ACBL Unit 174 Board of Directors
| Board Member | Assignment(s) | Term Expires | |
|---|---|---|---|
Lauri Laufman |
PresidentMembership, Tournament Site Coordinator Lauri is honored to fill Betty Starzec’s remaining term and serve alongside this terrific group of board members. Over her eight years of prior board service, she has held numerous roles, including President, Vice President, Secretary, Houston LSR Chair, and Tournament Coordinator. At the district level, she has served as Intermediate/Newcomer (I/N) Coordinator, I/N Newsletter Editor, and Membership Chair. She currently serves as the Policies and Procedures Editor. A proud 25+ year Special Children’s Committeeman with the Houston Livestock Show Rodeo; Lauri continues to assist raising awareness and fundraising to the Alzheimers Association via ACBL’s DWYL (The Longest Day) event locally, and hopes to again volunteer with pet therapy organizations if their newest family member is amicable to participating once of age. |
April 2027 | |
Gary Kerr281-543-8712
|
Vice PresidentSupplies Tournament Site Coordinator, Supply Coordinator Started bridge in 2008 and played for 9 months but my work and my wife's health forced me to stop. I fell in love with bridge and knew I would start back. In 2018 I retired and started bridge again. After the COVID pause I started playing with my father-in-law, Ben Ball. Married 49 years but lost the love of life 15 months ago. Have one daughter and two grandkids. Grew up in Houston. Graduated from UT Austin with a BBA and MBA. Worked in healthcare 35 years. It is an honor to serve on the board. |
April 2027 | |
Wolf Schroeter713-677-1224 |
Second Vice PresidentTournament Coordinator, Supply Coordinator |
April 2029 | |
Fred Gregory832-315-7721 | Board MemberUnit Representative to District 16 Board |
April 2028 | |
Carol Jewett713-517-7436 |
Board Member
|
April 2029 | |
Lesley Kellet713-852-7198 |
Board MemberI/N Coordinator Co-Chair, Education Liaison Lesley was born and educated in the UK. She married in 1981 and became a widow in 2011. She now lives with her daughter in the Memorial area of Houston. Lesley's career in the oil and gas construction industry took her to North Africa where she lived for ten years before coming to Houston in 1989. Stateside, Lesley has been active in clubs including the Westside Tennis Club, Houston Acceuil, DBE (Daughters of the British Empire), Awty International School Parent Association, IVH, (International Voices of Houston Community Choir.) Lesley became a US Citizen in 2001 and retired from Emerson Flow Division after twenty-five years with the company. She is now free to pursue and improve her preferred social activity, the great game of duplicate bridge. Lesley is excited to lend her energies to the benefit of our Unit 174 as a member of the Board of Directors. |
April 2029 | |
Brigitte Sandifer |
Board Member
I'm currently serving as Unit Tournament Coordinator, searching for suitable sites at reasonable prices for our Sectionals. I started playing bridge and joined ACBL in 1978.
I've served the Unit in various ways as a board member, sold T-shirts as a fundraiser for both Houston NABCs, became a club director in 2000, and began as club manager in 2015. |
April 2027 | |
Cindy Schaefer832-754-1584 |
Charity Committee Co-Chair, Awards Chair |
April 2028 | |
Judi Whaling832-661-1644 | Board MemberI/N Coordinator Co-Chair, Education Liaison, Publicity |
April 2028 | |
Others with Unit 174 Responsibilities
| Individual | Assignment(s) |
|---|---|
Paddy Fiorino713-417-5985 |
SecretaryI am an Iowa native. I graduated 1977 from the University of Iowa with a general science degree. I then graduated from University of Iowa school of physical therapy 1979 with a certificate in physical therapy. I relocated to Houston in January 1980. Both of my children are Houston natives. I have 2 grandchildren, ages 20 and 9. I worked as a physical therapist from 1979 to 2019, with a home health emphasis from 1988 until I finally retired. I took up bridge in the last year of my working life when my sister took me to one of her games in California during a visit. (She said it would be a good thing to do together and cheaper than the casinos!) I love the game and have been working hard to improve my skills. My other hobbies include soccer (yes, I still play but maybe not much longer), piano, crafting, sewing, puzzle games, and reading. I am loving my retirement and bridge plays a large part of this. |
Charles (Chuck) Gillis | AttorneyCharles Michael Gillis is an attorney who has been in private practice since 1978. From 1988 through 2000, Mr. Gillis was a partner in the law firm of Gillis & Slogar. From 2000 through the present, Mr. Gillis is a partner at the law firm of Gillis, Paris & Heinrich, P.L.L.C. Mr. Gillis practices in the area of federal income tax with an emphasis on real estate, mergers and acquisitions and international taxation. Mr. Gillis has been an expert witness in legal matters involving federal income tax and securities. Mr. Gillis is a 1971 graduate of the University of California at Los Angeles, a 1974 graduate of Bates College of Law, University of Houston (and a member of its honor society) and a 1975 Masters of Law (In Taxation) graduate of New York University. He is admitted to both the Texas and California bars. Mr. Gillis has been frequently listed in The Bar Register of Preeminent Lawyers. |
Larry Davis512-343-6942 |
District 16 Recorder
|
Jim Woodward713-557-8757 |
Financial VerifierBridge player since age 14. Former Unit Treasurer (9 years). Former Finance and IT middle manager with Shell for 29 years (including working for Norm Gautier and Paul Cuneo). Law school at age 55, currently a semiretired lawyer. Lovely bride (Joyce) 34 years ago, son, daughter-in-law and grandson in California. |
Paul Nimmons |
Parliamentarian and Election Official |
Steve Gordon |
Treasurer |
Evvie Gilbert713-666-0202 |
Unit Newsletter EditorI learned to play party bridge when I was 18 because it was a fun thing to do and required only the cost of a deck of cards. Due to career demands, I gave up the game until 2005 when I found the Clear Lake Bridge Club where I was able to learn duplicate and play one evening per week. I retired in 2016 from E. Gilbert Associates, Incorporated which specialized and Supervisory and Process Control and Laboratory Information Systems for refining, petrochemical, food and beverage and electric utility applications. Since retirement, I volunteered at the Clear Lake Bridge Club where I was the webmaster for several years as well as one of its many dealers (in addition to playing duplicate several days per week until the pandemic). |
Unit Photographer |
|
Allison Ochsner281-480-0776 |
WebmasterAfter taking early retirement, I decided to learn the game of bridge. I am a retired family physician with an interest in computers. I volunteered to assist the unit webmaster and found the work challenging, fulfilling and interesting. I appreciate the opportunity to contribute to Unit 174. |
Bert Onstott |
Webmaster Emeritus and Website Advisor |
