Harvard University Club of Houston to Host Harvard Crimson Gala on January 22, 2016

    HOUSTON, TX, January 06, 2016 /24-7PressRelease/ -- The Harvard University Club of Houston will host the 2016 Harvard Crimson Gala on Friday, Jan. 22, 2016, at the Junior League of Houston. The black-tie event is open to the public, as well as the more than 2,500 alumni in the Houston-Galveston area. The Gala will benefit the H2H Initiative, while also honoring notable Harvard alumna, Laura E. Arnold, Class of '94, Co-Chair of the Laura and John Arnold Foundation, for her continuing support of education.

The Gala will include a VIP reception, cocktail reception, silent auction, dinner, awards ceremony, live auction, and dancing. Gala Co-Chairs are Dylan Seff and Julia Bailey. Underwriting Co-Chairs are Michael Bertuccio and Kwame Cain, and Silent Auction Chair is Beth Nock. The Emcee is Dominque Sachse from KPRC Local 2. Entertainment will be provided by the Gary-Michael Dahl Band.

During the Gala, the Harvard University Club of Houston's Crimson Award for Leadership and Community Service will be presented to Laura E. Arnold, Class of '94. Past Crimson Award recipients include Dr. John Mendelsohn, President of The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center; Gordon Bethune, former Chairman of Continental Airlines Inc.; Dr. Nancy Chang, former President and CEO of Tanox Inc.; Judy Ley Allen (MBA 1963), head of Allen Investments; Harris "Shrub" Kempner, Jr. (AB 1961), President of Kempner Capital Management; and Robert T. Sakowitz (AB 1960), President of Hazak Corporation.

"We have many terrific alumni who have made significant contributions to our community," says Dylan Seff, Co-Head of Trading in the Americas at Vitol, Inc. and President of the Harvard University Club of Houston. "However, we wanted to specifically recognize the impact made by Laura Arnold for her championing of the cause of education."

Proceeds from the Gala will primarily benefit the H2H Initiative, which was established by the Harvard Club to send Houston-area teachers, principals and educators each year to the Harvard Graduate School of Education (HGSE) to learn cutting-edge educational best practices for the benefit of students in Houston-area schools, starting with HISD.

"The H2H Initiative was established in 2015 to help improve our children's education in a meaningful way and to build a bridge from Houston to Harvard," says Hoang Quan Vu, a Corporate and Finance Partner at the law firm of Gardere Wynne Sewell LLP and Past President of the Harvard Club. "We want to create a long-lasting collaboration among the Harvard Club, Harvard University, HGSE Professors, the Houston ISD, Houston area schools, parents and the Houston community itself in order to change the lives of our children."

Proceeds from the Gala also benefit the Harvard Club's Schools and Scholarship Program, which ensures that each year over 600 student applicants to Harvard College receive an alumni interview and provides Harvard alumni outreach to over 100 schools in the Houston area at college fairs and information sessions.

The Harvard Crimson Gala will begin at 6 p.m. at the Junior League of Houston with a cocktail reception and silent auction. The dinner, award presentation, and live auction start at 7 p.m. Dancing will follow the dinner program. Ticket prices start at $250 for club members, $350 for non-members. For ticket, sponsorship, or other information, visit http://www.hclubhouston.com/ or call Club Administrator Maureen Garnett at (713) 660-9137.

For more information, contact Hoang Quan Vu, at (713) 276-5174 or [email protected].

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