opera, starring Lon Chaney as “The Phantom” of the Paris Opera House, with an accompanying soundtrack played live by an organist. The film contains one of the most famous “reveals” on celluloid (We won’t give it away!) and is all the more shocking when accompanied by live music played on the Phantom’s favorite instrument.

Keep Reading Show less