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Fort Bend Christian Academy Announces New Administrators

Fort Bend Christian Academy (FBCA) has announced the selection of Craig Bouvier as the high school principal. Bouvier has extensive experience as a head of school, middle and high school principal, and teacher. He comes to Sugar Land from the University of Alabama, where he is completing his doctoral studies, and Covenant Classical Schools, where he serves as director.

FBCA has also appointed Simon (Trey) Hendershot and Josh LaRocca as new members of the FBCA Board of Trustees.

Hendershot is the managing shareholder of the Houston-based law firm, Kerr, Hendershot & Cannon, P.C. where he leads the Business Law and Regulatory sections of the firm. He is a member of the the Texas State Bar and American Health Lawyers Association. Josh LaRocca is a principal with commercial real estate firm Avison Young, Houston.

Fort Bend Christian Academy is one of the largest college preparatory, private, Christian schools in Sugar Land and Houston.
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‹Fort Bend Cares Announces New Board Members

Walt White, Chairman of Fort Bend Cares’ Board of Trustees, recently announced that six new members have been selected to serve on the organization’s Board.

“I’m honored to be a part of this diverse, inclusive, working Board. We always miss our outgoing members, but we also know good things are ahead for our organization and community with our new trustees coming on board,” said White.

The new board members, serving three-year terms, are Sonal Bhuchar, Christopher Breaux, Lisa Cohen, Aarti Jain, Mary Joyce and Allison Wen.

Sonal Bhuchar is with both Therapeutic Concepts and the Sugar Land Med Ped Clinic. She has previously served on the Advisory Council for Fort Bend Cares. Bhuchar is involved in many other organizations including Child Advocates of Fort Bend, Sugar Land Cultural Arts Foundation, Literacy Council of Fort Bend and Sugar Land Heritage Foundation.

Christopher Breaux is a Partner/CPA with Whitley Penn, LLP in Houston, with many years of experience representing the public sector. He is a long-time resident of Missouri City. Breaux is active in many organizations including Exchange Club of Sugar Land, Central Fort Bend Chamber, Fort Bend Chamber of Commerce and Texas 200 Sailing Club.

Lisa Cohen is the Registrar at Ridgepoint High School in Missouri City. Originally from New York, Cohen is a long-time Commonwealth resident in Sugar Land and has been active on the Commonwealth Improvements Committee. She also serves on the Fort Bend Cares grants committee in a leadership role.

Aarti Jain is a Fort Bend Cares grants committee member. She lives in Richmond and recently retired from General Electric. She has been an active volunteer with a number of nonprofits in California and the Houston area, and is a currently a volunteer at Memorial Hermann Sugar Land Hospital.

Mary Joyce is a Sugar Land resident who has been active in the community in a variety of ways including serving as co-chair for the Land Use Advisory Committee for Sugar Land. She is also on the board for the Imperial Redevelopment District and is Fundraising Committee chairperson for several K-9 Angels Rescue events.

Allison Wen is the owner of Safari Texas Ranch in Richmond and has been active in charitable and economic development activities in Fort Bend County for many years. Wen is involved in several organizations and currently is chairperson for the Fort Bend County Global Initiative.

Angie Wierzbicki, Fort Bend Cares’ executive director, recognized board members whose terms ended this year: Michael Bornstein, Robert Coffman, Kevin Kohl and Al Namey. She noted, “We appreciate their service and all are already missed on the Board. We look forward to their continued involvement in other ways.”

Fort Bend Cares is a charitable foundation that has raised almost $1.4 million in the past 10 years for approximately 60 different organizations that serve disadvantaged children and youth in Fort Bend County. For more information, visit fortbendcares.org or call 832-819-2005.

 

‹Employees Hold Bake-Off at Oakbend Medical Center

OakBend Medical Center employees celebrated July 4 early with a Sweets & Treats Bake-Off held on July 2. The Bake-Off included a dazzling display of cakes, cookies, cobblers, and other delicious desserts. Entries were judged based on taste, creativity and presentation. The volunteer judges were Collin Cook, Janell Kucera, Cathey Oleneck, and Bobbie Scott.

The employees’ entries were impressive and the following were the top three winners: Felipa Velasquez from Radiology took both 1st Place and the Employee Choice awards; Kelley Drabek from Physical Therapy took 2nd Place; and Jessica Hickman and Cathryn Oliver from the Senior Behavioral Health Unit took 3rd place.

 

Riverstone Maintains No. 1 Texas Ranking for Third Year

Riverstone has again been ranked the No. 1 top-selling master-planned community in Texas for a third consecutive year. Housing research firm Robert Charles Lesser & Co. (RCLCO) shows Riverstone as the highest-ranked Texas development in its recently released 2015 mid-year report. Riverstone is ranked No. 5 in the nation, moving one point from its 2014 ranking. Riverstone is the only Texas development ranked among the nation’s top 10 best-selling master-planned communities. The annual report analyzes home sales from the first half of 2015.

“Riverstone has held strong to its No. 1 Texas ranking, again showing that a well-conceived mix of home choices, impressive amenities and a prime location is what home buyers want,” said Trey Reichert, vice president and general manager of Riverstone. “We expect 2015 to end as strong as last year.”

Fifteen builders offer an array of executive home designs in Riverstone priced from the $300,000s to more than $1 million. Five custom builders also operate in Riverstone. Builders have opened a dozen model homes in the development so far this year, with more on the way.

Residents not only enjoy proximity to U.S. 59 and the Fort Bend Parkway, but also wealth of amenities within the community. The Club at Riverstone offers a country club ambiance for residents, complete with a clubhouse resort pool, splash pad, lighted tennis courts and a zip line park. Residents also enjoy two other community pools, a dog park, fishing pier, numerous parks and playgrounds and milesof trails. A full-time lifestyle director plans frequent events.

Young residents attend highly ranked schools within the Fort Bend Independent School District. Under construction now is an on-site elementary opening in 2016. For more information on the Fort Bend development, visit riverstone.com.

 

‹Stafford Ranked No. 3 of Best Places to Start a
Business in Texas

Stafford has been ranked the third-best place in the state to start a business out of 220 places researched by NerdWallet, a consumer financial site. The ranking is based on data from the U.S. Census Bureau; only places with populations of over 10,000 were analyzed.

“Our goal has always been to make Stafford a compelling place to start a business; it began when we eliminated property taxes for residents and business owners in 1995 and the city hasn’t looked back since,” said Stafford Mayor Leonard Scarcella. “Small things like expediting permit approvals and providing assistance with applications make a big difference to businesses as they can begin operating and employing people faster in Stafford than in other places. Our approach of minimizing the barriers to starting a business, and accommodating businesses as much as possible has resulted in a diverse, thriving center of commerce.”

Over 2,700 businesses are located in Stafford, which has a population of approximately 20,000 and a daytime commuting workforce of 27,000. It boasts a range of industries that require a skilled workforce, including manufacturing, oil field construction, professional services, financial services, educational services and healthcare. Companies headquartered in Stafford include Seamar Divers, a subsea construction and inspection company, and General Technologies Inc., an equipment manufacturer. Additionally, Stafford is the home to 30 oil field manufacturing companies, which have come to Stafford because of the Freeport Tax Exemption offered, and the recently located Imperial Linen Services, which supplies linens throughout the Greater Houston area.

“Fort Bend County continues to demonstrate why it is a fantastic place for businesses to thrive,” said Jeff Wiley, president and CEO of the Greater Fort Bend Economic Development Council. “Stafford flies under the radar since it is such a small city but Stafford is clearly punching above its weight as a business heavy-hitter. This latest accolade underscores the benefits Fort Bend offers to businesses, residents and potential future employers.”

With recent business expansions and relocation announcements such as First Data, AOI and NALCO Champion, Fort Bend County is one of the fastest-growing counties in a thriving state, nearing the top in list after list. From energy and development to education and hospitality, business is booming, attracting a sizeable share of Fortune 500 companies and major corporations. Fort Bend County was also recognized as having the highest percentage increase in employment in the U.S. from September 2012 to September 2013 by BLS.

The full rankings list and methodology is available at nerdwallet.com/blog/small-business/places-start-business-texas-2015/. For more information, visit FortBendCounty.com.

‹Memorial Hermann Expands Convenient Care Center Model To Sienna Plantation

The fourth Convenient Care Center (CCC) in the Memorial Hermann Health System opened on Aug. 3 in Sienna Plantation. A recent ribbon cutting and open house brought together a number of state and local leaders.

Greg Haralson, Senior Vice President and CEO of Memorial Hermann Sugar Land Hospital, along with State Representative
Ron Reynolds, Fort Bend Chamber of Commerce President Keri Schmidt, and Missouri City Mayor Allen Owen were joined by leaders from Memorial Hermann for the official ribbon cutting.

“The Convenient Care Center is an extension of many of the high quality services Memorial Hermann is known for in one convenient location,” says Haralson. “The walk-in center will also allow for easy access and transfer to other Memorial Hermann hospitals should the patient require an even higher level of care.”

The 16,000-square-foot facility will offer
a full service, 24-hour emergency room, a full lab as well as breast screenings and imaging. Later this year, primary care physicians from the Memorial Hermann Medical Group will also see patients at the CCC in Sienna Plantation.

The CCC in Sienna Plantation will also offer a tomosynthesis unit for mammography screening. Breast tomosynthesis is a new, 3-D digital imaging technology that helps physicians to detect smaller tumors sooner, at the earliest stages of breast cancer.

CCC’s offer one-stop, highly coordinated access to an extensive array of Memorial Hermann services in a single location. Memorial Hermann currently operates CCC’s in Katy, Pearland and the Summer Creek area of Houston.

In addition to the 24-hour emergency room, the Memorial Hermann CCC in Sienna Plantation will be open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and is located at 8780 Highway 6, Suite B, in Missouri City.

 

(L-R): Cullinan Park Conservancy President Ann Hamilton, Sugar Land Mayor James Thompson and Houston Mayor Annise Parker.‹Historic Agreement Clears Way For Cullinan Park Development

Sugar Land Mayor James Thompson and Houston Mayor Annise Parker recently joined the Cullinan Park Conservancy to celebrate a historic agreement for the future development of Cullinan Park.

The property includes 754 acres of mostly inaccessible forest and wetlands north of Sugar Land Regional Airport. The land is currently owned by the city of Houston and Houston Parks Board and is located within Houston’s extra-territorial jurisdiction (ETJ).

The agreement outlines a process for the property’s transfer to Sugar Land’s ETJ. The agreement also includes criteria for the future annexation, maintenance and operation of the park by Sugar Land. While Houston will continue to own the property, the agreement provides a 30-year right-of-entry to Sugar Land that’s renewable for an additional 30 years. The inter-local agreement will take effect once the conservancy raises an initial contribution of $500,000. The Cullinan Conservancy has committed to fundraising efforts for the park, including a commitment of $10 million during the next 10 years.

 

‹Toll Brothers’ Announces New Model Home In Sienna Plantation –
Village Of Sawmill Lake

Toll Brothers, the nation’s leading builder of luxury homes, highlights a new Vitoria Mediterranean model home in Sienna Plantation – Village of Sawmill Lake. Sienna Plantation’s newest village is part of a 3,700-acre parcel purchased in a joint venture by Toll Brothers and the private equity firm GTIS Partners. Adding to an award-winning 7,000-acre master planned golf-course community, Village of Sawmill Lake promises to build on Sienna Plantation’s outstanding reputation. The community includes an impressive array of parks, lakes, sports fields, pools, clubhouses and hiking trails.

Toll Brothers will offer homes in three different sections, including 75’-ft. wide, 85’-ft. wide and 100’-ft. wide home sites. The home collections will be priced from the upper $500,000s. Also coming soon to Village of Sawmill Lake’s model park is a second Toll Brothers model home, the Venetian Manor home design.

The new village also includes a 15-acre elementary school site purchased by the Fort Bend Independent School District and a 32-acre middle school site currently under contract by the District. Children in Sienna Plantation currently attend three existing on-site elementary schools, an on-site middle school and a new high school among several others in the highly acclaimed school district.

Toll Brothers offers luxury single-family homes throughout the Houston area: Ironwood Estates and Sycamore Meadow in Cinco Ranch, The Reserve at Katy in Katy, Cane Island in North Katy, Riverstone in Sugar Land, Sienna Plantation in Missouri City, and Coronet Ridge, The Estates at Blairs Way, and Wooded Overlook in Creekside Park, in The Woodlands, and Woodson’s Reserve in North Houston. For more details, visit TollBrothers.com/Houston.

 

 

‹ Home Builder And Developer Work To Save Oak Trees

Local home builder Taylor Morrison and land developer Johnson Devel­opment Services have spent the past several months saving a stately stand of live oak trees dating back more than 50 years in Fort Bend County.

The home builder and developer have undertaken a large scale preservation plan to save more than two dozen live oaks, some as tall as 40-60 feet, from extinction by carefully preserving and relocating them in order to protect a species of tree held dear by many Texans.

“It’s important that we’re good stewards of the land that we develop,” said Jonathan White, president of Taylor Morrison’s Houston division, of the preservation project at the builder’s new Grand Vista community in Richmond. “Trees like these are living monuments to Texas’ heritage and preserving them is the only decision to make.”

Taylor Morrison is working with Johnson Development Services to save as many of the trees as possible. The 622-acre property has a colorful history, and the heritage of the property can be traced to the live oaks that make up an abandoned tree farm originally founded more than 50 years ago.

Live oak trees are hearty trees, providing stately canopies over the ground and plenty of shade. They do well in drought areas but given the length of time that Fort Bend County land has been used for agricultural businesses, finding such a hearty stand of trees in the area was surprising.

“It’s unusual to find trees this big in the county,” said Jim Ellison, vice president of sales and marketing for Taylor Morrison’s Houston division. “South­western Houston has been agricultural for more than a century. To find trees like this is a real treasure for us as a home builder and a tremendous asset for our home buyers.”

The heartiest of the trees are called “soldiers” and have been preserved by Johnson Development. They will provide plenty of memories for years to come.

“These trees are living monuments; they tell a story of our past,” said Michael Cox of Johnson Development Services. “They were often used as markers in land descriptions. In fact, I’ve seen old Spanish land grants where live oaks were used as markers. They hold a strong place in Texas’ heart. They’re emotional icons for Houston and for Texas.”

 

‹Sugar Land Earns Prominent Scenic City Certification

Scenic Texas recently awarded Sugar Land gold level Scenic City Certification. Moving up from its 2010 Silver Certification Level, Sugar Land joins 20 Texas cities earning a five-year certification from 2015-2020.

Texas cities must initially meet three criteria including a strictly regulated and enforced sign code, a ban on new billboards and a landscaping and tree planting program. Existing standards are assessed and scored on criteria ranging from percentage of park and open space, landscaping, programs promoting trees and more.

Scenic Texas took note of Sugar Land’s dedication to cultural arts, urban beautification, landscaping and preservation/expansion of trees and green spaces: Sugar Land’s streetscape policy ensures that major roadways incorporate landscaping, including trees that not only screen large buildings but also expand the city’s canopy to provide valuable shade and wildlife habitats; an historic agreement was recently struck with the city of Houston and the Cullinan Park Con­serv­ancy that will add 754 acres of forest and wetlands to Sugar Land’s park system; in observance of Arbor Day and Trees Across Texas, Sugar Land annually hosts tree planting activities; Sugar Land recently engaged a professional arborist to assist with the preservation of the City’s canopy along public right of ways; the Arbor Day Foundation previously named Sugar Land a Tree City USA community, one of 73 communities in Texas recognized for an established tree board or department, a tree-care ordinance, a community forestry program with annual expenditures of at least $2 per capita and an Arbor Day observance and proclamation.

Scenic Texas is a nonprofit organization. Its mission is to preserve and enhance the visual character of Texas. The group promotes enhanced design standards for public projects, billboard reduction, freeway landscaping, sign control and scenic byway development. For information, visit scenictexas.org.