586 of the city's best physicians as chosen by their peers CRITICAL SHORTCOMINGS
What is Fort Worth doing about its budding mental health crisis?
SAFETY FIRST
Meet the pediatrician aiming to rid Tarrant County of firearm-related accidents
Dr. Daniel D. Guzman, MD Emergency Pediatrics, Cook Children's Medical Center
The all-new Jane and John Justin Surgical Tower at Texas Health Fort Worth. Our largest expansion project ever is built for the future of Fort Worth. More than 400,000 additional square feet, including large, modern areas. Discover nine floors of luxurious patient rooms and advanced surgical care for our growing community. The new Justin Tower is bridging the gap from the generations of care and compassion before to the many generations to come.
TexasHealth.org/FortWorthExpansion
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VOLUME 25 ISSUE 04
60
An Ode to Tom Vandergriff
The Texas Rangers baseball club turns 50 years old in 2022. The job of getting them here was as difficult as some of their seasons.
BY JOHN HENRY
72
Eclectic Energy
Go bold this spring with vintage looks styled by local fashionista and entrepreneur Tiffany Ortez Parish. BY
TIFFANY ORTEZ PARISH
82
A Different Pandemic COVID-19 shed more light on America’s mental health crisis. Doctors, patients, and some lifelong Fort Worth residents discuss how to tackle the problem.
BY TYLER HICKS
91
Taking Aim
With his program, Aim for Safety, Dr. Daniel Guzman, a pediatrician at Cook Children’s Medical Center, hopes to never see another unintentional firearm injury in his emergency room again.
BY BRIAN KENDALL
98 Top Doctors
The city’s best physicians as chosen by their peers.
the fort etc.
: know
12 Buzz
The men’s NCAA Tournament, aka “March Madness,” took a turn through Fort Worth, and, naturally, Fort Worth hoops giant Robert Hughes was there.
18 Calendar
The MAIN ST. Fort Worth Arts Festival makes its highly anticipated return to downtown after a twoyear pandemic layoff, hosting more than 500 fine and performing artists, musicians, exhibitors, and food vendors.
20 Fort Worthian
Physician Danika Franks, the assistant dean of student affairs at TCU’s School of Medicine, practices what she preaches when she says the title of “medical doctor” is more than needles and clinics.
: live
22 Books
Reading not only keeps cognition and the senses sharp, it also can have physical health benefits like reducing stress and lowering blood pressure. Three local health care leaders tell us about their reading habits and recommended books.
24 People
A profile in conservation: The Fort Worth Zoo’s Rick Hudson is a leader in the preservation and proliferation of reptiles and amphibians.
28 Travel
Loreto, Mexico, is a hidden gem, six hours north of Los Cabos by car on the eastern side of the Southern Baja Peninsula.
32 Home
At the site of the mess hall of old Camp Bowie sits a nearly 100-year-old house that a young couple has breathed new life into.
46 Profile
Quincy Wallace’s unconventional journey to the top of the Fred’s Texas Café food chain started simply enough. He just needed a little beer money.
50 Restaurant News
A food truck has taken up residence outside Hotel Dryce, serving up what might be the best smashburger in town. Gustos, we have fallen in love.
: snaps
188 The Dream Street VIP Party unveiled three never-before-seen homes as guests enjoyed cocktails, hors d’oeuvres, and live music.
190 Plenty of chops made appearances at a Foodie Philanthropy after-party, celebrating the mission of bringing together foodies and humanitarianism.
CLOSE
208 A photographer deploys his street photography secret weapon — an Olympus XA2 35mm camera — to catch a nifty shot at the Will Rogers Memorial Center.
Focus: Doctors
A Diagnosis
Iwas recently made aware by a few friends and loved ones that my editor’s letters can be quite personal. I can see how divulging what some might consider my private life to an audience of thousands would open myself up to a bit of vulnerability or maybe even seem narcissistic (I hope not). But, with our Top Doctors issue focusing on the medical profession, the itch to share a recent event in my life has left me powerless and unable to change my tune.
It was just a few months ago that, at what’s seemingly feeling like the ripe old age of 35, I had an unexpected ailment that required me to go to the doctor. I initially brushed it off with a quick visit to an urgent care where I received a diagnosis, got a few pills, and was sent on my merry way. The ailment persisted, evolving into more of an illness. As someone who admittedly sees doctors as a last resort, I finally got in touch with my primary care physician (who appears on the Top Doctors list [see the full list on page 98]) who was rightly concerned with what she saw. Nine vials of blood and three-dozen tests later, and we were no closer to understanding what the problem was.
I’ve long been someone who considered himself healthy. Minus the occasional panic attack, bout of poison oak, or annual head cold, I’d never seen a doctor outside of an occasional checkup. This felt different. This felt like there was something internally going on that could be life-altering. To sum it up, I was scared.
Brian Kendall EXECUTIVE EDITOR
My primary care physician referred me to a specialist (who also appears on the Top Doctors list), who was impressed with the number of tests my PCP chose to run — making their jobs solving the case much easier. They put me at ease, knowing that whatever I had was in no way lifethreatening and no doubt treatable, but it was clear that whatever this “thing” was, it was atypical — not your everyday disease or chronic illness. It took a few more visits to the doctor and some trial-and-error prescriptions before the specialists arrived at the proper diagnosis. And I’m happy to say that I was put on a treatment plan that has me back to my normal self. While the above is a personal anecdote and only one story, it does have a point: The doctors on this list are incredible. Without the help and concern of the wonderful physicians whom I routinely saw for a few months, my road to recovery would have been nonexistent. It’s not a stretch to say that they are lifesavers. I sincerely hope this list provides you the same benefits it provided me.
Corrections? Comments? Concerns? Send to executive editor Brian Kendall at bkendall@fwtexas. com.
NEXT MONTH
Leon Bridges and Gary Patterson of The Big Good
Top Realtors
Special HOME Section
ON THE COVER: PDr. Daniel Guzmanof Cook Children’s Medical Center came to our offices for a quick interview with our editor, Brian Kendall, and a photoshoot with our recently hired staff photographer, Crystal Wise. The orange background is meant to represent the official color of gun safety awareness. Makeup by Emily Gutierrez.
Let’s Chat
A few words from our readers
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I hope the true Texans showed you some Southern hospitality and how we treat our guests, with warmth and kindness.
— Kelee Kelly
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Show that man how we do it in Texas. You think the royal family can handle some tequila???
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Maybe stop by Best Hat Store, too, for a real cowboy hat.
— Marcelle LeBlanc
Taylor [Sheridan] must be making a fortune to afford this. What a lucky man to have this piece of history.
Ashley Felan
Quad sixes … sign of the cow!
Sandy Craig Davis
DIGITAL EDITION: The virtual editions of both current and previous issues are available on our website. Flip through the pages to read more about the great city of Fort Worth by visiting fwtx.com.
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Home
A young couple has resurrected a nearly 100-year-old house at the site of the mess hall of old Camp Bowie. See page 32.
Fort Worth Feels the Madness
The NCAA tournament lures Fort Worth royalty to Dickies Arena.
BY JOHN HENRY
College basketball’s March Madness made its highly anticipated first trip to Fort Worth last month, and Dickies Arena did more than live up to its growing reputation as a host for premier events in every American cultural sphere.
What was promised to the taxpayer has been delivered, certainly at least in terms of quality of atmosphere, and businesses nearby can speak to the residual economic impact of hosting events with worldwide audiences, such as the men’s NCAA Tournament.
And here’s betting an ill-gotten-gained-Luke-Short $5 that no other site hosting first- and second-round games offered brisket tamales at a concession stand.
By all appearances, too, the basketball gods seemed to be involved with a hand in the scheduling by including Texas Southern among the eight teams that spent spring break here participating in the Round of 64.
Texas Southern, a 16 seed in the Midwest Region, had a mountain to climb in trying to advance against No. 1 Kansas. There’s an NCAA Tournament truth established through a chain of reasoning: Blessed are they who don’t expect to win, for they shall not be disappointed.
The Tigers didn’t win, dropping the late game — later than even expected when the game preceding it between Creighton and San Diego State went to overtime — 83-56 to the Jayhawks. The loss ended a very good season for the Tigers, who began the year with seven consecutive losses. Yet, they rebounded to win the Southwestern Athletic Conference tournament.
Fort Worthians all owe a debt of gratitude to Texas Southern for what the HBCU gifted us so many years ago.
Sitting midway up the arena seating watching the Tigers with fan interest was Fort Worth’s basketball and cultural giant, Texas Southern basketball alum Robert Hughes, the basketball hall of famer and mentor to thousands of high school boys over the course of a 47-year coaching career at I.M. Terrell and Dunbar.
“I was fortunate enough to be the head basketball coach at the University of North Texas for 11 years. So, I was very familiar with his program and the things that he did and the lives that he touched, the games he won, the young men that came out of his program,” said Texas Southern coach Johnny Jones. “And just an amazing man. And, obviously, a trailblazer. And someone who is certainly special and held in high regard in the community and around the country for the number of games that he won and the way that he’s conducted and carried himself over the years.”
Decked out in his Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame orange blazer — which he received upon induction in 2017 — Hughes was joined there with his son, Robert Hughes Jr., now the coach at Dunbar High School.
Dickies Arena commemorated the 93-year-old’s impact in its interior design with a tribute to him when the building went up three years ago. The last thing those teams entering the court from the north end saw was a wall plaque dedicated to Hughes that includes his advice: “Ask every day, ‘What can I do today to be the best?’ And then do it.”
In his storied career from 1958-2005, Hughes won a national high school-record 1,333 games and five state championships, including three at Terrell. His teams were state runners-up three times. Between 1977-2003, Hughes took Dunbar to the state final four in Austin 12 times, including 10 in a 17-year run. He was the 2003 national coach of the year.
The Flying Wildcats at Dunbar were a brand, epitomized by his fast-paced, full-court, tough-as-nails style of play.
It might not have happened the way it did had he not had a little dustup at Texas College in Tyler. There, he ran afoul with athletics administrators for using the gym during unauthorized hours.
More than slightly miffed at the reaction, he said, “I’ll just transfer,” according to Hughes Jr. He made contact with Texas Southern athletic director and football coach Alexander Durley, who told Hughes that he was welcome in Houston.
When told he had an incoming transfer for his basketball team, coach Ed Adams said, according to Hughes Jr., “Who is Robert Hughes?”
“Durley told Adams, ‘You know him. He’s “30 and something,”’” Hughes Jr. said. As in, he regularly scores 30
PHOTO BY CRYSTAL WISE
Dr. Mitch Conditt
Oral Appliance
points in games and pulls down a bunch of rebounds.
“Ed just gave him the keys to the gym,” Hughes Jr. said laughing. “Told him to use it whenever he wanted.”
Hughes was a National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics All-American while playing under Adams from 1951-54.
After college, Hughes played for a bit with the Harlem Magicians, a rival of the Harlem Globetrotters featuring Marcus Haynes. He was also drafted by the Boston Celtics.
Ultimately, he went to work for Douglas Aircraft Company in Tulsa while he finished up his undergraduate degree at the University of Tulsa. It was a job, Hughes Jr. said, he likely got because the company had a basketball team.
One day, he received a call. It was his former mentor at Texas Southern who called to tell him his days in the defense industry would be short-lived.
“Ed Adams called him and said, ‘You’re going to be a basketball coach, and I want you to coach down here [in Texas]. I’ll call you back.’” Adams called back with three open jobs as options. Terrell hired him in 1958.
“And that’s where it all started,” Hughes Jr. said.
“A fabulous coach, and he coached a ton of terrific kids at Dunbar,” Kansas coach Bill Self said.
“And, you know, I think it’s — you know, it’s really strange, because people equate the best coaches sometimes to guys that play on TV the most and win the most games on TV. And that’s not really true. And he’s a guy — Ralph Tasker is another guy from Hobbs, New Mexico — those guys were as good as coaches at any level; they just weren’t seen near as much.”
Campaign Rhetoric Still Burning Hot
Outgoing County Judge Whitley says he won’t support Republican nominee.
BY JOHN HENRY
Rarely does election season pass without the populace needing a few showers to wash off the grime. It’s a process that is inherently, it seems, ill-mannered and coarse.
The filth accrued during the Republican primary for county judge, however, might require a scrubbing with a steel-wool pad.
Outgoing Judge Glen Whitley said in the aftermath that he was so put out by the campaign run by Tim O’Hare that he could not support his fellow Republican — or anyone, for that matter — as his successor in the general election. Whitley called O’Hare’s tactics in defeating former Fort Worth Mayor Betsy Price a “disingenuous attack campaign.”
Said the judge, who is leaving the job after 17 years: “At this point, given the type of campaign that Tim ran and the various things he’s saying … he doesn’t seem to be saying he wants to bring people together. He wants to do more to divide and pit one group against another, and I’m not going to support that.”
O’Hare, a Southlake lawyer, defeated the county’s leading Republican figure handily by riding a wave of activist constituencies in the northeast of the county who were roused by red-meat populist wedge issues of diversity and equity social issues, as well as executive orders emanating from the pandemic. The former five-term mayor was immediately labeled too liberal to apply for the job and a friend of Black
Lives Matter activists, including in his campaign literature pictures of Price speaking with BLM protesters, saying she encouraged protesters.
That message resonated to motivated voters who bothered to show up, catching on like a lit cigarette to dry grass in a drought.
O’Hare, a former Tarrant County Republican Party chair, will face Deborah Peoples, the winner in the Democratic primary. Peoples is a twotime candidate for mayor of Fort Worth, losing to Price and Mattie Parker in 2019 and 2021.
“They can’t point to a single thing we ever said about my opponent that is untrue,” O’Hare said. “I did not personally attack any of my opponents in any way, shape, or form. Those issues we talked about were obviously important to Tarrant County voters, and I would also say masking people up and closing down businesses were important issues we talked about.
“We may not have talked about the issues he thinks are important, but I was talking to voters, not Glen Whitley.”
Stay tuned for more lit high explosives in this race, figuratively speaking, of course.
The Republican race to replace District Attorney Sharen Wilson, who decided not to seek reelection, is going to a runoff. Matt Krause and Phil Sorrells are vying for a place opposite of Democrat Tiffany Burks on the ballot in the general election.
Runoff election day is May 24. Early voting runs May 16-20.
Art House
Sedrick and Letitia Huckaby open doors to new collaborative project space in Polytechnic neighborhood.
BY BRANDI ADDISON
In the 1900 block of Wallace Street sits the Kinfolk House, a seemingly innocuous home in the Polytechnic neighborhood.
But far from it, the 100-year-old historic home slowly procures a local couple’s noble dream to create a familial place for collaboration and community in an often-marginalized neighborhood, predominantly comprised of Black and Latinx populations. In late February, the husband-and-wife founders, Sedrick and Letitia Huckaby, opened the doors to the reimagined space.
Named after its intention to create familylike relationships, the home previously belonged to Sedrick’s late grandmother Hallie Beatrice Carpenter, affectionately called “Big Momma” by her friends and neighbors.
A Budding Vision
Inside the home, the empty bedroom in which Big Momma lived and died displayed several of Sedrick’s paintings. Sedrick and Letitia had removed the home’s sheet rock — once covered in wallpaper — and ripped up the carpet of the home Sedrick grew up visiting, making the home’s wooden plank structure more prominent.
An 18th century confessional door from France divided the entry bedroom from a large community room. The inviting space was light and airy compared to the remainder of the home. Inside, several rows of reclaimed wooden pews — brought in from Big Momma’s church — faced the backyard, which the couple hopes will serve as future seating for poetry readings, educational seminars, and speaker events.
Although primarily intended as an artist space, Kinfolk House seeks to establish new dialogue between community members and creatives of every discipline, Fuentes says. With time, the project will continue to evolve.
The 1-acre backyard will someday become a small garden, adorned by greenery, flowers, and possibly sculptures created by local artists.
“It’s a very organic space that we want to grow on its own,” Fuentes says. “We have a direction of where we’d like it to grow, but we’re also kind-of just taking it by the day.”
Welcome
The opening project, which debuted on March 5, is titled “Welcome.” The word encompasses a double meaning as both the introduction to the inaugural project and homage to the family’s matriarch, whose maiden name was Welcome.
Displayed inside Kinfolk House through April 24, the couple’s collaborative project embraces Big Momma’s lasting legacy and showcases a collection of memorabilia and sound recordings alongside their own work.
Sedrick’s wall-size paintings of his grandmother span several years of her life, while additional paintings portray others who have lived in and known Big Momma’s home.
“The project really relates to the people who were here and the physical space itself,” Fuentes says. “And the paintings also helped to reveal the history of the home.”
1913
Wallace St.
Monday through Thursday, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, Noon – 5 p.m. By appointment as available
Acquiring the home after her passing, Sedrick and Letitia renovated the property over several years, giving it a renewed life that will continue to support the traditions and meaningful relationships that it once embraced.
“The intention is that the space will continue to live on as a collaborative space for the entire community,” says Kinfolk House Director Jessica Fuentes.
She points out how one painting depicted a blue door built into the wall. It was since removed but stood against the wall next to the painting.
Letitia’s work also paid homage to Big Momma’s past.
In a large-scale landscape photography collection, Letitia explores the grandmother’s life, documenting her travel from Big Momma’s hometown of Weimer, Texas, to Waco along Highway 77 and then from Waco to Fort Worth along Interstate 35.
Printed on fabric and displayed in oval threads, the photographs are embroidered in scarlet thread — a biblical reference to birthright, bloodlines, and sacrifice, Letitia says.
“Some of my other bodies of work are specifically tied to African American communities,” Letitia says. “But this one is tied to her and the life she led.”
PHOTO BY CRYSTAL WISE
Kinfolk House
*Please visit each event’s website for information on COVID-19 protocols.
APR. 7 – 10
MAIN ST. Fort Worth Arts Festival
Find time to visit this annual four-day celebration where more than 500 fine and performing artists, musicians, exhibitors, and food vendors take to the streets of Downtown Fort Worth.
Trek along the Trinity River in this inaugural family fun run.
Panther Island Pavilion 395 Purcey St. runproject.org 214.538.6548
APR. 12
Krys Boyd
Second in a series of Conversations with Women’s Voices in DFW, Boyd will bring us through her trials and triumphs as a journalist on the radio in the local community.
Downtown Cowtown at the Isis 2401 N. Main St. downtowncowtown.com 817.808.6390
APR. 15
Kolby Cooper
Country singer/songwriter returns to his Texas roots to perform at Billy Bob’s Texas.
Billy Bob’s Texas 2520 Rodeo Plaza billybobstexas.com 817.624.7117
APR. 16
Fort Worth Water Lantern Festival
Enjoy an evening filled with food, games, music, and thousands of magical lanterns lighting up the water. Each ticket lets you decorate your own lantern with words of hope, happiness, love, and connection.
Panther Island Pavilion 395 Purcey St. waterlanternfestival.com
APR. 16
Bubble RUN
This is not your everyday 5K. Prepare to be blasted by bubbles throughout the course and after at an endof-race mini music festival.
Texas Motor Speedway 3545 Lonestar Circle bubblerun.com
APR. 16
Hungry Hound Hustle
Lace up your sneakers for this 5K fun run and 1-mile dog walk directly supporting Fort Worth’s Don’t Forget to Feed Me Pet Food Bank.
MUTTS Canine Cantina 5317 Clearfork Main St. dontforgettofeedme.org 817.334.0727
Hops
Props
Fort Worth Aviation Museum 3300 Ross Ave. museumofflight.org 206.764.5700
THROUGH APR. 17
“Sandy Rodriguez in Isolation”
Impacted by the devastation brought about by COVID-19, Rodriguez expresses the healing power of art in her exhibit ending on April 17.
Amon G. Carter Museum of American Art 3501 Camp Bowie Blvd. cartermuseum.org 817.738.1933
APR. 23 ArtsGoggle
Get your fine art fix by exploring an array of local visual and performance artists covering more than a mile of Magnolia Avenue at Fort Worth’s premier local arts festival. This year’s featured artist is Sandy Jones.
Near Southside Fort Worth Magnolia Avenue artsgoggle.org
APR. 28
DIIV and Joy Again
American Rock meets Indie-Pop with this unique musical pairing brought to you by Tulips Fort Worth.
Tulips 112 St. Louis Ave. tulipsftw.com 817.367.9798
APR. 29 – MAY 1
Beethoven’s “Eroica” and Talbot’s Ink Dark Moon
Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra attempts to reimagine the classical orchestral canon in this concert featuring works by Mendelssohn, Joby Talbot, and Beethoven.
Bass Performance Hall 525 Commerce St. fwsymphony.org 817.212.4280
APR. 23 - MAY 8
“Disney’s Descendants”
Watch what happens when four villain kids must decide whether to pave their own path or follow in their families’ wicked ways in this brand-new musical comedy based on the hit Disney Channel Original Movies.
Casa Mañana
3101 W. Lancaster Ave. casamanana.org 817.332.2272
MAY 4
The British Invasion
Learn how some of your beloved British bands became integral to popculture history in this immersive multimedia show.
Bass Performance Hall 525 Commerce St. basshall.com 817.212.4280
MAY 8
Mother’s Day Brunch
Celebrate mom by bringing her to Taste Project’s pay-what-you-can brunch prepared by chef Jeff and the team.
Taste Project 1200 S. Main St. 817.759.9045
Witch: A Play by Jen Silverman
Catch the regional premiere of this comedic play written by New York-based Jen Silverman about one woman’s dark deal with the devil.
Stage West 821 W. Vickery Blvd. stagewest.org 817.784.9378
THROUGH APR. 10
Dr. Danika Franks
Emergency Medicine Physician, Community Leader
BY JILLIAN VERZWYVELT
BY
PHOTO
CRYSTAL WISE
For Dr. Danika Franks, being a physician is more than the title. Instead, the assistant dean of student affairs at TCU School of Medicine believes that her role is about creating spaces for understanding and inclusivity.
“At the school, we try to help our students understand the communities they serve beyond the medical conditions and related issues,” she says.
When it comes to supporting her community, Franks finds that meaningful work is not always clinically oriented. In fact, what began as a passion project during her residency quickly evolved into a full-fledged company. As the founder and chief strategist for Community Flourish, LLC, Franks — alongside colleagues from other disciplines — designs physical spaces infused with color and function to promote well-being and balance.
And she’s not stopping there.
Breaking down the notion of a well-defined work-life balance, Franks and her husband, Chauncey Franks, are launching a nonprofit out of their own backyard.
When they bought their home in 2020, the couple discovered an abandoned 6,000-square-foot tennis court completely shrouded by bushes. With sports holding a special place in their lives, they decided to utilize the space by creating a program that will
provide students across the area with training in a variety of sports that they might otherwise not have access to. The Court is slated to start in summer 2022.
“We love the idea because sports are something that can transcend anything” Franks says.
Rather than rely on research, Franks tends to fall back on lived experiences to help her ideas come to fruition.
Growing up in a military family, Franks moved around a lot, and each location offered invaluable perspectives about identity. Franks admits that life around the military base wasn’t always easy, but her most palpable memory came in medical school when she was subject to several misguided assumptions based on her race and didn’t see many doctors who looked like her.
“My lived experiences as a mixed race have given me much compassion and empathy for marginalized identities,” she says. “That has made me a better advocate for my patients and teachers for my students.”
A company leader, medical professional, and mother of three, Franks makes her balancing act look easy.
“I want to model that for my students,” she says. “The idea that you can be a physician and do other things that you love that are complementary.”
DR. FRANKS’ GO-TO ORDERS AROUND TOWN
1. The Franks are a Horned Frog family. 2. First-year students of TCU School of Medicine are assigned learning community houses that they’ll remain a part of. 3. This space for her two girls is bright, playful, and “fancy.”
4. Teaching a suturing clinic to middle and high school students. 5. Her home’s primary bedroom reminds her of the desert using earth tones. 6. Franks at the Physician Development Coaches annual partner reveal.
Reading for Health
BY TINA HOWARD
Reading not only improves vocabulary and brain connectivity, it can also have physical health benefits like reducing stress, preventing cognitive decline, and lowering blood pressure. We recently talked with three local health care leaders about their reading habits and recommended books.
SPENCER SEALS Vice president of construction, real estate, and facilities planning, Cook Children’s Medical Center
One of my favorite traditions is my wife buys me an Advent calendar that provides a daily short story, which gives me a 10- to 20-minute story from all over the world. Finding time to read is difficult. I have to schedule my personal time with reading time; otherwise, it doesn’t happen. I do listen to books to and from work, but my preference is to sit down with a physical book.
otal time in my career and helped me not only identify a path but affirmed it is okay to not have the clearest picture of your future; you can still move forward with confidence.
counterintuitive, which is why they are valuable.
Atomic Habits by James Clear: An excellent “self-improvement” book that analyzes habits, why we have them, and how to make small changes to achieve impressive results.
Fort Worth: Outpost, Cowtown, Boomtown by Harold Rich: As a Dallas transplant five years ago, this recently published history of our town — the good and not so good — from the late 1800s into the 20th century is quite interesting (and seems comprehensive).
BOBBY GRIGSBY CPA, MBA, retired Carter BloodCare executive
When I was working, I often listened to books on tape while traveling by car and read ebooks when I traveled by air. Since retiring, my more recent reading involves historical fiction, and Ken Follett is one of my favorite authors. I have really enjoyed connecting my travels with settings from books I’ve read, and some have even inspired some of our trips.
The Obstacle Is the Way by Ryan Holiday: Great book that focuses on stoicism as a means to overcoming adversity and making you stronger in the process. Easy to read and packed with ideas to better your life.
Immunity to Change by Robert Kegan and Lisa Laskow Lahey: Inspiring book about change and the potential of looking and doing things differently. This book helps you make a master change in your life and your organization.
Crossing the Unknown Sea by Robert Whyte: This was given to me at a piv-
MICHAEL SANBORN President and CEO of Baylor Scott & White All Saints Medical Center – Fort Worth My reading style is a mix of both traditional books and audiobooks. I prefer hardcover books for heavier topics where I may want to make notes or highlight passages. I listen to audiobooks (on 1.4x speed) of lighter topics and general information. I enjoy authors who write excellent historical summaries that read like fiction. For me, that accomplishes two things — education and entertainment.
Good to Great by Jim Collins: My all-time favorite management and leadership book. A literal blueprint for greatness, and we have applied much of this book to the work that we do at BS&W All Saints.
Nine Lies About Work by Marcus Buckingham: Outlines how to create a strong work culture. Most of the recommendations can initially seem
In Search of Excellence by Tom Peters: Having served as a CEO, COO, and CFO during my working years, this wellknown book was a valuable resource and learning tool for me.
Pillars of the Earth and World Without End (Kingsbridge Series) by Ken Follett: These two books tell a multigenerational tale about the construction of a major cathedral in England. In a previous role, I always took advantage of visiting the beautiful cathedrals in England, and I always thought of these books.
The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafron: The book is an ode to the art of reading, but it is also a fitting example of the power of a well-told story. It is the tale of a young boy, who through the magic of a single book, finds a purpose greater than himself and a hero in a man he has never even met.
Cold-Blooded Conservation
Fort Worth Zoo’s Rick Hudson is making it his life’s mission to save iguanas and turtles.
BY BRANDI ADDISON
Growing up in the heart of the Blue Ridge Mountains, there was no shortage of unique creatures for Rick Hudson to catch as a young boy.
If there was anything in his pathway that crawled, jumped, or slithered, he likely brought it along with him to his home in the small rural town of Stuart, Virginia.
Now, at 67 years old, Hudson reigns as the Fort Worth Zoo’s oldest employee and boasts the staff’s longest tenure after coming on board in 1980.
Spanning over more than four decades, Hudson’s entire career has evolved at
the Fort Worth Zoo, where he now specializes in turtle, tortoise, and iguana conservation.
He attributes his success to the generosity of the community and willingness of zoo leaders to prioritize species survival and recovery.
“When there’s a wildlife crisis out there, people know and expect that I will be in the trenches fighting where I can,” Hudson says. “I’m tired of crisis management, but I’m damn good at it.”
And he has his never-ending list of accolades, accomplishments, and awards to prove it. Most recently, he received the Columbus Zoo’s 2021 Commitment to Conservation Award for his “drive, heart and spirit of collaboration.”
“Whether he was working on the recovery of the endangered Jamaican iguana population through head start and reintroduction programs, helping to rescue radiated tortoises from a massive confiscation in Madagascar, or
PHOTO BY OLAF GROWALD
establishing assurance populations of imperiled species in range countries, Rick’s work has made a profound conservation impact,” says Tom Schmid, president and CEO of the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium.”
A Lifelong Passion
From the very beginning, Hudson knew he would be a zoo man.
He was the kid all the locals called when they needed to remove an insect, lizard, snake — or basically any creature that would sends chills down most backs.
But it was inevitable that it would become his lifelong career after he opened his very own miniature backyard zoo when he was 12 years old, showcasing the best of the local lizards, frogs, turtles, snakes, and salamanders that he had caught.
Affectionately called the Woodland Zoo, Hudson’s small business operation quickly amassed fame, prompting local journalists to write a compelling feature on his well-crafted venture.
Still framed in his home today, the local newspaper quoted the preteen as he saying he hoped to “become a naturalist and work in a real zoo” when he grew up one day.
The whole family supported the endeavor, he says, and while he tasked his father with building habitats for his
ever-growing hobby, his mother rode along him on his search for box turtles after summer rains.
Hudson clung to the passion through his childhood and went on to attend the University of Richmond, where he earned his bachelor’s degree in biology. Ironically, the career opportunities in rural Virginia — the very place he provided unprofessional care to an abundance of wildlife — were scarce.
While on the hunt for a job, he recalls flipping through the pages of a specialty wildlife magazine and spotted an advertisement for the opening at the Fort Worth Zoo.
He had never been to the zoo, or even to Texas, but he admired its herpetology department, so he quickly put his name in the hat for employment.
After receiving a request for an interview from the zoo, Hudson made the 17-hour trip with his sister — eager but nervous to impress.
“I remember getting a phone call from the zoo, saying I had gotten the job,” Hudson says. “That’s the day my life turned around.”
A Hero in Conservation
Although Hudson has always had a preference for reptiles and amphibians, he says his love for them has certainly grown over the years.
As the assistant curator for reptiles
for 20 years, Hudson was a key player in strengthening the zoo’s herpetology department. And he proudly takes acclaim for bringing in one of the zoo’s most beloved species — the Komodo dragon — as well as the gharials.
But a dire need for help in the wildlife crisis prompted Hudson to change direction, and in the early 2000s, he began his career in the conservations of turtles, tortoises and iguanas.
“When I first came here, I had read an article about the Jamaican iguana,” Hudson says. “They had found one they believed to have been extinct since the 1940s. I remember how much reading that article really impacted me; it really signaled the rediscovery of that species. And that stuck with me.”
From then forward, Hudson says he became more involved with the rediscovery of the species, spearheading programs to revive them from the brink of extinction.
With the support of the Fort Worth Zoo, he founded the International Iguana Foundation and the Turtle Survival Alliance — now his fulltime job within the zoo — traveling the world to save them.
Before the pandemic, Hudson frequently traveled to Madagascar to rehabilitate sick and injured tortoises that were rescued from the wildlife trade.
“We’ve seen some pretty brutal things from animals, and it’s hard to see it,” Hudson says. “But you’ve got to be optimistic if you’re passionate about wildlife conservation.”
Currently about 26,000 rescued tortoises await their release back into the oceans, which he says requires a lot of community negotiations.
“We can’t just go release them with people poaching,” Hudson says. “We’ve got to find the proper habitat, and we’ve got to have a community that really wants to protect them.”
A hero in conservation, Hudson has no desire to quit during such perilous times for wildlife.
“I can’t walk away,” Hudson says. “Conservation is my life.”
PHOTO BY OLAF GROWALD
At 42 years, Rick Hudson stands as the Fort Worth Zoo’s longest tenured employee,
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Mexico’s Hidden Gem
A personal journey to
Loreto,
a scenic spot on the east coast of Baja California.
BY ALEX TEMBLADOR
Mountainous islands arose from the crystal blue Sea of Cortez just off the coast of a small city lined with black sandy beaches. I didn’t know it at the time, but the bay I was looking at was a national marine park full of 800 species of marine life, including blue whales. The small city that curved along the bay was Loreto, Mexico – a lesser-known gem of Baja California Sur that I had the opportunity to explore.
When I was invited to visit Loreto, I had no idea where it was or even that it existed. I was surprised that American Airlines offered a two-hour direct flight from Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport and even more shocked when I
learned that Loreto was the first Spanish settlement of the Californias.
Despite my unfamiliarity, I had traveled often enough to know that sometimes the best trips result when you have no expectations. Loreto didn’t disappoint in this, especially when it came to experiencing the region’s cultural and outdoor offerings.
Loreto is a six-hour drive north of Los Cabos on the eastern side of the Southern Baja Peninsula. When I landed in the city, which has a population of 20,000 people, in January, the weather was sunny and in the mid-70s with a nice breeze. In the summer, it can reach the 90s.
During the short drive to Hotel Rosarito, a quiet boutique hotel with
stylish rooms and an open courtyard with a pool and breakfast area, I realized that Loreto was the kind of Mexican destination I love. Although tourism makes up a big part of the economy, there isn’t a specific “tourist area” separate from the citizens of the city. In fact, visitors and locals mix in restaurants and the city center, allowing for authentic interactions that you can’t have in many popular coastal destinations in Mexico.
My hotel was within walking distance to the plaza, Malecon (the boardwalk), harbor, beaches, and restaurants, like Casa Carmen where I had the most delicious grilled and fried seafood cooked on an open flame by Carmen herself.
My first full day in Loreto started out with a run along the Malecon at sunrise. As I ran from one black volcanic beach to another, I admired the fiery shades that rose behind the mountainous islands in the bay. Fishermen were heading out for morning catches, and later, I’d witness catamarans and boat tours taking visitors to scuba and snorkel around the reefs.
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I spent a few days in Loreto eating a lot of seafood and Mexican dishes at places like Pepegina’s Restaurant and Zopilote Brewing and Co. My love for history was satisfied with visits to the first and second missions of the Californias. The first, Misión de Nuestra Señora de Loreto Conchó, sits in a beautiful plaza in Loreto, near artisanal stores that line a cobblestone avenue under a beautiful canopy of trees. Misión San Francisco Javier was an hour’s drive into the nearby mountains. The baroque architecture was like something I’d seen in Spain years ago.
whale-watching tours with Garcia’s Tours. My camera quickly filled with images of whales flipping their tails, lifting their heads out of the water, and gliding their 50-foot bodies over the surface mere meters away. I even caught video of a gray whale who spent 15 minutes directly beneath our boat. She stuck her mouth above water so we could pet her slick skin covered in barnacles and playfully blew water from her blow hole.
Whales were not my only animal encounter in the bays of Adolfo López Mateos. I saw the fins of dolphins, pelicans diving for fish, and one night, Garcia’s Tours took me to a sea of golden sand dunes where I watched coyotes trot from the mangroves. After two days, I left the whales and went north of Loreto to Heroica Mulegé, a beautiful town that sits in a tropical oasis of palm and date trees surrounded by arid mountains. Visitors can kayak and paddleboard on the river that runs through the town, and all can watch them from a high vantage point at Misión de Mulegé.
ceiling in awe. Figures of men, women, children, shamans, and animals had been painted in red, black, white, and yellow 7,500 years ago – and they were still there for me to see.
The day after I visited the cave, I left Heroica Mulegé to return to Loreto. On the way, I stopped for a boat tour of Bahía Concepción, where Americans and Canadians, who had parked their RVs and popped their tents on the beaches of the bay, sailed, kayaked, paddleboarded, and fished in the turquoise waters.
Our boat captain got us close to rocky islands to see blue-footed booby birds and the geological structures that time, water, and wind had sculpted. We anchored a few times so that his son could grab us fresh oysters from their oyster farm, jump into the ocean to spear a halibut, and gather scallops off the sand bar of a white sand beach. One of these times, I suited up in a wet suit and jumped into the ocean, but the water was too cold in January to stay in for long. With all the seafood in hand, we found a sandy beach along one of the bays, and the boat captain and his son prepared a delicious lunch of fresh seafood with tortillas and chips.
My trip was far from confined to Loreto, though. My tour guide was adamant that a visit to Loreto wouldn’t be complete without exploring the outdoor offerings around the city. So, I went whale watching.
I made my way to the Mangrove Inn in Adolfo López Mateos, a small fishing village just a two-hour drive from Loreto. This destination on the west coast of Baja California Sur provided the most incredible animal encounters I’ve ever had.
Over two days, I went on two
I stayed at Historico Las Casitas, once the home of a famous poet of Baja. Today it’s owned by a man named Javier, who welcomed my tour group into the historic space with its courtyards full of lush plants. In the dining room, we had delicious Mexican food laid out in hand-painted traditional platterware. Historico Las Casitas was not merely a place to eat and sleep but offered karaoke in the evenings with mango margaritas.
Heroica Mulegé is a jumping-off point to many outdoor adventures like a 20-minute hike to the oldest cave paintings in North America. The San Borjitas cave paintings are located on the Rancho San Baltazar in the Sierra of Guadalupe Mountains. In the cave, my neck strained as I marveled at the
I returned to Loreto that evening and checked into La Misión Hotel, an elegant property with a pool, spa, restaurant, bar, and views of Loreto Bay. My last day and a half in Loreto were spent relaxing on the beach, buying souvenirs, and scarfing down a foot-long burrito at Super Burrito. Sitting on the black beach in front of my hotel, I scrolled through my photographs of the last week. Was this experience as remarkable as I thought it had been?
The photographs said yes, as did friends and family. They messaged me constantly throughout the trip to respond to my pictures of wildlife encounters, the beauty of the beaches and the bays, the baroque architecture of the Spanish missions, and the amazing food I ate. All remarked that they had never heard of Loreto or all that it had to offer.
I told them they better visit Loreto now — before the word gets out.
The San Borjitas cave paintings. Below: Whale watching at the bays of Adolfo López Mateos.
Fair.
At the Site of the Mess Hall
At the corner of West Seventh Street and Westview Avenue, in the heart of where the old Camp Bowie used to sit, a young couple has breathed new life into a house built in 1923.
BY BRIAN KENDALL | PHOTOGRAPHY BY CRYSTAL WISE
Way west on West Seventh Street — like, close to where the street literally ends blocks past French restaurant Saint-Emilion — was a cream-colored house with hunter green shutters. The house, with a colonial-style facade obscured by shrubs and an old oak tree, looked like something inhabited by a recluse — likely named Boo Radley.
Fast-forward a couple years, and what was once a fixer-upper got, well, fixed up thanks to Breanna and Matt King. “When I first saw this house, it was pretty spooky; I’m not going to lie,” Breanna says. The Fort Worth natives — who are also TCU alums — partnered with Southside Design and Build and Jessica McClendon of Glamour Nest Interior Design to give the home an inviting ambiance and feng shui perfect for entertaining.
While the home’s potential no doubt attracted the Kings to the project, Breanna felt particularly intrigued by the home’s history. The house sits on what was once Camp Bowie — a short-lived military tent camp that closed down in 1919. The camp was quickly replaced by a residential area that took advantage of the utility hookups left by the army. While no official records exist, according to the home’s previous owner and neighbors, the house sits where the officers’ mess hall once was — where officers gather and eat meals. “There’s something about an old home, its story, and becoming part of that story,” Breanna says. “I feel like there’s a real story here of people’s lives.”
The Kings took a cream-colored facade with hunter green shutters and updated it to a color Breanna describes as “naval.” They also removed the
shutters to give the exterior a cleaner look.
When the Kings purchased the house, the kitchen was “literally the size of a closet,” Breanna says. They knocked down a wall to open up the space into the living and dining space — essentially becoming one large room. The fireplace in the living area is original.
Originally a fifth bedroom, the Kings converted it into a media room. The room comes complete with an L-shaped couch and a bar area with a minifridge. Many of the styling pieces, including the throw pillows, were provided by Simple Things Furniture.
“Old Fort Worth,” as Breanna describes it, was one of the biggest influences on the home’s decor. Given the Kings’ love of history, the pair wanted to pay homage to the house’s storied past. The home’s decor has old family photos and pieces of history that represent an older dowtown, including a piece of art from Fort Worth-based Leonard’s Department Store.
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The spiral staircase leads to an attic, where the Kings’ children spend much of their time. “My kids are 8 and 6, so it’s just a good hideout spot,” Breanna says. “Every kid imagines having a really cool play space, and it’s just turned out to be a really neat area for them to be creative and have their own space.”
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Pictured: Jen Carter, Alan Robertson, John Carter, Geoff Starkey
“The
before in
To
home had been remodeled
the early ’90s,” Breanna explains. “So the master bath had a really Austin Powers vibe.”
rid the bathroom of its aged design, the Kings added subway tile and some “funky” green cabinets.
From Dishrags to Carrying the Moneybags
Quincy Wallace only wanted a little beer money. Now he’s CEO of Fred’s Texas Café.
BY JOHN HENRY
BY
PHOTO
CRYSTAL WISE
As it concerns lifechanging events, taking over Fred’s Texas Café as CEO or even moving from the sacred ground of the original location are down Quincy Wallace’s list of those kinds of big things.
Pondering a future with a multiple sclerosis diagnosis, no feeling on his left side, and an inability to walk were not only life-changing but a gut puncher.
It all started like a “hangover that wouldn’t go away,” he recalls.
Twelve years after that diagnosis, Quincy is leading a full life — let’s call it his best life — fully mobile and functioning, and, yes, the CEO of Fred’s Texas Café, which he is leading into a new era of a glorious Fred’s history in Fort Worth.
How he scaled to the mountaintop of the Fred’s institution is a story all its own. Fred’s, which has earned prestige for its unconventionality, is among the few places it could have happened. Everybody has a tale about Fred’s. This one happens to be true. Since the unfortunate advent of the five-day workweek, people have gotten out of bed in the morning, washed their face, brushed their teeth, and headed out for a job with some kind of ambition. For some, it was to earn money to pay the bills, put a roof over a family’s head, or eat. For others, it was to rule the world. Or try to.
Quincy’s hopes and dreams when he took a job at Fred’s, not quite 25 years ago, was far simpler but not uncommon for a guy who was then in his 20s with a wolfish appetite for a good time.
“I needed beer money,” he says. “I
owned a head shop and was broke and needed beer money. And Terry needed a dishwasher on Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday nights.”
Meet Quincy Wallace, age 47, a Fort Worth and Fred’s native.
From the head up, you could mistake him for Teddy Roosevelt, with the pronounced mustache out of the lawless Wild West, with a cowboy hat seemingly permanently affixed to his head. A distinguished chortle will turn a mood ring at-ease blue in mere seconds.
And he is a fantastic feller — that’s the way Will Rogers would have said it — who would give the shirt off his back for you. An Oklahoman remembers recently those dark days in 2013 when an F5 tornado again found room to operate in Moore, Oklahoma, killing 24 during a destructive, unwelcome visit. Up from Texas drove Quincy and his wife Melynda with tanks of gas for welders to cut up twisted and defeated steel.
Quincy is the new face of Fred’s, taking over the role from Terry Chandler, the famed outlaw chef who is still cooking — and fishing and surfing — but in another part of the world after having decided to retire from Fred’s and the continental U.S. generally.
“He has come a long way from cramming toothpicks in the cigarette machine to relocating the whole restaurant,” Chandler says of the precocious Quincy he knew as a toddler. They both grew up, Quincy eventually joining Chandler, 10 years or so his senior, cooking on chuckwagons and “just being wild asses.”
If you know Fred’s, you know Fred’s,
which made 10 o’clock closing time at one point on Friday and Saturday nights because “we liked to go drinking, too. How the hell do you get to a bar if you close at midnight?”
(They’re back open on Friday and Saturday until midnight, by the way.)
The criticism of Fred’s in recent years was that it had lost some of its identity. Though Fred’s North and the original Fred’s were the same, they weren’t. Quincy owned the north location and Chandler the original. They were partners, but the two stores were solely independent of one another. The store on Bluebonnet Circle marked a third opening. They tried to create an umbrella with a kind of corporate-type makeover that caused more issues than it solved.
Quincy is now The Guy, currently up to his elbows in alligators opening the new Fred’s Texas Café, which is set to unfurl the welcome mat to guests later this month. This newest and perhaps most anticipated incarnation of the property at 7101 Camp Bowie West Blvd., best known to West Siders as the site of Steak and Ale, the noted casual dining chain of restaurateur Norman Brinker.
He has hired Fabian Alvarado as head chef, carrying on what Chandler built in the kitchen and ensuring consistency of the brand. This new Fred’s Texas Café won’t be the last, either. Quincy says he has expansion plans.
He and his contractors last month were in the midst of “taking the Steak and Ale out of” the building. The only thing remaining will be the fireplaces.
“They’re everywhere,” he says.
He declined an expert in the field
“My path is wild because ... I hate to say this isn’t my dream job because it is. I just never knew it was my dream job. It just turned out to be.”
and designed the layout of the new store all himself. It cost him a lot of sleep. “I wouldn’t do that again,” he says.
One room will be a shrine of sorts to the original Fred’s, Texas, on Currie Street. The announcement that Fred’s on Currie was closing was comparable to a spokesman on the moon announcing that the moon was going away.
It was hard for Quincy, too. He grew up at the original Fred’s.
Carter Wallace, his father, owned a cabinetry shop next door and was a regular at Fred’s, as well as its predecessor, Ken’s.
“I predate the Chandler family at the Currie Street shop,” he says. “My mom would let me out of the house on Saturdays with my dad, who would take me to Ken’s. Fred’s original cook, Gracie, she worked at Ken’s, too. She would make me pancakes with a smiley face drawn with syrup. I’ve been in that building my whole life.”
Quincy really did merely plan to make some beer money when he went to work at Fred’s as a dishwasher, but circumstances being as finicky as they are, it turned out far differently. Like the new building on Camp Bowie, Quincy’s need of beer money turned into his dream job.
“My path is wild because … I hate to say this isn’t my dream job because it is. I just never knew it was my dream job,” says Quincy, whose first job when he left Arlington Heights at age 17 was at a construction site where he operated a broom. “It just turned out to be.”
He had always been friends with Chandler, so there was an inherent trust the two had. When a bartender quit or was fired — he doesn’t remember — Quincy, by then in real estate, picked up those shifts. Before long, he was working the bar every night.
Then Chandler wanted Saturdays off. Quincy became the manager on
Saturday nights. Eventually he added the title of general manager after Chandler’s parents, JD and Gari, who bought the restaurant in 1978, retired in 2004.
“In real estate, it’s feast or famine,” he says, recalling picking up a shift behind the bar. “It was probably a famine week, and I needed some cash. So, I’m a bartender now. Eventually, I was real estate in the daytime and a bartender at night. That’s cool. I’m putting back some money.”
Quincy gave up alcohol with his MS diagnosis. Changed everything, he says, including his diet. He’s healthier now than he was 12 years ago, he says. He also participates in the annual MS 150 bicycle ride, which raises money to combat the disease as well as awareness.
However, there’s no mistaking the moral of this story: It’s amazing what happens when you need a little beer money.
PHOTO BY CRYSTAL WISE
FORT WORTH SHINING STAR AWARDS
Entry Window: April 4 - May 6, 2022
Awards Event: October 20, 2022
ASID Texas Fort Worth Design Community and Fort Worth Magazine are happy to announce the inaugural
This new design competition features 30 categories encompassing residential, hospitality, workplace, outdoor living, historic preservation, and more.
Both ASID members within the Fort Worth Design Community and design professionals (interior designers, architects, and builders) from the Fort Worth area who are not members of ASID are eligible to enter.
Winners will be recognized:
• in Fort Worth Magazine
• on Fort Worth Magazine’s website [fwtx.com]
• on Fort Worth Magazine’s social media channels
• in Design Texas, the ASID Texas Chapter magazine
• on the ASID Texas Chapter’s website [tx.asid.org]
• on ASID Texas Chapter’s social media channels
‘Smash’
Hit
A new food truck parked outside Hotel Dryce is serving what may be the best smashburger in Fort Worth. Meet Gustos.
BY MALCOLM MAYHEW
For native Texan and expert burger-maker
Jonathan Arguello, food has been a lifelong passion — his reason to get up in the morning, his reason he’s out so late, the reason he is who he is today.
To illustrate that point, he’ll talk infinitely about his grandparents and great-grandparents, avid cooks whose meat-smoking skills and secrets undoubtedly left a permanent sear on him. From there, he’ll tell you about his parents, who ran a tortilla-making business in Tulsa, Oklahoma, where Arguello and his family lived for many years when he was young.
But few subjects light a fire, so to speak, under Arguello quite like hamburgers. A couple bites into one of his burgers from his newly launched food truck, Gustos Burgers + Stuff, and that passion will ring clear; this is someone who really loves — and knows how to cook – burgers.
Gustos is one of this year’s best new restaurants, even though, technically, it’s not really a restaurant. Arguello serves his excellent smashburgers out of a food truck parked in an alley next to the new Hotel Dryce on Mongtomery Street. Diners can take their food to-go or they can enjoy it inside the Dryce’s cozy bar or on its spacious patio.
The burgers are fabulously messy affairs, a combo of gooey American cheese, still melting when it hits your plate; Best Maid pickles; grilled onions; a secret sauce; ketchup; mustard; buns whose skins are still glistening from swaths of butter; and masterfully cooked patties, pounded thin, their edges perfectly crisped.
“It took years to get this recipe right,” Arguello says. “I tried thin patties, thick patties, different kinds of buns. There was a lot of trial and error. But I decided to go with a smashburger, which hasn’t caught on in Fort Worth just yet. They’re big on the West Coast, but here, people aren’t that familiar with them.”
Smashburgers are hamburgers whose patties have been pounded or “smashed” until they’re super thin.
PHOTO BY CRYSTAL WISE
Gustos’ Smashburger
The edges of the patty are crisp while the patty’s interior remains juicy — a balancing act that requires patience and a deft wrist. Two local barbecue spots, Brix Barbecue and Dayne’s Craft Barbecue, also serve excellent renditions of smashburgers.
To make his burgers, Arguello uses 80/20 chuck, pressed hard against the grill with what he calls a “castiron smasher.” “It’s what my parents used to make their tortillas,” he says. “There’s a bit more to it than just throwing a patty on the grill and smashing it. The timing is important. The patties are so thin, you run the risk of overcooking or burning them.”
A veggie option is made with Beyond Meat patties. Burgers are served with one, two, or three patties, or as sliders. The menu’s lone side item: tater tots, served plain or loaded with cheese, peppers, and housemade chipotle mayo sauce.
The 34-year-old native of Midland, Texas, is a relative newcomer to Fort Worth’s restaurant scene, although he’s been a part of it, off and on, for years, primarily in a behind-thescenes capacity. He helped Sarah Castillo open the first brick-andmortar location of Taco Heads on Montgomery, and Nick Kithas, owner of the nearby Jazz Café, took him under his wing, showing him the ropes of running a restaurant.
“I count both of them as mentors,” Arguello says. “I learned so much from them, from their work ethic to the care they put in their food to the way they’re both very humble and true to themselves.”
Two years ago, Arguello took a shortlived stab at running his own place, opening a small burger business inside of a convenience store on Fort Worth’s south side. He catered to those in the neighborhood, selling cheap burgers
to people barely scraping by. “We were all struggling together, to be honest,” he says. “A lot of our customers were struggling to pay for their food — sometimes we’d just give it to them. And we were struggling to stay open. It was a humbling experience, to say the least.”
Arguello’s burger operation came to an abrupt halt in January 2021 after the Fort Worth SWAT team came in, looking not for burgers but for someone associated with the building Arguello was working out of. “Talk about a surreal experience,” he says. “They had an arrest warrant and were hoping to find ... whoever they were looking for. It was like something you see on TV.”
The next day, Arguello and his small staff moved out.
“This time, I’m better prepared,” he says. “At the convenience store, we just sort of threw that place open with no marketing or word of mouth or anything behind it. It was a great learning experience. But I feel like we have the kinks worked out now. We have a food truck, a place to permanently park it, and solid recipes. We’re in a much better position now.”
To promote his move to Hotel Dryce last fall, Arguello put his background in marketing — he graduated from the University of Texas at Arlington with a marketing degree and once ran his own PR firm — to work, launching a popular Instagram account filled with sexy burger photos and videos.
In addition to the food truck, he has a “food van” that he uses for catering and pop-up events. Dude’s got plans — big plans.
“You know how I got into the food business?” he asks. “When my dad was delivering tortillas, I would sell Chiclets and Mexican candy to the dishwashers and waiters and waitresses. I think I was just 5 or 6 years old. That’s how long I’ve been in the food business. Now that I have a plan, I want to see how far I can go with it.”
Gustos Burgers + Stuff at Hotel Dryce, 3621 Byers Ave., instagram.com/hoteldryce
Jonathan Arguello
PHOTO
Dishing Out Ukrainian Pride
Arlington
restaurant
Taste of Europe, which serves up classic Eastern European dishes, was recently the victim of some misplaced anger and hatred.
BY MALCOLM MAYHEW
These are both good and unusual times for Taste of Europe, a family-run restaurant in Arlington whose focus, as the name of the restaurant implies, is on European cuisine.
On one hand, as we witnessed during a recent visit on a Thursday evening, business for the small, quaint restaurant on Pioneer Parkway is booming. Every table was taken, and customers who drifted in, fingers crossed they’ll snag a table or even a spot on a wait list, were turned away.
With the good comes a bit of ugly. Taste of Europe was recently the target of some misplaced anger and hatred. Weeks ago, when Russia invaded Ukraine, Taste of Europe took some heat for its outdoor sign, which read, “Restaurant & Grocery” on one line, “Russian Gifts” on another.
As originally reported by WFAA, as soon as the Russia/Ukraine conflict started, the restaurant began to receive emails, phone calls, and social media messages condemning it, according to owner Val Tsalko. The restaurant zeroes in on dishes from Eastern Europe, but Tsalko’s family has been using the word “Russian,” according to WFAA, because it was a general geographic region that people could easily recognize.
To help clarify the restaurant’s political stance, Tsalko duct-taped over the word “Russian” on the restaurant’s
outdoor sign and hung a Ukrainian flag in a window.
“We are on the side of Ukraine. We’re fully supporting them, and we hope the war stops really soon,” he told WFAA.
Taste of Europe is an homage to and extension of Tsalko’s family recipes, specifically the food his parents and grandparents made: red beet soup (commonly known as borscht); beef stroganoff; meat loaf stuffed with mushrooms and herbs; German sausages; and sweet and savory crepes.
Originally opened by Tsalko’s grandfather in Dallas, the restaurant moved to its current digs in Arlington in 2002. Taste of Europe saw a major uptick in business when it was featured on a 2012 episode of the Food Network’s popular show, “Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives.”
On the episode, host Guy Fieri was schooled on how the restaurant makes its Belarussian kolduny, thick, small pancakes stuffed with a mix of beef and chicken. They’re served three to a plate, with a side of sour cream. They’re now one of the restaurant’s most popular dishes, and
Tsalko, who took over the restaurant last year, warns they take a while to make — along with everything else.
“One thing we pride ourselves on is that everything is made to order when you order it,” he said in a recent interview at the restaurant. As such, the restaurant makes somewhat of an unusual request of its guests: They must arrive at least an hour before they close to give the kitchen staff enough time to prepare food.
The restaurant also has a small grocery section that sells European chocolate bars, lemonade, and other imported candies and snacks.
At the cash register, guests can scan a QR code that will allow them to make donations to aid in the humanitarian crisis, according to WFAA.
“We’re doing what we can here in Texas to help them out,” he told WFAA. “I mean it might not be a whole lot, but we’re trying our best.”
Taste of Europe, 1901 W. Pioneer Parkway, Arlington, tasteofeuropetx.com
PHOTO BY CRYSTAL WISE
This plate of Jagerschnitzel, served with sauerkraut and home fries, looks absolutely righteous.
Good Vibrations
A new soup and salad chain comes to Fort Worth, bringing with it healthy eats and good vibes.
BY MALCOLM MAYHEW
Those who frequented the ladies-who-lunchloudly magnet McKinley’s Fine Bakery and Cafe may still be in mourning over its 2020 departure. It wasn’t just a fancy sandwich shop where Monticello moms chatterboxed their way through lunch.
Owner Stacey Rumfelt’s food was very good — and often, like when it came to her orange honey cranberry chicken sandwich, stellar. And if you played your carbs right, you could get a sandwich, side, drink, and slice of pie for $10 — a near impossible feat these days.
In other words, Flower Child has big shoes to fill. Opening April 12 in McKinley’s old spot at 1616 South University Drive, Ste. 301, in University Park Village, the restaurant is a fast-casual concept born in Phoenix, Arizona, as part of restaurateur Sam Fox’s Fox Restaurant Concepts. The Fort Worth location will be the company’s 10th in Texas (there are stores in Dallas, Austin, and Houston) and 29th in the U.S.
The menu is, without question, more health-conscious than McKinley’s, although McK’s could whip up masterful salads. Flower Child has, smartly, covered all its dietary-restriction bases, with dishes that are vegan, paleo, keto, and vegetarian.
Those dishes include avocado hummus, grain and rice bowls with your choice of proteins such as salmon and shrimp, grilled chicken, and grilled steak wraps, rotating soups and nearly a halfdozen salads. The mac and cheese is gluten-free and the black beans are organic. Lemon avocado salad dressing, in case you’re wondering, is sugar-free and dairy-free. Healthy, healthy, healthy.
At least one trait it’ll share with McKinley’s: an upbeat atmosphere. Flower Child employees are trained to be gung-ho and free-spirited, and décor will be colorful and cheery, all in step with the restaurant’s name, brand, and good vibrations.
Flower Child, 1616 S. University Drive, iamaflowerchild.com
Bits and Bites
A tear or two should definitely be shed over the closing of Samson’s Market Bistro. The city’s only Ethiopian restaurant, housed next door to a 7-Eleven on Camp Bowie Boulevard, quietly closed recently. But the building’s owner quickly put together a new concept. Cairo Mex is exactly what its name implies: a mix of Mexican and Mediterranean cuisines. Lest you think you’ll find kafta fajitas and gyro enchiladas, it’s more of a two-menus-under-one-roof type of place, not a fusion of the two cuisines. Still, I’m not sure there’s another restaurant in the city that serves falafel, chicken crepes, and beef kafta alongside fajita tortas, carnitas tacos, chicken quesadillas, and horchata. It’s worth checking out. 4307 Camp Bowie Blvd., cairomexfood.com
The city’s best soul food restaurant has reopened its dining room. Drew’s Place, open for more than three decades, was to-go only for weeks due to a lack of staff and product. Husband-wife duo Andrew and Stephanie Thomas have been serving their divine fried chicken, pork chops, sweet potato pie, and other soul food staples since 1987. 5701 Curzon Ave., drewssoulfoodfw.com
Fans of sweet crepes (and when I say, “fans of sweet crepes,” I mean “me”) have a new place to hit up; this one in Southlake. Recently opened on Southlake Boulevard, Cream & Crepes Café serves sweet variations of its namesake dish, plus ice cream, both vegan and not, cheesecakes, brownies, shakes and sundaes. Crepes are the big deal, though, as they’re made on-the-spot, as you watch, and topped with syrups, sauces, nuts, and fruits of your choice. Flavors include peanut butter and jelly, cookies and cream, and dulce de leche. The Southlake store is a spinoff of the original in Richardson. 1151 E. Southlake Blvd., facebook.com/creamcrepescafe
The hotly anticipated Don Artemio is scheduled to open by the end of March in the heart of the Cultural District. Former Café Modern manager Adrian Burciaga teamed up with third-generation restaurateur Juan Ramón Cárdenas to open the first U.S. location of Cárdenas’ top-rated Don Artemio, which specializes in charcoal-cooked steaks and dishes inspired by northeast Mexico cuisine, such as quail in mole sauce and cactus tacos; the restaurant is best known for its cabrito. The original location of Don Artemio is in Saltillo, Mexico. Burciaga and Cardenas met several years ago when Cardenas was a guest chef at a wine dinner at Café Modern. 3268 W. Seventh St., donartemio.us
Restaurant news written and compiled by Malcolm Mayhew. You can reach Malcolm at malcolm.mayhew@hotmail. com or on Twitter @foodfortworth.
TOM VANDERGRIFF An Ode to
The Texas Rangers will mark the golden anniversary of baseball in Arlington in 2022. We start by recognizing the man who made it all happen.
BY JOHN HENRY
he Texas Rangers this month will celebrate their 50th anniversary in Arlington with a home-opener first pitch against the Colorado
Rockies on April 11.
Baseball in Colorado symbolizes how much has changed over the last 50 years. The Rockies weren’t even an NHL hockey team yet when the Rangers launched in 1972.
To the sports cynic in North Texas — there are plenty and for good reason baseball in Dallas-Fort Worth is best summarized by the French wordsmith JeanBaptiste Alphonse Karr, who gets credit in the box score for coining the phrase, plus ça change, plus c’est la même chose.
On these shores, from east to west, it goes like this: The more things change, the more they stay the same.
Which isn’t all true anymore. We’ve had some good baseball moments; though looking back on the Rangers’ golden anniversary, certainly not all the moments have been golden.
Yet, baseball has been exactly what the founder of baseball in North Texas dreamed the American pastime would be on the Dallas-Fort Worth Turnpike, a reflection of life itself, which includes its share of disappointment.
Getting baseball here was no different, a daily devotion for one man who woke up every day with a single purpose to see Major League Baseball in Arlington, Texas. He was met on most days with disappointment.
But Tom Vandergriff dared to be bold. Vandergriff, the legendary mayor of Arlington from 1951-77, however, like any visionary, wouldn’t quit, even when just about everyone else had, though he had one very powerful ally, the “Singing Cowboy.”
“It became a reality to him once he got General Motors here,” says Vandergriff’s grandson, Parker Vandergriff, 35. “I think he saw the potential and possibility. He
had the dream of seeing Major League Baseball in Texas. I think those early years as mayor he thought, ‘Man, I can do this.’”
The campaign began in 1958, and when he saw Gene Autry move the Angels to Anaheim in 1965, he began asking more earnestly, “Why not us?”
“Tom saw a prototype, I guess, of what could be in a small town in a large metropolitan area like Anaheim and what Gene Autry did,” says Jim Reeves, a former columnist of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram who covered the Rangers as a beat reporter from 1975-86. “I think he used that as a roadmap or a model for what he wanted to try to accomplish here. Autry had Disneyland there and hooked it up with baseball. Vandergriff had the same thing with Six Flags here.”
Since 1958, Vandergriff had been the point man for the region’s ambition for big-league ball. It was that year that he was selected chair of the Dallas-Tarrant Bi-County Sports Committee, which the next year commissioned a survey to be conducted by Edward Doody and Co. of St. Louis. Its clients included the Yankees, Cardinals, and New York’s baseball Giants.
It concluded that Dallas-Fort Worth was “ready, willing, and well able to support a major-league franchise.” Based on its conclusions, Vandergriff’s committee estimated generously that a team here would draw well in excess of 1 million in its first year. (The Rangers drew 662,000plus in their first year, 1972.)
out potential franchise investors, local or otherwise.
In 1960, the region applied for a team as the AL looked to expand. Carter was among the principal potential investors. Baseball turned down Dallas-Fort Worth in the early ’60s and again in the 1968 expansion set.
Charlie Finley had conversations about moving what was then the Kansas City Athletics here but, of course, settled in Oakland. (Imagine those possibilities: Reggie Jackson and World Series titles in Texas in 1972, ’73, and ’74!)
The what-ifs of the world are as plentiful as grains of sand on the Beach of La Concha.
Then came the Seattle Pilots in their first season as an American League expansion team in 1969 and already in financial trouble. The Pilots had been given an ultimatum by the city on a Friday in September: Pay up on back rent for use of the 25,000-seat Sick’s Stadium, totaling more than $660,000, by Monday or face eviction by the city council.
“Tom saw a prototype, I guess, of what could be in a small town in a large metropolitan area like Anaheim and what Gene Autry did. I think he used that as a roadmap or a model for what he wanted to try to accomplish here. Autry had Disneyland there and hooked it up with baseball. Vandergriff had the same thing with Six Flags here.” — Jim Reeves
A sub-commission of prominent residents from Dallas and Fort Worth was formed. It included the cities’ mayors, R.L. Thornton of Dallas and Fort Worth’s Tom McCann. Dallas business leaders Neely Landrum and B. Hick Majors and Fort Worth business leaders Amon Carter Jr. and Estil Vance rounded it out. Their job was to determine the most suitable site and size for a stadium and also seek
Our guy pounced.
“We will immediately wire the Seattle Pilots and suggest to them that a perfect site for the remainder of their home games would be Turnpike Stadium,” said Vandergriff, then in his 18th year as mayor. “I intend to tell them that I know we’d have people lining the fences, even though we couldn’t have seats for all of them.
“We’d have far more head count than they could expect in Seattle for the remainder of their games.”
There wouldn’t be enough seats at Turnpike Stadium, in fact only 10,600 permanent and a little more than 3,000 temporary seats.
That would be enough, the mayor believed, for an “anxious” community hungry for big-league baseball to prove to the American League that it needed to be in North Texas.
Day in 1972 was
“We’re certain that a brief experience in Texas would convince the league it should play a full complement of games here next year,” Vandergriff said.
Lamar Hunt — the Kansas City Chiefs’ owner, whose sports enterprises enjoyed the abundant seed of his wildcatter father, H.L. Hunt — and Tommy Mercer, a Fort Worth businessman, were eager, too. The owners of the minor league Dallas-Fort Worth Spurs, who played in Arlington, were ready to make an offer the near-bankrupt owners of the Pilots could not refuse. Stable ownership with deep pockets has always been an issue with the Rangers. Among those have been Fort Worth-based ownership groups led by Brad Corbett (which included Carter) and Eddie Chiles, two eccentric sorts who had made their fortunes in oil and gas.
Tom Grieve, the Rangers’ general manager under Chiles, who bought the team from Corbett in 1980, remembers at meetings in the later years of Chiles’ ownership: “At almost all of these meetings as he was getting older he
would say, ‘Brad Corbett was a terrible businessman, but he’s the best salesman the world has ever known because he sold me this sorry-assed baseball team.”
(Eddie was likely venting as the fortunes of his Western Company vanished in the crash of the mid-1980s. He was known to adore his baseball team and stayed on as chairman of the board after selling to the group led by George W. Bush and Rusty Rose in 1989.)
At any rate, an ownership group led by Hunt and Mercer would have likely dramatically changed the course of major league history in Dallas-Fort Worth.
“A Lamar Hunt-owned team would’ve been very, very good, I think,” Reeves says, “and given them a much stronger start than what they had.”
The Pilots ultimately went to Milwaukee, purchased by Bud Selig, and became the Brewers.
One guy who was not a fan of baseball expanding into Dallas-Fort Worth was Judge Roy Hofheinz in Houston. He believed the market — Texas, Oklahoma,
and Louisiana — was property of the Astros. The Judge was determined to do what he could to keep baseball out of what he called “Hyphenville.” Vandergriff tried to convince him of the potential for income a rivalry between the two could generate.
Months after, Vandergriff told business leaders that one reason he had worked so hard to move a baseball team here is “because of one man in South Texas with a big cigar in his mouth and a covered baseball field that feels the entire state is Astro-land. This is not the case.
“When we get a team here, you are all invited — it will be the ‘in’ thing to do during the summer of 1971, and we’ll send an engraved invitation to Judge Hofheinz.”
Vandergriff even asked President Lyndon B. Johnson to try to persuade Hofheinz, but not even the “Johnson treatment” had any impact. (In 1971, President Richard Nixon was public about not wanting to see the Senators move to Texas.)
“It was a big blow for sure,” Parker
Opening
the culmination of many years of negotiation and salesmanship by Tom Vandergriff.
Keepsakes in the Vandergriff family from 1972 include the cowboy hat Tom Vandergriff wore during Opening Day festivities. Players wore them, too. Ted Williams passed on donning his.
Vandergriff says of those late 1960s attempts that fell short. “My grandfather said he would never step foot in the Astrodome or never go to an Astros game ever again.” The same for AstroWorld, a Hofheinz family-owned amusement park.
Vandergriff believed it was an imitation of Six Flags Over Texas.
“He never had many enemies in life, and I think that was the only one,” Parker Vandergriff says of Tom, certainly a man affiliated with sainthood if there ever was a politician you could say that about.
and Fort Worth. He could pull that together somehow. I don’t think anybody wanted to disappoint Tom. He was too nice. He was just the kind of gentleman you didn’t want to disappoint.”
“It was a big blow for sure. My grandfather said he would never step foot in the Astrodome or never go to an Astros game ever again. He never had many enemies in life, and I think that was the only one.” — Parker Vandergriff on Tom Vandergriff and Judge Roy Hofheinz
Vandergriff went on to serve in the U.S. House of Representatives and later as Tarrant County Judge.
“He was just an extraordinary man with incredible drive and perseverance,” Reeves says. “And the kind of man who could make connections and create relationships between rivals, even Dallas
As a student at Southern California, Vandergriff in passing met Gene Autry, who had gained renown as the “Singing Cowboy.”
The two formed a bond in the early 1960s as baseball expanded as a concession of sorts to a proposed Continental Baseball League, proposed by William Shea and Branch Rickey in 1958 in the aftermath of New York losing the Dodgers and Giants to California.
The original Continental league included teams in Denver, Houston, Minneapolis-St. Paul, New York, and Toronto. By the league’s planned launch date of 1961, a team in Dallas-Fort Worth
was set to be one of three additional teams to the pioneers.
Major League Baseball responded by placing a franchise in Houston and Washington, D.C., (after the original Senators moved in 1961). The Mets and Angels in Los Angeles were added next. Once Shea had his team, the CBL collapsed without ever throwing a pitch.
Autry got his team. Vandergriff was left out, thanks to his nemesis, Hofheinz.
Autry, a native of Tioga, Texas, became Vandergriff’s ultimate ally, his “deep throat baseball insider,” Parker Vandergriff says, the guy giving advice on “where to turn and where to go” in Vandergriff’s pursuit.
“Being from Texas, he wanted to see baseball here, too,” says Parker Vandergriff, who has much, perhaps all, of the correspondence Vandergriff composed or received during those years. “He was his ally from 1958 to the very end.”
Vandergriff and Hunt had explored pursuing a transfer of the Washington Senators as early as the early-to-mid1960s, according to Parker Vandergriff, who has documentation asserting so.
In 1971, the campaign to bring baseball finally found reality after a meeting of American League owners in Boston. It wasn’t without its dirty dealing. Charlie Finley, the owner of the A’s, who had considered a move to Arlington only four years before, tried to corrupt the proceedings by holding his vote hostage. He would vote for owner Bob Short to move the Senators to Arlington only if the Senators agreed to trade him Jeff Burroughs, a good young talent who would win the American League’s Most Valuable Player Award in Texas in 1974.
Finley’s vote would have been decisive since one owner was absent. Autry had been hospitalized after falling ill. Owners in favor of a team in Texas went to the hospital to get a proxy vote from Autry, who happily signed off.
“Gene ended up saving the day,” Parker Vandergriff remembers his grandfather saying. “We [the Rangers] wouldn’t exist without Gene.”
Short called the agreement with Arlington the “most favorable of any club I know of in baseball.” His rental of
Turnpike Stadium — renamed Arlington Stadium for major league baseball — was a $1 a year for the first 1 million in attendance, plus a share of concessions. The city of Arlington infused some instant cash into the team by acquiring the broadcasting rights.
The city would expand the stadium to 35,000 seats and a commitment to 45,000 the next season. (Arlington Stadium never reached a capacity of 45,000. The stadium was never sufficient to support a major league team financially with almost half of its seats general admission cheapies.)
It was, the mayor of Dallas said, the most consequential 24-hour period in the history of North Texas. That same day, Mayor Wes Wise and Fort Worth Mayor Sharkey Stovall had successfully obtained $100 million in bonds for the new “DallasFort Worth regional airport.”
“This was the greatest 24-hour period in the history of Dallas and Fort Worth as a combination,” said Wise to the Dallas Morning News. “The successful delivery of $100 million in bonds for the airport Tuesday morning, combined with the acquisition of a Major League Baseball team franchise Tuesday night puts a new emphasis on an era of Dallas-Fort Worth cooperation and shows what teamwork can do.”
All through the resolve and staying power of one man. Tom Vandergriff was determined to go all nine innings.
Vandergriff’s final public appearance occurred in October 2010 at Ameriquest Field in Arlington, the successor to Arlington Stadium. He sat in the city’s suite watching the Rangers clinch a longawaited World Series berth with a victory over the despised New York Yankees.
Vandergriff, suffering from dementia, died weeks later. Yet, he had at long last watched, even if for a moment, his beloved baseball team play in a World Series.
“Literally, his last public appearance was at the Rangers ballpark watching the American League Championship Series,” Parker Vandergriff says. “It really was poetic. We couldn’t think of a better way for him to spend his last moment in pubic. It was neat, honestly.”
All-Time Texas Rangers Team
C IVAN “PUDGE”
RODRIGUEZ: Pudge was one of scout Sandy Johnson’s finds in Puerto Rico, and he turned out to be one of baseball’s best ever at that position.
1B RAFAEL PALMEIRO:
Palmeiro’s career was tainted by a positive steroids test — after swearing in front of Congress that he had never used — but he hit 569 home runs with that sweet swing, most of them here.
2B MICHAEL YOUNG:
This seven-time All-Star had 200 hits in six of his 13 seasons in Texas and played every position in the infield.
3B ADRIAN BELTRE: A slugger and slick fielder, Beltre played the game with a child’s enthusiasm and as well as anybody at that position over the course of 20 years.
SS ALEX RODRIGUEZ:
Bad contract, but a great player. A-Rod earned his bloated paycheck with an MVP season and seasons of 47, 57, and 52 home runs.
LF JUAN GONZALEZ:
Among the best run producers of his era, Senor Octubre almost singlehandedly beat the Yankees in the 1996 American League Divisional Series.
CF JOSH HAMILTON:
Hamilton could resemble Mickey Mantle, doing everything out there. He could hit, run, and throw. He was the American League’s MVP in 2010, the Rangers World Series breakthrough season.
RF JEFF BURROUGHS:
The Rangers’ first star, the AL’s MVP in 1974 with a league-leading 118 runs batted in. In seven seasons, he knocked in 412 runs.
DH RUBEN SIERRA: A member of the Rangers’ Hall of Fame, this son of Puerto Rico somehow didn’t win the MVP in 1989 (finished second), despite an incredible season.
SP NOLAN RYAN: The flame-throwing righthander brought magic to Arlington, throwing two no-hitters — with countless near misses — and recording career strikeout No. 5,000 and career victory No. 300. Oh, and he beat up Robin Ventura.
SP FERGIE JENKINS:
Finished second in the Cy Young Award voting in 1974 with a 25-12 record, 2.89 ERA, and 29 complete games.
SP CHARLIE HOUGH: Knuckleballer was a mainstay for some bad teams in the 1980s and is the club’s all-time leader in wins, strikeouts, and innings pitched.
SP KENNY ROGERS: 133-96 over 12 years and 21 complete games, including tossing the major’s 14th perfect game in 1994.
SP YU DARVISH: The phenom from Japan had a 3.42 earned-run average of his five years and lots of strikeouts, including a league-leading 277 in 2013. He was an out from registering the major’s 24th perfect game against Houston in 2013.
Nolan Ryan acknowledges a roaring ovation from the Arlington Stadium crowd on the occasion of his 5,000th career strikeout in 1989.
The Best and The Worst
Five Best Moments
5
Opening Day 1972
The day many never believed would arrive was delayed by a players’ strike, but the home opener was finally set for April 21, 1972. And it rained. However, as if the baseball gods intervened, the skies cleared for sunshine, and baseball was played. Major League Baseball had arrived in Dallas-Fort Worth. The Rangers’ victory was one of very few in 1972. “Let’s make our cheers heard all the way to Houston tonight,” Arlington Mayor Tom Vandergriff said, alluding to Astros’ owner Judge Roy Hofheinz’s efforts to keep baseball out of Arlington.
4
Kenny Rogers: perfect
In 1994, Rangers lefty Kenny Rogers tossed the 14th perfect game in Major League Baseball history, a 4-0 shutout of the California Angels in a game saved by Rusty Greer’s diving catch in center field in the ninth inning. The moment was a perfect story line to go along with that season’s opening of the Ballpark in Arlington.
3
George W. Bush-Rusty Rose group buying the team
The group led by the President’s son gave the Rangers something it had never had: stable ownership. In a 1989 transaction, Bush and Rose bought the franchise from Eddie Chiles, becoming
managing partners of an ownership group of 25 investors, including Bob Castellini and William DeWitt Jr., today owners of the Cincinnati Reds and St. Louis Cardinals, as well as Fort Worth billionaire Richard Rainwater and Fort Worth native Tom Schieffer, who would take on the role of team president.
That triumvirate of Bush-Rose-Schieffer built a foundation for the franchise’s first real success, division titles in 1996, 1998-99, and removed the club’s stadium albatross with construction of the Ballpark in Arlington in 1994.
Like all good things, that ownership stability would come to an end.
2
Nolan Ryan signing
Many believed the free agent signing of the Express was a mere PR move for a player thought to be at the tail end of his career. But the Rangers’ scouts reported that Ryan was still among the five best pitchers in the National League. Ryan was far from done, pitching as well as he ever had for four full seasons in Arlington.
Owner Eddie Chiles had no money to spend, but Nolan wanted to leave Houston yet remain working in Texas. “When we presented Eddie with this opportunity, we explained that Nolan didn’t fit into the budget we had,” Tom Grieve, then the general manager, remembers. “Eddie snapped back, ‘Don’t tell me about the budget. Sign Nolan Ryan, and I’ll figure out how to pay him.’”
1World Series
Long-suffering Rangers fans rejoiced as Neftali Feliz struck out Texas nemesis Alex Rodriguez in the ninth inning to close out the American League
Championship Series, giving the home team its first berth in baseball’s Fall Classic in 2010. The moment was actually worth all those long-suffering years of futility.
Five Worst Moments
5 Beer me
What could possibly be wrong with Cleveland’s 10-Cent Beer Night? That’s right: 12-ounce beers for 10 cents. A week earlier in Arlington, the game between the Rangers and Indians included a bench-clearing brawl. Indians fans under the influence were ready for the rematch.
Throughout the first seven innings, several drunken fans ran onto the field, including a naked man who slid into second base. In the ninth inning, with the winning run at second for Cleveland, all hell broke loose.
A fan ran onto the field to try to steal right fielder Jeff Burroughs’ hat. Burroughs, trying to confront the guy, tripped. The Rangers, believing Burroughs had been knocked down, grabbed bats and came onto the field, their manager Billy Martin leading the way.
A full-fledged West Side Story riot was under way with fists and chairs both flying and weapons flashed.
“I saw at least two knives pulled in right field,” said Nestor Chylak, the umpire crew chief who called the game a forfeit, awarding Texas a victory. “The Rangers conducted themselves in the best behavior throughout the game, and I had to protect them from those animals around that dugout.”
4
David Clyde
Owner Bob Short was “losing his ass,” as one former player described the Rangers’ owner’s bottom line in 1973. So, knowing he had quite the draw with a Texas high school player as the first overall pick in the draft, Short ordered him up to the big leagues immediately. It worked. An overflow crowd of 36,000 packed into Arlington Stadium to see the phenom
Eddie Chiles, holding a bat, hands off the franchise to new owners Rusty Rose, left, and George W. Bush. Pictured also is Chiles’ wife, Fran.
Manager Bobby Valentine, left, presents Nolan Ryan with the Rangers jersey he would wear all the way into the Baseball Hall of Fame.
go an unheard-of straight to the majors. The game was delayed as toll booths on the turnpike worked overtime with the increased traffic.
“I couldn’t wait to see what the best high school player in the world could do against a big-league team, and it was the Twins, a good hitting team,” says Tom Grieve, who was on that Rangers’ team. “At the same time, every one of us in the dugout knew this was not the best thing for his career.”
Instead, Clyde pitched parts of five seasons and never approached his potential. He was out of the league by age 24 in 1979. And the Rangers lost a potential significant long-term piece to their rotation for a decade.
“The shortsighted decision was good for the bottom line, but a disaster in the long term. And not the right thing to do,” Grieve says.
3
Who’s in charge?
Simply put, 1977 was a terrible year for manager Frank Lucchesi, who began the season being pummeled in spring training at the hands of Lenny Randle, who was upset by two things: 1) being told he would have to compete with Bump Wills for the starting job at second base and 2) seeing Lucchesi quoted as saying, “I’m sick and tired of punks making $80,000 a year moaning and groaning about their situation.”
By June, Lucchesi had won too few games. Newspaper reporters broke the story that owner Brad Corbett and general manager Eddie Robinson were looking for
a new manager without having informed Lucchesi, leaving the skipper hanging for several days.
Corbett wanted Eddie Stanky and hired him on June 17. Stanky, though, decided he didn’t want the job and quit after one game. Bench coach Connie Ryan managed for three games before Billy Hunter took the job on a permanent basis.
The Rangers not only broke an American League record with four managers in one season, they did so in one week.
“I sat up all night with Frank and Pat Corrales in Frank’s suite in Minnesota with a bottle of Jack Daniels,” says Jim Reeves, who covered the Rangers for the Star-Telegram from 1975-86. “Frank was an emotional guy and was pretty broken down already. It was really hard on him.”
2
Alex Rodriguez, cha-ching, chaching
In 2000, owner Tom Hicks made the splash he intended, giving free agent shortstop Alex Rodriguez the largest contract in sports history, $252 million over 10 years.
It also turned out to be the worst contract in sports history, hamstringing the Rangers’ budget. A-Rod did his part, hitting more than 156 home runs and 359 runs batted in and a most valuable player award in his three seasons with the team. But the team couldn’t afford to put anybody around him.
“It was a nearsighted stupid move,” says Tom Grieve. “If you ever need the shining example of why one position player makes
very little impact on the result of a team, it was the Alex Rodriguez signing. In three years, he put back-to-back-to-back seasons that compare to Bonds, Babe Ruth, and anybody else. And they got no benefit in wins and losses on the field.”
The Rangers finished last in the American League West in all three of Rodriguez’s seasons. Insult to injury: The Rangers are still paying Rodriguez, who will cash his last paycheck in 2025.
1
Game 6, 2011 World Series
All you have to say is “Game 6” to make a Rangers’ fan wince. Texas, vying for a first World Series title, twice allowed two-run leads to disappear in what would have been a series-clinching victory. Instead, it was a series loss in seven games.
In the ninth, closer Neftali Feliz, protecting a 7-5 lead with two outs and runners on first and second base, gave up a long fly ball to David Freese that right fielder Nelson Cruz misplayed into a triple, allowing the tying run to score.
“I can’t say anything bad about Nellie Cruz,” says Tom Grieve. “He’s one of the great personalities in the game, but he screwed that ball up in right field. There’s no other way you can sugarcoat it. The ball was hit over his head. He had a choice: You either have to go for the ball and slam into the wall and try to catch it or wait back, play it on a hop, and keep the guy on first base from scoring. He got caught in no man’s land, had no chance of catching it. The way he went after it, the ball bounced over his head, and the tying run scored. I can see that play 100 times. That’s the only way you can describe it.”
David Clyde’s career was mismanaged from the start because Bob Short’s bottom line took priority over the best interests of the young lefty.
David Freese watches the Rangers’ World Series hopes sail over Nelson Cruz’s head in Game 6 in 2011.
The Field Generals
The 16 permanent managers in Rangers’ history.
1972
Ted Williams 54-100
The Splendid Splinter was one of baseball’s greatest hitters, but, says Tom Grieve, who played for him in 1969-72: “As players, you could sense managing wasn’t on his bucket list. Occasionally after a game you would walk into the clubhouse and see Ted’s jersey would be on the ground. You looked a little further, his sweatshirt would be on the ground, and then you got to his locker room and the reporters would say he wasn’t there after the game. He took his uniform off, put his clothes on, and left in a matter of several minutes.”
1973
Whitey Herzog 47-91
“It’s not far-fetched looking back that if Whitey Herzog was given five or six years to manage the Rangers, short term, we would have suffered, but long term, it would have been exactly what we needed to become a contending team,” says Grieve of Herzog’s philosophy of building a team of pitching and defense with hitting mixed in and building from within the organization.
1973-75
Billy Martin 137-141
“By far the best manager I ever played for,” says Grieve. “If we’re playing a team with the exact same talent as us, we knew we were going to win because our manager was better. He was a fearless manager. He didn’t care what the owner thought, what the sportswriters thought,
what the fans thought. He was going to manage the game the way he wanted to.”
1975-77
Frank Lucchesi 142-149
Lucchesi’s claim to fame was the dustup with Lenny Randle in spring training. He later sued Randle for $200,000, claiming the ballplayer cost him his job in Arlington. Also, “he carried around a stack of 8-by-10inch [pictures] that he would sign in bars for people, especially beautiful young women,” remembers Jim Reeves, a newspaper columnist who covered the Rangers for 12 seasons.
1977-78
Billy Hunter 146-108
No one doubted Hunter’s ability as a tactician, but managing personalities was clearly not the strength of this authoritarian. “He may be Hitler, but he ain’t making no lampshade out of me,” said Dock Ellis, who led a player revolt. Owner Brad Corbett sided with Ellis and fired Hunter.
1978-80
Pat Corrales 160-164
“I supported Pat, but when the season goes as lousy as this one did, you couldn’t disagree with any baseball team that changes managers,” said Eddie Robinson of a 76-win team in 1980.
1981-82
Don Zimmer 95-106
Zim was as old-school as anyone. Jim Reeves remembers when new team president Mike Stone mandated player weekly meetings with players, who were supposed to go over goals for the week. “They would all say they were going to go 20 for 40 this week. Zim would tell me, ‘What am I supposed to do with that?’”
1983-85
Doug Rader 155-200
Owner Eddie Chiles hired Rader over Jim Leyland and Bobby Valentine, primarily
because of his score on an IQ test. However, Rader did not have the mind or character to be a major-league manager. “He had the same temperament as a manager as he did a player aggressive and angry. Rader was a brilliant man, but he just couldn’t control his emotions. There was a time he went into the clubhouse after an unhappy loss and ripped off his jersey and challenged any of the players to fight,” says Reeves.
1985-92
Bobby Valentine 581-605
Grieve, by now the Rangers general manager, was teammates with Valentine with the New York Mets in 1978. “I could tell from day one listening to him talk … he analyzed everything that happened in every game. Commented on strategy before and after it happened. I thought to myself there was no doubt Bobby was going to be a manager.”
1993-94
Kevin Kennedy 138-138
After a good first season, Kennedy came back a different manager for his second season. When his team failed in the strikeshortened 1994 season, Kennedy railed, looking for anybody and everybody to blame. He never took a look in the mirror.
“Kevin changed after that first season,” said one person in the front office. “He was down-to-earth and happy to be managing in the big leagues. This last year it was like he decided he was one of the stars.”
1995-2001
Johnny Oates 506-476
Hired by new general manager Doug Melvin, Oates led the club to its most fruitful years to date with three American League West Division championships, including a club-record 95 wins in 1996. “We won because everybody worked extra hard, everybody watched out for each other, and we had a great leader,” said former player Will Clark.
Billy Martin always went to bat for his players, and that included the more-than-occasional run-in with umpires.
2001-02
Jerry Narron 134-162
The Rangers continued to be a disorganized mess as an organization in the final year of the Alex Rodriguez experiment, and, well, someone had to take the fall. Jerry Narron, come on down.
2003-06
Buck Showalter 319-329
Over time, Showalter’s controlling and uptight methods came to grate more and more on his players. That description of his tactics, Showalter disagreed with, by the way. His was a more “passionate” approach. Sometimes you can simply spend too much time together before it becomes tiring.
2007-14
Ron Washington 664-611
The Rangers’ all-time leading general almost took the franchise all the way to baseball’s promised land. His tenure wasn’t without hiccups, including an admission that a failed drug test for cocaine was about to be red-flagged by the league. He also left suspiciously, resigning suddenly with no explanation in 2014.
2015-18
Jeff Banister 325-313
Banister seemed to be making the most of his first chance to manage in the big leagues with two division championships in his first two seasons. But those were followed by two clunkers. Ultimately, he was judged not the guy to rebuild the roster.
2019-present
Chris Woodward 160-224
The jury is still out on Woodward, who begins his fourth season in 2022 but with finally some players to compete with. He sent to the field mostly guys with cap guns his first three years.
The Rangers’ Early Fort Worth Owners, Bigger Than Life
Brad Corbett and Eddie Chiles didn’t achieve in baseball, but it wasn’t for lack of desire.
The second incarnation of the Washington Senators was much like the first, which played under the shadow of a history of bad baseball teams.
“Washington: First in War, First in Peace, Last in the American League” was the slogan adopted by the wisenheimers.
By the time owner Bob Short, who moved the NBA’s Lakers from Minneapolis to Los Angeles, landed in Texas he had had enough of baseball ownership. He was losing more money than the Senators games, and that was hard to do for the Hindenburg of American League teams.
Tom Hicks of Dallas would rival Short in terms of bad ownership 30 years later, but in 1974 Short identified a local buyer who would cement Tarrant County and Fort Worth’s claim to the team: Brad Corbett, who with a group of businessmen, bought the Rangers for $10 million. Corbett had made his fortune in the oil industry in the pipe and plastics business. The group included Amon Carter Jr.
“Everybody was glad Bob Short sold the team,” remembers Tom Grieve, then a Rangers player. “No one had anything personally against him, but he spent every day bitching about there not being enough fans or money. We had the worst organization in Major League Baseball. Our spring training site was an embarrassment, and there wasn’t a high school field in Texas that wasn’t nicer than our minorleague facilities.”
Corbett was a charismatic, can-do risk taker who was a multimillionaire by the age of 32. Corbett’s tenure as majority owner was marked by heavy roster turnover year after year. One notable trade occurred in the bathroom at the Swiss House restaurant on University Drive, sending Bobby Bonds and Len Barker to Cleveland for Larvell Blanks and Jim Kern.
One of his first matters to deal with as owner was Billy Martin. The two got sideways with one another, the manager of the team
saying at one point of Corbett, “He knows as much about baseball as I do pipe.” Corbett eventually fired him.
Corbett had setbacks in business, compromising his ownership.
“I always wondered what if Brad Corbett had unlimited resources,” Grieves says. “He would have been a legendary baseball owner if he had a ton of money and stayed there a long time.”
Another eccentric, bigger-than-life Fort Worthian bought the team from Corbett in 1980.
Legendary oilman Eddie Chiles, outspoken on just about every topic, including, in his opinion, government’s infringement on business, later sold to George W. Bush and Rusty Rose, saying of the Rangers: “Next to my wife, Franny, it’s [the Rangers] the greatest love of my life.”
“He was a maverick,” says Jim Reeves, a former sports reporter. “He was used to doing things his way, and people snapping to his orders. It had worked for him.”
It didn’t work in baseball, however.
To wit: A roasting mad Chiles flew up to New York to demand that baseball commissioner Bowie Kuhn end the players’ strike in 1981. To Chiles, Kuhn was simply another employee. And like others before him, he would fire Kuhn, if need be.
The baseball commissioner told him to leave.
The oil crash in the mid-1980s did the Chiles ownership in. The Rangers struggled throughout. Yet, the organization had one very important achievement: A mission statement that the organization would build its players from within the minor league system. He also directed Grieve, then the general manager, to sign Nolan Ryan even if it didn’t fit in the budget. Chiles said he would figure out a way to pay the legendary right-hander. He wound up not having to worry about when the Bush-Rose group emerged.
Ron Washington guided the Rangers to their best years in 2010-11.
Brad Corbett, left, with Bob Short to his immediate left, and Amon Carter Jr., third from Corbett.
Globally Inspired. Locally Sourced.
Elegant and earthy, our Dream Street home features unique products created by local artisans. Throughout the home, natural elements are paired with high-end features, for a neutral and serene ambiance. Let us design your Dream Home.
Official 2022 Dream Street Partner
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ECLECTIC ENERGY
Go bold this spring with these vintage looks styled by local fashionista and entrepreneur Tiffany Ortez Parish.
STYLIST: Tiffany Ortez Parish PHOTOGRAPHER: Crystal Wise MODEL: Chloe Braaten STYLIST ASSISTANT: Gabi Hill HAIR AND MAKEUP ARTIST: Kylie Miller Shot on location at Stoney Ridge Villa, 451 Stoney Ridge, Azle, TX 76020, 682.730.6176. stoneyridgevilla.com
The Carefree + Chic Look
INSPIRATION: Jackie Kennedy beside the Amalfi Coast
-1960s cotton floral maxi dress w/ matching scarf
-1950s cat-eye sunglasses -1990s leather boho Western ankle booties
The Classic GlamourDaytime Look
INSPIRATION: Sharon Tate in the 1960s -1970s designer pleated ultra wide leg pants -1950s bustier -1960s drop earrings -1950s floral fascinator hat -1960s designer silk scarf -1960s lucite heels
The Modernist Look
INSPIRATION: Mixing the look of modern art + fashion for a timeless style
-1960s designer silk scarf as a top
-1978 military cadet jacket
-1970s polyester flares
-1990s leather boho Western ankle booties
-1960s felt Western hat
-1960s mod earrings
The Whimsical Laurel Canyon Look
INSPIRATION: Colors of the sea + fabrics that move with you -1940s Japanese silk embroidered kimono -1980s hammered brass “wearable art” waist cincher -1950s rhinestone, pearl and feather earrings -1960s daisy strappy slip-ons
The Bohemian Daydream Look
INSPIRATION: Mexican + European folk art
-Handmade antique embroidered kimono jacket by Honeysuckle Rose Vintage
-1970s Indian cotton crochet dress
-1970s leather and turquoise concho belt
-1970s Moroccan coin bib necklace
-1990s leather boho Western ankle booties
-1970s straw hat
The Daring Monochromatic Look
INSPIRATION: Parisian Street Style
-1980s designer silk blouse
-1980s red leather miniskirt
-1960s leather belt
-1960s lucite heels
-1950s leather handbag
-1980s wooden circle earrings
-1990s oversized statement ring
-1960s-inspired sunglasses
Tiffany Ortez Parish, who opened the Fort Worth vintage clothing store, Honeysuckle Rose Vintage, isn’t a fan of playing by the rules. After all, it takes an unconventional eye to match a Japanese kimono with daisy strappy slip-ons. Fortunately, as you’ve seen on the previous pages, Parish’s outside-the-box looks are a perfect combination of eclectic, eccentric, and eye-popping. She has a knack for style, which began at a young age when she’d frequent thrift stores and play dress-up; her first outing as a toddler was to Azle Antique Mall, where Parish’s grandmother was a manager. So, it was no surprise when, years later, she began selling highly curated vintage clothing at local markets like Lola’s Rock ‘n’ Roll Rummage Sale (where she now serves as event coordinator) and ArtsGoggle. These occasional excursions into retail culminated in the opening of Honeysuckle Rose Vintage — named for a Willie Nelson movie, mind you — in Lola’s Trailer Park in November 2019. The small boutique eventually leveled up and opened a larger store on White Settlement in early 2021, where you’ll find enough pearl snaps, leather fringe jackets, and sombreros to play dress-up to your heart’s content.
Honeysuckle Rose Vintage, 5113 White Settlement Road, honeysucklerosevintage.com
The Classic Daytime Glamour Look (Part 2)
-1970s designer pleated ultrawide leg pants
-1960s floral bralette top
-1960s lucite heels
-1970s designer sunglasses
The High Fashion in the Desert Look
INSPIRATION: Eclectic art + artists of Santa Fe -1970s Mexican lace wedding dress -1970s taffeta Saks Fifth Ave. maxi skirt -1950s bakelite & wooden bangle bracelets
-vintage inspired tassel earrings -90s leather boho western ankle booties -1970s straw hat
Ask The Expert
PROTON THERAPY EXPERT
By Andrew K. Lee, M.D.,
WHAT IS PROTON THERAPY?
Proton therapy delivers targeted radiation to tumors, guided by the center’s advanced, accurate imaging equipment. Texas Center for Proton Therapy uses a 30-foot-tall, 110-ton machine that rotates 360 degrees to enable precise positioning of the proton beams on a patient’s tumor. Physicists and engineers have meticulously calibrated the proton beam equipment to extreme accuracy. A 220-ton cyclotron is the centerpiece of this proton beam equipment. This machine accelerates protons to two-thirds the speed of light extracted from hydrogen atoms. It then creates a proton beam line traveling nearly half the length of a football field with accuracy within 1 millimeter. The protons delivered to the tumor destroy cancerous cells, while minimizing damage to the surrounding healthy tissue.
WHERE IS PROTON THERAPY FOR THE TREATMENT OF CANCER OFFERED IN NORTH TEXAS?
For six years, North Texas has had an advantage in the fight against cancer by having Texas Center for Proton Therapy in its own backyard. It’s the first proton therapy center in Dallas-Fort Worth and the most technologically advanced in the state and region. The 63,000-square-foot facility, located in Irving/Las Colinas, is one of approximately 38 proton therapy treatment centers in operation in the United States and is the first stand-alone LEEDCertified proton therapy center in the country. We have accomplished one of our goals, which was to improve the overall level of cancer care for DallasFort Worth patients, and we have done this through a combination of technological advances, hard work,
and gaining expertise on how to better utilize the technology we have. For instance, the center is the only one in Texas with three pencil-beam scanning proton machines and the only center with the ability to do volumetric on-board cone-beam CT imaging when a patient is on the treatment table. We use an ultra-fine proton beam with pencil-point precision across each layer of the tumor. Essentially, we delicately paint the tumor with radiation. It’s the ideal technology for irregularly shaped tumors near sensitive areas. Additionally, pencil beams of protons can be combined to treat large tumors as well. There is a significant advantage of pencil beam proton therapy for larger tumors.
WHAT TYPES OF CANCER CAN BE TREATED WITH PROTON THERAPY?
As of March 2022, the center has treated more than 3,000 new patients, and about 17 percent of those have been pediatric patients. Any solid tumor that requires radiation as a treatment component could likely be treated with proton therapy—brain, head and neck, lung, prostate as well as other gastrointestinal and genitourinary cancers. We also treat breast cancer, whether it’s part of breast conservation therapy or after a mastectomy and we need to irradiate the chest wall. Proton therapy is also a good option for patients in need of treatment for adjacent lymph nodes. Any patient who has been told that they need radiation therapy should look into proton therapy as an option for primary treatment or in combination with other therapies. A doctor’s referral is not needed to schedule a consultation at Texas Center for Proton Therapy.
Andrew K. Lee, M.D., MPH, is the medical director for Texas Center for Proton Therapy.
MPH
A DIFFERENT PANDEMIC
COVID-19 shed more light on Texas’ mental health crisis. Doctors, patients, and some lifelong Fort Worth residents discuss how to tackle the problem.
BY TYLER HICKS ILLUSTRATIONS BY BRANDON HAYMAN
HE COULDN’T EXPLAIN IT AT THE TIME, but when Michael was a kid, he would often wash his hands until they bled. He wanted to stop; he wanted it so badly that he’d often break into sobs. But sometimes, he just couldn’t bring himself to step away from the sink. It was in those moments that Michael’s mother uttered the words that, in some respects, would come to define much of his childhood. “DON’T TELL ANYONE ABOUT THIS,” SHE SAID.
Michael (not his real name) grew up in Fort Worth in what he calls an “emotionally stoic” family. Talking openly about mental health — which Michael has struggled with since a young age — was simply never an option. Often, it was strictly forbidden, something Michael says caused him and his sister considerable shame. Nevertheless, the family took steps to get both children the help they needed; Michael started therapy at age 5, his sister at age 8. Eventually, Michael started taking Prozac for anxiety and depression.
Therapy helped, but it also created some dissonance at home.
“It made for a perfect storm of ‘explore how you feel about yourself’ but also feel shame,” Michael explains. “And the sad part is, mental illness runs in my family if you really sit down to track it.”
Which Michael did.
Over the years, Michael, now 26, has pieced together several stories from his family history. Most of the stories go like this: A family member starts struggling with their mental health; then, either “God heals it” or it’s chalked up to something temporary, “a moment in time,” as Michael puts it, in which the family member was momentarily challenged, yet ultimately overcame their struggles.
To Michael, this is a microcosm of what he considers a critical shortcoming in his home city.
“There
California for seven years. While on the West Coast, she says she “hit rock bottom” multiple times and experienced homelessness. Eventually, she returned to her hometown with $50 to her name and a commitment to get help. She found it, but she also found some serious culture shock.
“We don’t talk about mental health here in Fort Worth,” Donovan says, echoing Michael without knowing it. Toxic masculinity — the idea of teaching boys that they can’t express emotion openly — plays a factor, she says, as does the conservatism and stoicism that Michael encountered at a young age. It’s a people thing, she says, but it’s also a Southern thing.
“I wish there was more accessibility,” she says. “I wish some people didn’t have to pay $200 to see a therapist. And I wish we had more programs and awareness.”
Some doctors are working on those very tasks. Amidst a pandemic that has shed more light on America’s mental health crisis and shaken Fort Worth residents — including Michael, Donavan, and countless children — doctors and counselors throughout the Fort Worth area are taking stock of the challenges ahead. In some ways, the future looks grim.
was already a mental health crisis going on before the pandemic. I don’t think we’re going to just go back to normal, because there isn’t a normal to go back to.”
“Fort Worth is bright and shiny,” he says. “My dad went to TCU, so he’s Mr. TCU, and my mom has lived in Fort Worth for 40 years. It’s a big little city, right? It’s a big city with a bunch of art and music and food, but it’s a little city because everyone still knows each other. And you have that Southern expectation that everything is polished, but at the same time, you have the gossip. ‘Did you know so and so did this and so and so said that?’
“It’s like there’s a bright and shiny layer of plastic over everything,” he continues, “and if there’s a problem, you should just smile, wave, and give it to Jesus.”
Michael wants to be clear: He loves Fort Worth. He loves its people, its restaurants, its music. But he also thinks the city has some work to do — and, just as importantly, it needs some help.
He’s not alone. Katelyn Donovan, another Fort Worth native and, like Michael, a person of color, shares his concerns.
Donovan, 33, recently returned to Fort Worth after living in
– Dr. Kristen Pyrc
Compared to other states, Texas consistently spends less money per capita on mental health. Every doctor interviewed for this story conveyed a strong need for more money, more psychiatrists, and more funding for education, addiction, and employment support. A truly comprehensive approach, in other words. At the same time, there are occasional signs of progress.
Tarrant County recently used over $23 million in American Rescue Plan funds to fuel a mental health diversion center from the county jail (which, distressingly, is the largest local provider of mental health care).
However, it’s not just about money. Extra funding will certainly help, but the people interviewed for this story also spoke frequently of the persistent stigma surrounding mental health care. That’s something no dollar amount can solve, and doctors and therapists argue that confronting that stigma is a must if Fort Worth — and America at large — hope to make serious headway in the fight for better mental health care.
“There was already a mental health crisis going on before the pandemic,” says Dr. Kristen Pyrc, the medical director of Cook Children’s Hospital Psychiatry Outpatient Services. “I don’t think we’re going to just go back to normal, because there isn’t a normal to go back to.”
This story, written as the frigid winter months gave way to spring, is a snapshot of key players in Fort Worth’s ongoing mental health crisis. As the city enters year three of the pandemic, doctors, patients, therapists, and clients try to find hope and forge a path toward progress.
But as psychiatrists often remind their patients, in order to move forward, you must heal from the past.
A Full-Blown Crisis
In the spring of 2021, a pediatrician told Dr. Pyrc something no psychiatrist ever wants to hear.
“They were seeing an increase in kids who needed help, and
many of them were trying to harm themselves,” says Dr. Pyrc. “It was one of those moments where, after you take it, all you can think is, ‘I have to do something. I have to do something.’”
To be sure, this rash of self-harm and suicide attempts was not unique to Fort Worth. Years before the word “COVID” became part of everyday vocabulary, the CDC reported a near 60% increase in the rate of suicides for people ages 10 to 24. That figure spiked another 50% during the pandemic, and in October 2021, three pediatric health organizations united to declare a state of emergency in children’s mental health. According to Dr. Lee Savio Beers, president of the American Academy of Pediatrics, the declaration was “an urgent call to policymakers at all levels of government.”
“Young people have endured so much throughout this pandemic,” she said, “and while much of the attention is often placed on its physical health consequences, we cannot overlook the escalating mental health crisis facing our patients. We
must treat this mental health crisis like the emergency it is.”
In Fort Worth, Dr. Pyrc and her colleagues were thinking of little else. Cook Children’s Hospital saw nearly twice as many suicide attempts in the first seven months of 2021 as it did in the same timeframe in 2020. It was, as Dr. Pyrc calls it, “a full-blown crisis.” And treatment alone wouldn’t cut it. So, she started a new form of outreach: a podcast.
normal development is they want to be more private,” she notes. “Their friends are important to them, and parents are concerned because they feel like they’re starting to withdraw.”
However, when children begin to lose interest in the activities that once brought them joy, that’s when it could be time to consult a pediatrician — particularly if the change is sudden.
Dr. Dina Yousef, a therapist in Denton with a Ph.D. in counselor education, saw plenty of that at the onset of the pandemic. Her areas of expertise include play therapy and expressive arts, and as such, she sees a lot of young children and teenagers. When schools started going remote, many of them had trouble getting out of bed in the morning.
“Think about: This is their high school experience now,” she says. “No friends, no sports, nothing. They’re not supposed to be doing work at home. This wasn’t supposed to happen.”
That’s eerily similar to something Dr. Rachel Talbot, another psychiatrist at Cook Children’s Hospital, told me in late February.
“At the start of the pandemic, spring break turned into two weeks, and everyone was fine with that,” she says. “But then two weeks become four weeks, and four weeks becomes the rest of the year, and oh, by the way, you’re not allowed to do sports, you’re not allowed to see friends, and you’re not allowed to leave the house. If you do, you may die.”
It’s no wonder children started withdrawing into themselves, she adds. That’s often what happens when children face trauma, and the pandemic was trauma on a mass scale.
It’s worth stopping here to note the difference between psychiatrists like Talbot and Pyrc and therapists like Yousef. One key distinction is inpatient care versus outpatient care: Therapists are often seeing people (in their case, they call them “clients”) on an outpatient basis, whereas psychiatrists are more likely to be treating a patient while they are in the care of a hospital. There are exceptions, of course, and as noted by Dr. Pyrc’s role, psychiatrists can indeed see patients on an outpatient basis.
“While much of the attention is often placed on [COVID-19’s] physical health consequences, we cannot overlook the escalating mental health crisis facing our patients. We must treat this mental health crisis like the emergency it is.” – Dr. Kristen Pyrc
“Raising Joy,” launched earlier this year, aims to educate parents and mental health providers on the ways they can support children. The hospital releases a new episode each Tuesday with each installment featuring an interview with experts on bullying, addiction, or distinct forms of trauma.
“The goal of the podcast is to catch kids early,” Dr. Pyrc tells me in early March. Before self-harm or suicide ever enters a child’s mind, she wants that child to be in a pediatrician’s office. She wants parents to be aware of the telltale signs that their kid needs help.
“Whenever you think about a typical teenager, part of their
The other key distinction is medicine. Psychiatrists, as doctors, can prescribe meds; therapists do not. As a result, psychiatrists often face an extra layer of scrutiny: Critics are not only quick to question the efficacy of their methods, but they also accuse them of overprescribing or, even worse, getting kids hooked on prescription meds.
Dr. Talbot has heard these concerns many times before, and her response is simple: She’s trying to help, and in some cases, a prescription is the best way to do that.
“Even at 4 or 5 years old, these are kids that are at risk of getting kicked out of daycare or preschool,” she says. “They’re constantly in trouble, and the detriments of that on their self-esteem and self-worth can be lifelong. So, what I say to the criticism is that I’m stepping in to interrupt that negative cycle. I’m trying to set them up for future success, because I’m interfering now when they’re young.”
According to multiple practitioners interviewed for this story,
the pandemic and its attendant mental health crisis ushered in an era of heightened collaboration between psychiatrists, therapists, pediatricians, and even school counselors. On any given day, Dr. Yousef could be found checking in with a client’s primary physician to talk about their medication or talking to a school counselor about the progress one of her teen patients is or is not making at school.
“I’m only seeing the client one time per week for an hour,” she says. “Meanwhile, the doctor is seeing them maybe just one time a month for 20 minutes. I want us all to be on the same page.”
That heightened collaboration can also be seen throughout Cook Children’s Hospital. For instance, a psychiatrist like Dr. Talbot will work closely with pediatricians to determine which new patients may need closer attention. The pediatrician is more than equipped to support children coping with anxiety, but if their diagnosis is more severe, they’ll send the patient to Dr. Talbot. This approach gives psychiatrists even more time to focus on patients with the most immediate, persistent needs — and time is always in short supply. At least, it is for doctors: According to Dr. Talbot, some kids end up waiting six to eight months to see a therapist when they need one right now. Some adults have also found themselves on extended wait lists.
as abnormal. Maybe one day kids like Michael won’t feel shame. For that same reason, Yousef is a believer in podcasts. Even TikTok, she notes, has been intermittently useful as a space where users can find stories of anxiety and depression and realize they’re not alone.
“I say the word ‘normalizing’ a lot, but that’s truly the only way I know how to describe it,” Yousef says. “I want us to get to a point where we can talk about it without quieting our voices or being afraid someone is going to judge us. Imagine how much that will help our kids. Imagine how much that will help everyone.”
“It’s taken me a while to be comfortable talking about this stuff openly, because I thought these were the things you hide. But we can’t hide them, especially not from ourselves.”
Over the phone in March, Dr. Yousef told me that she and her colleagues have seen an increase in willingness to seek help via therapy. On the one hand, it’s an encouraging sign. On the other hand, there aren’t enough therapists to go around.
Still, Dr. Yousef can’t help but wonder if the stigma surrounding mental health may be slowly receding, even just a little bit. Anecdotally, she notes that she has seen more commercials for therapy in the last two years than she ever saw before.
“I’ve had older clients, people in their 30s and 40s, who say all the time, ‘I had no idea therapy was even an option when I was kid,’” she says.
These ads, when legit, are a reassuring sign, especially to someone like Yousef, who grew up watching therapists on television and thought, “That’s what I want to do.”
“My story may be a little different from others in that I’ve known I wanted to be a therapist since high school,” she says. “I always did and do enjoy helping others, so becoming a therapist seemed like a natural way to go.”
Yousef clarifies that we should not turn on our televisions and expect to see realistic, professional therapist behavior being modeled. (TV therapists are way too friendly with their clients, she says.) But she’s also a big believer in media exposure as a normalizing force: The more people see, hear, and talk about therapists and the services they provide, maybe one day seeing a therapist won’t be seen
That’s the message Dr. Pyrc hopes to deliver through her podcast: Seeking help is normal. It’s a message parents need to hear, too. After all, patients aren’t the only ones who experience the pain of mental health’s stigma; parents feel it, too.
“If your child is suffering, parents are so guilty, they think ‘It’s my fault, it’s my issue. I did it,’” Dr. Pyrc’s co-host, Wini King, told KERA. “I’m hoping they understand that, no, baby, it’s not you. There [are] a whole host of folks out there who are dealing with this same kind of issue.”
Unfortunately, that guilt may manifest itself in cruel ways.
Around the same time I interviewed Dr. Pyrc about her podcast, I talked to a friend of a friend who, like Michael, preferred to remain anonymous. Over coffee, Alex (not her real name) was visibly shaking while telling her story, the latte taking the form of a wave pool in her trembling hands. She recounted a tragic irony: Her parents wanted her to see a doctor when she told them she was gay, but when she started plotting her own suicide, her parents told her she was going through “a moody phase.”
“Years later, after my dad had passed away, my mom broke down and told me that he thought all my problems were his fault,” Alex says. “I think he saw therapy as a kind of failure. It wouldn’t have even been a last resort.”
Yousef used those exact same words: “last resort.”
In her case, she was talking about parents who have brought her their children after exhausting all other options. Drs. Talbot and Pyrc have also seen their fair share of parental skeptics: Mothers and fathers so scared for their children, so shell-shocked by the turn of event their lives have taken, that they can’t believe they’re actually sitting in a psychiatrist’s office discussing the child who was in diapers just the other day. When faced with this kind of skepticism, the psychiatrists interviewed for this story told me there’s really just one option: Convince them that what you’re doing can work.
“Improvements can happen,” Dr. Talbot says. “We see them every day. Even during this pandemic, in the darkest of times, we saw them every day.”
All this talk of skepticism, criticism, and crisis begs the question: How are these doctors and professionals coping with the vicarious trauma they’re undoubtedly experiencing on a daily basis? Unlike, say, oncologists, psychiatrists are in the unique and unenviable position of their work being constantly debated and politicized. Against that backdrop, who is there to take care of the caretakers?
Oftentimes, the answer is themselves.
“Part of my training as a psychiatrist is to recognize my emotions and determine when they’re off balance,” says Dr. Pyrc. “I know I have to exercise or spend some time with my husband or my friends. And when things get overwhelming, I take a step back and take a day off.”
alcohol and, in many cases, getting arrested.
“It’s strange, but I have seen more risk-taking behaviors,” she says. “So far this year, I’ve seen more patients in juvenile detention than I have in any other year as a whole. And it’s only March.”
“I
Thought These Were the Things You Hide”
Michael can relate to those kids whose “risk-taking behaviors” worry Dr. Pyrc. So can Donovan and Alex, who both say they have used alcohol to “mask their emotions.”
“I want us to get to a point where we can talk about it without quieting our voices or being afraid someone is going to judge us.” – Dr. Dina Yousef
She pauses after saying this, and I assume she is thinking of another example, another way she takes care of herself. Then she says something entirely different.
“It’s really hard sometimes when a patient is really struggling. It affects you. There’s no question about it.”
When interviewed for this story, the rash of suicide attempts was still fresh in Dr. Pyrc’s mind. But yet another troubling trend had recently emerged: children getting in trouble for drugs and
For Michael, the drug use began after Michael quit Prozac. He has a naturally addictive personality, he says, and that trait, mixed with what he calls “feeling everything so aggressively,” led to years of drinking and drugs that finally reached an apex in his early 20s. At that point, Michael decided to see a doctor, who diagnosed him with a bipolar disorder known as bipolar II.
Talking about it now, Michael is pretty blunt.
“I’m bipolar as hell,” he says. “If you give me a drug, I’ll take it.”
That diagnosis happened just a couple years ago, and in a way, it brought him a clarity he has long sought.
“When the doctor gave me that news, life started to make sense,” he says. “It felt like I had a new path.”
He now has a name for why he was “feeling everything so aggressively.” The Prozac he took as a teenager made it hard for him
to develop relationships, he says. He fluctuated between feeling nothing and, in his words, “always feeling everything always.” But today, armed with a treatment plan for bipolar II, he feels more hopeful than ever.
“Before now, a lot of people would tell me they didn’t know which version of me they were gonna get,” he says. “You meet people in your euphoric state; then they see you again, and you’re the meanest person in the world. They think you don’t want them in your life, but really you’re just trying to figure out how to stay alive that day.”
Bipolar II is characterized by highs and lows: A low, technically called a “depressive episode,” can last up to two weeks. Meanwhile, a high, in which the patient exhibits a kind of manic energy and excitement, can last up to four days.
Clarity aside, managing a new bipolar diagnosis during a global pandemic was no small feat. The widespread suffering he saw happening throughout his city — and the whole world — only amplified the intensity of his emotions. Sometimes this was a boon to his work in the restaurant industry. During his euphoric episodes, for example, Michael has a clear-cut outlet for channeling all his energy: simply go to work. But then he’d come home to the 500-square-foot apartment he shared with his girlfriend at the time.
Cook Children’s Hospital have been rotating through a series of neighborhood clinics each week. The goal is to increase access to outpatient counseling for the city’s underserved residents, and it appears to be working. In its first month, the initiative reached more than 100 patients. By spring of last year, that number had grown to nearly 400 patients in a single month.
As Dr. Talbot said, success is possible; it happens every day. And even greater success will take a comprehensive approach — one that includes investment in education, addiction resources, and more.
“Before now, a lot of people would tell me they didn’t know which version of me they were gonna get. You meet people in your euphoric state; then they see you again, and you’re the meanest person in the world.”
Michael doesn’t go into details about the eventual breakup, but he says the pandemic, the small space, and his mental health all created another “perfect storm.” In retrospect, Michael talks about the split the same way he talks about his mental health: bluntly.
“I’ve made some really bad decisions that have made me a great person,” he says. “And one thing I’ve learned along the way is that I’m not alone. It’s taken me a while to be comfortable talking about this stuff openly, because I thought these were the things you hide. But we can’t hide them, especially not from ourselves. We need to do the work of getting prescribed medicine and getting the help we need.”
Michael’s recent journey is an example of the kinds of stories Drs. Talbot and Pyrc work so hard to write: Stories of successful young adults who defy stereotypes, who aren’t overcome by mental illness. Yet at the same time, Michael, Donovan, and all patients and physicians interviewed for this story know that mental illness does not occur in a vacuum. The story of Michael’s childhood — the shame, the hiding, the inner turmoil — is precisely what psychiatrists and therapists want to excise from our city and our society. To do that, they need help.
When those three pediatric organizations declared the state of emergency mentioned above, they paired the announcement with a clear call to action. Among other things, they want to increase federal funding to ensure all families have access to mental health services. They also want improved access to telemedicine and more support of school-based mental health care. As of this writing, it’s not clear if any of these calls have been heeded. If anything, Texas appears headed in the wrong direction.
In light of any consistent, concrete action, physicians and their employers have taken it upon themselves to create health care parity. Since December 2020, three licensed family therapists from
The Cook Children’s approach is addressing a key problem you’ll often hear discussed in any conversation on mental health: access. But they can’t do it alone. No doctor can.
“Partial and piecemeal remedies don’t address the entrenched problems tied to a lack of access to competent care in the United States,” Hannah Zeavin, a lecturer at UC Berkeley, wrote last year in The Washington Post. “Neither will public relations campaigns by public officials and celebrities reminding us to take care of ourselves for Mental Health Awareness Month each May. Only a comprehensive approach to the issue will — and that means addressing insurance parity for mental health care, funding clinical training, and ensuring access and continuity of care.”
On this point, the doctors — and Michael — agree.
“If you don’t actually address the problem, it’s very easy to get a city with no soul,” he says. “We can’t just throw money at something, and we can’t hide from our responsibility. We have a responsibility to each other.”
WE SPEAK FORT WORTH
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TAKING AIM
With his program, Aim for Safety, Dr. Daniel Guzman, a pediatrician at Cook Children’s Medical Center, hopes to never see another unintentional firearm injury in his emergency room again.
BY BRIAN KENDALL PHOTOGRAPHY BY CRYSTAL WISE
THE MOST COMMON SCENE PARENTS WITNESSED DURING DR. DANIEL GUZMAN’S 2020 STUDY WAS THEIR CHILD LOOKING DOWN THE BARREL OF A GUN — AN EYE FIXED ON THE DEEP, DARK CYLINDER WITH A FINGER RESTING ON THE TRIGGER.
“It’s disturbing but not surprising,” Guzman says of the study’s findings. Parents watched in horror as their children playfully pointed these weapons at brothers and sisters — or themselves — while manipulating the trigger. Now, before anyone files complaints with local law enforcement, the gun was neither loaded nor able to dispense any projectile. These very real-looking but harmless firearms were part of a study conducted by Guzman, an emergency room physician at Cook Children’s Medical Center, as part of his Aim for Safety initiative, an adamantly nonpolitical program that both promotes gun safety and takes preventative measures to ensure children are not harmed by firearms.
The study placed children in a playroom where three decommissioned firearms were hidden in either a purse, backpack, or box. The room was equipped with cameras so Guzman and the child’s parents could watch the children’s actions from another room. The parents were those Guzman refers to as high risk — people who own firearms, do not have them secure, and have children between the ages of 4 and 12.
Is having such high-risk parents witness what could have been an incomprehensibly tragic event a scare tactic? Sure. But Guzman, who has spent the last five years treating firearm injury as a pandemic, is willing to do whatever it takes to make even a single parent purchase and use a lock box for their firearms.
“The only way I felt that I could reach those people without, gosh, shaking them, I guess, was to show them what could happen.”
Unlike a real-life scenario, which this study replicates with disturbing accuracy, no one gets hurt. The child picks up the gun, looks at it, pulls the trigger, and nothing happens to them. The parents get a do-over.
“As a parent, you see that, if it was real, it would’ve been the most devasting incident in their life,” Guzman says. “And so now, they get an opportunity to say, ‘All right, I’m going to do something different.’”
“The idea of taking guns away turns people off immediately. No one wants to hear that. I don’t want to hear that.”
– Dr. Daniel Guzman
Guzman says between 85% and 90% of children did not do the right thing, which the pediatrician describes as “Stop, don’t touch, leave the room, and tell an adult.” Only one out of the first 21 children who participated in the study actually did this.
“I hate to say it’s a shock-and-awe moment, but to some extent, there is that component to it,” Guzman says. “I want parents to see [their child’s actions], go ‘Oh, my gosh,’ take a deep breath, and say, ‘We’ve got to do something different.’”
Moments of epiphany — scientific, religious, personal, or philosophical discoveries of greater meaning — come to us at seemingly random moments. We’re never aware of the day, hour, circumstances, or events that may surround these sudden flashes. For Guzman, it occurred in 2017 when he saw a 3-year-old child who had shot himself accidentally with a firearm come through the emergency room.
Guzman describes this as a turning point. This was when he transformed into one of the state’s most active advocates for firearm safety. He’s now routinely seen at schools, online, and at public events speaking earnestly about gun safety and giving demonstrations. A physician who has seen firsthand the horrors and tragic, life-changing consequences of firearm accidents, has become the face of this apolitical movement.
As Guzman tells it, it was years in the making — perhaps even decades. The combination of his experience; his platform as a doctor in an emergency room at a children’s hospital; and the fact that he is a gun owner, parent, and grew up around firearms made him the perfect candidate to reach the audience he desired. He felt he could relate to and tap into the wishes — and fears — that gun-owning parents might have. Guzman understood the last thing they wanted to hear was anything about stricter gun laws, regulations, or abolishment of the Second Amendment.
Why? Because these are things Guzman doesn’t want to hear himself. Growing up in Texas, Guzman says he’s been around firearms all his life.
Guzman was born in South Texas — the Rio Grande Valley — in a small town called Donna. A population of 7,500 when he was growing up, (the city now has a population of 16,409, according to the latest census), the community had few speeding cars and little crime. His upbringing, which included few restrictions, has made Guzman sympathetic toward a parent’s instinct to allow their children to have freedom.
“I never worried about any of the things that we worry about today that, as a parent, I worry about,” Guzman says. “Whether my parents really understood or knew the potential consequences of what I was doing and what was going on, who knows? If they let me just have my freedom and let me run and roam, I think that was obviously important for my growth as a kid.”
Guzman was the son of a candy distributor and wonders aloud how, given the amount of sugary substances he consumed in his pre-teen years, he’s kept all of his teeth and doesn’t weigh 500 pounds. “Now, diabetes, that may be a different thing altogether,” Guzman jokes.
Despite his genealogy being directly connected to bonbons, lollipops, and other cures for the sweet tooth, Guzman knew he wanted to enter the medical field at a young age. He recollects that he was 4 or 5 years old when he went to ophthalmologist and received his first pair of glasses. It was this noninvasive trip to the eye doctor that opened Guzman’s eyes, if you’ll pardon the pun, to the world of medicine.
HOW TO MAKE FIREARMS SAFE(R)
1Understand your kids, their age, and their maturity. Cognitively, are they able to understand what it means to have a firearm and what the dangers are that they possess? “You have video games, movies, and television shows that glorify some of these things,” Guzman says. “And kids can’t separate that. They don’t understand that shooting somebody on TV or in a game, they get another life. In real life that doesn’t happen.”
2
Knowing that it’s your responsibility as a parent that you need to keep firearms safely away from children. It’s also important to make children aware of what they should do should they come across a firearm. You should teach your children these four critical steps: Stop, don’t touch it, get away, and tell somebody.
3
When your kids go to another home, whether it be a friend or family member, it’s important to ask whether they have firearms. And, if they do, are they secured? “[When having these conversations], I always tell families to base it in what their kids will do,” Guzman says. “I’ll tell families, ‘My 8-year-old is so curious. You let him loose in a house with friends, he’s going to go through every space. I want to make sure he’s safe, and I want to make sure that the other children are safe.’”
4
Safe storage is the final key component. As a firearm owner, Guzman says, it’s their responsibility to keep weapons that aren’t immediately in his or her possession in a locked box. “Now, the gold standard would be gun and ammunition are separate and go into different boxes,” Guzman says. “I know that’s a big ask and a big hurdle for a lot of families, but it’s the best way to keep your children the safest.”
“I didn’t like going to the doctor because every time I went to the doctor, you got a shot,” Guzman says. “But [going to the ophthalmologist] was a very cool. It was noninvasive and [the doctor is] doing stuff and making things better.”
Through his primary education, high school, college, and even the first part of medical school at UT Southwestern Medical Center, Guzman never wavered from his desire to, as he put it, set the ophthalmology world aflame. But, like most childhood ambitions, things wound up going astray.
The limited world of ophthalmology no longer appealed to Guzman. While acknowledging the importance of eyes, he felt like there was more he could do. It wasn’t until his pediatric rotation in medical school that he realized where he should be.
“[When I was in pediatrics], that’s when I realized, ‘I love this. This is fun. I get to be a kid, play with kids, and enjoy that aspect of it and never grow up truly,’” Guzman recalls. “You can probably tell I got old. I’m still the same way to some extent. And all of my colleagues in the ER will tell you I still haven’t grown up yet, which I think is important.
“I think with what we deal with every single day in the ER, it’s important to understand who you are, where you come from, and just how unique a change and difference we can make. Although albeit it may be small at times, but if you just reach one person, I’ve learned that’s enough. If you can just touch one life, you’re making a difference. If you can make that one family feel like they were the only person in that ER, then I’ve done my job.”
It’s a cliché: Doctors become calloused to the gruesome things they see daily. After years of practicing medicine, the constant sight of death and illness hardens them to these painful realities. But Guzman has gone the other way.
After his mother passed away from kidney failure 12 years ago, it opened his eyes to what it was like to be on the other end of the bad news and, as a family member, having to make very different and difficult decisions. His newfound relatability is something earned.
“[When I first started practicing], I was really distant,” Guzman says. “I was there for families, but there wasn’t that connection that I would make, especially in those situations where you have someone who’s passed away. You just want to run from those situations almost every single time. But now, I’m taking that head on. I’m in there with the families more. I’m talking to the families and helping them understand and know that there’s somebody there for them. I’m not just someone who came in and said, ‘Your child has passed away. We did this, that, the other, and now they’re gone.’
“I’m there to really help them through the process and get them started on a journey that nobody can ever imagine.”
In a single day in September of 2019, Guzman had to speak with the parents of five different children who had been unintentionally shot in four separate incidents. According to an article written in the Dallas Morning News, veteran staff said they couldn’t remember a day like that in the hospital’s history.
The day, which occurred two years after the physician launched his Aim for Safety program, was a gut punch. “You feel like you’re doing so much, but then you have these days that just fall out of the
the sky like this,” Guzman told the Dallas Morning News. “You’re like, ‘What happened? What are we doing wrong that we can’t fix this or help make this better?’”
Ultimately, Guzman uses these moments to console and educate. “I can’t, as a parent, ever imagine having to go through that in my life. It’s those moments where you sympathize with the families, you empathize with those families, and you know that they’re going to blame themselves for years to come.”
While Guzman is in the trenches in the Cook Children’s Medical Center emergency room — routinely seeing children who have already been injured — he surprisingly considers himself an injury prevention doctor. Only, his style of prevention doesn’t include vaccinations or prescription medication.
Instead, Guzman shares his experiences in an effort to strike a chord with parents. If he speaks to them about the horrors he sees on a regular basis at the ER at Cook Children’s, he can make a bigger impact.
In 2017, Guzman, in partnership with Cook Children’s Medical Center, launched the Aim for Safety program. The program educates, through marketing materials and frequent public appearances, parents and children alike about firearm safety in an effort curb unintentional gun injuries and deaths.
Guzman looks at firearms as a real pandemic. Relating firearm injuries to COVID-19, Guzman speaks frankly about how we treat the idea of losing children almost every day to the disease and how it differs from those we lose to guns. Vaccines and preventive measures are at the forefront of keeping our children healthy and safe. Why not apply the same formula to gun safety, Guzman argues. The only difference is one deals with vaccines, while the other with lock boxes and education. Deaths from gun accidents and COVID-19 are both preventable.
and view gun safety, and it’s become a real political topic.”
According to Guzman, for a long time, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommended that if you have children, you shouldn’t have firearms. While there’s no evidence that this remains its stance, the AAP’s website does make it clear that its advocacy for gun violence prevention includes championing stronger gun laws.
“The idea of taking guns away turns people off immediately. No one wants to hear that. I don’t want to hear that.”
As a gun owner himself, Guzman is clearly reading the room and understanding his audience. The best tactic is not to advocate for a change to gun laws but to educate gun-owning parents and their children.
“I always try to meet people in the middle,” Guzman says. “If you feel like you need to have a gun, it needs to be on your person where you have control. When you put that gun down, it should go into a safety box, a lock box, or your home safe where someone else can’t access that gun. That’s the discussion. That’s the meeting people at a place where it makes sense.”
Guzman admits that it’s difficult to convince someone who’s used to keeping a gun on their nightstand to suddenly begin keeping that weapon and its ammunition in two separate locked boxes — the gold-standard measures that Aim for Safety recommends.
“I can’t, as a parent, ever imagine having to go through that in my life. It’s those moments where you sympathize with the families, you empathize with those families, and you know that they’re going to blame themselves for years to come.” – Dr. Daniel Guzman
According to the most recent statistics, accidents related to firearms accounted for 535 deaths in 2020. In Texas, there are 725,368 registered guns. And, with 40% of all households having children under the age of 18, we can surmise that children could have access to over 290,000 guns in the state.
On a more local level, last year, the Cook Children’s Medical Center had 65 total injuries and five deaths related to firearm accidents.”
The irony, of course, is that most people own guns for safety. They view these weapons as instruments to keep them and their families safe. And Guzman is adamant that the Aim for Safety program is not political — in fact, using a big portion of our conversation to diffuse any such notion.
“I’m not here to take away your guns,” Guzman says. “I’m not here to say whether you should have a gun or not. Just like we’re not here from an injury prevention standpoint to say you should have a pool or you shouldn’t have a pool.
“I’m sure there were just as many injuries 30, 40 years ago than there are now. We just didn’t hear about it and know about it. And so that definitely has changed how I think people view it
“That’s just a hard impasse. A hard bridge to cross for some. And so, we find the best way to kind of get to the middle.”
On whether recent changes to the Texas open carry law have had an effect on firearm-related injuries to children, Guzman says the hospital hasn’t seen any changes, saying the prevalence of guns hasn’t changed due to the law — guns were already so prevalent in the state.
In addition to the marketing efforts surrounding Aim for Safety, Guzman is also involved on the grassroots level, going to school, speaking to children and parents. He has complex toolkits that include ballistic gels that he shoots BB guns and pellet guns into that give perspective and understanding as to how far an average pellet gun can penetrate. Such demonstrations lead to shock and awe from kids and adults alike, none previously knowing that a BB from a Red Rider BB gun can penetrate the skin up to four inches.
BB and pellet guns also fly under the radar. Guzman is quick to point out that anything with a projectile has the possibility of hurting someone else — even a water gun. These are things that can put an eye out, literally.
Guzman speaks frequently about wanting to do more. A quick search of the phrase “do more” in the transcript of our interview brought up 35 results. When it comes to protecting children from unintentional firearm injury, Guzman sees this as his calling. So, whatever it is he’s currently doing — making public appearances, writing, conducting studies, or accepting interviews with local magazines, it’s never enough. And he understands that he’ll be in a perpetual quest for new preventative measures … new vaccines against unintentional firearm injuries and deaths, if you will.
“I’m doing a lot of good, but I can do more.”
Dr. Majid Asawaeer, MD, FACC, CBCCT, RPVI
Fort Worth Heart is pleased to announce the addition of BoardCertified Interventional Cardiologist, Dr. Majid Asawaeer to our growing practice. We look forward to continuing to serve the community for many years to come.
Basic heart health starts with monitoring and maintaining healthy cholesterol levels. Primary care physicians can help adults monitor their cholesterol levels with blood work before problems arise, but patients with diagnosed heart conditions should rely on the expertise of our Fort Worth cardiologists to maintain cholesterol levels. Treatment for patients with cholesterol concerns include dietary changes in combination with prescribed medication.
Our cardiologists work closely with Fort Worth Heart’s expert vascular staff and surgeons to provide high level care. Our team of physician assistants, nurse practitioners, nurses, and medical assistants are dedicated to taking great care of our patients. We routinely diagnose and treat complex heart conditions including: ¡ Atherosclerosis ¡ Angina ¡ Cardiomyopathy ¡ Coronary artery disease ¡ Genetic Cardiac Issues ¡ Heart attacks ¡ Heart Failure ¡ High blood cholesterol and triglycerides ¡ Hypertension ¡ Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy ¡ Palpitations ¡ Peripheral vascular disease ¡ Preventive cardiology and risk factor management ¡ Sports medicine and sports cardiology ¡ Stable angina Our expert cardiologists analyze your heart and ensure its proper functions. If you have symptoms that may be related to non-urgent cardiac conditions or would like to establish cardiovascular care for the first time, please make an appointment with one of our cardiologists. Our team will recommend testing and additional consultations to diagnose your condition and provide ongoing preventive care as needed.
If you are experiencing pain in the chest area or symptoms typically associated with heart attacks, our specialists recommend you call 911 or immediately go to the nearest emergency room. Symptoms might include pressure in the chest, pain in the chest, nausea, vomiting, shortness of breath, weakness, sweating, dizziness or palpitations.
From allergy to urology and pediatrics to psychiatry, we asked Tarrant County doctors to nominate their peers for inclusion in our annual Top Doctors list via an online ballot. With over 4,800 votes cast, the magazine staff vetted each physician through the Texas Medical Board and asked a panel of more than a dozen physicians to review our final selection and make recommendations. The result is a list of 586 physicians in 57 specialties whom we deem leaders in their fields.
T O P D O C T O R S 2022
Adult Reconstructive Orthopedics
Ajai Cadambi
Steven Ogden
Daniel Wagner
Russell Wagner
Torrance Walker Allergy/ Immunology
James Haden
Andrew Beaty
Dana Gibbs
Rene Alberto Leon
Ali Shakouri
Millard Tierce
Breast Surgery
Anita Chow
Amelia Gunter
Joseph Heyne
Vaishali Kent
Anesthesiology
Kathleen Bajaj
Michelle Craven
Colin Ehlenbach
Mark Frankel
Robert Frohm
Artee Gandhi
Katherine Hege
Kimble Horak
Burt Napoleon
Michael Neben
Maulik Parikh
Aaron Shiraz
Lei Tian
Arun Padala
Brijesh Patel
Amit Prasad
Alvaro Rios
Mohanakrishnan
Sathyamoorthy
Balaji Veerappan
Venkatesan Vidi
Cardio/Thoracic Surgery
Jeffrey Lin
James Anderson
Reza Khalafi
Jeffrey Wu
Child/Adolescent Psychiatry
Nanette Allison
Alesha Hill
Prema Manjunath
Cardiology
Farhan Ali
Neeraj Badhey
Rim Bannout
Gurpreet Baweja
Paul Bhella
Sukesh Burjonroppa
Sanjayanth
Chamakura
Denzil D’Souza
Vassilis Dimas
Timothy Hadden
Randall Hall
Sandeep Kamath
George Khammar
Geoffrey Kline
Vinit Lal
Justin Martin
Deval Mehta
Aleem Mughal
Giri Mundluru
Colo/Rectal Surgery
Jason Allen
Michael Bryan
Eduardo Castillo
Lori Gordon
Glen Hooker
Nezar Jrebi
Paul Senter Critical Care Medicine
Razaq Badamosi
John Hollingsworth
Madhu Kollipara
Amanda Pientka
Jocelyn Zee
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The all-encompassing program includes weekly one-on-one appointments. They address all the components of a healthy lifestyle including nutrition, exercise, stress management, proper sleep habits, hormonal balance, musculoskeletal health, and balancing healthy habits while still enjoying the foods you love.
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Throughout the program, the 3D Body Scanner is utilized to monitor progress. By visualizing specific areas of improvement, you will be more engaged and motivated throughout your journey.
The scans provide you with the most accurate body composition data such as body fat percentage, muscle mass, and anatomical measurements. With this useful tool, the SciFit team will tweak your program to give you maximum results.
Unlock the power of genetically specific programs with SciFit’s lab testing services. Discover how your body metabolizes certain foods and what type of nutrition and exercise approach works best for you. Determine underlying sensitivities that can alter your function and make you feel poorly. There’s no such thing as a one-size-fits-all approach, so utilizing SciFit testing services helps you discover your unique genetic profile. Forget the guessing games, and cut right to the chase with what type of strategy works best for you.
Kenneth Hancock, M.D. • Henrik B. Illum, M.D. • Harris V. Naina, M.D., FACP, FRCP
Mrugesh P. Patel, M.D. • Kathleen L. Shide, M.D., FACR • Rachel L. Theriault, M.D.
When you’re treated at Texas Oncology, you can be sure you’re getting leading edge cancer care. In fact, Fort Worth Magazine recently recognized our expertise by presenting nine of our physicians with the “Top Doctors” award. These physicians are part of our knowledge base of cancer specialists. That means at every Texas Oncology location you have access to a network of award-winning experts. For more information on Texas Oncology or to find a location near you, please call 1-888-864-4226 or visit us at TexasOncology.com.
Putting our best care forward.
“Best Doctors in Tarrant County.”
Introducing the 2022 “Best Doctors in Tarrant County,” as voted by the doctors in Tarrant County.
Neeraj Badhey, M.D. Texas Health Heart & Vascular Specialists
William Crawford, M.D. Texas Foot & Ankle Orthopaedics
Anita Bhansali, M.D. Texas Health Neurosurgery & Spine Specialists
Sarah Kennedy, D.O. Sideline Orthopedics & Sports
Neil Patel, M.D. Spine Team Texas
Jamie Inman, D.O. Texas Health Family Care
Tasneem Ahmed, D.O. Texas Health Digestive Specialists
Jennifer Hinkle, M.D. Texas Health Internal Medicine
Alfred Hulse, D.O. Texas Health Family Care
Christina Ngyuen, D.O. Spine Team Texas
Gurpreet Baweja, M.D. Texas Health Heart & Vascular Specialists
Justin Martin, M.D. Texas Health Heart & Vascular Specialists
Paul Kim, M.D. Texas Health Internal Medicine
Rey Marquino, M.D. Texas Health Internal Medicine
Timothy Hadden, M.D. Texas Health Heart & Vascular Specialists
Cyrus Wong, M.D. Texas Health Neurosurgery & Spine Specialists
Adrian Harvey, D.O. Texas Health Neurosurgery & Spine Specialists
Tanya Dixon, D.O. Texas Health Neurosurgery & Spine Specialists
Gregory Smith, D.O. Texas Health Neurosurgery & Spine Specialists
Ahmed Shakir, M.D. Texas Health Neurosurgery & Spine Specialists
Christopher Shank, M.D. Texas Health Neurosurgery & Spine Specialists
Steven Ogden, M.D. Texas Hip & Knee Center
Daniel Wagner, D.O. Texas Hip & Knee Center
Tariq Khan, M.D. Texas Health Transplant Specialists
Di Parks, M.D. Texas Health Orthopedic Specialists
Hugo Sanchez, M.D. Texas Health Orthopedic Specialists
Ajai Cadambi, M.D. Texas Hip & Knee Center
Mark Wylie, M.D. Texas Health Orthopedic Specialists
Elizabeth Batterton, M.D. Texas Health Orthopedic Specialists
T O P D O C T O R S 2022
Didi Ebert-Blackburn
Norma Escamilla
Melanie Gray
Daria Greer
Margaret Holland
Alfred Hulse
Jamie Inman
Craig Kneten
Allyson Matthys
Clark Meador
Sarah Meredith
Cody Mihills
Brighton Miller
James Murphy
Angela Nguyen
Rezwana Rahman
Hetal Rana
Erica Sails
Brady Simonak
Ryan Simonak
Matthew Stine
Joyce Stroud
Richard Stuntz
William Thomas
David Wilson
Geriatrics
Jennifer Arnouville
Janice Knebl
Sarah Ross
Gynecological Oncology
Noelle Cloven
Kenneth Hancock
DeEtte Vasques
Hand Surgery
Barnard Barragan
Kristen Fleager
Nathan Lesley
Steven Niedermeier
Theodore “Ted” Peters
Ryan Reardon
Eric Wroten
Hematology
Bassam Ghabach
Henrik Illum
Anuradha Lingam
Timothy McCavit
Harris Naina
Mary Skiba
Hepatology
Stevan Gonzalez
Mary Suzanne Whitworth
Bryan Youree Internal Medicine
Olutoyin Abitoye
Theresa Brown
Denise Bruckerhoff
Hedieh Davanloo
N. Alan Davenport
Craig Dearden
James Eldridge
Roger Eppstein
Donald Frusher
Sreevani Gudiseva
Jennifer Hinkle
Hari Kakarlapudi
Allan Kelly
Paul Kim
Vani Kollipara
Sunil Kongara
Andy Le
Jason Ledbetter
Amber Lesley
Rey Marquino
Beth Mewis
Gregory Phillips
Morvarid Rezaie
Sakthiraj Subramanian
Infectious Diseases
Nikhil Bhayani
Cheryl McDonald
Vivek Ramarathnam
Priya Subramanian
Radhika Vayani
Basanti Vrushab
Angelo Vu
Stephen Weis
Thank you for your support!
The Jane and John Justin Surgical Tower at Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital Fort Worth is a new star in the Fort Worth skyline and on the medical landscape.
Texas Health Fort Worth has a deep-rooted history in the Fort Worth community. The new Jane and John Justin Surgical Tower demonstrates the continued commitment to the health of the people of Fort Worth and its surrounding areas.
Projects like the Justin Tower cannot happen without the support of donors who provide generously to the causes that impact the communities they love. Texas Health Resources and the Texas Health Resources Foundation would like to thank these donors* for their part in taking Justin Tower from dream to reality.
Jane & John Justin Foundation
Louella Martin Charitable Fund
The Ryan Foundation
Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital Fort Worth Auxiliary
Amon G. Carter Foundation
The Leo Potishman Foundation
Anonymous
Balfour Beatty
Marsha and Barclay Berdan
Karen B. Cramer
Priscilla and John M. Geesbreght, M.D.
HKS, Inc.
Janeen and Bill Lamkin
Barbara and Jay Lesok
Luther King Capital Management
Anne S. and Henry B. Paup
Sid W. Richardson Foundation
Rae and Ed Schollmaier
Dr. and Mrs. James H. Stewart, Jr.
Texas Health Neurosurgery and Spine Specialists
Nancy and Andy Thompson
The Crystelle Waggoner
Charitable Trust
*Donors listed are as of Feb. 28, 2022.
AeroCARES by Lockheed Martin Employees
Olaide O. Ajayi, M.D.
Robert D. and Catherine R. Alexander Foundation
Kathy and Oscar Amparan
Rhoda and Howard Bernstein and Laurie and Lon Werner
Anita Bhansali, M.D., F.A.A.N.S.
Lillie Biggins and James Russell
Sue and Kirk Blackmon
Dr. and Mrs. Lee C. Bloemendal
Michael and Jennifer Chavez
Carla Dawson
Asad Dean, M.D. of Texas Oncology
John and Shirley Dean
Monica and Joseph DeLeon
Sara and Buddy Dike
Tanya Dixon, D.O., F.A.C.S., F.A.C.O.S.
Harry A. Dollahite, M.D. and Leslie Tatum, M.D. and Family
Martha and Jack Fikes
Frost Bank
Missy and Mark Gale
Carey and Alex Geesbreght
Dr. and Mrs. Sreenivas Gudimetla, M.D.
Phyllis and Michael Guyton
Amy and Clint Hailey and Family
Adrian Harvey, D.O. and Family
Cindy and Pat Hawkins
David Jackson
Sheila Broderick Johnson
Dee J. Kelly Foundation
Luanne and Kirk King
Kenneth and Tina Kramer Family
Dan and Michelle Lowrance
Jennifer and Jay McAuley
Sandra McGlothlin
Laura and Rick McWhorter
Dr. Darryl Miao and Ms. Winjie Tang Miao
Kay and John Mitchell
Lynn Montgomery
ONCOR
Yinn Cher Ooi, M.D.
The Kelly and Shawn Parsley Family
Rosa Navejar and Rachel Navejar Phillips
Sally and Paul Prater
Radiology Associates of North Texas, P.A.
James and Sandy Reeves
Mary and Paul Robinson
Dr. and Mrs. Ahmed R. Shakir
Christopher Shank, M.D., M.B.A.
Gregory H. Smith, D.O., F.A.C.S., F.A.C.O.S.
Shirley and Wes R. Turner
Laura and Corey Wilson
Cyrus Chi-Ho Wong, M.D., F.A.A.N.S.
And thank you for the Justin Tower Steering Committee members:
Lynn Montgomery, Chair
Lee C. Bloemendal, M.D.
Michael Guyton
Pat Hawkins
Dee Kelly, Jr.
Bill Lamkin
Anne Paup
Gregory H. Smith, D.O.
Congratulations, Dr. Frusher, on being named a Top Doctor.
TOP DOCTOR 2022
At WellMed, our vision is to change the face of health care delivery for the nation by providing quality patient care with a focus on prevention. For Dr. Frusher, that means putting patients first. If this type of personal care sounds appealing, Dr. Frusher’s doors are open and he welcomes you to his practice.
WellMed has more than 100 primary care providers across North Texas who are there for you when you need them. They will work with you to create a plan of care focused on your unique health and wellness goals. To learn more or make an appointment with a WellMed doctor near you today, visit wellmedhealthcare.com.
Learn more about how doctors in the WellMed Network care for our patients. wellmedhealthcare.com
Donald Frusher, DO, Internal medicine
WellMed at Hurst
Congratulations on being named a Top Doctor.
Doctors who always put your health first
Jennifer Arnouville, DO Geriatric medicine
USMD Fort Worth Clearfork Clinic 1-817-334-1400
Roger Eppstein, MD Internal medicine
USMD Fort Worth Clearfork Clinic 1-817-334-1400
Hedieh Davanloo, MD Geriatric medicine
USMD Arlington North Clinic 1-817-460-0257
Beth Mewis, MD Internal medicine
USMD Weatherford Clinic 1-682-804-6202
J.Kevin Eldridge, MD Internal medicine
USMD Fort Worth Clearfork Clinic 1-817-334-1400
Manisha Parikh, MD OB/GYN
Here in the Metroplex, personalized care matters. At USMD, that means putting patients first. Our doctors understand patients are real people. This means they know things like respect, listening, individualized care and giving you their full attention matter. At USMD, we have one focus, partnering with you to help keep you as healthy as possible.
USMD Mid-Cities OB/GYN Clinic 1-817-554-0830 USMD has more than 100 primary care providers and more than 20 OB/GYNs across North Texas. To learn more or make an appointment with one today visit USMD.com. Online appointment scheduling is available. facebook.com/USMDHealthSystem
T O P D O C T O R S 2022
Interventional Cardiology
Scott Ewing
Matt Fay
Darren Kumar
Juzar Lokhandwala
Maternal Fetal Medicine/ Perinatology
April Bleich
Joseph Fitzwater
Tracy Papa
Neonatology
Russell Lawrence
Megan Schmidt
Nephrology
Koshy Abraham
Oladapo Afolabi
Samantha
Chandupatla
Ira Epstein
Nishant Jalandhara
Prasad Kannaeganti
Shane Kennedy
David Martin
Patrick Nef
Raju Patil
Geethanjali
Ramamurthy
Daniel Richey
Balamurugan
Sankarapandian
Dar Shah
Sandeep Shori
Raghuveer Vanguru
Julio Zavala Georffino
Neurology
Stephanie Acord
Yamini Chennu
Charlece Hughes
Sheri Hull
Hamid Kadiwala
Saleem Malik
John Orr
Michael “Scott” Perry
Dave Shahani
Neurosurgery
Anita Bhansali
Grant Booher
Tanya Dixon
Thomas Ellis
Daniel Hansen
Atif Haque
Adrian Harvey
Anthony Lee
Ahmed Shakir
Christopher Shank
Abdolreza Siadati
Gregory Smith
Diana Wilson
Cyrus Wong
Obstetrics/ Gynecology
Ruth Arumala
Lori Atkins
Linda Bernstein
Catherine Bevan
Laura Bradford
Taylor Bradley
Lindsay Breedlove
Tate
Chandra Chellappan
Cynthia English
Jamie Erwin
Noushin Firouzbakht
Jacqueline Garda
Ashita Gehlot
Sunny Glenn
Martha Guerra
Emily Hadley
Pattyann Hardt
Brenda Harkins
James Herd
Natalie Hughes
Sarah Jordan
Ingrid Kohlmorgen
Bea Kutzler
Alicia Larsen
Rachel Lusby
William Maxwell
Heather Neville
Andrea Palmer
Manisha Parikh
Martin Read
Cynthia Robbins
Elisabeth Wagner
Christiaan Webb
Get the heartburn care you need, without the drive. The new Methodist Mansfeld Heartburn Treatment Center offers a full range of diagnostic, surgical, and nonsurgical treatment options, right here in Mansfield. And our knowledgeable staff uses advanced techniques and technology to thoroughly evaluate and treat a wide range of conditions, including gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). The Heartburn Treatment Center is dedicated to bringing personalized heartburn care to our friends and neighbors. That’s community. And it’s why so many people Trust Methodist. Contact our nurse coordinator at 682-242-GERD (682-242-4373) or visit MethodistHealthSystem.org/HeartburnTreatmentCenter
MARVELOUS
Heroes come in all forms.
At FENOM ® , we embrace the hero in you. The hero who has experienced loss and triumph. The hero who has worked on the front line. The hero who has done what it takes to survive. We care for you because we ARE you. This is our X factor. As we commit to serving YOU with every bit of skill, talent and compassion, we acknowledge you for inspiring us. Our all-female physician team is not just a practice in medicine, it is a practice in humanity.
CATHERINE BEVAN md, facog
SUNNY GLENN md, facog
ALICIA LARSEN md, facog
facog
facog
T O P D O C T O R S 2022
Ruth Wiley
Rita Wood
Robert Zwernemann
OMM
James Aston
Matthew Barker
Malinda Hansen
Kendi Hensel
Yein Lee
Christopher Medina
Meaghan Nelsen
Dante Paredes
Jay Roop
Katrina Roop
Ryan Seals
Sajid Surve
Ophthalmology
Mark Alford
C. Bradley Bowman
Richard Chu
Courtney Crawford
Matthew Hammons
Jerry Hu
Aaleya Koreishi
Nikisha Kothari
Shaam Mahasneh
John Parchue
Hiren Parekh
Patricia Ple-Plakon
Jawad Qureshi
Ann Ranelle
Brian Ranelle
Johnathan Warminski
Robert Warren
Joshua Zaffos
Oncology
Cristi Aitelli
David Barrera
Prasanthi Ganesa
Kalyani Narra
Latha Neerukonda
Alberto Parra
Mrugesh Patel
Vinaya Potluri
Bibas Reddy
Rachel Theriault
Robyn Young
Orthopedic
Surgery
Gurpreet Bajaj
Eric Barcak
Bret Beavers
Michael Boothby
Michael Briseno
Stephen Brotherton
James Burnett
Curtis Bush
Paul Chong
William Crawford
Thad Dean
Kerry Donegan
John Drkulec
Von Evans
Hannah Kim
George Lebus
Andrew Lee
Matthew Mayfield
Keith Meister
Joe Milne
Bryan Ming
Jeffrey Moffett
Ryan Mulligan
Arvind Nana
Di Parks
Shiv Patel
Pat Peters
William Pientka
Mayme RichieGillespie
Hugo Sanchez
Bantoo Sehgal
Steven Singleton
Eric Stehly
Donald Stewart
Casey Stuhlman
John Thomas
Brian Webb
Nathan Williams
Otolaryngology
Mary Ashmead
Sean Callahan
Opeoluwa Daniyan
Yadro Ducic
John Fewins
Kristen Honsinger
Christopher Lee
Michelle Marcincuk
John McIntyre
Doctors listed left to right:
Opeoluwa Daniyan, MD Otolaryngology
2302 Lone Star Road, Suite 220 Mansfield, TX 76063
682-341-7220
Texas Health Mansfield
Sonia Bajaj, MD Rheumatology
795 E FM 1187, Suite A Crowley, TX 76036
817-293-9631
Texas Health Huguley Hospital
Chandra Chellappan, MD OB/GYN
11803 S FRWY #208
Burleson, TX 76028
817-551-9339
Texas Health Huguley Hospital
Daniel Chadwick, MD Family Practice
901 E FM 1187 Crowley, TX 76036
817-568-2023
Dunn & Chadwick/Texas Health Huguley
Wesley Marquart, MD
General Surgery
11803 S FRWY #112
Burleson, TX 76028
817-293-5547
Texas Health Huguley Hospital
Congratulations to our 2022 Top Doctors!
Texas Health Medical Associates manages the practices of over 30 primary care and specialty physicians with offices spread throughout the North Texas area. Providing compassionate, high-quality care is our thing. Whether you’re looking for a family doctor or specialized care, our expansive network of providers has you covered.
PRINT IS MEMORABLE.
Print creates an emotional connection. Print builds relationships.
Physical material is more “real” to the brain, involves more emotional processing, is better connected to memory, with greater internalization of ads — all important for brand associations. (FORBES)
T O P D O C T O R S 2022
Rene Pena
Timothy Ragsdale
Jordan Rihani
Charles Saadeh
Tyler Scoresby
Jesse Smith
Stuart Thomas
Ceisha Ukatu
Andrew Vories
Jeremy Watkins
Jonathan Wu
Pain Management
Mark Dirnberger
Raul Llanos
Robert Menzies
Melissa Murphy
Christopher Pratt
Thomas Ratino
Steve Simpson
Christopher Tucker
Pediatric Neurology
Cynthia Keator
Palliative Care
Alvin Mathe
Shawnta PittmanHobbs
Pediatric Urology
Blake Palmer
Pathology
Steven Mudrovich
Milan Vuitch
Pediatrics
Diane Arnaout
Elizabeth Becker
Priya Bui
Candace Gamble
Aakanksha Gera
Toyya Goodrich
Daniel Guzman
Nusrath Habiba
Raheela Hafeez
Maha Haroon
Eriel Hayes
Mark Jones
Suzanne Kelley
Ramon Kinloch
Kathryn Mandal
Devona Martin
Sarah Matches
Bradley Mercer
Lindsay Newton
Huggins
Alice Phillips
Jenica Rose-Stine
Bianka Soria-Olmos
Kara Starnes
Jason Terk
Amani Terrell
Andrea Wadley
Krystyna Wesp
Kevin Wylie
Plastic
Reconstructive
Surgery
Saad Alsubaie
Robert Anderson
Casey Anderson
Edgar Bedolla
Steven Camp
Mark Daniels
Dustin Derrick
Nabil Habash
Jonathan Heistein
Kelly Kunkel
Jon Kurkjian
Danielle LeBlanc
Emily McLaughlin
Sasha Obaid
Maxim Pekarev
Kiran Polavarapu
Larry Reaves
Vishnu Rumalla
Louis Strock
Podiatry
Glen Beede
Dharmesh “Dan”
Bhakta
Michael Downey
Excellence and Leadership in Caring for Patients with Kidney Disease
Dallas Nephrology Associates (DNA) and DNA Fort Worth Kidney Centers have been trusted sources of information and top-quality kidney care in the Dallas/Fort Worth area since 1971. DNA provides care for patients with kidney disease, hypertension, kidney transplants and complicated electrolyte disorders. As one of the largest teams of kidney specialists in the United States, we are focused on providing patients and referring physicians with expert care and evaluation of kidney disorders.
Our physicians continue to take the lead in fighting chronic kidney disease, diabetes and hypertension through leadership roles in education and research.
Teresa McLemore, PA-C, FNKF
Daniel S. Richey, DO
Dr. Faryal Niazi, MD Fort Worth Magazine Top Doc
FORT WORTH OFFICE LOCATIONS:
• Crowley
• Fort Worth
• Keller
• Weatherford
RESEARCH:
• Renal Disease Research Institute
TRANSPLANT:
Mariana Yager, MD
• Dallas Transplant Institute
• Baylor Scott & White All Saints Medical Center - Fort Worth
• Baylor University Medical Center Dallas
• Medical City Dallas Healthcare
• Methodist Dallas Medical Center
VASCULAR ACCESS CENTERS:
• Vascular Center Dallas
• Vascular Center Plano
Bipin R. Bista, MD
Bernard V. Fischbach, MD, CCRP
Angelito F. Yango, Jr., MD
Ali Clark, APRN, FNP-C
Asa Deep Koganti, MD
Michelle DiNubila, RN, ACNP-BC
Helping North Texans Age With Dignity
MEDICAL SPECIALTY: Emergency Medicine; BACKGROUND: Dr. Black is a 13-year military veteran who attended Medical School at the University of Texas Medical Branch and graduated AOA. Tom completed his EM residency at Indiana University. While in training, Tom began reading about Finance and Real Estate, looking for ways to create tax efficient investments to support future earnings. After becoming a Board-Certified Emergency Physician, Tom started investing and developing Real Estate projects, furthering his “hands-on” education. After 6 years of personal success, he founded Napali Capital to create avenues for colleagues to partner. Dr. Black has completed his M.B.A. from Haslam College of Business at the University of Tennessee and is one of the Managing Partners/Founders of Napali Capital.
About Napali Capital: Napali Capital is a Real Estate investment company that partners with physicians to increase their wealth beyond traditional investment platforms. The company was founded in 2016 by Tom and his brother Tim. Tim Black spent 30 years as an executive in hospitality, operations and Real Estate development. Prior to the formation of Napali Capital Tim was the Chief Operations Officer of Great Wolf Resorts North America overseeing their 20+ resorts development and operations. Together, they were able build a brand providing opportunities for investors. Napali Capital was recently ranked #21 in 2020 Inc. 5000 list of America’s FastestGrowing Private Companies and ranked high again in 2021. Napali works with over 2,000 investors in 43 states. The company has grown to ½ Billion dollars in assets under management.
VNA Hospice Care
• Focus is on quality of life and comfort
• Symptom management experts
• Patient and family-centered care approach
• A comprehensive clinical team dedicated to meeting the goals of the patient and family
• In-home visits at a time that is convenient for you
• Coordination with your primary care physician
Breast surgery
Vaishali Kent, MD
Cardiothoracic surgery
Jeffrey Wu, MD
Family medicine
Kathryn Byrd, DO
Daria Greer, MD
Margaret Holland, MD
Craig Kneten, MD
Allyson Matthys, DO
Clark Meador, DO
Sarah Meredith, DO
Brighton Miller, DO
James Murphy, MD
Rezwana Rahman, DO
Joyce Stroud, DO
Richard Stuntz, MD
Gastroenterology
Melvin Simien, MD
Hepatology
Manjushree Gautam, MD
Stevan Gonzalez, MD
Neurosurgery
Atif Haque, MD
Palliative medicine
Shawnta PittmanHobbs, MD
Psychiatry
Ashley Johnson, DO
Thomas Black, M.D. M.B.A
Congratulations to our 2022 Top Doctors!
Abdullah Abdussalam, MD
Gastroenterology
2302 Lone Star Road, Suite 200 Mansfield, TX 76063
682-341-7210
Texas Health Mansfield
Aakanksha Gera, MD
Pediatrics
11807 South Freeway. #365 Burleson, TX 76028
817-551-5539
Texas Health Huguley Hospital
Maha Haroon, MD
Pediatrics
11807 South Freeway. #365 Burleson, TX 76028
817-551-5539
Texas Health Huguley Hospital
Scharles Konadu, MD
Gastroenterology
12001 S FRWY # 300
Burleson, TX 76028
682-268-6670
Texas Health Huguley Hospital
Maria Martinez General Surgery
11803 S FRWY # 112 Burleson, TX 76028
817-293-5547
Texas Health Huguley Hospital
Erica Sails, MD
Family Practice
1757 Broad Park Cir. N. # 201 Mansfield, TX 76063
817-806-1130
Texas Health Mansfield
William Thomas, DO
Family Practice
220 SW Wilshire Blvd. Burleson, TX 76028
817-447-8080
Texas Health Huguley Hospital
Ceisha Ukatu, MD
Otolaryngology
12001 S FRWY # 209 Burleson, TX 76028
682-385-7010
Texas Health Huguley Hospital
Christiaan Webb, MD
OB/GYN
2302 Lone Star Road, Suite 260 Mansfield, TX 76063
682-341-7330
Texas Health Mansfield
Texas Health Medical Associates manages the practices of over 30 primary care and specialty physicians with offices spread throughout the North Texas area. Providing compassionate, high-quality care is our thing. Whether you’re looking for a family doctor or specialized care, our expansive network of providers has you covered.
T O P D O C T O R S 2022
Gary Driver
Alan Garrett
Gregory Jaryga
Lena Levine
Travis Motley
Philip Parr
Brady Rhodes
Dalton Ryba
Christopher Werner
Pulmonology
Sherif Al-Farra
Hisham Bismar
Kevin Connelly
Steven Davis
Salam Jarrah
Andrew Miller Gbonjubola Onawunmi
Paras Patel
Harpeet Suri
Psychiatry/ Neurology
Helene Alphonso
Debra Atkisson
Sandra Davis
Dustin DeMoss
Brian Dixon
Marija Djokovic
James Haliburton
Cheryl Hurd
Ashley Johnson
Gunit Kahlon
Carol Nati
Nekesha Oliphant
Thomas Pierce
Alan Podawiltz
Garrick Prejean
Paul Schneider
Ramya Seeni
Douglas Segars
Leslie Smith
Erica Swicegood
Ross Tatum
Amelia Villagomez
Radiation/ Oncology
Jerry Barker
Ajay Dubey
Kathleen Shide
Nabila Waheed
Radiology/ Diagnostic/ Interventional
Stuart Aronson
Thangamadhan Bosemani
Jeffry Brace
Adam Chandler
Matthew Fiesta
Ronald Gerstle
Erin Happ
Craig Harr
Ikponmwosa Iyamu
Tom Livingston
Curtis Mitchell
Keith Pettibon
Robert Reeb
William Gregory
Reese
Kanwar Singh
Scott Smith
Lloyd Wilbert
Rehabilitation/ Physical Medicine
Lan Le
Ricardo (Aaron)
Miranda
Christina Nguyen
Omar Selod
Neha Shah
Kristen Taylor
Austen Watkins
Benecia Williams
Michael Wimmer
Reproductive Endocrinology
Ravi Gada
Robert Kaufmann
Laura Lawrence
Anna Nackley
Robin Thomas
Health
HSC Health is the academic clinical practice of the University of North Texas Health Science Center at Fort Worth . Our primary and specialty care clinics are focused on improving health outcomes in our community, through a patient-centered approach.
Our doctors have been recognized consistently for more than a decade as the most respected in the DFW area.
James Aston, DO Family Medicine, Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine
Sandra Davis, MD Psychiatry
Toyya Goodrich, DO Pediatrics
Hansen, DO Family Medicine, Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine, Sports Medicine
Janice Knebl, DO, MBA Chief Medical Officer HSC Health Geriatrics
Michael Carletti, DO Dermatology
Nusrath Habiba, MD Pediatrics
Kendi Hensel, DO, PhD Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine
Priya Bui, DO Pediatrics
Malinda
Raheela Hafeez, MD Pediatrics
Didi Ebert-Blackurn, DO Family Medicine
John Orr, DO Neurology
Geoffrey Kline, DO, PhD Cardiology
Stephen Weis, DO Dermatology
Long Hoang, DO Gastroenterology
Christopher Medina, DO Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine
Jay Roop, DO Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine
Ryan Seals, DO Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine
Yein Lee, DO
Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine, Performing Arts Medicine
Meaghan Nelsen, DO Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine
Katrina Roop, DO Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine
Sajid Surve, DO Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine, Performing Arts Medicine
DO Pediatrics
Dante Paredes, DO Family Medicine, Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine
Ross, DO Geriatrics
Sarah
Monte Troutman, DO Gastroenterology
Sarah Matches,
T O P D O C T O R S 2022
Rheumatology
Sonia Bajaj
Priyanka Jalandhara
Rajni Kalagate
Brooke Mills
Rosy Rajbhandary
Trauma and Surgical Critical Care
Rajesh Gandhi
Van Johnson
Richard Miller
Spine Surgery
James Brezina
Douglas Dickson
Christopher Happ
Neil Patel
Jeffery Phelps
Cezar Sandu
Mark Wylie
Urology
Jeffrey Applewhite
James Kelley
F.H. Trey Moore
Jeff Pugach
David Rittenhouse
Robert Stroud
Scott Thurman
Todd Young
Sports Medicine
Alex Autry
Elizabeth Batterton
Greg Bratton
Daniel Clearfield
Sarah Kennedy
Steven Meyers
Gregory Moore
Thoracic Surgery
Richard Vigness
Vascular Surgery
Besem Beteck
Saadi Halbouni
Breast Oncology Surgery
Dr. Anita Chow
Dr. Joseph Heyne
Cardiology
Dr. Scott Ewing
Colon & Rectal Surgery
Dr. Jason Allen
Dr Eduardo Castillo
Dr. Lori Gordon
Dr. Glen Hooker
Dr. Paul Senter
General Surgery
Dr. Travis Crudup
Dr. John Birbari
Dr. Lee Bloemendal
Dr. Domingo Tan
General/Family Practice
Dr. Norma Escamilla
Hand Surgery
Dr. Nathan Lesley
Dr. Ryan Reardon
Dr. Eric Wroten
Dr. Eric Wroten
Internal Medicine
Dr. Alan Davenport
Dr. Craig Dearden
Dr. Jason Ledbetter
Dr. Jason Ledbetter
Dr. Amber Lesley
Obstetrics & Gynecology
Dr. Lori Atkins
Dr. Catherine Bevan
Dr. Taylor Bradley
Dr. Lindsay Breedlove Tate
Dr. Cynthia English
Dr. Jamie Erwin
Dr. James Herd
Dr. Natalie Hughes
Dr. Jacqueline Garda
Dr. Ashita Gehlot
Dr. Sunny Glenn
Dr. Martha Guerra
Dr. Ingrid Kohlmorgen
Dr. Bea Kutzler
Dr. Alicia Larsen
Dr. Rachel Lusby
Dr. William Maxwell
Dr. Andrea Palmer
Dr. Martin Read
Dr. Elisabeth Wagner
Dr. Ruth Wiley
Dr. Robert Zwerneman
Ophthalmology
Dr. Mark Alford
Dr. Matthew Hammons
Orthopedic Surgery
Dr. Stephen Brotherton
Dr. Andrew Lee
Dr. Joe Milne
Dr. Torrance Walker
Otolaryngology
Dr. Sean Callahan
Dr.Yadro Ducic
Dr. John Fewins
Dr. John Brad McIntyre
Dr. Jesse Smith
Dr. Andrew Vories
Dr. Jeremy Watkins
Pain Management
Dr. Chris Pratt
Dr. Thomas Ratino
Rheumatology
Dr. Rajni Kalagate
Spine Surgery
Dr. James Brezina
Sports Medicine
Dr. Gregory Bratton
Dr. Steven Meyers
Vascular Surgery
Dr. David Stroman
Amir Aboutalebi 167
Cristi Aitelli 180
Debra Atkisson 146
Chris Bajaj 149
Bret Beavers 168
Glen Beede 181
Besem Beteck 138-139
Nikhil Bhayani 182
Michael Boothby 168
Taylor Bradley 153
James Brezina 179
Denise Bruckerhoff 182
Sean Callahan 151
Chandra Chellappan 145
Noelle Cloven 180
Mark Daniels
Thad Dean 143
Tai Do
Michael Downey
Gary Driver
John Drkulec
Cynthia English
Craig Kneten
Ingrid Kohlmorgen
Aaleya Koreishi
Nikisha Kothari
Mughal
Murphy
John Fewins
Ashita Gehlot
Martha Guerra 165
James Haden 142
Saadi Halbouni 138-139
Atif Haque 183
Jonathan Heistein 174
Jerry Hu 140-141
Nishant Jalandhara 123
Gregory Jaryga 181
Nezar Jrebi 138-139
Hyungmin Jung 138-139
Robert Kaufmann 160
Shawnta Pittman-Hobbs
Rosy Rajbhandary
Brian Ranelle
Morvarid Rezaie
Not every Doctor who was named a Top Doctor in the Greater Fort Worth area chose to purchase a profile in this special advertising section Advertising has no bearing on how the list of Top Doctors was determined
HOW TO USE THIS ADVERTISING DIRECTORY: In the editorial section, starting on page 98, the doctors are listed by specialty To learn more about the doctors in the specialty in which you are interested, look up their profiles on the following pages
FOCUS Doctors
The doctor-patient relationship is one of life’s most important partnerships, and choosing the right practitioner can make a marked difference. To help you select a practitioner who will meet your needs, the following doctors want to tell you more about themselves, their practices, and how partnering with them will improve the quality of your life.
The information in this section is provided by the advertisers and has not been independently verified by Fort Worth Magazine.
FOCUS DOCTORS
Accent On You
Cosmetic Surgery Center and Medical Spa
Y. Anthony Nakamura, M.D., P.A.
SPECIALTY: Plastic Surgery. EDUCATION: B.A., UT Austin; M.D., UTMB, Galveston; Intern resident and general surgery, LSU School of Medicine, Charity Hospital New Orleans; Plastic Surgery resident, UTMB, Galveston. CERTIFICATION: Board certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery. PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS: American Society of Plastic Surgeons, American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons, Texas Medical Association, Fellow of the American College of Surgeons, Dallas Society of Plastic Surgeons, Fort Worth Society of Plastic Surgeons. WHAT SETS US APART: My concentration in the body contouring part of aesthetic surgery, as well as 30-plus years of experience in knowing what works and what doesn’t.
COSMETIC SURGERY CENTER SERVICES: Breast enlargement, breast lift, liposuction body contouring, Tummy tuck, waist tuck and mommy makeover. MEDI SPA SERVICES: Cosmetic fillers, Restylane/ Juvederm, Botox®/Dysport®, medical grade facials/chemical peels, microdermabrasion, SkinPen ®, ThermaVein, AquaGold®, Diamond Glow, and vitamin B12 shots.
PATIENT CARE: My goal is to create a beautiful and natural appearance. To ensure the highest level of care possible, our beautiful facility combines a surgery center that is fully accredited by the American Association for Accreditation of Ambulatory Surgery Facilities, Inc. with a medical spa. We are one of very few surgery centers that has a private, one doctor, fully accredited facility. CHARITABLE WORK: Boys & Girls Club, Wounded Warrior, and CWC.
Accent On You
3030 S. Cooper St. Arlington, Texas 76015
817.417.7200
Fax 817.417.7300 accentonyou.com
Fort Worth Plastic Surgery & MedSpa FOCUS DOCTORS
MEDICAL SPECIALTY: Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery. EDUCATION/CERTIFICATIONS: Robert G. Anderson, M.D. – American Board of Plastic Surgery, American Board of Otolaryngology – Head & Neck Surgery. Tony Daniels, M.D. – American Board of Plastic Surgery. Dustin C. Derrick, M.D. –American Board of Surgery; American Board of Plastic Surgery - Board Eligible. AWARDS/HONORS: Voted Top Docs 2001–2022 by peers in Fort Worth Magazine; voted Top Docs 2017–2022 by peers in 360 West Magazine; awarded a “Best Companies to Work for in Fort Worth” by Fort Worth Inc.; honored by Forbes magazine as Top Ten Reconstructive & Cosmetic Surgeon in the U.S. and by Newsweek magazine as a Texas Plastic Surgeon You
Should Know. MEMBERSHIPS/AFFILIATIONS: Drs. Anderson and Daniels – American Society of Plastic Surgery, American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, North Texas Specialty Physicians, American Board of Plastic Surgery. Dr. Derrick – Texas Society of Plastic Surgery, American Society of Plastic Surgeons, Clinical Assistant Professor at UNT HSC. HOSPITAL AFFILIATIONS: Baylor Surgical Hospital, Texas Health Fort Worth, Baylor Scott & White All Saints, Medical City Fort Worth, Texas Health Southwest. GREATEST PROFESSIONAL ACHIEVEMENTS: Earning the trust and respect of our patients for decades; they each become part of the FWPS family. INNOVATIONS: We constantly review and incorporate new technologies and treatments designed
to enhance patient outcomes, such as the ASPEN system for nonsurgical management of capsular contracture. UNIQUE PATIENT CARE: We intentionally limit the number of patients seen each day to provide ample time to address any and all patient concerns. We value quality over quantity. FREE ADVICE: Think beyond this procedure and look for a practice and provider who will be here for your future needs too. Obtain multiple consultations and pick the provider with whom you feel most comfortable. PICTURED: (left to right) Kassidy Sherley; Cynthia Hall; Monica Munoz; Dustin C. Derrick,
M.D.; Lauren Duke; Robert G. Anderson, M.D.; Tony Daniels, M.D.; Erin Clark, Kathy Hindman, Tina Heatley, Melissa Smith.
Key-Whitman Eye Center
SPECIALTY: Ophthalmology – adult eye care including treatment for cataracts, glaucoma, diabetes, and dry eyes. Also offering laser vision correction and high-tech lens implants for reduced dependence on glasses and contacts, as well as cosmetic eyelid surgery.
EDUCATION/CERTIFICATIONS: Chian-Huey “Amy” Hong, M.D. – cum laude, Columbia University; B.A., pre-med and economics; medical degree, UT Southwestern Medical School; internship, ophthalmology residency and glaucoma fellowship, Tulane School of Medicine. Ronald Barke, M.D. – undergraduate and medical school, University of Southern California; internship, Los Angeles County University of Southern California Medical Center; fellowship, Jules Stein Eye Institute in lens and cataract biochemistry; training, UT Southwestern Medical School, fellowship in oculoplastics and residency in ophthalmology; currently on staff as a clinical volunteer at UT Southwestern Medical School. Leslie Pfeiffer, M.D. –Duke University, B.A., pre-med and Public Policy Studies; medical degree, The University of Texas Medical School at Houston; two-year fellowship in oculoplastics at the Eyesthetica and USC Roski Eye Institute at the Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles. WHAT SETS THEM APART: Key-Whitman is one of the few eye centers that offers the full range of options to improve your vision, with customized LASIK and high-tech lenses for cataract procedures.
INNOVATIONS: The advances in high-tech lenses like the Vivity, PanOptix, Symfony, Tecnis Multifocal, Trulign, Crystalens, ReSTOR, and the Toric lens using the latest techniques with Femtosecond laser, which give many patients a wide range of vision for near or far distances with less dependency on glasses or contacts. FREE ADVICE: Everyone needs to have regular eye health exams. Oftentimes, permanent vision loss can be easily prevented with early diagnosis and treatment of conditions before any symptoms are present.
PICTURED: (front) Leslie Pfeiffer, M.D.; C. Amy Hong, M.D.; Ronald Barke, M.D.; (back) Alfred Humphrey, M.D.; and Tara Hardin, O.D.
Key-Whitman Eye Center
910 N. Davis Drive • Arlington, Texas 76012
400 W. Arbrook Blvd. • Arlington, Texas 76014
3400 North Tarrant Parkway • Fort Worth, Texas 76177
MEDICAL SPECIALTY: General Surgery, Trauma Surgery, Surgical Oncology, Robotics, Minimally Invasive, Bariatrics, Vascular Surgery, and Colorectal Surgery. AWARDS/HONORS: Several doctors are Trauma Medical Directors, Chief of Surgery, and hold leadership positions at the hospitals or serve on the board of directors. PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS/AFFILIATIONS: Texas Medical Association, FACS, Board Certified, ASCRS, ASMBS, Society for Vascular Surgery. HOSPITAL AFFILIATIONS: Medical City Fort Worth, Medical City North Hills, Medical City Alliance, Medical City Arlington, Medical City Las Colinas, Medical City Weatherford, Medical City Plano/Frisco, THR Fort Worth, THR Alliance, Methodist Southlake, THR Southwest Fort Worth, THR Mansfield, THR Huguley, THR Arlington, THR Flower Mound, Baylor Frisco, Baylor Scott & White All Saints, Carrollton Regional Medical Center, Hills Regional Medical Center. INNOVATIONS:
North Texas Surgical Specialists doctors are trained in the latest Robotics, Laparoscopic, General Surgery, Endo Vascular and Colorectal techniques. Our surgeons, including Colorectal, use the DaVinci Surgical Robot, which allows the surgeons to perform procedures with more control and precision. The benefits of robotic surgery include shorter hospitalization, faster recovery time, minimal scarring, reduced pain and discomfort. Regarding Vascular, this is a surgical subspecialty that manages a variety of conditions such as carotid stenosis, peripheral arterial disease, aneurysms, leg swelling, and varicose veins. We emphasize the role of conservative measures with medical therapy and lifestyle modifications prior to proceeding with any intervention. Our Vascular surgeons can perform minimally invasive catheter-based interventions as well as open surgical procedures to provide the best outcomes for the patient. Another subspeciality within the
practice is Colorectal which manages a variety of benign and malignant conditions such as diverticulitis; colon, rectal and anal cancer; inflammatory bowel disease such as Crohn’s Disease and ulcerative colitis; and wide spectrum of perianal disease such as anal fistula, fissure, and hemorrhoids. Our colorectal surgeons are also experts at rectal prolapse surgery. FREE ADVICE: The patient’s relationship with the surgeon is crucial. Our surgeons provide a patient-centered approach, which is key to the patient’s overall health and better outcomes. PICTURED: (Back) Dr. Steve Schierling, Dr. Jay Patel, Dr. Saadi Halbouni, Dr. Paresh Rajajoshiwala, Rob San Miguel – Vice President of Operations, Dr. Andre Graham. (Front) Dr. Hyungmin Jung, Dr. Tai Do, Dr. Ashley Mekala, Dr. Denish Patel, Dr. Long Nguyen, Dr. Leslie Reddell, Dr. Nezar Jrebi. (Not Pictured) Dr. Besem Beteck, Dr. Cathryn Coleman, Dr. Arvind Patel.
North Texas Surgical Specialists
800 Eighth Ave., Ste. 306 Fort Worth, Texas 76104
Main Office 682.224.3748
Fax 682.841.0039
ntxsurgical.com
FOCUS DOCTORS
WHAT SETS THEM APART: Texas Eye and Laser Center (TELC) has been a mainstay in Tarrant County for more than 45 years. They have been offering LASIK and PRK in Tarrant County since 1997 and have remained at the forefront of laser vision correction ever since. In 2011, TELC introduced LenSx® Blade-Free Laser-Assisted Cataract Surgery to the metroplex. As clinical investigators in numerous FDA studies, they have also pioneered in each generation of intraocular lenses for the treatment of cataract, presbyopia, and astigmatism, including the PanOptix trifocal implant, Tecnis Synergy IOL which combines extended depth of focus and multifocal technology, Vivity extended-depth-of-focus lens, Tecnis Toric II lens, and light-adjustable-lens by RxSight. In 2019, they brought to Fort Worth the most advanced laser vision correction — SMILE (aka no-flap LASIK). Advanced technologies aside, what makes Drs. Hu and Ranelle truly special is their emphasis on personal touch and exceptional patient experience. AREAS OF SPECIALITY: TELC offers a complete range of eye-care services including Blade-Free Customized LASIK; SMILE (no-flap LASIK); LenSx® Blade-Free Laser-Assisted Cataract Surgery; premium cataract implants including PanOptix, Synergy IOL, Vivity, Tecnis Symfony, Toric IOLs, light-adjustable-lens by RxSight, Visian™ Phakic ICL; cornea collagen crosslinking (CXL), Intacs intracorneal rings, corneal transplants; glaucoma care; treatment of macular degeneration, and diabetic eye disease. EDUCATION: Jerry G. Hu, M.D. – Duke University School of Medicine; fellowship in Cornea and Refractive Surgery, Jules Stein Eye Institute, UCLA; Certified, American Board of Ophthalmology. Brian D. Ranelle, D.O. – University of Texas, Austin; Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences Medical School; Certified, American Board of Ophthalmology. INNOVATIONS: TELC is nationally recognized as a leading investigational site for numerous FDA clinical trials of advanced intraocular lens implants including the latest PanOptix trifocal IOL. Drs. Hu and Ranelle are early adopters of many diagnostic and surgical devices including ORA Intraoperative Wavefront Aberrometry. TELC offers a full range of advanced technology packages that enable patients to see clearly at all distances with little to no dependency on glasses after cataract surgery. Their state-of-the-art facilities include an on-site Laser Vision Correction Suite, the AAAHC-accredited Texas Eye Surgery Center, and Texas Eye Research Center where patients can become participants of FDA clinical trials. PICTURED: Jerry G. Hu, M.D.; Brian D. Ranelle, D.O. NOT PICTURED: Stacey Webb, O.D.; Keith Head, O.D.; D’Laine Heisterkamp, O.D.; and Megan Wagner, O.D.
Texas Eye and Laser Center
1872 Norwood Drive • Hurst, Texas 76054
3405 Locke Ave. • Fort Worth, Texas 76107
817.540.6060 • Fax 817.571.9301 texaseyelaser.com
Jerry G. Hu, M.D.; Brian D. Ranelle, D.O.
SPECIALTY: Board certified in allergy and immunology, treating adult and pediatric patients. HONORS: Consistently named a “Top Doc” in Fort Worth Magazine, Dr. Haden has been frequently quoted in newspapers and featured on local and national news discussing the impact and control of allergies. PRACTICE PHILOSOPHY: The patient is always the focus, not the disease. We offer tailored, individualized care for allergies, asthma, and related conditions. Treatment regimens are customized to the patient’s needs and lifestyle. Few conditions affect quality of life more than allergy-based symptoms, resulting in missed days of school and work, lost productivity, and fatigue due to the impact of allergies on quality of sleep. Allergies can impact almost every facet of a person’s life. Our practice empowers our patients to take control of their symptoms. INNOVATIONS: RUSH immunotherapy, a “jump start” to the allergy shot process that provides relief months faster than traditional allergy shots with very high patient satisfaction. We employ multiple latest-generation injection and infusion asthma therapies. Also, we were one of the first private sites in Texas to be chosen to deliver COVID-19 vaccine and have remained at the forefront of pandemic treatment, safety, and response techniques. CONDITIONS TREATED: Allergies (nasal and eye), asthma, food allergy, recurrent infections, immune deficiency, sinusitis, headache, medication allergy, hives, chronic cough and many others.
Allergy and Asthma Clinic of Fort Worth
1000 College Ave.
Fort Worth, Texas 76104
817.336.8855
Fax 817.336.4228
allergyfortworth.com
FOCUS DOCTORS
SPECIALTY: Founded in 1996, AOA Orthopedic Specialists has grown to be the largest orthopedic provider in North Texas. Offering seven offices conveniently located throughout the metroplex in Arlington, Mansfield, Irving, Dallas, Midlothian, Fort Worth, and Waxahachie. Specializing in sports medicine, orthopedic surgery, spine care, joint replacement and reconstruction, foot and ankle, hand, and the care of bones, ligaments, tendons, muscles and nerves in adults and children. SERVICES: Additional services include physical medicine and rehabilitation, as well as state-of-the-art imaging and diagnostics services, stem cell therapy, roboticassisted knee replacement, and robotic-assisted spine surgery. PICTURED: (left to right) Dr. John Drkulec, specialized in orthopedics and sports medicine; Dr. Thad Dean, specialized in joint replacement, complex joint revision, and orthopedic oncology.
AOA Orthopedic Specialists
2801 E. Broad St. • Mansfield, Texas 76063
800 Orthopedic Way • Arlington, Texas 76015
2005 W. Park Drive, Ste. 100 • Irving, Texas 75061
6900 Harris Parkway, Ste. 310 • Fort Worth, Texas 76132
7999 W. Virginia Drive • Dallas, Texas 75237
1441 S. Midlothian Parkway • Midlothian, Texas 76065
SPECIALTY: Audiologist. EDUCATION: Master’s degree, Speech and Hearing Sciences; doctorate degree in Audiology. AWARDS/HONORS: Great Woman of Texas award; Top Docs, Entrepreneur of Excellence 2019; Elite Outstanding Patient Care award 2020. Various Advisory Boards. GREATEST PROFESSIONAL ACHIEVEMENTS: Starting my own practice. In the process, I’ve loved creating and building a strong team of people and a fun culture. We look for ways to lead and inspire our team and our patients and continuously work on improvements. INNOVATIONS: We’re always looking for new innovations that will improve our patients’ lives. Having no affiliation to specific manufacturers is great; we try everything! We have exceptional solutions for our hearing-impaired, tinnitus patients, and those looking for hearing protection. Earwax removal: We have a great irrigation system that is creating raving fans – check us out on TikTok at get flushed. PATIENT CARE: We care about what we do; we love our patients and often hear they feel like they’re a “part of our family.” Our primary goal is to educate and explain the process and the test results. We utilize a great tool called HearVu which simulates hearing loss and creates a great opportunity for patients and others to finally understand the results. PICTURED: Jan Hurn; Danna Presbaugh; Aimee Plummer, LAA; Dr. Lydia Sancer; Dr. Robin Carson; Melinda Bronstad; Dr. Erich Gessling.
5104 Camp Bowie Blvd. Fort Worth, Texas 76107
817.737.4327
Fax 817.737.4328
carsonhearing.com
rcarson@carsonhearing.com
Carson Hearing Care
Carson Hearing Care
FOCUS DOCTORS
SPECIALTY: OB-GYN. EDUCATION/CERTIFICATIONS: Doctor of Medicine from Texas A&M University; Residency completed at John Peter Smith Hospital; Board Certified in Obstetrics and Gynecology; Fellow of American Congress of Obstetrics and Gynecology. AWARDS/HONORS: Texas Monthly Super Doctors Texas Rising Stars, 2019, 2020, and 2021; Fort Worth Magazine Top Doc multiple years; Mom-Approved Physician of DFWChild Magazine, 2014-2022. MEMBERSHIPS/ AFFILIATIONS: American Medical Association; American Congress of Obstetrics and Gynecology. HOSPITAL AFFILIATIONS: Texas Health Huguley Hospital Fort Worth South. INNOVATIONS: Minimally invasive procedures, including DaVinci laparoscopy. PICTURED: Chandra Chellappan and Marci Anthony, ANP.
MEDICAL SPECIALTY: Connections Wellness Group specializes in mental health and provides a comprehensive array of services designed to treat anything from the common cold to acute depression. EDUCATION/CERTIFICATIONS: Awstin Gregg — Texas A&M Commerce, MSW and MBA; licensed clinical social worker and licensed chemical dependency counselor. Dr. Atkisson – Texas Tech University School of Medicine and the Karl Menninger School of Psychiatry; board-certified in adult and child and adolescent psychiatry; Associate Certified Coach, International Coaching Federation.
RECOGNITIONS: Connections Wellness Group — Best Mental Health Practice, Best Psychiatry Practice, Best Child & Adolescent Practice, and Best Trauma Treatment Center. Awstin Gregg –Social Worker of the Year, 2018; Entrepreneur of the Year, 2019; CEO and founder of Connections Wellness Group. Dr. Atkisson — Distinguished Service Award, Texas Society of Psychiatric Physicians; John R. Bush Leadership Excellence Award, Federation of Texas Psychiatry; Resident and Fellow Mentor Award, American Psychiatric Association; Fort Worth Magazine Top Doctor; Texas Monthly Super Doctor; Regional Medical Director of Connections Wellness Group.
UNIQUE PATIENT CARE: We empower our patients to take the steps moving forward to their wellness. FREE ADVICE: Do not hesitate to seek help for any mental health concerns you have. Taking that first step can move you to the positive place you wish to be. PICTURED: Awstin Gregg, MBA, LCSW, LCDC; Debra Atkisson, M.D.
Connections Wellness Group
3312 Teasley Lane, Building 100 Denton, Texas 76201 940.222.2399
ConnectionsWellnessGroup.com
FOCUS DOCTORS
SPECIALTY: Dr. Koreishi and Dr. Ple-plakon are fellowship-trained, board-certified ophthalmologists providing compassionate, cutting-edge specialty care in cornea transplantation, cataract and refractive surgery. They are experienced in the newest cornea transplant techniques, advanced cataract surgery and intraocular lenses, and LASIK surgery. They perform the only FDA-approved corneal crosslinking procedure for keratoconus.
EDUCATION: Dr. Koreishi — B.S. and M.D., University of Michigan; ophthalmology residency, Johns Hopkins Hospital; fellowship in Cornea, External Disease and Refractive Surgery, Bascom Palmer Eye Institute. Dr. Ple-plakon — B.A., Rice University; M.D. and ophthalmology residency, University of Michigan; fellowship in Cornea, External Disease and Refractive Surgery at Baylor College of Medicine.
PATIENT CARE: Drs. Koreishi and Ple-plakon are committed to providing quality and stateof-the-art care in a comfortable and friendly atmosphere. They believe patient education is the key to successful treatment and strive to educate their patients so that they can play a more active role in their treatment and recovery. Dr. Koreishi and Dr. Ple-plakon are humbled by the trust their patients put in them and honor that trust by providing the best care possible. The entire Cornea Consultants of Texas team strives to provide exceptional and individualized care to every patient.
MEDICAL SPECIALTY: Cosmetic Dentistry. EDUCATION/CERTIFICATIONS: Graduated cum laude, Texas A&M University, Biomedical Sciences; DDS Texas A&M Baylor College of Dentistry; Fellow, Academy of General Dentistry; expertly trained in advanced cosmetic dentistry procedures such as smile makeovers, veneers, and full mouth rehabilitations. PHILOSOPHY: My philosophy is one centered around time, trust, transparency, and truth. With each patient, I take time to understand how I can best partner with you to achieve your goals and to help you achieve peace of mind when it comes to your health. Dentistry is what we do well at Country Day Dental, but people are why we do it.
SERVICES: We offer a full range of cosmetic, restorative, and surgical options for our patients.
INNOVATIONS: My practice features innovative technology from 3D Cone Beam Imaging, to digital scanning to replace goopy impressions, to our Airflow device for a more thorough and comfortable cleaning, just to name a few. FREE ADVICE: Invest in an electric toothbrush; it will save you a lot on dental care. Floss before you brush. Be mindful of how acidic your foods and drinks are. It is never too late to make a positive change for your oral health.
4255 Bryant Irvin Road, Ste. 111 Fort Worth, Texas 76109
SPECIALTY/CERTIFICATIONS: All of our physicians are board-certified by The American Board of Internal Medicine in Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Metabolism. Drs. Bajaj, Lackan, and Tan are Fellows of the American College of Endocrinology and are Endocrine Certified Neck Ultrasonographers. OUR PRACTICE: DTC remains humbled to be proudly serving our community with the highest quality endocrinology care in Fort Worth. WHAT SETS US APART: Our providers deliver compassionate patient care with the most medically advanced treatments available. State-of-the-art and personalized care includes in-office thyroid ultrasonography, ultrasound-guided fine needle biopsy, radioactive iodine treatment, bone density measurement, and continuous glucose monitoring. DTC’s active clinical research trials in the fields of diabetes, lipid and osteoporosis management provide our patients with access to the newest therapies available. APPROACH: Our clinic specializes in a treatment philosophy built around a team approach to manage and prevent the complications of diseases including diabetes, osteoporosis, pituitary, adrenal and thyroid disorders. DTC continues to answer the needs of our patients with facilities in Southwest Fort Worth and Southlake. Our physicians are excited to share that DTC is in the planning stages of building a patient-centered, state-ofthe-art facility to better serve our community.
PICTURED: (left to right) Chris Bajaj, D.O.; Anjanette Tan, M.D. (@anjanettetanmd); Darren Lackan, M.D.
Diabetes and Thyroid Center of Fort Worth, PLLC
7801 Oakmont Blvd., Ste. 101 Fort Worth, Texas 76132
817.263.0007
Fax 817.263.1118
info@dtc-fw.com dtc-fw.com
Diabetes
Expert ENT Care
John L. Fewins, M.D., F.A.C.S.
Jennifer Booker, MSN, APRN, FNP-C
SPECIALTY: Otolaryngology – Head & Neck Surgery. EDUCATION/CERTIFICATIONS: B.A. biology, University of Pennsylvania; medical school, Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine; residency, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio; board certification, American Board of Otolaryngology. MEMBERSHIPS: American Academy of Otolaryngology – Head & Neck Surgery, Fellow of the American College of Surgeons, Fellow of the American Academy of Otolaryngic Allergy, Texas Medical Association, Texas Association of Otolaryngology, Tarrant County Medical Society. AFFILIATIONS: Baylor Scott & White Fort Worth, Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital Fort Worth, Texas Pediatric Surgery Center, Baylor Scott & White Surgicare Fort Worth. GREATEST ACHIEVEMENT: Earning the trust of thousands of individuals and families that have visited my Fort Worth office over the past 19 years. INNOVATIONS: All state-of-the-art techniques in ENT, such as in-office balloon sinus dilation, minimally invasive thyroid surgery, thermal tissue welding, Coblation plasma technology, allergy immunotherapy, video stroboscopy for voice, and the latest in hearing aid options. BEDSIDE MANNER: I am very honest and straightforward with all of my patients. More importantly, I treat each patient as if he or she were a member of my own family, recommending only what I would do for my wife, children, parents, or myself. PICTURED: Kim D. Miller, M.S., CCC/A; Donna Kilbourne, LVN; John L. Fewins, M.D., F.A.C.S.; and Jennifer Booker, M.S.N., A.P.R.N., F.N.P-C
Expert ENT Care
2000 Cooper St., Ste. 100A
Fort Worth, Texas 76104
817.335.0368
Fax 817.335.5766
expertENTcare.com
FOCUS DOCTORS
Fort Worth ENT
SPECIALTY: Otolaryngology. EDUCATION: Watkins – Louisiana State University of Medicine; Residency, University of Tennessee. McIntyre – University of Oklahoma Health Science Center; Residency, University of Texas Southwestern at Dallas. Callahan – University of Texas Southwestern at Dallas; Residency, University of Texas Southwestern at Dallas. AFFILIATIONS: Park Hill Surgery Center, Baylor Surgical Hospital, Baylor Scott & White, Medical City Surgery Center, Chisholm Trail Surgery Center. MEMBERSHIPS: Texas Medical Association, American Academy of Otolaryngology, American Board of Otolaryngology, American Rhinologic Society, American Academy of Otolaryngic Allergy. GREATEST INNOVATIONS: In-office balloon sinuplasty, minimally invasive sinus surgery, minimally invasive thyroid surgery, comprehensive allergy management (medications, allergy shots, and allergy drops), state-of-the-art hearing aids. PROFESSIONAL ACHIEVEMENTS: To maintain devoted relationships between physicians and staff, as well as their patients. BEDSIDE MANNER: We strive to care for each patient from a multidisciplinary perspective and treat each patient as if they were our own family. PICTURED: J. Brad McIntyre, M.D.; Jeremy P. Watkins, M.D.; Sean M. Callahan, M.D. Fort Worth ENT 5751 Edwards Ranch
817.332.8848 Fax 817.335.2670 fortworthent.net
Fort
SPECIALTY: Our physicians provide a wide range of services including comprehensive eye exams for children and adults, LASIK, monofocal, monofocal toric, multifocal, multifocal toric, extended depth of focus and extended depth of focus toric, advanced cataract surgery, contact lens fitting, eye muscle surgery, glaucoma care, diabetic eye exams, and dry eye treatment. The doctors also provide cosmetic injections including Botox®, Kybella®, Voluma XC® and Volbella® EDUCATION: Ann Ranelle, D.O. – Saint Mary’s University, Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences, pediatric ophthalmology fellowship at Children’s Hospital in Detroit, Michigan. Tyler Moore, M.D. – University of Texas, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center. Kacy Pate, O.D. – University of Oklahoma, Northeastern State University College of Optometry. AWARDS/HONORS: Ann Ranelle – Past-president, Tarrant County Medical Society. MEMBERSHIPS: Ann Ranelle – Boardcertified member of the American Academy of Ophthalmology and Academy of Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus. AFFILIATIONS: Baylor Medical Center of Fort Worth, Baylor Surgicare of Fort Worth, Cook Children’s Medical Center, Texas Pediatric Surgery Center. GREATEST PROFESSIONAL ACHIEVEMENT: Serving the Greater Fort Worth area for over 40 years. UNIQUE PATIENT CARE: Warm, friendly, compassionate, and professional. FREE ADVICE: Be an active participant in your health care — ask questions! PICTURED: Ann Ranelle, D.O.; Tyler Moore, M.D.; Kacy Pate, O.D.
Fort Worth Eye Associates
5000 Collinwood Ave.
Fort Worth, Texas 76107
817.732.5593
Fax 817.732.5499
ranelle.com
Worth Eye Associates
Fort Worth Obstetrics & Gynecology
Privia Medical Group of North Texas
SPECIALTY: Obstetrics and Gynecology. EDUCATION: Bradley – B.A., University of Texas at Austin; M.S., D.O., University of North Texas Health Sciences Center; Residency, University of Texas at Houston, Board Certified. English – B.S., University of North Texas; D.O., University of North Texas Health Sciences Center; Residency, Texas Tech University HSC, Board Certified. Gehlot – B.S., University of Delaware; M.D., Medical College of Georgia; Residency, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Board Certified. Jones – B.S., Abilene Christian University; D.O., University of North Texas HSC; Residency, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center. Burnett – B.S., University of Texas at Austin; P.A., University of North Texas Health Sciences Center. AFFILIATIONS: Texas Health Resources - Harris Methodist Southwest; Baylor Scott & White Surgicare Oakmont. INNOVATIONS: Leading the community in opioid-free, gentle cesarean deliveries and providing minimally invasive procedures both in office and in hospital setting. PRACTICE PHILOSOPHY: Our team is dedicated to advocating for the best health plan for our patients and providing compassionate individualized care. The trust our patients place in us to help guide their care is something we value immensely. FREE ADVICE: Be good to yourself, so you can be there for others. PICTURED: (front) Dr. Ashita Gehlot, Dr. Taylor Bradley; (back) Dr. Cynthia English, Dr. Timothy Jones, Katie Burnett PA-C.
Fort Worth Obstetrics & Gynecology
6317 Harris Parkway, Ste. 400 Fort Worth, Texas 76132
817.423.2002
Fax 817.423.2004
fortworthobgyn.com
MEDICAL SPECIALTY: Internal medicine. EDUCATION/CERTIFICATIONS: B.S. in molecular biology, University of Texas - Dallas; D.O., UNT Health Science Center - Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine; board-certified in internal medicine, hospice/palliative medicine; certified hospice medical director. AWARDS/HONORS: Fellow, American College of Osteopathic Internists; Top Doc, Fort Worth Magazine, 2010-2021; Top Doc, 360 West Magazine, 2018-2020. HOSPITAL AFFILIATIONS: Medical City Fort Worth, Texas Health Resources - Fort Worth, Baylor Scott and White Medical Center - Fort Worth. GREATEST PROFESSIONAL ACHIEVEMENTS: Opening my own private primary care practice — forever a dream that came to fruition almost four years ago. INNOVATIONS: We are well-versed in preventive screenings and, thanks to the pandemic, have become well-accustomed to telemedicine. UNIQUE PATIENT CARE: Many patients, new and established, comment on my willingness to listen — truly listen — and hear what they have to say so I can better care for them.
Fort Worth Primary Care
800 Eighth Ave., Ste. 626 Fort Worth, Texas 76104
817.243.7995 fortworthprimarycare.com
Heart Center of North Texas
Aleem I. Mughal, M.D., FHRS
MEDICAL SPECIALTY: Cardiac Electrophysiology. Electrophysiology represents a branch of cardiology focused on heart rhythm disturbances, aka arrhythmias. EDUCATION: Cardiac Electrophysiology Fellowship/Clinical Cardiovascular Medicine, St. Elizabeth’s Medical Center; Internal Medicine Chief Resident/Internal Medicine Residency, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center; medical school, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center; undergraduate, Texas A&M University, cum laude, University Honors, Foundation Honors. CERTIFICATIONS: American Board of Internal Medicine to practice Internal Medicine, Clinical Cardiovascular Medicine, and Cardiac Electrophysiology. MEMBERSHIPS: Fellow of the Heart Rhythm Society. HOSPITAL AFFILIATIONS: Baylor All Saints Medical Center, Baylor Heart and Vascular Hospital, Medical City Fort Worth, THR Harris Hospital, Medical City Weatherford, Huguley Hospital. INNOVATIONS: Conduction system pacing, advanced catheter ablation of atrial and ventricular arrhythmias, left atrial appendage occlusion. UNIQUE PATIENT CARE: My father has been a part of the Fort Worth medical community since the early 1980s. Fort Worth is my home, and I am honored to be a part of Heart Center of North Texas. It is a blessing to serve my community. Fluent in Spanish and Urdu. GREATEST HONOR: Father of four children. FREE ADVICE: My favorite quote: “If I have seen further than those before me, it is only by standing on the shoulders of giants.” PICTURED: Aleem Mughal, M.D., FHRS.
Heart Center of North Texas
1017 12th Ave.
Fort Worth, Texas 76092
817.334.2800
Fax 817.334.7985
hcntx.com
heartcenterofnorthtexas.com
MEDICAL SPECIALTY: Hormone Balance, Sexual Wellness, Holistic Health Care. EDUCATION/ CERTIFICATION: Dr. Mandy Cotten, APRN –Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN), TCU; Doctor of Nursing Practice, Loyola University New Orleans; Family Nurse Practitioner certified through the American Association of Nurse Practitioners. Dr. Gary Donovitz – M.D.; BioTE Certified. AWARDS/HONORS: BioTE Platinum Provider, BioTE Practitioner of the Year, Director of BioTE Clinic & Research, Director of Clinical Advisory team, Clinical Advisory Board Formula 30A. MEMBERSHIPS/AFFILIATIONS: Dr. Cotten, APRN – American Association of Nurse Practitioners. Dr. Donovitz – Fellow in the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology, a fellow in the Royal Society of Medicine. GREATEST PROFESSIONAL ACHIEVEMENTS: BioTE Practitioner of the Year 2019, Platinum BioTE provider. INNOVATIONS: IV hydration, BioTE Hormone Optimization, O-Shot, Priapus Shot, Dermal Fillers, Botox, Acoustic Wave Therapy for erectile dysfunction, Peptide and Nutraceutical management. UNIQUE PATIENT CARE: We listen to the patient and provide compassionate, individualized care. FREE ADVICE: Prevention is better than treating disease once it occurs, and you cannot put a price on quality of life. PICTURED: Dr. Mandy Cotten, APRN; Dr. Gary Donovitz.
Institute for Hormonal Balance
4224 Park Springs Blvd., Ste. 100 Arlington, Texas 76016
817.467.7474
Fax 817.468.8643
donovitz.com
Institute for Hormonal Balance
The Internal Medicine Center of Fort Worth
SPECIALTY: Internal Medicine. EDUCATION: Angelo Vu, D.O. – B.A., Austin College; D.O., UNTHSC; Internal Medicine Residency, Medical City Fort Worth; Board Certified Internal Medicine, AOBIM. Morgan Thomas, PA-C – B.S., Abilene Christian University; MA in Physician Assistant Studies, UNTHSC; Certified Physician Assistant. AWARDS/HONORS: Fort Worth Magazine Top Docs for multiple years; 360 West Magazine Top Doctors; Patient’s Choice Award, Compassionate Doctor Recognition; Professor, TCU School of Medicine. HOSPITAL AFFILIATIONS: Texas Health Huguley, Baylor Scott & White All Saints. GREATEST PROFESSIONAL ACHIEVEMENTS: Starting The Internal Medicine Center of Fort Worth from nothing to where we are now. Building a practice with highquality care that lets our reputation speak for itself. INNOVATIONS: We invest in electronic records and provide a safe and more efficient management of health-related information. While offering the benefits of the latest technology, the providers at IMC also develop personal relationships with their patients, providing care in an outpatient clinic as well as nursing home settings. UNIQUE PATIENT CARE: We limit the number of patient visits in a day so we have the time to spend with each person. We don’t want anyone feeling rushed and want to take our time to explain all aspects of a patient’s care. PICTURED: Angelo Vu, D.O.; Morgan Thomas, PA-C; Ashley Jackman; Adrienne Soto; Stephanie Cobb; Chandra Massey; and Kathy Geeo.
The Internal Medicine Center of Fort Worth
12001 South Freeway, Ste. 307
Burleson, Texas 76028
817.568.8700
Fax 817.568.8704
theinternalmedicinecenter.com
SPECIALTY: Compassionate and life-enhancing care for people living with Alzheimer’s disease and other dementia disorders. The West Center offers free dementia care training for family caregivers and clinical rotation programs for medical professionals. Dr. Janice Knebl is the medical director, and Dr. Sarah Ross is a co-medical director.
EDUCATION/ CERTIFICATIONS: Janice A. Knebl, D.O., MBA, FACP, MACOI – B.S., biology, St. Joseph’s University; D.O., Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine; Internal Medicine residency, Geisinger Medical Center; two-year Geriatrics fellowship, Philadelphia Geriatrics Center; board certified in Internal Medicine with Certificate of Added Qualifications (CAQ) in Geriatrics; MBA, TCU; CAQ in Palliative Medicine and Hospice, American Board of Internal Medicine; DSWOP Endowed Chair in Geriatrics and UNT Regents’ Professor of Medicine; Interim Chair of Department of Internal Medicine at UNTHSC and HSC Health Interim Chief Medical Officer. Sarah E. Ross, D.O., CMD, M.S. – B.S., chemistry, minor in music, Brigham Young University; M.S., clinical research, University of North Texas Health Science Center; D.O., University of North Texas Health Science Center, Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine; Family Medicine residency, John Peter Smith Hospital; Geriatrics fellowship, John Peter Smith Hospital; Certified Medical Director; board certified in Family Medicine with a CAQ in Geriatrics and Palliative Care.
PICTURED: Janice A. Knebl, D.O., MBA, FACP, MACOI; Sarah E. Ross, D.O., CMD, M.S.
James L. West Center for Dementia Care
817.877.1199 Fax 817.877.1414 jameslwest.org James L. West Center for Dementia Care
1111 Summit Ave.
Fort Worth, Texas 76102
Jeffrey Mills, D.O. Charles Saadeh, M.D. Brooke Mills, M.D. Douglas Mills, D.O.
CONCENTRATION: Our family is here to care for your family. All of our practices include the full spectrum of treatments for our specialties. MEDICAL SPECIALTIES: Jeffrey Mills – Gastroenterology. Doug Mills – Gastroenterology. Charles Saadeh –ENT. Brooke Mills – Rheumatology. EDUCATION/ CERTIFICATIONS: Jeffrey Mills – Board Certified in Gastroenterology. Douglas Mills – Board Certified in Gastroenterology. Brooke Mills – Board Certified in Rheumatology. Charles Saadeh –Board Certified in Otolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery. AFFILIATIONS: Brooke Mills – UT Southwestern. Charles Saadeh – Cook Children’s. HOSPITAL AFFILIATIONS: Jeffrey Mills – Texas Health HEB. Douglas Mills – Texas Health Southwest. FREE ADVICE: Find a competent doctor you trust and follow their advice. PICTURED: Jeffrey Mills, D.O.; Brooke Mills, M.D.; Charles Saadeh, M.D.; Douglas Mills, D.O.
Jeffrey Mills, D.O. – GI Alliance – DHAT Bedford
Charles Saadeh, M.D. – Cook Children’s ENT Fort Worth
Brooke Mills, M.D. – UT Southwestern Fort Worth
Douglas Mills, D.O. – TDDC-GI Alliance Southwest Fort Worth
Robert A. Kaufmann, M.D., HCLD
MEDICAL SPECIALTY: Reproductive Endocrinology. AWARDS/HONORS: Most Comprehensive Fertility Treatment ProviderTexas, 2020; Fertility Clinic of the Year - Texas, 2019; Top Doc Fort Worth Magazine, 2005-2022; Top Doctors 360 West Magazine, 2017-2022; Mom Approved Doctor in Fort Worth Child Magazine 2017-2022; Patient’s Choice Award, 2009-2020; Most Compassionate Doctor Award, 2009-2020.
PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS/AFFILIATIONS: American Society for Reproductive Medicine and American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology. HOSPITAL AFFILIATIONS: Baylor Scott and White - All Saints, Baylor Surgicare Fort Worth, Texas Health Resources Surgery Center, Harris Methodist Fort Worth. GREATEST PROFESSIONAL ACHIEVEMENTS: Contributing to the research and advancement of preimplantation genetic diagnosis, resulting in better pregnancy rates for our patients going through in vitro fertilization. INNOVATIONS: Fort Worth Fertility leads the way in pre-implantation genetic diagnosis for patients at risk of passing on genetic disease or wanting to screen embryos for genetic abnormalities. UNIQUE PATIENT CARE: Fort Worth Fertility provides specialized patient care from the moment you walk through the door through graduation to your OB/GYN after successful treatment. Our staff greets you by name, and our physicians perform ultrasounds each time you visit.
Robert A. Kaufmann, M.D., HCLD
1800 Mistletoe Blvd. Fort Worth, Texas 76104
817.348.8145
Fax 817.348.8264 fwivf.com
FOCUS DOCTORS
Kelly R. Kunkel, M.D., P.A.
SPECIALTY: A board certified plastic surgeon, specializing in cosmetic surgery of the face, breast, and body, and breast cancer reconstruction. EDUCATION: Undergraduate, Notre Dame; M.D., University of Texas Medical Branch; Plastic Surgery, Oregon Health and Sciences University. AWARDS/HONORS: Kunkel has been selected by Fort Worth Magazine as one of the area’s Top Docs 21 times, by Texas Monthly magazine as a Texas Super Doctor 18 times, and by 360 West Magazine as a Top Doctor six times. He was also named a Health Care Hero by Fort Worth Business PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS: American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, American Society of Plastic Surgeons, American Medical Association, and Tarrant County Medical Society. AFFILIATIONS: Baylor Scott & White All Saints Medical Center, Texas Health Southwest Fort Worth Hospital, Texas Health Fort Worth Hospital. GREATEST PROFESSIONAL ACHIEVEMENT: We have created a remarkable culture of compassion, care, education, and service in our office. BEDSIDE MANNER: In our practice, we treat you like you are a person who has desires and needs; you’re not just another surgical procedure. OFF HOURS: Kunkel enjoys landscaping, playing golf, and photographing murals around North Texas. FREE ADVICE: In cosmetic surgery, experience matters. Find someone who not only understands your needs but can also demonstrate experience with a variety of techniques.
SPECIALTY: Plastic Surgery, sub-specializing in cosmetic surgery of the face and body. EDUCATION: Aesthetic surgery fellowship, Manhattan Eye, Ear & Throat Hospital; plastic surgery residency, UT Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas; medical school, UT Southwestern Medical School, summa cum laude; undergraduate, University of Oklahoma, B.S., microbiology, summa cum laude. SPECIAL INTERESTS: Face lift, rhinoplasty, breast augmentation, nonsurgical facial rejuvenation. CERTIFICATION: Board certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery. AFFILIATIONS: UT Southwestern, Clinical Assistant Professor; Baylor All-Saints Medical Center; Harris Methodist Fort Worth; Baylor Surgical Hospital; Texas Health Surgery Center Fort Worth Midtown. PROFESSIONAL ACHIEVEMENT: Building a busy clinical practice from the ground up while maintaining a focus on academic pursuits including the education of both current and future plastic surgeons. UNIQUE BEDSIDE MANNER: We always aim to fulfill the golden rule: Treat every patient as we would want to be treated ourselves. The rest falls into place.
Jon
Kurkjian, M.D.
5825 Edwards Ranch Road, Ste. 200 Fort Worth, Texas 76109
817.870.5080
Fax 817.870.5064
jkplasticsurgery.com
doctor@jkplasticsurgery.com
Jon Kurkjian, M.D.
FOCUS DOCTORS
SPECIALTY: Board Certified in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. EDUCATION: B.S., University of Texas at Austin; M.D., University of Texas Southwestern Medical School; Residency in plastic and reconstructive surgery, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center. SPECIAL INTERESTS: Breast reconstruction featuring direct to implant and pre-pectoral breast reconstruction, revision reconstruction, breast augmentation, breast lift and body contouring, fat grafting and facial injectables. PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS: American Society of Plastic Surgeons, American Medical Association, Fellow of the American College of Surgeons, Texas Medical Association, Texas Society of Plastic Surgeons, Tarrant County Medical Society, Fort Worth Plastic Surgery Society. HOSPITAL AFFILIATIONS: Harris Methodist Fort Worth; Baylor Scott & White All Saints Medical Center; Texas Health Surgery Center Fort Worth Midtown. BEDSIDE MANNER: I offer a realistic female perspective and enjoy taking the time to develop a relationship with my patients in order to fully address their concerns and goals. DURING OFF-HOURS: I find my joy in spending time with my husband and our 12-year-old son and 7-year-old daughter. I also enjoy fly-fishing, hiking, skiing, traveling to exotic places, and photography. PHILOSOPHY: “Pleasure in the job puts perfection in the work.” – Aristotle.
SPECIALTY: Board Certified Dermatologist. EDUCATION: David Hensley – undergraduate, University of Texas, Austin; M.D., Texas Tech University; residency, Geisinger Medical Center; P.A., fellowship, University of Texas, Houston. Stephen Blum – Southwestern Medical School.. Richard Brandt –Doctorate, Texas Tech University; P.A.-C, Hahnemann University; MPAS, University of Nebraska. Debbie Slay – undergraduate, Texas A&M; MPAS, University of North Texas Health Science Center; master’s in dermatology, University of Nebraska Medical Center. Heather Le – Master of Science in Nursing, Texas Woman’s University; Bachelor of Science in Nursing, University of Texas in Arlington. Josie Karl (not pictured) – Dermatologic P.A., University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston. Jana King – B.S. in Nursing, Texas Christian University MEMBERSHIPS: American Academy of Dermatology, DFW Dermatology Society, Tarrant County Medical Society, Texas Dermatologic Society, Arlington Chamber of Commerce. AFFILIATIONS: Texas Health Resources Arlington. GREATEST PROFESSIONAL ACHIEVEMENT: Serving patients and their families locally and abroad on our medical mission outreach. INNOVATIONS: Xtrac Laser, Blue-U (PDT) for medical treatments, BodySculpting, Hydrafacial, and new state-of-the-art Lasers. FREE ADVICE: Be smart when enjoying outdoor activities – wear sunscreen and protective clothing. Watch for new and changing spots on yourself and loved ones. PICTURED: (back, left to right) Stephen Blum, M.D.; David Hensley, M.D.; Richard Brandt, PA-C, PhD; (front, left to right) Debbie Slay, PA-C; Jana Hargrove, RN; Heather Le, MSN, APRN, FNP-C; and Josephine Karl, PA (not pictured).
Metroplex Dermatology
300 W. Arbrook Blvd., Ste. D Arlington, Texas 76014
MEDICAL SPECIALTY: Obstetrics and Gynecology. EDUCATION/CERTIFICATION: All doctors are certified by ABOG or AOBOG. RECOGNITIONS: Named as Top Docs in Fort Worth Magazine and 360 West Magazine over 66 times; named Mom Approved Doctor many times in DFW Child magazine. GREATEST PROFESSIONAL ACHIEVEMENTS: Over 250 years of practice experience, 100,000 well-woman exams, 30,000 babies delivered, 2,400 hysterectomies performed. Our members worked very closely with Baylor Scott & White to design Andrews Women’s Hospital to provide the best women’s health care in Tarrant County. INNOVATIONS: State-of-the-art, evidence-based women’s health care in both obstetrics and gynecology from adolescence through menopause, including minimally invasive gynecologic surgery. UNIQUE PATIENT CARE: Compassionate, trustworthy, and dedicated. Our mission is to find the right doctor for your needs — for life. PICTURED: Martha Guerra, M.D.; Mickey Hooper, D.O.; Ingrid Kohlmorgen, M.D.; Beatrice Kutzler, M.D.; Rachel Lusby, M.D.; Elisabeth Wagner, D.O.; Robert Zwernemann, M.D.; (Not Pictured) Douglas Decker, M.D.; James Herd, M.D.; William Maxwell, M.D.; Martin Read, M.D.
My Texas Health Care OB/GYN
Drs. Guerra, Hooper, Kohlmorgen, Kutzler, and Wagner
SPECIALTY: Plastic and reconstructive surgery with a focus on cosmetic procedures of the breast, body, and face. EDUCATION/CERTIFICA-
TIONS: B.S., Stephen F. Austin State University (summa cum laude); Medical School, St. George’s University School of Medicine; Plastic Surgery Residency, University of Oklahoma; Board Certified, American Board of Plastic Surgery.
AWARDS/HONORS: Fort Worth Magazine Top Docs, 2014 – 2021; Fort Worth Magazine Top Plastic Surgeons; Living Magazine Top Healthcare 2021. MEMBERSHIPS: American Society of Plastic Surgeons, American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons, International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons, American Medical Association, Texas Medical Association, Tarrant County Medical Society, Fellow of the American College of Surgeons. AFFILIATIONS: THR Alliance, North Hills Hospital, Medical City Alliance, Parkway Surgical and Cardiovascular Hospital, Wise Regional Hospital, Wise Health Surgical Hospital - Argyle. SURGICAL SERVICES: Body contouring, breast reconstruction, breast reduction, Brazilian butt lifts, breast augmentation, breast lift, liposuction, tummy tucks, arm/thigh lifts, face lifts, brow lifts, neck lifts, eyelid rejuvenation, otoplasty, mommy makeovers. SPA SERVICES: FaceTite; BodyTite; laser services for brown spots, vessels, hair removal, cellulite, skin tightening and skin resurfacing. Skin care products, Botox®, facial fillers (Juvederm®, Voluma®, Vollure®, Volbella®, RHA 2®, RHA 3®, RHA 4®), KYBELLA®, eyelash/brow services, wraps, medical-grade chemical peels, microdermabrasion. BEDSIDE MANNER: We combine compassion, confidentiality, experience, and safety with personalized attention to your individual needs.
New
Leaf Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery
New
Leaf Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery
4400 Heritage Trace Parkway, Ste. 200 Fort Worth, Texas 76244
MEDICAL SPECIALTY: Medical, Surgical, and Cosmetic Dermatology. EDUCATION/CERTIFICATIONS: Dr. Amir Aboutalebi – MD, Baylor College of Medicine (AOA member), Residency, Harvard Medical School. Dr. Nicole Strickland –MD and Residency, UT Southwestern Medical School (AOA member). Dr. Shalini Vemula – MD and Residency, Boston University School of Medicine (AOA member). AWARDS/HONORS: Fort Worth Top Docs for five years. MEMBERSHIPS/AFFILIATIONS: American Academy of Dermatology, Texas Dermatologic Society. GREATEST PROFESSIONAL ACHIEVEMENTS: Having built a practice that boasts the talents of the most exceptional and compassionate providers and staff. This in turn has endowed us the privilege and honor of serving an amazing patient population. UNIQUE PATIENT CARE: Given every individual’s unique genetic background and varying environmental exposures, we recognize each patient’s skin as inherently different, meriting personalized medical attention. We emphasize evidence-based medicine but also maintain an eye to the human aspect of health care. We treat you like family. FREE ADVICE: Invest in your skin now for visible returns in the future. Whenever possible, seek to prevent conditions before they arise. Wear sunscreen, use retinoids, maintain a healthy diet. Don’t waste time, money, and energy on fads. Seek the expertise of a board-certified Dermatologist. It’s your skin; wear it proudly. PICTURED: Amir Aboutalebi, MD; Nicole Strickland, MD; Shalini Vemula, MD; Christine Read, PA-C.
Northstar Dermatology
8169 Precinct Line Road, Building 2
North Richland Hills, Texas 76182
817.427.3376
Fax 817.427.3379
northstardermatology.com
The Orthopedic and Sports Medicine Institute
SPECIALTIES: Orthopedic Surgery; Sports Medicine; Minimally Invasive Arthroscopic Surgery of the Shoulder, Hip, Knee, Foot and Ankle; Shoulder, Hip and Knee Replacements. CERTIFICATIONS/MEMBERSHIPS: Board Certified ABOS, Fellow AAOS; Board Certified Foot and Ankle Surgery. AFFILIATIONS: Baylor Surgicare Fort Worth and at Mansfield; Park Hill Surgery Center; Baylor Surgical Hospital Fort Worth; Texas Health Downtown Fort Worth, Southwest, Cleburne; Methodist Hospitals Mansfield and Midlothian; Wise Health Surgical Hospitals at Argyle and Parkway; Medical City Fort Worth. INNOVATIONS: Nicholas E. Martin, M.D., completed his fellowship in robotic-assisted hip and knee replacements at Cleveland Clinic. Dr. Martin’s skills provide OSMI patients an additional surgical option to evaluate when considering hip and knee replacements. PROFESSIONAL ACHIEVEMENTS: OSMI welcomed orthopedic surgeon Dr. Martin and board-certified podiatrist Vincent J. Inglima, DPM, in 2021. WHAT SETS OSMI APART: Orthopedics Today, walk-in clinic for same-day treatment of orthopedic injuries, provides convenient expert care on-site at OSMI. Physical therapy at Fort Worth and Willow Park delivers expert rehabilitation by highly experienced therapists. BEDSIDE MANNER: OSMI doctors and staff listen, and patients come first. PICTURED: Michael H. Boothby, M.D.; G. Keith Gill, M.D.; Vincent J. Inglima, DPM; Bret D. Beavers, M.D.; Nicholas E. Martin, M.D.; G. Todd Moore, D.O.
The Orthopedic and Sports Medicine Institute 2901 Acme Brick Plaza • Fort Worth, Texas 76109 305 Regency Parkway, Ste. 405 • Mansfield, Texas 76063 817.529.1900 1000 Medical Center Drive • Decatur, Texas 76234 940.626.2410 OSMIFW.com
FOCUS DOCTORS
PMR Fort Worth
SPECIALTY: Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. Our physicians specialize in all aspects of rehabilitation including neck and back pain, carpal tunnel syndrome, stroke, brain injury, spinal cord injury, sports medicine, orthopedic rehabilitation, amputee care, and occupational medicine. Our physicians perform EMG and nerve conduction studies, baclofen pump management, botulinum toxin injections, peripheral joint injections, and viscosupplementation. We provide comprehensive inpatient and outpatient therapeutic management. EDUCATION/CERTIFICATION: Omar Selod, D.O. – Residency, Baylor University Medical Center; Internship, Osteopathic Medical Center of Texas; Medical School, Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences. Austen Watkins, D.O. – Residency, UT Southwestern Medical Center; Internship, Plaza Medical Center; Medical School, UNTHSC, TCOM. Benecia Williams, D.O. – Sports Medicine Fellowship, John Peter Smith Hospital; Residency, Baylor University Medical Center; Internship, John Peter Smith Health Network; Medical School, UNTHSC, TCOM. AFFILIATIONS: Medical City Fort Worth, Baylor Scott & White, Texas Health Harris Methodist Fort Worth, Kindred Southwest. PICTURED: Omar Selod, D.O.; Lan Le, D.O.; Neha Shah, D.O.; Austen Watkins, D.O.; Benecia Williams, D.O.
PMR Fort Worth New Office: 5632
Edwards Ranch Road, Ste. 100 Fort Worth, Texas 76109
817.336.7188
Fax 844.231.8865 pmrfortworth.com
MEDICAL SPECIALTY: Dermatology – Medical, Surgical, Cosmetic. EDUCATION/CERTIFICATIONS: Betty Rajan, M.D. – M.D., Baylor College of Medicine - Houston; Dermatology Residency, Texas Tech Health Science Center. PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS: American Academy of Dermatology, Texas Dermatological Society, Tarrant County Medical Society, Cornerstone Assistance Network volunteer. UNIQUE PATIENT CARE: Dr. Rajan has been practicing in Fort Worth for over 24 years and is proud to have a practice with comprehensive dermatological care. She is excited to introduce Dr. Amy Wolthoff, a board-certified dermatologist with over 10 years of experience, who will be joining the practice this spring. Dr. Wolthoff joins Dr. Rajan and her other providers — Jennifer Gamez, N.P.; Karen Moreland, P.A.; Sonya Tanna, P.A., and nurse injector and certified laser specialist Sommer Durante-Murray, R.N. — and together they will continue to serve the growing needs of our community. We are accepting new patients and have immediate openings for medical and cosmetic appointments. INNOVATIONS: Facial rejuvenation in the form of radiofrequency, lasers, fillers, Botox®, Dysport®, SkinCeuticals® skin care products, and HydraFacials. FREE ADVICE: Be preventative and proactive about your own concerns and have faith and confidence in the people you trust with your health.
6600 Bryant Irvin Road Fort Worth, Texas 76132 817.820.0011
bettyrajanmd.com rajandermatology.com
Betty Rajan, M.D.
Betty Rajan, M.D.
Ratner Center for Physical Therapy and Wellness
Jennifer Ratner, PT, DPT, MS, OCS
MEDICAL SPECIALTY: Physical Therapy. EDUCATION/CERTIFICATIONS: University of Arizona, BS; UT Southwestern, BS; Texas Woman’s University, MS; Drexel University, Doctorate in Physical Therapy; Board Certified Specialist in Orthopedic Physical Therapy. GREATEST PROFESSIONAL ACHIEVEMENTS: Opening a private practice that has changed the lives of so many. INNOVATIONS: All of our practitioners stay on the cutting edge of rehabilitation techniques. We provide dry needling, myofascial release, ASTYM®, visceral release, joint mobilization, mechanical decompression therapy, Lightforce™ Laser, orthopedic rehab, vestibular/concussion rehab, wheelchair evaluation, and personal fitness/wellness programs. UNIQUE PATIENT CARE: At Ratner Center, we believe in treating the whole person. Our team of therapists and fitness specialists each have individual specialties to provide tailored care for every client’s varying needs to get them back to feeling like the best version of themselves, both physically and emotionally. FREE ADVICE: Moving your body in a regular and mindful way is fundamental to physical and emotional health. Trust your journey and keep moving. PICTURED: (left to right) Shelly Layton, PTA; Anna Moore, PT, DPT; Kathryn Bergsma, PT, MS; Jennifer Ratner, PT, DPT, MS, OCS (center); Christina Bearden, PT, MS; Krista Madrid, PT, DPT; and Lisa Mocek, PT.
Ratner Center for Physical Therapy and Wellness
5500 Overton Ridge Blvd., Ste. 228 Fort Worth, Texas 76132
817.259.1255
Fax 817.764.9008
ratnerpt.com ratner@ratnerpt.com
Retina Center of Texas
SPECIALTY: Retina specialist; board-certified, fellowship-trained ophthalmologists specializing in the most advanced treatments for medical and surgical diseases of the retina including macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, retinal vascular occlusions, retinal detachment, macular holes, epiretinal membrane, and intraocular tumors. EDUCATION: The physicians have trained at leading institutions, including the Johns Hopkins Hospital Wilmer Eye Institute, Duke University Eye Center, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, University of California San Francisco, and the Georgetown University/Retina Group of Washington. PATIENT CARE: We believe the most important qualities of the doctor-patient relationship are communication, trust, and compassion. As physicians, we should know more than our patients about their disease; our goal is to have them understand their disease at least as well as we do. With communication, we strive to educate our patients every day. We are humbled by our patients’ trust and feel that trust is a strong foundation upon which our relationship is built. Our goal is to heal; often, that healing comes from soothing the mind or the heart through compassion. We advise our patients to take an active part in their treatment.
Retina Center of Texas
3455 Locke Ave., Ste. 310 Fort Worth, Texas 76107
305 Morrison Park Drive, Ste. 100 Southlake, Texas 76092
3804 W. 15th St., Ste. 130 Plano, Texas 75075
12222 N. Central Expressway, Ste. 250 Dallas, Texas 75243
SPECIALTY: Ophthalmology: Cataract Surgery, Premium Lens Implants (Toric Lens, PanOptix, Vivity, Tecnis Symfony), Diseases of the Retina and Vitreous, Diabetic Retinopathy/Lasers, Macular Degeneration, Glaucoma Treatment.
EDUCATION: B.A., magna cum laude, Harvard University, 1986; M.D., University of Texas Southwestern Medical School, Dallas, 1990; Ophthalmology Residency, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, 1995; Vitreoretinal Fellowship, Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, Harvard Medical School, Boston, 1997.
CERTIFICATIONS: Board Certified, American Board of Ophthalmology. AWARDS: Physician’s Recognition Award, American Medical Association. PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS: American Academy of Ophthalmology, American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery, Texas Ophthalmological Association, Texas Medical Association, Tarrant County Medical Society. AFFILIATIONS: Baylor Scott & White Surgical Hospital Las Colinas, Baylor Scott & White-Irving, Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Dallas, Texas Health Surgery Center Arlington. PATIENT CARE: A commitment to excellence in eye care is enhanced by our outstanding, caring staff. Dr. Reinke is a uniquely talented surgeon who personally provides all preoperative and postoperative care.
Reinke Eye and Laser Center
1310 N. White Chapel Blvd. • Southlake, Texas 76092 817.310.6080 • Fax 817.310.6014
Southlake Surgery Center Tarrant Plastic Surgery Facial Plastic Surgery Institute
SPECIALTY: Both Drs. Heistein and Rumalla specialize in plastic and reconstructive surgery, including breast augmentation, breast lift, liposuction, tummy tuck, mommy makeover, facelift, eyelid lift and more. Dr. Rihani specializes exclusively in plastic and reconstructive surgery of the face including facelift, rhinoplasty, eyelid lift, skin cancer reconstruction, skin resurfacing, and injectable fillers and Botox. CERTIFICATION: Both Heistein and Rumalla are board certified by The American Board of Plastic Surgery. Dr. Rihani is Board Certified by the Academy of Facial Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery. OUR FACILITY: The Southlake Surgery Center is a state-of-the-art, AAASF-certified ambulatory surgery center designed to cater to the needs, desires and privacy of our patients. INNOVATIONS: We are proud to offer BodyTite, one of the latest and most advanced technological treatments to enhance liposuction and body contouring procedures. BodyTite uses radiofrequency to reduce fat and tighten the skin. It can be used in any area of the body including the abdomen, flanks, back rolls, buttocks, thighs, arms, and neck. Spring is the perfect time to have your makeover, so you will be ready for summer! PICTURED: Vishnu Rumalla, M.D.; Jordan Rihani, M.D.; Jonathan Heistein, M.D.
Southlake Surgery Center
521 W. Southlake Blvd., Ste. 175 Southlake, Texas 76092
Dr. Heistein •817.820.0000
Fort Worth and Southlake offices drheistein.com
Dr. Rumalla •817.334.0030
Fort Worth and Keller offices tarrantplasticsurgery.com
Dr. Rihani •817.529.3232
Fort Worth and Southlake offices facialplasticsurgeryinstitute.com
FOCUS DOCTORS
MEDICAL SPECIALTY: Comprehensive spine care. EDUCATION/CERTIFICATIONS: Dr. Neil Patel, Orthopedic Spine Surgeon – Residency, Wayne State University, Orthopedics; Fellowship, University of Southern California, Spine Surgery; Medical School, University of Illinois, Doctor of Medicine; Board Certifications, Orthopedic Surgery, American Board of Orthopedic Surgery, Diplomat. Dr. Christina Nguyen, Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation/Pain Management – Residency, The University of Texas at San Antonio, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation; Fellowship, Southwest Spine & Sports, Interventional Pain Management; Medical School, Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine, Fort Worth, Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine. AWARDS/ HONORS: Both doctors have been recognized as Top Doctors in Fort Worth Magazine Southlake Style, 360 West Magazine, Dallas Morning News, and Texas Monthly. Dr. Patel is the recipient of many honors and distinctions, including the Herbert E. Pedersen M.D. Orthopedic Research Award and the Resident Outstanding Achievement Award. Dr. Nguyen was awarded the prestigious Foundations of PM&R Research Grant in 2017. INNOVATIONS: Our practice is constantly researching and adding innovative treatment options for our patients to be able to effectively treat our patients’ symptoms in the most conservative and minimally invasive manner. UNIQUE PATIENT CARE: Spine Team Texas is a comprehensive spine center that specializes in the treatment of back and neck pain. Through our conservative approach, we’re able to treat more than 92% of patients without surgery. PICTURED: Neil Patel, MD, FAAOS; Christina Nguyen, DO, FAAPMR.
Spine Team Texas
10900 Founders Way, Ste. 101 Fort Worth, Texas 76244
817.442.9300
Fax 817.416.0180
SpineTeamTexas.com
FOCUS DOCTORS
Matthew H. Steele, M.D.
SPECIALTY: Plastic Surgery. EDUCATION: B.S., M.D., University of Florida; Board Certified, American Board of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, LSU Health Sciences Center; Board Certified, American Board of Plastic Surgery, University of Florida College of Medicine. AWARDS/HONORS: Top Doctor, Fort Worth Magazine, 2013–2016; RealSelf 100 Award; Exemplary Teacher Award, University of Florida, College of Medicine; Outstanding Young Alumnus, University of Florida Alumni Association. MEMBERSHIPS/AFFILIATIONS: American Society of Plastic Surgeons; American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery. GREATEST PROFESSIONAL ACHIEVEMENT: Being accepted into a prestigious accelerated medical school program at the University of Florida and teaching young residents and medical students at my alma mater. INNOVATIONS: We offer virtual reality 3D breast imaging so that patients can get a more realistic visualization of their results after breast augmentation. Additionally, Dr. Steele offers awake, in-office liposuction combined with BodyTite/FaceTite for optimal skin contraction and a speedy recovery. UNIQUE PATIENT CARE: Our team prides itself on providing an individualized, first-class experience. We take the time to build a trusting, collaborative relationship with each patient. FREE ADVICE: Always check for board certification and get a few opinions from several plastic surgeons. PICTURED: Dr. Matthew Steele, Keri Steele, Jessica Garcia, Erica Ramos, Jennifer Geyer, and Chelsea Baytos.
Matthew H. Steele, M.D. 5656 Edwards Ranch Road, Ste. 202 Fort Worth, Texas 76109
SPECIALTY: Cosmetic surgery of the breast, body and face, and breast reconstruction. EDUCATION/CERTIFICATION: B.S., Amherst College; M.D. and residencies in Surgery and Plastic Surgery at UTMB Galveston; Board Certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery. MEMBERSHIPS: The Aesthetic Society, American Association of Plastic Surgeons, ASPS, TSPS. INNOVATIONS: Dr. Strock is an internationally recognized authority on breast implant surgery. He is widely known for his expertise in the treatment of complications from previous breast implant surgery, including both implant replacement and removal with use of the patient’s own tissue to create optimal breast shape. He is well known for his expertise in first-time breast enhancement, including transaxillary endoscopic breast augmentation, an approach that allows patients to have silicone gel implants placed using a short incision in the armpit, avoiding any incisions on the breast. Dr. Strock teaches plastic surgeons in practice the latest concepts and techniques in breast implant surgery at The Aesthetic Society’s Annual Aesthetic Meeting and Sponsored Symposia. He has served as Traveling Professor for The Aesthetic Society and serves as clinical faculty at UTSW and president of The Aesthetic Surgery Education and Research Foundation. This dedication to education and his specialty gives him access to the latest information that he applies to help his patients. PICTURED: Patient Coordinator Alexx Rouse, Dr. Strock., and Clinic Coordinator Kelly Sheldon.
Louis L. Strock, M.D., P.A.
800 Eighth Ave., Ste. 606 Fort Worth, Texas 76104
817.335.1616 drstrock.com
Texas Center for Urology
SPECIALTY: Urology / Urologic Surgery. EDUCATION/CERTIFICATIONS: Todd Young – D.O., UNTHSC; Urology Residency, Michigan State University. David Rittenhouse – D.O., Oklahoma State College of Osteopathic Medicine and Surgery; Urology Residency, University of New Jersey College of Medicine and Dentistry, College of Osteopathic Medicine, John F. Kennedy hospitals. Michael Waters – D.O., Michigan State University College of Osteopathic Medicine; Urology Residency, Michigan State University. James Kelley IV – D.O., UNTHSC; Urology Residency Charleston Area Medical Center in Charleston, West Virginia. Jay Carpenter – D.O., UNTHSC; Urology Residency, Rowan University. AFFILIATIONS: Texas Health Huguley Hospital, Texas Health Huguley Surgery Center, Texas Health Mansfield Hospital, Baylor Scott & White Surgicare Fort Worth, Medical City Fort Worth, Medical City Weatherford, Baylor Surgical Hospital of Fort Worth. PRACTICE INNOVATIONS: Our doctors are committed to providing leading-edge, minimally invasive, and solutions-oriented treatments for a wide range of urological needs. We work closely with each patient to come up with a treatment plan that considers all aspects of a patient’s life. PICTURED: David Rittenhouse, D.O.; James Kelley IV, D.O.; Michael Waters, D.O.; Jay Carpenter, D.O.; and Todd Young, D.O.
SPECIALTY: Orthopedics, Sports Medicine, Total Joint Replacement, Spine Surgery, Hand Surgery. EDUCATION/CERTIFICATIONS: Board-certified orthopedic surgery, fellowship-trained sports medicine, hand, total joints, spine, arthroscopy. AWARDS/HONORS: Team physicians for Fort Worth Country Day School and the Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo. We served as TCU’s official orthopedists and team physicians for 58 years until 2015. Previous multi-year awards include Fort Worth Magazine Top Docs; Texas Super Doctors; Fort Worth Business Press Heathcare Hero. GREATEST PROFESSIONAL ACHIEVEMENTS: Established in 1958, the Bone and Joint Clinic is the oldest and largest orthopedic clinic in Fort Worth. INNOVATIONS: Hip arthroscopy, minimally invasive total hip replacement, regenerative orthopedic injections with patients’ own platelets and stem cells. UNIQUE PATIENT CARE: With highly specialized physicians and integrated, on-site physical therapy, we can diagnose, treat, and rehabilitate any orthopedic condition, either a degenerative condition or injury, to any part of the body. This includes both surgical and nonsurgical treatments. FREE ADVICE: If you have an injury or are feeling pain in your body you’ve not experienced before, please don’t ignore it or try to “walk it off.” Most orthopedic conditions only get worse without timely treatment. PICTURED: Fort Worth Top Docs James Brezina, Jr., M.D.; Joseph C. Milne, M.D.; Stephen L. Brotherton, M.D.; Torrance A. Walker, M.D.; Steven J. Meyers, M.D.; (Top Doc not pictured) Andrew Lee, M.D.
Texas Health Care Bone and Joint Clinic
1651 W. Rosedale St., Ste. 200 Fort Worth, Texas 76104
817.335.4316
Fax 817.336.2504
thcboneandjoint.com
Fort Worth and Southwest Fort Worth
UNIQUE PATIENT CARE: We provide comprehensive care to women with cancer including surgery, chemotherapy, radiation, genetic counseling, nutrition assessment, and social services.
EDUCATION/CERTIFICATIONS: Noelle Cloven, M.D. – Gynecologic Oncology; M.D., Baylor College of Medicine; Residency/Fellowship, UC Irvine; Board-Certified in Gynecologic Oncology. Jennifer Hecht, D.O., FACOS – D.O., Oklahoma State; Breast Surgical Oncology fellowship, Grant Hospital, Columbus, OH; Board Certified in General Surgery. Cristi Aitelli, D.O. – Medical Oncology; D.O., UNT-HSC; Residency, BUMC; Fellowship, BUMC; Board-Certified in Internal Medicine and Medical Oncology. Kathleen L. Shide, M.D. – Radiation Oncology; M.D., UT Southwestern Medical School; Internship, Baylor University Medical Center; Residency, Mayo Clinic; Fellowship, American College of Radiology; Board-Certified in Radiation Oncology. Rachel Theriault, M.D. – Medical Oncology; M.D., Baylor College of Medicine; Residency- Internal Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine; Fellowship - Hematology/Oncology, UT MD Anderson Cancer Center; Board Certified in Medical Oncology. Chi Pham, M.D. – Medical Oncology; M.D., UT Southwestern; ResidencyInternal Medicine, UT Southwestern; Fellowship - Hematology/Oncology, UT Southwestern; Board Certified in Medical Oncology. INNOVATIONS: Minimally invasive surgery, genetic counseling and testing, molecular profiling to allow for targeted therapy, clinical trials through NCI and Gynecologic Oncology Foundation. MOTTO: More breakthroughs. More victories.® PICTURED: Jennifer Hecht, D.O., FACOS; Noelle Cloven, M.D.; Chi Pham, M.D.; Rachel Theriault M.D.; Cristi Aitelli, D.O.; Kathleen L. Shide, M.D.
Texas Oncology Fort Worth Cancer Center
500 S. Henderson St. • Fort Worth, Texas 76104
817.413.1500
Southwest Fort Worth
6500 Harris Parkway • Fort Worth, Texas 76132
817.263.2600
texasoncology.com
Trinity Foot & Ankle Specialists
SPECIALTY: Foot & Ankle Surgery. EDUCATION: Beede – California College of Pod Medicine, San Francisco; Surgical Residency in Portland, Oregon. Driver – Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine, Chicago; Surgical Residency, Rocky Mountain Regional, Colorado; Fellowship, Professional Education and Research Institute, Virginia. Jaryga – University of Toledo College of Pharmacy; Ohio College of Pod Medicine; Surgical Residency in Fort Worth. AWARDS/HONORS: All doctors graduated with Honors from medical school and are Board Certified. HOSPITAL AFFILIATIONS: Texas Health Resources and Baylor Health Care System. GREATEST PROFESSIONAL ACHIEVEMENT: The evolution of foot/ankle practice to trauma and true reconstruction/limb salvage surgical practice that allows patients the opportunity to return to a higher-level quality of life. INNOVATIONS: Trauma; minimally invasive surgical techniques; Lapiplasty; total ankle replacement surgery; the usage of the only FDA-approved laser for foot and ankle and pain issues; Charcot limb salvage surgery. UNIQUE PATIENT CARE: Our goal is to deliver comprehensive quality care using the latest proven and sophisticated techniques in treating your foot/ankle problems. Our dedicated team of trained professionals remains committed to working with our patients to maintain and improve foot/ankle health. Our doctors are known for transparency and compassion when treating patients, including clear and concise communication to all. PICTURED: Dr. Gary L. Driver, Dr. Glen A. Beede, and Dr. Gregory A. Jaryga.
Trinity Foot & Ankle Specialists
5801 Oakmont Trail, Ste. 140 Fort Worth, Texas 76132
817.377.3668
trinityfootandankle.com
FOCUS DOCTORS
Denise Bruckerhoff, D.O.
MEDICAL SPECIALTY: Internal Medicine. EDUCATION/ CERTIFICATIONS: Kansas City University of Medicine & Biosciences, College of Osteopathic Medicine. AWARDS/ HONORS: ACOI Fellow of Internal Medicine; 2014 American College of Osteopathic Internists Fellow; 2011 Fort Worth Magazine Top Doc; 2009 American College of Osteopathic Internists Board Certification; 2019 Top Doc, Fort Worth Magazine, Internal Medicine; 2020 Top Doc, Fort Worth Magazine, Internal Medicine; 2020 Inner Circle Executive Top Doc, Internal Medicine. MEMBERSHIPS/AFFILIATIONS: AOA, TOMA, ACOI. HOSPITAL AFFILIATIONS: Methodist Mansfield, Texas Health Resources.
Denise Bruckerhoff, D.O.
1900 Matlock Road, Building 6, Ste. 604 Mansfield, Texas 76063
817.755.1005 bimadr.com
DFW Infectious Diseases, PLLC
SPECIALTY: DFW Infectious Diseases is part of an integrated health care delivery system comprised of physicians, hospitals, case managers, community clinics, managed care partners, and other health care professionals, all of whom work together as a team to deliver the integrated care that is more effective to managing patient infections. MISSION: Our mission is to develop and maintain a patient care environment that enhances our ability to provide comprehensive care in a sensitive and caring setting. PHILOSOPHY: Our philosophy is to approach each patient as an individual and address his or her concerns through proper research and examination, effective and accurate diagnosis, proper treatments, early prevention. and up-to-date education. We constantly strive to significantly improve the health and quality of life of our patients, decrease the duration of illness, and have more positive outcomes. PICTURED: Dr. Nikhil K. Bhayani and Dr. Priya Subramanian
Baylor Scott & White Neurosurgery Associates – Fort Worth
MEDICAL SPECIALTY: Neurosurgery. EDUCATION/CERTIFICATIONS: Medical School, University of Mississippi School of Medicine; Internship & Residency, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center; Fellowship, Spine Surgery, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center; Board Certification, American Board of Neurological Surgery. HOSPITAL AFFILIATIONS: Baylor Scott & White All Saints Medical Center - Fort Worth; Baylor Scott & White Medical Center – Grapevine. GREATEST PROFESSIONAL ACHIEVEMENTS: Dr. Haque has held several leadership positions at DFW hospitals and is on the faculty at the TCU and UNTHSC medical schools. He has also been awarded numerous honors. INNOVATIONS: Dr. Haque focuses on minimally invasive and motion-preserving spine surgery, artificial disc replacement/arthroplasty, spinal fusion, and herniated discs, along with numerous other brain and spine conditions.
Atif
Haque, MD, FAANS, FACS
1400 Eighth Ave., Ste. A1131 • Fort Worth, Texas 76104
Baylor Scott & White Signature Medicine – Fort Worth
MEDICAL SPECIALTY: Primary care, concierge medicine. EDUCATION/CERTIFICATIONS: Drs. Kneten and Murphy –Medical School, University of Texas Health Science Center - Houston; Internship/Residency, John Peter Smith Hospital; Board Certification, American Board of Family Medicine. AWARDS/HONORS: Dr. Kneten – chairman, HealthTexas Provider Network. Dr. Murphy – held multiple medical staff offices at Baylor Scott & White All Saints Medical CenterFort Worth, including chief of staff. UNIQUE PATIENT CARE: We provide you with private, attentive primary care services at an affordable annual rate. With concierge medicine, you have access to many services beyond those offered through a traditional practice, including a personalized wellness exam, enhanced availability and communication, and specialist referrals and care coordination. PICTURED: Craig Kneten, M.D. and James A. Murphy, M.D.
Baylor Scott & White Signature Medicine – Fort Worth
900 W. Magnolia Ave., Ste. 202 • Fort Worth, Texas 76104
MEDICAL SPECIALTY: Neurosurgery. INNOVATIONS: Patient-specific rods – pre-manufactured instrumentation specifically designed for each patient’s unique anatomy; CT Navigation – utilizes CT scans in the operating room to increase accuracy for placing instrumentation and removing bone spurs from the nerves; multispecialty clinic specifically focused on spine and neurological health. UNIQUE PATIENT CARE: Listening to the entire patient’s story to help them find a solution, surgical or otherwise, specific to their problem. MEMBERSHIPS/AFFILIATIONS: American Association of Neurological Surgeons, Congress of Neurological Surgeons, North American Spine Society, Texas Medical Association, Tarrant County Medical Society. HOSPITAL AFFILIATIONS: Medical City Fort Worth, Baylor Scott & White All Saints Medical Center, Texas Health Harris Methodist Downtown Fort Worth, JPS Hospital. FREE ADVICE: Falling and dropping things is not a normal part of the aging process and should be evaluated by a medical professional.
Baylor Scott & White All Saints Medical Center – Fort Worth
MEDICAL SPECIALTY: Supportive and Palliative Medicine. EDUCATION/CERTIFICATIONS: Hospice and Palliative Medicine, Internal Medicine, and Rheumatology. MEMBERSHIPS/AFFILIATIONS: American College of Physicians, American College of Hospice and Palliative Medicine, Dallas County Medical Society, AMA, TMA, ACP. GREATEST PROFESSIONAL ACHIEVEMENTS: Medical Director of Supportive and Palliative Care at Baylor All Saints – Fort Worth; past Chair of the SIG Ethics Committee for the American College of Hospice and Palliative Medicine. UNIQUE PATIENT CARE: Provides an interdisciplinary team approach to management of physical symptoms as well as emotional, social, and spiritual needs. Appropriate for patients and families at any age or stage in a serious or chronic illness, regardless of life expectancy. SPC seeks to provide patient-centered care to explore goals and values toward living with quality. FREE ADVICE: Live life with gratitude and grace, taking nothing for granted.
Baylor Scott & White All Saints Medical Center – Fort Worth 1400 Eighth Ave. • Fort Worth, Texas 76104 817.922.2173
FOCUS DOCTORS
Kiran Polavarapu, M.D.
Polavarapu Plastic Surgery, PLLC
MEDICAL SPECIALTY: Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. EDUCATION/CERTIFICATIONS: Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (Harvard-teaching program) (General Surgery); Louisiana State University (Plastic Surgery) and New York Eye and Ear Infirmary (Aesthetic Fellowship). AWARDS/ HONORS: Compassionate Doctor Recognition, Super Doctors Texas Rising Stars, Fort Worth Magazine Top Doctors. MEMBERSHIPS/AFFILIATIONS: ASPS and ASAPS. HOSPITAL AFFILIATIONS: Medical City Fort Worth, Medical City Weatherford. GREATEST PROFESSIONAL ACHIEVEMENTS: Moving to New York City to train under world-renowned plastic surgeon Dr. Donald Woodsmith to complete an Aesthetic fellowship. INNOVATIONS: Hidden Scar approach to breast surgery. UNIQUE PATIENT CARE: Ability to relate to patients and treat them like family. FREE ADVICE: Do your research and don’t be afraid to ask questions.
Polavarapu Plastic Surgery, PLLC
5701 Edwards Ranch Road, Ste. 113 Fort Worth, Texas 76109
817.615.8576
Fax 817.615.8197
polavplastics.com
Precision Orthopedics & Sports Medicine
Dr. Bantoo Sehgal
Dr. Michael W. Downey
MEDICAL SPECIALTY: Dr. Sehgal – Sports Medicine - Shoulder/Hip/Knee; Dr. Downey – Trauma & Reconstructive Foot/ Ankle Surgery. EDUCATION/CERTIFICATIONS: Dr. Sehgal – Sports Medicine Fellowship, Kaiser Permanente Orange County, Irvine. Dr. Downey – Medical School, Midwestern University. INNOVATIONS: Dr. Sehgal – Arthroscopic rotator cuff repairs/reconstructions, advanced ACL reconstruction catering to specific needs, direct anterior total hip replacement, patient specific joint replacement of the shoulder and knee. Dr. Downey – Center of Excellence for total ankle replacements, minimally invasive bunion correction, fracture care. UNIQUE PATIENT CARE: Our treatment plans are tailored to each patient individually, and we will exhaust all resources to fix you and make you better. We are a team until you are better, and we become lifelong friends after that. FREE ADVICE: Taking care of your body and staying healthy should be a priority to maintain a fulfilling life.
Precision Orthopedics & Sports Medicine
800 12th Ave., Ste. 200 • Fort Worth, Texas 76104
972.438.4636 • Fax 972.438.2077
PrecisionOrthoSports.com
FOCUS DOCTORS
Rosy Rajbhandary, M.D.
Rheumatology Clinic of DFW, PLLC
SPECIALTY: Rheumatology. EDUCATION: Internal Medicine Residency at Saint Barnabas Medical Center in Livingston, New Jersey; Fellowship in Rheumatology at Los Angeles County/University of Southern California. AWARDS/HONORS: Top Doc 2017 – 2022; Texas Super Doctors Rising Stars 2020, 2021; 360 West Top Doc 2020 – 2022; Medical Honoree for the Arthritis Foundation; Barbara Sloan Patient Comfort Award for outstanding compassion and care of patients; Assistant Chief Medical Resident, Certified in Medical Humanities, Drew University; certified in rheumatological procedures under ultrasound guidance by the Ultrasound School of North American Rheumatologists (USSONAR).
INNOVATIONS: Dr. Rajbhandary specializes in treating both common as well as rare rheumatic conditions, including osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, lupus, gout, fibromyalgia, sarcoidosis, Bechet’s disease, and osteoporosis. She does steroid and viscosupplementation injections, trigger point injections, injections for treatment of carpal tunnel syndrome, trigger finger and bursitis.
Rheumatology Clinic of DFW, PLLC
11803 S. Freeway, Ste. 210 • Fort Worth, Texas 76115 817.551.3812 • rheumatologyclinicofdfw.com
Melvin P. Simien,
M.D.
Baylor Scott & White Digestive Diseases – Fort Worth
MEDICAL SPECIALTY: Gastroenterology and Hepatology; Interventional Endoscopy. EDUCATION/CERTIFICATIONS: M.D., LSU Health Sciences Center Shreveport; Internship, University Medical Center, Lafayette; Residency, Internal Medicine, Methodist Health System, Dallas; Fellowships, GI and Hepatology, UTMB Galveston, Therapeutic Endoscopy, GI Associates, Milwaukee; Board Certifications, American Board of Internal Medicine, Gastroenterology. GREATEST PROFESSIONAL ACHIEVEMENTS: Dr. Simien performed some of the first advanced endoscopic GI procedures in Tarrant County. INNOVATIONS: Performs interventional procedures only available at a few centers in the country for challenging cases. UNIQUE PATIENT CARE: A boardcertified specialist and advanced therapeutic endoscopist, Dr. Simien believes in utilizing his unique skill set to optimize his patient’s health and well-being.
Melvin P. Simien, M.D.
1250 Eighth Ave., Ste. 650 Fort Worth, Texas 76104
817.912.9180
BSWHealth.com/DigestiveDiseasesFW
FOCUS DOCTORS
Nikisha Kothari
Texas Retina Associates
SPECIALTY: Ophthalmology - Vitreoretinal Surgery. EDUCATION/CERTIFICATIONS: Medical School, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine; Residency, Bascom Palmer Eye Institute; Fellowship, University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) Stein Eye Institute. AWARDS/HONORS: Top 10 Poster Award, American Society of Retina Specialists (ASRS) 2021 Annual Scientific Meeting; Advances in Pediatric Retina -NEI/NIH Award 2019; Fight for Sight Research Grant Recipient 2010; Hope for Vision iWalk Visionary and Lili Medel Vision Award 2010. HOSPITAL AFFILIATIONS: Arlington Memorial Hospital. INNOVATIONS: Texas Retina Associates is actively involved in numerous clinical trials offering patients the newest treatment options for ophthalmic diseases.
UNIQUE PATIENT CARE: I always treat my patients as if they were my own family. I imagine what it must feel like to get diagnosed with a retinal detachment or macular degeneration and help ease their concerns.
This year’s Fort Worth Magazine Dream Street has enlisted the area’s top professionals to build three luxury homes in the new Montrachet development that exhibit the industry’s latest innovations and interior design trends. The VIP Party held on March 3 unveiled the never-before-seen homes as guests enjoyed cocktails, hors d’oeuvres, and live music to celebrate the trades who put in hundreds of hours of hard work to make Dream Street 2022 a success.
Tim & Amira Windmiller
Michael Costantino, Cristin Boulter, Cathy Hensley, Amanda Thomas, Kevin Christensen.
PHOTOS BY CRYSTAL WISE
Ashley & Winter Moore
Hal & Camille Brown, Christy & Jason Smith
Anabel Munoz, Stephanie McPherson, Azenette Galvan, Jorge Reyes, Ruben Castañeda, Klara Johnson,Jocelyn Galvan, Juan Galvan, Juan Galvan Jr., Alejandro Landin
BENEFITING:
Thank You!
Fort WorthMagazine would like to thank the builders, designers, subcontractors, and sponsors of the second annual Dream Street for dedicating countless hours and their expert craftsmanship toward the project. It is because of them that Dream Street 2022 was such a great success.
DESIGNERS:
TRADE VENDORS:
Teresa’s Staffing
Bear Creek Spirits & Wine
Lost Oak Winery
American Reverly Feastivities
Matt Short/9G Films
Rent A Frog Channel 5
The Ranch Radio
Realty Pro Shots
SPONSORS:
Texas Hill Country
Cape Dutch Modern Tudor
custom
HOMES
Foodie Philanthropy After-Party
Foodie Philanthropy
Foodie Philanthropy’s mission is to bring together like-minded foodies for philanthropic causes. This year 32 restaurants hosted 33 tables of 10 guests to benefit Methodist Justice Ministry. Supporters converged at an after-party at Wild Acre Brewing Co., where there was live music provided by Brad Thompson.
Christian Burton, Greg Jackson, Claudine Jackson
Erin Rahr, Kyle McKinley, Kevin Martinez
John Laudenslager, Terrence Butler, Serene Fletcher
Sarah Pricer, Yajaera Chatterson
PHOTOS BY RACHEL DELIRA
APR. 1-3
Fort Worth Food + Wine Festival
Fort Worth Food + Wine Foundation
APR. 7
Project Goodwill
Goodwill North Central Texas
APR. 16
Cinderella Ball
The Ladies Auxiliary
APR. 21
Stars in Recovery Recovery Resource Council
APR. 22
Butterfly Wishes Gala a Wish with Wings
APR. 22
Black Dog Dinner
Black Dog Charity
APR. 22
Purple Party Safehaven
APR. 28
TCU Night of Champions Fellowship of Christian Athletes
APR. 29
Double Down for Good Colleyville Woman’s Club
APR. 29
Empty Bowls Event Tarrant Area Food Bank
MAY 4
Cigar Smoker
FW Public Library Foundation
MAY 7
BeatLeukemia Ball
Leukemia Texas
MAY 22
Big Taste Big Brothers Big Sisters
Give Back Calendar
There’s nothing more rewarding than giving back and making a difference in the lives of people in this great community. As the city’s magazine — which has the eyes and ears of some of Fort Worth’s most affluent and philanthropic citizens — we feel a responsibility to give back to the people of the city that is our namesake, which is why Philanthropy is one of our core values.
Every year, Fort Worth Magazine sponsors more than 100 charity events, which range from luncheons to black-tie galas. The following promotional section is devoted to these charities and their fundraisers. We invite you to consciously peruse and consider lending a helping hand by either making a donation or attending these events.
Leadership Forum & Awards Celebration
Patricia Rodriguez Christian
Arlene Patricia Jasso
Lynn McBee
Thana Simmons
Sharareh Kermanshachi
Stacy Johnson Ford
Want to Give Now?
Buy a $50 raffle ticket to be entered for the chance to win $500 to GRACE, $500 to Capital Grille & $500 to the Bonnell's restaurant of your choice!
HONORARY CHAIR
Mattie Parker
Fort Worth Mayor CHAIR
Shauna Jenkins
MASTER OF CEREMONIES
Kristin Dickerson
NBC Texas Host
Stars In Recovery featuring Jason Starkey
Jason Starkey is a former NFL football player who played for the Arizona Cardinals for 4 years. Growing up in West Virginia, Jason was the captain of an undefeated, Division 1 football team and received a scholarship as a walk on at the University of Marshall where he played alongside Chad Pennington. With more than 15 years of sobriety, Starkey travels to colleges and treatment programs sharing his story of recovery, inspiring hope and insights on how to conquer addiction.
April 21, 2022
1:30 pm registration; 2 - 3 pm program
Fort Worth Botanic Garden 3220 Botanic Garden Blvd., Ft. Worth, Texas 76107 *hors d’oeuvres provided
For more information visit: recoverycouncil.org/event_list/stars-in-recovery/
OUR MISSION: Recovery Resource Council is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization with 75 years of experience executing our mission to promote wellness and recovery from alcohol and substance use disorders and trauma.
FOR LIGHT THE NIGHT 2022
Wednesday, April 13, 2022 Fort Worth Convention Center Ballroom 1201 Houston Street, Fort Worth 10 a.m. Champagne Reception 11:30 a.m. Fashion Presentation and Luncheon EVENT
to
in
and surrounding communities. To become a sponsor or purchase tickets, visit TexasHealth.org/POP or contact Robin Moore at RobinMoore3@texashealth.org.
Friday, May 13th
6:00PM - 10:00PM 2901 Stadium Drive Fort Worth, TX 76129
Mission Sponsor GIVE BACK
Attire: Formal, 20’s Glam encouraged
Jewel Charity, extends sincere gratitude to the following donors for their support and generosity.
M ichelangelo a rchangel , l uMinous g eM , c rown J ewels
Beth and Craig Collins Charitable Fund at the North Texas Community Foundation
Kelly and Jeff Dillard Family Foundation
Louella Martin
Kirk and Kathy Sneed in Memory of Matthew Thomas Sneed Park Place Motorcars Fort Worth
Mr. and Mrs. Neil Randel
Sproles Woodard LLP
r aphael a rchangel , p latinuM g eM , D iaMonD J ewel
Amon G. Carter Foundation
Mr. and Mrs. Robert M. Bass
Anne and Orlando Carvalho First American by Deluxe Gittings
Once Upon A Time
In Honor of Julie Sawyer
Adeline and George McQueen Foundation
Tiffany & Co.
a rchangel , p recious g eM , e MeralD J ewel
Anonymous in Honor of Michelle Marlow
Bank of America
Mr. and Mrs. Edward P. Bass
The Biedenharn Foundation
BNSF Railway
Paula and Bob Brockway
Mr. and Mrs. Blake Carpenter
Anne and Orlando Carvalho
Chicken Express
Virginia Clay
Beth and Craig Collins
Paul Dorman
Christine and Stefan Figley
Fort Worth Magazine
Mr. and Mrs. John Collins Goff
Dr. and Mrs. G. Scott Marlow
Danny McKee and Jan McKee
Hyder and More Family
Paper City Magazine
Roger Williams Chrysler
Dodge Jeep Ram
William and Marsha Rickett
Family Foundation
Rosalyn G. Rosenthal
Roxo Media
Standard Meat
Susan Semmelmann
Juli and David Tierney / Buehler Family
Wells Fargo Wealth Investment
Management Group
Mr. and Mrs. Anthony Wonderly
g uarDian a ngel ,
B rilliant g eM , r uBy J ewel
360 West Magazine
American Airlines
Tiffany Blackmon, My So-Called Fabulous
Blackwell’s Personal Touch
Print & Design
Theresa and Randy Brillhart
Cantalini Family Foundation
Suzanne and J.T. Crandall
in Honor of Anne T. Bass
Linda and Jay Fierke
Jill and Charles Fischer Foundation
Frost
Frost Wealth Advisors
Nancy Herman Gibson
Virginia Hobbs Charitable Trust
Katie and Stephen Howard
J.P. Morgan
Justin Boots
Joan and Howard Katz
Liz and Michael H. Lattimore
Linbeck
Lockheed Martin
Michelle and Dan Lowrance
M. L. Leddy’s / Martha and Wilson Franklin
Priscilla and Joe Martin
Therese and Tom Moncrief
Dr. Alice and Mr. Monty Phillips
Sally and Paul Prater
Regions Bank
Royer Commercial Interiors
Julie and Joel Sawyer
Susan Semmelmann Interiors
Sandy and Mike Stepp
Malcolm B. Street Donor Advised Fund at the North Texas
Community Foundation
The Tanna Family
Valliance Bank
V Fine Homes
Martha Williams Group & Joseph Berkes Group Williams Trew
g olDen a ngel , r aDiant g eM ,
s apphire J ewel
Laura and Greg Bird
Nelia and Charles Blanton
Kim and Glenn Darden
David Hunt Furs and Leathers
Mr. and Mrs. William S. Davis Sr.
Shirley and John Dean
Carol and Jim Dunaway
Frost
Pamela and Stephen Gilchrist
Mr. and Mrs. Paul Greenwell
Ginger Ray Walker Art
Shannon and Mark Hart
Mr. and Mrs. Larry Kalas
Olivia and Jeff Kearney
Mr. and Mrs. Jeff Kramer
Dr. and Mrs. Jon Kurkjian
Locations Photography
Mackenzie Brittingham
Erika and Dan McCarthy
Gregory L. McCoy
Winjie and Darryl Miao
Jonathan Nedrelow
Lara and Jim Newman
Debbie and Don Reynolds
Mr. and Mrs. Fred Norman Reynolds
Jean and John Roach
Sanders Travel Centre
Sara and Greg Scheideman
Shawnie and Greg Ulmer
Dr. and Mrs. Robert Warren
Winstead PC
s ilver a ngel , M arquis g eM , t opaz J ewel
Katy and Joseph Abraham
Melinda and Glenn Adams
Cindy and John Adams
Mary Louise and Bob Albritton
Sidney Aldridge MD and David Preston
Dr. Lee Anderson and Judge Sherry Hill
Dr. and Mrs. R. Dale Anderson
Vicki and Rick Andrews
Dr. and Mrs. Watson C. Arnold Jr.
Steven Ashcraft and Denise Mullins
In Memory of Marcella (Marcy) Baird
Stephanie and Cody Baker
Robert Baker, RLB Auto Group
Corliss and Louis Baldwin
Bank of Texas
Mr. and Mrs. Craig Barbolla
Ramona and Lee Bass
Baylor Scott & White Health
Kara and Brian Bell
Marsha and Barclay Berdan
B&B Butchers and Restaurant
Juli and Brandon Bledsoe
Mr. and Mrs. David Bloxom
David Bonderman
Edith Boswell
Debbie and Johnny Boudreaux
Madelon L. Bradshaw
Mr. and Mrs. Dan Brock
Tory Burch
Carie and Todd Burnette
Mr. and Mrs. William B. Butler
Carley and Chris Cagle
Vicki and Greg Cantwell
Capital One Commercial Banking
Mr. and Mrs. Daniel B. Carey Jr.
Jo Ellen and Ted St. Clair
Central Market
Ciera Bank
The Shops at Clearfork
Mrs. Gunhild G. Corbett
Stephen Coslik and Gene Pumphrey
Barbara and Ralph Cox
Joanna and Michael Crain
Leslie and Matthew Daly
Dr. and Mrs. Jimmy Davis
Mr. and Mrs. William S. Davis Jr.
Mr. and Mrs. Brad Deering
Kerry D. Dick, Planstyles, Inc.
Stephanie and Michael Dike
Dr. Jason and Jennifer Disney
Dr. David and Angela Donahue
Double R Brand
Mr. and Mrs. J Corey Doyle
Virginia Durham
Mr. Scott and Dr. Gretchen Eames
Eiseman Jewels NorthPark Center
Dallas
Mr. and Mrs. Tommy Ellis
Bonnie and Marc Epstein
Courtney and Jason Estes
Mr. and Mrs. Alan W. Farquharson
Mr. and Mrs. Russell Fleischer
Ann and Charles Florsheim
Family Foundation
Curtis Fortinberry
Mr. and Mrs. W. H. Fox II
Martha J. Fry
Mr. and Mrs. Arnold G. Gachman
Shirlee J. and Taylor Gandy
Mrs. Mary Lynn Peterson Garrett
The Gates of Chai - In Memory of Larry E. Kornbleet from Marcia P. Kornbleet Kurtz
Mr. and Mrs. Scott J. Gerrish
Terri and Kim Gill
Andrea Severin and Ryan Goins
Amy and Patrick Gotcher
Warren Gould and Mary Kathryn Anderson
Mr. and Mrs. Daniel Gralapp
Michelle and Kevin Gregory
Regan and Ryan Haggerty
Nancy L. Hallman
Dr. and Mrs. Daniel Hansen
Shirley Hansen
Carolyn Hardgrove
Mary Ann and James R. Harris
Judy and Gary Havener
Blake Havran
Joy Ann, Bob, and Blake Havran
Charitable Fund
Dr. David Hendricks and Ms. Vicki Ray
Marsha and Larry Hilcher
Nancy and Marcus Hiles
Dee and Tommy Holmes
Joni and Dwight Horton
Dr. and Mrs. Eric Hubli
Jeanie and Ken Huffman
Melissa and Scott Huffman
Wendy and James Hunsaker
Marcia B. Jacobs
Hillary and Doug Jennings
Mr. and Mrs. Michael James Jiongo
Mr. and Mrs. Jeff Johnson
Christina and Mark Johnson
Kim and Matt Johnson
Leah and Mark Jones
Ben. E. Keith Foods
Sherette and Stephen Kimmel
Don and Jeanice King
Teresa and Luther King/Luther King
Capital Management
Mason D. King
Holly and Josh Korman
Jane Klabzuba Korman
Jack Labovitz
Gail and Bill Landreth
Paula and Bob Lansford
Lauri Lawrence
Matthew Wallace and Dr. Danielle LeBlanc
Barbara and Jay Lesok
Mr. and Mrs. John R. Lively Jr.
Beth and Alex Long
Mr. and Mrs. Anthony J. Loth
Mary Ralph Lowe
Brian Lowrance
Mr. and Mrs. P. Bradley Lummis
HH Lydick Interiors
Laura Lynch
Faith and James R. Mallory
Cynthia Marlow and Terry Hollingshead
Natalie and Brant Martin
Vivienne and Bobby Mays
Pat and Clyde S. McCall Jr.
McCallum Family Foundation
Margaret and Stuart McDonald
Mr. and Mrs. Robert J. McGee Jr.
Larkin and Richard McMillan
Susan and Victor Medina
Evelyn and Rick Merrill
Michelle and Dan Miles
Maryanne and Tom Mitchell
Honorable Mike and Rosie Moncrief
Mr. and Mrs. W. A. Moncrief III
Lezlie and Joe Monteleone
Ashley Mooring and Marshall Sharp
Cindy and Sam Moser
Neiman Marcus Fort Worth
Sainty and Eric Nelsen
Kristi Newton
Mr. and Mrs. John Nichols
Alann and Bill Nolan
Shannon and Stephen Nolan
Gemma and Tim Nolan
Noel and David Nolet
Origin Bank
Ronny and Dorian Ortowski
Pam and Jamie Packer
Mr. and Mrs. Michael Chad Parsons
A M Pate Jr. Charitable Trust
Paige and Graham Pate
Sherri and Bobby Patton
Anne S. and Henry B. Paup
Mr. and Mrs. H. Richard Payne
Cortney and Alex Pelley
Perkins Orthodontics
Bonnie and Alan Petsche
Erica and Sean Pifer
Pam and Reed Pigman / Texas Jet
Elizabeth and John Pinkley
Lisa and Todd Podell
Dr. Richard and Mary Anne Polson
Beth and Trent Prim
P.S. The Letter
Elizabeth and Kyle Pyron
Lisa and John Queralt
Betty Rajan, M.D.
Mr. and Mrs. James F. Reeves
Mr. and Mrs. J. Russell Reid
Debbie and Don Reynolds
Peggy and Jim Rhodes
Dr. and Mrs. Ray N. Rhodes Jr.
Beth Rivers and Woody Grossman
Dr. Don Roberts and
Dr. Karen Roberts
Mr. and Mrs. Chris Rooker
Meg and John Rubin
Dr. and Mrs. William F. Runyon Jr.
Mr. and Mrs. Jason Rynd
Dr. and Mrs. Todd Samuelson
Suzanne and Travis Sanders
Skipper and Randall Schmidt
Mr. and Mrs. Philip L. Schutts
The Scout Guide
Jan and Bob Scully
Marisa and Bruce Selkirk
Dr. Mark and Mary Ann Shelton
Shannon Shivers
Mr. and Mrs. William
Patrick Shropshire
Colleen and Aaron Shutt
Mr. and Mrs. Henry W. Simon Jr.
Peggy and Bill Sims
Julie and Donnie Siratt
Jennifer and Christopher Slimmer
Christy and Jason Smith
Mr. and Mrs. Lamar Smith
Mary Alice Denmon Smith
Karyn and Rick Sorenson
Southwestern Exposition and Livestock Show
Carol and Vern Spurlock
Helen and John Stephens
Mr. and Mrs. Peter Sterling
Dr. and Mrs. Michael J. Stevener
Stockyards Hotel
Edward L. Stout Jr.
Dr. and Mrs. Louis Strock
Ronda and Walter Stucker
Jane and Dan Sykes
Mr. and Mrs. Leo Charles Taylor
Mr. and Mrs. Michael Terrell
Texas Capital Bank
Texas Christian University
Cami and James Thompson
TPG Global, LLC
Dr. and Mrs. Thomas C. Truelson
Mark and Julia Wade
Lisa and Burch Waldron
Tarin and Bradley Wallace
Chandler and Gavin Wallace
Blair and Andrew Ward
Wayne Properties
Elizabeth and James Webb
Mr. and Mrs. Richard Wegman
Natalie Wilkins
Karen and Tom Williams
Jennifer and Philip Williamson
Mr. and Mrs. J.W. Wilson
Carly and Gary Witulski
Brooke and Kyle Wright
Wendy Wright
c heruB a ngel ,
D azzling g eM
Carol J. and R. Denny
Alexander Foundation
Annette and Jerry Blaschke
Dr. and Mrs. Scott Bloemendal
BNSF Railway Foundation
Marcelle and Robert Borgers
Dr. and Mrs. Victor J. Boschini Jr.
Madelon L. Bradshaw
Mr. and Mrs. Wynn Brown
Susan and Stephen Butt
Caroline Lawrence B&L Designs
Mr. and Mrs. Stephen Palmer Christie
Drs. Nancy and Mark Dambro
Mr. and Mrs. Derrick Dameron
Wendy and Bruce Davis
Averille and Stewart Dawson
R.E. Dodson
Dr. Mark and Sarah Eidson
Fash Foundation
Nicole and Leonard Firestone
First American by Deluxe
Mrs. Ben J. Fortson III
Kenneth and Cherrie
Garrett Foundation
Mr. and Mrs. William G. Hanley II
Dr. and Mrs. James D. Harper
Mr. and Mrs. Ryan Hessing
Susan and Tom Idleman
Dana and Dee Kelly
Mr. and Mrs. George F. LeBus
Le Reve Skincare and Laser Center
Robert Linnstaedt
Mr. and Mrs. Joe Reid Martin Jr.
Louella Martin Charitable Fund at the North Texas Community Foundation
Ann and John Mason Charitable Fund
Lauren and Ryan Matthews
Dr. and Mrs. Mark McCurdy
Ellen Messman
Mr. and Mrs. Christopher J. Morris
Neiman Marcus Fort Worth
Helen and Gary Pace
Kelsey and Gary Patterson
The Petite Party
Ms. Emmy Lou Prescott
Mr. and Mrs. James Sydney Ramsey
Mr. and Mrs. Dan Reese
Mr. and Mrs. James F. Reeves
Dr. and Mrs. John A. Richards
Jobe and Helen Richards Foundation, The Chicotsky Family, Trustees
Mr. and Mrs. Jay Scheideman
Tom and LaVerne Sewell
Mr. and Mrs. Greg Sexton
Margaret and David Sykes
Melissa and Mike Tapp
Sallie B. Tarride
Melinda and David Teitelbaum
Mr. and Mrs. Kelly R. Thompson
Mr. and Mrs. J. David Tracy
Dr. David and Priscilla Turbeville
Mr. and Mrs. Phillip Wesley Walker
Mr. and Mrs. Joe H. White Sr.
Drs. Keith and Susi Whitworth
Ms. Carol Williams
Photographer Abraham Cepeda was scoping out the food trucks around Will Rogers Memorial Center when he encountered this scene. “I instantly took notice of the person’s hat, their crossed feet, and attentive gaze glued to the menu,” Cepeda recalls. “I thought I could capture this scene well on my point-and-shoot camera despite the low light, so I went for it.” Cepeda used what he refers to as his street photography secret weapon, an Olympus XA2 35mm camera. “It’s one of my favorite cameras of all time,” Cepeda says. He developed the black-and-white film in his restroom, where he dropped the roll a couple times, which explains the dust and scratches you see on the picture.
@abe.cepeda
BY ABRAHAM CEPEDA
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PHOTO
“The easiest experience in car buying I have had!”
– Ben Keator
We Drive the Difference:
¡ Platinum Promise which includes:
- 2 years of oil changes, tire rotations, & multipoint inspections.
¡ Platinum Valet Service which includes:
- Online or over the phone sales purchase and delivery
- Service pick-up and delivery
Family Owned and Operated since 1986. We tailor the purchase experience to fit your needs, not ours; because we don’t just want to sell you a vehicle, we want to build a relationship and become your trusted advisor for all purchases and service.
Pictured: Ben Keator, customer; Justin Rudd, General Manager; Stephen Gilchrist, Dealer Operator.
Smooth Sailing
Mike and Kay Hays know all about travel.
The Hays, former Fort Worth and Birdville ISD educators, have traveled all over the world. As owners of Holiday Express, Inc., and Student Travel America, they have toured six continents, journeyed to 131 countries, sailed on 70 cruises, and transported over 14,000 students on student vacations. But when they take to the road, it’s in one of their Lexus vehicles from Park Place Lexus Grapevine.
The eight cars they have purchased from the dealership in the past 11 years have been exceptionally well-equipped and comfortable, they say. And that’s the case for their most recent purchases — a 2021 Lexus GX 460 and 2020 Lexus RX 450h — perfect for the 800mile road trips to visit their grandchildren in Chattanooga, Tennessee. “Mileage is great, and comfort is extraordinary,” Mike says.
While the couple says they love their Lexus vehicles for “comfort, looks, hybrid gas mileage, and incredible amenities,” they also appreciate the Park Place Lexus Grapevine dealership for its “service, prices, friendliness, and most unbelievable salesperson ever — Becky Gustafsson,” Mike says. “Becky never plays games. It is a no-hassle deal,” he says. “Park Place is My Place because it’s a one stop and easy way to do business. I recommend it to friends and family and anyone who needs a car.”
