Director's Column

Throughout its thirty-seven years, Humanities Texas has benefited from the able leadership of our statewide board of directors. The list of those who have chaired our board includes such prominent Texans as Linden Heck Howell, Jo Anne Christian, Maceo Dailey Jr., Wilkes Berry, Betty Anderson, Wright Lassiter, Sam Moore, Edward George, Ellen Temple, Max Sherman, Everett Fly, Bill Wright, Roy Mersky, Edmund Pincoffs, Alan Taniguchi, A. J. Carlson, and Thomas Brewer. Joining this illustrious group are two extraordinary leaders who have guided Humanities Texas during the last four pivotal years.

Joe Krier, who chaired our board in 2007 and 2008, brought ample experience with nonprofit organizations at the local, state, and national levels. Citing just a few of his many civic involvements, he chaired the state’s Higher Education Coordinating Board in the late 1990s, launched the Foundation for the National Archives as its founding president, and for twenty years served as president and CEO of the Greater San Antonio Chamber of Commerce. As chair of the Humanities Texas board, Joe infused the entire organization with unprecedented energy and a sense of common purpose as we launched the capital campaign. His wealth of associates in state government and his knowledge of the legislative process were instrumental in securing Humanities Texas’s first state appropriation. Joe has also led our annual visits to the Texas congressional delegation in Washington and has participated in a number of the programs and activities of the Federation of State Humanities Councils.

Julius Glickman, the distinguished Houston attorney and civic leader, succeeded Joe as chair even while continuing to lead our capital campaign. He is a member of the International Academy of Trial Lawyers and has served on many boards, including the Association for Community Television, the Houston Symphony, and the UT Health Science Center at Houston. Julius not only raised the largest portion of the funds needed to meet our goal, he drew from his wide associations to expand our visibility and provide new opportunities for collaboration. Humanities Texas would not be where we are today without these two extraordinary leaders.

In accordance with our bylaws, a retiring chair whose two terms are expiring may serve one additional year as former chair. The board unanimously prevailed on Julius to serve in this capacity. Although Joe’s board tenure has expired, he remains involved and has joined three other prominent former chairs, Ellen Temple, Bill Wright, and Sam Moore, as a co-chair of our alumni board.

Three other well-known Texans are also leaving our board at the expiration of their terms. Janie Strauss McGarr significantly strengthened our representation in Dallas and advanced our capital campaign in that city. President George Wright of Prairie View A&M University, one of four university presidents who have served on the board in the last three years, shared his wealth of knowledge in the field of education. Successful Houston attorney and philanthropist George M. Fleming, a strong supporter of many educational institutions, generously participated in our capital campaign.

Two long-standing board members who were gubernatorial appointees also left the board this year. We deeply appreciate the thoughtful participation of Rockport civic leader Linda Valdez and Houston attorney Robert Kruckemeyer.

Succeeding Julius as 2011 chair is Mary Volcansek, the widely admired former dean of the AddRan College of Liberal Arts at Texas Christian University.

Mary is a respected political scientist whose expertise includes judicial politics, public law, and Western European politics. She also serves as executive director of TCU’s Center for Texas Studies.

Mickey Klein, our new vice-chair, has served on the boards of numerous leading cultural institutions, including the Whitney Museum, the Hirshhorn Museum, the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, the Blanton Museum, the Museum of Contemporary Arts, Houston, and Arthouse. He presently chairs the Advisory Council of the University of Texas Press.

In addition to past chair Julius Glickman, the other members of the 2011 executive committee are Austin attorney Catherine Robb, who will serve as treasurer, and Larry Carver, the director of the Liberal Arts Honors Program at The University of Texas at Austin, our incoming secretary.

We are pleased to have four newly elected members join the board this month. Veteran educator Shirlene Bridgewater is an English and humanities teacher at Marble Falls High School and a previous Outstanding Teaching Award recipient. Frank de la Teja, the former state historian and former president of the Texas State Historical Association, is a professor of history at Texas State University.

Virginia Drake Lebermann, a principal in a number of business interests, is one of the state’s young cultural leaders, serving on such boards as Ballroom Marfa, which she cofounded, The Chinati Foundation, the Harry Ransom Center, the National Public Radio Foundation, and the Aspen Institute. The resume of Houstonian Chase Untermeyer, former U.S. ambassador to Qatar, is so extensive and impressive that it defies summary. He has served in many prestigious capacities at local, state, and national levels.

We thank our retiring board members for their thoughtful service, and we welcome our four new members.