great women of texas - 2008

20082008

November 6, 2008 Great Women of Texas 2006 3

TEXAS WOMEN OF INFLUENCE

GRETCHEN M. BATAILLE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9LILLIE BIGGINS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10GYNA BIVENS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11SUSAN E. COLEMAN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13EVELYN ENGLERT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14NEVA FRYMIRE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15MARILYN GILBERT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17BARBARA HOLSTON. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19GINGER JOHNSON . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21LISA LANKES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22KATHY MCGINN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23SUSAN NIX. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25MARY SEAN O’REILLY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27STEPHANIE PAUL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28SUZY PEACOCK . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29MEGAN TOPHAM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30KATHRYN WILEMON . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31ROBYN YOUNG. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33

Honoree portraits photos taken by Glen E. Ellman.

2008

Welcome toGreat Women

of TexasThe list of great women from the

state of Texas would certainly fill abookshelf, if not a library: AnnRichards, Barbara Jordan, BabeDidrikson Zaharias, Carrie MarcusNeiman, Molly Ivins and Lady BirdJohnson come to mind, but the list isnot just endless, it is never-ending.

We know this because of theplethora of qualified candidates forthe Great Women of Texas honor wereceived this year. These nomineescovered every aspect of the spectrum– from business to nonprofits, frompolitics to academia, young to old,circumspect to celebrity.

But they all shared one feature:They were all exceptional, not only intheir chosen field of endeavor, but inall aspects of their lives. That is onearea where the Great Women mirrorthe 24-7-365 world we have createdaround us. And they have excelled.

Our dilemma in choosing fromamong these many nominations is agood one. As more women are nom-inated each year, we lose the ability tocatch up. May it ever be so.

Robert Francis Editor Fort Worth Business Press

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LEGACY AWARD THE WOMEN’S CENTER Page 4

�

SILVER SPONSORS

Inspiring the courage to hope whileteaching the skills to cope are thegoals of the Women’s Center, which

is on the cusp of marking 30 years ofservice helping some 92,000 individualseach year whether it is a single mom whoneeds help developing job skills or evensitting in an emergency room holding thehand of a woman dealing with a sexualassault exam.

“The Women’s Center exists to addressthe issues of violence and poverty,” saysLaura Hilgart, president and CEO of theWomen’s Center. “Those are two prob-lems which significantly impact womenand families. Domestic violence and sex-ual violence are more prevalent than mostpeople realize.”

While the area had a shelter for domes-tic violence survivors – the preferred termThe Women’s Center uses instead of vic-

tims – there was still more these familiesneeded to escape their situations.

That need for more triggered the startof the Women’s Center in 1979. It startedas an all-volunteer organization with atelephone helpline to provide informa-tion for women in crisis situations tolearn where they could get resources oreven counseling.

“We started with an employment pro-gram, which was unusual at the time,”Hilgart says. “Women and families don’tlive crisis to crisis and they can’t build abetter life or leave a domestic violencesituation without earning a living andmaking money.”

About nine months after the centeropened, a rape crisis program was added.Since then, the center added a small legalclinic, too, for advice.

“Today we are in the business of rapecrisis, victim services, counseling and

employment: basically the same business-es that we started in,” Hilgart says. “Butnow we have a $2.5 million budget, 50people on staff, and 400 volunteers,which help us do our work every year.”

The Women’s Center operates one ofthe largest and most comprehensive rapecrisis centers in the state, Hilgart says.

“We offer general counseling that isneither problem-specific or population-specific,” Hilgart says. “Any woman whoneeds counseling, crisis intervention or alow-cost attorney may get assistance.Someone may call because they have achild with an abscessed tooth but no den-tist or no money. They may not have a carand don’t know what to do. It could be aperson with a newborn baby and she’sbeen evicted with no family or no moneyand doesn’t know what to do and so muchmore. All of these people are clients wemay serve.”

Legacy Award�Women’s Center nears 30-year service mark

4 Great Women of Texas 2006 Fort Worth Business Press

The center’s 24-hour hotline allows aperson in crisis to call for someone totalk to. It is also used by hospital stafffrom John Peter Smith, ArlingtonMemorial and Cook Children’s hospitalsto request a volunteer to accompany sexual assault survivors during their sexual assault exams.

The Play It Safe program is an educa-tion/prevention presentation conductedfor about 75,000 children annually insmall individual classrooms with curricu-lum designed for each age group fromkindergarten up to 12th grade.

“We’ll get an outcry about 75 to 150times per year after these programs,which allows us to intervene and get thechild some help, get the investigationprocedure under way and stop the abuse,”Hilgart says.

An employment program, Jobs Now, isconducted several days a week with an 80

percent job placement rate and 90 per-cent job retention rate over a year.

“So many people come through ourdoors without jobs and they are hopelessabout what they’re going to do to pay thebills and feed their children. We see peo-ple from all backgrounds from someonewith no education to people who havemasters’ degrees,” says Terri Rios, direc-tor of employment solutions for theWomen’s Center. “Their needs are all thesame. They need a way to support theirfamilies.”

In addition to traditional job searchtechniques, other services include updat-ing resumes, helping the client build afocused job search and interviewing guid-ance, among other things, she says.

Two years ago, the center started anadult literacy program in which classes arescheduled in the evening with meals andchild care provided to eliminate any bar-

riers that may prevent people from par-ticipating.

“We also tailor an individual plan foreach student with no more than threestudents per volunteer teacher,” Hilgartsays.

The volunteers make the difference,she says.

“If all the money went away, we couldstill provide our most basic services withour volunteers. We can do more with lesswhen we use very well-trained volun-teers,” she says.

In 2009, the center will celebrate its30th anniversary by moving into a newbuilding after completing an $8.9 mil-lion capital campaign last year.

“The community saw the importance inwhat we do,” Hilgart adds.

– Tonie Auer


Congratulations

to the 2008

Great Women on Texas

from your friends

at Coors

Gretchen M.Bataille�President

The University of North Texas

Gretchen M. Bataille made history in 2006when she became the first woman to presideover the University of North Texas — after 116

years and 13 presidents. President Bataille has continued to make history for

UNT, taking the state’s fourth-largest university tounparalleled levels of achievement, accompanied bybroadening international recognition. This fall, the uni-versity had its eighth consecutive record enrollment, with34,795 students.

Founded as a normal, or teacher-training, school,UNT currently has 11 colleges and schools that offermore than 200 degree programs, including 49 for doc-toral studies. UNT is home to one of the top music pro-grams on an international scale, to the only Ph.D. pro-gram in environmental philosophy and to DiscoveryPark, a research facility covering nearly 290 acres.

“We’re looking at an opportunity with a capital O,”says Bataille, who hails Texas as “one of a very few stateswhere we’re not seeing such university-budget crises asbad as, say, California and Florida are experiencing.”Bataille seeks to build upon established strengths at UNTwhile pursuing long-term planning strategies, particu-larly in the realm of institutional research. She champi-ons “not only technological research as it affects indus-try, but also technology as it affects the arts.”

Bataille has brought to UNT a sustained record of suc-cess as an administrator, a professor and a scholar.During 2000–2006, Bataille served as senior vice presi-dent for Academic Affairs for the University of North

Carolina System. She also has been provost and academicvice president at Washington State University, provost ofthe College of Letters & Science at the University ofCalifornia at Santa Barbara and an associate dean withArizona State University.

Bataille has cinched UNT as a leader in issues of sus-tainability — the first major Texas university to sign theAmerican College & University Presidents ClimateCommitment, and an aggressive user of environmentallyresponsible campus vehicles, among other ecologicallysensible programs.

— Michael H. Price


LillieBiggins

�Vice President of Operations

Harris Methodist Fort Worth Hospital

As a critical care nurse, Lillie Biggins spent yearsin North Texas hospitals watching over herpatients.

Now, as vice president of operations at HarrisMethodist Fort Worth Hospital, she spends her timewatching over those people who watch over patients.

“You have to think about the bigger picture, not justabout one group of people but about the whole organiza-tion,” Biggins says.

Biggins joined Harris 11 years ago, when she wasrecruited to fill the vice president of operations position.While the title hasn’t changed, she says, the job certainlyhas, and her areas of responsibility are far-reaching.

However, everything she does is with one focus: to sup-port those who support patients.

“It’s all about just making sure you’re listening to peo-ple from your heart, sometimes more than your ears,”she says.

She would not be able to support others if she didn’thave a good support system herself, she says, and her hus-band, family and coworkers within Texas HealthResources and Harris are integral to making sure she cangive back inside and outside work.

Biggins has a long history of volunteerism, includingboard member and chair for the Dallas/Fort WorthInternational Airport and three years as chair of theWorkforce Development Board for Workforce Solutionsfor Tarrant County. Judy McDonald, of WorkforceSolutions, says Biggins is an outstanding leader.

“These were some things expressed by fellow boardmembers: She is the type of leader others aspire to be.One who leads people using positive influence. She has agift for getting things done without conflict,” McDonaldsays.

Biggins says women are in an ideal place to create posi-tive changes in their workplaces and communities becauseof their role in families as innovators, team members andcoaches.

“I want to make sure women know how important theyare,” she says.

—Elizabeth Bassett


GynaBivens�

President and Executive DirectorNorth Texas Leaders and Executives

Advocating Diversity

Many women describe their jobs as fulfilling,exciting or even perfect, but to Gyna Bivens,her job is her life’s calling.

Bivens is the president and executive director of NorthTexas Leaders and Executives Advocating Diversity, orLEAD, a nonprofit organization whose focus is work-place diversity.

Bivens first began at North Texas LEAD as a volunteeron boards. In 2006, she left her job at Oncor ElectricDelivery to take the lead position at the organization.

“Most of my broadcast friends thought the job to be aperfect fit since a small circle of us always helped aspiringjournalists find jobs in the business,” Bivens says. “Myrole at LEAD expands that base beyond broadcast jour-nalists. I no longer volunteer to help people findemployment, it is my profession now. I absolutely loveit. I see it as my calling.”

Bivens has served in leadership roles on several boardsand commissions including the Women’s Policy ForumBoard, United Way Board, Community DevelopmentCouncil Board, Women’s Center of Tarrant County, TheLinks Inc., Leadership Fort Worth and Fort Worth SisterCities International as well as others. For two terms shewas the chairperson of the board of directors of The Twhen that agency was rapidly expanding.

Great Women of Texas nominator Mary Davis saysBivens has been active in all facets of community work inNorth Texas and beyond. Davis says for North TexasLEAD, Bivens is “taking that organization to even greaterlevels of success.”

Bivens says she learned the importance of balancingher time with various organizations from her formermanager, Carlos DeLaTorre, who taught her to “strategi-cally decide which board invitations to accept or reject,”she says. “Establishing the reason for an invitation toserve on a board is still important to me today. Thevision and goal of the organization has to be a fit forme.”

Bivens says her No. 1 goal in life is to “look for God ineveryone I meet and everything I do,” she says. “I want tobe an inspirer and an encourager.”

— Aleshia Howe


Susan E.Coleman�Partner

Thompson & Knight LLP

Susan E. Coleman, a champion of women’s profes-sional development in the field of commercial realestate, is a partner in the Thompson & Knight

Real Estate & Banking Practice Group in the firm’s FortWorth office.

Coleman’s practice concentrates upon multistate office,retail, industrial and flex-leasing transactions, construc-tion and permanent lending transactions secured by real estate, and the purchase and sale of commercial realestate property.

Mentoring is a key component of her work withThompson & Knight. “I work a great deal with our firm’sWomen’s Initiative Committee,” Coleman explains,“especially in mentoring and developing women as attor-neys. It’s important for young women to get training inthe professions — to understand the business world.”

Coleman is responsible for negotiating office leases forinstitutional owners of more than 8 million square feet ofoffice space in Texas.

Her nominator for recognition among the BusinessPress’ Great Women of Texas, Frank D. Ricca of Jones,Lang & LaSalle, hails Coleman for “a distinguished his-tory of giving time, energy, business leadership and [a]significant impact in serving the local community — whilealso being recognized as one of the region’s top real estateattorneys …, a wife and a mother.”

Coleman’s community-service projects include Habitatfor Humanity, the Cancer Society and the Fort WorthZoo. On a professional level, Coleman assists owners,developers, buyers and sellers with conventional land

assembly and disposition, redevelopment, leasing andmanagement issues for developments such as offices, cor-porate campuses, retail centers and mixed-use projects.In addition, she has significant expertise in equity anddebt transactions.

Coleman, a native of San Angelo, holds a J.D. fromthe SMU Dedman School of Law, where she also served asmanaging editor of the Southwestern Law Journal. Shealso holds a degree in accounting from the University ofTexas. Coleman and her husband, Mike Coleman, havetwo children.

— Michael H. Price


EvelynEnglert�

Volunteer Coordinator Colleyville Area Chamber of Commerce

Evelyn Englert has only been in Texas nine years,but in that relatively short period of time she hasmade her mark on the community.

“She is a phenomenal lady,” says Ret Stansberger,president of the Colleyville Area Chamber ofCommerce, one of the people who nominated Englert.“You give her something to do and stand back becauseyou don’t have to do any double checking because it getsdone.”

Englert herself simply says he enjoys working with peo-ple. “When my husband and I moved here, I knew Iwanted to get involved,” she says.

Englert and her husband, Frank, moved to theNortheast Tarrant County area nine years ago from theNew York City area to be near two of their daughtersafter her husband, an attorney, retired.

Get involved she did; first working with the chamberas a one day a week volunteer. That, as Englert recalls,did not last long.

“They asked if I knew anything about golf and put meon the golf committee for a tournament they wereorganizing,” she says.

Golf may not have been her forte, but organizing peo-ple and events is and she did a spectacular job saysStansberger.

“We knew then we had found a jewel,” Stansbergersays. “She has truly helped move the chamber ahead andis great at helping volunteers accomplish their goals and Ican’t say enough about her leadership skills.”

Englert says her ability to get things done stems from

her background first as an executive assistant in NewYork, then as a travel consultant.

“As a travel consultant you have to be very involved inthe details, so that the travel plans work out as expected.It’s just part of the job and if you’re not successful doingthat, you won’t be doing it very long,” she says.

Aside from the chamber, her community activitiesinclude: Colleyville Women’s Club, HEB HarrisMethodist Women’s Health Advisory Board, Arts League,the Coalition to Salute America’s Heroes, the UnitedTexas tour and the Colleyville Rotary.

— Robert Francis


NevaFrymire�

Senior Vice President LegacyTexas Bank

Neva Frymire remembers Grapevine when it wasa small community somewhat isolated on theoutskirts of Tarrant County.

“It’s been great to see it develop over the years,” shesays. “It’s been a lot of good development as well. I thinkthat’s one of the important things about Grapevine ishow it has developed.”

And, according to many people in the area, she hashad a big role it the growth of the area.

“She is recognized as a high-profile individual in thecommunity and is known for the customer service sheprovides,” says Gayland Lawshe, banking center presi-dent for Legacy’s Grapevine location.

Lawshe said for one corporate customer that opensseveral accounts weekly, Frymire hand delivers all the sig-nature cards required.

“That’s just not something everyone would do andthat’s just one example of the many, many things shedoes for her customers,” he says.

That is one reason when Lawshe and Frymire movedfrom Compass Bank to Legacy, all of Frymire’s customercame with her, along with her staff, Lawshe says.

“She’s known as the banker to go to. She’s very well-respected obviously,” he says.

Frymire has plenty of respect outside the bank as well. A partial list of accomplishments – local and national

– include being a former president and board memberof the Grapevine Chamber of Commerce, a member ofthe chamber’s Women’s Division, being part of theGrapevine-Colleyville Education Foundation, a former

board member of the American Small BusinessAssociation and the Grapevine Rotary Club.

“When she gets on a board or joins a group, she givesit her all, too,” Lawshe says. “She doesn’t do things half-way.”

Frymire says one reason she has done well in her careerand in the community is that she loves what she does.

“I enjoy what I do and that helps a lot,” she says. — Robert Francis



MarilynGilbert�

Executive Vice President of MarketingFort Worth Chamber of Commerce

For the last 18 years, Marilyn Gilbert has helpedcommand the Fort Worth Chamber ofCommerce’s marketing and membership efforts.

Today, Gilbert is executive vice president of marketingfor the chamber.

Bill Thornton, the Chamber’s CEO, nominatedGilbert for her hard work and her passion for the city ofFort Worth.

Gilbert “always had an interest in journalism,” shesays, and began her career at small seed company inPlainview, Texas, just after graduating from Texas Tech University with a degree in advertising and publicrelations.

“I did a little bit of everything and then ended updeciding I would get a teaching certificate as well, Ithought I may want to teach some day and I actuallytaught senior English one year.” Gilbert says. “I went towork for a newspaper, the Wichita Falls Times RecordNews, then I worked for Dillard’s in Fort Worth in theirad department, then I worked for a number of years inthe agency business. I worked about three or four yearswith each of these jobs and each time I made a careermove it was definitely to do something different, notgoing up the ladder always, but doing something new.”

Ultimately, Gilbert’s job moves led her to a career atthe Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce.

“I’d never worked in nonprofit, and never had a careergoal to work in nonprofit, but working here as a mom itallowed me the opportunity to be involved in my daugh-

ter’s life, there was some flexibility there, and I decidedto come to work and get paid to do something for FortWorth and sell Fort Worth,” Gilbert says. “It’s a greatcommunity to work for and with.”

Gilbert’s community involvement includes working onThe Parenting Center’s board of directors from 2006through 2008, being active in her church, serving as amentor to a Paschal High School student as part ofTEAM Fort Worth and serving on various boards forFort Worth organizations.

– Leslie Wimmer

BarbaraHolston�

President and CEO Fort Worth Housing Authority

Though friends and family think of BarbaraHolston as a star, Holston generally prefers thesupportive role.

And that’s impressive, because Holston currently is thepresident and CEO of one of the city of Fort Worth’slargest agencies – the Housing Authority.

“She is one of those unique individuals who neverseeks accolades for herself, yet quickly offers them toothers,” says Alice Sykes, who nominated Holston for theaward. “Ms. Holston serves on numerous civic and com-munity boards of great importance, which are not listedbecause she chooses to fly just under the radar. She isextremely intelligent and truly humble. She is a greatwoman.”

Holston has sat at the head of the Fort Worth HousingAuthority since 1990 and has been an advocate for publichousing residents throughout her career.

Under Holston’s direction, the agency established a $1 million Family Investment Center, offering housingauthority customers a one-stop facility for education andjob-training services.

Holston says she immensely enjoys her career and thepeople she works with everyday.

“Whether it’s dealing with a complicated issue for aresident or working with staff to accomplish goals that wehave set for the agency, the people that I work for andwith are extremely important to me,” she says.

Throughout her career, Holston says she has accom-plished many goals – both big and small – that she has setfor herself, but she continues to strive toward more.

“My ultimate goal is to have a positive impact whereverI am,” Holston says. “Gratification comes from seeingthe evidence of that impact realized in the lives of those Ihave influenced. I believe there is no greater reward thanto see the success achieved by those you have encounteredpersonally and professionally.”

Holston also is involved on the home front, playingsurrogate in the lives of her nieces, nephews and chil-dren of her extended family.

— Aleshia Howe


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Congratulations to Ginger Johnson on beingnamed one of the 2008 Great Women of Texas Women of Influence.

We couldn’t agree more.


GingerJohnson�

Vice President of Business DevelopmentSouthwest Securities FSB

Ginger Johnson loves to bring people together.“I thrive on it,” Johnson says. “I am so gratefulfor having found a profession that matches my

passion. I’m a believer, a fan, a promoter of relation-ship-based business success. I’m driven by the passion tobe a matchmaker, especially in the commercial real estatedevelopment field. Not only does it bring me a feeling ofaccomplishment to see powerful people working togetherto grow our communities in positive ways, but I’ve alsobeen blessed by finding so many wonderful, caringfriends along the way.”

Johnson is the vice president of business developmentfor Southwest Securities FSB, and was nominated as aGreat Woman of Texas by Rick Jenkins, the president ofSouthwest Securities’ Fort Worth banking center.

“She’s nonstop, and it’s all because she cares somuch,” Jenkins says.

Jenkins reiterated Johnson’s passion for her clientsand emphasized her involvement in her community asqualities a Great Woman of Texas embodies.

Johnson is involved in several area organizations,including the Greater Fort Worth Commercial RealEstate Women as a board member and past president, theExecutive Women’s Golf Association as a board memberand past president, The Women’s Center of TarrantCounty as a board member, the Women’s Policy Forumwhere she served as sponsorship chair, Real EstateCouncil, Society of Commercial Realtors and UnitedCommunity Centers.

“What I want other women professionals to know isthat we can be passionate, caring and emotionally con-nected to our professions,” Johnson says. “I believe it isbecause of our passionate uniqueness that we as womencan be especially successful in making a positive lastingcontribution to our communities. It’s a great honor tobe a recipient of this award, and I consider it a privilegeto be among the powerful women and community leadersthat help shape the future of our communities.”

— Leslie Wimmer

LisaLankes�

Director of Corporate Communications and Licensing

Justin Brands Inc.

To Lisa Lankes, telling the Justin Brands story tothe world never gets old. As director of corpo-rate communications and licensing for Justin

Brands Inc., Lankes is responsible for getting the com-pany name and brand to the public through movies, TVand national publications.

“I was recently given the opportunity to also handleour licensing program and am now working hard toextend our brands into various product categoriesthrough the licensing of these great labels,” Lankes says.“And, we’ve also been able to leverage our celebrity relationships to create promotions that benefit ourretailers and make our brands more relevant to today’sconsumer.”

Lankes, who has been with the company for 14 years, isthe primary communications contact for Justin Brands,Tony Lama, Nocona, Justin Boots, Justin OriginalWorkboots and the Chippewa boots lines. She is respon-sible for all inbound and outbound licensing matters.She also manages the company’s portfolio and potentialpartnerships that are in alignment with the brand andsales strategies.

“Lisa has thrived in what is sometimes seen as a mascu-line industry and this is a testament to her professional-ism and excellence,” says Margaret Ritsch, director ofpublic relations for the Balcom Agency. “She is alsotenacious.”

Lankes says because she loves her job it’s not difficultto devote the time but also says she doesn’t want that tobe the only thing that defines her.

“It’s essential that I have other interests and

involvements. And relationships – family and friends –are the utmost priority,” she says. “I’m thankful to have aboss and a work environment that encourages this. At theend of the day, the time I give to those closest to me willbe what matters most.”

In her free time from work, Lankes volunteers at Mealson Wheels, Habitat for Humanity and is a leader in thePraise Team Ministry at Alta Mesa Church of Christ.

“Rather than aiming for prestigious posts on high-profile boards around town, she quietly volunteers in herfree time and shares her heart to help ‘the least of these,’such as the homeless at the Union Gospel Mission and inthe children’s ministry at her church,” Ritsch says.“Being a Great Woman of Texas sometimes means notmaking such a big deal of being great, but putting othersfirst and getting the job done.”

— Crystal Forester



KathyMcGinn

�Assistant Vice President,

Labor RelationsBNSF Railway Co.

After working for BNSF Railway Co. for aboutthree decades, Kathy McGinn feels privileged tohave a great career with a great company.

“I’m honored to have had the opportunity to work forthis company for 29 years and to have the career thatBNSF has provided,” McGinn says.

McGinn began working for the company on the mid-night shift as a crew caller, a position responsible for call-ing the engineers, in November 1978 in Nebraska.

“The concept of working on the railroad was great –never the same two days in a row, benefits are good and Istarted out at $12 an hour, which was pretty high pay backthen,” McGinn says.

She has transferred positions and locations withinBNSF several times. She has been to Denver; Topeka,Kan.; and Fort Worth several times. During McGinn’sfirst stint in Fort Worth from 1992 to 1998 she worked inthe Labor Relations department. From there she was pro-moted to assistant vice president, crew support and trans-ferred to Topeka, Kan. In 2003, she was transferred tothe company’s headquarters in Fort Worth as the assistantvice president, labor relations.

McGinn supports the United Way through BNSF – thecompany has raised more than $2 million for the non-profit. She also volunteers with the Special Olympics andNorthside Inter-Church.

“They all have their own priorities, you have to decidehow to balance them,” McGinn says of her family, workand community support. “My family is a point of relax-ation, work is the challenge and charity represents anopportunity to help and meet some great people.”

McGinn lives in Fort Worth with her husband. She hasa daughter, Nicole Livingston, and three stepsons: Tim,Jeff and Steven. She has four grandchildren: Connor,Colton, Colin and Reid.

– Crystal Forester

SusanNix�

Senior Vice Presidentof Business Development

Rassai Interactive

Susan Nix is no stranger to good business sense.The longtime entrepreneur has made a career outof innovative moves in the Fort Worth business

environment and has served as a well-regarded civicleader, having worked with the Bell Helicopter ArmedForces Bowl and the American Red Cross.

Born in Germany, raised in New Jersey before makingthe move to Fort Worth to attend Texas ChristianUniversity, Nix found her latest calling – Internet mar-keting – during the Web’s genesis in the mid-1990s.

“It’s a great playground for entrepreneurs because theycan create something – a business model,” Nix says of theInternet. “Many of the younger generation can makemillions of dollars because they take their passions andtheir dreams and create that on the Internet.”

Nix is senior vice president of business development atRassai Interactive, a full-service company that integratesmultimedia with a Web presence. The Fort Worth-basedcompany works with more than 350 clients, includingAmerican Airlines and Texas Christian University, andrecently won the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce’sSmall Business of the Year award in the 11-50 Employeescategory.

“Susan embodies all of the positive traits associatedwith the greatest women in Texas,” says Michael Flynn ofSouthland Property Tax Consultants, who nominatedNix for Great Women of Texas. “She leverages her skillset, relationships and positive approach to problem solv-ing to the benefit of others on a daily basis. She is a pio-

neer who utilizes her attributes to the benefit of all inthe community, regardless of their status in life.”

A veteran entrepreneur, Nix says her desire to createwill transcend thoughts of retirement.

“I really actually think that age does not matter,” shesays. “I think when you’re like that, you do what you’repassionate about – I think I’ll do it until they take meover to Greenwood.”

– John-Laurent Tronche



Mary SeanO’Reilly�

OwnerThe Conciliation Institute

Mary Sean O’Reilly sees similarities betweenreligion and the legal system – in ethics andvalues, and views on justice.

“Certainly the Catholic Church’s position on socialjustice was part of my thought process and wanting to bean advocate for women and children who otherwisewouldn’t have access to the system,” says O’Reilly, a for-mer nun of 16 years, and current mediator in many fam-ily law cases. O’Reilly also served as a trial attorney in theearly 1980s and as a state district judge for 15 years.

O’Reilly currently works with The ConciliationInstitute, her mediation and arbitration firm with officesserving Houston and North Texas.

“I think it developed within me a deep sense of advoca-cy and fairness,” she says of the Sisters of St. Mary ofNamur, “and something for the sake of the commongood.”

Friend and fellow law practitioner Judge Jean Boyd, ofthe 323rd Family District Court, says she recognizedO’Reilly’s strengths the first time they crossed paths inthe early 1980s, when the two went head-to-head in thecourts. Boyd represented Child Protective Services whileO’Reilly represented the mother of a child allegingabuse.

“She’s had a lot of compassion for children, for clientsand for everyone in the system,” Boyd says. “She wasalways helping people just out of the goodness of her

heart, especially her family.”O’Reilly’s humility and sense of community also help

her stand above the rest, Boyd says.“I think the reason I think she should be a Great

Woman of Texas is she has always used her knowledge,skills and ability to help other people, many times with-out any expectation of anything in return,” Boyd says.

— John-Laurent Tronche


StephaniePaul�

General ManagerCooper Supply Inc.

Admirably independent and genuinely Texan,Stephanie Paul aims to lead by example, neverasking others to do something she hasn’t already

done herself. The general manager of Cooper SupplyInc. is always on the move, managing three locations ofher family’s longtime business, ranching cattle, volun-teering and motivating others to stay focused and com-mitted, just as she always strives to be.

“I have a fortune cookie that says, ‘You’ll accomplishmore if you start now,’” Paul says. “That’s kind of mymantra. I’m pretty much in a perpetual state of motionall the time.”

In addition to serving as the community service direc-tor of the Tarrant Area Food Bank and being involved inseveral nonprofits including The Women’s Center,Happy Hill Farm Children’s Home and Thirst No More,Paul has helped triple Cooper Supply’s business since2004. The company, a wholesale distributor for poly-ethylene used for natural gas and in the Barnett Shale,was started by her parents in 1983 in Coleman, Texas.With locations now in Fort Worth and Corpus Christi,Paul says revenues have gone from $4 million to morethan $25 million in four years.

“We just try to do business the correct way,” Paul says.“We’re blessed every day. It’s exciting to be part of a teamthat’s motivated and willing to work hard.”

Those who know Paul will say her team’s motivationcomes directly from her. Paul, who says she is not one to“just sit around,” is proud to have worked her way fromthe bottom up. Learning from her mother and father,

Paul says staying behind a closed office door is not theway to run a business successfully.

“You’ve got to be out there and have your finger onthe pulse of what’s happening in your organization,”Paul says.

A single woman with a lot of heart, Paul’s leadership isillustrated in both her career and her personal life. Sheis humbled by her recent recognition, claiming sheprobably doesn’t deserve it.

“I’ve still got lots to accomplish,” she says. — Celestina Phillips

SuzyPeacock�

Executive Director Rainwater Charitable Foundation

In 1994, local investor Richard Rainwater recruited hislongtime friend Suzy Peacock to serve as the first execu-tive director for his foundation because she was

“extremely smart, trustworthy and dedicated. She caredabout the mission a lot, could do the mission, and shewanted to do the mission.”

Rainwater – who has been friends with Peacock sinceattending R.L. Paschal High School together – says Peacockdeserves to be honored as a Great Woman of Texas because,“she is one. She is one of the great woman of Texas.”

Kelly Garrett, Rainwater Foundation’s associate director,says Peacock deserves to be honored because his boss is“somebody who unashamedly leads with her heart...abehind-the-scenes, below-the-radar kind of leader” whoshies away from publicity.

The Rainwater Foundation supports programs benefitingat-risk children, particularly in urban preschools and ele-mentary schools, and provides funding for some of thenation’s most innovative school leadership programs.

Some of Peacock’s most notable and visionary projectsinclude the establishment of the Rainwater LeadershipAlliance, a group of national thought leaders in schoolleadership; collaboration with Crescent Real Estate Equitiesto connect office complex tenants with local elementaryschools; the founding and development of REAL People, acommunity of educators, partners and parents who supportREAL School Gardens; and the co-founding of REALSchool Gardens, a grassroots gardening program that helpschildren by supporting elementary school communities asthey design, install and sustain outdoor classrooms.

Since its creation in 2003, REAL School Gardens, inNorth Texas alone, serves 36 schools, ensuring that morethan 26,000 children and 1,300 educators have daily accessto nature through school gardens. Through its partners, anadditional 39 school gardens are supported, reaching anadditional 10,000 children.

Peacock, who holds a Bachelor of Science in Zoology

from Colorado College and a Bachelor of Science inMedical Technology from Texas Christian University, alsoserves on the board of trustees at the Botanical ResearchInstitute of Texas. BRIT’s new education wing and program,expected to open in 2011, is being established in her honor.The Suzy Rall Peacock Institute for Outdoor Inquiry willtrain teachers in outdoor, experiential learning and eventu-ally offer conservation-related programs to the public.

Patricia Harrison, BRIT’s assistant director, understandswhy Peacock cites the following quote, from Pericles, as herfavorite: “What you leave behind is not what is engraved instone monuments, but what is woven into the lives of oth-ers.”

“This quote reflects the value Suzy places on relation-ships,” Harrison says. “Her hope is that the care and respectwe show to others will carry over into our care and steward-ship of the environment.”

— Betty Dillard



MeganTopham�

Director of Operations University of Texas at Arlington

Fort Worth Center

Exemplifying balance in her life, Megan Topham isdedicated to enhancing the lives of others, whetherthrough her work as director of operations at UT-

Arlington’s Fort Worth Center or through the myriad ofcommunity service organizations in which she serves.

A native of Austin, Topham is a longtime resident ofFort Worth. She graduated from Arlington High School,Tarrant County Community College and the University ofTexas at Arlington with a BBA in management. Whileworking full time at the center, Topham started a Masterof Science in information systems program this summer.

She joined the university’s Fort Worth Center as a stu-dent worker in 1992.

“I quickly realized the importance of the center to stu-dents living in the community and was committed to itsadvancement,” she says.

Mike West, executive director of the Fort Worth Center,says Topham “has proven to those that work with her thatage and seniority are not the only measures of expertiseand depth of knowledge. Megan has developed a reputa-tion within the university and the Fort Worth communityas the consummate coordinator of resources.”

Topham’s community service endeavors includeLeadership Fort Worth, Leader Kids, Rotary Fort Worth,STARS program with Riverside Middle School,International Aikido Association, Council forAdvancement and Support of Education, and HealthCareers Institute. Additionally, she has served as a mentorin the TEAM Fort Worth program with the Fort WorthIndependent School District.

Topham says one of her most fulfilling experiences hasbeen her journey through the martial art Aikido in which

she earned a black belt. “This process nurtures your physical, spiritual and men-

tal growth,” says Topham. “It is because of my training thatI have learned how to balance my personal life, work lifeand school life. As an Aikido Sensei, my goal is to sharemy experiences with other women through organizationslike the Women’s Center.”

Topham says she was honored by this nomination“because the women that have been chosen before exem-plify independence, dedication and strength while com-mitting themselves to improving the community in whichthey live.”

— Betty Dillard


KathrynWilemon�City Council Member District 4

City of Arlington

When it comes to community involvement,Arlington Council member Kathryn Wilemon keeps her philosophy simple:

“Just do it,” she says.Some people, of course, make such an involvement a way

of life. That is certainly true for the three-term council-woman who has emerged as a regional powerhouse in twocritical areas – health care and transportation.

A long-term member of the John Peter Smith Board ofdirectors before being elected to the Arlington Council,Wilemon is now the chairman of the John Peter SmithHealth Network Partners Together for Health, the hospitaldistrict’s private sector fund raising arm and foundation.

Wilemon is also Arlington’s representative on the NorthTexas Council of Governments’ Regional TransportationSystem, as well as a member of the Tarrant RegionalTransportation Coalition. She has been a tireless advocateof a “seamless” regional rail transit system.

“We’ve made enormous strides in this area and I am veryconfident that we’ll come out of the next Texas legislativesystem with enabling legislation that will help up move for-ward in this area, including an ability to vote on such mat-ters regionally,” Wilemon says. “This is a mobility issuethat is extremely critical in terms of economics, the reali-ties of escalating fuel costs and in regards to air quality foreveryone who lives and breathes air in North Texas.”

Partners Together for Health board member KimberlyBritton – one of those who nominated Wilemon – praisedthe councilwoman for her civic-minded qualities.

“She deeply cares about the communities she serves andabout the future of our region and beyond,” Britton says,noting Wilemon has been a volunteer with JPS for morethan 20 years. “She is passionate about the causes sheundertakes and gives her all to see them all advance.”

Another nominator, Adonna Lowe of the JPS Health

Network, says as a volunteer Wilemon was among thosewho paved the way for creation of the JPS foundation.

“She chaired Partners Together for Health for the last 12years,” Lowe says, and she “raised approximately $34 mil-lion during that time.”

Wilemon attended the University of Texas at Arlingtonand the Southwestern Graduate School of Banking atSMU. In addition to her service on the Arlington Counciland as chairman of Partners Together for Health, sheserves on the board of the Arlington Chamber ofCommerce Government Relations Committee, theArlington Civic League, Arlington Arts League,Republican Women of Arlington, Reagan LegacyRepublican Women, Arlington League of Women Voters,Tarrant Regional Transportation Coalition, ArlingtonCrisis Pregnancy, WeCan (West Citizen Action Network),the Tarrant County Commission on Aging, the ArlingtonAdvisory Board for JPS, Theatre Arlington and ArlingtonSymphony.

— O.K. Carter


RobynYoung�

Director of the Breast Cancer CenterThe Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders

Dr. Robyn Young tends to run late. Her coworkersknow it, and her patients know it. But everyone isOK with it.

Young runs late because of the way she runs her appoint-ments with patients at the Center for Cancer and BloodDisorders. Young is the director of the breast cancer centerthere, and she specializes in treating the women — and men— who are dealing with the diagnosis and treatment ofbreast cancer. While patient appointments should only takea set amount of time, Young refuses to end an appoint-ment until she’s answered all the questions posed bypatients and families.

“When she walks into that examination room with apatient and their family, she becomes a captive audienceuntil they’re ready to move on,” says Dr. Bill Jordan, pres-ident of the Center. “Her clock definitely stops when shegoes into the rooms with a patient.”

That complete dedication to her patients and her spe-cialization in breast cancer care is what prompted Jordan to nominate Young for Great Women of Texas. Youngdoesn’t lose sight of her patients as individuals with familiesand dreams, he says, and her focus on a specific type ofcancer is an emerging trend in cancer care.

Young says her husband, who has a Ph.D. in medicalphysics, was able to stay at home with her son and daughterand the entire family was supportive of her career andchoice to help people with cancer.

“Everyone is aware what mom does, it’s not necessarilyoffice hours during the day,” she says.

Young keeps focused and calm by spending time with her

family and exercising regularly, and keeping healthy meansshe’s better able to take care of the women and men shetreats. Keeping her patient population healthy impactsmore than just the patients as individuals, she says.

“It’s a wide-reaching impact because women are not onlywives and mothers and church members and choir mem-bers, they’re also employees and employers,” she says.

— Elizabeth Bassett

Simply the Best

812 Main Street • Fort Worth, Texas817.877.3999

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