HOUSTON, Oct. 5, 2005 (PRIMEZONE) -- The Ensemble Theatre is pleased to announce its new 2005-2006 Board of Directors. While entering an exciting new season, the Board looks forward to a wonderful season along with their new responsibilities.
The distinguished Officers and Board of Directors include: Chairman Argentina M. James, Director of Public Affairs for the Port of Houston; President Michael J. Helm, Senior Director of Merchandising for SYSCO Corp.; 1st Vice-President Vernon Landers, Area Financial Services Manager for GMAC; 2nd Vice-President Jackie Phillips, Director of Capacity Services for Duke Energy; Secretary M. Kaye Dewalt, Partner with Epstein Becker Green Wickliff & Hall; Treasurer Willie Mayberry, Senior Vice President of JP Morgan Chase; Asst. Treasurer Mary Simon, Vice President of Panhandle Energy; General Counsel George T. Shipley, Partner with Baker & Botts; Audrey Lawson, President Emeritus; Rev. DeFarris Gooden, Chaplain; and Parliamentarian Anthony Hall, Jr., Chief Administrative Officer for the City of Houston.
Other Directors include: D'Artagnan Bebel, Vice President & General Manager of Fox 26 & UPN 20; Crawford Bunkley, Sr. Public Relations Representative for Exxon/Mobil; James Campbell, Readers' Representative for the Editorial Board of the Houston Chronicle; Cindy Clifford, President of the Clifford Group; Honorable Garnet Coleman; Ashley Fields, Direct of Organizational Development & Diversity for BMC Software; Diedra B. Fontaine, Director of Sales Market Development of Continental Airlines; Audrey Gilbreath, President of Gilbreath Communications; Marian Harper, Vice President of Community Development for the Houston Astros; Paula McCann Harris, Global Manager for Schlumberger; Winell Herron, Group Vice President for HEB; Lynda House-McPeters, General Manager for SBC; Loretta Hubbard-Green, Representative for Councilmember Ada Edwards; Sarah Joseph, Director of Community Relations for the Houston Rockets; Honorable Sheila Jackson Lee; Leslie Mays; Shawn Livingston Worsham, Shell Oil Co.; Sharon Michael Owens, Vice President for CenterPoint Energy; Sharon Murphy, Partner with McConnell Jones Lanier & Murphy; Paulette Peoples, Regional Account Manager for PrimeZone Media Network; Brenda Peters, Asst. Treasurer for TEPPCO Partners; Karen Reed, Senior Internal Auditor of Sterling Bank; Derwin Tatum; Larry Thomas, Director of Public Affairs for BP America; Lonell Truscott, Sales Manager for Coca Cola Bottling; Dawn Ullrich, Director of Convention & Entertainment Facilities for the City of Houston; Nicole West, President of NCA Investigations; and Karen Williams, Comptroller for the Greater Houston Convention & Visitors Bureau.
The Board Trustees include: Life Member Dr. Mildred B. Bright; retired educator Gwendolyn Brinkley; community leader Lora Clemmons; business owner Percy Creuzot III; Eunice Franklin, Global Accounts General Manager of Xerox Corp.; Karen Ostrum George, of Ralph S. O'Connor & Assoc.; Duni Hebron, President of Neycia Foods; Judge Belinda Hill; C. Mick Lewis, of Anheuser-Busch Co.; A Renee' Logans, President of Access Data Supply; Dr. Teddy McDavid; educator Patricia A. McGill; Dr. Wayne J. Riley, Dean of Medicine for Baylor College of Medicine; retired engineer Vernon Rush; Delores D. Smith, of Baylor College of Medicine; Dr. Wanda Mott-Russell; Kathleen Wilkes, of Malcolm Pirnie, Inc.; and Tony Wyllie, Vice President of Communications for the Houston Texans.
Founded in 1976 by the late George Hawkins, The Ensemble Theatre has evolved to be the largest African-American professional theatre company in the U.S. that produces in-house and owns its own facility. It is truly one of Houston's finest historical cultural institutions. The theatre is a non-profit organization that houses three stages located on Main Street in the heart of Midtown. Each year the theatre presents a repertoire of critically acclaimed dramas, comedies and musicals that demonstrate the artistic ability of more than 250 professional local, regional and national artists and support staff. The theatre also has an educational touring program and a summer young performers training program. The Ensemble celebrated when the theatre accomplished two major milestones: the retirement of its $360,000 debt remaining from its $4.5 million capital campaign, and the dedication of a METRO commuter rail stop named in the theatre's honor. For more information, please visit the website at www.ensemblehouston.com.