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Featured Children
About UsEast Texas Heart Gallery Founder - Denice Grugle
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Advisory
Board| Meetings: | The board has a monthly teleconference and meets in person quarterly. |
|---|---|
| Founder and Executive Director |
 Denice
Grugle (non-voting) - Founding Board
Member of Heart Gallery of AmericaPublisher, writer and producer, wife of Tim Grugle of Garland. We have 3 children. 22-year-old O'Shea, student and Geek Squad Guy, 14-year-old daughter Ellie plays guitar, runs long-distance and is the number one volunteer for the Heart Gallery, Daylon (4) is adopted. I have had many situations that have prepared me for this position- most importantly I have an adopted sister. I am resourceful & dedicated to the success of the Heart Gallery. Wood County |
| Chairman of the Board – Fundraising Committee | Shane
Shepard, MS - Winnsboro Main Street / Economic Development
Director - Shane Shepard is the Winnsboro, Texas Main Street and Economic Development Coordinator. He has experience owning his own business, teaching at a community college, and serving as a Naval Intelligence Officer. In addition, he received a Master’s in Business Administration from Texas A&M University. Shane developed and created our by-laws, wrote our initial business plans, and developed the non-profit status we are currently functioning under. Wood County |
| Vice President - Fundraising, Celebrity Spokesperson |
Kathy Runkle Support /Inventor/Entrepreneur. Kathy has
been a wonderful supporter of East Texas Heart Gallery. She
has been working on a few private fundors that should soon come
to fruition. |
| Secretary |  Dawn
Donovan, adoptive mother - A concerned and compassionate mother
of 4, dedicated to finding the answer to ending the suffering
of all children beginning with the Heart Gallery efforts. Volunteer
administrative assistant, publisher and co-founder of the East
Texas Heart Gallery. Dawn was instrumental in starting the East
Texas Heart Gallery and we would not be here now if not for
her selfless efforts. Smith Count |
| Treasurer |
Steve McNeeley, CPA, M.B.A. -McNeeley & McNeeley Accounting in Hawkins Steve is the President of Inspire! Learning Systems, Inc. and a partner with his father in the public accounting/business consulting firm of McNeely & McNeely, CPAs. Steve’s areas of focus in the firm include consulting and the development of pay-for-performance plans. In his career, he has sharpened his leadership skills as the general manager of two companies and has held a variety of managerial positions in industry and education. Shortly after their wedding in 1978, Steve and his wife, Mary, moved to Texas from Southern California to raise three fabulous kids: Danielle, Kristine, and Stephen. Steve has been a CPA since 1984, has an undergraduate degree in business from the University of Texas at Dallas as well as an M.B.A. from the University of Texas at Tyler. Steve has played and coached intercollegiate basketball. A frequent public speaker, Steve loves his family, is passionate about the study of leadership, and enjoys playing music with his kids. Steve co-ordinate our non-profit status and gained it for us in less than 8 weeks. Steve and Jenay take our receipts, our bank statements and manage our bank account. He also files our taxes and prepares our financial statements. We would not be able to function without the help from him and his office. Wood County |
| Board Member | Michael J.
Gras,White Oak ISD - M.Ed.Master of Education Northeast
Louisiana State University, Master in Guidance and Counseling,
Bachelor of Science in General Studies. Has run the counseling
department in 2 residential facilities. One of which was DePelchin
Children’s Center. Mike was the first board member to co-ordinate and schedule a photo event. The Tiger Creek event includes time at the Tyler State Park where he was able to get everyone in at no charge. Wood County |
| Board Member | Leslie
Peckham, A graduate of Southwest TX State University and
is employed by an automotive finance corp. Lives in Winona TX
with husband "Bo" and a herd of Red Angus Cattle.
Being involved and volunteering to help find homes for the many
children that need forever families has quickly become a passion
of mine. Leslie has adopted an East Texas Heart Gallery child.
Leslie is currently working with COAC (Coalition of Adoptable Children) to develop a Smith County support group for adoptive parents. Leslie and her family have helped with numerous events and been a wonderful resource for the media. Smith County |
| Vice President - Fundraising, Celebrity Spokesperson/
Support Inventor/Entrepreneur |
Kathy Runkle,
Kathy has been a wonderful supporter of East Texas Heart
Gallery. She has been working on a few private fundors that
should soon come to fruition. Dallas County |
| Board Member | Kerrie Simms,
Austin Bank, Location President with Austin Bank, previously for 10 years at Southside Bank, attended Robert E Lee High School. Residing in Hideaway with my seven yr old son and presently the Co-Chairman for the Membership Committee of Tyler Sister Cities, past participant of the Relay for Life and past participant of the Tyler Chamber of Commerce Membership Drive. Kerry and Cody Cowanwere the first board members to help with a photo event. They did a very good job of capturing the essence of the children and write a bio for the children who have since been placed in a permanent family. Smith County |
| Advertising and Publicity Committee | Trooper
Jeanie Dark - Public Information Officer Texas State Troopers |
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Advisory Board
The advisory board has a teleconference every other month and a bi-annual meeting in person.| David Louis
|
Director Heart Gallery Hawaii, Heart Gallery of America Board member |
|---|---|
| Holly Boyd | Former Director of East Texas Hospice |
| Gary Allen | East Texas Council of Government |
| Judge Carol Clark | Smith County |
| Vicky Harvey | United Way of Smith County |
| Judge Robin Sage | Gregg County |
| Judy Bowman | Regions 4 & 5, Regional Director Department of Family & Protective Services |
| Tommy Merritt | State Representative –
Gregg County |
| Rep. Bryan Hughes | Rep. Hughes was elected to
represent Northeast Texas in the Texas House of Representatives
in 2002. He is a member of the House Judiciary Committee, the
Human Services Committee, and he is Vice Chairman of the Rural
Caucus. Rep. Hughes is a fifth generation Texan and the first
member of his family to receive a Bachelor's degree. He practices
law in East Texas where he represents working families and small
businesses. He is a leader in his church, a Red Cross disaster
relief volunteer, and a frequent speaker at civic and community
organizations. |
| Daniel Deslatte | Daniel serves as the Chief
of Staff to Rep. Bryan Hughes, a position he has held since
2002. He is responsible for the Representative's legislative
agenda, briefing the Representative on policy issues, and drafting
legislation. He also serves as a political advisor to the Bryan
Hughes Campaign. Prior to working with Rep. Hughes, Daniel was
the campaign manager for a state legislative campaign and a
Legislative Assistant to a Member of the Texas House. He resides
in Austin, but calls Southeast Texas home. |
| Renee Hawkins | Renee Hawkins was born in
Canyon, Texas and has lived all over Texas—including Borger,
Big Spring, Duncanville, and Abilene before coming to Longview
in 1973 with her family. Her father, a watercolor painter, taught art in public schools before going into advertising, and then the construction business. She graduated from Pine Tree High School in 1977 and attended Abilene Christian University, Stephen F. Austin State University, Kilgore College and U.T. Tyler. She received an Associate’s degree in Elementary Education in 1979 and returned to LeTourneau University to finish cum laude with a B.S. in Business Marketing and Management in 2003. After volunteering at Longview Museum of Fine Arts for four years, she was asked to fill in as Interim Director in 2002. She enjoyed the experience immensely and was hired for the permanent position two months later. She has served as Executive Director and Curator in the six and a half years since. Renee is on the Board of Zonta Women’s Business Club and a member of Longview Downtown Development Committee. She is a Community Advisory Board Member for the Junior League of Longview and LeTourneau’s S.E. Belcher Center. She and her husband Mike are members of First Presbyterian Church and enjoy traveling, movies and design. They are parents to Austin, 23, a air traffic controller training in Korea with the U.S. Army, and Annie, 16, who will be a Junior at Longview High School the fall of 2008. They live with their menagerie of cats, dogs and fish. |
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