Category Archives: Uncategorized

(Community Matters) Andrews Urban hosted an opening night party for the downtown 360 Residences last night. Hard to believe owners of the lower floor units start moving in next week. It’ll be at least July before tenants (430 units) move into mid level floors (20s). Not sure about top floors, up to 44. Regrettably, the persons occupying the two, two story penthouses with private decks on the roof would kill me for disclosing. Dang, same with the Four Seasons’ 11k sq ft penthouse 😦

360 Residences

360 developer, Taylor Andrews (right) with dad & stepmom

Robert Torian joined me for the opening

Forrest, Linda, James & Larry
Forrest & Linda have already closed on their unit and should be moving in next week, I believeDavid Smith, Gene, John Hildreth, Michael Schaelling & Kenny Phillips

Michael & Kenny are moving here from Miami. New friends of John’s through a friend in Dallas. Nice guys, immediately liked them.

Charles Gentry
He’s in the 20s so not until July

Long Center CEO Cliff Redd and Rick Johnson

Cliff always gracious, we talked ever so briefly about Steven’s new play and he reinforced how much the Long Center would like to present it. Good gosh, the only guy more proud than Taylor this year has got to be Cliff.

Dot.com entrepreneur Sam Reed and Kaylie Dienelt
They’ll be in the 20s too

artist Jason Siegel & fashion editor/Austin’s Stephen Moser

uShip founder, Jay Manickam & Mousum Shaw

Hill Country Conservancy’s CEO, George Cofer & Mary Elizabeth

sunset from the gym, one level above the club room & pool

I’m blown away by how well they’ve done on this project at such well managed costs. Different project from Four Seasons, Austonian or the W which are about much bigger units. Nevertheless, great buys and lots of fun. Congratulations Taylor!

(Community Matters) Kirk Rudy & I hosted the launch of the Austin Obama Leadership Council this afternoon at the Headliners. An intentionally small group for the launch, those attending today each agreed to raise at least $2,500 for the June 9 Obama ’08 fundraiser featuring campaign co-chair, David Axelrod.

Senator Watson popped in to meet & greet

National Finance Committe Member Alexa Lange (from Austin Kirk Rudy, John Gorman & Tommie Meredith are also on the committee. I’m on the National Leadership Council and Latino Leadership Team) is also involved in this launch. Initial members include: Ian Davis, Amy Everhart, Cis Meyers, David Kobierowski, Michael Feferman, Rachel Hull, Callie Langford, Matt Glazer, Dan Grant, Jason Heffron, Ben Bufkin, Tom Terkel, Janice Cartwright, Joseph Lapp, Justin Smith, Ramey Ko, Justin Day & Jason Thumlert.

(Community Matters) Yesterday we hosted an Austin Community Foundation reception at the Four Seasons to introduce donors to our new President & CEO, Dr. Ken Gladish. Contributors have established nearly 600 donor-advised and special project funds totaling $110-ish million – in addition to ACF discretionary funds.

Once again the developers of the Four Seasons Residences were our gracious hosts.

Four Seasons Residences developers Brett Denton & Art Carpenter surrounding former first lady, Marina Garcia

ACF trustees Sylvia Acevedo, JoLynn Free & former mayor Gus Garcia

Associate executive director & general counsel, MariBen Ramsey & trustee Mandy Dealey

some of our Hill Country donors: Caroline Seriff, Midge, Barbara & John

Brett, Art and I had a good conversation about the downtown condo market, especially comparing & categorizing the various developments: 1) at the very top end a) Four Seasons Residences, b) Austonian and c) The W; 2) the next tier: a) 360 Condos, b) Spring, c) Ovation. Very interesting discussion about values, target residents, etc. I don’t know much about the W except that my friend Jan Lindelow is customizing a very cool two units and Beau Armstrong et al the developers. A couple of friends moving into the Four Seasons. The Seriffs have purchased a unit at the Austonian and that’s being developed by friend Terry Mitchell.

The Austin Community Foundation is a super & important organization. It’s my sixth year on the board of directors, my second term as chair of the investments committee, served one year as treasurer. Ken is a complete find for this organization. He’s a national rock star in philanthropy, a real asset for Austin & Central Texas.

(Community Matters)

(Community Matters) Yesterday was my first KDK-Harman Foundation (website) board meeting. I’m excited to join Janet Harman, her oldest son Kevin Sooch and Jo Ivester on the board. KDK-Harman is dedicated to breaking the cycle of poverty by funding rigorous educational programs while promoting a culture of giving excellence. Janet’s been quite generous, endowing the foundation with $30 million. 2008 grants will total more than $1 million. There’s an outstanding staff (Jackie Mata, Jennifer Esterline and Erica Ekwurzel plus a UT PhD candidate as an intern this summer, Tanya). I’m already learning lots from the team.

(Community Matters) The EF Breast Cancer Services group conveened a meeting this morning for parties interested in patient mapping. St. David’s Community Health Foundation hosted the group and its CEO, Earl Maxwell, was kind enough to welcome the group and update us on the foundation. I found it interesting to learn that the annual profits from St. David’s Hospitals to the foundation now total $20 million/year, $17.5mm which the foundation distributes each year.

Their primary program is free dental care for children attending Title I schools. Last year they examined over 30,000 mouths. And, they make substantial, competitive grants in four general areas: 1) primary healthcare, 2) mental health services (including in primary & secondary schools), 3) programs for the aging and 4) other special projects. Additionally, they are evaluating the possibility for a new initiative case managing uninsured patients released from their hospitals.

Very interesting conversation about what breast cancer patient data exists. The Cancer Registry is organized to provide research quality data, thus is usually two years old before finalized and published. We need rapid response ascertainment in our community to drive asset and program deployment decisions.

Also, some discussion re: funding for breast cancer services is nearly all (as in 90%+) targeted to low income clients – Komen’s grants, St. David’s grants, Shivers, etc. We need funding for services for all women with breast cancer – low income, middle income and even affluent. Especially acute are problems and services for the working poor.

(Community Matters) Just reading that they will start charging $15 for even the first checked bag. I still don’t get why people fly that horrible airline. here

Kangaroo Rings his Own Bells on Golf Course – Watch more free videos

(Community Matters) It isn’t unique to Republicans. When Democrats had been in charge for a long period, our benches were disgustingly full of industry players and lobbyists as well. Nevertheless, as McCain’s campaign so ably demonstrates (good gosh, a Texan shouldn’t really be throwing stones, look at Rick Perry’s, Tom Craddick’s and David Dewhurst’s administrations) the corruption of self-interests is deep and ubiquitous.

(Community Matters)

(Community Matters) Lots of chatter that Obama will declare victory after tonight’s primaries. I have no idea if this is true or not. My uninformed perspective is that a “declaration” of victory is doubtful. The campaign has changed tacts during the last two weeks and focused more on the general. I agree we’re at an important and sensitive stage where we need to include Hillary supporters for the vision of Democratic success.

Lunch yesterday with Bryan Jones, CEO Moximity.com. Many of my new 20-something friends fill the important space of new ideas and ways of thinking of former UT students. I hadn’t heard of an Austin startup community – interesting chatter.

An hour with ACF’s new Pres/CEO, Ken Gladish. Good gosh this man is brilliant and motivated.

Productive meeting with City of Austin ACM David Lurie, Vince Cobalis and Shannon Jones.

Steven back on the west coast.