september 2009 houston business connections newspaper

BUSINESS CONNECTIONSBUSINESS CONNECTIONS

DOWNLOAD THIS ISSUE ON THE WORLDWIDE WEB BY VISITING: HOUSTON-BUSINESSCONNECTIONS.COM

Houston-Area

Published By Aubrey R. Taylor • Serving The Houston Community Since 1998 • Email: [email protected] • PROMOTIONAL ISSUE!

www.peopledoingbusiness.comwww.peopledoingbusiness.com

There is nothing more difficultto take in hand, more perilous toconduct, or more uncertain in its success, than to take the lead in the introduction of a new order of things. — Machiavelli

QUOTE

DOING THEIR THING!Next month, Aubrey Magazine will highlight some of Houston’s

brightest, innovative, and influential female business owners inPart Three of our "People Doing Business" series.

Our next issue will also feature a section on womenproudly serving abroad on behalf of our country. We’d

like your input on this highly anticipated and muchneeded issue. If you or someone you know wouldlike to be considered for inclusion of this specialissue, please call us at 832-212-8735.

WOMEN’S INITIATIVES: Army Capt. Ann Demapan, a women’s initiativescoordinator for Multinational Division South, discusses business opportunitiesavailable to educated Iraqi women at a conference at Basra Airport, Iraq. U.S.Army photo by Spc. Stephanie Cassinos.

Iraqi Women Take BusinessInto Their Own Hands

By Army Spc.Stephanie CassinosSpecial to American Forces Press Service

CONTINGENCY OPERAT-ING BASE BASRA, Iraq –Iraqi women discussed

opportunities in businessdevelopment and con-

tracting with U.S. sol-diers and contractorsduring a meeting at

Basra Airport in Iraq resently.The conference highlighted opportunities with Joint

Contracting Command Iraq’s women-owned business initiative, aprogram that reserves Defense Department contracts for business-es primarily owned by women.

“The target audience for the conference was educatedwomen, because contracting normally deals with a huge scope of

work that requires specialties in engineering and businessmanagement,” explained Army Capt. Ann Demapan, awomen’s initiativescoordinator with

Multinational continued on page, P.22

www.PeopleDoingBusiness.Com

“PART THREE”PEOPLE DOING BUSINESS SERIES

“Women’s Issue” Supporters!The Jaworski Law Firm

The Law Office of Silvia Pubchara-MunozBrown, Brown, Reynolds, P.C.

Law Office of Dagnee McKinney, PLLCLeroy Simms & Associates

DR. Angela Rogers Business Owner/Supporter

Constance HicksBusiness Owner/Supporter

Houston-Area

“PART THREE”PEOPLE DOING BUSINESS SERIES

“Women’s Issue” Supporters!

W

Aubrey R. Taylor, Publisher Houston Business Connections NewspaperDirect: [email protected]: [email protected] Ad: [email protected]

Contact The Publisher: 832.212.8735

Houston Business Connections Newspaper is published byAUBREY R. TAYLOR. All right reserved. No articles may be copied,rewritten, published, or otherwise distributed without the prior writ-ten approval of the publisher. For special requests please call:832.783.1113 or call the publisher directly at: 832.212.8735.

SEPT. 2009 PROMOTIONAL

Special Note from Aubrey

PUBLISHER’S ANNOUNCEMENTS & INFORMATION

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And to whomsoever much is given, ofhim shall much be required; and towhom much has been entrusted, of hima larger amount will be demanded.

What family better substantiates that statement, than the Kennedy’s, and what man could bet-ter demonstrate that statement, than Ted Kennedy? After considerable deliberation, I could think ofnone, and therefore presume that there are very few, if any.

Indeed, we have seen (in the public eye), few families that have endured the parallels ofprominence and pain as simultaneously as the Kennedy’s. History has recorded and attributed twoof the world’s most tragic events to the Kennedy family and ascertained a notable list of otherevents that are if not tragic, incredibly painful.

Through tragedy however comes triumph when one wills to prevail. And through the life of TedKennedy we have been given an example of a man determined to overcome every obstacle placedbefore him. His life conveyed quite compellingly, that he understood he was one who had beengiven much, but even more, it seems he understood that in that – equally as much would berequired. He seemed to understand that his family had been delegated; entrusted with an inheri-tance, both in wealth and in deed and that with that comes an enormous responsibility, a debt itseems, with distribution to an entire country, and even the world.

Edward Moore “Ted” Kennedy was born on February 22, 1932 at St. Margaret’s Hospital in theDorchester section of Boston, Massachusetts, the youngest of nine children of Joseph P. Kennedy,Sr. and Rose Fitzgerald, who were both members of prominent Irish-American families in Bostonand who constituted one of the wealthiest families in the nation.

As a child, Kennedy and his family moved frequently and by the age of eleven he’d attendedten different schools. Between the ages of eight and sixteen he suffered the pain of dealing withhis sister Rosemary Kennedy’s mental illness and the trauma of the deaths of his brother JosephP. Kennedy, Jr. in World War II, and sister Kathleen Agnes Kennedy in an airplane crash in 1948.Kennedy attended all four years of high school at Milton Academy prep school and was an averagestudent. He excelled in football and was involved in other sports such as tennis and hockey andwas active in the schools drama and debate clubs. He graduated in 1950.

Kennedy entered Harvard College, and in his spring semesterwas assigned to Winthrop House, where his brothers had also lived.He played as a valiant offensive and defensive end on the freshmanfootball team. In May 1951, concerned about maintaining his eligibili-ty to play football the following year, he had a friend who was betterprepared; take his Spanish language examination for him. The twowere caught and expelled. Offered the opportunity to apply for read-mission in a year or two after demonstrating good behavior, Kennedyopted out to enlist in the United States Army in June 1951.

Following basic training, Kennedy requested assignment to Fort Holabird for ArmyIntelligence training, but was cut after only a few weeks without explanation. He went to CampGordon for training in the Military Police Corps and in June 1952, was assigned to the honorguard at SHAPE headquarters in Paris. He was discharged in March 1953 as a private firstclass.

After being discharged from the military Kennedy re-entered Harvard in the summer of 1953. On athletic probation

Words by Aubrey WilliamsSpecial To Aubrey R. Taylor Communications

The Life and Legacy of

“Teddy”

continued on page, P.5

NEXT FREE WEALTH BUILDING WORKSH0P ¥ OCT. 1, 2009!

On Thursday October 1st, Victor Walker will host another“Building Wealth Through Your Business” educational work-shop at Boudreaux's Cajun Kitchen at 6:00 pm. There will be freefood and information provided. I’ll be there soaking up as muchknowledge as I can get my hands on! I hope to see you there!Seating is limited, so make sure you RSVP at 713-260-1358.

Being a Student ofWealth Building

t has been said that “when the student is ready, the teacherwill appear”. In fact, when business owners have clarityabout the process of generating revenue, they are motivatedand accelerate toward known objectives. Accumulating busi-ness and personal wealth is also a known process. On

Thursday, August 27th, I held an educational workshop on“Building Wealth Through Your Business” at Boudreaux’s CajunKitchen. The workshop was specifically tailored for business own-ers and many entrepreneurs were invited for an evening of wealthbuilding strategies, tax reduction maneuvers, asset and wealth pro-tection ideas and systems. And of course, all enjoyed great Cajunfood while gaining immediate walk-away strategies that could beimplemented the very next day. Owners of engineering firms, homehealthcare, real estate firms, internet companies, non-profit organi-zations and others were there for education and step-by-step wealthbuilding and protection strategies. While held in a private and cozysetting, our Thursday evening event leveraged a terrific networkingand referral occasion for me to spotlight each business owner andtheir services. The event was highlighted by the attendance ofAubrey R. Taylor Communications who took pictures of variousbusiness owners to appear in this publication.

The event was informative and many attendees said they willdefinitely be more focused onthe mechanics of building andkeeping wealth using their busi-

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PICTURED: Victor Walker talks with (left to right) MontriceMalone, M. Jeanne Roberson, president of Southern MedicalTransportation, LLC, and Houston Realtor/Investor Terry Azzouz.


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during his sophomore year, he returned as a second-string end. Kennedy received arecruiting letter from Green Bay Packers head coach Lisle Blackbourn, asking about hisinterest in playing professionally. Kennedy objected, saying he had plans to attend lawschool and to “go into another contact sport, politics.” Kennedy became a starting end onthe Harvard Crimson football team in his senior year. In the 1955 Harvard-Yale game, whichYale won 21-7, Kennedy caught Harvard’s only touchdown pass. He graduated fromHarvard in 1956 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in history and government.

In 1956 Kennedy enrolled in the University of Virginia School of Law and was the win-ner of the prestigious William Minor Lile Moot Court Competition, a competition that beganin 1929. It consists of five rounds spanning a two-year period, from the start of the secondyear to the spring of the third year. Each round involves writing a brief and one or two oralarguments of the case before a panel of judges. Kennedy also attended the HagueAcademy of International Law during 1958. He was appointed manager of his brotherJohn’s 1958 Senate re-election campaign, where his ability to connect to ordinary votershelped bring a record-setting victory that gave credibility to John’s presidential aspirations.Kennedy graduated from law school in 1959.

In October 1957 while in law school, Kennedy met VirginiaJoan Bennett, while he was delivering a speech at ManhattanvilleCollege. After a brief courtship and engagement they were mar-ried on November 29, 1958 to Joan’s displeasure. She believedtheir time together before marriage had been too short and unfa-miliar with the world of politics, was uncomfortable with thethought of being married to a politician. From this union wereborn three children: Kara Anne, Edward Jr., and Patrick.

Kennedy was admitted to the Massachusetts Bar in 1959. In 1960, John Kennedy ranfor President of the United States. Ted managed his campaign in the Western states. Hisdiligence towards the campaign in Wisconsin helped his brother win the first contested pri-mary of the season there, and in Wyoming was rewarded when a unanimous vote from thatstate’s delegates put his brother over the top at the 1960 Democratic National Convention.

Upon his victory in the general election, John vacated his Massachusetts Senate seat.Ted would not be eligible to fill the vacancy until February 22, 1962, when he would turnthirty. Ted initially wanted to stay out West and do something other than run for office rightaway; he said, “The disadvantage of my position is being constantly compared with twobrothers of such superior ability.” His brothers were also not in favor of his running immedi-ately, but Ted desired the Senate seat as an accomplishment to match his brothers’, andtheir father overruled them. Thus, the President-elect asked Massachusetts Governor FosterFurcolo to name Kennedy family friend Ben Smith to fill out John’s term, which he did inDecember 1960. This kept the seat open for Ted. [Meanwhile, Ted began work in February1961 as an assistant district attorney for Suffolk County, Massachusetts (for which he took anominal $1 salary), where he first developed a hard-nosed attitude towards crime. He alsotook many overseas tours and began speaking to local political clubs and organizations.The beginning of Ted’s legacy was unfolding, and for the following 46 years, an entire coun-try, would serve as his audience.

In the 1962 U.S. Senate special election in Massachusetts, Kennedy first faced aDemocratic Party primary challenge from Edward J. McCormack, Jr., the state AttorneyGeneral. Kennedy’s slogan was “He can do more for Massachusetts”, the same one Johnhad used in his first campaign for the seat ten years earlier.

Kennedy was sworn in to the Senate on November 7, 1962. He maintained a deferen-tial attitude towards the older, seniority-laden Southern members when he first entered theSenate, avoiding publicity and focusing on committee work and local issues. Compared tohis brothers in office, he lacked John’s sophistication and Robert’s intense, sometimes grat-ing drive, but was more affable than either of them.

Most of us who were around at the time, have for-ever etched in our minds, the devastation that shook the


“Teddy”Article written by Aubrey Williams • continued from page, P.2


FEATURE ARTICLE WRITTEN BY AUBREY WILLIAMS


Statement from The KennedyFamily

“Edward M. Kennedy - the hus-band, father, grandfather, brother

and uncle we loved so deeply - diedlate Tuesday night at home inHyannis Port. We’ve lost the irre-placeable center of our family andjoyous light in ourlives, but the inspi-ration of his faith,optimism, and perseverance will liveon in our hearts forever. We thankeveryone who gave him care and

support over this last year, andeveryone who stood with him for somany years in his tireless march forprogress toward justice, fairness and

opportunity for all. Heloved this country anddevoted his life to serving

it. He always believed that our bestdays were still ahead, but it's hard toimagine any of them without him.”

Statement byGov. Perry on thepassing ofSenator TedKennedy

“Senator Kennedy carried onhis family’s tradition of service toour country, devoting his life to thecauses that mattered most to him.We can all admire and shouldrespect a life lived with such consis-tent adherence to a deeply-held setof beliefs. Anita and I extend oursincere condolences and prayers tohis family and friends.”

ANALYSIS

TThe American work force is

graying – and not just because theAmerican population itself is gray-ing. Older adults are staying in thelabor force longer, and youngeradults are staying out of it longer.Both trends took shape about twodecades ago. Both have intensifiedduring the current recession. Andboth are expected to continue afterthe economy recovers. According toone government estimate, 93% of thegrowth in the U.S. labor force from2006 to 2016 will be among workersages 55 and older.

Demographic and economicfactors explain some – but not all –of these changes. Attitudes aboutwork also play an important role – inparticular, the growing desire of anaging but healthy population to stayactive well into the later years of life.

A new nationwide survey by thePew Research Center’s Social &Demographic Trends project findsthat a majority (54%) of workersages 65 and older say the main rea-son they work is that they want to.Just 17% say the main reason is thatthey need the paycheck. An addition-al 27% say they’re motivated by amix of desire and need.

When asked to identify specificreasons for working, older workersemphasize psychological and socialfactors: “to feel useful”; “to givemyself something to do”; “to be withother people.” Younger and middle-aged workers are much moreinclined to cite classic pocketbookconsiderations: “to support myselfand my family”; “to live independ-ently”; “to qualify for retirementbenefits”; “to receive health carebenefits.”

To be sure, the current state ofthe economy has influenced nearlyeveryone’s calculations about workto some extent. But the recessionappears to be having a very differentimpact, depending on age – keepingolder adults in the labor force andyounger ones out of it.

According to the Pew Researchsurvey, nearly four-in-ten adults whoare working past the median retire-ment age of 62 say they have delayedtheir retirement because of the reces-sion. Among workers ages 50 to 61,fully 63% say they might have topush back their expected retirementdate because of current economicconditions.

All of these survey findings areconsistent with a Pew ResearchCenter analysis of U.S. CensusBureau data that show that the laborforce participation rate of olderadults, which declined from 1950until the middle of the 1980s, hasbeen rising ever since. This trend hasaccelerated during this decade, espe-cially in the current recession.

At the other end of the age spec-trum, census data show that in thecurrent decade, a rising share ofAmericans ages 16 to 24 are inschool and a declining share are inthe labor force – 57% today versus66% in 2000.

The Pew Research survey iden-tifies two factors that help explainthese changing patterns among theyoung. First, a growing share of thepublic says that a person needs a col-lege education to get ahead in life;about three-quarters (73%) of thepublic feels this way now, up fromabout half (49%) in 1978. Second,younger adults (like all adults) arebeing hit hard by the recession, and

some may have become discouragedand dropped out of the labor market.

Overall, more than four-in-tennonworking people ages 16 to 24 saythey've looked for work but can'tfind anything.

Gender ShiftsAge is not the only demograph-

ic characteristic of the work forcethat's changing. There are also newdevelopments on the gender front –but here, the most compelling storyof the decade is not the presence of

change but the absence of change.After marching steadily upward

for five decades, the labor force par-ticipation rate of women has essen-tially flattened out. Itnow stands at 59%,slightly below the60% peak it reachedin 2000 at the end of a period ofrobust economic growth, and about13 percentage points below the cur-rent rate for men.

Even in an era of growing gen-der parity in the workplace, the

work/family trade-off continues tobe much more complicated forwomen than for men. The PewResearch survey dramatizes these

disparities; it finds thatnonworking womenare nine times as likelyas nonworking men to

cite the tug of family responsibilityas a key reason for not having a job.The survey also finds that only asmall share of the public – 12% –thinks the ideal situation for a moth-er of young children is to work full

time outside the home.As for men, their labor force

participation rate has declined in thisdecade – just as it has every decadesince the Bureau of Labor Statisticsbegan keeping such records in 1948.As of June 2009, it stood at 72%, thelowest level in modern history. Thecurrent economic downturn has hitmen harder than women, with mensuffering about two-thirds of all


ANALYSIS FROM THE PEW RESEARCH CENTER

Social Trends

Recession Turns a Graying Office Grayer


ANALYSIS


“My extensive State and Federal Court experience, along with my life experience, has

prepared me to be the best qualified candidate toserve the citizens of Harris County as the Judge of

Harris County Criminal Court at Law #9.”

• Silvia Pubchara-Munoz •

EXPERIENCE:• FORMER ASSISTANT DISTRICT ATTORNEY, FORT BEND COUNTY

• APPOINTED BY GOVERNOR ANN RICHARDS TO A COMMITTEE TOESTABLISH PROSECUTOR STANDARDS AND GUIDELINES • 22 YEARS

IN PRIVATE PRACTICE EXCLUSIVELY HANDLING CRIMINALCASES IN BOTH FEDERAL AND STATE COURTS

12 Greenway Plaza, Suite 1100 • Houston, Texas 77046 • 713.222.9300 •

email: [email protected]

In voluntary Compliance with the Judicial Fairness Act. Political Adv. paid for by the Silvia Pubchara-Munoz campaign, Jim Garcia, Treasurer.

Looking for a health-ier way to drink coffeewithout it losing itsrich, full-embodied flavor? Well, you mayhave just found it!

mericans are said todrink over 400 millioncups of coffee each day,which is nearly 52% ofthe American adult popu-

lation! We drink coffee in themorning, afternoon and evening. Itis our morning staple and ourevening pick-me-up, as many of usdepend on its caffeine to stayactive and alert. For manyAmericans, drinking coffee hasbecome a ritual. In fact, coffee isonly second to water as the mostconsumed beverage in the world!

Now, if you are a devoted cof-fee consumer as I am, the words“healthy coffee” may not sound allthat appealing. As coffee lovers,we look forward to sipping thatcup of fresh brewed coffee and sel-dom consider any of the ramifica-tions for doing so! With all of theother substitutes for healthy living,the “healthy” coffee alternativemay not be one that automaticallycaptures your attention, let alonethe change in your pocketbook!

Well, OrGano Gold coffeewith Ganoderma Extract may final-ly be the coffee that does captureyour attention, especially for thoseof us who are looking for a healthi-er way to consume beverages.

We all know that caffeine isaddictive, yet, for many coffeedrinkers, the laced down affect of“decaf” just doesn't cut it. As aresult, many of us who are insearch of that all too important,“kick”, opt for the less healthy ofthe two - caffeinated.

OrGano Gold is a brand-newexotic coffee blend made from100% Arabica coffee beans blend-ed with the Reishi Mushroom, alsodubbed the King of Herbs.According to Jason Chenier, anindependent consultant for OrGanoGold who has over 15 years ofexperience in the global supplychain industry as former owner ofan importing and exporting compa-ny, the Arabica bean is said tohave less caffeine than all othervarieties of coffee beans. Whenblended with Ganoderma Extract(found in the Reishi Mushroom),the typical amount of caffeine in acup of coffee is said to be signifi-cantly reduced.

Mr. Chenier also explainedthe other benefits of the OrGanoGold product and that improve-ments in overall health have beenseen. He states that Ganodermaalso oxygenates the body, increas-ing oxygen to the brain, which inturn helps with mental capabilitiesand even flexibility. He also statedthat Ganoderma helps to balancethe P.H. levels in the body and isfull of natural antioxidants, whichhelp to fight free radicals.

The Reishi Mushroom isnative to Asia, growing in countriessuch as Japan and China and ishailed as the “mushroom of immor-tality”. In China, it is known asLing Zhi, and at one point in histo-ry was esteemed by Emperors and

prized more highly than gold. Founded by Bernie Chua, the

OrGano Gold product has been thenumber one selling coffee in thePhilippines for over 10 years. TheOrGano Gold product was intro-duced to the United States in 2008and has since created quite a“buzz” in and out of the socialdrinking community. In its first tenmonths in the states, the product issaid to have had over $7M in sales.

An instant coffee, OrGanoGold comes in three gourmet fla-vors; Black, Latte and Mocha. Thecoffee is sold in single packets, bythe box in counts of 30 for Black,20 for Latte and 15 for Mocha, atabout .50 per cup. For individuals

who may be in search of a healthi-er drinking alternative withGanoderma, but prefer somethingother than coffee, OrGano Goldalso has a delicious green tea thatmay suit your taste buds. And hotchocolate, a favorite for children(and those of us who are childrenat heart), is also available!

Mr. Chenier also explainedthe OrGano Gold CompensationPackage and its' “Seven Ways toGet Paid”, which include theirRetail (buying product at whole-sale) and the Dual Team Builderpackages (for consumers and thoseinterested in business opportuni-ties). OrGano Gold's objective is tocapture 1% of the coffee market,

which would generate approxi-mately $125M in sales per month!He further explained that Texas hasthe highest number of distributorsfor the OrGano Gold product, plac-ing the Lone Star state in primeposition, and making the state amajor player in reaching their goal!Simply put, this means there ispotential to make tremendous sup-plemental income for entrepreneursand those who may be interested inbecoming one, right here at home!

For more information on theOrGano Gold product “The CoffeeThat Pays” and their weekly network-ing meetings, or to become an inde-pendent consultant please visit Jason

Chenier on the web at http://debt-free.coffeemillions.com/movie_play-er/. For purchase orders, please visithttp://coffeecompany.organogold.com/na/biz/ or contact Mr. Chenier direct-ly at (832)-421-7102 or [email protected] for free samples.

-----------------------------------------------

If you are interested in findingout more on products containingGanoderma, detailed informationcan be found at: www.pubmed.com. Pubmed.com is a government runeducational website and is notaffiliated with the OrGano Goldproduct line.


BUSINESS ARTICLE WRITTEN BY AUBREY WILLIAMS

“The Coffee That Pays”

A

Mr. Chenier may be contacted directly at (832)-421-7102.


MJLM Wealth Solutions, thefinancial planning affiliate ofMcConnell Jones Lanier & Murphy,LLP (MJLM), one of the nation'slargest minority-owned accountingand consulting firms, announces therelocation of its office to 4203Montrose Blvd, Fifth Floor,Houston, Texas 77006.

Established in 2000 through astrategic partnership with WealthDevelopment Strategies L.P. (WDS),a comprehensive financial servicesprovider, MJLM Wealth Solutionsoffers comprehensive financial andretirement planning services to indi-viduals as well as private businessowners and entertainers.

Since the launch of MJLMWealth Solutions, the relationshipbetween MJLM andWDS has seen tremen-dous success. In orderto facilitate this growth as well asincreased client needs, MJLMWealth Solutions has selected a newoffice location that includes shared

space with WDS.“Everyone involved is excited

about the upcomingmove and the profes-sional opportunities

that will result,” said MJLM WealthSolutions Founder, Thomas Jones Jr.“By physically joining forces withWealth Development Strategies we

will have access to a myriad of finan-cial resources that allow us to betterserve our existing clients while con-tinuing to grow our practice.”--------------------------------------------

Contact information for MJLMWealth Solutions advisors: C. AllenRobinson at 713-561-8163 or CatinaRisper at 713-561-8149.

MJLM Wealth Solutions Moves Office Locations

TEXAS

F

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UPCOMING DON’T MISS THIS EXCITING KEEPSAKE EDITION OF “AUBREY” MAGAZINE! CALL US TODAY: 832.212.8735

ARE YOU IN?Houston-Area Attorney Dagnee “Dee” McKinneyAnd Women Just Like Her Will Be The Highlight of“Part Three” Of The People Doing Business Series®

There is no chance, no destiny, no fate, that can hinderor control the firm resolve of the determined soul.~ Ella Wheeler Wilcox

To chronicle the life of Dagnee “Dee” McKinney is to understand, inex-tricably, the power of perseverance and determination. Growing up as theonly girl amongst three older brothers, Dagnee McKinney was tomboyishand uncompromising. Reared in Houston's South Park - an area consid-ered by many a place of hopelessness and despair, Dee, as I will refer toher, found herself miles away from prosperity.

This is the story of Dagnee “Dee” McKinney.

For Dee, as a young child, being poor was a misnomer up until her latterchildhood years, when in elementary school she would experience firsthand thereality of what being underprivileged meant and the stigma it carried with it. Oneday in the first grade, Dee's parents, now without food and money, sent her toschool without lunch or money to purchase it. Ignorant to a world of bias and par-tiality, she notified the school staff of her inability to pay and was ridiculed for com-ing to school without lunch money and sent home to eat. When she reachedhome and told her father what happened, he sent her back to school, still withoutlunch. In an attempt to embarrass and humiliate her, she was told that they couldonly give her a peanut butter and jelly sandwich and milk. However, even in alltheir persistence, their attempt to “weaken” her was unsuccessful, as there weretwo major assessments the school “failed” to recognize in their evaluation of Dee;one: a peanut butter and jelly sandwich with milk (preferably ice-cold) was herfavorite meal, and two; if growing up in the ghetto did anything at all for Dee - itfortified her. It developed within her an unyielding endurance and a will-power thatrefused to do anything less than overcome.

Growing up in her surroundings and under the guidance of strong, intelligentwomen, it's no surprise that Dee, as a teenager, was considered “tough”. Afterbeing called “obnoxious” and “militant” by an 11th grade teacher, shefound herself interested and intrigued with the likes of Malcolm Xand Nikki Giovanni, not because of their beliefs necessarily, butbecause of the clear-cut identity they displayed. For Dee, the attraction was theircommunal link; the fact that they too celebrated their individuality and that theirdisposition was unambiguous. They exuded confidence within themselves amid apopulace filled with rejection that more often than not, contradicted their perspec-tives and consequently, cut them off. Three weeks before graduation, Dee decidedto quit high school because she was simply tired of going. However, when shethought about facing her mother and grandmother with this news, she quicklychanged her mind and graduated with honors from Jesse H. Jones High School.

After graduation, Dee enrolled in Houston Community College. She was soagainst attending that her mother would drive her to school, wait in the lobby untilthe classes ended, and drive her home. Her mother knew that Dee would skipschool if she were not monitored. This lasted for about a year until Dee finallygrew accustom to college. After graduating from Houston Community College sheenrolled at the University of St. Thomas (Houston, TX). It somehow seems inap-propriate to simply state that Dee merely “enrolled in and then graduated from col-lege”, as if it were some simple achievement or a sort of familial custom actedupon in adherence to those who went before her. Dee did not come from a familyof college folks, and moreover, most people in her neighborhood did not even grad-uate from high school. In fact, even though she had excellent grades, Dee neverapplied for any scholarships to college as no one had ever advised her to do so.

For Dee, at age 22, there had never been an occurrence that was moreheartbreaking than that of losing her firstborn child and existing through fourdreadful days in which she powerlessly watched him fight for his life. During thisordeal, Dee burst her stitches while reaching for the phone for news of her new-born's condition and was left with a hole in the dead center of her stomach. Tofurther test her strength, Dee was late to her son's funeral due to being dis-charged late by hospital staff.

School was scheduled to begin a few weeks later and Dee was uncertain asto whether or not she should miss the fall semester or return. While sitting in hercar in the university parking lot, that invisible force, that driver called will, and thatpower to see things opposite their outward reality - perspective, rose up againstevery odd and made a decision to keep going.

Even during a period of time when even the most inflexible person wouldhave given her a pass to pout-it-out, perhaps even shout-it-out; she kept herface forward and her mind focused on the intended purpose. And so the phrase“enrolled in college” seems incredibly inappropriate to use in her case; the bet-ter phrase would be “that she enrolled in college and vowed (promised, guar-anteed, declared, [be] determined) to complete her commitment, especiallywhen we consider that this was only one of the many obstacles that sheendured and persevered through. She learned not to take things for grantedand to understand thatyou can control youremotions and pain bygoing to God when thehurt is just too much tobear. She experiencedwhat, “you have to gothrough to get to” …real-ly meant. She went on toearn her bachelor's degree and give birth to a beautiful baby girl!

While in the Masters Program at the University of St. Thomas, Dee experi-enced the most embarrassing moment of her life. During a writing class therewas a disagreement about a story involving cowboys and constellations. Deeexpressed her opinion about the story, which consequently, enraged the professor,who then, in the presence of the entire class defiantly said, “People like youBREED ignorance!” Suddenly, Dee felt the most disconcerting sensation asthough her heart had settled in her throat and knew that if she responded, herwords would cause her to be expelled. She sat there amid enveloping embar-rassment and heard the professor say, “EvenMalcolm X could read!” Since theywere discussing cowboys, sheknew this was clearly a racialstatement directed at her.When the class took a break,Dee feared leaving as sheknew she might not return. The

professor came overand said, “I have a Ph.D., so Ithink I know more than you aboutwriting.” When Dee returned to class

the following day the entire class clappedannouncing their gratification in seeing her, as theyhad presumed she'd quit school. The only otherAfrican-American student in the class remarked, “I'venever seen a black person turn so red in my life”.This professor, although equipped with a Ph.D.,had not been successful in having any of herwork published. Seeking silent revenge, Deeengrossed herself in her writing. Not only didshe prevail to write a story that brought theentire class to tears, she also managed toget her work published that semester. Hergreatest joy was bringing the publishedwork to class and making a point toshow it to the then-still unpublished pro-fessor. After several such incidents,Dee wrote a letter to the President ofthe college, who responded by creat-ing a focus group and writing a let-ter of apology.

Dee received her Master'sdegree and in a move of protest,refused to participate in the

“DEE” TERMINATION

PEOPLE DOING BUSINESS SUPPORTERS — ATTORNEY RON & DR. JONITA REYNOLDS

Dr. Jonita W. Reynolds’ Bio

r. Jonita Reynolds, affectionately called,“Dr.J.,” is a native Houstonian, and proveneducational and social service leader. As afifth-generation educator, Dr.J. worked inthe Houston Independent School District

for 11 years serving as High School English Teacher,Magnet Coordinator, Internal Consultant, and Directorof Strategic Management and Quality Improvement.Since December 2003, she has served at the helm ofthe Gulf Coast Community Services Association(GCCSA) as its Chief Executive Officer (CEO).

As an issue-advocate, Dr.J. vows to win the waron poverty by providing the highest quality and mostrelevant educational, social, and economic opportu-nities for the un-served and under-served popula-tions. As the CEO of the largest Community ActionAgency in the state of Texas, with over425 employees spanning 36 sitesthroughout Harris County, and an annualbudget in excess of $25 million, shetakes the business of empowering vulnerable popula-tions to attain economic independence, very serious-ly. Under her strategic leadership and direction,GCCSA has exceeded expectations and garnered thesupport of the elected officials, achieved excellentresults in all regulatory compliance areas, receivednumerous recognitions, increased partnerships,expanded services, and increased the number of indi-viduals who have transitioned out of poverty.

Recognizing the importance of an education,Dr.J. graduated Magna Cum Laude from theUniversity of Houston where she also earned bothher Master of Education and Doctor of EducationDegrees in Educational Leadership and CulturalStudies. However, more than just attaining degrees,Dr.J. gives back, unceasingly, by serving as thekeynote speaker at commencements, promotion cere-monies, church events, and service-oriented pro-grams. She believes passionately in that “To whommuch is given, much is required.” Therefore, she isunapologetic for taking the L-E-A-D in life!

Although a CEO's responsibilities are diverseand demanding, this public servant's civic and com-munity involvements are encompassing: She servesas Vice President on the Board of Directors for theTexas Association of Community Action Agencies,2009 American Leadership Forum Fellow, Presidentof the Ivy Educational and Charitable Foundation,Facilitator for the Missouri City's JuneteenthFoundation Villagers 20-20 Program, EducationChair for the Missouri City & Vicinity Branch ofthe NAACP, and Advisory Board Member for theCollege-Bound Beginning at Birth Initiative.She is also a member of the Missouri City Links,Inc., Top Ladies of Distinction, and Alpha KappaAlpha Sorority, Inc.

In recognition of her dedication to making a dif-ference, this former Ms. Black World-HoustonPageant Winner who also appeared in the GeorgeMcKenna Story with Denzel Washington, has

received numerous honors: One ofHouston's 25 Most Influential Womenby Rolling Out Magazine; Recipientof the American Red Cross'

Humanitarian Award; YMCA's Minority AchievementAward; Who's Who in Black Houston; Pine-Sol'sWomen Making a Powerful Difference; LeadershipAward by the Department of Health and HumanServices; A Healing Hand of Houston - OutstandingPeople Doing Extraordinary Gestures for theBetterment of Others by the Top Ladies ofDistinction; Distinguished Achievement Award by theIvy Education and Charitable Foundation;Outstanding Community Service Award by We ofFaith Mission; the Community Service Award by JustBetween Girlfriends; Named one of the 2007 Womenin It to Win It by D-MARS Magazine; and featured inCambridge's Who's Who for Executive andProfessional Women and Kipling's Who's Who inLeading Business Professionals.

Dr.J. is married to Ronald E. Reynolds, Esq.;they reside in Missouri City, Texas, and are mem-bers of The Church Without Walls. As long as shehas breath, she vows, “to be deeply rooted, ever-growing, and forever serving.”

D

SUPPORTER

continued on page, P.19 Attorney Dagnee McKinney may be contacted directly at (832)-242-7000

SUPPORTER

This story is a collaborative writingby Aubrey Williams and AttorneyDagnee “Dee” McKinney

world during the fall of 1963. OnNovember 22, while Kennedywas presiding over the Senate anaide rushed in to tell him that hisbrother, President John F.Kennedy, had been shot; hisbrother Robert soon told him thatthe President had died a shortwhile after. As the world seeming-ly stood still, at a loss and in deepmourning, Ted flew to the familyhome in Hyannis Port,Massachusetts, as the delegateselected to deliver to his father,who had recently suffered astroke, the devastating news. Inthe years to follow both his per-sonal and professional life wouldbe riddled in tragedy and sorrow,which often lingered, acting as anoverhang that would overshadowmany of his accomplishments.

Not more than a year afterthe assassination of his brother,on June 19, 1964, Kennedy wasa passenger in a private AeroCommander 680 flying fromWashington to Massachusettsthat crashed on final approachinto an apple orchard in badweather, in the westernMassachusetts town ofSouthampton. The pilot andEdward Moss, one of Kennedy'saides, were killed. Kennedy waspulled from the wreckage andspent months in a hospital recov-ering from a severe back injury, apunctured lung, broken ribs andinternal bleeding. He sufferedchronic back pain for the rest ofhis life. Kennedy took advantageof his long convalescence tostudy issues more closely. Histime spent in the hospital wouldbe the experience that wouldtrigger his lifelong interest in theprovision of health care services.Kennedy returned to the Senatein January 1965, walking with acane and employing a strongerand more effective legislativestaff. He took on PresidentLyndon B. Johnson and almostsucceeded in amending theVoting Rights Act of 1965 to banthe poll tax, gaining a reputationfor legislative skill. He was aleader in pushing through theImmigration and Nationality Actof 1965, which ended a quotasystem based upon national ori-gin and which, despiteKennedy's predictions at thetime, would have a profoundeffect on the demographic make-up of the United States. He alsoplayed a role in creation of theNational Teachers Corps. Following in the Cold Warriorpath of his fallen brother,Kennedy initially said he had “noreservations” about the expand-ing U.S. role in the Vietnam War,acknowledging that it would be a“long and enduring struggle”.Kennedy held hearings on theplight of refugees in the conflict,which revealed that the U.S. gov-ernment had no coherent policyfor refugees. Kennedy also triedto reform “unfair” and“inequitable” aspects of the draft.

By the time of a January 1968trip to Vietnam, Kennedy wasdisillusioned by the lack of U.S.progress, and suggested publiclythat the U.S. should tell SouthVietnam, “Shape up or we’regoing to ship out.”

Ted initially advised hisbrother Robert against challeng-ing the incumbent PresidentJohnson for the Democratic

nomination in the 1968 presiden-tial election. Ted recruited politi-cal leaders for endorsements tohis brother in the Western states.He was in San Francisco whenhis brother Robert won the cru-cial California primary on June 4,1968; and then after shortly after


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“Teddy”Article written by Aubrey Williams • continued from page, P.5


midnight, received the horrifyingnews that Robert had been shotin Los Angeles. He died a daylater. Ted Kennedy was particu-larly devastated by his death, ashe was closest to Robert amongall of the Kennedy family; aKennedy aide said of seeing Tedat the hospital where Robert laymortally wounded: “I have never,ever, nor do I expect ever, to seea face more in grief.”

After his brothers’ deaths,Ted Kennedy took on the role ofsurrogate father for their 13 chil-dren. His role in their lives wascrucial. He demonstrated, in atime of catastrophe, an enor-mous amount of strength andcourage and solidified a place ineach of their hearts while captur-ing the hearts of many individu-als around the globe.

Following RepublicanRichard Nixon’s victory inNovember, Kennedy was widelyassumed to be the front-runnerfor the 1972 Democratic nomina-tion. In January 1969, Kennedydefeated Louisiana SenatorRussell B. Long by a 31-26 mar-gin to become Senate MajorityWhip, the youngest person toattain that position. While thisfurther boosted his presidentialimage, he also appeared conflict-ed by the inevitability of havingto run for the position. The reluc-tance was in part due to the dan-ger; Kennedy reportedlyobserved, “I know that I’m goingto get my ass shot off one day,and I don't want to.”

Assassination never caughtup with Ted, however anothertragedy did, and one that wouldfollow him for the rest of his life.On the night of July 18, 1969,Kennedy was on Martha’sVineyard's ChappaquiddickIsland at a party for the “BoilerRoom Girls”, a group of youngwomen who had worked on hisbrother Robert’s presidentialcampaign the year before.Kennedy left the party, driving a1967 Oldsmobile Delmont 88with one of the women, 28-year-old Mary Jo Kopechne and lateraccidentally drove off DikeBridge into the Poucha Pondinlet, a tidal channel onChappaquiddick Island. Kennedyescaped the overturned vehicle,swam to safety and left thescene. He did not call authoritiesuntil after Kopechne’s body wasdiscovered the following day.On July 25, Kennedy pleadedguilty to leaving the scene of anaccident and was given a sen-tence of two months in jail, sus-pended. That night, he gave anational broadcast in which hesaid, “I regard as indefensiblethe fact that I did not report theaccident to the police immediate-ly”, but denied driving under theinfluence of alcohol and deniedany immoral conduct betweenhim and Kopechne. Kennedyasked the Massachusetts elec-torate whether he should stay inoffice and, after getting a favor-able response, he did so.Kennedy easily won re-electionto another term in the Senate in1970 with 62 percent of the vote.During the 1970's Kennedywould fight tirelessly, unwaveringin his pursuit to save his sonTeddy Jr., who was 12-years old,from bone cancer. AlthoughTeddy survived his battle withcancer, he was forced to have aleg amputated. During this timeKennedy’s marriage to Joan fur-ther deteriorated. There have

been several accounts as to why- from Joan’s alleged heavydrinking to Ted's womanizing,whatever the cause(s) the coupledivorced in 1981.

In January 1971, Kennedylost his position as Senate MajorityWhip when he lost the support ofseveral members and was defeat-ed by Senator Robert Byrd ofWest Virginia. Kennedy becamechair of the Senate subcommitteeon health care and played a lead-ing role with Jacob Javits in thecreation and passage of theNational Cancer Act of 1971.

In October 1971,Kennedy made his firstspeech about TheTroubles in NorthernIreland that would for-


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ever change his place in history, namely asan orator.: he said that “Ulster is becomingBritain's Vietnam”, demanded that Britishtroops leave the northern counties, called fora united Ireland, and declared that Protestantswho could not accept this “should be given adecent opportunity to go back to Britain” (aposition he backed away from within a coupleof years). In December 1971, Kennedy stronglycriticized the Nixon administration’s supportfor Pakistan and its ignoring of “the brutal andsystematic repression of East Bengal by thePakistani army”. He traveled to India andwrote a report on the plight of the 10 millionBengali refugees. In February 1972, Kennedyflew to Bangladesh and delivered a speech atDhaka University, where a killing rampage hadbegun a year earlier.

In September 1974, Kennedy announced that for family rea-sons he would not run in the 1976 election, declaring that his deci-sion was “firm, final, and unconditional.”

Kennedy finally ran for theDemocratic nomination in the1980 presidential election bylaunching an unusual, insurgentcampaign against the incumbentCarter, a member of his ownparty. Kennedy formallyannounced his campaign onNovember 7, 1979, at Boston’sFaneuil Hall.

With little mathematicalhope of winning the nominationand polls showing likely defeatin the New York primary,Kennedy prepared to withdrawfrom the race. Carter won 11 of12 primaries held in May, whileon the June 3 Super Tuesdayprimaries, Kennedy wonCalifornia, New Jersey, andthree smaller states out of eightcontests. Overall, Kennedy hadwon 10 presidential primariesagainst Carter, who won 24.

His tenure in the Senatewould span four decades, withhim and his staff pushing somethree hundred bills throughCongress. He is best known asthe driving force in enacting ahealth care bill, stating thathealth care reform was “thecause of my life”.

Kennedy was a major play-er in the 60’s, 70’s, 80’s and90's! Every civil rights bill of thelast 45 years had Kennedy’sstamp on it. Every health-carebill of the last 30 years had hisimprint on it. Every minimumwage bill of the last 30 yearshad his imprint on it. EverySupreme Court nomination from1965 until last month, Kennedyplayed a huge role in.

Kennedy’s role as a liberallion in the Senate came to thefore in 1995, when theRepublican Revolution took con-trol and legislation intending tofulfill the Contract with Americawas coming from NewtGingrich's House ofRepresentatives.[ ManyDemocrats in the Senate andthe country overall weredepressed, but Kennedy ralliedforces to combat theRepublicans. By the beginningof 1996, the Republicans hadoverreached; most of theContract had failed to pass theSenate; and the Democratscould once again move forwardwith legislation, almost all of itcoming out of Kennedy’s staff.

On July 16, 1999, tragedystruck the Kennedy family again


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when a Piper Saratoga crashedinto the Atlantic Ocean offMartha’s Vineyard. The accidentkilled its pilot John F. Kennedy,Jr., his wife and sister-in-law.Ted paraphrased William ButlerYeats by saying of his nephew:“We dared to think, in that otherIrish phrase, that this JohnKennedy would live to comb grayhair, with his beloved Carolyn byhis side. But like his father, hehad every gift but length ofyears.” Ted now served as a rolemodel for Maria Shriver, KerryKennedy Cuomo, Robert F.Kennedy, Jr., Joseph PatrickKennedy II, and other familymembers. The Boston Globewrote of the changed role: “Itunderscored the evolution thatsurprised so many people whoknew the Kennedy’s: Teddy, thebaby of the family, who hadgrown into a man who couldsometimes be dissolute and reck-less, had become the steady,indispensable patriarch, the onethe family turned to in good timesand bad.”

Following his endorsement,Kennedy staged a campaignappearance with Barack Obamain Hartford, Connecticut onFebruary 4, 2008, the day beforethe Super Tuesday primaries.

Kennedy initially stated thathe would support John Kerryagain should he run for presidentin 2008, but in January 2007,Kerry said he would not.Kennedy then remained neutralas the 2008 Democratic nomina-tion battle between SenatorHillary Rodham Clinton andSenator Barack Obama intensi-fied, as his friend Chris Doddwas also running. Kennedy gavean endorsement to Obama onJanuary 28, 2008, despiteappeals by both Clintons not todo so. In a move that was seenas a symbolic passing of thetorch, Kennedy said that it was“time again for a new generationof leadership,” and comparedObama’s ability to inspire withthat of his fallen brothers. Inreturn Kennedy gained a com-mitment from Obama to makeuniversal health care a top priori-ty of his administration if elected.Kennedy’s endorsement wasconsidered among the mostinfluential that any Democratcould get, and raised the possi-bility of improving Obama’s vote-getting among unions, Hispanics,and traditional base Democrats[as the Super Tuesday primariesapproached.

On May 17, 2008, Kennedysuffered a seizure, and thenanother one as he was rushedfrom the Kennedy Compound toCape Cod Hospital and then byhelicopter to MassachusettsGeneral Hospital in Boston. [Itwas originally thought thatKennedy had suffered a stroke,but on May 20, doctorsannounced that Kennedy had amalignant glioma, a type of can-cerous brain tumor. The grimdiagnosis brought reactions ofshock and prayer from manysenators of both parties and fromPresident Bush.

Doctors initially toldKennedy the tumor was inopera-ble, but he looked around forother opinions and decided onthe most aggressive andexhausting course of treatmentpossible. On June 2, 2008,Kennedy underwent brain sur-gery at Duke University MedicalCenter in an attempt to removeas much of the tumor as possi-

ble. The 3-hour operation, con-ducted by Dr. Allan Friedmanwhile Kennedy was conscious inorder to minimize any permanentneurological effects, wasdeemed successful in its goals.Kennedy left the hospital a weeklater to begin a course ofchemotherapy and radiationtreatment. Opinions variedregarding Kennedy’s prognosis:the surgery typically only extend-ed survival time by a matter ofmonths, but sometimes peoplelived for years. Only time wouldtell, Kennedy’s fate.

On September 26, 2008,Kennedy suffered a mild seizurewhile at his home in HyannisPort, for which he was examinedand released from hospital onthe same day.

On January 20, 2009,Kennedy attended BarackObama’s presidential inaugura-tion in Washington, but then suf-fered a seizure at the luncheonimmediately afterwards.

Kennedy died of his tumor onTuesday, August 25, 2009, at hishome in Hyannis Port, twoweeks after the death of his sis-ter Eunice. He is survived by hiswife Victoria, his sister JeanKennedy Smith, and his threechildren and two stepchildren. Kennedy's body traveled a 70-mile journey from the KennedyCompound in Hyannis Port, pastnumerous landmarks namedafter his family, to the John F.Kennedy Library in Boston,Massachusetts where it lay inrepose and where over 50,000members of the public filed by topay their respects. Kennedy’sbody was returned toWashington, D.C. for burial atArlington National Cemeterynear the graves of his brothers.

Perhaps the best way tosummarize the life of EdwardMoore “Ted” Kennedy is to usethe eulogy he spoke at his broth-er Robert’s funeral. His eulogywent as follows:

‘My brother need not be ide-alized, or enlarged in deathbeyond what he was in life; to beremembered simply as a goodand decent man, who saw wrongand tried to right it, saw suffering,and tried to heal it, saw war andtried to stop it. Those of us wholoved him and who take him tohis rest today, pray that what hewas to us and what he wished forothers will some day come topass for the entire world. As hesaid many times, in many parts ofthis nation, to those he touchedand who sought to touch him:‘Some men see things as theyare and say why. I dream thingsthat never were and say why not.’

And so It is. The last of thefamed Kennedy brothers hasbeen laid to rest, their lives ofprominence and peril assertingthat life, however simple – is cer-tainly not easy. Ted Kennedy’slife; however full of difficulty andtragedy, was also a life full oflove and giving. Perhaps it was

his tragic moments, be themfilled with heart-break, guilt orshame that pressed forth in himthat “lion” we all came to know.Whatever the reason(s), Tedseemed to understand that hehad been given much and thatwith that came immeasurableresponsibility. He took on thatresponsibility and as a result hashelped millions of people aroundthe world. All that tragedy itseems, built up a tremendouscourage, and with that EdwardMoore “Ted” Kennedy had thecourage to persevere - eventhrough the deepest devastation.

-----------------------------------------------

“Wars and electionsare both too big and toosmall to matter in thelong run. The daily work- that goes on, is in theend, what adds up.” ~ Barbara Kingsolver



GByTom PaukenTom Pauken is Chairman of theTexas Workforce Commission

“Government Jobs HaveGrown Since Recession'sStart” was the headline of arecent story in The New YorkTimes. The article cited areport from the Nelson A.Rockefeller Institute ofGovernment which statedthat “state and local govern-ments have expanded theirpayrolls and added 110,000jobs” since the beginning ofthe recession in December2007. The growth in govern-ment jobs comes during aperiod in which approxi-mately 6.9 million privatesector jobs have been lostnationally. Even here inTexas (which has the besteconomy of any large state inthe nation), private sectorjobs have declined by266,300 jobs over the pastyear while government jobshave expanded by 47,100.Those year-to-year increasesin government jobs may becoming to an end as citiesand states across the countryfind themselves faced withdeclining tax revenues inwhat has become the worstnational recession since theGreat Depression of the1930s. For example, the Cityof Dallas has a $190 milliondeficit while Houston has a$105 million shortfall in rev-enues. Don't expect eitherof those two major Texascities to go on a hiringspree anytime soon.

Bloomberg News reports that88 percent of city finance officerssay that “they are less able to coverthe cost of running their govern-ments than a year earlier.” The arti-cle in Bloomberg by WilliamSelway notes that cities continued toincrease their spending even after itwas clear that we were in adeep recession. Now, local taxingentities can't count on rising proper-ty taxes, higher sales tax revenues,and other revenue sources to keeppaying for bigger government at thestate and local levels. The onlysolution under these circumstancesis to raise taxes. And, this is theworst possible time to do that whenindividuals and businesses are strug-gling to make ends meet. That'swhy the growth in governmentjobs at the state and local levels isnot likely to continue. The moneysimply isn't there. Nor can citiesor states run up massive deficits

like our federal government doesduring hard times.

I have long maintained thatgovernment doesn't create jobs.Only the private sector does.Government is dependent upon avibrant private sector if it is goingto be able to have sufficient tax rev-enues to provide for necessary pub-lic services. The problem with theAmerican economy is that we arenot creating enough good-payingjobs in the private sector here in the

UnitedStates topay for agovern-ment thatcontinuesto costmore.This isnot a newphenome-non which

just started happening when we

went into this national economicrecession. Floyd Norris of The NewYork Times has done us all a realservice by pointing out that theAmerican economy has added vir-tually no jobs in the private sectorover the last ten years, with theonly growth in U.S. employmentcoming from the public sector. Ifthat doesn't wake up theWashington policy makers to thefact that we need to change oureconomic policy in order to encour-

age job creation in the private sec-tor, then I don't know what will.

Unless we start encouragingsavings and capital investment forjob creation here in the UnitedStates, all these “governmentalstimulus” programs amount to onlytemporary fixes to a serious struc-tural problem facing the Americaneconomy. If we don't change ourways, those government jobs willgo away just like those in the pri-vate sector already have.

OPINION SUBMITTED BY CHAIRMAN TOM PAUKEN


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graduation commencement.She immediately enrolled toSouth Texas College of Law andreceived the Corpus SecundumAward for Excellence in Torts herfirst semester.

While in law school, and at8-months pregnant Dee fellthrough an attic (I told you shewas tomboyish)! Despite herinjuries she returned to class thevery next day, bruised ribs andall. Finally during spring breakvacation Dee gave birth to ababy boy and almost immediate-ly, returned to class to participatein a Mock Trial Competition.This was an especially importantevent to Dee as the opponentswere top law students. Needlessto say, Dee (and her partner)won the mock trial competition!After sixteen years of part-timestudy, Dee finally obtained herLaw degree from South TexasCollege of Law. It wasn't untilgraduation day at age 34; Deerealized she had been in schoolsince she was 18 years old.Before then, she'd never thoughtabout how much time and effortshe'd actually put in to reachingher goal. What is more, after allof the cramming: report afterreport, exam after exam, and allthe while pressing through lifeand its many facets: working full-time, raising her children, thedaily assignment of making sureshe raised (elevated) herself, tosite a few; at last; on November6, 1998, Dee passed the StateBar Exam, earning her the rightto practice law and serve thepeople of Texas, making it thehappiest day of her life!

Dee began her employmentas a paralegal for Jim S. Adler &Associates and continuedemployment there as an attorneyfor 12 years and was well knownfor her candor and wit, and herability to challenge herself in per-sonal injury matters. During thistime Dee became the Presidentof the Fort Bend Young LawyersAssociation. She then decidedto accept a position as aPersonal Injury Partner withanother law firm. Soon, howev-er, opportunity presented itselffor her to step out on faith andbegin her own practice in 2004as the Law Office of DagneeMcKinney, PLLC.

In beginning her own lawfirm, Dee was at that time, morethan any other time before, in aposition to “hustle”. She wasnotorious for passing out busi-ness cards at post offices andWal-Marts, and for placing themon car windows, even to thepoint of almost being arrested atthe Sharpstown Mall shoppingcomplex in Houston, for solicit-ing. Her persistence paid offnonetheless, and that day in themall, she picked up a client andwas hired to defend a man inJasper, Texas. When shearrived at the courthouse inJasper, Dee was treated like roy-alty but even better, the DeadlyConduct case was dismissed!Dee's practice allows her to takeup special interest in her clients,

getting to know them and theirindividual situations and mostimportantly - provide honestlegal support, without regard totheir socioeconomic status anddo so with integrity and withcompassion. With focus on per-sonal injury, criminal and familylaw, Dee's practice is almostequally divided. At present,most of her business comesfrom referrals from past clients.

The biggest reward for Deeoften does not come while in thecourtroom at the time of the ver-dict, but rather well after the ver-dict has been read. It comes

when she receives follow-upfrom her former clients who havenot only declared wanting tochange their life for the better,but who have actually takenaction in making that changehappen and moreover, doingtheir best to maintain it. It isespecially gratifying for Dee tobe able to relate to and speakfrankly with her clients. She usu-ally asks the parents to step outof the room so she can speakhonestly and sometimes evenbrutally, to the client's about theirsituations.

For Dee, it goes so much

further beyond winning a case.Her position asserts, “What goodhave you done if you've won acase but have done nothing totry and help that person build abetter understanding, to changehis or her perspective on life? Ifthere's been nothing done tohelp cultivate change within aperson, was the case “really”won? What good is done whena criminal, convicted or not, beallowed back onto the street andthere have been no words ofcaution, of genuine concern, ofencouragement, of hope…spo-ken into their lives? The process

of going through court and eventhe prospect of serving time injail or prison certainly do notalways deter criminal behavior.We know that through evidenceof recidivism. Perhaps the solu-tion for the world's ills does notrest on your or my tongue,although it very well may. I amconvinced however, that ourwords can mean the world toone somebody and totallyreshape their mindset. Wordshave the power to activate what



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continued from page, P.13


By Aaron G. Adams, Esq.

Frequently clientscome to my officewanting to start a busi-ness. By the time oftheir arrival they haveat least thought abouttheir business nameand have some con-cerns about protectingit from being used byothers. The moresavvy clients may havealready registered anAssumed Name, alsoknown as a fictitiousbusiness name, orDBA ("doing businessas"), and/or purchasedan Internet domainname in hopes ofthwarting the efforts ofwould be infringers.

The reality is that neitherof the above mentioned meth-ods alone or together are suffi-cient to protect a businessname. The client then asks,"What do I need to do as abusiness owner to protect mybusiness name?" The shortanswer is to obtain aTrademark and use it in con-junction with a Domain Nameand/or Assumed Name.

A trademark is a word,phrase, logo, or other graphicsymbol used by a manufactur-er or seller to distinguish itsproduct or products from thoseof others. It is not a require-ment that a trademark be reg-istered. However, registrationconfers benefits that are notavailable if you do not register.The major benefits of register-ing a trademark are the pre-sumption that you are theowner of the mark for thegoods and services specifiedand the entitlement to use themark nationwide. In order toavoid the pitfalls of registrationalways see an attorney.

An assumed name, ficti-tious business name, or DBA("doing business as") allowsyou to legally do business as aparticular name without havingto create a business entitysuch as a Corporation, LimitedLiability Company, LimitedPartnership, etc... You canconduct business and presentyourself under your assumedname. The main function of anAssumed Name is to allowconsumers and others toascertain the person or legalentity behind the businessname. An assumed name isonly necessary if you have notcreated a formal business enti-ty such as those listed above. A domain name is a uniquename that identifies one ormore numerical Internet proto-

col addresses. An example ofa domain name is"www.microsoft.com" As thelaw currently stands it is possi-ble to register a domain namethat is not already taken with-out regard to whether thatname is trademarked by athird party. However, this is notadvised because courts areincreasingly siding against thispractice. If you eventually planon doing business on the

Internet at some point it isadvised to register yourdomain as soon as youreceive your trademark.In the planning stages of yourbusiness it is crucial to choosea business name for the longterm. The first step is to obtaina Trademark, as it is the mostimportant of the three methodsmentioned above in terms ofprotection and it differentiatesyour products and services

from your competitors'.Thereafter you should registeryour trademark as a domainname to claim your space onthe Internet. Lastly, if neces-sary, an Assumed Nameshould be acquired. By recog-nizing how each method rein-forces the other you canestablish a business name thatis protected and easily mar-ketable as a brand.

Aaron Gabriel Adams is a practicingattorney in the Houston area focusingon Business, Intellectual Property, andReal Estate Law. Have a margin taxquestion? or Do you have a generalLegal Question? Contact him [email protected] or hisoffice at 713-566-1990.

LEGAL CORNER FROM ADAMS & ASSOCIATES, L.L.C.

HOW DO I PROTECT MY BUSINESS NAME?


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lies dormant. We place so muchemphasis on the “big” thingswhen it's the small things thatmatter most. It does not requiremuch effort on our part, what itdoes require is the ability to seebeyond self - in order to spot thebigger picture. It's really only amatter of each one of us takingthe initiative to set the pace.”

Dee's practice allows her todeal with family issues fromboth the male and female per-spectives. The process ofdivorce can be easier if partiesdecide to accept and not vow tohurt. She does not try topostpone the inevitable andcounsels both parties in areasof self-esteem as well.

Although gregarious innature, Dee has never been oneto try and fit into circles and hasalways opted to take the roadless traveled. It's not always fun,but for Dee, it's what works best.Dee believes in being true toherself. When not in a businesssuit, you will catch her in tennisshoes, a baseball cap and jeans.Furthermore, the theory thatfewer people equals to morespace, and thus more freedomand peace of mind for Dee, hasproven itself quintessential. Shehas more time to focus on theareas in her life that are mostdear to her: raising her childrenand providing for them opportuni-ties she never had and caring forthe grandmother that helped rearher. To recall being hungry atnight and not having food to eat,the luxury of choosing from morethan one or two pairs of shoes, towatching her mother worry aboutwhether or not the lights wouldbe on when her children camehome from school, was all theincentive Dee needed to ensurethat her children never had toendure the type of hardships thatcome from being poor.

The one thing that growingup poor didn't mean for Dee(and many other children rearedin the ghetto) was to grow upwithout love, guidance and direc-tion. Whatever needs Dee mayhave lacked physically: food andclothes namely, her mother andgrandmother made up for emo-tionally, spiritually and intellectu-ally; always teaching their chil-dren the value of love, hope,respect and education. Thesequalities have carried over intoher adult life, proving that peo-ple, including children do notrequire “perfection” and that wecan adjust to the fact that peopleare fallible and, in the process,learn something about humannature and about living. Givenlove and adequate support wecan withstand even severe hard-ships - including those experi-ences that are beyond our con-trol - and still turn out just fine.

Dee doesn't see her life ashaving been difficult; it's onlywhen she hears it played backfrom the mouths of others thatshe understands how they couldsee it that way. She counts thedeath of her firstborn, as a

blessing because lessonslearned during that time couldnot have been learned any otherway than through experience.She also realizes that herprayers for a stronger faith inGod had become a reality dur-ing her toughest times. Sheprides herself on growing uppoor because she developed anappreciation for things that herchildren are unable to compre-hend, and she wouldn't havehad it any other way.

After interviewing Dee, Imade a comment to her regard-ing her spirit. She later men-

tioned to me that as we endedour conversation, she'd won-dered what it was that I saw inher, that she did not herself see,and furthermore, that she waspuzzled by what I'd said. In fact,it made her uncomfortable tothink about it. With that said, I'dlike to expound on the statementI made to Dee that evening, andhow walking with her through thetelling of her life story has affect-ed my life story, both personallyand professionally, and in themost profound way.

Dee's life is an example ofthat determined soul; a life that

bases its self worth and valuenot on that of which is tangible,but intangible: love, honesty,dignity, kindness and evencourage. There is no doubt thatDee was born with an inherentstrength and an indomitablespirit, nevertheless, I believenow that courage is primarily alearned behavior, a behaviornot necessarily instinctive butdeveloped. Courage is a behav-ior that without tribulation canneither develop nor increase.We know that as individuals weare affected by all that weexperience; but it is the long

run, broad-range picture thatmatters; the sum total of all thatwe are exposed to. And so ifgrowing up having to strugglewas the initiator in developingthe character of this mostincredible woman and is there-fore the grounds for which Iwrite this article, we can onlydetermine that struggle can bea very good thing. Her lifedemonstrates that our strengthis perfected in weakness andthat the most important factorduring the “trial” is never reallyour problem - the most impor-tant factor is our perspective.


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recession-related job losses. As often hap-pens in a recession, a portion of these newlyunemployed workers have become discour-aged about finding jobs and have droppedout of the labor force altogether.

Other Findings

This report is based on a Pew ResearchCenter analysis of long-term trends insurvey data from the U.S. Census Bureauas well as on Pew Research’s own surveyof a representative national sample of1,815 people ages 16 and older conduct-ed from July 20 to Aug. 2, 2009. Amongits other key findings:

* Security trumps salary. By a ratio ofnearly two-to-one, survey respondents saythey would prefer a job that offers bettersecurity (59%) over one that offers higherpay (33%) but less stability. It’s not therecession that drives this preference. Asimilar question asked by the GeneralSocial Survey in 1989 (when the economywas in the midst of an expansion) pro-duced a similar result.

* Despite tough times, job satisfactionremains high. Even in the face of wide-spread layoffs, pay freezes and involun-tary furloughs, nine-in-ten employedadults say they are either completely(30%) or mostly (60%) satisfied with theirjob. In recent decades, levels of job satis-faction have tended to remain stablethrough good times and bad.

* Older workers are the happiest work-ers. Some 54% of workers ages 65 andolder say they are “completely satisfied”with their job, compared with just 29% ofworkers ages 16 to 64. The explanation liesin figures cited above – a high percentageof these workers are working because theywant to, not because they need to.

* Retirement is not always voluntary.Only about half (51%) of all currentretirees say they retired because theywanted to. About a third (32%) say theyhad to retire for health or other reasons,and about one-in-ten (9%) say theiremployer forced them to retire.

* Even so, retirement gets high marks.More than half of all retirees (57%) saytheir retirement has turned out to be verysatisfying; an additional 23% say it hasbeen fairly satisfying. Only about one-in-six describe retirement as not too (10%) ornot at all (6%) satisfying.

* The public is skeptical about full-timeworking moms. Just 14% of men and 10%of women say that a full-time job is the"ideal" situation for a woman who has ayoung child. A plurality of the public (44%)say a part-time job is ideal for such a moth-er, while a sizable minority (38%) say theideal situation is for her not to work outsidethe home at all.

* Most working moms would ratherhave a part-time job. Among mothers ofyoung children who have a full-time joboutside the home, six-in-ten (61%) saythey would prefer to work part time. Bycontrast, just 19% of fathers who have afull-time job and a young child say theywould prefer to work part time.

PEW RESEARCH CENTER ALALYSIS

continued from page, P.8Division South. “Programs likethese can prove to both men andwomen that women are competi-tive and competent in almost anyfield of work.”

Jasim al-Sarraf, a businessdevelopment consultant withRegional Contracting CenterBasra, noted that most contractorsin Iraq are men. “We know forsure that there are many educatedwomen in this society,” he said.“The university is pumping stu-dents out every year. They needjobs. They need income. And ifthey don't have it, they’ll end upsitting at home.”

Civil affairs and contractorshelp Iraqi women by introducingbusiness opportunities. They alsotrain them on becoming aDefense Department-contracted

company, from filling out paper-work to learning contractingrules and ethics.

“It’s our job to find them,get them out, encourage them tohave a company, show them theway to do it, and train them,"Sarraf said.

In 2008, the commandawarded 4 percent of its contractsto women-owned businesses,totaling $187 million. Adding onto past successes, this year, theaspirations are even higher.

“Joint ContractingCommand Iraq has made it a goalto award 10 percent of its con-tracts to women contractors,”Demapan said. “Women contrac-tors will only compete amongstother women contractors. Pastcontracts done by women con-tractors resulted in quality, pro-fessional work.”

Both Sarraf and Demapansaid they believe the conferencewas beneficial for the womenwho attended.

“My objective is firstencouraging them, stimulatingthem,” Sarraf said, “then to givethem a general idea about thecontracts, and tell them that “Weare here to help you.’”

Demapan said the womenwere eager for details, and manyasked how to fill out contractorapplications. “And even beforethe conference took place, 40women contractors applied to [thecommand] to be added into theirdatabase system of contractors.”

Iraqi women at the confer-ence also expressed a desire togive back to their communities.

“Some of the women werevery passionate in wanting to helpother women in rural areas,”

Demapan said. “Some spoke ofoutreach programs concerninghealth care and humanitarian assis-tance for women in rural areas.”

Demapan said she hopes tohelp women understand how theirroles as business owners can offerIraq even more than economicdevelopment.

“The ladies and I share acommonality, in that we aremothers,” Demapan said.“Mothers only want the best pro-vided for their children. Thatentails building a strong Iraq fortheir children.

“I wanted to convey to themthat all Iraqis – men and women– have a stake in the future ofIraq,” she continued, “[and] thatthe women of Iraq need ... to berecognized as major players inpolicy-making and decision-mak-ing for their motherland.”

Iraqi Women Take Business Into Their Own Handscontinued from page, P.1

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ness. However, although theteacher was there, where wereall the students who were invit-

ed? You would think that finding out about advanced strategies onbuilding wealth using your business and networking would be of com-mon interest. Attendance and a good Cajun meal at Boudreaux's werefree. So why wasn't there a line outside the door trying to attend?Admittedly, Thursday evening is a popular night for many events held.But as a business owner, to have crystal clear clarity about building andprotecting your wealth, that has to be sought out on purpose. Thus, thestudent has to be receptive and purposely looking for the teacher. Thegood news is that you do not have to look much further, because onThursday October 1st, we will have another “Building Wealth ThroughYour Business” educational workshop at Boudreaux's Cajun Kitchen at6:00 pm. Seating is limited so make sure you RSVP at 713-260-1358.Most importantly, be prepared to make a wealth building paradigmmental shift and to showcase your business.

Being a Student ofWealth Building


SOAKING UP KNOWLEDGE: Pamela and Bill Gordon,publishers of the Houston Black Professional Directorywere just one of the couples on hand for the workshop.

september 2009 houston business connections newspaper

Documents

muchneeded issue

promotional issue

houston community

army photo

handsby army spc

ann demapan

law office of dagnee

stephanie cassinosspecial