Briggs Freeman Sotheby’s International Realty. Finding happy places, since 1960 and
VOLUME 23
12
73
The Unforgettable Year
For Fort Worth, 2020 will be shaped by more than just a global pandemic, nationwide protests, and a presidential election. Let’s take an illustrated journey through one year we won’t soon forget.
BY MALCOLM MAYHEW
86 Staring Failure in the Face
In a candid chat with Fort Worth Magazine, local entrepreneur Riley Kiltz opens up about the struggles and successes of his Craftwork Coffee Co.
BY SAMANTHA CALIMBAHIN
96
It’s in His Blood Champion roper Tuf Cooper vies for another title, and this time, he gets to do it at home.
BY SHILO URBAN
106 Blackstone Award Winner: Michael Heiskell
This year’s recipient of the Tarrant County Bar Association’s most prestigious award.
BY BRIAN KENDALL
112 2020 Top Attorneys
The city’s top legal professionals, as chosen by their peers.
: know
14 Buzz
The renaissance of Camp Bowie, Tarrant County’s election aftermath, and legal help for patients in need.
20 Fort Worthian
Outside Roy Pope and Paris Coffee Shop, Chris Reale’s side gig is a real banger.
22 Hell on Earth
Inside downtown Fort Worth’s dark past as a hub for scum and villainy.
: live
28 Cozy Cold Weather Reads
Grab a blanket and cozy up to these recommendations for your winter reading list.
30 Having a Blast
Mansfield actor Keith L. Williams needs some space.
34 We’re Live
How local music venues are holding up amid the pandemic.
36 A City Transformed
It’s not your grandma’s Oklahoma City. Here’s a quick travel guide to everything cool in OKC.
42 When Style Meets Substance
We chat fashion and tunes with PRIZM, who is set to make major noise in the music world.
: eat
50 Restaurant News
The inspiring story behind vegan taco joint Belenty’s, which expanded to the Bluebonnet traffic circle.
60 Sweet Helpings for the Holidays
It’s beginning to taste a lot like Christmas with these decadent holiday recipes.
68 And the Chefs Cooked On
When COVID-19 lays off two local chefs, they find ways to reinvent themselves and the way they serve their cuisine.
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Risks and Rewards
Iroutinely read other city publications. In fact, I would say it’s essential to becoming a halfwaydecent magazine editor. Similar in vein to enjoying films and incessantly hitting up the Coyote DriveIn for the latest releases, you can call me a “magazine buff” for frequently hitting up newsstands to admire other magazines.
I’ve noticed city and regional magazines have a flare — more so than national publications — for taking risks, both in content and design. They’re edgier, more engaged with their audience, and take an active role in their respective communities to influence positive change. During a roundtable I attended with the editor of Esquire, David Granger, he said the publications he routinely scoured for inspiration were city magazines. Why? They embrace risks, as he put it.
This edition, the umpteenth in our publication’s 22-year history, contains a short graphic novel recapping the tumultuous roller coaster that was 2020. It’s unlike anything we’ve done before and is, undoubtedly, a risk. We could’ve done a typical story with running copy and some of the breathtaking pictures our photographers have taken throughout the year. You might have read the piece, or you might have skimmed through it on your way to pictures of recent social engagements (of which there are none in this issue, thanks to a pandemic).
So, we hired an illustrator, Brandon Hayman, who is literally the only local comic book illustrator I know — I found him while searching the hashtag #FWartist on Instagram. He’s done a few minor illustrations for the magazine in the past — and delivered brilliant work on short notice. But giving him such a massive project with very specific instructions and high expectations was, again, a risk. Yet, as you can glean from the beautiful cover and the feature (beginning page 73), the crazy, risky idea not only came to fruition but wound up becoming one of our publication’s standout pieces. Brandon, whose humility will cringe at my writing this, may very well be the greatest local artist you’ve never heard of.
Despite the turbulent year, for the magazine, we feel it’s ending on a positive note. And we wish the same for you and yours.
Brian Kendall EXECUTIVE EDITOR
ON THE COVER: Illustrator Brandon Hayman creates an image that perfectly encapsulates the year for our unique city. A cowboy, looking ahead but cautiously wearing a mask, poses in front of the Fort Worth skyline with the sun rising from the east. And, in the foreground, the ever-present COVID-19 waits in the wings as it threatens the city.
Corrections? Comments? Concerns? Send to executive editor Brian Kendall at bkendall@ fwtexas.com.
NEXT ISSUE
The Cowgirls of Cowtown
New Year, New You: A Guide to Keeping Fit and Eating Healthy
Private School Guide
owner/publisher hal a. brown
president mike waldum
EDITORIAL
executive editor brian kendall
managing editor samantha calimbahin
contributing editor scott nishimura
contributing writers sean chaffin, hilaire baumgartner, david fletcher, tina howard, malcolm mayhew, shilo urban, josie villa-singleton
copy editor sharon casseday
editorial interns isabella delgado, miranda vilchis
ART
creative director craig sylva
senior art director spray gleaves
advertising art director ed woolf
contributing photographers olaf growald, truitt rogers, crystal wise
ADVERTISING
advertising account supervisors gina burns-wigginton x150, marion c. knight x135
Fort Worth Magazine (ISSN 1536-8939) is published monthly by Panther City Media Group, LP, 6777 Camp Bowie Blvd., Suite 130, Fort Worth, TX 76116. Periodicals Postage Paid at Fort Worth, Texas. POSTMASTER: Send change of address notices and undeliverable copies to Fort Worth Magazine P.O. Box 433329, Palm Coast, FL 32143-3329. Volume 23, Number 12, December 2020. Basic Subscription price: $23.95 per year. Single copy price: $4.99
Let’s Chat
A few words from our readers
Stay Tuned...
Have known Mike since I started going to Paris in 1983. Great food, good stories and jokes, pleasant staff, and atmosphere. My wife and I will miss Mike’s greeting and table visits.
-Sal Adamski
Crossing my fingers that the menu really does stay the same.
-Merrill Shepherd King
I will miss seeing Mike at the door. I have been going there since I was a little girl. I went there when it was across the street from St. Mary’s.
-Stephanie Hunter
I honestly think it might be time to find a bigger location than the South Main one.
-Brian Cameron
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.
Keep your eyes out and ears open for an upcoming podcast with executive editor Brian Kendall and managing editor Samantha Calimbahin. Coming soon...
Inc.’s Gone Digital
Well, look who has its very own website — visit fortworthinc.com for exclusive business content from our sister publication, Fort Worth Inc.
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Visit fwtx.com for the full story.
» What Do Leon Bridges, Gary Patterson, and Chris Harrison Have in Common? Fort Worth’s Newest Charity
A Grammy-winning musician, a college football coach, and the host of “The Bachelor” walk into a room. The result — a new, Fort Worthbased charity organization with a mission of helping children and families.
» ‘Creative Incubator’ in the Near Southside Could Give Artists a Place to Work and Live
Should the project move forward, the creative incubator will offer artists not just living space but also an art gallery, rehearsing studios, and workstations.
Former XTO Energy HQ to Become Luxury Hotel
The hotel is expected to have a penthouse bar, Italian restaurant, and rooftop deck offering 360-degree views of Fort Worth.
Fort Worth’s newest premier neighborhood, Montrachet, has just announced the sale of an additional 29 homesites. The demand for lots in the initial offering far exceeded expectations. Phase II of Montrachet will feature lots with views, priced from $475,000 to $875,000 and ranging in size from one half to two acres. The community is highlighted by groves of mature trees, fifty acres of parks and green-space, miles of hiking and biking trails, resort-style amenities, and 24-hour manned security.
Bordered by Mary’s Creek to the north, Montserrat to the east, Team Ranch Road to the south, and FM 2871 to the west, Montrachet is ideally situated for convenience, security, and maintaining legacy property values for future generations.
The Camp Bowie Renaissance
The six-mile corridor is experiencing one of its biggest growth spurts in recent years, and there’s more to come in 2021.
BY SAMANTHA CALIMBAHIN
has been both a curse and a blessing for the Camp Bowie district. The curse — COVID-19. The blessing — perhaps one of the biggest growth spurts the six-mile corridor has seen in recent years.
At least 15 new businesses opened along or adjacent to Camp Bowie Boulevard this year, from Japanese restaurant Kintaro to Western accessories shop Chieffalo Americana. Meanwhile, some existing businesses decided it was time for a redo — boutiques Hale House and Esther Penn underwent remodeling, while longtime establishment Kite’s Custom Cleaners saw a major renovation of its exterior facade.
There’s more coming down the pipeline in 2021, from the opening of the renovated Roy Pope grocery store to Grow Plant Shop opening its first brick-and-mortar in the former Enchanted Florist space.
District board member and real estate developer Mark Harris believes the area is currently undergoing a renaissance.
“The evolution of retail is going micro,” Harris says. “[Smaller retailers] can come in, specialize, and make more money per square foot here than a lot of other areas, and in turn, they’re able to pay larger rents to landlords, landlords can improve the buildings, and everybody’s happy.”
Outside business, nonprofit Camp Bowie District Inc. has been working to improve the neighborhood in general, from increasing garbage pickup to planting more trees. At press time, the district was at the cusp of launching a beautification project funded by a $400,000 grant from the Green Ribbon Fund administered by the Texas Department of Transportation. The project, which will take place along the 6700 – 7000 blocks of Camp Bowie Boulevard, will replace sod with a healthy mix of drought-resistant plants and native grasses, all of which will be irrigated and maintained by Camp Bowie District.
But the district wants to do more to “effectuate change that’s beneficial to the property owners beyond just planting more plants,” says Camp Bowie District president Wade Chappell. The district is increasing
marketing efforts, unveiling a new logo this year and doubling down on promoting businesses through social media and video content. The district is also doing research on the area’s consumer behavior for a new economic development plan.
“Camp Bowie is uniquely Fort Worth. There is no other boulevard or street like it in the city,” Chappell says. “It’s economic staying power is proving resilient right now, where you have more and more new shops. Yes, we’re losing some, but we’re gaining brandnew businesses that are materializing out of the pandemic.”
The last time Tarrant County voted democrat in a presidential election (for Lyndon B. Johnson)
Source: Tarrant County Elections Administration
COOK CHILDREN’S, TEXAS A&M LAW SCHOOL PARTNER TO OFFER FREE LEGAL SERVICES
Families at Cook Children’s Medical Center often struggle with accessing legal services, whether it be qualifying for public benefits, obtaining a guardianship for their incapacitated adult child, or communicating with their landlord to remediate unsafe housing issues.
Realizing the impact these factors can have on a child’s health, Cook Children’s Health Care System has partnered with Texas A&M School of Law (TAMU Law) to offer free legal services to patients and families with legal needs that directly affect their health and access to medical care. The program also provides patients and families with access to legal services in family law, housing, and public benefits.
It’s a partnership that not only helps patients but also allows law students to develop and apply their skills on behalf of clients who cannot afford legal representation.
“The health and well-being of our patients is impacted by so many factors beyond the scope of traditional medical care,” Vida Amin, medical director of Cook Children’s Neighborhood Clinics, said in a statement. “Having an accessible, dedicated resource for our families to turn to for assistance in navigating their legal challenges will be an invaluable addition to the family-centered care we strive to provide every day.”
Since launching in March 2020, the collaboration has assisted dozens of families, one of the first being the family of Felicia Carey. A social worker at Cook Children’s referred Carey to the program after the death of her sister, which left her to care for three teenagers, including a niece diagnosed with spina bifida.
Carey has since finalized her guardianship issues and is now working with TAMU Law on an adult adoption, veterans’ benefits, and developing her will.
“At first, it was very difficult because I lost the paperwork that allowed me guardianship so I could take the children to the doctor,” Carey said in a statement. “A social worker at Cook Children’s referred me to the program, and it’s been phenomenal. They made a process, which was unbearable, extremely easy.”
Chris Reale
Owner/operator of Roy Pope Grocery
BY
BY SAMANTHA CALIMBAHIN
PHOTO
OLAF GROWALD
Metal’s weird; I don’t listen to metal often at all. I got into metal because it’s demanding. I love fast-pace, odd time signatures, pushing myself as much as I can. -Chris Reale
The COVID-19 pandemic has had a way of slowing things down for a lot of folks in 2020 — not so for Chris Reale who, this year, was given the reins to two of Fort Worth’s oldest institutions.
Reale is the owner and operator of Roy Pope, the 77-year-old West Side grocery store he’s revamping with restaurateur Lou Lambert and real estate veterans Rodger Chieffalo and Mark Harris. By early next year, the same group also plans to finalize its purchase of Paris Coffee Shop, the 95-year-old diner on Magnolia Avenue.
But there’s another project keeping Reale busy in 2020 — a drumming gig with alternative metal band My Perfect End.
“Metal’s weird; I don’t listen to metal often at all,” Reale says. “I got into metal because it’s demanding. I love fastpace, odd time signatures, pushing myself as much as I can.”
Reale’s been putting time in the studio recording singles for My Perfect End — the first band he’s played for in a while. He used to play all the time as a teenager, jamming out with a thrash metal group made up of guys older than he was. He even played a few gigs at Ridglea Theater, just down the street from Roy Pope.
A desire to become
a chef, however, won out over any dreams of becoming a rock star. Reale hopped around several food joints — his first cooking job was at Del Frisco’s Double Eagle Steakhouse downtown — but his breakthrough came from Lambert’s Fort Worth, the namesake restaurant of his future business partner.
“I wanted to go to culinary school, and [Lambert] just put the kibosh on it,” Reale says. “He was like, ‘No, that’s a horrible idea. You already know how to cook … You need to understand the business.’”
MY FAVORITE LOCAL METAL BANDS 1. Aesop
In Resistance
Orchards 4. A Tragedy at Hand 5. Dispositions MY TOP 5 METAL ALBUMS 1. OceanoAscendants 1. And Hell Followed WithProprioception 1. Lamb Of God - Ashes of the Wake 1. Pantera - Vulgar Display of Power 1. Living Sacrifice - Reborn
So, Lambert took Reale under his wing. Even after the restaurant closed in 2012, the two continued working together on various food concepts, including the Campo Smokehouse food truck that used to be parked out at Clearfork. Now, the duo and their partners are knee-deep in the renovation of Roy Pope, anticipating a reopening in early 2021 — right around the time the sale is expected to close on Paris Coffee Shop.
Reale admits the days can get quite long working between both projects. It helps, though, to have an outlet to blow off steam — preferably, something loud and bangy, with an appropriately complex rhythm.
“[Music is] just for me,” he says. “This is what my heart needs.”
1. My Perfect End, recording their first music video for their song, “Beautiful Victim.” 2. Chris and Lou Lambert (left) doing what they do best. 3. Roasting a pig for an episode of Cooking Channel’s “Man Fire Food.” 4. Chris’ “home away from home,” El Pescadero in Baja California Sur. 5. Chris’ “two kids,” Peter and Banks. 6. Chris once cooked for the Bush family at their ranch in South Texas.
Hell on Earth
In stark contrast to Fort Worth’s now inviting downtown, a visit to city center (known as Hell’s Half Acre) in the late 19th century meant gambling, booze, shootouts, and prostitution.
BY SEAN CHAFFIN
The tree-lined stretch of the 600 block of Main Street sits in the heart of Sundance Square — surrounded by nice hotels, eateries, and popular Fort Worth hotspots like Bass Performance Hall and the Convention Center. An average day might bring visitors walking the brick-covered sidewalks and meeting friends for lunch.
But in the late 1800s, Fort Worth was much different. A touch of the Old West still prevailed, and a large section of the city featured the unofficial red-light district known as Hell’s Half Acre. A cowboy passing through could take a bath, down some
whiskey, gamble and smoke a bit, and even visit a bordello. And that section of Main has a bit of blood-stained Wild West history.
An incident at 606 Main St., now a hotel but then the White Elephant Saloon, exemplified some of the characters who frequented Hell’s Half Acre. In those days, a professional gambler could take advantage of cowboys and railroad workers looking to wager some of their fresh paychecks. That’s exactly how Robert Hayward earned a living, and he didn’t appreciate fellow cardsharp Harry Williams moving in on his turf. Hayward apparently had plans to take out the new competition, but a friend warned Williams first.
On the night of March 15, 1887, Williams stood outside the saloon as a horse-drawn carriage taxi stopped. Hayward exited the carriage and went for his .38 Colt after the two men briefly exchanged words. Before he
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could get a shot off, however, Williams fired his own gun — the bullet piercing through Hayward’s right eye and killing him instantly.
The carriage driver testified that the shooting was in self-defense, and Williams was never charged. While Hell’s Half Acre was known for almost every vice imaginable, the shootout symbolizes another aspect of this unique time in Fort Worth history — violence.
Cowboys, Outlaws, and a Good Time During America’s westward expansion, Fort Worth wasn’t alone in lawlessness. Like many growing towns, a certain amount of vice was tolerated as these small cities grew. Places like Tombstone, Deadwood, Dodge City, and others were growing with men moving west for mining, cattle, and other opportunities. In Fort Worth, as cowboys moved cattle north to Kansas, entrepreneurs took advantage of these men looking for a good time.
Hell’s Half Acre developed in the late 1870s and served as a stopover location for those seeking a respite from life in the saddle. The Acre was located from 10th Street, south along Throckmorton Avenue to Lancaster Avenue, and east to Jones Street. Much of what encompassed the Acre is now the Convention Center and Water Gardens.
“Within those 15 city blocks were 20 saloons, even more brothels, and assorted dance halls, gambling houses, opium dens, and cockfight pits,” author Mike Nichols notes in Lost Fort Worth. “And within those establishments, there often was violence: gunfights, knife fights, fistfights, muggings, and suicide among gamblers, cowboys, prostitutes, tinhorns, and greenhorns.”
The Texas and Pacific Railroad only added to the area’s growth but also brought in more men looking for a good time. This was a scenario many towns experienced, and these types of red-light districts popped up in much of the West.
“In places like Dodge City or Abilene,
especially where cattle trails would intersect with the railroad, cowboys would come into town with a herd of cattle, be done with their jobs, and frequently they’d get paid at that point,” TCU history professor Dr. Todd Kerstetter says. “They’d been out riding the trail for a couple months at that point, and this became a meeting of needs, wants, and disposable income. It was a chance to clean up, get a meal, and spend your money. It wasn’t uncommon for the cowboys to blow through a big chunk of their pay.”
In Fort Worth, the Acre also attracted a few faces that regularly graced wanted posters at the time. After robbing a bank in Nevada in 1900, Butch Cassidy (aka Robert Leroy Parker) and the Sundance Kid (aka Harry Longabaugh) and their Wild Bunch gang took up in the Acre to avoid capture.
City leaders generally loathed the area and its reputation but accepted a certain amount of lawbreaking and lewdness as the growing town
welcomed dollars and investment. For decades, Fort Worth coexisted between rowdiness and acceptable society.
“It was a challenge for towns to manage,” Kerstetter says of these arrangements. “They wanted the cowboys to spend their money, but that would lead to some craziness.”
Booze and Blood
A trip to a Hell’s Half Acre watering hole offered a visitor plenty of options — a meal, plenty of drink, dancing, and even some gambling. A plate of ham and beans with a whiskey or beer was a popular choice at Tivoli Hall Saloon, notes author Richard Selcer in his seminal book on the subject, Hell’s Half Acre. While a few upscale establishments existed with Kentucky whiskeys, the swill served at most joints pales in comparison to today’s premium bourbon trend.
“Among the favorites for frontier whiskey were ‘rotgut,’ ‘red-eye,’ ‘tarantula juice,’ and ‘who-hit-john,’” Selcer notes. “A load of this stuff could make a man feel 10 feet tall. The effects the next morning were considerably different.”
No doubt this type of “bust skull” whiskey helped add to the frequent violence in the Acre. Murders were common, but arrests were rare. In 1897, the Fort Worth Star-Telegram noted that a man named Joe Collins entered a gambling house at Rusk and 12th streets, and six men proceeded to shoot him dead. None were arrested. In 1904, a saloon owner shot a customer who had accused him of watering down his drink. The man was sentenced to nine years in prison for the murder but fled while awaiting appeal and was never captured.
A particularly bloody crime was discovered in 1887 when a dance hall girl was found nailed to the door of an outhouse behind the hall where she worked. The killer was never identified.
Cards and Cheating
Gambling has a deep history in the Old West, and those looking to play cards in the late 19th century had plenty of options in Hell’s Half Acre. Gambling houses and saloons with poker tables were prevalent, and anyone looking for a game could generally find one, no matter the stakes.
But unlike at today’s modern casinos, cheating was prevalent. Skilled cardsharps not only made use of superior poker skills but also other methods to separate cowboys from their cash. Author James McManus wrote about this topic in his book, Cowboys Full: The History of Poker, and spoke about what poker players could expect in those days.
“The cards were paper or cardboard and seldom replaced, so they retained lots of accidental marks, in addition to those made intentionally,” he says. “This made good eyesight paramount in the days before many folks had effective eyewear. The lighting was
abysmal. Poor eyesight was a big problem for poker players like Wild Bill Hickok and other gunmen.
“All this is on top of the cheating problem, which occurred in most of the bigger games. Much, if not most, of poker skill then involved skill at cheating. The bigger the game, the more likely that cardsharps were attacking it.”
Famed gunfighting card players Bat Masterson, Wyatt Earp, and Luke Short made the Acre a regular stop for highstakes action. Other gambling options included billiards, roulette, and keno. However, poker and faro (a card game similar to poker) remained the most popular options. And while a night betting and bluffing might include a winning night, a lack of security meant getting away with the cash could be a different story.
“Most men were armed and often drunk, and very few honest lawmen were around on the Western frontier,” McManus says. “The saloons were teeming with armed, drunk, ornery outlaws looking for women, who were usually prostitutes, and for chances to cheat or rob other men.”
Closing Time
By the late 1880s, Fort Worth citizens had grown tired of the Wild West
within their own city. Hell’s Half Acre accounted for about half of the city’s crimes. Prostitution, violence, and regular suicides were especially embarrassing for leaders seeking city growth. They went about looking to rein in some of the criminality and installed a permanent police force in 1887.
City leaders also began getting paid in 1889, helping deter bribery that aided some of the lawlessness. Newspapers editorialized and campaigned for an end to Hell’s Half Acre, and new regulations meant saloons closed at midnight on Saturdays and couldn’t reopen until noon on Sundays. These efforts curbed violence, but some of the area’s activities still continued.
The Acre flared up again in the early 1900s, but merging forces were bringing an end to the area’s activities. Religious groups and pastors, including Baptist preacher J. Frank Norris, began to speak out on the issue, and city officials responded by closing many brothels and gambling houses.
The U.S. entered World War I in 1917, and many young men headed off to fight in Europe. And while Prohibition in 1920 certainly didn’t do away with drinking, swilling booze was at least no longer a wide-open activity. Much of the lawlessness of the Acre was mostly gone, and more tame Fort Worth eventually emerged.
“The boom in badness was ending,” the Fort Worth Press newspaper noted about Hell’s Half Acre’s final years. “Fort Worth had sowed its oats. It was settling down … slowly.”
Cozy Cold Weather Reads
Three books to check out this winter.
BY TINA HOWARD
Riven by Jane Alvey Harris
Seventeen-year-old Emily’s dad is in prison, and her mom’s strung out on pain meds, leaving Emily to parent herself and her younger siblings. Things are mostly under control until a couple weeks before her dad’s release when she begins hearing voices, and strange engravings on her arm appear overnight. She’s pretty sure she’s losing her mind. Unable to cope with reality, Emily slips completely inside an elaborate fantasy world where she frantically searches for the weapons she needs to defeat her greatest fears and return to reality to protect her family.
Anxious People by Fredrik Backman
From the author of A Man Called Ove comes a both poignant and hilarious story about what happens in the aftermath of a crime that didn’t occur with a would-be bank robber and eight anxious strangers stranded in a hostage situation during an apartment open house.
Everything Sad Is Untrue by Daniel Nayeri
An autobiographical novel about a young boy fleeing Iran with his mother and ends up in a middle school in Oklahoma. With humor and profound insight, Everything Sad explores being a refugee in America, how family and culture shape us, and what it means to find your way.
1 Tell me a little bit about yourself and how you started writing? Despite being a storyteller from childhood, I never aspired to be an author. I grew up in a devout Mormon household where women got married, had babies, and stayed home raising them. Fast-forward to 2012: I was a soon-to-be single mom of three with no career, and I was scared. My therapist urged me to start writing as a distraction from the trauma I was processing. After some time, I realized the scenes I’d written connected into a complete story. My therapist read them and encouraged me toward publication. That first book took four years and nine drafts to write, evolving from a pretty fairytale to a trilogy about mental illness, self-harm, addiction, PTSD, and abuse.
2 What do you enjoy the most about the writing process? I love visualizing a scene until I can see every detail, hear the soundtrack, and smell the weather. My sleeping dreamlife also inspires my writing. I love it when all the components percolate in my mind, and then
5 QUESTIONS: JANE ALVEY HARRIS
the words pour out. While the personal nature of writing the trilogy sometimes leaves me emotionally exhausted, that pales in comparison to the benefits I’ve reaped by processing some of my own trauma from a safe space with fiction/ fantasy elements.
3 How have the events of 2020 influenced your writing? As an introvert, I’ve been happy as a clam staying home and exploring the breadth and depth of my creativity through music, narration, short stories, and writing the last book in the trilogy. Historically, I can become easily distracted, so lockdown helped clear my plate. As I’m finishing up Primed, it’s also been helpful for me to have the security of home and my kids to tie up loose ends.
4 What lessons from 2020 will you carry with you? How precious life is. How grateful I am to be able to work remotely as an author, with my writing students, and as a voice actor. All three of my college-age kids came home, and I cherish the time we have together. Going forward, I will be more vocal about my appreciation for essential workers and health care professionals. I will look for ways to be considerate to my neighbors locally and globally.
5 What are your future writing plans? After eight years, I’m finishing the trilogy. An important chapter of my life is ending, and I’m in a good place creatively. I have several short horror stories in various stages of publication, and I plan on exploring other genres too. I am extremely excited about several collaborations on tap with another author.
Jane Alvey Harris is a writing teacher, voice actor, and author in Dallas, Texas. The first two books of her award-winning YA psychological fantasy thriller, the My Myth Trilogy, are currently available, with the third to be released soon.
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Tina Howard, along with her husband, Todd, is the owner of Leaves Book and Tea Shop on St. Louis Avenue in the Near Southside.
Having a Blast
Thirteen-year-old Keith L. Williams of Mansfield lands an out-of-this-world role on Nickelodeon.
BY ISABELLA DELGADO
Talk about adventure of a lifetime. Five kids blast off into space — on accident — aboard the Odyssey II and must take on the role of astronaut while working together on this malfunctioning spacecraft. That’s the plot of “The Astronauts,” a new TV series that premiered on Nickelodeon on Nov. 13. But perhaps the better adventure is the one that took place in real life — Keith L. Williams, a 13-year-old actor from Mansfield, stars in the show as Martin Taylor. It’s yet another major role added to Williams’ resume, following last year’s film “Good Boys,” produced by Seth Rogen. He took a moment to chat with Fort Worth Magazine about his latest gig.
FW: How does it feel to be an actor for Nickelodeon?
KW: Well, it feels really good to be an actor for Nickelodeon because when I was growing up, I used to watch Nickelodeon TV shows literally all the time. To actually think, “Oh, that’s actually me on that TV screen,” it’s amazing.
FW: What is your favorite thing about your role on “The Astronauts”?
KW: My favorite thing about my role on “The Astronauts” was living on a spaceship and studying the constellations every day. That was a dream come true. But my all-time favorite was being able to put on my space suit and walk alongside the spaceship. It’s one of the most amazing things in the world.
FW: How does this role differ from your role on “Good Boys”?
KW: This role doesn’t really differ from my role on “Good Boys” because both my characters are similar to myself. They’re both kind, sweet-natured, loyal, and comical. The only difference is that they were two different projects.
FW: How do you balance being a professional actor with just being a kid? When you’re not acting, what do you like to do for fun?
KW: I balance being an actor with being a kid by valuing my free time to practice hobbies, learn new crafts, and virtually hang out with my friends. A few of my hobbies are drawing, singing, and I just started longboarding. When I’m not acting, I’m sitting at home drawing, or I practice my new hobby, which is longboarding. I longboard every day when my little brother gets home from school. I go out with him and go to the park.
FW: How do you manage school and acting at the same time?
KW: I’ve always had a healthy balance managing my schoolwork and acting, and with COVID-19, it’s been an adjustment taking the necessary precautions when working alongside my classmates. I am home-schooled, so that helps.
FW: Has COVID-19 affected your acting work?
KW: Well, COVID-19 has not only affected our way of living but also acting. It’s
definitely something to consider working alongside other people. However, it’s been a top priority to take the necessary precautions to protect ourselves and those around us. On set, it was about 50 people. It’s not affecting any future productions at the moment.
FW: What other new projects are you working on?
KW: I’m currently working on a few projects but very excited to share that I’ll be an executive producer on a project with Houston native and author, Tonya Duncan Ellis, and my all-time favorite “Sophie Washington” book series. Sophie Washington and her friends are inspirational role models who are comingof-age. They show self-respect, friendship, teamwork, and also leadership. I find them to be very similar to “The Astronauts” gang. It’s going to be really cool.
Special thanks to the Fort Worth Museum of Science and History and Harris Costumes for providing the locale and astronaut helmet for the photo shoot.
We’re Live
Tarrant County talent buyers talk live music during the pandemic.
BY DAVID FLETCHER
COVID-19 has completely upended the way we consume live music.
While many venues have attempted to fill the need for live music with livestreaming events on social media, others in Tarrant County have been hard at work hosting live events under the new rules and regulations on occupancy.
Ryan Higgs, managing partner at Main at South Side in Fort Worth says that the pandemic has been a very tough time for live music.
“We are running our shows at 50% capacity,” Higgs says. “All shows are seated and ticketed. All of our venues have basically been turned into listening rooms.”
Not only has Higgs seen the necessary decrease in show attendance, he has also seen reluctance on the part of some bands to play to a live audience.
“Many bands are not ready to play yet for safety reasons, and nobody is touring at this time,” Higgs continues, adding that while the restrictions make for a more subdued vibe at even the most raucous of shows, “people are happy to see live music again.”
Over in Arlington, Jerry Warden of Elmo Jones Productions, who books live bands for Mavericks Bar and Grill, says that “hosting shows during the pandemic has been nothing short of crazy.”
After being shut down in March and again in June after a brief May reopening, Mavericks had to switch their status with the TABC from bar to restaurant in order to reopen at the end of July.
Fortunately, Mavericks was able to use the downtime to upgrade their stage and lighting.
“We offer a unique experience,” Warden says. “Our sound crew, Boltneck Sound, is one of the best sound companies in the ’plex, and they project the logo of every band on the back wall.”
Mavericks has been able to reopen to 75% occupancy over the last couple of months, strictly following the safety protocols.
“We’re gonna survive this virus and come out the other side in good shape,” Warden says. “I’ve had zero difficulties in booking bands … I’ve had several shows relocated to Mavs from Dallas venues due to the reluctance of Dallas to reopen clubs.”
Chaz Buchanan, co-owner/manager at Haltom Theater, has also been weathering the ups and downs of the pandemic with difficulty and determination.
“Every month it seems like everything changes,” Buchanan says. “With the restrictions that were in place, we lost over six months being shut down from the pandemic, and we had to scramble once being able to reopen.”
Buchanan also says that reopening came on quickly from a complete standstill, making it difficult to book or promote anything in detail.
It took weeks for Haltom Theater to generate enough interest in its shows, but it has also seen crowds grow as much as allowed.
“People want to enjoy life but for a moment forgot how to,” Buchanan says. “People are realizing that the world is still out there, and there’s a lot to enjoy. A lot of venues didn’t make it, and we feel fortunate to be able to host shows in a safe environment.”
With COVID-19 numbers peaking again, none of these venues have any plans to close, relying instead on whatever regulations may come next.
“You play these things by ear,” Warden says. “Nobody knows where this virus will take us, but we’ll be prepared to reopen if we face another shutdown.”
Each venue gives credit to their patrons for respecting the rules they have set for having a good and safe time.
“People try to do what is right,” Buchanan says. “I see it as a team effort. Guests have to be as responsible as the business. We can post the rules and have everything in place for people to be safe, but they still have to follow the rules.”
Aside from patronizing these venues, anyone concerned for the future of live music venue is encouraged to write their congressperson about the Save Our Stages Act.
“If the U.S. Congress would pass the Save Our Stages Act, sponsored by NIVA [National Independent Venue Association] and so many big artists,” Warden says, “we’ll receive much needed relief along with many other deserving venues across the nation.”
For more information, please visit saveourstages.com.
The Wee Beasties, with Ginny Mac, performing at Main at South Side in early November
A City Transformed
Once mostly known for stockyards, a tragic bombing, and Route 66, Oklahoma City is now home to upscale hotels, cool restaurants, and hip bars. We explore the shiny new OKC.
BY MALCOLM MAYHEW
One night, we dined on duck breast with curried honey and seared confit rice cake, 49 flights up, the city’s skyline shimmering around us. The next day, we marveled at the artwork of Renoir and nibbled on a wagyu bavette, sopping up every drop of its bone marrow butter with freshly made drop biscuits. On the final night of our visit, we rode a gigantic Ferris wheel, made new friends at an izakaya over plates of eggplant wontons and koji-marinated catfish, and, finally, sipped on craft beers made inches from where we were sitting.
This, we had to keep reminding ourselves, is Oklahoma City — a city best known for its Stockyards, a horrific bombing, Route 66, and the Flaming Lips.
It was the latter that took my wife and I to OKC a decade ago to see the trippy rock troupe perform on New Year’s Eve. At the time, OKC was still what many imagine it
would be like today: quiet, desolate after sundown, a town your granddad might dig.
Over the past few years, a friend and former Okie kept telling me, OKC has gone through a metamorphosis. There are now, he claimed, cool restaurants, hip bars, great museums, and fantastic parks. Intrigued, my wife and I set out to investigate.
Much to our surprise, we found a town revitalized, made over with adventurous food, innovative art, outdoor activities, and much more. I texted my pal three words: “You were right.”
“We get that a lot,” says Lindsay Vidrine, vice president of Destination Marketing for the Oklahoma City Convention and Visitors Bureau. “For those who may not know how the city has changed over the past several years, it can be a little surprising.”
The city’s redevelopment boom was born out of a greater improvement plan that was voted on by the community nearly three decades ago. Residents itching for a citywide revamp imposed a 1-cent sales tax initiative upon themselves, which to date has translated to more than $1 billion of community improvement projects.
We’re not the only ones who’ve noticed OKC’s makeover. Last year, Travel + Leisure magazine named the city one of the top 50 places to visit — in the world. And the year before, Bon Appétit magazine bequeathed OKC’s Nonesuch with the restaurant of the year award — the food world’s Oscar.
Over the course of two weekends, my wife and I soaked up the sounds, suds, and scenes of this new OKC. Here’s what we found:
WHERE TO CAFFEINATE
The city is divided into 14 retail, cultural, and entertainment districts. To hit them all, you’re going to need a couple cups of Joe. Two of the city’s best coffee shops are Leaf + Bean (321 N. Oklahoma Ave.), a haven for both casual coffee drinkers and total coffee nerds, and Clarity Coffee (431 W. Main St.), which takes great pride in its single-origin coffees made from roasters around the world.
OKC National Memorial Museum
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WHERE TO EAT
Over the past several years, Oklahoma City’s restaurant scene has grown immensely. There are hip and cool restaurants in the trendy areas of town and plenty of local icons.
“When I moved here, the city was known for chicken-fried steak, fried-onion burgers, and free queso at Mexican cafes,” says David Cathey, the food editor at The Daily Oklahoman, the city’s newspaper. “Today, I can point an Oklahoma City visitor toward cuisine from anywhere in the world.”
The city’s culinary pride and joy is Nonesuch (803 N. Hudson Ave.), named best new restaurant of 2018 by Bon Appétit. Located in the buzzy Midtown area, it’s a wildly unique experience: Diners sit at a 22-seat U-shaped counter that surrounds the kitchen, giving them a ringside view of the chefs in action. Throughout the progressive, 10-course meal, dishes from the around the globe are made, on the fly, with hyperlocal, often foraged ingredients. The menu changes daily and dietary restrictions — as well as likes and dislikes — are taken into consideration for each guest. Fair warning: Reservations must be made weeks in advance.
Another top restaurant is Ludivine (320 NW 10th St.), which serves farm-to-table cuisine in a posh yet upbeat setting. Housed in a cool midcentury building that oozes personality and warmth, the restaurant specializes in a mix of Frenchinspired and New American cuisine. My wife said their wagyu bavette was the best thing she’d ever eaten. Joined at the hip is a happening speakeasy decorated with antiques.
Oklahoma City may be the last place you’d expect to see a Japanese izakaya, but hidden among the art-filled shops of the Paseo Arts District, you’ll find the wonderful Goro Ramen & Izakaya (3000 Paseo St.). Sip on a Suntory Toki, a Japanese whisky served on tap, and dig into deliciously complex bowls of ramen from acclaimed chef Jeff Chanchaleune.
The local Asian district, seeded by
Vietnamese refugees after the fall of Saigon, is home to some of the city’s best restaurants, Cathey says. He recommended to us the recently opened Szechuan Story (2800 N. Classen Blvd.), and we found much to savor, including twice-cooked pork belly on a bed of fresh veggies.
At Vast, found on the 49th floor of downtown’s Devon Tower (333 W. Sheridan Ave.), you can dine on upscale American food or nightcap on craft cocktails while taking in breathtaking views of the city.
For breakfast, hit up the superb Guatemalan hotspot Cafe Antigua (1903 N. Classen Blvd.) for huevos motuleno and a big bowl of mosh (Guatemalan oatmeal made with three different milks); the super popular Waffle Champion (1212 N. Walker Ave.) for fried chicken with Tabasco honey and fried leeks, wrapped in a housemade waffle; and the stylish Kitchen 324 (324 N. Robinson Ave.) for elevated comfort food, including a dynamite egg sandwich with doublesmoked pastrami.
WHERE TO DRINK
Craft breweries, cocktail bars, and fun dives can be found all over the city. R&J’s Supper Club (320-B NW 10th St.) was one of our favorite stops. Bathed in red and gold lights, the bar has the cool-cat vibe of “Swingers” and a menu that harks back to the ’50s, with old-school cocktails like 7&7s and mint juleps. Great food, too. Recently opened next door to the hip 21c hotel, Jones Assembly (901 W. Sheridan Ave.) doubles as a restaurant and live music venue. But in the upstairs speakeasy, you’ll find creative — and affordable — craft cocktails, including a Moscow Mule on tap. Try the red rye sour at local craft brewery Stonecloud Brewing (1012 NW First St.), which recently opened in a cool old laundry building (complete with a neon sign), and you’ll buy us one later.
WHERE TO STAY
Part museum, part hotel, part restaurant, 21c (900 W. Main St.) is unlike any other luxury hotel in the state. Chis-
Gray Sweater
Classen Inn Patio
Ambassador Rooftop Bar
Bradford House
Blue Zoo
eled out of what was originally a Model T factory, the rooms are elegantly spacious, with mile-high ceilings and an industrial-chic feel. You can spend hours in the lobby museum, which displays cutting-edge, conversationstarting works of modern art. Mary Eddy’s, the hotel’s upscale American restaurant, is a great option for dinner and drinks.
Part of Marriott’s Autograph Collection, the luxurious Ambassador boutique hotel (1200 N. Walker Ave.) occupies the beautifully restored Osler building, erected in 1928. The hotel’s restaurant, Café Cuvée, serves excellent French cuisine, and nab a seat at the rooftop O Bar for Insta-worthy views of downtown.
Built in the early 1900s, The Bradford Inn (1235 NW 38th St.) was originally a luxury residence before it was converted into a colorful boutique hotel. An on-site restaurant serves excellent pastries and coffee drinks, which you can enjoy on the inn’s wraparound patio.
Close to the historic Route 66 is a property that would have felt right at home on it. The Classen Inn (820 N. Classen Blvd.) is a recently restored roadside motel — think the Austin Motel or the Belmont in Dallas — whose Googie architecture dates to 1963. Rooms are outfitted in brightly colored bedding and carpeting for a totally mod feel. With rooms going for $100 a night or less, it’s one of the city’s best bargains.
Opening in early 2021 will be an Omni hotel (100 W. Oklahoma City Blvd.), with luxurious rooms that will offer dramatic views of the downtown skyline.
WHERE TO MUSEUM
Like Fort Worth, Oklahoma City’s museums pay homage to the past while rolling full steam ahead. Opened earlier this year, the Oklahoma Contemporary (11 NW 11th St.) is the city’s newest art museum. Here you’ll find mesmerizing works from local, regional, and international artists, as well as kid-approved interactive exhibits. Nearby, the Oklahoma City
Museum of Art (415 Couch Drive) continues to garner a reputation among museum enthusiasts for its impressive permanent collection, including a piece from President Barack Obama’s portraitist Kehinde Wiley, as well as its impressive traveling shows.
For history buffs, there are the Oklahoma Railway Museum (3400 NE Grand Blvd.), American Banjo Museum (9 E. Sheridan Ave.), and the World War II 45th Infantry Museum (2145 NE 36th St.). Through films and artifacts, the not-to-miss Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum (620 N. Harvey Ave.) takes an emotionally moving look at the Oklahoma City bombing of 1995.
WHERE TO PLAY
Oklahoma City’s new Scissortail Park (300 SW Seventh St.) is a must. The 70-acre park, whose iconic city sculpture of a scissor-tailed flycatcher (the state bird) can be seen from miles away, features pedal boats, kayak, and canoe rentals; a night market with art and food vendors; pop-up classes; a seasonal farmers market; a stage for live entertainment; a skating rink; children’s activities; and more.
Another new playground is the home of Factory Obscura (25 NW Ninth St.), an art collective made up of artists based in and around the OKC area. The group recently opened an exhilarating new exhibition called Mix Tape, a 6,000-square-foot immersive art experience based on the emotions we go through while making mixtapes for friends or loved ones. Spring the extra buck or two for the 3D glasses; it’ll make for a more far-out experience.
A trip to OKC isn’t complete without a spin on the Wheeler Ferris Wheel (1701 S. Western Ave.). Purchased off eBay, the historic wheel was originally the Santa Monica Pier Ferris Wheel. Now refurbished, it stands above the south bank of the Oklahoma River, lifting guests 100 feet off the ground, against the backdrop of this exciting, ever-growing city.
Lake Hefner
Liichokoshkomo’
Orr Family Farm Tepee
Factory Obscura
Style and Substance
On the heels of a breakthrough album, Danni James and Kris Williams of PRIZM share tips on standing out from the crowd.
BY BRIAN KENDALL
You can see Danni James and Kris Williams — the best friends who make up two-thirds of soon-to-be Billboard-cracking PRIZM (you heard it here first, y’all), folk duo Danni and Kris, and Fleetwood Mac tribute band Little Lies — just about anywhere in Fort Worth. On stage, on billboards, in magazine advertisements, and in some of the town’s best coffee shops, bars, and restaurants. They, whether meaning to or not, have become two of the faces of the emerging Fort Worth funk — a depiction of the city’s changing, younger demographic who are culturally attuned.
Their most recent album, All Night, is a product of their ’80s-influenced trio PRIZM, which they formed with local producer Geoff Rockwell. The album comes after the duo’s most productive year in 2019, which came to a screeching halt thanks to the cancellation of live shows.
“It was nice to have such a booming, awesome, positive, fun year in 2019 before the hardship of this year,” James says. “But having all that we did last year roll over into this year really helped us out. It gave us the momentum we needed.”
The album serves as pure electronic nostalgia that combines the catchy melodies of Bonnie Tyler with the infectious beats of Kraftwerk. The trio hit the studio in the midst of COVID-19 and created a party album that serves as a perfect dichotomy to a pandemicsubmerged era.
While music is clearly at the forefront of their minds, it’s hard not to ignore the pair’s style, which, with its carefree yet timeless look, is a perfect representation of both the group and the city they call home.
“We’ve always loved nostalgic looks,” James says. “We had a style when we were younger, but mine was always a little bit alternative, while Kris had more of a ’70s vibe with flare pants and the crop top.”
Williams proudly admits she loves and will buy almost anything with fringe and sequins.
“I collect pieces,” Williams says. “That’s what’s cool about doing music and performing and doing photo shoots. If I had any other job, I might not wear stuff like that. It gives me the outlet to express myself with my style, too.”
We invited the two to share three looks apiece that might inspire our readers to start taking some fashion risks of their own — fringe and sequins included.
With things slowly opening back up, you can now catch Danni & Kris live. Check out their Facebook page, facebook.com/ danniandkris, for upcoming shows.
Kris Williams (left) and Danni James (right) of PRIZM
Danni Danni
“The shirt’s from Tilly’s in the mall. I love tank tops because you can dress them up or dress them down. The pants are from this website call Boohoo, which is a targeted ad that got me. Freaking Facebook. But they didn’t come with any bottoms, so I make-shifted some Spanx.”
Kris Kris
“The sequin pants I found on Poshmark. The Iron Maiden tee was from Uptown Cheapskate in Hulen. I love collecting band tees and stuff. The boots are Nasty Gal boots, which I got thanks to a targeted ad. They get me every time.”
Danni Danni
“The jacket was from Ross, and the dress was from Forever 21. I like that they went together because there are these silver clasps down the middle of the white dress, and then there are silver studs and button on the jacket. The boots were also from Forever 21, which I got a long time ago. I liked that there was a similar theme going on with the chunkiness of the boots and the jacket, and how it’s cropped and the dress being jean as well.”
Kris Kris
“The shoes and sequin romper I got at consignment stores. The shoes I got at Buffalo Exchange, and the jacket I found at Forever 21. It was just a white with the red embroidered lips on it. I got the patch and handpainted Rolling Stones because when I saw it, it just made me think of the Rolling Stones.”
Danni Danni Kris Kris
“It’s a leotard with a skirt that I got from Charlotte Russe. And the shoes are from Rue 21 from years ago. They have some weird shoes sometimes, and I remember seeing those silver ones and being like, ‘I’m going to use these for something.’ So all of this stuff was just little pieces mixed and matched from different stores in the mall.”
“The pants I got from an Australian clothing brand, so it took 20 days to get here. I have a pair in white, as well. The top I got from Uptown Cheapskate, which there’s several throughout the metroplex, and I’ll hit up all of them. The glittery boots are from Steve Madden. My mom got them for me for Christmas, and the heel was too high. I took them to the shoe cobbler and had him cut down the heel.”
Addicted to Love
Diners couldn’t get enough of Belen Hernandez’s tasty vegan Mexican food in Granbury, so she opened a second location in Fort Worth.
BY MALCOLM MAYHEW
When Belen Hernandez opened the first location of her Belenty’s Love restaurant in Granbury two years ago, she spent her first year in business near destitute, barely making enough to scrape by. At that point, a vegan-Mexican restaurant may not have seemed like that great of an idea, after all.
“Some people were kind of mean about it,” she says. “‘You don’t have real Mexican food? No thanks, buhbye,’ they’d say and walk out. I gotta tell you, it was tough.”
Through word-of-mouth and social media, though, the restaurant eventually caught on. Last year, in fact, Belenty’s did so well, Hernandez and her husband/co-owner, Marcus Hicks, were inspired to open a second location. This one would be in Fort Worth, Hernandez decided, knowing good and well she may be in for another uphill battle.
“I knew, Fort Worth being Fort Worth, home to Stockyards and the cattle industry, that it might be hard to do a vegan-Mexican restaurant here,” she says. “But here’s the thing. A lot of my customers coming to the Granbury store are from Fort Worth. They’re the
Belen Hernandez of Belenty’s
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ones who said, ‘Come to Fort Worth, come to Fort Worth.’ So, coming into Fort Worth, we felt like we already had a fanbase here.”
Opened over the summer, the second location of Belenty’s takes over the old R Taco spot on the Bluebonnet traffic circle. The couple gave the space a nice makeover, painting the room in festive colors; there’s also an attractive patio area with picnic benches and a retractable sunscreen.
Just taking a cursory glance at the menu, you might not know Belenty’s food is all vegan. Every Tex-Mex staple you can imagine is served during breakfast, lunch, and dinner, from tacos and enchiladas to nachos and burritos. All are made with meat and dairy substitutes.
Popular items include portobello asada tacos, stuffed with strips of portobello mushrooms; a potato omelet, made with hashbrowns, onions, bell peppers, tomatoes, and vegan mozzarella; and the seafood nachos, a mountain of gluten-free chips doused with black beans, spicy cilantro lime rice, salsa, guacamole, and a mix of vegan crabcake and fish.
“Just about everything is made from scratch — all the salsas, seasonings,
the flour tortillas, the agua frescas,” Hernandez says. “We make our own ground beef-less. That’s what we call it. It’s made of vegetables and soy and our seasoning. People say they can’t tell the difference between it and the real thing. If you like the ‘impossible’ meat, you’ll like ours.”
The birth of Belenty’s was the result of a turning point in the couple’s lives. After watching a documentary about how chicken meat is processed, their then-teenage son decided consuming animal products — be it milk or meat — wasn’t for him anymore. “What he had seen was traumatizing; he had a change of heart about animal products,” she says. “When he stopped, we all wanted to support him, so we stopped, too.”
The decision to go vegan not only affected their personal lives but their professional lives, too. Hernandez, who hails from the northern Mexico town of Tamaulipas, is a longtime restaurateur, and at one point, she says, she owned 10 Tex-Mex restaurants in Hillsboro, Whitney, Godley, and Granbury.
Inspired by her son’s new way of eating, she let each restaurant go, one by one, and started making plans over
the years to open a vegan restaurant.
“We ate at Spiral Diner all the time,” she says. “It was so inspiring to see what they’re doing and how the community responds in such a supportive, positive way. They proved to us that you can open a successful vegan restaurant.”
Hernandez says she’s developed a following of fans who dine at Belenty’s because they suffer from various health ailments.
“I have customers who have high cholesterol, high blood pressure, diabetes, and they say the food makes them feel better,” she says. “There are definitely so many health benefits to an all-vegan diet. It’s changed my life, my body, the way I feel.”
But, she points out, there’s still a misconception about vegan food that she and her husband must often battle.
“Vegan food, for some reason, has a reputation for being tasteless or bland,” she says. “Like any type of food, a cook or chef has to spend time making it good. I’ve spent years perfecting these recipes, making sure our food is not only healthy but delicious.”
Cauliflower wings
Portobello tacos
6 Boozy — and Local! — Stocking Stuffers to Make Your Spirits Bright
A fter the year we’ve had, we could all use a drink. We do have discerning palates, though, and we love to support local. With that in mind, we offer you this roundup of new and seasonal beers, wines, and spirits, each of which would make a great stocking stuffer.
The makers of TX Blended Whiskey and TX Straight Bourbon recently launched two new offerings: TX Straight Bourbon Tawny Port Finish and TX Straight Bourbon PX Sherry Finish. Both are distinctly different sweet wines with unique flavor profiles. frdistilling.com
A sweet tooth will come in handy for Dallas-based Bishop Cider Co.’s latest cider, Pecan Pie. Made with Texas-grown pecans, it’s an affable combo of semisweet and nutty. bishopcider.com
The Fort Worth location of Locust Cider & Brewing Co. recently released its very good Peach Ginger holiday cider, which is sweet with a touch of spicy. locustcider.com
Fort Worth’s Martin House Brewing Company came up with a more refined way of enjoying pickle juice than drinking it straight from the jar: Best Maid Pickle Beer. The irresistible and appropriately sour brew has been a runaway hit since it was released earlier this year. martinhousebrewing.com
Winter Warmer, a seasonal offering from Rahr & Sons Brewing Company, is the perfect winter beer — heavy and malty, with a chocolate and carameltinged flavor. rahrbrewing.com
Snap’d is a limited seasonal ale from Fort Worth’s Wild Acre Brewing Company. The strong ale is treated with an in-house spice blend that gives it a gingerbread flavor and aroma. wildacrebrewing.com
Bits and Bites
Hotel Drover, the soon-to-open rusticchic hotel in the Stockyards’ new Mule Alley development, recently announced its new executive chef. Grant Morgan, a 25-year restaurant vet, will oversee the operations of — and create the menus for — 97 West Kitchen & Bar, the hotel’s in-house restaurant. Morgan’s resume includes stints at Dragonfly at Hotel ZaZa and Bailey’s Prime Plus in Dallas, the Bellagio’s Le Cirque in Vegas, and Sweet Basil restaurant in Vail.
Morgan replaces Jenna Kinard, former exec chef at Max’s Wine Dive and winner of Fort Worth Magazine’s 2019 Top Chef competition. Two years after landing the exec chef gig at the Drover, Kinard parted ways with the hotel in July. Part of Marriott’s Autograph Collection, Hotel Drover is scheduled to open early 2021. hoteldrover.com
Speaking of Mule Alley, the burgeoning retail development has added another tenant: Fort Worth-based Avoca Coffee Roasters will open a location in Mule Alley at 128 E. Exchange Ave. This will be the company’s third store; look for it early 2021. avocacoffee.com
Paris Coffee Shop, one of the city’s oldest and most beloved restaurants, is on track to be taken over by new owners, who will, in turn, give the 95-year-old icon of Fort Worth dining a facelift.
Led by restaurateur Lou Lambert, the same group of investors rehabbing Roy Pope Grocery will take over Paris next year from current owner Mike Smith. Plans include redoing the dining room and adding dinner and brunch service. pariscoffeeshop.net
Downtown’s Grace restaurant will celebrate the holidays with its annual Feast of the Seven Fishes event on Dec. 22. The wine dinner is chef Blaine Staniford’s annual take on the traditional Italian Christmas Eve meal. The multicourse dinner will include wine pairings. More information at gracefortworth.com.
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Prime Time
Keller’s busy restaurant scene gets an upgrade, thanks to a new location of Zack Moutaouakil’s
popular steakhouse concept.
AFort Worth restaurant veteran has opened a prime steakhouse in Keller, filling a niche in the city’s thriving restaurant scene.
Longtime restaurateur Zack Moutaouakil opened Keller Chophouse in August, taking over the building originally occupied by Texas Bleu. Hit by COVID-19, Texas Bleu — which opened in 2015 and whose kitchen
was once led by acclaimed Fort Worth chef Stefon Rishel — closed earlier this summer.
In an effort to resurrect a fine dining concept in the attractive twostory space, the owners approached Moutaouakil, who has more than two decades of experience in the steakhouse world. He has owned two Mercury Chophouse restaurants — the long-running location in downtown Fort Worth at the base of The Tower and its Arlington counterpart, housed in the Brookhollow Two office building.
“The owners said, ‘Do you know somebody who’d want to take this over?’” Moutaouakil says. “My wife and I went up there to look at it and said, ‘What about us?’ It’s a great location, it’s small so there’s not
much overhead, and there’s no one else in Keller doing fine dining.”
After three weeks of renovations, Keller Chophouse opened, brandishing a menu of prime steaks, elegantly presented towers of seafood, escargot, and Maine lobster.
“For diners here in Keller, it fills a void,” Moutaouakil says. “Otherwise, they’d have to drive to Fort Worth or Dallas if they wanted prime steaks or the quality of seafood we’re doing.” For beef, he relies solely on Allen Brothers of Chicago, which he has been using for 25 years. “It’s top of the line,” he says.
Moutaouakil’s journey to becoming a restaurant owner is a little unusual. While working as a manager at the original location of Mercury Chophouse, then owned by M Restaurant Group and located where Waters is today, Moutaouakil noticed a group of people had been eyeing the restaurant, as if they were going to buy it.
“I told the M Group, if you’re going to sell the restaurant, sell it to me. I already know how to run it,” he says. “And just like that, I owned it. That’s how fast I got into this.”
He later moved Chophouse to The Tower, then opened a second location in 2017 in Arlington, in the space long occupied by La Cacharel. He opened the Arlington location with local attorney Jim Ross, then sold his share to Ross in January, effectively severing ties with the Arlington outpost.
The smaller, more intimate Keller location is more his speed these days.
“I’m not getting any younger,” he says, laughing. “I have a wife and two kids, and I want to spend as much time with them as I can. But you can’t run a restaurant remotely. You must be there. So, finding that balance is what’s important to me now, especially in this crazy, unpredictable world we’re living in.”
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Spare Change
Nickel City Bar brings New York character to the Near Southside.
BY MIRANDA VILCHIS
Nickel City bar is bringing a New York-style touch to the Near Southside. Hailing from Austin, Fort Worth became Nickel City’s second location on Oct. 21 — a year after it was initially expected to open.
But, surprisingly, the delay was not related to the pandemic, says Travis Tober, part-owner of Nickel City.
“We’re about a year behind, but that’s because where we’re at is a historical designation [the building, 212 S. Main St., was built in 1925 and formerly ABC Flag Co.],” he says. “It’s a long process to try and qualify for that, but it worked out in our favor — two years in the making.”
Tober wouldn’t have had it any other way though. He says the company tends to lean toward older buildings, and Fort Worth has plenty.
“I love the city; it’s got a cool vibe to it,” says Tober. “We went around the town and found some spots, but we really like older buildings. We like the charm of it, and it’s originalfeeling. It’s got character.”
Now home to Nickel City, the space has a bit of New York in
it, too. Tober says the name “Nickel City” was inspired by his hometown of Buffalo.
“Nickel City has always resonated with me and encompasses all of what Buffalo is,” he says.
Opening in the middle of a pandemic, customers have slowly but surely trickled in. Tober says capacity is kept at 50%, and the bar also added a restaurant license and has been slowly rolling out a menu.
“Crowds have been thinner, but that’s expected,” says Tober.
But Tober expects to see more foot traffic shortly as Nickel City announces its Miracle cocktail pop-up — a global cocktail event that will take place Dec. 1. Tober says Nickel City is planning more food and drink specials for the occasion.
“It’s an anybody, anytime bar. We have a good mix of people in here and lots of awards for cocktails and our bar team,” says Tober. “It’s for everyone to come and not be judged. We have beer and twists on classics. We pride ourselves on the diversity of options. So, if you’re a wine drinker, we’ve got you covered. Everyone in the whole group should be happy.”
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Sweet Helpings for the Holidays
Four scrumptious recipes to satisfy your festive sweet tooth.
BY HILAIRE BAUMGARTNER
CHOCOLATE MOUSSE
This silky, dairy-free mousse comes together easily and is perfect for all chocolate lovers.
Makes 3–4 servings
Ingredients:
• 6 ounces semi-sweet baking chocolate
• 1 cup oat milk
• 4 egg yolks
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup white sugar
• 1 cup dairy-free whipped cream
Instructions:
1. In a mixing bowl, combine the sugar and egg yolks and mix with a hand mixer.
2. In a saucepan, warm up the oat milk and salt. Do not let it boil.
3. Pour the oat mixture into the mixing bowl slowly, whisking it continuously. Transfer this back into the saucepan and cook it over medium-low heat until it starts to thicken to a custard-like consistency.
4. Add the chocolate and vanilla and stir until the chocolate is melted.
5. Transfer to a bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate immediately for about an hour.
6. Fold in the whipped cream, and rechill until ready to eat. Top with more whipped cream.
PHOTOS
CHOCOLATE HAZELNUT BREAD TWIST
Chocolate Hazelnut Bread Twists are made with a homemade dough filled with chocolate chips and hazelnuts, then baked to perfection. Top with powdered sugar for the perfect finish. Makes 2 twists
Ingredients:
• 2/3 cup oat milk
• 1 packet instant yeast
• 2 tablespoons sugar, divided
• 1 3/4 cup bread flour
• 1 egg yolk
• 1/4 cup softened vegan butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup Nutella
• 1/4 cup dark chocolate chips
• *egg wash optional
• powdered sugar to top
Instructions:
1. In a saucepan, warm the oat milk to about 105 degrees. Add it into a large mixing bowl with the instant yeast and 1 tablespoon sugar and stir to combine. Let it sit for five to 10 minutes.
2. Add the softened butter, egg yolk, vanilla extract, salt, and remaining 1 tablespoon sugar. Mix with a dough hook attachment until everything is incorporated. Slowly add the flour and form into a ball.
3. Transfer the dough to an oiled bowl and let it rise for one hour.
4. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough into a rectangular shape. Spread the Nutella, then add the chocolate chips. Roll the dough lengthwise, then slice in half crosswise.
5. Cut through each roll lengthwise, then form an X with the two pieces. Twist the pieces over and under each other until no dough remains. Repeat with the other roll. Brush the tops with an egg wash if using.
6. Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet and preheat the oven to 350 F. Let the twists proof until the oven is preheated. Bake for 25 minutes
DARK CHOCOLATE PEPPERMINT BARK
White and dark chocolate layered seamlessly and topped with crushed mints and chocolate cookies make this peppermint bark a sweet, tasty treat. Makes 6–8 servings
Ingredients:
• 1 1/2 cup quality dark chocolate chips
• 1 1/2 cup quality white chocolate chips
• 1/4 cup crushed peppermint
• 1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract
• 1/4 cup crushed chocolate cookie *optional, to top
Instructions:
1. Line a baking sheet or square pan with parchment paper. Set aside.
2. Using the double-boiler method, fill a large pot with about 2 inches of water and bring to a low simmer. In a metal or glass bowl, fill with dark chocolate chips and place on top of the pot. Slowly whisk the chocolate consistently until it melts. Add the peppermint extract and stir. Remove from heat.
3. Pour the chocolate onto the baking sheet and evenly spread into a thin layer. Let it set at room temperature for about 10 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, melt the white chocolate using the same double-boiler method. Pour on top of the dark chocolate layer and smooth out. Immediately top with crushed peppermints and chocolate cookies, if using.
5. Let the chocolate layers set at room temperature for at least an hour before breaking into pieces.
RED WINE HOT CHOCOLATE
Red wine and hot chocolate are combined to create a luxurious and rich holiday drink. Makes 20 ounces
Ingredients:
• 1 1/2 cup oat milk
• 3/4 cup dark chocolate
• 1 1/4 cup red wine
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Pinch of salt
Instructions:
1. In a saucepan warm the oat milk.
2. Add the dark chocolate and whisk until melted.
3. Take off from heat and add in the red wine, vanilla extract, and salt.
4. Stir to combine.
And the Chefs Cooked On
In the face of adversity, a couple of local, laid-off chefs are showing Fort Worth the future of the restaurant industry.
BY JOSIE VILLA-SINGLETON
What we once remember as the “dining-out experience” — crowded restaurants with maskless patrons waiting beside crowded bars for a table — is, unfortunately, unlikely to return. Yet, despite the pandemic playing havoc with the restaurant industry, some creative chefs are giving us a taste of what the dining-out experience might look like post-COVID.
For example, the domino effect of bars only being able to open if they served food led to the launch of Lou Dong’s Night Market. Inspired by a global perspective on street food but taking direction primarily from Taiwanese fry and grill stands, chef Alan Huang brings a truly unique experience to a Magnolia Avenue bar.
Pre-pandemic, Huang felt listless as a corporate chef and aspired to eventually open up a space of his own. In the midst of planning his next move while working at The Modern, he was furloughed during the pandemic shutdown and eventually laid off. After a series of gigs that included work at Martha’s Vineyard, he received a request from one of the owners of the Boiled Owl to do weekend pop-
ups. Adding food service to the menu allowed the bar to reopen under new TABC rules.
Huang created Lou Dong’s Night Market to fill what he saw as a void of authentic Taiwanese and other globally inspired street food at an approachable price point. Without the benefit of a commercial kitchen to work out of, he rents kitchen space by the hour from Locavore to prep food. The menu changes every weekend and spans familiar-ish dishes such as Taiwanese street-stand chicken to more exotic fare that includes Taiwanese braised oxtail stew.
Huang always includes several vegan options that will exhilarate anyone accustomed to plant-based restaurant options often treated as afterthoughts. With updated social media posts every time he sells out and a long and socially distanced line to order, it’s clear the Fort Worth dining audience appreciates this type of food and this model. If you’re used to driving to Plano and other distant places for authentic global street fare, you can now save a few bucks on gas money.
Similar to Huang’s story, chef Rodney Dabon became an unexpected entrepreneur due to the fallout of the coronavirus. After a storied culinary
career as executive chef at a number of hotels and Fort Worth favorite, Brewed, Dabon’s culinary career path unexpectedly diverted due to the pandemic shutdown. With the help and encouragement of Ernest Morales and Chris Magallanes of Panther City BBQ, who lent him the use of their kitchen, Dabon began his pop-up and catering business under the name of Yeschf.
Dabon prepares food straight from his heart and that of his native New Orleans. He specializes in Creole and Cajun dinners that can be preordered and picked up twice a week at Panther City BBQ. He also prepares dinners throughout the week through his catering service that can be picked up or delivered by him. Dabon says his business is “not like climbing a hill, it’s like climbing Gibraltar” but credits his many customers whom he calls friends for giving him the strength and encouragement to continue.
Dabon has cultivated many happy friends and customers since starting this endeavor. Fort Worth diners can now pick up Creole and Cajun meals from an accomplished chef with over 30 years of experience. It’s clear the years have not dulled the shine on what he loves to do, which is to cook and connect with and for others.
Despite the adversity our local food industry currently faces, it’s encouraging to see that players in the local food scene creatively adapt to their current circumstances. These entrepreneurial chefs have a receptive audience in Fort Worth. It’s an audience that continually steps up and shows up for unique and interesting dining opportunities like these.
Josie Villa-Singleton is the owner of Eat This Fort Worth Food Tours. You can follow her on Instagram at @eatthisfortworth
January 2020: It wasn’t that long ago, just 11 months, when all was right in Fort Worth. A new year had dawned and so had a new day: Recently opened Dickies Arena was coming off a monster 2019. Lizzo, Super M, The Black Keys, and King George himself, almighty George Strait, had played to sold-out audiences there, helping the arena solidify its place as the city’s new polestar for entertainment. And to kick off 2020, the Fort Worth Stock Show hosted its first-ever rodeo at Dickies – it was, indeed, the dawn of a new era.
Suddenly, mere weeks later, the city was in full panic mode. COVID-19 struck the U.S. hard and fast, causing normally mild-mannered citizens to bum-rush local grocery stores to hoard, of all things, toilet paper. Feeding the frenzy, local media covered #TPGate exhaustively, interviewing what’s-wrong-with-people pundits and dispatching journalists to report from stores that didn’t have a square to spare.
As the pandemic worsened, local and state governments put mandates and health regulations into place — rules meant to deter the spread of the virus. Bars closed. Restaurants offered to-go food only. Hotels emptied out. Live performances came to an end. The city became a ghost town. Meanwhile, as the number of cases increased, heroes emerged — health care workers, firefighters, police officers, and other “frontline workers” who braved the pandemic to keep our city and citizens as safe as possible.
In the middle of the pandemic, thousands of miles away, in the Powderhorn Park neighborhood of Minneapolis, George Floyd was killed by a police officer, igniting protests across the country. In Fort Worth, demonstrators of all races and ages and backgrounds marched along the cobbled streets of downtown, demanding justice not only for Floyd but for others around the country who’d fallen victim to police brutality. Then recently named Police Chief Ed Kraus and other officers helped defuse the confrontation by kneeling and praying with protestors. Kraus later told WFAA: “We all pin on the badge because we care.”
2A020 wasn’t just one bad news briefing after another. TCU grad and Frogs football great Andy Dalton — dude is the all-time leader in wins at TCU — was hired by the Dallas Cowboys as Dak Prescott’s backup. After PRESCOTT suffered an ankle injury, Dalton, who led TCU to a win in the 2011 Rose Bowl, got his chance to play. Unfortunately, 2020 was like, “nope.” During a game with the Washington Football Team, Dalton suffered a head injury that has since kept him out of the Cowboys lineup. C’mon, 2020 — give the guy a break.
s Unemployment skyrocketed and restaurants struggled to stay open, Fort Worth chef and restaurateur Jon Bonnell instituted a plan to help keep our city fed and his restaurants afloat: $40 family meals available at both of his restaurants, Bonnell’s Fine Texas Cuisine and Waters. Throngs of people lined up — and continue to do so at Bonnell’s, where the meals are still available curbside — for huge portions of smoked meatloaf, gumbo, chicken-fried steak, and other delectables. Many local restaurants adopted similar business models. Bonnell for President in 2024, y’all.
We learned a lot of new words and phrases this year: “pivot,” “new normal,” “social distancing.” Another new word now a part of our everyday vocab is “Zoom,” the name of the video-conferencing app that allows us to meet virtually. Zoom may do a good job of keeping us connected, but its greatest achievement is, of course, allowing us to endure classes and meetings while only half-dressed.
Doesn’t matter how you voted in the 2020 presidential election. What matters is, you DID vote. Fort Worthians, as a matter of fact, helped Texas set a record. Says NBC, the Texas Secretary of State’s office reported more than 9 million people cast their ballots during early voting — that’s more than the total number of Texan votes from the 2016 election. No matter our individual political affiliations, we all agreed on something this year: We needed to vote.
Despite the pandemic refusing to loosen its grip, signs of normalcy are slowly resurfacing. Some of us even got to go to a ballgame this year, courtesy of the new Globe Life Field, which hosted the 2020 National League Championship Series and the 2020 World Series — with limited seating, of course. But in a year in which so much was taken from us, we savored the reminder of life before COVID-19. We also realized that maybe, just maybe, life after COVID-19 isn’t so bad either.
Brandon Hayman is a South Louisiana-born artist and illustrator who has called Fort Worth home since 1999. Today, you’ll likely find him about town drinking coffee and making comics. Follow him on Instagram @brandonhayman.
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Riley Kiltz, founder and CEO
of The Craftwork Group
Staring Failure in the Face
From the loss of a shop to the start of a new venture, Riley Kiltz opens up about the rise and fall — and rise again — of Craftwork Coffee Co.
BY SAMANTHA CALIMBAHIN PHOTOGRAPHY BY OLAF GROWALD
An odd sense of stillness fell over the empty café as Riley Kiltz closed up shop for the day at The Foundry District location of Craftwork Coffee Co. Hitting the lights, he sat down for a moment and stared silently at the space.
It was spring, during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic that shook local businesses in a way no one could have predicted, and Craftwork was no exception. The Fort Worth-born company had been growing at a seemingly nonstop pace since opening its first location at Camp Bowie Boulevard in 2016. The original concept was a novel one — coffee shop up front, coworking space at the back — and the neighborhood fell in love with both. Craftwork would spend the next four years building off Camp Bowie’s success, opening
that contrasted the brutal minimalism of Camp Bowie and the warm, wood-heavy aesthetic of Magnolia.
Inspiration would come from Kiltz’s then-four-year-old daughter, Talitha.
“Dad, I want a pink Craftwork,” she said. So, like a good dad, Kiltz made it happen. The Foundry opened in 2018 with a notably lighter feel, its walls painted a blush, pink tone in honor of Tal’s request.
But, two years later, on that quiet night in the spring, Kiltz took a long, hard look at the empty coffee shop, pondering its future. He knew the numbers — revenue for Foundry fell 46% during the pandemic, and the likelihood of breaking even was becoming close to impossible.
When Kiltz’s wife, Emily, picked him up that night, he got in the car and told her his harsh realization: “I don’t think we’re going to make it out here.”
On Saturday, Nov. 7, Craftwork Foundry served its final cup of coffee.
“So much of who you are is in these spaces,” Kiltz says. “For this to disappear all of a sudden, it’s really painful.”
another shop on Magnolia Avenue, and eventually expanding outside city limits to Austin.
But for Kiltz, Craftwork Foundry was something special. In a burgeoning district just north of West Seventh Street, defined by colorful murals, upscale bars, and eclectic shops, Kiltz wanted the design of this Craftwork to fit the locale — something
Kiltz has been doing a lot of self-reflection lately, becoming more comfortable opening up about his struggles with Craftwork and falling into what he calls “The Pit of Despair.” In fact, that’s the title of his new podcast, which launches Dec. 1 and features interviews with recognizable Fort Worthians like Grady Spencer and Esther Miller, talking about their own experiences with failure.
The podcast won’t earn Craftwork any money, nor will it be the key to Craftwork’s post-pandemic recovery, but Kiltz hopes it’ll at least lift a few spirits and help others feel comfortable with vulnerability.
“Let’s make the city feel less alone in their failures,” he says, “not for the sake of having a big pity party, but for the sake of
Kiltz at Craftwork’s Shamrock Avenue roastery
building hope, knowing you’re not the only one who’s choosing to fight it out.”
The fight goes on for Craftwork as the company looks to a new business model that Kiltz hopes will start turning things around. Not long after Foundry closed, Craftwork opened a new location inside The Cooper apartment complex in the Near Southside — the first venture in a grand experiment that, if successful, could forever change the future of Craftwork Coffee Co. And while it may be a bit of a gamble, Kiltz says he’s confident in the company’s direction.
After all, “it’s 100% built upon all the dents in the car that we’ve had for five years.”
Brewing Success
The concept of Craftwork, interestingly enough, was born out of Kiltz’s experiences working in real estate investments. A frequent traveler, Kiltz often found himself at a coffee shop or café to help ease the loneliness of life on the road. Eventually, he decided to marry the coffee-and-coworking concept, teaming up with Collin Sansom to launch the first Craftwork Coffee Co. on Camp Bowie.
The location was met with surprising success. In a city where craft coffee only came from places like Buon Giorno and Avoca, the Camp Bowie neighborhood readily embraced the new shop. Quality espresso along with inventive signature drinks like the Camellia (a combination of chai and matcha) gave Craftwork an edge. But perhaps what most set Craftwork apart was its service — baristas trained to build relationships and, in turn, create regulars. Coupled with Craftwork’s coworking element, Kiltz and Sansom realized they were onto something.
In April 2017, the two launched a roasting company and another café on Magnolia in the same month. When the eclectic Southside crowd responded with the same energy, the business-minded Kiltz began to grow enamored with the idea of growth — bringing Craftwork outside the bounds of Fort Worth with the noble mission of building community over a good cup of coffee.
“You start thinking, ‘Well, we can do this
January 2016
Craftwork’s first location opens on Camp Bowie
April 2017
Craftwork Magnolia and roasting company launch
December 2017
Sansom and Kiltz part ways
February 2018
Kiltz meets Hightower, and they partner to raise capital to put Craftwork into 15 apartment communities in three years
July 2018
Craftwork closes its first round of series A funding totaling $3 million
August 2018
Craftwork Foundry opens
November 2019
Craftwork meets with Greystar executive team in Charleston
January 2020
Craftwork decides to focus on hospitality
March 2020
Shops shut down for six weeks, Craftwork begins building hospitality company
November 2020
Craftwork Foundry closes, Craftwork at The Cooper opens
everywhere,’” he says. “If we can do this here, then why can’t we do it a hundred times?”
But the idea didn’t sit well with Sansom.
“Collin really wanted to focus on developing a local community and staying a small, intentional company; I was really focused on scale,” Kiltz says. “We decided not to run down the field together.”
So, the two parted ways, and Kiltz moved forward with his plans for Craftwork’s growth.
The following year, Craftwork announced an ambitious expansion plan — to open 15 shops in 15 apartment communities around Texas by 2021. Craftwork acquired WorkFlourish, a Houston-based company that builds coworking spaces in residential buildings, with WorkFlourish’s founder, Trevor Hightower, joining Craftwork as chief development officer alongside Kiltz as CEO. By July, they closed their first round of series A funding — a total of $3 million. Craftwork Foundry opened a month later, and Craftwork Domain — the first of the apartment concepts — opened the following year in Austin.
Like its Fort Worth predecessors, the Austin location of Craftwork was also a success, which only prompted Kiltz and Hightower to push their idea even further. Eventually, they’d find themselves miles away from Texas — from Boston to Phoenix to Denver — pitching their idea to big-name apartment developers.
But there were a couple issues with their proposal. One was a disconnect between Craftwork and the apartment itself — an issue that made itself apparent at Domain, Kiltz says. “The intent around Craftwork was, how do you drive out isolation in your community? Then we realized, ‘Oh, hold up — we’re looking at a big problem for a big asset class, and then we’re just saying the answer is Craftwork applied as is, in this apartment, which is a little bit naive ... We weren’t really working together to drive out isolation or to make the resident feel more connected. It felt more transactional — cool, you’re a tenant, it’s a nice amenity to have a coffee shop, but it wasn’t more than that.”
The second issue was timing — while many developers embraced the idea of a
Iwas three months into opening the doors of my shop, just hired my first part-time employee, and had no set schedule or routine to my life as a new business owner, mom, and wife outside of shop hours — yet I thought I could truly take on the world.
This project — let’s call it the “Lotus Project” — came across my lap through a customer-turned-friend. The project started off small in my mind. I was to wrap 300 gift boxes for a company and ship them individually to their recipients. The client was happy about the outcome because of the positive feedback from their gift recipients. And through the notoriety of this client, I believe I was able to secure other corporate clients
My Pit of Despair:
Esther Miller, owner of Gifted
temporary employees for this project for some extra cash.
and build a blueprint for how to execute large-scale projects like this — these other corporate clients and blueprints remain with me to this day.
Because the project saw sparks of great success the first round in the eye of the client, the scope of the project grew. It grew from a wrapping and shipping job to a fully customized gift order twice a year for 300 gifts each time.
Long story short, the third round was the last round I put these gifts together for the client, and it was the worst round. For this round, I thought I had it down. I planned everything ahead of time. I broke down the various tasks necessary and delegated them to my trusted employees, as well as trusted friends who were hired as my
Though the project was executed mostly well, my client was not happy that a handful of their gift recipients ended up with missing pages to their letters, wrongly addressed envelopes, and items missing in their boxes. One gift wrongly put together would have been a failure in my mind, but there were close to 30 out of 300. That’s almost 10%. This was completely unacceptable. I remember so clearly — my client told me that they were concerned that something good they were trying to do could’ve been misconstrued as sloppy or having a worse effect than doing nothing at all. I think I remember crying when I read that text because I was so embarrassed.
What’s worse is that I realized I had severely undercharged for the project. I had never priced out anything like this before, so I didn’t fully realize I was passing on my costs to this client and that I was making very little profit from this.
In the end, I ended up losing money because it was more labor than I had anticipated.
unhappy. That is failure. The combination of optimism and overachieving in one person can be amazing or lethal depending on how you use it. This experience has taught me humility in new heights. I had to admit my mistakes in front of so many people — the most embarrassing of which were my employees whom I adore — and figure out a way to be better for it. I learned that I can’t rush success. I can’t promise things that I don’t know with 100% of certainty that I can execute when it comes to a paying client. I learned that I definitely don’t have everything figured out and that owning a business is a constant learning experience that requires patience, diligence, and an incredible amount of sacrifice and hard work.
The combination of optimism and overachieving in one person can be amazing or lethal depending on how you use it.
Esther Miller, owner of Gifted
Even though I had done this two times before, this round was different, and I didn’t account for that. A lot of stress, chaos, and disappointment was created, all for me to lose money and for a client to be
As for the Lotus Project, after all of the gifts were corrected and the holiday season was over, I met with my client, and we had a heart to heart. It was the best breakup I ever had. The client was extremely gracious and understanding in my shortcomings, and they were even grateful for helping them set up the blueprint for their gifting program. We agreed that parting amicably would be for the best, and to this day, I am so grateful for the people I met while working on that project.
My Pit of Despair:
Grady Spencer, musician
On Jan. 3, I decided that I was going to finally make the leap and end my 10year career of working in commercial construction to finally do music full time. In the months leading up to January, I had just simply bitten off way too much to chew in my life. I was working 50 – 60 hours a week in my construction day job, while at the exact same time, the booking agency that I had signed with had me out traveling for shows every weekend. My tank was just empty, and at the risk of sounding dramatic, I believe I was coming extremely close to some sort of breakdown. Thanks to the proactive actions of my beautiful wife, I started going to therapy and through that process came to the conclusion that I was put here in this place at this time to be a full-time musician. It was life-changing in every sense of the word and is a chapter of my life that I’ll never forget.
We played our last show in Austin in early March of 2020. So little was known at the time about COVID-19 and how the virus would impact everyone, but all I knew is that everything was canceled. I lost count of how many shows were canceled throughout the following six months, but needless to say, it was a lot. So, in almost a blink of an eye, almost half of my income that I had counted on to survive and provide for my family just vanished into thin air. All of a sudden, all the math equations that my wife and I
had tirelessly gone over time and time again were suddenly not worth the paper they were written on. And we didn’t know what would happen.
I was scared out of my mind, which sounds a bit dramatic given that we’re talking about a career where I stand on a stage and play a guitar and sing. But I was scared and frustrated that something that seemed so right and perfect for my family and my life was suddenly looking like it was going to fade away. My mind was reeling
No matter what happens with my career, I’m freed up to enjoy my life and my family and look at the bigger picture in life.
for days on end about how I was going to scrape together the income that my family needed to survive. But also, it was somewhat exciting to look at this chapter as a challenge to rise to the occasion and get creative with how I was going to make a living for 2020.
Grady Spencer, musician
The biggest thing was that as much as I was viewing my identity as a musician, there never was a moment that my true identity of a human being created by a loving God was ever in jeopardy. As my circumstances, job title, and day-to-day stresses churned
and circled around me every single day, who I am and what I was created for never wavered. And that gives me hope that no matter what happens with my career, I’m freed up to enjoy my life and my family and look at the bigger picture in life. It’s incredibly freeing to think like that for myself.
Luckily, shows are beginning to happen again very slowly as venues learn and carry out social distancing plans. We’re definitely being as careful as we can every time we go out, but it feels good to be onstage again and playing music for people. I’m extremely excited for what 2021 is going to hold and how I can hopefully contribute to society creatively.
coffee shop built within their space, they wanted Craftwork involved at the inception of the project, meaning the shop wouldn’t open until two or three years later. The problem with that — anything can happen between two to three years. Products can change. The market can change. Competition in that area can change. It just wouldn’t be realistic.
Kiltz recalls feeling that cold splash of reality in November 2019 during a meeting with the CEO of Greystar in Charleston, South Carolina: “The CEO turns to us and says, ‘Love the idea. I have a deal for you in 2024, 2025 … [but] what can you do with my 2,000 assets tomorrow?’ And we’re like, ‘We don’t know.’”
There was another problem facing Craftwork that year. As the company began turning its focus toward residential communities, Fort Worth’s coffee scene began to explode. New brands began opening from the Near Southside to Camp Bowie, while coworking giants like WeWork added to the competition. As a result, Craftwork’s existing shops began to take a hit.
“Then you basically start pulling all the levers,” Kiltz says. “Do we need to spend more on marketing? Do we need to handle training? Do we need to change staffing? We’re just pulling all these levers at the store level, because if you bet on a business model, if you’re going to a place two years from now, and someone’s
spending money on that location, you want that business model to be down pat … What we saw in 2019 was, hold on, we have some work to do.”
So, during Craftwork’s company retreat in January, the team outlined a strategy that they believed would set up both the cafés and apartment concepts for success. There was a sense of optimism entering 2020, Kiltz says. “Yes, 2019 was not the best year for us, but we had a plan.”
Then the pandemic happened.
Roasted
March was “by far the hardest month ever” for Craftwork, Kiltz says. As COVID-19 forced nationwide lockdowns to control the virus’s spread, Craftwork found itself furloughing 90% of its team. The stores also shut down for six weeks — an effort to, one, step back and figure out how to continue business in a mask-wearing, highly sanitized community and, two, rework its hospitality pitch for apartment developers. Craftwork Coffee Co. soon rebranded as The Craftwork Group, reflecting its identity as a hospitality company, and also came up with a better apartment pitch: Craftwork will replace the traditional concierge, offering not just a ground-floor café but also other amenities like poolside beverage service and resident access to private work areas. Kiltz says developers loved the idea, and what once was a project that needed two to three years to build out could now be open within two to three months. It would launch in Fort Worth first, inside Lang Partners’ development, The Cooper, on West Rosedale Street.
That fall, Kiltz and his crew had their work cut out for them. They’d close Foundry, open Cooper, and continue their plan to enter the hospitality industry under a new name and business model — a whirlwind of events that seemed to happen so suddenly and so fast, Kiltz hardly had time to breathe, let alone feel. Until he did.
One day, sometime in October before the closing of Foundry, Kiltz asked his team if he could step out for a minute. “I just need to go for a drive,” he told them. So, he got outside and drove around, eventually stopping at Rockwood Park, where he parked his car — and wept.
“It wasn’t long,” Kiltz says, “but there’s real grief here. If I don’t bring the powerful thing that an emotion is into Craftwork, then Craftwork is less as a result of it. You need to feel in order to build.”
For Kiltz, this was his pit of despair. The loss of a shop. The uncertainty of a business model that may or may not wind up successful. But Kiltz realized it wasn’t a place he could stay. When one falls into the pit, there’s really only one way to go: up.
After taking a moment, he drove back to Craftwork’s Shamrock Avenue roastery and got back to work.
Out of the Pit
Kiltz says he’s learned a lot from the past five years running Craftwork. He learned that a relationship-oriented business model works best at a local level. He also learned that hard work and determination won’t solve the problems of a broken system.
But the biggest lesson of all — it’s OK to fail, so long as you keep going.
“You have the closing of a chapter in that sense. Whether it’s a chapter or just the turning of a page, I don’t really know, but there’s another story to be written going forward,” Kiltz says. “What I’m trying to avoid is the naive hope that I had before and really be intentional on each move that we’re making to make sure that we don’t get in the same place.”
Craftwork’s future remains ambitious — to open 12 locations by the end of 2021, but under a new, hopefully better plan. And, hey, if it ends in failure, Kiltz isn’t afraid to face it.
“I don’t regret the last five years of realizing that I leaned in hard to a nonscalable business,” he says. “I would do it all over again because the road was worth it.”
Perhaps Kiltz’s daughter, Talitha, said it best. On the day she found out her “pink Craftwork” was closing, she faced her father, and with a look of “sheer will and determination” in her eyes, she said, “No, Dad, you’re going to find a way out of this. This shop may shut down, but we have the other ones, and we’re going to keep pushing forward.”
Kiltz could only agree.
“Tal, you’re so right,” he told her. “This is our moment.”
IT’S IN HIS BLOOD
Fourth-generation roper, Tuf Cooper, eyes another world championship. This time on his home turf.
BY SHILO URBAN
PHOTOGRAPHY BY OLAF GROWALD
WORLD CHAMPION. PRODIGY. RODEO ROYALTY. ONE OF THE BEST EVER. FORT WORTH SON TUF COOPER IS KIND OF A BIG DEAL — AND A TOTAL BADASS. THE 30-YEAR-OLD RODEO STAR IS LIVING THE COWBOY DREAM, EARNING MILLIONS FOR TIE-DOWN ROPING AND STEER ROPING OVER THE COURSE OF HIS CAREER. HE HAS A BEAUTIFUL WIFE AND A RANCH IN GOD’S COUNTRY, SURROUNDED BY FRIENDS AND FAMILY. PRIZE SADDLES LINE THE WALLS OF A TROPHY ROOM THE SIZE OF AN APARTMENT. FROM THE TUF COOPER PERFORMANCE CLOTHING LINE TO TUF COOPER’S JUNIOR WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP, HE’S ONE OF THE BIGGEST NAMES IN RODEO. EVEN HIS HORSES HAVE THEIR OWN INSTAGRAM PAGES.
But the native Texan doesn’t take any of this for granted. “I’m so fortunate to be able to do all the things that I get to do,” says Cooper. “I love it so much.” He has four world titles under his belt already, and he’ll compete for his fifth this December in Arlington when Globe Life Field hosts the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo. It will be the first time that the 10-day championship has been held in Texas since 1961, and Cooper will enter the competition ranked No. 1 in the all-around.
Can he stay on top and ride away with another world title? For the fourth-generation cowboy, the secret to a successful roping run is deceptively simple: “You have to be able to adapt, and you have to be able to be patient,” he says. Cooper has spent decades on his horse practicing both. This year, those skills came in handy out of the saddle as well, as COVID-19 forced us all to adapt and to be patient in ways that we never expected.
Like most of us, Cooper’s life and livelihood came to a screeching halt in spring 2020 as the pandemic descended, canceling rodeos from Corpus Christi to Canada. The thick dust of uncertainty clogged the air. Prayers went up. People locked down, leaning on their loved ones to make it through the tough times.
But for cowboys, uncertainty has always played a significant role in their lives. Animals are unpredictable. Wins and losses come fast. Bad years follow good. Prayers happen every day, and faith and family are everything. “We adapt to whatever life throws at us,” he says, “and if you have a good team around you, it makes it easier.” Cowboys have always lived locked down to their duties, bound to their animals and to their work. That’s especially true for elite rodeo athletes like Cooper, who practices every single day. “I completely dedicate my entire life to it.”
When he was 13, his family relocated from Childress, Texas, to a piece of land at the end of a country road in Decatur. His parents transformed it into a family compound and training center, complete with a lighted indoor arena where the kids could practice. Over the years since, the Coopers have built multiple houses on the land so they could all live as neighbors: Tuf and his wife, his parents, his three siblings and their families. With oak trees, watering holes, and room for raising animals, the ranch is perfect for a rodeo family.
But this isn’t your average rodeo family. This isn’t even your average family of rodeo champions. The Coopers are absolute rodeo royalty. Tuf’s dad is the legendary Roy “Super Looper” Cooper, an eight-time world champion and ProRodeo Hall of Famer who dominated roping in the late ’70s and early ’80s. Tuf’s grandfather and namesake, Tuffy, helped to pioneer the sport and later became the spokesman for the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA). Roy and Tuffy have both been inducted into the National Cowboy Hall of Fame and are considered indisputable icons of the rodeo.
“You grow up, of course, wanting to be a bull rider ... Everybody wants to be a bull rider. But Mom never would let that happen.”
Tuf Cooper
Those older brothers, Clint and Clif? They’re also world-class ropers who have both competed in the National Finals Rodeo (NFR) numerous times. Tuf’s sister, Shada, is also an NFR qualifier in barrel racing — and she just so happens to be married to Trevor Brazile, who is known as the “King of Cowboys” because he has a record-setting 25 world titles under his belt. He’s arguably the greatest cowboy of all time. “But to me, he’s just my brother-in-law,” says Cooper, who often competes with Brazile neck-and-neck at the top of the rankings. But there’s no bad blood or awkward family dinners. Brazile has long been a coach and mentor to the younger athlete, training his horses and teaching him the tricks of the trade. “He has been a huge influence — a huge everything — in my career.”
BORN TO ROPE Cooper’s career started early. As the youngest sibling, he had to work harder to keep up with his two older brothers, Clint and Clif, and his sister, Shada, all of whom competed in rodeo sports. By age 6, Tuf was already winning all-around trophies at local events, although his destiny as a roper was far from certain at that point. “You grow up, of course, wanting to be a bull rider,” he says. “When you’re a little kid, everybody wants to be a bull rider. But Mom never would let that happen.”
The branches of Tuf’s family tree are loaded down with champions on both sides with too many pro rodeo cousins, relatives, and ancestors to count. As a teenager, Tuf was determined to follow in the bootsteps of his predecessors, opting for home-school so he could focus on rodeo. “I definitely put all my eggs in one basket,” he laughs. He benefited from his family’s all-star advice but also had to deal with the lofty expectations that came with being the legendary Super Looper’s son — which Tuf shrugs off. “[The public pressure to
perform] has been there my entire life. But the way I look at it, I’d rather them expect me to be good than expect me to be bad. That was pretty simple for me. I knew that I was getting to do what I loved from a young age and how fortunate I was. I was definitely not going to let anything get in the way.”
Calf roping is in Cooper’s blood. Now called tie-down roping, it’s a timed event that requires strength, speed, agility, and exceptional ropework and horsemanship. The athlete must lasso a running calf from the back of a galloping horse and then dismount, run to the animal, and tie three of its legs together. Tuf’s record for doing so is a lightning-fast 6.3 seconds.
Some of the oldest events in rodeo are the roping sports, which include tie-down roping, team roping, and steer roping. They originated in the cowboy’s need to catch and immobilize animals for care on the range. “We still do it out in the pasture for a working cattle ranch; that’s how we take care of the animals,” Cooper explains. “If they need medicine or if they need work, a single cowboy out there ropes the calf, lays it down, and gives it the medicine. In and out.”
Cooper won the world title in tie-down roping in 2011, 2012, and 2014. In 2017, he took the most coveted prize in all of rodeo: PRCA All-Around Champion. Winning the all-around requires a cowboy to compete in two events, and Tuf’s second sport is steer roping. Steer roping is similar to tie-down roping but much less popular, taking place at only 10% of PRCA competitions. You won’t see this black-sheep sport at the National Finals Rodeo; it has a separate championship in Kansas each November.
“There’s not as many people that participate in it,” Cooper says. “It has its place and its fans.” In steer roping, a rider lassos the horns of a 700-pound steer and then loops the slack of the rope over the animal’s hip. As the rope is pulled taut, it causes the steer to trip or become unbalanced and fall. The cowboy jumps off his horse, runs to the animal, and ties three of its legs together. While a calf-roping run is over in 6 to 8 seconds, steer roping lasts a leisurely 10 to 12. Switching between the two events in a single competition requires a quick shift in mindset for the athlete. “In calf roping, you’re after it. But [steer roping] takes a little time. You’ve got to be patient, which is hard for a young kid — hard for a 30-yearold — that just got done trying to tie a calf in six seconds … You have to slow down and let it happen for you.”
For Cooper, a winning career boils down to hard work, a good attitude, and a great horse. Natural ability certainly helps, but it can be out-practiced. “I
had to work really hard to get some natural ability,” he says. “When I was an 18-year-old kid, I was like — I’m going to beat these guys; they’re not working as hard as me. That’s how I’m going to beat them — with hard work.” As he matured, he also realized the importance of a positive outlook. “The only way to really take it to any level has to be your attitude and mindset toward each day. It’s really difficult to get better with the wrong attitude.”
And it’s almost impossible without the right horse. “They’re our dancing partners,” says Cooper. “You have to do whatever you can to get the best horse that you can have. It doesn’t matter what kind of truck or what kind of trailer you have, but it matters what kind of horse you’re riding. That’s the big determining factor whether you’re going to make it or not.” His grandfather, Tuffy, would agree. “His biggest deal was that you have to have a good horse, and the way to get a good horse is to be a good horseman.” Horses are trained to stop immediately when the cowboy loops the calf, then back up slowly and gently to maintain the right amount of tension in the rope. Too much slack, and the calf may stand up. Too little, and the animal ends up being dragged, which hinders the tying process. “You have to be connected to your horse.”
Above all, a roper must be flexible. “When the gate opens and [the calf] goes out into the arena, we have no idea what it’s going to do. We think we do because calves are animals of habit. But sometimes they trick us,” he explains. “You’ve got to be able to adapt to whatever happens.”
OUT OF THE SADDLE Cooper’s ability to adapt was put to the test in a whole new way when the entire rodeo industry was shut down by COVID-19. “For a full two, two and a half months, there was nothing — absolutely nothing,” recalls Cooper, who typically travels to 80 rodeos every year. “The first couple of weeks … I pulled my hair out going crazy.” But things soon leveled out for the cowboy. “It was great to be home. I enjoy every day, whether I’m home or traveling. Luckily, I had horses to take care of. I just exercised them and tried to stay in shape so I could be ready for whenever the first rodeo was.”
When smaller rodeos started to take place again during the summertime, mostly in Midwestern states, they attracted two or three times the usual number of contestants. Competition was stiff. “It’s definitely been tough for a lot of people,” Cooper says. “I’ve been fortunate to be able to keep my hat pulled down and be able to go back to the rodeo whenever it got cranked back up.”
Cooper and his wife, Tiffany, headed north to South Dakota
for most of the summer to rodeo and to visit her grandparents. “I needed to get out and just go. I needed to get out of my head … We got to do a rodeo or two a week and hang out in the Black Hills. It was really nice. Spent a lot of time with the grandparents. Played a lot of cards at night. It was honestly a lot of fun. It was something that we wouldn’t have been able to do, spending that much quality time with our family … We took our trailer, and we got another motorhome, and we just set up shop for three months.”
The downtime may bode well for Cooper’s chances at the 2020 NFR. He won the all-around in 2017 after taking the previous year off. “[Roping] has been a job for me since I was 14 years old … from the time I was 14 to 26, I never took a day off unless I was forced to. And I didn’t let anything force me to,” he says. “In 2016 I pretty much took the year off, and that was one of the best things that I’ve ever done … I only went to a handful of rodeos that year.” The much-needed break didn’t just rejuvenate the cowboy; it also reminded him just how much he loved his job. “It was so cool for me to figure out how awesome of a gig I have. When I came back, I was ready to roll.”
Roll he did, guided on an upward trajectory by his faith in a higher power. “Throughout that season, God told me that I was going to win the all-around. I was like — yeah, whatever. My brother-in-law is still competing; he’s the 13-time all-around world champion. He’s pretty much never been beat. I’m not going to win.” But Cooper was riding better and better, and he started to believe what God was telling him. “We had that conversation a few times throughout the year, and as [the National Finals Rodeo] got closer, I was in complete peace that it was going to happen.”
Cooper has always ridden on faith, literally — his horse tack is branded with “JESUS IS LORD.” Unlike many cowboys, he’s not superstitious at all. He has no problem wearing yellow shirts or tossing his hat onto a bed, which are taboo behaviors for many rodeo athletes. “I try and do all that stuff just to prove a point that it doesn’t work, and that I don’t believe in it. I believe in good luck; I don’t believe in bad luck. I believe in working your tail off and God’s plan and doing your best each day and not really believing anything bad is going to happen. Just positive thinking.”
“I was obedient with the Lord’s plan,” he says. “That was the biggest moment in my professional career … and I think what God was showing me, and what he wanted me to show my wife, was that even though rodeoing can be so much — we can make it so big — but God wanted me at the biggest moment in my professional career to put my wife and my family ahead of my job. As it should be.” When he proposed, the crowd went wild. His voice quivered. Tiffany cried. It was a total surprise. Cooper had a gold belt buckle, but no diamond ring to put on her finger. “I guess I didn’t have that much faith,” he laughs.
Tuf and Tiffany had been together since 2011 when they clicked on an extended first date to a Texas Rangers game … followed by a Cowboys game and then dinner at Uncle Julio’s. Obviously, things were going well. Tiffany also comes from a rodeo family, and she grew up competing in barrel racing and cutting. When she started traveling to events with Tuf, she needed something to keep her busy — and independent. She had always loved taking pictures, so she launched the blog Fashion Posse to showcase styles that she saw on the rodeo trail. It was a hit, and Tiffany is now a top influencer in the Western fashion industry. She also co-owns Western Runway magazine and reported on fashion for The Cowboy Channel at last year’s NFR.
“I believe in good luck; I don’t believe in bad luck. I believe in working your tail off and God’s plan and doing your best each day.”
Tuf Cooper
The couple had always kept their relationship private, but they went public in a big way after the proposal with a seven-episode reality show on Ride TV: “Tuf n’ Tif.” The season finale took place on New Year’s Eve 2018 when rodeo’s preeminent power couple tied the knot in the Stockyards with an Old West-themed wedding and 900 of their closest friends. They toasted their fairytale celebration with a shot of Pendleton Whisky — no sissy champagne here. Tuf secretly altered Tiffany’s vows so that she promised to let him sleep in, saddle his horses, and do all the rodeo driving — which came in handy when they left a few days later on a rodeo trip to four competitions in three different states.
HOME-FIELD ADVANTAGE
Cooper’s competition shirts also bear the name of Jesus, which is embroidered right on the collar. Jesus takes the prime real estate above the logos of impressive sponsors like MGM Grand, American Hat Company, and Panhandle Western Wear. “When I look in the mirror and I get to see Jesus’ name, it reminds me of who I am. It reminds me of my faith and that I try — I try — my best every day to have a relationship with the Lord,” he says. “We’re not perfect. I’m not. I’ve made tons of mistakes … but God allows me to be who I am, and I just want to give him 100% of the credit back in everything that I do. Win or lose.”
At the 2017 NFR, he won, claiming the highest honor in rodeo: PRCA All-Around Champion. Standing on stage to accept the award, Cooper thanked his family for helping him, especially his brother-inlaw, Trevor (whom he had just edged out to win). And then — guided by faith — he took off his cowboy hat, bent down on one knee, and proposed to his longtime girlfriend, Tiffany McGhan.
The couple will return to the place where their love story began when Tuf competes at the National Finals Rodeo in Arlington. Since that first date at the old Rangers ballpark, the team has upgraded to a shiny new home: Globe Life Field. The NFR will be the first non-baseball event at the venue, which just opened this year. Las Vegas has hosted the NFR at the Thomas & Mack Center for more than three decades, but Nevada’s coronavirus-induced ban on large gatherings made that impossible this year. For months, no one knew if a world championship would even happen in 2020.
So, all the rodeo athletes breathed a big sigh of relief this fall when the PRCA announced that the show would indeed go on — just not in Vegas. “We were thrilled,” says Cooper. “We knew something was going to happen but didn’t know at what scale. Then when they said Arlington, Texas — we knew it was going to be big.” After a year with very few big rodeos (or paychecks), the cowboys and cowgirls are chomping at the bit to compete. “It’s huge for us, not just for the competitors but for our entire Western industry,” he explains. “It’s
for all of us guys and gals to meet up at the end of the year and talk about how crazy it’s been and what we’re looking forward to and what the expectations are moving forward — and to watch a great competition.”
Globe Life Field offers a much larger setting for the event than the Thomas & Mack Center, a basketball arena that’s 170 feet long. In Arlington, the course will be 240 feet long and shaped like a baseball diamond. “It’s going to be really different. It’s not going to be the same sling-it-tight, gunslinger competition … the cows are going to get more of a head start here, so you’re going to have to chase them a little further. We’re throwing some long balls instead of some fast ones,” Cooper says. “Honestly, it fits my style a lot better.”
He’ll be competing at the ballpark every night for 10 days straight on Dec. 3-12. Currently, Cooper is ranked No. 2 in calf-roping and No. 1 in the all-around. “I feel good about both of them.” And he’ll definitely have home-field advantage. “I’m really excited it moved to Fort Worth, 30 miles from my house. I get to use my practice facility and sleep in my own bed.”
His enthusiasm for the NFR is palpable, as is his love for Fort Worth. “Every time I drive by and I see downtown, I’m just like wow — that’s home. It’s so cool. What other city has the Stockyards in it? With a weekly rodeo? I grew up competing [at Cowtown Coliseum]; it’s where I got my start. Anytime I ever get in a rut, I just go back down there, make a smooth run, and you know — back to normal.”
“Normal” has a new shine after a year of upended plans. “I’ve realized that you try to get all these game plans, and then God has other things in store for you,” says Cooper. He hopes to continue rodeoing as long as he can and to have a big family with Tiffany somewhere along the way — all girls, because “they’re just the sweetest.” For now, however, God’s message to him is clear: “Get focused,” he laughs. “Do your job. Just be a cowboy, which can mean so many things in my eyes. Be a helping hand. Be a smile to a stranger. Love your neighbor as you love yourself.”
Will Tuf Cooper take the all-around title at the world championship this year? Win or lose — he knows that he’s already won. “Doing what I do is an absolute blessing,” he says. “I’m getting to wake up, put a cowboy hat on, and go compete on my horse against my best friends … and that’s one of the coolest things in the world.”
Wrangler National Finals Rodeo
Texas will host the world championship of rodeo this year for the first time in almost six decades. Originally held at Dallas’ Fair Park in 1959, the National Finals Rodeo (NFR) has taken place in Las Vegas at the Thomas & Mack Center since 1985. But with a COVID-19 ban on large gatherings in Nevada, the event has been moved to Globe Life Field in Arlington for 2020. It will return to Vegas next year, but you can experience the PRCA’s biggest party right here in Tarrant County this Dec. 3-12.
How it works:
The 15 top-ranked athletes in each event compete nightly for championship titles and a pretty penny. Whoever has earned the most money throughout the entire season, including their winnings at the NFR, will be crowned the world champion of their event. The most prestigious award is the all-around, which is given to the highest-earning cowboy that competes in more than one event.
The events:
The NFR showcases rodeo’s seven main sports, which fall into two categories: timed events (tie-down roping, team roping, and steer wrestling) and roughstock events (barrel racing, saddle bronc riding, bareback bronc riding, and bull riding). Women compete in barrel racing, and men compete in the rest of the sports.
Tickets:
All 10 days are sold out. But you can still enjoy the NFR action at a slew of side events in Fort Worth and Arlington, including a gala dinner at Billy Bob’s and a tournament at The Golf Club Fossil Creek. We’ve listed some of our favorite events here, and you can see the full schedule online at nfrexperience.com.
NATIONAL FINALS RODEO EVENTS
Cowboy Christmas at Fort Worth Convention Center
Not to be confused with the series of lucrative summertime rodeos that are also called Cowboy Christmas, this pop-up market is the go-to shopping destination for Western-themed gifts. Browse clothing, jewelry, artwork, home furnishings, boots, and spurs from hundreds of vendors. It’s also the best place to buy official NFR and PRCA merchandise. You’ll find interactive rodeo exhibits in the middle of the market at NFR Central, along with autograph sessions, live acoustic music, and prize giveaways. There will also be daily entertainment at The Rodeo Live Stage; famous rodeo clown Flint Rasmussen hosts “Outside the Barrel” at 12 p.m., followed by “Cowboy Revival” with country musician Shane Minor at 1:15 p.m.
Dec. 3-12, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Free admission.
Junior World Finals at Cowtown Coliseum
More than 800 young cowboys and cowgirls will compete for gold buckles in all of the NFR events plus breakaway roping and pole bending. The Cowtown Coliseum will also host Bullfighters Only and Mutton Bustin’ competitions in the afternoons.
Dec. 3-12, times vary. Tickets start at $10 and are available on-site.
NFR Streaming at Texas Live!
Watch a direct feed of the NFR competitions on a 100-footwide screen at Texas Live!, located right across the street from Globe Life Field. This massive entertainment complex offers multiple levels of seating and yard games, and it’s surrounded by restaurants so there’s plenty of nosh. It will also host the NFR’s nightly buckle ceremonies and The Cowboy Channel’s pre-show broadcast. You can walk next door to the ProRodeo Fan Zone for family-friendly fun.
Dec. 3-12, doors open at 5 p.m. Tickets from $10 (standing room only) to $720 (VIP booth for eight people). Advance purchase recommended.
The Schedule
A smattering of events to attend during NFR
PRCA Convention Nov. 30 – Dec. 3 Omni Fort Worth
Junior World Finals
Dec. 3 – 12
7:30 a.m. – 3:15 p.m. at Cowtown Coliseum
National Finals Breakaway Roping Dec. 3 – 12 10 a.m. at Globe Life Field
Outside the Barrel with Flint Rasmussen Dec. 3 – 12
Noon – 1 p.m. at Fort Worth Convention Center
Mutton Bustin’ Dec. 3 – 7
3 – 4 p.m. at Cowtown Coliseum
Wrangler National Finals Rodeo Dec. 3 – 12
6:45 p.m. at Globe Life Field Buckle Ceremony at 10:30 p.m. at Texas Live!
Bullfighters Only Dec. 8 – 12
3:30 – 4 p.m. at Cowtown Coliseum
The Standings
Here are the top 10 cowboys (in order of current ranking) pining to become the 2020 All-Around World Champion
No. 10: Marcus Theriot; Poplarville, Mississippi $15,665
PHOTO BY OLAF GROWALD
Gary Nickelson (left) and Michael Heiskell (right)
Michael Heiskell: The 2020 Recipient of the Blackstone Award
BY BRIAN KENDALL
It can take Michael Heiskell, the 2020 recipient of the prestigious Blackstone Award, a bit of time to open up about his fascinating, historymaking past. A result of his humility, no doubt. Growing up in a small Black community called Pelham, Texas — a town just a hop and a skip from Fort Worth that was settled by ex-slaves in 1866 — Heiskell became the first Black graduate from the Baylor Law School at Baylor University.
“I mean, that was an experience in and of itself,” Heiskell says without any further explanation.
Yet, breaking this glass ceiling wasn’t something Heiskell had originally planned.
“I was intent on becoming a biologist,” Heiskell says. “But I took a political science class at Baylor with Dr. Robert Miller, and he said, ‘You know, you ought to think about this. You’re doing well. You seem interested.’
“I was reading a lot and staying up to date on some political things because back then things were pretty active with the civil rights movement and the Vietnam War. So, this is what eventually led me to study law.”
Heiskell’s experience runs the gamut.
He worked in the district attorney’s office in Galveston County before moving to Dallas to become a federal prosecutor. His next step was opening a private practice in Fort Worth called Johnson, Vaughn, and Heiskell — Heiskell’s two original partners are now deceased, but he keeps the name to honor their legacy.
Since opening his private practice, Heiskell has seen high profile cases that include rap artists, megachurch pastors, and convictions that have led to the death penalty. On defending such cases, Heiskell laments that it “takes everything out of you” and can be “life altering.”
“Our profession is the only one that’s in the Constitution,” Heiskell says. “The Sixth Amendment, the right to counsel. So, we have to take that to heart because medical professionals have the Hippocratic Oath that they must follow. Correct?
“And when people ask me, ‘How can you defend someone [you know is guilty]?’ I say, ‘Well, does anyone ever ask a doctor?’ You bring in a patient who may have committed some heinous crime himself and been shot, and you bring him in, ‘Hey, how can you treat this guy?’ Defending people, saving lives regardless of who they are or what they’ve done, it’s what we do.”
The Blackstone Award, named after Sir William Blackstone — a British legal scholar in the 18th century — has been awarded annually since 1963 to an attorney who shows consistent ability, integrity, and courage. According to a press release from the Tarrant County Bar Association, “Michael Heiskell exemplifies all these qualities. He is widely known in our profession for his professionalism, legal prowess, and commitment to our community. He gives back selflessly to the profession and has helped citizens, both well known and unknown, the powerful and the powerless.
“He is a lawyer’s lawyer.”
The award is the highest honor bestowed upon an attorney from the TCBA.
Fort Worth Magazine was fortunate enough to have last year’s recipient of the Blackstone Award, Gary Nickelson, present in our photo studio to hand the award to Michael Heiskell. Due to the pandemic, the normal awards ceremony the two would have attended was canceled, and the Tarrant County Bar Association was nice enough to allow our magazine the opportunity to present the award to Heiskell.
Print creates an emotional connection. Print builds relationships.
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CHOOSE A WINNING LAW FIRM
(bottom to top, left to right) Emily LaChance, Callie Dodson, Alison Porterfield, Kayla Harrington, Melissa Swan, Jessica Phillips, Trent Marshall, P. Micheal Schneider.
GENERATIONS OF EXPERIENCE
RECOGNITION
Our attorneys are consistently recognized year after year for the quality services they provide, including Top Attorneys, Fort Worth Magazine; Super Lawyers, Thomson Reuters; Top Attorneys, 360 West Magazine; Power Attorneys, Fort Worth Business Press, and 40 under 40, Fort Worth Business Press.
From left to right: James Stripling, Janet Hahn, Randy Hall, Mark Dugan, Michael Goodrich, Charles Milliken, Vianei Braun, Philip Spencer, Adam Fulkerson
From left to right: Dan Bates, Gary Moates, Brian Yost, Eamonn Wiles, Timothy Malone, Bradley Rice, Anthony Cuesta, Raymond Kelly, III
2020 Top Attorneys
While it’s true that legal advice is best left to the pros, you also want to make sure the pro you have in your corner is up to the task.
To ensure you have the best representation, we recommend starting here with Fort Worth Magazine’s 2020 Top Attorneys, our annual listing of the best lawyers in town, as voted for by their peers.
This year, 717 lawyers made the list, categorized by specialty and whether they’ve been in practice for more or less than five years.
How we did it: Earlier this year, we asked local attorneys to submit nominations via our website, fwtx.com. The magazine applied a minimum number of votes it took to make the list, giving bonus weight to lawyers who made the list any of the prior three years. We then asked a panel of highly regarded lawyers in the area to review the list prior to publication and make recommendations on other lawyers who should be on the list, and even ones who should come off for any reason. With this input, we finalized the 2020 Top Attorneys list.
By including a lawyer on these lists, the magazine does not recommend or endorse his or her service. Lawyers licensed as of December 2015 are considered to have more than five years in practice for this list.
MORE THAN FIVE YEARS IN PRACTICE
ADMINISTRATIVE
Jason Howard
Dee J. Kelly, Jr.
Bradley Poulos
Andrew Wambsganss
ADOPTION
Gerald Bates
Heidi Cox
Eric Freeby
Kellye Hughes
ALTERNATIVE DISPUTE RESOLUTION
John Brookman
Jennifer Caldwell
John Allen Chalk
Christian S. Dennie
Randy Hall
Kight Higgins
Joseph Horn
John W. Hughes
Beth Krugler
Wade McMullen
David Seidler
Len Allen Wade
Kevin Walker
APPELLATE
Adam Arrington
Marianne Auld
Russell Barton
Jerry Bullard
John Cayce
Chris D. Collins
David Farris
Joe Greenhill
Thomas F. Harkins, Jr.
Steve Hayes
David Johnson
David Keltner
Scott Lindsey
Shelly Messerli
Thomas Michel
Christopher Nickelson
Karen Precella
Jody Sanders
John Shaw
William Brent Shellhorse
Shelby White
Lindsay Williams AVIATION
Jon Harrison
Daniel Vela
BANKRUPTCY
Reed Allmand
John Bonds
Clayton Everett
Bobby Forshey
Mark French
Katherine Hopkins
H. Brandon Jones
Michael McConnell
Mark Petrocchi
Stephen Pezanosky
David Pritchard
Jeff Prostok
Nancy Ribaudo
Robert A. Simon
Lindsay Steele
Behrooz Vida
BUSINESS/ COMMERCIAL
Geffrey Anderson
37% of attorneys in Tarrant County are women
Source: State Bar of Texas
Hurshell Brown
Chad Cacciotti
Ed Cox
Christian Ellis
Elliott S. Garsek
William Greenhill
James Griffis
Constance Hall
Bryon Hammer
Bryan Hill
Marshall Jacobini
James Key
Joe Kimball
Bruce McGee
Randyl Meigs
Charles Milliken
Michael Moan
Mitchell Moses
Christopher Neal
Andrew Norman
Nicholas Pappas
W. Judd Pritchard
Randall Schmidt
Steve Westermann
CHILD SEX ABUSE
Greg Love
CIVIL LAW & LITIGATION
Daniel Aguilar
Robert Aldrich
Mary Barkley
Whitney Beckworth
Lars Berg
Grant Blaies
Greg Blaies
Jake Boyd
Rickey Brantley
Gina Bruner
J. Kirk Bryant
Caleb Bulls
Julie Camacho
William Campbell
Vincent Circelli
Joe Cleveland, Jr.
Heath Coffman
Hugh Connor
Monika Cooper
Anneke Cronje
Kelly Curnutt
Randal Dean
Clint Dennis
Russell Devenport
Roger Diseker
David Drez
Mark Dugan
Ralph Duggins
Rebecca Eaton
Laura Elkind
Paul Elkins
Jacob Fain
Kyle Fonville
Michael Forman
Larry Fowler
Scott Fredricks
Sharon Fulgham
David Garza
Joshua Graham
Douglas Hafer
Alyson Halpern
Barry Hasten
Albon Head
Robert Henry
Don Herrmann
Conrad Hester
Emily Hollenbeck
Brandon Hurley
Bruce James
Roland Johnson
Kathy Kassabian Reid
Koy Killen
Matthias Kleinsasser
Kelly Knotts
Meredith Knudsen
William R. “Butch” Korb
Grant Liser
John Lively, Jr
John Lively, Sr.
Chris Lyster
Justin Malone
Matt McLain
Matt Meyer
R. Bruce Moon
Shayne Moses
George Muckleroy
Preston Mundt
Marcus Mungioli
Chrisopher Nezworski
Shane O’Dell
Glenn Orman
Daniel Paret
Schyler Parker
Jeffrey Parks
Hunter Parrish
Michael Peck
Olyn Poole
John Proctor
Christopher Pruitt
Guy Riddle
Jerrod Rinehart
Jackie Robinson
Brittani Rollen
Roland Philip ‘Rollie’ Schafer
Marshall Searcy
Morris Sheats
Michael Sheehan
Andrew Sims
Brian Singleterry
Brian Smith
Brian Stagner
Dan Steppick
Over the past 10 years, the number of active Tarrant County attorneys has increased by 2%, from 4,522 attorneys in 2009 to 5,476 in 2019.
Source: State Bar of Texas Attorney’s Office
CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR 2020 TOP ATTORNEYS
Let one of our Employment Attorneys help you navigate the winding road of employer-employee relations and disputes.
Kirk Bryant | John Fahy | Donald Ferrill | David Flowers | Charles Gunter | Thomas Harkins
Tim Harvard | Michael Kaitcer | Bruce McGee | Steven Mosher | Scot Pierce | Rick Sanchez
Jerry Sawyer | Rocky Schwartz | Robert Simon | David Skeels | Brian Smith
Melinda Smith | Robert West | Vernon Rew | Wayne Whitaker
Mack Ed Swindle
Steve Tatum
Stephen Taylor
Joe Tolbert
Robert Vartabedian
Paul J. Vitanza
Kyle Voss
Kelli Walter
Matthew K. Walton
Bill Warren
Brandon Weaver
Scott Wiehle
Eamonn Wiles
Thomas Williams
Coby Wooten
Shauna Wright
George Parker Young
CIVIL LAW, TRANSACTIONAL
Ola Campbell
Grey Pierson
CONSTRUCTION
Richard DeBerry
Stephanie Harrison
Stephen D. Harrison
Andrew Piel
Brandon Scot Pierce
Richard Schellhammer
Patrick D. Sheridan
Henry Steck
CONSUMER
Andrea Cottrell
Jerry Jarzombek
CORPORATE COUNSEL
Christopher Greer
Lauren McDonald
RJ Pack
5,417 Total number of active attorneys in Tarrant County
Source: State Bar of Texas
Brian Restivo
Ricky Torlincasi
Craig Woodcook
CORPORATE
FINANCE/MERGERS & ACQUISITIONS
Chris Baker
Brian Barnard
Paul Bradford
David W. Cook
Sharon Cooper
Charlie Florsheim
Adam Fulkerson
Justin Hoover
Brandon S. Jones
Evan Malloy
Drew Neill
John Phair
Vernon Rew, Jr.
Samuel Vinson
Jarratt Watkins
Wesley Williams
CRIMINAL
Chad Allman
Sherry Armstrong
Bruce Ashworth
Brandon Barnett
Bruce Beasley
Lanny Begley
Allen Blake
John Thomas Brender
Nelda Cacciotti
Kara Carreras
Virginia Carter
Cody Cofer
Mimi Coffey
Daniel Collins
Paul Conner
Elizabeth Cortright
Craig Dameron
Mark Daniel
Nicholas Davis
Clemente de la Cruz
Andrew Deegan
Tanya Dohoney
Brian Eppes
Lance Evans
Taylor Ferguson
Brandon Fulgham
Steve Gebhardt
Bob Gill
Ashley Gilmore
Steve Gordon
Brian Goza
Peter Graham
Deandra Grant
Phillip Hall
Jeff Hampton
Stephen Handy
Randi Hartin
Daniel Hernandez
Francisco Hernandez
Lisa Herrick
Bryan Hoeller
Jeff Hoover
Fred Howey
Christy Jack
Jeff Kearney
Tracie Kenan
Jeff Kennedy
Bryce King
Kimberly Knapp
Emily LaChance
Christopher Lankford
Pia Lederman
Melinda Lehmann
Trent Loftin
Landon Loker
James Luster
Trent Marshall
Letty Martinez
Chelsi McLarty
• Exclusive photographs of your baby’s first moments captured by a professional photographer and memorialized on a DVD
Bringing new life into the world is a precious moment. It’s comforting to know that Methodist Mansfield Medical Center strives to provide the best care at every stage of your pregnancy. Our Women’s Center features:
• Well-appointed birthing suites and shared mother-baby care
• Dedicated obstetrics (OB) emergency department
• Neonatal intensive care unit
• Childbirth classes
• Recognition as the area’s Best Medical Facility and Best Maternity Ward.* So whether you’re a mom-to-be or a mom once more, make Methodist Mansfield your home for comprehensive OB care. Trust. Methodist.
Laird, Triple-Board
Steven C.
Certified Personal Injury Trial Law and Civil Trial Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization,
Board Certified in Civil Trial Advocacy by the National Board of Trial Advocacy
Steve Laird is the only Tarrant County Personal Injury Lawyer to be recognized as ONE of the Top 100 Super Lawyers* (out of 100,000 Lawyers in the state of Texas) for 14 out of the last 15 years (2005-2013, 2015-2020). Steve is the only Personal Injury Lawyer in Tarrant County with these accomplishments. He also maintains the highest AV Rating for lawyers, and has an AVVO Rating of 10.0; Superb.
*Thomson Reuters Super Lawyers
Colin McLaughlin
Gary Medlin
Blakely Mohr
Thomas Murphree
Brian Newman
Graham Norris
Brian Poe
Charles Reynolds
Santiago Salinas
P. Micheal Schneider
Eloy Sepulveda
Chance Smith
Justin Sparks
Ty Stimpson
Anna Summersett
Dorys Tijerina
Andrea Townsend
Dustin Trammel
Lindsay Truly
Benson Varghese
Veronica Veyhl
Brian Walker
Luke Williams
Bryan Wilson
Bonnie Wolf
Fiona Worthy
EDUCATION/ SCHOOL LAW
Thomas Myers
Lynn Rossi Scott
EMINENT DOMAIN
Adam Plumbley
Joseph Regan
FAMILY
Katherine Allen
Andrew Anderson
Barbara Armstrong
Elizabeth Barr
Leslie Barrows
Kaye Lynne Boll
Catherine Borum
Kimberly Butler
Kristen Carr
Nicole Carroll
Mark Childress
John Clark
Mark Cochran
David L. Cook
Shelley Cooper
Theresa Copeland
Anita Cutrer
Lori Dally
Rachel Dalton
Paul Daly
Ami Decker
Kelly Decker
Kristina Denapolis West
Lauren Duffer
Stephen Farrar
Rashelle Fetty
Stephanie Foster
Jonathan Fox
Louis “Bodie” Freeman
Marcy Freeman
William Aulstin Gardiner
Lisa Gavia
Crystal Gayden
Sharon Giraud
Nancy Gordon
Vicki Hafer
Ryan Hardy
Nathan Hatton
Tom Hill
Mary Holland
Robert Hoover
Lisa Hoppes
Ashley Iovine
Jessica Janicek
Jeff Johnson
48,945
Karmen Johnson
Jill Johnston
Tracey Justice
David E. Kelley
Heather King
J. Steven King
David Kulesz
Stephen Lawrence
Paul Leopold
Brenna Loyd
Sean Lynch
Dana Manry
Kelly McClure
Robert McEwan
Brent McMullen
Larry Mike
Jerold Mitchell
Rick Mitchell
Tyler Monahan
Cassie Mullen
Michael Munoz
Kimberly (Kim) Naylor
Stephen J. (Steve) Naylor
Lyndsay Newell
Gary Nickelson
J. Spencer Nilsson
Source: Tarrant County Criminal District Attorney’s Office
Barbara Nunneley
Jordan Parker
Jessica Phillips
Alison Porterfield
Shannon Pritchard
Mia Rainey
Sarah Robbins
Jim Ross
Stephanie Sabelhaus
Brad Scalise
Kevin Schmid
Karen Schroeder
Sarah Seltzer
Jill Setzer
Justin Sisemore
Jarrod Azopardi
Anneke Cronje
Charlie Florsheim
Possession of marijuana The top misdemeanor filed in 2019
Source: Tarrant County Criminal District Attorney’s Office
Curran Skinner
Donna Smiedt
Kate Smith
Susan Smith
Joseph Soto
Lori Spearman
Keith Spencer
Melissa Swan
Chrissy Tefera
Anna Teller
Donald Teller, Jr.
Turner Thornton
Whitney Vaughan
G. Thomas Vick, Jr.
Courtney Walker
Diane Wanger
V. Wayne Ward
Kyle Whitaker
Dana White
Pamela Wilder
Dena Wilson
Weir Wilson
Samantha Wommack
David Wynne
HEALTH
Carol Traylor
IMMIGRATION
Nick Chavez
Edwardo Meza
Jason Mills
Margarita Morton
Melissa Wilks
INSURANCE
Ross Carmichael
Andrea Palmer
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY
Tim Ackermann
Decker Cammack
Clark Cowley
Leslie Darby
Charles D. Gunter
Dave R. Gunter
Dustin Johnson
Stephen S. Mosher
Edward R. Nelson III
Warren Norred
Enrique Sanchez, Jr
Richard “Rocky” Schwartz
David A. Skeels
Brian K. Yost
LABOR & EMPLOYMENTEMPLOYEE
Laura Hallmon
Jason Smith
Rod Tanner
LABOR & EMPLOYMENTEMPLOYER
Antonio Allen
Tom S. Brandon, Jr.
Vianei Braun
Russell Cawyer
Jennifer Covington
David B. “Brad” Dowell
Julia Gannaway
Caroline Harrison
Cynthia Hill
Leslie Hunt
Michael Hutchens
Andrea Paris
Hannah Parks
Lu Pham
Julie Ross
Jay Rutherford
Jennifer Sweeny
Lacy Malone Steppick Ryder & Menefee, PLLC uses practical experience to address the legal needs of its clients. Our attorneys represent businesses of all sizes, as well as individuals, in a wide range of litigation and transactional matters. Our attorneys draw from their extensive legal experience to advise clients in contract negotiations; business organizations; management and personnel issues; real estate; commercial lending; purchase and sale transactions; and estate planning and probate matters. The firm’s litigation team represents clients in all types of litigation and business disputes, including those involving insurance; oil and gas; employment; products liability; professional liability; home owners’ associations; landlord-tenant disputes; and construction. The firm also maintains an active mediation and arbitration practice.
Left to Right (Page 1, Standing Up): Matt Thompson, John Davis, Alyssa A. Jacobs, Randal L. Dean, Andrew Wambsganss Left to Right (Page 1, Sitting Down): Kyle Voss, Adam H. Hill, Madison Berberet, Michael J. Moore, Eric C. Freeby Left to Right (Page 2, Standing Up): Christopher J. Pruitt, Michael L. Forman, R. Mark Oliver, Shelli A. Harveson, C. Reed Loftis Left to Right (Page 2, Sitting Down): Daniel J. Paret, Misty M. Pratt, Zachary S. Cate, Christopher T. Nezworski, Christopher J. Morris
LAND USE & ENVIRONMENT
J. Ray Oujesky
MOVING VIOLATIONS
Sommer Walker
MUNICIPAL LAW
Fritz Quast
NONPROFIT LAW
Steven Goodspeed
Dana Stayton
OIL & GAS
Prichard Bevis
Cole Bredthauer
Michael Dawson
Bob Grable
Jeff Grable
Tim Howell
Kristi Jones
Jeff King
Michael Malone
Michael J. Moore
Aaron Moses
R. Mark Oliver
David Palmer
Shawna Rinehart
Clark Rucker
Bart Rue
Todd Spake
Katey Powell Stimek
John Thompson
Philip Vickers
Dan White
Rafael Ylanan
PERSONAL INJURY - DEFENSE
Jennifer Andrews
Daniel Bates
Jack Duffy
H. David Flowers
Christina Fox
PERSONAL INJURY - PLAINTIFF
Mark Anderson
Seth Anderson
Brandy Austin
Wade Barrow
Art Brender
Gene Burkett
Rieker Carsey
John Cummings
Dwain Dent
Mark D. Frenkel
David Frisby
Mark Haney
Bob Haslam
Andrew Hawkins
Michael Henry
Wesley Hightower
Greg Jackson
Kolter Jennings
John Jose
Darrell Keith
Robert Kisselburgh
Steven C. Laird
Jesse Lotspeich
Stephen Maxwell
J. Kent McAfee
Rachel Montes
Randall Moore
Bradley Parker
Anna Patterson
Travis Patterson
Anthony Pettitt
Kelly Puls
John A. Ross, Jr.
James Stanley
Jason Stephens
Chris Stoy
Tennessee Walker
Roger “Rocky” Walton
Natherral (Nate)
Washington
Scott Wert
Jim Zadeh
PROBATE, ESTATES, TRUST
Neal Adams
Heidi Angel
David C. Bakutis
Monica Benson
Craig Bishop
Marvin Blum
Antoinette Bone
G. Thomas Boswell
Michael Bourland
Natalie Brackett
Patricia Cole
Kandice Damiano
Lindsay Daniel
James Davidson
Matt Davidson
Kelly DeBerry
Tena Fox
Stephen Franscini
Robert Gieb
Catherine Goodman
Ross Griffith
Chandler Grisham
Michael Grover
Janet Hahn
Laura Haley
Beth Hampton
Shelli Harveson
Kelcie Hibbs
Amanda Holliday
James W. Holliday
Lisa Jamieson
Michael Kaitcer
Terry Leach
Ann Lopez
Robert L. Loudermilk
Jennifer Lovelace
Mark Maples
R. Dyann McCully
Catherine Moon
Scott Moseley
Marla Mundheim
Amy Ott
Henry (Hank) Paup
Orsen Paxton III
Julie Plemons
Will Pruitt
Rachel Saltsman
Bronwyn Scharar
Melinda Watts Smith
Louis Stefanos
Aimee Stone
Emily Taylor
Leslie Thomas
David Tracy
Brittany Weaver
Rick Weaver
Corey Williams
Len Woodard
PROFESSIONAL MALPRACTICE (NONMEDICAL)DEFENSE
Donald Ferrill
PUBLIC FINANCE
Jonathan Cranz
Brandon Hill
PUBLIC/ REGULATORY
Brian Newby
The top three
law schools attended by Tarrant County attorneys: Texas A&M School of Law, University
of Texas, Texas Tech
Source: State Bar of Texas
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)
(Marketing Sherpa, 2017)
Meet Your Family’s
First Line of Defense
Comprehensive,
As
New patients welcome. We are scheduling both in-person and virtual visits. To schedule yours, call 817-799-6021. 4201 Camp Bowie Boulevard Fort Worth, Texas 76107
Source: Tarrant County Criminal District Attorney’s Office
FOCUS
LAWYERS TO KNOW
They stand by us through some of life’s more memorable moments. They guide us through everything from an adoption to starting a company. They are some of Greater Fort Worth’s brightest, most-sought-after professionals, and they want to tell you how hiring them will benefit you.
The information in this section is provided by the advertisers and has not been independently verified by Fort Worth Magazine.
FOCUS | LAWYERS TO KNOW
Anderson & Cummings, LLP
Seth M. Anderson, John M. Cummings, and B. Adam Drawhorn
SPECIALTY: Serious Personal Injuries and Wrongful Death; Auto and Trucking Accidents; Oil Field Accidents; Product Liability. EDUCATION/CERTIFICATIONS: Seth Anderson – Board Certified in Personal Injury Trial Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization; licensed in Texas, Oklahoma and New Mexico; UT Austin and Baylor Law School. John Cummings – Board Certified in Personal Injury Trial Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization and in Civil Trial Law by the National Board of Trial Advocacy; licensed in Texas, Oklahoma
and New Mexico; UT Austin and South Texas College of Law. Adam Drawhorn – licensed in Texas, Oklahoma and New Mexico; Auburn University and Baylor Law School. WHAT SETS THEM APART: Fewer than 2% of Texas attorneys are Board-Certified in Personal Injury Trial Law, meaning that an attorney has substantial, relevant experience in handling personal injury and wrongful death cases and has demonstrated special competence and passed rigorous tests. Seth Anderson and John Cummings are in that 2%. With almost 50 years of combined
experience representing those who have been harmed, our results in and out of the courtroom have earned the respect of insurance adjusters, opposing counsel, referring colleagues, judges and jurors, and most importantly, our clients. GREATEST PROFESSIONAL ACHIEVEMENT: With hundreds of millions of dollars in verdicts and settlements, we have a proven track record of results. In case after case, we have demonstrated why individuals and families turn to us when they seek the compensation they rightfully deserve. FREE ADVICE:
Good people don’t choose to be injured, but they can choose the lawyers who represent them in seeking justice. Choose wisely.
SPECIALTY: Brackett & Ellis is a civil practice firm providing multidisciplined legal services, including Fort Worth’s only combination of legal expertise in intellectual property, public and private education, and international syndicated insurance matters. AWARDS/HONORS: In addition to our Top Attorneys, we have attorneys who have been honored as Super Lawyers by Thomson Reuters, Best Lawyers in America by U.S. News & World Report, and rated AV-Preeminent by Martindale Hubbell. Many of our attorneys serve on boards of local nonprofit organizations. FIRM’S PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS/AFFILIATIONS: State Bar of Texas; Tarrant County Bar Association; Tarrant County Young Lawyers Association; U.S. News and World Report, Best Law Firms: Education Law, Tier 1 – Dallas/Fort Worth; Litigation – Intellectual Property, Tier 1 – Dallas/Fort Worth; Insurance Law, Tier 1 – Dallas/Fort Worth. GREATEST PROFESSIONAL ACHIEVEMENT: We continue to navigate successfully through the COVID-19 pandemic! This year has been challenging for everyone, and we are pleased to have been able to provide top-notch legal services to the Fort Worth community. MISSION: Our mission is to serve our clients with the type of quality legal counsel that we would expect for ourselves, our families, and our friends. Composed of hard-working professionals dedicated to delivering the best possible outcomes for our clients, our firm believes
that, by following the Golden Rule of treating others as we would like to be treated, we are able to obtain more robust interpersonal relationships and positive experiences with our clients. WHAT SETS THE FIRM APART: At Brackett & Ellis, we advocate for our clients by putting them, their situation, and their interests first. Our hard-working legal professionals are responsive, clear communicators, and dedicated to positive results for our clients. With over 30 attorneys committed to the same moral integrity and values, we can collaborate on a caliber that provides gratifying client outcomes. FREE ADVICE: When seeking legal counsel, look for a firm that matches your values and expectations of service levels. By establishing these expectations
early, they will help pave the way for successful and sustainable relationships. PICTURED: Our 2020 Top Attorneys: (front) Jennifer Covington, Joe Tolbert, Russell Norment, Jim Creel, Veronica Chavez Law, Lynn Rossi Scott; (back) Mark Maples, Tom Myers, Andrew Norman, Jerrod Rinehart, Heath Coffman, Joe Cleveland; (not pictured) G. Thomas Boswell.
CONTACT INFORMATION:
100 Main St., Fort Worth, Texas 76102
817.338.1700 • Fax 817.870.2265 belaw.com
J.C. Johnson, Co-managing Equity Partner
Dorsett Johnson & Swift, LLP
SPECIALTY: Real Estate – Real Estate Transactions, Title Insurance, Real Estate Closing Document Preparation, Title Insurance Recoupment Litigation, Real Estate Litigation; Mortgage Banking, Commercial Real Estate Lending, Construction, Development, Land Use & Zoning, Property Owners Associations and Real Estate Brokerage. Business & Commercial – Commercial Litigation, Corporate Structuring, Mergers & Acquisitions, Commercial Transactions, Business Entity Formation, International Trade, Logistics, Commercial Collections, Employment & Labor, Agricultural Business, Franchising and Private Equity. Liability Defense Litigation – Trucking, Transportation, Premises, Insurance,
Product, Hospitality, Restaurant, Retail, Food Product, Construction, Professional and Nonsubscriber. AWARDS/HONORS: Lawyers of Distinction; Legal Elite – U.S. Business News ; Super Lawyers. MEMBERSHIPS/AFFILIATIONS: Claims & Litigation Management Alliance; Grocery Manufacturers Association; National Retail & Restaurant Defense Association; Texas Land Title Association; Greater Forth Worth Real Estate Council; State Bar of Texas; Texas Bar Foundation; Board Certified – Texas Board of Legal Specialization. GREATEST PROFESSIONAL ACHIEVEMENTS: The combination of making a positive impact on the wealth of our clients and
enhancing the careers of our team members serves as our firm’s greatest professional achievements. FIRM’S PROFESSIONAL MIS-
SION: We “play to win” on behalf of our clients, as opposed to going through the motions. If the representation calls for guidance on a business transaction or complex litigation, our firm focuses on the goals of our clients to obtain positive outcomes. WHAT SETS OUR FIRM
APART: We focus on our clients. We communicate with our clients. We take care of our clients. FREE ADVICE: Prior to having an immediate legal need, create a relationship with outside legal counsel as part of your business strategy. PICTURED: (left side, back row, left to right)
J.C. Johnson and Jake Larsen; (front row, left to right) Corinne Q. Alley and Tricia Inting; (right side, back row, left to right) Sara Arnold and Kelly Bailey; (front row, left to right) Kim Johnson and Stephanie Willis.
FOCUS: The firm focuses on injury cases. We handle all facets of motor vehicle collisions: car wrecks, motorcycle wrecks, catastrophic 18-wheeler crashes, and rideshare wrecks. In addition, we work on cases involving dangerous/defective drugs and/or products, such as automotive defects and medical devices. AWARDS/HONORS: Scott Frenkel – Best Lawyers in Dallas, D Magazine, 2002 and 2007-2020; Texas Super Lawyer, a Thomson Reuters publication, 2011-2020; Best Lawyers in Fort Worth, 2017-2019; Million Dollar Advocates Forum & Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum; Member, Texas Bar College. Mark Frenkel – President, Dallas Trial Lawyers Association; Best Lawyers in Dallas, D Magazine, 2009-2020; Texas Super Lawyer, a Thomson Reuters publication, 2014-2018; Million Dollar Advocates Forum & MultiMillion Dollar Advocates Forum. Gene Burkett – Best Lawyers in Dallas, D Magazine, 2015-2020; Best Lawyers in Fort Worth, 2017-2020; Texas Super Lawyer 2020, a Thomson Reuters publication, Million Dollar Advocates Forum & Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum; Member, Texas Bar College. Addison Magazine readers voted Frenkel & Frenkel their favorite law firm, 2013-2020. MEMBERSHIPS/AFFILIATIONS: State Bar of Texas; State Bar of Missouri (Mark and Scott Frenkel); Texas Trial Lawyers Association; Board of Directors, Dallas Trial Lawyers Association (Mark Frenkel, president 2020); Fort Worth Trial Lawyers Association; Dallas Bar Association. GREATEST PROFESSIONAL ACCOMPLISHMENT: Creating this firm has helped tens of thousands of individuals
in their time of need. Daily, we give our clients the ability to take on any adversary. We will not be outworked or outspent. WHAT SETS THEM APART: We can handle and fund any size case; employ advanced techniques learned over 25 years; stay at the front of technology useful in presenting our clients cases; and perform a multitude of focus groups and mock trials. Our experience on the defense side of the docket gives us insight into how the opposition works. APPROACH TO LAW: Clients first; results-oriented. We hold careless and negligent companies and individuals accountable for their actions. MOTTO: Integrity. Safety. Results. FREE ADVICE: If you’ve been in a wreck, call us immediately. The other side is not there to help you. They are there to get your claim settled as inexpensively and quickly as possible. PICTURED: Scott B. Frenkel (Partner), H. Gene Burkett (Partner), and Mark D. Frenkel (Partner). NOT PICTURED: Jason L. Boorstein (Associate), David I. Adest (Associate), Aaron C. Spahr (Associate), Joshua A. Cohen (Associate), Carlos A. Fernandez (Associate), Shawn Thompson (Associate), Brett Baker (Associate), Andrew M. Gross, MD, JD (Of Counsel).
CONTACT INFORMATION:
12700 Park Central Drive, Ste. 1900 • Dallas, Texas 75251
817.222.2222 • 214.333.3333
Fax 214.265.9360
TruckWreck.com
Greg Jackson Law
SPECIALTY: Personal injury (automobile/trucking accidents; medical malpractice; workplace injuries; boating accidents; slips, trips and falls; dog bites; brain injuries; defective products; cycling/pedestrian injuries; etc.).
EDUCATION/CERTIFICATIONS: Baylor University, BBA, 1994; Baylor University School of Law, J.D., 1995; Board Certified, Personal Injury Trial Law, Texas Board of Legal Specialization, 2001-present.
AWARDS/HONORS: Outstanding Young Lawyer of Tarrant County, 2006; Baylor Young Lawyer of the Year, 2005; AV Peer Review Rating, 2005-present; Texas Super Lawyer, 2009-2012, 2014-present.
MEMBERSHIPS/AFFILIATIONS: State Bar of Texas, Tarrant County Bar Association, Texas Trial Lawyers Association, Tarrant County Trial Lawyers Association, American Bar Association, Texas Bar Foundation, Tarrant County Bar Foundation. GREATEST PROFESSIONAL ACHIEVEMENT: Board certification after only six years of practice.
WHY HE CHOSE THE LEGAL FIELD: I wanted to fight for those unable to fight for themselves. APPROACH TO LAW: Take care of clients like they are family, fight for their rights to the limit of the law, conduct myself in a professional manner so as to bring honor to the legal profession. FREE ADVICE: Go to the hospital or see your doctor as soon as possible after an injury, even if you think the injury is minor. The injury may turn out to be more serious than you thought. Not seeing a health care provider early can be used against you later in the claims process.
PICTURED: Greg Jackson.
CONTACT INFORMATION: 201 Main St., Ste. 600 • Fort Worth, Texas 76102 817.926.1003 • Fax 817.886.3653
gjackson@gregjacksonlaw.com • gregjacksonlaw.com
KoonsFuller, P.C. Family Law FOCUS | LAWYERS TO KNOW
SPECIALTY: Family law is not only what we do. It’s all we do. With our five full-service offices across Texas, we offer a level of clout and a range of resources unmatched by any other family law firm in Texas or the Southwest. MISSION: To provide high-quality legal services and superior results for clients who demand the best family law representation possible. Everything we do is founded on unassailable integrity and an unwavering commitment to ethical business practices. AWARDS/ HONORS: Heather King ‒ Texas Trailblazer by Texas Lawyer (2019); Honoree, Texas Super Lawyers (2003-2020); Sam Emison Recipient by Texas Academy of Family Law Specialists (2018); Dan Price Award (2017
(2015-2020). Dana Manry ‒ Honoree, Texas Super Lawyers (2014-2020); Fort Worth Magazine’s “Top Attorney,” Family Law (2017 to present); 360 West Magazine “Top Attorneys” (2019). Rob McEwan ‒ Honoree, Texas Rising Star (2016-2020); Fort Worth Magazine’s “Top Attorney,” Family Law (2019 to present); 360 West Magazine “Top Attorneys” (2019). Paul Leopold ‒ Fort Worth Magazine’s “Top Attorney,” Family Law (2019 to present). Drew Williamson ‒ Honoree, Texas Rising Star (2020); Fort Worth Magazine’s “Top Attorney,” Family Law (2020).
MEMBERSHIPS/AFFILIATIONS: Texas Bar Association, Tarrant County Bar Association, Tarrant County Family Law Bar Association,
Texas Association of Family Law Specialists. PICTURED: (left to right) Drew Williamson, Dana Manry*, Heather King*, Rob McEwan*, Jessica Janicek* and Paul Leopold. *Board-Certified in Family Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization.
817.481.2710 • Fax 817.481.2637 koonsfuller.com Principal office in Dallas.
McClure Law Group
SPECIALTY: Our firm is 100% dedicated to family law — it is all we do. Our level of expertise is essential to protect your family and fortune. We work meticulously to achieve the best possible results for our clients’ divorces, modifications, preand post-marital agreements, custody disputes, surrogacy issues, grandparents’ rights cases, and all other family law matters. We represent clients in Tarrant, Dallas, Collin, Denton, Rockwall, Grayson, Fort Bend, Williamson and Harris counties, as well as all other counties in Texas.
EDUCATION/CERTI-
FICATIONS: Kelly McClure and Robert Epstein are Family Law Board Certified by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization.
AWARDS/HONORS: Kelly McClure ‒ “Top Attorney” by Fort Worth Magazine; “Best Family Lawyers in Dallas” by D Magazine, 2003-2020; DALLAS 500 Most Powerful Business Leaders by DCEO Magazine; “Best Law Firm” by U.S. News & World Report ; “Texas Super Lawyer” by Thomson Reuters, 2003-2019; “Power Players” by Modern Luxury Magazine; “The Most Dynamic Women in Dallas” by Modern Luxury Magazine; “Top 50 Female Super Lawyer” by Super Lawyers, Thomson Reuters; Outstanding Young Lawyer Award by the DBA; Distinguished Service Award by the DBA and Legal Services of North Texas; Merrill Hartman Award for Key Leadership Advocacy and Support for Legal Services for Victims of Domestic Violence; Robert Epstein ‒ “Top Attorney” by Fort Worth Magazine; “Best Family Lawyers in Dallas,” 2016-2020, and “Best Lawyers Under 40” by D Magazine; “Texas Rising Star” by Super Lawyers, Thomson Reuters; “Best Lawyers in America 2020 & 2021” by Best Lawyers®; Texas Super Lawyer by Thomson Reuters, 2019-2020. Francesca Blackard ‒ “Top Attorney” by Fort Worth Magazine; “Best Law Firm” by U.S. News & World Report ; “Best Family Lawyer,” 2017-2018, and “Best Lawyers Under 40” by D Magazine, 2018-2020; “Texas Rising Star” by Super Lawyers, Thomson Reuters, 2016-2019; “2019 Dallas Top Women in Law Award” by the National Diversity Council. WHAT SETS THEM APART: Our financial acumen, tax law background, state-of-the-art forensic accounting, extensive trial and litigation experience, and seasoned collaborative law knowledge equip our attorneys to mount a powerful game plan of our clients’ positions.
PROFESSIONAL APPROACH: We pride ourselves on being overprepared and ready for any curveball that might be thrown our way. Executives, professional athletes, celebrities, and stay-at-home parents alike find our team’s experience, talent, and compassion invaluable. PICTURED: (left to right) Robert Epstein, Managing Partner; Kelly McClure, CEO and Managing Partner; Francesca Blackard, Managing Partner.
CONCENTRATION: The firm is uniquely qualified to handle the most complicated matrimonial cases in trial or appellate courts throughout Texas. CERTIFICATION: Gary is board certified in Family Law through the State Bar of Texas. Chris is board certified in Civil Appellate Law through the State Bar of Texas.
PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS:
Gary has been the Chair of the Family Law Section of the State Bar, President of the Texas Academy of Family Law Specialists, American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers ‒ both the Texas Chapter and national organization, and Director of the State Bar of Texas. He is also a diplomate in The American College of Family Trial Lawyers, which is by invitation only and limited to 100 Family Law attorneys nationwide. Chris is past President of the Tarrant County Bar Association, Appellate Section, and is Immediate Past Chairman of the Family Law Council of the State Bar’s Family Law Section. Father and son are frequent authors and lecturers for the State Bar and other organizations. HONORS: Gary holds many prestigious awards and has been named a “Texas
Super Lawyer,” a Thomson Reuters business, as published in Texas Monthly magazine since 2003. Chris has been named as “Texas Super Lawyer,” a Thomson Reuters business, in the Super Lawyer issue published in Texas Monthly since 2014. Gary and Chris have won the Family Law Section of the State Bar of Texas’ highest and most prestigious award, The Dan Price Award, in 2003 and 2013, respectively. EXPERIENCE: Gary has handled family law cases exclusively over 40 years. His experience allows him to handle all types of family law cases throughout Texas. Chris, a 20-year attorney, clerked in El Paso Court of Appeals, appeared as an attorney in many of the appellate courts in Texas and is an accomplished family and appellate law attorney.
CONTACT INFORMATION:
5201 W. Freeway, Ste. 100 • Fort Worth, Texas 76107 817.735.4000 • Fax 817.735.1480 garynickelson.com
FOCUS | LAWYERS TO KNOW
SPECIALTY: Our firm specializes in empowering individuals through consumer Bankruptcy, Chapters 7 and 13. EDUCATION/CERTIFICATIONS: Reed Allmand is double Board Certified in Consumer Bankruptcy by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization as well as the American Board of Certification. AWARDS/HONORS: Better Business Bureau A+ rating; Avvo Rating 10 – Superb; Legal Innovator – Texas Legal Awards 2020; Pro-Bono Lawyer of the Year - Dallas Volunteer Attorney Program 2018. GREATEST PROFESSIONAL ACHIEVEMENT: Allmand Law Firm has helped tens of thousands of consumers across Texas find relief through the bankruptcy code, and our greatest pride is our commitment to filing pro bono cases every month for those in need. PROFESSIONAL MISSION/APPROACH: Allmand Law Firm is committed to helping those who are struggling to overcome financial uncertainty. Seeing clients succeed is our greatest reward, and we
provide consistent counsel throughout the bankruptcy process and beyond to ensure clients not only start fresh but are equipped for success as they move forward. WHAT SETS THEM APART: Our legal team has decades of experience and can offer solutions to unique financial problems. We focus on personalized service and technology to empower our clients to track their case before and during filing, guiding them through what can sometimes be a confusing process.
SPECIALTY: Divorce, Custody, Criminal Law. EDUCATION/CERTIFICATIONS: St. Mary’s School of Law, Doctor of Jurisprudence; University of Texas at Arlington, Bachelor of Arts degree in political science, minor in business administration, cum laude. PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS/AFFILIATIONS: Licensed by the State Bar of Texas; Tarrant County Family Law Bar Association; Tarrant County Criminal Defense Lawyers Association; Texas Criminal Defense Lawyers Association. PROFESSIONAL MISSION/APPROACH: Going through a divorce or dealing with a child custody dispute can be extremely stressful. It’s my job and that of my office to provide clear legal advice, but at the same time show concern and compassion to our clients. Our clients are not just cause numbers; they are people going through often the most nerve-wracking and distressing chapter in their life, and they need more than just solid
legal advice. They need a team that will care and protect them to the best of their abilities. WHAT SETS THEM APART: We pride ourselves on providing personalized and hands-on representation. We’re more than just a legal team. We’re a family, and we fight for our people. FREE ADVICE: When choosing a firm to handle your case, if you are rushed or you feel like the person you are speaking to isn’t listening to you, find another firm to represent you.
SPECIALTY: Personal injury and criminal law. EDUCATION/CERTIFICATIONS: John Brender – B.A., University of Texas; J.D., Baylor University School of Law; former Felony Prosecutor. Art Brender –B.A. and J.D., University of Texas; Board Certified, Texas Board of Legal Specialization, Personal Injury Trial Law. AWARDS/HONORS:
John Brender is a highly successful attorney in the DFW area. John’s reputation for courtroom excellence across the metroplex has led to him being chosen as a “Top Attorney” by Fort Worth Magazine in 2009-2020 and named by Texas Monthly magazine a “Rising Star” in 2009 and a “Super Lawyer” in 2018-2020. While working with Art, John handled a variety of cases ranging from personal injury lawsuits to first-degree felonies. John was an Assistant Dallas District Attorney for six years where he handled misdemeanors and felonies. Due to this
vast experience, John is skilled in personal injury law and criminal law litigation. WHAT SETS THEM APART: Since 1973, Art Brender and John Brender have successfully represented, tried, and won hundreds of cases in Fort Worth, Tarrant and surrounding counties involving personal injury, products liability, insurance bad faith, civil rights, medical negligence, mass torts, class actions, criminal, sexual harassment, and employment discrimination. MOTTO: Experienced Lawyers Who Get Results!
James K. Luster, Cody L. Cofer, and Daniel E. Collins
SPECIALTY: Criminal Defense. MISSION: We believe hard work will make a difference in every case. Our clients come to us in the most difficult chapter of their lives. Regardless of the ultimate outcome, their lives are forever changed by the criminal accusations leveled against them. We take control of the case to make the rest of our client’s story the best it possibly can be. Too often lawyers pressure clients into settling a dispute for less than optimal results. We do work many cases out by agreement, but our mission is to push every case to the absolute best possible outcome. WHAT SETS THEM APART: Our job is changing minds and controlling the story. Effective persuasion takes many shapes. Our clients’ successes depend on selection and execution of the correct persuasive strategies and tactics. Whether the approach requires a wrecking ball or delicate
touch, our firm is intentional and skilled at bringing the perfect tools to bear. WHAT MOTIVATES THEM: The fight. We live for the exhilaration of battle with the government. Without vicious defense of the criminally accused, law enforcement and prosecution will abrade all of our freedoms into dust. Our calling is to rage against the behemoth government engine of oppression. Victory is achieved by getting the best possible result for every client.
CONCENTRATION: DWI, Criminal Defense. EDUCATION/CERTIFICATIONS: Baylor University, Texas Tech School of Law, Board Certified in DWI by the NCDD. SFST Practitioner and Instructor training, Borkenstein Technical Supervisor School for both drugs and alcohol, gas chromatography - Axion Analytical Labs. AWARDS/HONORS: Regent to the National College of DUI Defense; national speaker on DWI; five national articles published in The Champion; seven statewide articles in The Voice; author of Texas DWI Defense, now in its second edition; Texas Lawyer: 2015 Extraordinary Minorities in Texas Law. PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS/AFFILIATIONS: NCDD, NACDL, TCDLA, TCCDLA, DCDLA; Texas Tech School of Law Foundation Board.
SPECIAL INTERESTS: “I love people. I love to help people. Everyone makes mistakes.” VOLUNTEER WORK/CHARITIES: DBA volunteer mock trial judging; teaching law to Ukrainian law students through Leavitt Institute; scholarships at Texas Tech and Brewer High School; Cenikor Advisory Board. EXPERIENCE: 25 years of experience, with over 300 trials.
WHAT SETS THE FIRM APART: What makes us unique is the combination of our experience as legal consultants and our strength as legal advocates. Cotten Schmidt, LLP has represented businesses and individuals for 28 years with 20 attorneys in offices in Fort Worth, The Woodlands, Corpus Christi, and New Orleans. RECOGNITIONS: Cotten Schmidt attorneys receiving Top Attorney Honors for 2020 are Randall Schmidt and Marshall Jacobini. PRACTICE AREAS: Founding Partner Randall Schmidt has represented business clients locally, nationally, and internationally for over 43 years in commercial transactions and commercial litigation. Marshall Jacobini has a broad scope of experience in estate planning, general business, and family law. Founding Partner Larry Cotten is one of our state’s premier trial attorneys with trial experience represent-
ing national corporations in large commercial, toxic tort, and personal injury cases. Andrew Lewis has a general business practice with emphasis in real estate, probate, and construction. FREE ADVICE: Better to call a good lawyer and find out you do not need him or her rather than not calling until you do. PICTURED: (left to right) Marshall Jacobini, Randall Schmidt, Andrew Lewis, and Larry Cotten.
CONTACT INFORMATION:
100 Energy Way, Ste. 2000 • Fort Worth, Texas 76102 817.338.4500
cottenschmidt.com rschmidt@cottenschmidt.com
FOCUS | LAWYERS TO KNOW
Law
CONCENTRATION: Criminal Law/Estate Planning. EDUCATION/CERTIFICATIONS: TCU, M.J. Neely School of Business; TWU, School of Law. AWARDS/ HONORS: Clemente is honored to announce he was just elected in November of this year as a Fellow of the Texas Bar Foundation. Election to the Fellows is one of the highest honors that can be bestowed upon a member of the State Bar of Texas. Other honors include Fort Worth Magazine Top Attorney, 2012-2020; National Trial Lawyers Top 100 Trial Lawyers, 2016-2019; Law Review Editor, Texas Wesleyan School of Law with Academic Honors. MEMBERSHIPS/AFFILIATIONS: TCU Chancellor’s Advisory Committee, 2018-2020; Saint Andrews Catholic
Church; Leadership Fort Worth. MISSION: Clemente is a 36-year retired Fort Worth Fire Captain — he is accustomed to fighting for others through the most difficult situations. Born and raised in Fort Worth, Clemente, his wife, and children reside in Fort Worth. PICTURED: Clemente De La Cruz.
CONTACT INFORMATION: 601 University Drive, Ste. 109 • Fort Worth, Texas 76107 817.335.5050 delacruzlawoffice.com csdtxlaw@gmail.com
Office of Clemente De La Cruz
The Dent Law Firm
Dwain Dent
CONCENTRATION: Wrongful death, pharmaceutical, insurance, and injury. EDUCATION: Dwain Dent – St. Mary’s School of Law and TCU undergraduate. REASON FOR BEING A LAWYER: He has a passion for fighting the giants, i.e., David versus Goliath. The law gives him an opportunity to help others. HISTORY: The Dent Law Firm, founded in 1990, has successfully represented thousands of clients in serious injury and death claims, claims against insurance companies, car wrecks, aviation, and other personal injury cases. HONORS: Recognized Trial Lawyer of the Year Finalist, Trial Lawyers for Public Justice Foundation, Washington, D.C., 2011; Pre-eminent Lawyers in America; Who’s Who in American Law; Million-Dollar Advocate Forum Member; voted “Top Attorney” in Fort Worth Magazine, 2003 - present; voted “Texas Super Lawyer” by Texas Monthly magazine every year since 2003; St. Mary’s Law School
Distinguished Graduate, 2012; St. Mary’s Law School Hall of Fame, 2013; Recognized Best Lawyers in America; Board Certified Personal Injury State of Texas, National Board of Trial Advocacy. MOTTO: Represent clients with commitment, integrity and professionalism. ADVICE: “Never assume an insurance company will do the right thing.” SERVICE: The Dent Law Firm is dedicated to service and committed to supporting the Texas community, both professionally and personally.
SPECIALTY: DWI Defense, Criminal Defense, Family Law and Personal Injury, Federal Criminal Defense and Probate. EDUCATION/CERTIFICATIONS: B.A., Political Science, Texas Tech University; MBA, Baylor University; J.D., South Texas College of Law. AWARDS/HONORS: BV Rating by Martindale-Hubbell for Very High Legal Ability and Ethical Standards; AVVO Rating of Superb Legal Ability; Top Attorney by Fort Worth Magazine ; 10 Best DWI Attorneys - Texas by American Institute of DUI/DWI Attorneys; Top 100 Criminal Defense Lawyers by the National Trial Lawyers; Eagle Scout – Boy Scouts of America; author of “The Man From 2063” and “B.L.A.C.K. M.A.M.B.A.”; America’s Top 100 Criminal Defense Attorney. PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS/ AFFILIATIONS: Tarrant County Criminal Defense Lawyers Association, Texas Criminal Defense Lawyers Association, National College for DUI Defense, Inc., National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers,
American Association of Premier DUI Attorneys, DUI Defense Lawyers Association, Texas DWI Lawyers, Tarrant County Bar Association, Tarrant County Family Law Association and Texas Trial Lawyers Association. GREATEST ACHIEVEMENT: Continuing to become a better lawyer every day. PROFESSIONAL APPROACH: I dedicate myself to every client to get the best possible outcome. Se habla Espanol. FREE ADVICE: Do not try to represent yourself. Hire an experienced trial lawyer. PICTURED: Jack Duffy.
FOCUS: With nine offices across Texas, Hamilton Grant PC defends criminal offenses including DWI, drug offenses, sex crimes, violent felonies, and assaults. Managing partner Deandra Grant runs the offices in Fort Worth, Dallas, Denton, McKinney, and Austin. EDUCATION/CERTIFI-
CATIONS: Deandra Grant is both an attorney and a forensic consultant. She obtained her law degree at SMU. She has a master’s degree in pharmaceutical science with a concentration in forensic science and a graduate certificate in forensic toxicology. GREATEST PROFESSIONAL
ACHIEVEMENT: Grant is the co-author of The Texas DWI Manual, which is now in its eighth edition. It is considered the go-to book for attorneys in Texas defending DWI cases. INTERESTS: When not “lawyering,” Grant
can be found rescuing dachshunds and other small breeds from local shelters. She is vice president of a dog rescue in Royse City called Living the Doxie Dream Rescue and Sanctuary. FREE ADVICE: You have the right to remain silent. Use it. PICTURED: Deandra Grant, JD, GC, MS.
CONTACT INFORMATION:
Hamilton Grant PC 4500 Airport Freeway, Ste. 102 • Fort Worth, Texas 76117 972.943.8500 texasdwisite.com deandra@hgtexas.com
Hardy Law Group, PLLC
Ryan Hardy and Melinda Lehmann
SPECIALTY: Family Law, Criminal Law. EDUCATION/CERTIFICATIONS: Melinda Lehmann – Board Certified in Criminal Law–Texas Board of Legal Specialization (2014-present); Texas Tech University, School of Law; Texas Tech University (undergraduate). Ryan Hardy – South Texas College of Law; University of Texas at Austin (undergraduate). AWARDS/HONORS: Lehmann – Super Lawyers, Rising Star, 2019-2020; Fort Worth Magazine, Top Attorney, 2019‒2020. Hardy – Super Lawyers, Rising Star, 2019; National Association of Family Law Attorneys, Top Ten Ranking, 2016; The National Trial Lawyers, Top 100 Trial Lawyers, 2017, 2020; American Academy of Trial Attorneys, Premier 100, 2015; Expertise, Best Family Lawyers in Fort Worth, 2020; Fort Worth Magazine, Top Attorney, 2012-2013, 20152016, 2018-2020; Avvo 10.0 Superb, Family Law, Divorce 2012-2020. Hardy & Lehmann – 360 West Magazine Top Attorneys, 2018, 2020. GREATEST PROFESSIONAL ACHIEVEMENT: We believe each
client’s case is incomparable and equal in importance. Our proudest achievement is maintaining an unwavering goal of achieving optimal outcomes for each client. FREE ADVICE: In family law, perspective is everything. Whatever satisfaction might be gained from an unwillingness to compromise will be short-lived in comparison to the benefits derived from a final resolution of your case. Take your Miranda Rights seriously. WHAT SETS THEM APART: Proficiency in the law and tenacious advocacy. PICTURED: Melinda Lehmann and Ryan Hardy.
CONTACT INFORMATION:
701 W. Belknap St. • Fort Worth, Texas 76102 817.222.0000 • Fax 817.222.0000 attorneysdfw.com ryan@attorneysdfw.com melinda@attorneysdfw.com
FOCUS | LAWYERS TO KNOW
Justice Law Firm, P.C.
SPECIALTY: All phases of family law are practiced at Justice Law Firm, including divorce, collaborative law, child custody and support issues, grandparent rights, enforcements, and modifications. In addition, Justice Law Firm provides Wills and Probate and Business Law, including entity selection and formation, contracts, leases, asset protection, employment contracts, and buy-sell agreements. EDUCATION/ CERTIFICATIONS: B.A., Baylor University; J.D., Texas A&M School of Law; Certified Mediator; trained and experienced in Collaborative Law; licensed to practice law in Texas and the Federal Court. MEMBERSHIPS/AFFILIATIONS: Member of Northeast Tarrant County Family Law Bar Association, Tarrant Collaborative Divorce Council, Collab -
orative Institute of Texas; founding board member for Stepping Stones Foundation; served on the boards of OhLook Performing Arts Center and Spiritual Outreach Worldwide. HONORS: Fort Worth Magazine Top Attorney in Family Law for 11 consecutive years; Super Lawyers. PICTURED: Nicole Carroll, Tracey Justice, and Brent McMullen.
SPECIALTY: McAfee has been a Texas attorney for over 36 years, serving injured victims in Fort Worth and throughout Texas. CONCENTRATION: Personal Injury (Plaintiff), Civil Litigation. EDUCATION: B.S., University of Tennessee; Graduate Studies (M.P.A.), Memphis State University; J.D., Cumberland School of Law, Samford University. HONORS: The National Trial Lawyers Top 100 Civil Plaintiff Attorneys, 2017-2019. EXPERIENCE: McAfee began practicing law in 1984. His decision to pursue the legal field was prompted by a desire to serve the public and a chance to make a difference. “Focusing on personal injury victims allows me the opportunity to give a voice to individuals and to ‘level the playing field’ against powerful corporations and insurance companies.” PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS: Licensed by the Texas Supreme Court; member of the State Bar of Texas and American Bar Association; served on the State Bar of Texas District 7 Grievance
Committee for six years. WHAT SETS HIM APART: “Communication is paramount ... the client must understand what we’re doing, why we’re doing it, and participate in that process.” MOTTO: Never accept “No” for an answer. SPECIAL INTERESTS: The WARM Place, Ronald McDonald House, Lighthouse for the Blind, SafeHaven of Tarrant County, American Cancer Society, and Leukemia of Texas. ADVICE: “Do not hire an attorney who won’t talk with you in the initial meeting. It won’t improve in the future.”
CONTACT INFORMATION:
One Legal Place 925 Eighth Ave. • Fort Worth, Texas 76104 817.332.7678 onelegalplace.com kent@onelegalplace.com
FOCUS | LAWYERS TO KNOW
SPECIALTY: Property Taxation; Civil Trial and Appellate work; Legal Malpractice. EDUCATION/CERTIFICATIONS: Robert Myers ‒ Texas Tech University, St. Mary’s School of Law. John Shaw ‒ University of Oklahoma; Texas A&M School of Law. HISTORY OF THE FIRM: Robert Myers started the firm in San Antonio in 1984. It has been headquartered in Fort Worth since 2004. AWARDS/HONORS: Myers ‒ Lewis F. Powell Award; Order of Barristers; Wayne Peveto Award (property taxation); Bar Register of Preeminent Lawyers; Lawyers of Distinction. Shaw ‒ National Order of Scribes; Texas Super Lawyers Rising Star. PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS/AFFILIATIONS: State Bar of Texas; San Antonio and Tarrant County Bar Associations; Fifth Circuit Bar Association; Texas Bar Foundation. GREATEST ACCOMPLISHMENT: Creating and maintaining a successful client-focused law firm. WHAT SETS THEM APART: The specialized attention that
the Myers Shaw legal team gives to clients and additional representation through Property Tax Partners, an affiliated consultancy, set them apart. MISSION: To provide the finest high-quality service at reasonable prices. SPECIAL INTERESTS: The Van Cliburn Foundation; Texas Bar Foundation; Tarrant County Bar Foundation. FREE ADVICE: Choose carefully when seeking legal services; communicate your needs and expectations clearly and demand that the lawyers do everything possible to achieve your goals. PICTURED: John Shaw, Attorney; Jana Fletcher, Legal Assistant; Robert Myers, Attorney.
Law Offices of Jason Mills, PLLC Immigration Law Firm
SPECIALTY: The Law Offices of Jason Mills was established in 2001 as a full-service immigration and naturalization law firm specializing in Immigration Law. Established by Jason Mills, the first-ever board-certified specialist in immigration and nationality law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization in Fort Worth in 2006, it is a successful multidisciplinary practice focusing on all aspects of U.S. immigration law, including consular processing, waivers, removal defense, family-based visas, business visas, and investor-related cases. EDUCATION/CERTIFICATIONS: Mills – Bachelor’s degree from Texas A&M, 1995; Juris doctorate from Texas A&M School of Law, 2000; international studies, Cambridge Law School, England; admitted to the State Bar of Texas, the Northern District of Texas, and the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals. GREATEST PROFESSIONAL ACHIEVEMENT: Creating an honest environ-
ment for people to come in and get advice. APPROACH TO LAW: It is essential to be honest and efficient with clients. The firm’s approach in maintaining clients begins with keeping the client informed. The firm emphasizes a progressive and hands-on approach to problem-solving and effectively and efficiently handling legal matters. FREE ADVICE: Check references in the form of former clients before hiring an attorney. PICTURED: Lauren Wallis, Jason Mills, and Casandra Boyce.
SPECIALTY: Board-certified in Personal Injury/Wrongful Death Trial Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization, helping those who have been harmed by the negligence of others, including trucking and car crash cases, unsafe premises cases, unsafe workplace injuries, fire and gas explosion cases, commercial vehicle crashes, among others.
EDUCATION/CERTIFICATIONS: University of Texas at Dallas, Texas A&M School of Law, The Trial Lawyers College. AWARDS/HONORS: Multiple accolades, including Best Lawyers Under 40 in Dallas, Best Lawyer in Dallas in PI/Wrongful Death, Best Lawyer in Dallas in Personal Injury Litigation, “10 Best Attorneys” for Texas in PI, Texas Super Lawyer 2003-present, “10 Best Attorneys” for Texas by the American Institute of PI Attorneys, Best Law Firms U.S. News and World Report MEMBERSHIPS/ AFFILIATIONS: Board Member of the Dallas Trial Lawyers Association, Tarrant County Trial Lawyers Association, Texas Trial
Lawyers Association, Attorneys Serving the Community. APPROACH
TO LAW: Leave no stone unturned. Montes Law Group aggressively pursues justice in all forms, builds solutions, and works all cases to achieve the best, maximum result in the least amount of time, oftentimes with safety upgrades that benefit the community. FREE ADVICE: We create solutions for you to benefit you and your family. We put our clients first. Hire an experienced, board-certified trial lawyer to protect your rights, because the other side has done just that. PICTURED: Rachel Montes.
SPECIALTY: Family Law, Divorce, Child Custody and Support, Child Welfare, Adoption, Termination, Litigation, and Mediation. EDUCATION/ CERTIFICATIONS: Texas Wesleyan School of Law, J.D., 2012; Texas Tech University, BBA, 2006; Certified Mediator, 2012. AWARDS/
HONORS: DBA Civil Trial Academy, 2014; Mensa; 2015 and 2016 Fort Worth Magazine Top Attorney; National Advocates Top 40 Under 40; 2017 360 West Top Attorney; Lead Counsel Verified, 10 Best by American Institute of Family Law Attorneys; 2018 Super Lawyers, Rising Star.
MEMBERSHIPS: State Bar of Texas, Tarrant County Bar Association, Tarrant County Young Lawyers Association, Tarrant County Family Law Bar Association, Phi Delta Phi, Animal Legal Defense Fund. GREATEST PROFESSIONAL ACHIEVEMENT: Helping our clients get through
what is probably the hardest time of their lives. WHY HE CHOSE THE LEGAL FIELD: “I am lucky to have mentors that fostered an interest in family law and encouraged me to pursue it.” APPROACH TO LAW:
“As one person, I cannot change the world, but I can change the world of one person.” – Paul Shane Spear. FREE ADVICE: Don’t confuse my law degree with your Google search. PICTURED: J. Spencer Nilsson, Sarah Hall, and Kimberly Buck.
CONTACT INFORMATION:
930 West First St., Ste. 200 • Fort Worth, Texas 76102 817.953.6688 • Fax 682.224.0483 ftwlegal.com • spencer@ftwlegal.com
FOCUS | LAWYERS TO KNOW
Puls Law, PLLC
SPECIALTY: Serious personal injury cases/wrongful death. EDUCATION/CERTIFICATIONS: W. Kelly Puls – Texas Christian University; California Western School of Law, J.D.; Board Certified Personal Injury Trial Law, Texas Board of Legal Specialization; Board Certified Civil Trial Law, National Board of Trial Advocacy. MEMBERSHIPS/AFFILIA-
TIONS: W. Kelly Puls is licensed in the following Jurisdictions: State of Texas; State of Oklahoma; United States District Court – Eastern District of Texas, Western District of Texas, Southern District of Texas, Northern District of Texas, Western District of Wisconsin, Western District of Oklahoma; United States Court of Appeals – Fifth Circuit, Seventh Circuit, Tenth Circuit; United States Supreme Court. GREATEST PROFESSIONAL ACHIEVEMENT: Kelly Puls has helped thousands of families right the wrong when they have been involved in a life-
altering event through no fault of their own and, as much as possible, helped put the pieces together again. He continues to fight for victims of drunk drivers and other reckless, dangerous motorists and truckers. PROFESSIONAL APPROACH: We try to accept all meritorious cases and treat all people with dignity and respect. WHAT SETS HIM APART: Individualized care for each client. FREE ADVICE: Do not post anything on social media. PICTURED: W. Kelly Puls.
SPECIALTY: Commercial and residential real estate law, energy law, business and banking law, estate planning, probate, guardianships, and civil litigation. CERTIFICATIONS: Jeffrey A. Rattikin and Thomas R. Turet are both AV-rated attorneys, Board Certified in Residential and Commercial Real Estate Law, respectively. GREATEST PROFESSIONAL ACCOMPLISHMENT: Our firm has been a recognized leader and go-to source of professional transactional legal services in Fort Worth for over 75 years, assisting generations of Fort Worth families and their businesses in their legal needs. WHAT SETS THEM APART: RattikinLaw breaks through the traditional barriers of legal representation by offering our services both online and in-person at a flat fee rather than hourly billing, utilizing the latest in technology and social networking platforms. APPROACH TO LAW: RattikinLaw strives to
deliver efficient, convenient and cost-effective legal services to consumers and small businesses across the state of Texas, both online and in-person. MOTTO: RattikinLaw strives to put deals together, not tear them apart. FREE ADVICE: When choosing a provider of goods or services, work with someone who lives, works, and plays in Fort Worth, one who shares a love of and commitment to this blessed place we are lucky enough to call home. PICTURED: Jeffrey A. Rattikin and Thomas R. Turet, Attorneys at Law.
CONTACT INFORMATION:
1300 S. University Drive, Ste. 602 • Fort Worth, Texas 76107 817.737.7701 • rattikinlaw.com rattikin@rattikinlaw.com
FOCUS | LAWYERS TO KNOW
Seltzer
and Dally, PLLC
SPECIALTY: Family Law. EDUCATION/CERTIFICATIONS: Sarah C. Seltzer – B.A., Texas Tech; J.D., Texas Wesleyan; Board Certified in Child Welfare Law; Texas Board of Legal Specialization. Alexis Gebhardt – B.A., UTA; J.D., Texas Tech. Lori E. Dally – B.S., TCU; J.D., Texas Wesleyan. AWARDS/HONORS: Seltzer and Dally – Texas Rising Star, Super Lawyers (2019-2021); Top Women Attorneys in Texas Rising Stars, Texas Monthly (2020); Top Attorney in Family Law, Fort Worth Magazine (2017-2020). Gebhardt – Top Attorney in Family Law, Fort Worth Magazine (2020). Seltzer and Dally, PLLC – TLTV Law Firm Partner Award for our pro bono service to veterans (2019). MEMBERSHIPS/AFFILIATIONS: Seltzer – Committee Chair, Texas Lawyers for Texas Veterans. Dally – Board President, Fort Worth Pregnancy Center. All – Tarrant County Family Law Bar Association; Tarrant County Bar Association. GREATEST PROFESSIONAL ACHIEVEMENT:
Seltzer – Board Certification in Child Welfare Law. Dally – Swearing in before the United States Supreme Court. APPROACH TO LAW: To provide excellent and effective representation through communication, compassion, and commitment. WHAT SETS THEM APART: We genuinely care about our clients and provide an unparalleled level of representation. FREE ADVICE: Beware of technology — you never know when your texts, emails, or social media will end up in front of a judge. PICTURED: (left to right) Sarah C. Seltzer, Alexis Gebhardt, and Lori E. Dally.
SPECIALTY: Civil litigation. EDUCATION/CERTIFICATIONS: Mo Sheats ‒ The University of Texas School of Law, Austin, J.D., 1996. George Muckleroy ‒ Texas Tech University School of Law, J.D., magna cum laude, 2003. FIRM’S GREATEST PROFESSIONAL ACHIEVEMENT: Bringing success to our clients. PROFESSIONAL MISSION: Without the aid of a lawyer with experience in your particular legal issue, there is increased risk of missing opportunities or compromising your legal rights. We have experience handling a wide range of complex legal matters and are committed to providing responsive service and personalized representation to every client we represent. WHAT SETS THEM APART: Experience, attention to detail, dedication to success. One of the most important things about our law firm is our experience.
Not only do we have more than 40 years of combined experience, but the nature of our experience is in highly complex, high-stakes litigation in one of the largest law firms in Texas. FREE ADVICE: Call us anytime you have legal problems. PICTURED: George Muckleroy and Mo Sheats.
CONTACT INFORMATION:
307 W. Seventh St., Ste. 1914 • Fort Worth, Texas 76102 817.878.2425 • Fax 817.877.2733 sheatsmuckleroy.com george@sheatsmuckleroy.com morris@sheatsmuckleroy.com
FOCUS | LAWYERS TO KNOW
Simplified Title Company, LLC
SPECIALTY: Real Estate & Title Insurance. EDUCATION: Martin A. Garcia – Texas A&M School of Law (formerly known as Texas Wesleyan School of Law), J.D., 2012; Certified Title Insurance Professional designation from The Texas Land Title Association. AWARDS/ HONORS: Fort Worth Magazine Top Attorney for seven consecutive years; Texas Super Lawyers Rising Star in Real Estate for five consecutive years; 2018 Texas Wesleyan Young Alumnus Achievement Award; 360 West and 76107 Top Attorney Recognition for four consecutive years.
GREATEST PROFESSIONAL ACHIEVEMENT: Organically growing Simplified Title Company, Garcia’s second independent title agency to run, and leading it to a record year in his first year of ownership
despite the pandemic. MISSION: Our diverse team of professionals SIMPLIFY the title and closing process so that one can have confidence and peace of mind every step of the way. PICTURED: (left to right)
Martin A. Garcia, Susan Hudson, Derek Hausheer, Courtney Coulter, Whitney Walls, Katy Garcia, and Meredith Newberry.
CONTACT INFORMATION: 3108 W. Sixth St., Ste. 222 • Fort Worth, Texas 76107 817.727.8984
SPECIALTY: Board Certified Family Law Specialist, Family Law Mediator, and Collaborative Attorney, serving the entire DFW area.
EDUCATION/CERTIFICATIONS: B.A., Southern Methodist University; J.D., Southern Methodist University School of Law; Board Certified by State Bar of Texas in Family Law. HONORS/AWARDS: Texas Super Lawyer; Arlington Family Law Attorney of the Year; Top Attorney, Family Law, Fort Worth Magazine PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS: Texas Academy of Family Law Specialists; Arlington Bar Association; Tarrant County Family Law Bar Association; Tarrant County Bar Association.
GREATEST PROFESIONAL ACHIEVEMENT: Being sworn in by Chief Justice Rehnquist to practice before the United States Supreme Court in 2000. APPROACH TO LAW: We strive to provide the highest level of legal expertise tempered with an empathy and understanding of the great emotional challenges clients are facing in their family law cases.
WHAT SETS THEM APART: Experience and expertise. MOTTO: When your family and finances matter, experience counts. AREAS SERVED: We serve the entire DFW Metroplex. SPECIAL INTERESTS: Girls Inc.; Arlington Animal Shelter. FREE ADVICE: Do not marry with the expectation you can change your spouse. The only person you can change is yourself. PICTURED: (front row) Donna J. Smiedt with Baxter, our Divorce Therapy Dog, and Attorney Desaray A. Muma; (back row) Office Manager, Amanda N. Smith; Attorney Michael A. Muñoz; Paralegals Jennifer L. Pruitt, Morgan MacDonald, and Sandra L. Allen.
CONTACT INFORMATION: 3216 West Arkansas Lane • Arlington, Texas 76016 817.572.9900 • Fax 817.572.7679 smiedtlaw.com • arlingtondivorces.com
FOCUS | LAWYERS TO KNOW
Kate Smith
FOCUS OF PRACTICE: Collaborative Law, Family Law, Mediation, Estate Planning. EDUCATION/CERTIFICATION: Board Certified in Family Law; J.D., Texas Wesleyan; LL.M, Pepperdine University School of Law; B.A., University of Houston. AWARDS/HONORS: Recognized as a Master/Credentialed Collaborative Professional by Collaborative Divorce Texas; nominated by peers as a Super Lawyer Rising Star, 2014 and 2015. PROFESSIONAL ACHIEVEMENTS: Board Member Collaborative Divorce Texas, Past President of Northeast Tarrant County Bar Association; Chairperson of the Collaborative Law Section of the Tarrant County Bar, Leadership Southlake. Faculty Staff, CEELI Institute Prague, Winter 2019. WHY I CHOSE THE LEGAL FIELD: Prior to going to law school, I mediated family law cases to help families reach resolution without having the court make decisions for their family. I have a passion for helping
families find their way through the legal system while retaining as much autonomy as possible with regard to the important decisions in their lives.
MISSION: I am proud to have dedicated my practice to solving disputes by utilizing alternative methods such as collaborative law and mediation. I strive to help families navigate through tough times by empowering clients to make decisions for their families without asking for court intervention, if possible. ADVICE: Always consider alternatives prior to litigation. Make sure that whomever you choose to represent you shares your method of problem-solving and vision of the general direction of your case.
CONTACT INFORMATION: 1205 Hall Johnson Road • Colleyville, Texas 76034 817.479.0562
Sparks Law Firm
SPECIALTY: Criminal defense, federal and state. All federal or state charges including firearms, self-defense, DWI, and white collar. Our representation includes individuals or entities with white collar allegations; clients accused of DWI; and clients forced to defend themselves who later face criminal charges. EDUCATION/CERTIFICATIONS:
Justin Sparks – BBA, Baylor University; J.D., Texas A&M School of Law. Graham Norris – B.A., Dallas Baptist University; J.D., Texas A&M School of Law. Lisa Herrick – B.S., University of Oklahoma; J.D., University of Oklahoma. Lindsay Williams – BBA, Texas A&M University; J.D./M.B.A. Texas Tech University. AWARDS/HONORS: Justin – Fort Worth Magazine Top Attorneys, 2010-2020; Texas Monthly Super Lawyer 2019-2020; Texas Monthly Rising Stars, 2014-2017; Texas Monthly 2017 Up and Coming 100 (ranking amongst attorneys in all Texas practice areas); year-round speaker on self-defense and stand your ground. Graham – Fort Worth Magazine Top Attorneys, 2018-2020;
Texas Monthly Rising Stars, 2020-2021; National Trial Lawyers Top 40 Under 40, 2019. Lisa – Fort Worth Magazine Top Attorneys, 2020. Lindsay – Board Certified in Criminal Appeals, Texas Board of Legal Specialization, Fort Worth Magazine Top Attorneys, 2020. GREATEST ACHIEVEMENT: The appreciation from our clients and their families when we successfully defend them is our greatest achievement. PROFESSIONAL APPROACH: Proactive, not reactive. We pride ourselves on our preparation and results. PICTURED: Graham Norris, Lindsay Williams, Lisa Herrick, and Justin Sparks.
CONTACT INFORMATION:
603 E. Belknap • Fort Worth, Texas 76102 817.334.0300 • Fax 844.722.2940 sparkslawfirm.com justin@sparkslawfirm.com
FOCUS | LAWYERS TO KNOW
Stephens Law Firm PLLC
SPECIALTY: Jason Stephens is a passionate advocate for individuals and families involved in serious personal injury and wrongful death cases. He limits his practice to select cases, allowing him to fully understand his clients’ losses and struggles while forging a strategic plan to help them piece their lives back together. “When I take on a case, my client’s problem becomes my problem, and I am driven to righting that wrong.” AWARDS/HONORS: AV® rated by Martindale-Hubble; Top 100 Trial Lawyer by the National Trial Lawyers Association, (2011-present); and Texas Super Lawyer by Thomas Reuters, (2004-present).
FIRM’S PROFESSIONAL APPROACH: Jason and his talented support team are devoted to helping clients get answers, move toward healing, and seek the financial compensation they deserve. Jason takes the trust of clients seriously and personally and always strives
to serve his clients and community with honor and integrity. “Helping good folks through tragic times is my calling,” Jason says. WHAT SETS HIM APART: With two decades of experience and a long track record of success, Jason’s legal achievements have resulted in safety policies and changes to better protect children and our communities, as well as a litany of multimillion-dollar verdicts and settlements. Jason’s clients say he is a caring, relentless advocate — a difference maker.
PICTURED: Jason Stephens.
CONTACT INFORMATION:
1300 S. University Drive, Ste. 406 • Fort Worth, Texas 76107 817.420.7000 stephenslaw.com
Tanner and Associates, PC
EXPERTISE: The firm’s practice is focused on labor and employment law, civil trials and appeals in federal and state courts, administrative proceedings, and arbitration. EDUCATION/CERTIFICATIONS: Rod Tanner – B.A., English Literature with Honors, University of Texas at Austin, 1973; J.D., University of Texas School of Law, 1976; Board Certified in Labor and Employment Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization since 1990. WHAT SETS THEM APART: The unique practice niche. The firm has a national union-side labor law practice and a statewide employment law practice. Tanner, a Fellow in the prestigious College of Labor and Employment Lawyers, is widely recognized as one of the country’s preeminent labor lawyers. He was selected to the 2019-2021 Super Lawyers Top 100 Texas Lawyers list. He has won a number of notable labor and employment cases, including precedent-setting cases involving employment contracts and
union bargaining rights. He is also co-editor and a co-author of Texas Employment Law, a two-volume treatise. MISSION: Recognizing that the noble purpose of our labor laws is to establish justice in the workplace, the firm’s mission is to provide innovative legal services in labor and employment matters of the highest quality. MOTTO: Exhibit grace under pressure. FREE ADVICE: Employees and organizations must be strategically proactive in legal matters to produce successful outcomes.
Thomas ‒ Fort Worth Magazine Top Attorney; Top 10 Best Attorney Estate Planning in Texas, American Institute of Legal Counsel; Who’s Who in America 2020-2021; author of Estate Planning in Texas; America’s Most Honored Lawyers - Top 1% of Professionals, The American Registry; MEMBERSHIPS/AFFILIATIONS: Texas State Bar, Oklahoma State Bar, ElderCounsel, WealthCounsel, Tarrant County Bar Association, American Association of Estate Planning Attorneys, National Association of Elder Law Attorneys, Better Business Bureau. PROFESSIONAL APPROACH: We strive to provide personal, customized estate plans to individuals and families throughout North Texas that provide our clients with peace of mind in knowing that they have done everything possible to protect their assets and make things as simple as possible for their loved ones when they pass away. We have five offices in
North Texas and service clients throughout Texas with our virtual estate planning services. FREE ADVICE: Whether your estate is big or small, simple or complicated, everyone needs to have an estate plan in place. That plan must be customized to your unique circumstances, needs, and estate planning objectives. Absent an estate plan, the government will decide who will receive your assets and when. PICTURED: Leslie Dillon Thomas. Photography credit: Lauren Bethany Photography.
CONTACT INFORMATION:
1701 River Run, Ste. 1010 • Fort Worth, Texas 76107
Offices in Southlake, Weatherford, Denton, and Granbury by appointment. 817.258.5908 thomas-walters.com info@thomas-walters.com
Rick Ward Ward Law Firm
SPECIALTY: Personal Injury Trial Law. EDUCATION/CERTIFICATIONS: J.D., cum laude, St. Mary’s School of Law, San Antonio, 1992; Board Certified in Personal Injury Trial Law, Texas Board of Legal Specialization, 1999. AWARDS/HONORS: John Harlan Society, Rated AV Preeminent (Martindale Hubbell). PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS: Tarrant County Trial Lawyers Association, Texas Trial Lawyers Association, American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA) (president-elect). WHY CHOOSE HIM: Mr. Ward has obtained successful recoveries for his clients for over 28 years. His firm has handled many serious catastrophic injury and death claims to successful conclusions. He strives to get to know his clients, their injuries, and all the damages they’ve suffered in order to effectively advocate their claims and maximize their recoveries.
He will litigate your claim, take it to trial, and won’t take a fee until we win. WHAT SETS HIM APART: The Ward Law Firm is “Your Personal Injury Solution.” Mr. Ward’s past experience working in the insurance industry and as an advocate for his clients gives him a unique perspective when prosecuting your claim. He strives to make his clients whole after a devastating injury or the loss of a loved one. APPROACH TO LAW: Start with compassion for your clients, do the right thing by them, and everything else will follow. PICTURED: Rickey G. “Rick” Ward.
FOCUS | LAWYERS TO KNOW
Law Office of Dana L. White, PLLC
Dana L. White
SPECIALTY: Family Law, Estates, Probate, Business Entities, Immigration, Civil Litigation. EDUCATION: J.D., Seattle University (1994); Texas (2002) and Washington (1994) State Bars; Federal Court of the Northern District of Texas. AWARDS/HONORS: “The Best Attorney,” NE Tarrant County, Living (2019 and 2020); “Top Attorney” Fort Worth Magazine (2009-2019), 360 West and 76092 (2019); one of 10 “Inspirational, Accomplished, and Engaging Women of NE Tarrant County,” Society Life (2018); “Southlake’s Small Businessperson of the Year,” Alignable network (2018); “Who’s Who in Family Law,” Society Life Magazine (2018-2019). MEMBERSHIPS/AFFILIATIONS: NE Tarrant County Bar Association; NE Tarrant County Family Law Bar Association. GREATEST PROFESSIONAL ACHIEVEMENT: Helping clients resolve their differences in a
respectful way. MISSION: “Protecting What Matters Most.” It’s essential to pursue an individualized, customized approach, helping each client navigate through the process with dignity and grace. WHAT SETS OUR FIRM APART: Our aim is showing clients they can still believe in happy endings and should keep on smiling. FREE ADVICE: “Walk by faith, even when you cannot see.” (2 Cor. 5:7) PICTURED: Dana L. White
FOCUS: Personal Injury Litigation. The firm’s main focus is in the area of truck wrecks, car and motorcycle collisions, traumatic brain and catastrophic injuries, and cases of wrongful death.
EDUCATION: Coby Wooten – B.A., political science, Texas State University; J.D., Texas Wesleyan University School of Law (now Texas A&M University School of Law). Mattilyn Smith ‒ Texas A&M School of Law. AWARDS/RECOGNITIONS: Wooten is a litigator with over 24 years of experience. He was awarded the Trial Lawyers Board of Regents Litigator Award, Avvo Top Contributor for Personal Injury in 2019 and Avvo Superb 10+ rating. Smith has made impressive strides including three jury trials with successful verdicts, securing multimillion-dollar and six-figure settlements on behalf of her clients and becoming a trusted name in the legal community. Both were named Super Lawyers. MEMBERSHIPS/ AFFILIATIONS: Wooten is the former president of Tarrant County Trial
Lawyers Association, member of the American Board of Trial Advocates and the Million Dollar and Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum. Smith currently serves on the board of directors for Tarrant County Trial Lawyers Association. WHAT SETS THEM APART: The firm obtained the 29th largest jury verdict in Texas in 2018 – $3,651,685. Wooten and Smith are committed to aggressively advocate for personal injury victims against big businesses and insurance companies to get them the compensation they deserve.
CONTACT INFORMATION:
1301 Ballinger St., Ste. 100 Fort Worth, Texas 76102
817.632.8400 cobywootenlaw.com
WE SPEAK FORT WORTH
For over 20 years, we’ve had our ears to the ground, our eyes on the ball, and our fingers on the pulse of Fort Worth. This gives us an edge to deliver the city’s best lifestyle, business, and home content.
A New Vision
A new form of laser eye surgery, SMILE, might finally convince myopic patients to throw their glasses in the trash.
BY FWTX STAFF
Glasses are geeky, contacts are cumbersome, and walking around with blurry vision is, well, just not an option. Nearsightedness is both a common and obtrusive condition that affects 40% of adults in the U.S. While this fortunately means it won’t affect your reading of this article, dealing with such a malady is more than an inconvenience or a chore; it’s an annoyance that greatly modifies what we can and can’t do in life. Want to be a chef? Those glasses and contacts could become a burden. Want to go for a swim? You’ll have to dive into the water without your glasses or contacts. And the condition is becoming increasingly prominent. According to an article in Popular Science, researchers expect 50% of the world’s population to be myopic by 2050. This is thanks to both genetic and environmental factors. As people venture outside less and stare at
computer screens more, we’re naturally becoming less dependent on our ability to see far distances. Eventually, myopia could become a universal problem. Yet, ironically, with advancements in corrective surgeries, we might see fewer and fewer people with contacts or eyeglasses.
LASIK VERSUS LASEK VERSUS PRK
Since 1999, it’s thought there’s been merely one way to correct vision without the difficulty of putting in contacts or the vanity-killing act of wearing glasses: LASIK. There is also the similarly sounding LASEK and PRK corrective surgeries. While only a single vowel separates LASIK and LASEK, the procedures are very different. Both permanently reshape the cornea to correct vision, but in LASEK, the top layer of the cornea is moved and reattached after the correction has been completed. LASIK, on the other hand, requires the creation of an additional flap with a second laser. To put it simply, LASEK uses one instead of two lasers to correct vision, and it is considered a better choice for those who have thin corneas or medical conditions that make laser eye surgery challenging to complete. PRK was the first laser surgery that hit the market and is very similar to LASEK. The difference being that, with PRK, the surgeon removes the entire outer layer of the cornea to access the treatment area, requiring a new layer to grow during the healing process.
Which procedure a patient selects is largely dependent upon what they’re looking for. LASEK has a much shorter healing time and patients are less susceptible to infections and other side effects such as inflammation and hazy vision. PRK, on the other hand, is preferred among patients with thinner corneas.
LASIK has an even faster healing time, than its phonetic twin, LASEK. The Mayo Clinic also published a study stating that LASIK can be a better option for treating patients who struggle with more significant nearsightedness. However, the creation of a new flap via laser does require a thicker cornea.
According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, over 95% of people who have undergone the LASIK procedure report satisfaction with their vision.
A New Vision Treatment: SMILE
Seeing that LASIK and PRK have their pluses and minuses, a new procedure called SMILE (Small Incision Lenticule Extraction) attempts to combine the best of both worlds.
SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS
Dr. Jerry G. Hu, M.D.
Dr. Jerry Hu is a leading private practitioner who is a partner and owner of Texas Eye and Laser Center, an internationally recognized center of excellence, and a co-founder of Texas Eye Surgery Center. Dr. Hu specializes in refractive surgery, cataract surgery, as well as cornea and anterior segment diseases. He pioneers a wide range of cutting-edge ophthalmic surgeries including SMILE, blade-free LASIK, laser-assisted cataract surgery, intraoperative wavefront aberrometry, MIGS procedures, Intacs, cornea collagen crosslinking, and laser-enabled minimally invasive corneal transplantations.
Dr. Brian D. Ranelle, D.O.
Dr. Brian Ranelle has performed LASIK and Refractive Surgery for over 25 years. Dr. Ranelle also has special interests in advanced cataract surgery with the most advanced lens implants available in the U.S. including the PanOptix Len implant, the first Trifocal implant in the U.S. He also has special interest in treating glaucoma and practices comprehensive ophthalmology.
According to Dr. Brian Ranelle and Dr. Jerry Hu of Texas Eye and
Laser Center, SMILE differs from LASIK because no flap is created via laser, which lowers the risk of any complications.
The procedure uses a new VisuMax femtosecond laser manufactured by Carl Zeiss Meditec, which creates a small, lens-shaped piece of tissue (lenticule) within the cornea. The laser then makes a small incision in the surface of the cornea, and the surgeon extracts the lenticule. This lenticule removal ultimately alters the shape of the cornea and corrects nearsightedness.
Yes, this is a difficult procedure to explain without the assistance of visual aids or a YouTube video. However, according to Dr. Ranelle and Dr. Hu, who consulted with colleagues from around the world and vigorously studied FDA data, SMILE represents the next generation of laser eye surgery.
While it’s still young compared to other refractive eye surgeries — Texas Eye and Laser Center is one of only two ophthalmology clinics in Fort Worth that offers the procedure — the early returns on this new form of laser eye surgery have been very positive.
“Our patients continually tell us they couldn’t believe how easy and quick the procedure was,” Dr. Ranelle and Dr. Hu said via email. “The laser portion of SMILE takes only 24 seconds. Typically, patients feel no pain or discomfort during the procedure or recovery, and their vision is often 20/20 by the next day.”
According to a recent study of 328 people who underwent the SMILE procedure, all but one patient walked away with 20/40 vision or better after the surgery — and 88% had 20/20 or better.
Studies are also showing that there may be less risks of dry eye symptoms after SMILE compared with LASIK. To put it simply, SMILE is a far less invasive surgery than LASIK that is proving to be equally successful in correcting vision.
Of course, this isn’t to say that SMILE is for everyone. Dr. Ranelle and Dr. Hu emphasize the importance to have a consultation with an ophthalmologist to find the solution that’s right for you.
Ophthalmology Associates is a multi-specialty eye clinic that provides excellence in every subspecialty under one roof. Our mission is to provide the people of Fort Worth and surrounding counties with the highest level of eye care available anywhere in the world. We are the only practice in Tarrant county with fellowship trained subspecialists in the following disciplines.
OUR SUBSPECIALTIES INCLUDE:
® LASIK ® Cataract Surgery ® Glaucoma ® Pediatric/Eye Muscle Surgery ® Cornea Disorders
® Diseases and Surgery of the Retina ® Diabetes/Macular Degeneration
® Neuro Ophthalmology ® Eyelid/Eyebrow Surgery ® Uveitis ® Routine Eye Care
Offices located in Fort Worth, Cityview, Hurst, Weatherford and Granbury 817-332-2020
Sandy Iyer, MD ® Adam Hajovsky, MD ® Judy Myers, OD
® Brian Flowers, MD ® Sean Healey, OD
® Robert Warren, MD ® Ted Margo, MD ® Unni Nair, MD
Our eyes are one of our most precious gifts. That’s why it is important that we maintain good vision and eye health as we age. To help you select a vision care specialist who will meet your needs, the following experts want to tell you more about themselves, their practices, and how their services can help improve your outlook on life. The information in this section is provided by the advertisers and has not been independently verified by Fort Worth Magazine.
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 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.
CONTACT INFORMATION:
910 N. Davis Drive • Arlington, Texas 76012 400 W. Arbrook Blvd. • Arlington, Texas 76014 817.460.2272 • Toll-free 1.800.442.5330 • Fax 817.265.9684 patientservices@keywhitman.com • keywhitman.com
FOCUS | OPHTHALMOLOGY, LASIK & VISION SPECIALISTS
Martin Reinke, M.D.
SPECIALTY: Ophthalmology: Cataract Surgery, Premium Lens Implants (Crystalens, PanOptix, Tecnis, Toric Lens), Laser Refractive Surgery, 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 Arlington Surgery Center. 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.
CONTACT INFORMATION: 1310 N. White Chapel Blvd. • Southlake, Texas 76092
WHAT SETS THEM APART: Texas Eye and Laser Center has been at the forefront of vision correction surgery in Tarrant County for more than 40 years. They have been performing LASIK and PRK surgeries in North Texas since 1997. They offer LenSx® Blade-Free Laser Assisted Cataract Surgery and the latest in intraocular lenses for the treatment of cataracts, presbyopia, and astigmatism. Last year, they introduced SMILE laser vision correction. SPECIALITIES: All Laser LASIK; SMILE; LenSx ® Blade-Free Laser-Assisted Cataract Surgery; Advanced Cataract Surgery with PanOptix, TECNIS Symfony®, Symfony Toric, TECNIS ® Multifocal, ReSTOR ®, ReSTOR® Toric, and ReSTOR® Active Focus LifeStyle IOLs; Visian™ Phakic ICL; corneal transplants; glaucoma care; treatment of macular degeneration and diabetic eye disease.
INNOVATIONS: As a nationally recognized site for FDA trials of intraocular lens implants, Drs. Ranelle and Hu are pioneers of diagnostic and surgical devices. Advanced refractive surgeries enable patients to see clearly at all distances with little to no dependency on glasses after cataract surgery. PICTURED: Keith Head, O.D.; D’Laine Heisterkamp, O.D.; Brian D. Ranelle, D.O.; Stacey Webb, O.D.; Jerry G. Hu, M.D.
Home for the Holidays Gala Presbyterian Night Shelter journeyhome.org
DEC. 31
Armed Forces Bowl armedforcesbowl.com
ONGOING DEC. The Greatest Gift Catalog Ever tggce.org
APR. 24, 2021
Butterfly Wishes Gala a Wish with Wings awww.org
APR. 29, 2021 It’s in the Bag The Ladder Alliance ladderalliance.org
Ongoing Donations Make-A-Wish ntx.wish.org
Ongoing Donations
Parenting Center theparentingcenter.org
Ongoing Donations Legacy of Women/Legacy of Men SafeHaven safehaventc.org
Ongoing Virtual Event
Pivot with a Purpose Wings of Hope wingsofhopeequitherapy.org
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.
Because COVID-19 caused a delay or cancellation of the charity events this season, as a service to all the charities in the Greater Tarrant area, we are listing the new dates or cancellations as they come in.
THURSDAY | 11:00AM | DECEMBER 31, 2020 AMON G. CARTER STADIUM BOWL
Photographer Darah Hubbard knows her way around downtown Fort Worth. Still, some places had remained unexplored, like the Trinity River Campus of Tarrant County College. While she was there, her eyes caught sight of the fountains out front, dancing amid the colorful lights. She just had to snap a pic. “I love the different perspective,” she says. “I feel like the vibrant colors really bring this photo to life.”
So you’ve snapped a cool pic of the city. We want to see it. Tag your photos on Instagram with #fwtxmag. The winning image will get published on this page — so hit us with your best shot. main line 817.560.6111 | subscriptions 800.856.2032 | website fwtx.com
@itsdarah
PHOTO BY DARAH HUBBARD
NEUROSURGICAL CARE AS INTRICATE AS THE
BRAIN AND SPINE.
Meet your team of expert
neurosurgeons.
When it comes to complex neurological conditions, choosing where to receive care is simple. At North Texas Neurosurgical and Spine Center, our highly skilled neurosurgeons specialize in providing comprehensive care for a range of neurological conditions from brain tumors and spinal deformities to epilepsy, stroke and movement disorders. We can evaluate your condition and develop a personalized treatment plan utilizing advanced technology to care for you. And, as always, we have protocols in place designed around your safety.
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800 5th Avenue Suite 500
Fort Worth, TX 76104
Gregory Smith, D.O.; Cyrus Wong, M.D.; Adrian Harvey, D.O.; Yinn Cher Ooi, M.D.; Tanya Dixon, D.O; Anita Bhansali, M.D.; Ahmed Shakir, M.D.; Olaide Ajayi, M.D.; Christopher Shank, M.D.
PERFECT
Package
As a semi-retired partner of the Riscky’s Barbeque business, Norma Riscky spent 25 years working alongside her late husband, Jim Riscky, providing excellent service for customers at Riscky’s, a Fort Worth barbeque legend since 1927. Demanding legendary service has been a way of life for Riscky, so for her personal automobile, it’s no surprise she looked to Mercedes-Benz from Park Place Motorcars Fort Worth. Riscky slips behind the wheel of her 2020 MercedesBenz GLC300 4MATIC when traveling to the historic Riscky’s Steakhouse or one of the other seven Fort Worth locations.
Riscky says she chose the Mercedes-Benz GLC300, the benchmark for midsize
SUVs, because she never owned a car that was the “perfect package” for her. “It is comfortable, zippy, and not too big or small,” she says. “Most of all, it’s the technology that is simple enough that even I can figure it out. If I cannot, all I have to do is ask my Mercedes-Benz mobile app. It’s like having my own personal assistant!”
Riscky appreciates the Park Place Motorcars Fort Worth dealership for its standard of excellence and caring people. “I was very impressed with my salesman, Beaux Benson. I will be recommending Park Place to my friends because my experience has been impeccable,” Riscky says. “I can honestly say Park Place is My Place because they treat their customers like family!”
