Bauer
Gala

3rd Annual Bauer Gala

La Soirée Élégante:
A spectacular fusion of Moulin Rouge and Bauer brilliance

Friday, February 16, 2024

6 p.m.

The Post Oak Hotel

1600 West Loop South, Houston, TX 77027

Honorary Chair Committee

As of February 7, 2024

Honorary Co-Chairs

Michelle Angelides (BA '22) & Chris Angelides (BS '89, MBA '94)
Beth Bellow (BS '72) & Dan Bellow (BS '72)
Julie Dakri & Asif Dakri
Rizzia Hammond & John Hammond (BBA '82, MBA '92)
Qiana James (BBA '03) & Jonathan James
Dawn Rawson & Richard Rawson (BBA '72, Honorary '20)
Jan Simpson (BA '86) & Bob Simpson (BBA '84)
Kimberly Wilkinson (BBA '93) & Trey Wilkinson (BBA '92, MBA '02)

Support

For information on giving opportunities please contact:
Diana Pineda, Assistant Director of Development at dpineda3@cougarnet.uh.edu

Make a gift here

Master of Ceremonies

Lisa Shumate (MBA ’17)

Associate Vice President, University of Houston System &
General Manager, Houston Public Media

Read full bio

Entertainment

J&D Entertainment

Jazz Orchestra, Moores School of Music

Karma DJs

Entrepreneurship Award

Tilman Fertitta

Read full bio

This award is given annually to honor an individual or organization that elevates entrepreneurism, embodying the same spirit inherent in the fabric of the college. Recipients of this award demonstrate leadership in creating cutting-edge innovations and find ways to leverage entrepreneurship to transform lives and society.

Community Impact Award

Learn more about HPE

This award is presented to business leaders, individuals or non-individuals, for outstanding service, advocacy, and contribution to the City of Houston and who, through their commitment, inspire others in their interest and support of our City’s economic growth.

Lifetime Achievement Award

Karen Duddlesten

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This award honors an individual or organization who has demonstrated commitment to the college and the university, but more importantly, who has meritorious professional accomplishments and contributions to their field, the college, university, or society at large. Recipients of this award exude our mission to to transform lives, organizations, and society.

Thank You to Our Sponsors

As of February 7, 2024

Premium Orchestra

CenterPoint Energy
Elaine Finger
Beth Robertson, in support of the SURE℠ Program
& the Dakri Center for Economic Inclusion
H-E-B
Paul Peacock
Tilman J. Fertitta Family

Middle Orchestra

ConocoPhillips
Friendly Faces Senior Care
Link Staffing
Plains State Bank

Rear Orchestra

Houston Airport System
Trinity Legacy Partners

Side Circle

Chevron
Crowe Houston
EY
Goodman Financial
Houston Business Journal
Insperity
Misael De Paz
Moss Adams
Ranger Steel
Russ Robinson
Sarah & Bill Hurt
TDECU
Wallis Bank
Walter P. Moore
Zin Smati

Rear Circle

Ben & Wendy Moreland
Ginger & David Blomstrom
Jason Wells & Jenny Koehler
Mandy & Phillip Hamman
MetroNational
Stimulus Bio
Texas Children's
Third Coast Bank

Dessert Sponsor

John & Rizzia Hammond / Riverway Title

Bar Sponsor

Chris & Michelle Angelides
Joe & Faith Gutierrez

Reception Sponsor

Ali & Habiba Dhanani

Silent Auction Sponsor

Debbie & Jack Moore

Valet Sponsor

Dan & Beth Bellow

Gala Archives:

2022: Inaugural Gala

Photo: Bauer Gala 2023, Dean Paul A. Pavlou, Thasunda Brown Duckett (BBA ’96), Mayor Sylvestor Turner

2023: Into the Night

Tilman Fertitta

Tilman J. Fertitta, a Houston native, is an accomplished businessman and recognized as a world leader in the dining, hospitality, entertainment, and gaming industries and is referred by Forbes as “the world’s richest restaurateur.” Fertitta is the sole owner of Fertitta Entertainment which owns the restaurant giant Landry’s, Inc., Golden Nugget Hotel and Casinos, and the NBA’s Houston Rockets.

Through his restaurant and hospitality company Landry’s, Fertitta owns more than 600 properties in 36 states and in over 15 countries. He is also one of the largest employers in the nation with more than 50,000 employees. His restaurants include a signature collection of more than 60 award-winning restaurant concepts such as CATCH, Mastro’s Steakhouse and Ocean Club, Morton’s The Steakhouse, Del Frisco’s Double Eagle Steakhouse, the Palm, Chart House, Landry’s Seafood House, Rainforest Cafe, Saltgrass Steak House, Bubba Gump Shrimp Co., Joe’s Crab Shack and many more.

He also owns and operates hospitality and entertainment venues, including the iconic Golden Nugget Hotel and Casino brand, currently with seven locations throughout the United States, including Las Vegas, Lake Tahoe and Laughlin, NV; Atlantic City, NJ; Biloxi, MS. Cripple Creek, CO, Lake Charles, LA and Danville, IL. Fertitta also launched into the online internet gaming world in the state of New Jersey with GoldenNuggetCasino.com and has been recognized as the top iGaming operator in the country, receiving the top iGaming operator of the year award for four consecutive years, he rapidly expanded into other states across the US. Just recently, he merged Golden Nugget Online Gaming into DraftKings and remains one of DraftKings largest shareholders.

Fertitta’s hotel division boasts two Forbes Five-Star properties, the oceanfront property Montage Laguna Beach Resort Hotel and Texas’s only Forbes Five-Star Hotel and Spa, The Post Oak Hotel at Uptown Houston. Additionally, he owns the historic Huntting Inn in the East Hamptons, the AAA Four-Diamond award-winning The San Luis Resort, Spa and Convention Center, The Westin Houston Downtown, and many other notable regional hotels. His entertainment destinations include the Galveston Island Historic Pleasure Pier, Kemah Boardwalk, Downtown Aquarium Denver, Nashville and Houston and Tower of The Americas in San Antonio which are all featured on the Forbes, Travel Channel and USA Today’s top five lists of attractions.

Fertitta purchased the NBA’s Houston Rockets in 2017 for a record at the time of $2.2 billion and is the sole owner of the team. During his first year as owner, the Rockets advanced to the Western Conference Finals and set the franchise record for the most wins in a single season.

An influential business figure, Fertitta starred in his own TV show on CNBC called Billion Dollar Buyer. Fertitta first debuted on the Forbes 400 list in 2012 and is frequently featured in the nation’s top financial and industry publications. He is also a frequent guest of prominent national business and sports programs on networks like CNBC, MSNBC, Bloomberg, ESPN, and Fox. He is considered one of the foremost authorities in the restaurant, gaming, entertainment and hospitality industries and released his first business book “Shut up and Listen” with HarperCollins Publishing in September 2019, which skyrocketed to New York Times, Wall Street Journal, USA Today and Publishers Weekly best sellers lists, as well as being listed as the #1 Business Book for new releases on Amazon within the first week.

Fertitta’s many personal honors include - Entrepreneur of the Year Award from Ernst & Young and induction into the Texas Business Hall of Fame as the second youngest inductee, Amusement Today’s Person of the Year, Casino Journal’s Executive of the Year and is one of Restaurant News’ top executives almost yearly. In honor of his contributions to the travel and tourism industry in Texas, Fertitta was the recipient of the Texas Travel Industry Association’s Heritage Award, Restaurateur of the Year by the Greater Houston Restaurant Association and named Executive of the Year by the Houston Sports Authority.

Fertitta believes in the importance of giving back to the community and devotes a substantial amount of time to civic service and charitable organizations. He is currently serving his tenth year as Chairman of the Board of Regents - University of Houston. In May 2022, Fertitta gave $50 million to the University of Houston College of Medicine naming the school the Tilman J. Fertitta Family College of Medicine, bringing a new era of innovation and equitable health care to Houstonians and residents throughout Texas. In 2016, Fertitta contributed $20 million dollars to fund the University of Houston Basketball team's arena to be named “Fertitta Center,” which opened in December 2018. Additionally, he serves as Chairman of the Board - Houston Children’s Charity and Chairman of the Board – Houston Police Foundation. As a long-time supporter of the Houston Police Department, Fertitta donated $2.5 million in 2019 to build The Tilman Fertitta Family Tactical Training Center helping the city’s officers and recruits with state-of-the-art technology and realistic, scenario-based training. He is on the Executive Committee of the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, which is one of the nation's largest charitable organizations.

3rd Annual Bauer Gala

Friday, February 16, 2024

6 p.m.

The Post Oak Hotel

1600 West Loop South, Houston, TX 77027

Honorary Chair Committee

Honorary Co-Chairs

Support

Master of Ceremonies

Entertainment

Entrepreneurship Award

Community Impact Award

Lifetime Achievement Award

Thank You to Our Sponsors

Premium Orchestra

Middle Orchestra

Rear Orchestra

Side Circle

Rear Circle

Dessert Sponsor

Bar Sponsor

Reception Sponsor

Silent Auction Sponsor

Valet Sponsor

Lisa Shumate (MBA ’17)

Tilman Fertitta

Karen Duddlesten

Hewlett Packard Enterprise