You do not need to go to New York City to do your Christmas shopping. You don’t even need to go to Amazon. Pick up something for that special someone right here in Fort Worth, Texas.
BY BRIAN KENDALL
66 First Families Carter, Richardson-Bass, Moncrief, among many others, these are Fort Worth’s first families who have had lasting impacts on their city.
BY RICHARD SELCER, BRIAN KENDALL, AND JOHN HENRY
80 Silver Bells
For 25 years, Fort Worth Magazine has been chronicling the culture climate of our beloved city, capturing the stories that move, inspire, and entertain. Happy birthday to us. Here’s to many more.
BY BRIAN KENDALL
86
The Midnight Tree Trimmer Who was the red-haired man with a dog and gray truck, trimming trees, without prompting, in the middle of the night in a Fort Worth neighborhood? Unraveling a mystery.
BY JOCELYN TATUM
Steve Murrin and sons
the fort
: know
16 Buzz
Certainly hell has frozen over. After doing little more than flogging a dead horse for the better part of 50 years, the Texas Rangers — our Texas Rangers — are World Series champions at last. The best news: This team is built to last.
22 Calendar
Christmas just ain’t Christmas if one fails to headbang to the melody of “God Rest You Merry, Gentlemen” and the Trans-Siberian Orchestra. For Christmas traditionalists, the Texas Ballet Theater is bringing back the season charms of Tchaikovsky’s “The Nutcracker” to Bass Hall.
24 Fort Worthian
Agustin Gonzalez’s work involves capturing enduring moments, emotions, and the stories of humanity and brokenness through the lens of his camera. His love of the dance between light and shadow was something almost instinctive.
28 History
For 150 years, the small but mighty Sisters of St. Mary of Namur have been “doing a little good” in Texas. Their tale here is a love story.
: live
34 State Lines
The town that grew up around Pleasant Wimberley’s mill lures tourists to eat, drink, shop, and be merry in one of the most enchanting Hill Country playgrounds. A visit to Wimberley, Texas.
: eat
42 Hedging His Bets
TCU grad Brian Sneed, a former hedge fund manager who turned to a career in servicing appetites, has opened one of the most talked about spots in town, Quince, which sits atop the banks of the Trinity River.
48 Restaurant News
Handmade dumplings, staples of Chinese cuisine, enjoy new, elevated status on the food chain at Teddy Wong’s on the Near Southside.
: snaps
174 The Salvation Army of North Texas and the Dallas Cowboys make their annual meetup to tackle poverty, addiction, and homelessness in Tarrant County.
CLOSE
184 Actress Lauren E. Banks, who co-stars in Paramount+ miniseries
“Lawmen: Bass Reeves,” looks awfully comfy atop a grand steed that is a quarter horse.
North Texas Community Foundation helps individuals, families, and businesses create tax-efficient giving plans to support the local causes and nonprofits they care about most. We offer a variety of charitable funds to support your giving today and for generations to come.
Dr. Chris and Janis White at the Humane Society of North Texas
25 Years and 46,448 Pages
Iwas going through some old images recently, thanks to a request by the magazine’s executive editor to find some archival photos for the 25th anniversary feature story he was writing and came across a portrait of the entire magazine staff posing on a stairwell. I don’t recall the exact year it was taken — guessing around 15 years ago — but it was long enough ago to tell that I have more wrinkles and less hair today than I did then. But such is life.
The photo, which included a number of employees who still work at the magazine (Spray Gleaves, Marion Knight, Craig Sylva, Gina Wigginton, and Ed Woolf), got me feeling nostalgic. While there’s always plenty to do in this capacity and a never-ending string of deadlines that need to be met, I took a few moments from the job to reminisce.
In 1995, my boss at the time and mentor Mark Hulme and I broke off from the ad agency he had started and launched Magnolia Media Group, a magazine publishing company consisting of two national magazine titles that we had started together at the agency. In the three years that followed, we launched five additional national magazines and purchased two more. To end the third year, in December of 1998, we launched Fort Worth Magazine.
One might ask, if in 1998 Fort Worth was not anywhere close to being the fastestgrowing city in America like it is today, and our knowing that others had attempted to publish city magazines in Fort Worth in the past and failed, why would we do it? The answer: We knew if we didn’t, eventually someone else would. And, if they did and they were successful, we would forever regret it.
I won’t go into too many more details about the early days because Brian Kendall does a great job with that recap in his feature (on page 80). But, it includes my buying Mark out of his interest in Fort Worth Magazine in 2005. He and I continued to work together in the same offices for a number of years, running two separate companies.
A quarter of a century is a long time, and through it all, we’ve had ups and we’ve had downs. We survived a tornado and a pandemic, and we had significant people pat us on our backs and others protest in front of our offices. We’ve thrown parties, and we’ve had crisis management meetings. Employees joined our team. Some stayed, and some left. Some had kids, and others are no longer with us.
Owning and being publisher of a city magazine is far from easy work, but it is rewarding work. Being someone born and raised in Fort Worth and educated at TCU, I love this city. I love its people. I love its history. I love its food and its quirks. And it’s been one of my greatest honors to helm a publication that celebrates this wonderful town.
In the world of having a monthly publication, 25 years amount to 300 issues and 46,448 pages. While the size of these numbers makes my head hurt, I look forward to seeing them more than double over the next 25 years.
Hal A. Brown OWNER/PUBLISHER
Corrections? Comments? Concerns? Send to executive editor Brian Kendall at bkendall@fwtexas.com.
ON THE COVER:
A historical image of the Carter family in 1938 graces this month’s cover. From left to right is the daughter of Amon G. Carter, Ruth Carter; Carter; son of Carter, Amon G. Carter Jr.; and Carter’s wife, Nenetta Burton Carter.
Where were you at 25?
I lived with four other people in a small house in Austin with a questionable A/C unit and made barely above minimum wage writing copy for a startup agency whose only clients were pest controllers. One of the best years of my life.
Drinking lots of beer, working at the StarTelegram and jumping on lots of escalators with my shoes untied.
I was in Fort Worth, and that is all I remember of my 20s. I kind of partied a bit, so it is a blur...
I was married with my wife expecting our first daughter. We were building an addition onto our first home on Chicago’s North Shore. I was commuting on the train into my downtown office, where I was the Midwest advertising manager for Reader’s Digest special-interest magazines.
I was finishing up my graphic design degree at UNT, dating my soon-tobe wife, and was in a band called Nimbus the Great. I was cocky, confident, and felt like I could do anything.
owner/publisher hal a. brown coo mike waldum
EDITORIAL
executive editor brian kendall contributing editor john henry digital editor stephen montoya contributing writers malcolm mayhew, richard selcer, charlotte settle, shilo urban, jeff wilson copy editor sharon casseday
ART
creative director craig sylva senior art director spray gleaves advertising art director ed woolf director of photography crystal wise
ADVERTISING
sales director andrew yeager advertising account supervisors gina burns-wigginton x150 marion c. knight x135 account executive tammy denapoli x141 account executive jim houston x158 territory manager, fort worth inc. rita hale x133 senior production manager michelle mcghee x116 executive administrator/project coordinator kaitlyn lisenby
MARKETING
director of digital robby kyser director of marketing and audience development sarah benkendorfer content marketing specialist grace behr
CORPORATE
chief financial officer charles newton founding publisher mark hulme
CONTACT
US main line 817.560.6111 subscriptions 817.766.5550, fwmagsubscriptions@omeda.com
I was working as a jet fueler for Southwest Airlines in Albuquerque. I really liked to party at that age and was also a bit of a pool hustler.
I was wearing bell-bottom jeans and chunky platform heels while listening to the Bee Gees and Bob Dylan on 8-track tapes or the metallic clang of pounding typewriter keys in the typing classes I taught at Texas City High School.
I was living right here in Fort Worth and, as a newlywed, was learning how to cook! I had a friend’s housekeeper teaching me, and I loved to experiment and entertain with new recipes.
I was newly married but hadn’t had my children yet. I was living in the Fort Worth area, had a tight group of friends (whom I still have today), and worked in advertising. So, not much has changed!
I was living in Austin and a better adult than I was at 22 but still trying to figure it all out.
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Eat, drink, shop, and be merry in one of the Hill Country’s prettiest playgrounds, Wimberley. Page 34
We Are the Champions!
They may all go to hell, but the World Series trophy is going to Texas.
BY JEFF WILSON
Chris Young must be one helluva of a salesman.
The Texas Rangers general manager, who wasn’t even the head man in charge entering the offseason of 2021, helped coax two baseball superstars to the team after it lost 102 games and then pulled one of the greatest managers in baseball history out of retirement the next offseason after 94 more losses.
And the world’s best starting pitcher. And another who was a hardened postseason ace.
Young sold them on a farm system and a billionaire owner’s willingness to spend. The 2021 shopping spree was on shortstop Corey Seager and second baseman Marcus Semien. The 2022 spree was on right-handers Jacob deGrom and Nathan Eovaldi.
Headed by a promising native Texan named Josh Jung, the farm system would soon start to contribute.
It would all come together under new manager Bruce Bochy.
That was the pitch.
We’re all sold now.
The Rangers captured their first World Series title Nov. 1, beating the Arizona
Diamondbacks 5-0 to clinch the bestof-7 series in five games. The Rangers went 11-0 on the road, the most consecutive road postseason victories in MLB history.
“I’m from the Houston area, and I grew up an Astros fan,” Eovaldi said, unapologetically. “But now, to be over here and be able to part of the Rangers organization and be able to bring that first World Series championship to us, it’s an incredible moment and incredible feeling.
“When you start every spring training, everybody has the same goal in mind to become World Series champions. For us to overcome all the adversity and the challenges that we faced from the start of spring training on, for us to be able to come out on top, it’s a very special feeling.”
Players spilled onto the infield at Chase Field after Josh Sborz caught Ketel Marte looking for the final out. Players and club personnel spent time with their families and friends on the field before going into the clubhouse and spraying beer and champagne without remorse.
Back home, the Metroplex rejoiced, even if the national TV audience largely yawned. They may all go to hell, but the Commissioner’s Trophy is going to Texas.
The Rangers wanted to come to Fort Worth City Hall to celebrate the week after, but there was only one problem with that: They don’t sell beer at City Hall.
“I said, ‘That’s boring,’” Mayor Mattie Parker said of her reply to the proposal. “‘The fans deserve to see this amazing trophy in person because this is our team.’”
So, they came to Billy Bob’s Texas instead for a rousing reception on a Thursday afternoon.
The Rangers are Tarrant County’s team. They have been playing home games in Arlington, just south of I-30, since 1972 when Mayor Tom Vandergriff finally lured a team to town. It was the Washington Senators 2.0, and they weren’t good.
Wins were hard to come by as the first two teams lost 100 and 105 games. That’s where the fans’ suffering began.
For those who were there then, and some who have carried on Rangers
fandom for loved ones who didn’t live to see the club win it all, the Game 5 victory was heaven on earth. Fans who have been hungover since the Game 6 collapse in the 2011 World Series woke up for the first time in 12 years without a headache and a hankering for Waffle House.
“They’ve waited a long time for this,” Young said. “The wait is over.”
Seager, who rests comfortably on the 10-year, $325 million contract he signed Dec. 1, 2021, was the World Series MVP for the second time in his career, joining Sandy Koufax, Bob Gibson, and Reggie Jackson as the only other players in MLB history with two Fall Classic MVPs.
“I don’t think you can ever fathom that,” Seager said. “It’s a pretty special group to be part of.”
Seager’s game-tying two-run blast in the ninth inning of Game 1 at Globe Life Field saved the Rangers. He delivered daggers with no-doubt shots in Game 3 and Game 4 at Chase Field. And don’t overlook his seventh-inning single in Game 5. It was the Rangers’ first hit of the game and was followed by two more hits that pushed him home with the game’s first run.
The breakthrough star of the postseason, at least nationally, was right fielder Adolis Garcia. He showed fight, literally, against the Astros in the championship series and also pushed 15 runs across home plate.
“El Bombi” was injured in the World Series but won Game 1 with a walk-off homer.
Jung, from San Antonio and Texas Tech, showed some postseason pop and played so well defensively at third base that even Rangers legend Adrian Beltre was impressed. Another kid from the farm, Evan Carter, came to the Rangers in September to fill in for Garcia and ended up remaining a starter.
He’s never going back to the minor leagues.
For all the runs the Rangers were able to score, their MVPs might have been Eovaldi and left-hander Jordan Montgomery.
In Game 5, Eovaldi gave the Rangers six of the gutsiest innings in club history and was rewarded with his fifth win of the postseason. Arizona threatened in each of the first five innings but could never push a run across.
“Balls of steel,” left-hander Will Smith said.
Montgomery, added at the trade deadline from St. Louis, was nearly just as good, especially as the Rangers dethroned the Astros, the defending world champs, in the championship series.
Pitching and defense, the adage goes, win championships.
But, let’s be honest, so does money.
Ray Davis and the ownership group spent $500 million on Seager and Semien and $56 million on Jon Gray in 2021, and another $185 million on deGrom and $34 million on Eovaldi. The deGrom money didn’t go very far this season, as his elbow gave out, but the other investments were totally worth it.
A World Series title is priceless.
And whatever Bochy and pitching coach Mike Maddux are making, the Rangers ought to double it. Bochy won his fourth World Series, the first three with San Francisco and the first of those in 2010 against the Rangers.
“It’s special to come here in my first year with a team that was determined to play winning baseball and had never won a championship,” Bochy said. But as far as me, that’s a byproduct of what those guys did out there and what the front office did. I was along for the ride, trust me.”
This team is built to continue to win.
“We were at the bottom,” Young said, “and there was only one way we could go.”
Now that they have their first title, why stop at one?
“Obviously, we have a window,” said Max Scherzer, who was limited by injuries after he was added at the trade deadline. “A bunch of us guys are back. I’m not going to be stupid and say we’re going to win this thing again because I have respect for the rest of the league.
“I’ve been part of teams that don’t win. That’s why this moment is so special. You never know how you’re going to get here, and the fact that we found a way to do it is unbelievable.”
Jeff Wilson writes for Rangers Today and us, too, when the Texas Rangers win the World Series.
Blue Funk
Leon Bridges’ Dallas Mavericks Uniform Design an Homage to Funkytown
By John Henry
GQ, the authority on all matters of men’s style and culture, let its readers in on a little secret about the NBA’s Dallas Mavericks’ new City Edition Uniform.
The “Trinity River Blues Collection” was designed by Fort Worth soul sensation Leon Bridges, who used the opportunity to rep his beloved hometown and its — and the region’s — rich blues heritage.
“I was able to … [give] them the rundown of my story and what Fort Worth means to me,” Bridges says in an interview with the magazine. “I’ve been there since I was 2 years old. And I guess the beauty of it is, I love the pace of it, and life within the music industry is chaotic. So, it’s nice to come back to somewhere familiar.”
The uniform features a dark moody palette of black and blue, musical-note lettering, Bridges’ signature, and embossed guitar strings that signify the “community’s interconnectedness.”
The Mavs debuted the new uniform last month, along with a City Edition court that has the phrase “For All Dallas Fort Worth” stamped along one of the sidelines.
“Fort Worth is a big part of the basketball community with the Mavs, but I don’t think they’ve ever incorporated Fort Worth anywhere with the team. I remember initially I felt like I wasn’t the right person for the job, but then I was thinking, I’m one of the few artists that’s made it out of Fort Worth. … It was a huge honor for them to have me do this, and I had to incorporate Fort Worth somewhere in there.”
Fort Worth has a time-honored past in the genre blues. This is Funkytown after all.
Ornette Coleman, Robert Ealey, and a gentleman named Curtis Ousley, better known to the world as King Curtis, just to name a few, were all raised in Fort Worth.
A Royal Welcome
The Crescent Hotel Fort Worth Opens Its Doors
BY JOHN HENRY
The magnificent Crescent Hotel Fort Worth, two years in the making at Camp Bowie Boulevard and Van Cliburn Way, is open for business.
Crescent executives, including chairman John Goff and his wife, Cami, were joined by city and county officials on a Wednesday afternoon last month for a ceremonial ribbon cutting in the lobby of this luxury addition to the Cultural District.
“Now the real work begins,” said Robert Rechtermann, the hotel’s general manager.
The hotel’s first paid guest checked in Wednesday afternoon. They were greeted with a glass of champagne.
The hotel is the newest project in Crescent Real Estate’s platinum portfolio of properties. It’s also the first development project in the city for Goff, the billionaire businessman who once worked for Fort Worth financier Richard Rainwater and ultimately built his own real estate company.
Goff arrived here slightly more than 40 years ago with all his possessions in a U-Haul for a job at an accounting firm in Fort Worth and a home in Wedgwood.
“This [project] is personal,” said Goff.
“We just completed a big hotel, the one in the Embassy Suites in Nashville. It’s been open roughly a year and love the hotel. It’s spectacular. It’s performing really well, but this is in our home turf. I drive by this every single day, and I’ve always imagined having a great hotel here.”
And, so, it has been done. The 200-room hotel is part of a $275 million mixed-use development that includes 168,000 square feet of Class A office space and 167 apartments. A Canyon Ranch Wellness Club is also part of the property. The hotel features 14,000 square feet of special event space.
The architect was OZ Architecture.
The development, as well as elements of the hotel, are opening in phases, Goff said.
“This is incredible,” said Fort Worth Mayor Mattie Parker. “And I think [Crescent and the Goffs] have been so thoughtful along the way. They have treated this as a partnership from the moment they decided they wanted to do something like this. They knew that the museums were partners, the city was a partner, the county and infrastructure they would need as a partnership. They wanted to make sure they held intact the integrity of the Cultural District.”
The chef at Emilia’s, Preston Paine, a Fort Worth resident who graduated from Dallas Jesuit High School, was a contestant on the Food Network show “Ciao House.”
In the role he is undertaking, Paine will be in charge of the upscale Mediterranean-inspired restaurant, which will include a separate fine dining space called The Blue Room.
She’s for Goldman
Mattie Parker supports Craig Goldman’s bid to succeed Kay Granger.
By John Henry
U.S. Rep. Kay Granger’s announcement that she would not seek another term in Congress resulted in immediate speculation that Fort Worth’s 40-year-old mayor might take a dip into the vat of acid better known as national political office.
But Mattie Parker said not only no, but hell no to the dysfunction of Washington, saying she has no interest in the “dumpster fire.”
“And most importantly, I love the job I’m in,” she says.
The company is undoubtedly better here. Parker, meanwhile, said that she will support state Rep. Craig Goldman, 55, of Fort Worth in the Republican primary in March. Goldman and John O’Shea were the only two Republican candidates to announce as of this writing. The deadline to file for a place on the ballot is Dec. 11.
O’Shea enjoys the support of Ken Paxton, the state attorney general who vowed revenge on all who had a part in his impeachment, such as Goldman, who voted to impeach.
Stay tuned to all that.
“I think he’ll be an excellent member of Congress,” Parker said of Goldman. “He’s incredibly pragmatic. He’s very strategic, and we need additional leadership and longevity. Someone like we’ve had with Kay who knows Fort Worth and who wants to serve this community, not just be a member of Congress.”
Infighting is probably the reason Granger, the first Republican woman elected to the U.S. House from Texas, has decided to leave Congress after 14 terms.
One political insider said he believed Granger lost all desire to continue after the Republican rumpus that overthrew Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy.
Goldman, 55, first won election to the Texas House in 2012, serving District 97. In the 2023 Legislative Session, Goldman was chair of the Republican caucus, serving as top deputy to House Speaker Dade Phelan.
Mattie Parker
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J.P. MORGAN AND THE CITY OF FORT WORTH
DEC. 1
Lauren Daigle
Touring behind her self-titled album, which was released in March of this year, the Louisiana-based songstress, who’s crafted some of the past decade’s most popular Christian tunes, makes her first-ever visit to Cowtown.
Dickies Arena
1911 Montgomery St. dickiesarena.com
DEC. 1
Day With(out) Art:
‘Everyone I Know Is Sick’
To commemorate World AIDS day, The Modern — along with over 100 other museums across the world — will be screening
“Everyone I Know Is Sick,” a collection of five short documentary films that examine life with HIV and AIDS.
The Modern 3200 Darnell St. themodern.org
DEC. 8
Trans-Siberian Orchestra
The kings of electric guitarladen Christmas standards bring their pyrotechnics and nifty laser show to Dickies, ’cause Christmas just isn’t Christmas if one fails to headbang to the melody of “God Rest You Merry, Gentlemen.”
Dickies
1911 Montgomery St. dickiesarena.com
Candlelight: Featuring Vivaldi’s Four Seasons
DEC. 8 – 10
Anime Frontier
Those whose interests include the Japanese art and fascinating worlds of anime and manga will have an opportunity to rub elbows with fellow fans and some of the industry’s biggest names — all while dressed as their favorite characters, naturally.
Fort Worth Convention Center
1201 Houston St. leftfieldmedia.com
DEC. 8 – 10
‘Amahl and the Night
Visitors’
The Fort Worth Opera brings its booming pipes to the Fort Worth Botanic Garden for four performances (Saturday includes a matinee) of the holiday opera, “Amahl and the Night Visitor.” And since the libretto eschews those romance languages in favor of English, be sure to bring the kiddos who could easily follow along.
Fort Worth Botanic Garden 3220 Botanic Garden Blvd. fwopera.org
DEC. 13
Candlelight: Featuring Vivaldi’s Four Seasons
As we firmly enter the slightly dreadful but otherwise romantic fourth season, winter, an indoor performance — with moodlighting courtesy of countless candles — of Vivaldi’s iconic violin concerto feels pretty ideal.
Downtown Cowtown at the Isis 2401 N. Main St. downtowncowtown.com
DEC. 13
Holiday Lights Night Photography at Lightscape
The return of Lightscape also means the return of one of the most picturesque, photogenic, and flat-out Instagrammable events the city has ever hosted. This twohour class with local photog Edgar Miller will ensure you get all the magnificent pics you desire.
Fort Worth Botanic Garden 3220 Botanic Garden Blvd. fwbg.org
DEC. 8 – 24
‘The
Nutcracker’
No matter how many times you’ve seen it or listened to (or overheard)
Tchaikovsky’s brilliant arrangements, “The Nutcracker” will remain a must-see holiday production. With appearances from Mother Ginger, the Sugar Plum Fairy, and a hoard of ill-tempered rats, the Texas Ballet Theater will bring the goods for 20 performances at Bass Hall.
DEC. 15
Wintersong: A Musical Holiday Celebration & Singa-long
A free community concert at downtown’s First Presbyterian Church, the Fort Worth Opera will perform popular Christmas tunes, carols, and even some opera classics — with a touch of wintery spirit, of course.
First Presbyterian Church 1000 Penn St. fwopera.org
DEC. 16
Midlake
DEC. 15 – 16
Flatland Cavalry
We have a soft spot for any Americana troupe with a fiddler and saccharine tunes about love — unrequited and otherwise. This folky sextet, who check all of the above, will be stopping by Billy Bob’s for a two-night stint in support of their new album, Wandering Star.
Billy Bob’s Texas 2520 Rodeo Plaza billybobstexas.com
This folk-rock band from our I-35 neighbor Denton combines vocal harmonies with understated instrumentation to hit that elusive ’70s-sound sweet spot. Hey, reader, if you’re a fan of Emerson, Lake, and Palmer or Kansas, check ’em out.
Tulips
112 St. Louis Ave. tulipsftw.com
DEC. 16
U.S. LBM Coast-toCoast Challenge
Dickies will host a full day of college basketball featuring two local, one local-ish team facing off against three not-local-at-all teams. The marquee game, TCU against Arizona State, will serve as a rematch of last season’s first-round NCAA Tournament game — which TCU won, by the way.
Dickies
1911 Montgomery St. dickiesarena.com
DEC. 29 – 31
The Holdovers
For those who still tune in to the Academy Awards, this latest project from Alexander Payne (“Election,” “Sideways,” “Nebraska”) has received some early Oscar buzz as it played the festival circuit. And this three-day screening of the film, which follows boarding school students over Christmas break, is also beautifully timed. Magnolia at the Modern 3200 Darnell St. modern.org
DEC. 30
DeVotchKa
If you’ve ever seen “Little Miss Sunshine,” then you’ve heard at least a few of the indie band’s tunes — they performed the majority of the film’s soundtrack. The band’s been around for over 20 years, and with no album recent releases, expect a deep dive into their diverse catalog.
Tulips
112 St. Louis Ave. tulipsftw.com
DEC. 31
New Year’s Eve Party with Drake Milligan
The Fort Worth native who dropped a lot of jaws in 2022 during his performances on “America’s Got Talent,” on which he finished in third place, will be headlining a New Year’s Eve Party at the world’s largest honky-tonk. We suspect the midnight toast will spurn champagne in favor of a domestic beer.
Billy Bob’s Texas 2520 Rodeo Plaza billybobstexas.com
Flatland Cavalry
Midlake
The Holdovers
Drake Milligan
BY CHARLOTTE SETTLE
Agustin Gonzalez
Photojournalist
PHOTO BY CRYSTAL WISE
When it comes to photography, Agustin Gonzalez does not shy away from the painful, disturbing, and unsettling.
His captivating images entice viewers to look toward subject matter they’d likely prefer to ignore.
Born in Mexico, Gonzalez immigrated to the U.S. as a child and has lived in Fort Worth ever since. After graduating from North Side High School, he entered the workforce under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. Though he has dabbled in a variety of jobs over the years, he has been drawn to photography for as long as he can remember. “I wanted to pick up a camera ever since I was a child,” he says.
After spending some time in his 20s as a nightclub photographer, Gonzalez shifted his focus to photojournalism — and more serious subject matter — during the 2020 Black Lives Matter protests. He spent the next few years interviewing and photographing the Fort Worth homeless community on and around Lancaster Avenue. “I was documenting people smoking meth and talking to women who had been raped,” he says. “I was having a hard time sleeping at night.”
Recently, Gonzalez has been eager to capture religion — namely Hispanic practices rooted in witchcraft. He is particularly interested in the cult of Santa Muerte (Saint Death) — a religious sect that is rejected by both the Catholic church and the Mexican government. Gonzalez has traveled to New York several times, most recently on Día De Los Muertos (The Day of the Dead), to photograph
the rituals of a large Santa Muerte community in Jackson Heights, Queens. “It’s a little terrifying,” he says. “But I don’t judge anybody’s religion. I’m just there to document it and talk about it.”
A project close to Gonzalez’s heart involved photographing a family of refugees from Afghanistan.
“I was very fixated on where all of the refugees were going to be put and how they were adapting to the United States,” he says. His research led him to the notoriously distressed Las Vegas Trail neighborhood, where he met and bonded with two young Afghan boys. “I explained to them that they were living in a really bad part of town,” he says. “They told me somebody stole their bike, but it was still better than Afghanistan.”
DETAILS
Follow Gonzalez’s work on Instagram: @agustinggonzallez
What advice would you give someone who is just starting out with photography?
Even after he stopped taking the boys’ photos, Gonzalez kept in touch with them and visited them periodically. “I pretty much broke the first rule of a photojournalist, which is that you don’t want to get too involved,” he laughs. “I don’t talk to them as much anymore because they’re grown and they have their own things going on, but it was very meaningful to me.”
“Don’t give up. Just keep going because eventually, you’ll find your path and what you want to do.”
What’s the coolest thing you’ve ever photographed
“A San Judas Tadeo in Fort Worth. It’s a celebration for a saint (Saint Jude). This one was held by cowboys, and they happened to have a whole rodeo. There were no rules, so I could get on top of the rails right next to the bulls. It’s very dangerous, and I could easily get hurt, but I love that ‘no rules’ type of work environment.”
By snapshotting the chaos of today’s world, Gonzalez hopes to offer an authentic portal into what’s happening around him. “My goal is to build an honest bridge from whatever I’m seeing to the viewer in an unbiased way,” he says. He hopes his work encourages people to wake up to what’s going on in the world. “My No. 1 focus is to do work that matters — to make a change,” he says. “We need to pay attention because the world is changing, and we never know what’s going to happen next.”
1. A homeless couple showing Gonzalez the weapons they use for safety in the homeless camps in Fort Worth. 2. Gonzalez at work, taken by photojournalist, Jason Brimmer. 3. Afghanistan protest against ISIS in Dallas. 4. A man attending San Judas Tadeo and holding a statue of the saint.
5. A friar telling Gonzalez his life story. 6. A woman smoking meth inside her tent in a homeless campground. 7. Free Palestine protest in Dallas.
A Little Good
The history of the Sisters of St. Mary of Namur in Texas is a love story.
BY JOHN HENRY
All around Sister Rita Claire Davis, in a small office at Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church in Fort Worth, sit the books and manuals, and gobs of homework — her own and that of students — all on the topic of English as a second language.
Sister Rita Claire has a thriving class of about 170 students from the predominantly Hispanic parish in the city’s southeast quadrant, off West Seminary and not far from La Gran Plaza, the former Seminary South mall.
Her students are all first-generation immigrants, mostly from Mexico, but some from the regions beyond that country’s own southern border.
She was said to have “single-handedly” started the program before COVID and rebuilt it afterward with a cadre of faithful volunteers.
She has been teaching ESL programs since 1986, beginning in West Texas. It was
there that she was helping migrant oil field workers fill out immigration applications and papers and all the rest of the bureaucracy’s paper trail.
“A few of them asked if I could help with English,” she says. “I’ve been teaching it ever since.”
Sister Rita Claire is 94 years old.
“You can’t keep her down,” says Sister Patricia Ridgley, regional leader of the Sisters of Saint Mary of Namur’s Western Region. “That’s her heart.”
Sister Rita Claire could be the face of the mission of the Sisters of St. Mary of Namur, a congregation of Catholic nuns devoted to the education and care of the poor and vulnerable, as well as various social and pastoral ministries.
As their mission statement puts it, they are committed to “spreading the Good News wherever the Spirit leads us in meeting the needs of God’s people on earth.”
Last month, the sisters celebrated the congregation’s 150th anniversary in Texas. Of those, 138 years have been in Fort Worth. The grand structure of Our Lady of Victory, an all-girls Catholic school opened in 1910, stands as a monument to all their impactful, lifealtering work and all the lives impacted.
The number is quite literally countless, as in addition to OLV, the sisters staffed many of the schools within the Diocese of Fort Worth.
As it concerns the social commentary on the matter of “strong women” in society, I highly recommend a visit to the sisters, whose lives are a rich tapestry of service to others and simplicity. An uncommon strength will be immediately apparent.
An encounter with a sister of the Sisters of St. Mary is impactful. They are, to a person, joyful and confident, full of hope and encouragement. They are warm and truly empathetic. They are motivators. They inspire to lives of authentic self and true potential as those made in the image of God.
They are daring and fearless. They are audacious in the use of their time and talents, and it is for one purpose. What needs to be done to make lives better, they roll up their sleeves and get done.
One need not look any further than
Mother Emilie Kemen, German born, was the American foundress of the Sisters of St. Mary, which not long after found its way to Fort Worth.
HERE, LIFE MEANS MORE.
“We’re busier now than we ever were. Our children call and they can’t get us and they wonder where we are now. And I have to reply: we were at bingo, we were at lunch, we were at dinner, oh no – we are going down to trivia. It’s endless, what you can find to do. It’s just one fun-filled, lifetime vacation.”
- STEVENSON OAKS RESIDENTS RON & JOYCE STULTS
At MRC Stevenson Oaks, our philosophy is that no matter how old we are or what challenges we live with, life is about continuing to grow. We fight back on thieves like loneliness, helplessness and boredom. We resolve to make every day one that confirms the seven domains of well-being through identity, growth, autonomy, security, connectedness, meaning and joy.
the living example of Sister Rita Claire and her English-as-asecond-language students. She and all the rest are grounded in 200 years of history.
The sisters came to Texas in 1873 to do “a little good,” as Mother Emilie, the foundress of the sisters in America, said of the three sisters who climbed the banks of the Brazos for an arrival in Waco in 1873. They had been requested to establish schools on the frontier. They were badly needed. Children of only the wealthiest families were literate. Many were roaming the streets. Former slaves had received no preparation for living independently, and they were restless, some violent.
The sisters were greeted with the harshest of conditions on the Texas frontier in 1873, including the threat of raids by bands of Native Americans, disease, and, of course, the heat that we’re all so accustomed to. It was also Protestant country, and many had unhappy memories of Catholics during the reign of Spain and Mexico.
Moreover, the Ku Klux Klan had a vibrant presence, which died down only to reemerge in the 1900s. My own family was impacted. My paternal great-grandparents — two families, Henry and Whitfill — operated adjacent farms in Crowley. They were the only two Catholic families in Crowley. Because of KKK harassment — Catholics and Blacks were favorite targets — the youngest girls of both families were sent to school at OLV. One of those was a great-aunt, Sister Benedictine Henry, for 69 years a faithful servant to the mission of the Sisters of St. Mary.
But the sisters persisted, their faith doing more to drive them than any energy drink could ever dream. Only a week after arriving in Waco, they opened their first Texas academy, Sacred Heart.
The sisters preferred the city of Waco because of the railroads that had been established north. And that’s the way they went, following the railroads and setting up academies, including St. Ignatius Academy, the forerunner to Fort Worth’s OLV, in 1886. The building still stands, just to the south of and mere feet from St. Patrick Cathedral.
Ultimately, in addition to Waco and Fort Worth, academies were built in Ennis, Corsicana, Denison, Sherman, Dallas, and Wichita Falls. In time, they formed the University of Dallas in Irving.
The seeds of all the little good the sisters have done here and across the world were planted by two women. “It’s amazing how it has spread,” Ridgley says.
The congregation of the Sisters of St. Mary of Namur was formed in Namur, Belgium, in 1819 in the wake of the French Revolution. It was a time when religious communities were forbidden throughout Belgium and France.
Josephine Sana and Elizabeth Berger wanted to do a little good, asking their pastor, Father Nicholas Joseph Minsart, if they could offer sewing lessons to the girls in the area. The skill would allow the girls to make an honest living rather than have to resort to prostitution. The two were asked later if they could include religious instruction in the curriculum.
That was the first of many girls’ academies set up all over the world and the tradition of Catholic education that marks the Sisters of St. Mary of Namur.
The sisters came to the U.S. in the depths of the American Civil War. They settled in Lockport, New York, where they established a school for immigrant children.
The welcoming party for the sisters in Fort Worth included prominent businessman John B. Laneri, the founder of O.B. Macaroni. Laneri was a benefactor of the Catholic Church community in Fort Worth. He was a founder of St. Mary’s Catholic Church on the Near Southside and was largely responsible for the construction of the
Construction workers building OLV in 1910 take a break for a photo op.
Recess was a time to learn, too. That’s Sr. John Mary Beard and Sr. Mary Jane Jerome.
church that stands on Magnolia Avenue, built in 1924.
Laneri was also a chief advocate for Catholic education. After the sisters had already established a foothold in Fort Worth, he formed Laneri College, a Catholic high school for boys, in 1921. OLV and Laneri later merged in 1960 to become the coed Nolan Catholic High School. The building that housed Laneri on Hemphill Street is now Cassata Catholic High School.
Laneri had taken on the care of his orphaned niece in the early 1900s. An immigrant from Italy, she arrived here from Manhattan at age 18. He counted on the sisters to help in her pastoral care, says Elizabeth Martin, the granddaughter of Emilia “Mildred” Laneri Haire — Laneri’s niece.
“He had no children,” Martin says, “and, so, with the women in his family, he felt very strongly about their need for education and independence. That created a very deep relationship early on with the sisters.”
A tradition had been put in place. Martin’s mother, her aunt, and an uncle were all educated by the Sisters of St. Mary, as were Martin and her two sisters, all graduates of Nolan Catholic.
At a reception to mark the sisters’ 150th anniversary in Texas at Nolan on Nov. 12, many of their former students were there, including one who was a grade school pupil of Sister Rita Claire almost 70 years ago.
They were there to express gratitude for the influence and impact the sisters had on them. It is difficult for many to imagine a life well lived without them.
The reception was a gathering “to thank God for all his goodness,” says Sister Immaculée Mukabugabo, the congregation’s general superior, based in Belgium. “What He’s permitted the sisters to do in teaching. And many of the sisters here have gone to other countries as missionaries.”
Those other countries include Rwanda, where Sister Roberta Hesse volunteered to go during the lowest moments of that
war-torn country, including the genocide in the 1990s.
“I think their education, their love, their example of integrity and empathy, compassion and joy are the very structure that holds me up,” says Martin, an attorney and founding partner of Change Agents. “It holds me up in my work. It holds me up in my personal life. I can’t imagine what my view of the world would be without the lens that they helped craft for me.”
Today, there are 21 sisters, including Sister Rita Claire, who live in Fort Worth. The number is dwindling. They live in a convent adjacent to the OLV building. Diminished enrollment over the years at OLV elementary school caused its closure in 2021, marking an end of the school after 111 years. (That building was constructed in the 1950s.) The teachers there were mostly, if not all, lay people.
Worldwide, there are 355 sisters in the congregation, which is actually witnessing some growth on the African continent. In Rwanda, Cameroon, and Tanzania, 160 are in formation and postulants.
In the U.S., there are fewer and fewer women taking on a Catholic vocation. It’s the tenor of American society in the 21st century. Girls, and boys, of course, are choosing to do different things for a variety of reasons.
“We have sisters even now who taught first graders who are now graying people come to talk to them or come to thank them for doing this little thing that helped them,” said Sister Patricia Ridgley, the regional leader of the sisters’ Western Region. “I mean, those stories are numerous little bitty things that, you know, somebody will say, ‘I lost my mother and I was so lost and you took time’ and stories like that, and they just constantly are coming.
“Whatever God is doing for us as a congregation or for vocations, we’re just thankful that we have been able to do a little good and it’s in God’s hands.”
The first graduating class at OLV, June 8, 1911.
PICTURED: Justin Rogers, GM, SouthWest Toyota of Lawton Oklahoma; Stephen Gilchrist, Dealer Operator, Gilchrist Automotive
Wimberley, Texas
Population: 2,877
BY SHILO URBAN
Atouch of whimsy inhabits Wimberley, a charming Hill Country village bestrewn with boho boutiques, creekside eateries, and spring-fed swimming holes cradled by cypress trees. Picturesque streets lined with original limestone buildings stretch out from the town square. Just 45 minutes southwest of Austin, Wimberley radiates fresh, funky energy with new businesses blooming in the wake of the pandemic.
While spring wildflower season is the prime time for travelers to head to the Hill Country, the holidays hold a special magic in this small Texas town. Wander meandering paths through a glittering winter wonderland at Wimberley’s Trail of Lights, an 8-acre spectacle at EmilyAnn Theatre & Gardens (Dec. 2-26 this year). Everyone ends up at the Yule log for hot cocoa with marshmallows, as well as live entertainment and St. Nick appearances most nights.
You’ll also find themed evenings throughout the month like gourmet chocolate tastings to holiday movie screenings.
The Winter’s Eve Festival (Dec. 9) also brings out the holiday cheer with crackling fire pits, music on multiple stages, and face painting for the kids. Shops stay open late so you can hunt for treasures for everyone on your list. If you miss this year’s final installment of Wimberley Market Days (Dec. 2), worry not — shopping is a year-round attraction in this artsy little hamlet. With 50 boutiques clustered around the square, you’ll need more than a day to do them all justice.
Between the shops, you can amble down to Cypress Creek and stroll a 15-minute nature trail to the Blue Hole, a swimming spot par
STATE LINES: WIMBERLEY, TEXAS
excellence with rope swings and plenty of shade. It’s a splash-soaked, raucous oasis in the summer that requires a reservation to get in. But in winter, you’ll have space to yourself to soak in the quiet beauty of bare trees and clear water. Painters set up their easels, and poets find inspiration between the blue sky and its reflection on the calm, peaceful pool. The Blanco River also runs through Wimberley; it was the culprit behind the devastating Memorial Day weekend flood in 2015 that destroyed hundreds of homes and even shut down Interstate 35 nearby.
But Wimberley has bounced back and beyond — and now the only thing flooding the town is the many tourists who come to eat, drink, shop, and be merry in one of the prettiest Hill Country playgrounds.
Savor: Plan to linger at Longleaf Craft Kitchen, an ubercozy pinewood cabin where you’ll have a difficult choice deciding. You can’t go wrong with the crispy potato and warm goat cheese tart or the deviled eggs topped with fried oysters, bacon, and roasted garlic aioli. Save room for the butter rum budino trifle. The creekfront restaurant Leaning Pear doesn’t disappoint; take a perch by the floor-to-ceiling windows or outside on the patio for farm-to-table deliciousness. Their fried-chicken sandwich with Alabama white sauce and pimento cheese on brioche might make you cry in delight. Just outside of town, Hildee’s is the highly recommended new kid off the block, proffering imaginative treats like hibiscuscured salmon and smoked pork spring rolls. From the blue corn barbacoa doughnuts at Dos Olivos to the cheese croquettes at Jobell’s, your problem in Wimberley isn’t finding a good place to eat — it’s narrowing down the selection.
Shop: Chronologically speaking, start at Creekside Vintage with curated kitsch from the 1950s to ’70s. You’ll have a blast poking around and exclaiming, “My grandmother had one of these!” as you browse the owl cookie jars and olive-green ashtray lamps. Indulge your mystical side nearby at Gold Dust Boutique with creative displays of crystal-infused candles and moon-goddess jewelry. Looking for cowboy boots? Shop for vintage styles at Wild West Store, which stocks over 500 pairs, or go futuristic at Wall Street Western with metallic numbers in orange, purple, and pink. Find your spirit animal in plant form at Ceremony, a jungle of otherworldly foliage and oddball succulents — just follow the aroma of palo santo. Try flower-scented honey at Cypress Creek Lavender and browse two fun floors of home goods and retro Christmas decor at The Tree House.
Enjoy: Explore Wimberley’s outdoorsy side by flinging yourself through canyons on a
zipline or hiking up Old Baldy trail. The Blue Hole isn’t the only swimming game around; you can also go for a dip at Cypress Falls and Jacob’s Well. Visit Rough Creek Lavender Fields to cut your own purple blooms, which grow well in the Hill Country’s rugged landscape. Wineries, breweries, and distilleries also thrive in this area. Head north to reach Wimberley Valley Winery to sip spiced wine in winter and see their vintage double-decker bus/ wine bar. Buck-toothed llamas greet you at The Shady Llama, a hilltop beer garden with dozens of brews on tap and the best sunsets around. Feel like bootscootin’? At Devil’s Backbone Tavern you can dance in a historic honky-tonk dive.
Snooze: For digs in the middle of town, you can’t beat Wimberley Square Inn — it’s right on the square and has a relaxing covered courtyard. Eight suites are outfitted with custom furnishings and plush pillow-top beds. Located five minutes north of Wimberley, all the cabins at Cypress Creek Cottages have private hot tubs and breezy decks with barbecue grills. The pet-friendly property also sports an enclosed dog park and offers pet day care (for a fee). Just south of the village, the romantic cottages at Blair House Inn share the 22-acre grounds with the B&B’s culinary school, day spa, and pool. Wake up to a three-course breakfast and order a picnic basket full of goodies to enjoy for lunch.
How to Get There: For the fastest trip (about 3 hours, 30 minutes), drive south on Interstate 35 to Round Rock and exit onto TX-45 W just north of Austin. In about a mile, take the exit for TX-1 S (Mopac) and continue for 26 miles. Just south of Highway 90, follow the exit for TX-45 W. In 0.3 miles, turn south onto Farm to Market Road 1826. You’ll stay on this road for 24 miles to Wimberley.
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Hedging His Bets
Rolling the dice on the restaurant world has paid off for Brian Sneed, a TCU grad and former hedge fund manager who has opened one of the city’s most talked-about restaurants
BY MALCOLM MAYHEW
BY
PHOTO
CRYSTAL WISE
There’s on-the-job training and then there’s Brian Sneed’s version of on-the-job training.
In preparing for the opening of Quince, his popular WestBend restaurant that overlooks the Trinity, Sneed treated his chefs to trips to restaurants around the world — to New York, Mexico, and other locales near and far — so they could experience the same culinary euphoria that inspires him.
By exposing them to the sights, smells, and tastes of some of the world’s most renowned restaurants, the restaurants that served as Quince’s blueprint, Sneed is ensuring that Quince will be a truly unique destination for Fort Worth diners.
“I took the chefs to my favorite culinary destinations, including New Orleans; Lima, Peru; Mexico City; New York City; and others,” he says. “These are the cities and the restaurants that inspire our menu. We are continually training and applying that training to our menus.”
The end result is a menu that spans as many flavor profiles as it does continents. There are pastas, ceviches, yakimeshi (Japanese fried rice), sushi, hamburgers, seafood, grilled meats, breakfast dishes, and much more. An extensive drink menu includes wines from around the world, craft cock-
tails, and specialty carajillos (Mexican cocktails spiked with espresso), along with non-boozy options such as smoothies and juices.
Sneed calls the menu, brought to life by executive chef Gonzalo Martinez, “a global collective.”
The same global-cuisine-with-a-killer-view approach has been a bona fide hit in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, where Sneed opened the original Quince in 2016 through the investment group Rooftop Venture Partners. The company’s name is a nod to Quince San Miguel’s rooftop dining space and its exquisite views of the surrounding area, which include the historic La Parroquia, a 17th-century parish church known for its neo-Gothic, ornate architecture. Thanks to those views, Robb Report Magazine named the restaurant the “No. 1 Rooftop Restaurant in the World” two years in a row and also called it the “No. 1 Rooftop Destination in the World.”
A third location of Quince recently opened in west Austin, on a waterfront property docked right on the banks of the picturesque Lake Austin. Like its siblings, it, too, offers Instagram-ready views.
Although opening restaurants was never a part of Sneed’s life plan, in a way he’s been preparing for Quince since childhood, even if those preparations weren’t deliberate.
As a native of Metairie, Louisiana, a suburb of New Orleans, he grew up surrounded by beautiful architecture and incredible food. But at that point in his life, his interests were steeped in playing basketball and becoming a doctor.
“Growing up in New Orleans was a lot of fun,” he says. “I love the lifestyle that never passes up an occasion to celebrate. Fortunately, I was also able to focus on school and basketball.”
After high school, Sneed moved to Fort Worth to attend Texas Christian University, where he was a member of the Phi Delta Theta fraternity and a pre-med major. Just a few months before he graduated in 1993, he had an epiphany.
“I decided as a senior I had no desire to be a doctor,” he says. “I graduated and immediately started working for a startup hedge fund. That led me to being a partner in a $2 billion fund.”
Sneed spent the next two decades in the hedge fund industry, traveling the globe to meet and often entertain brokers and other clients over dinners at top-tier restaurants. “I never missed an opportunity to try the latest and greatest restaurants,” he says. “All of those experiences, along with growing up in New Orleans, helped expand my palate and restaurant experiences for the future concept of Quince.”
The city that truly inspired him, he says, was San Miguel, Mexico, where he found a dilapidated building rooftop with potential written all over it.
“It was initially more of a selfish investment in a concept and menu I wanted in one of my favorite cities,” he says. “At that point in time, about eight years ago, rooftop restaurants were more often bars with limited or subpar food. Even in the most spectacular locations around the world, I found the food and experience rarely matched the location. I wanted
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a place that heightened all the senses, and most destination restaurants don’t do that.”
Along with globe-trotting food meant to appeal to a vast swath of diners, from foodies to hipsters to regular ol’ diners to kids, Sneed puts an emphasis on good service.
“I was a server for several months when I was a senior, and honestly, I wasn’t very good or focused at the job,” he says. “Due to this, I am always impressed with our server teams and managers and how good they are with clients, their knowledge of the menu and making clients feel special. We really encourage our servers to get to know the clients and talk to them about more than the food and drinks.”
Sneed says many diners ask him why the Fort Worth location didn’t come first. He’s lived here, after all, for 30 years. Well, he says, it could have.
“If I had had my way, Fort Worth would have actually been No. 1,” he says. “More than 10 years ago, I made an offer on another plot of land up the river, but the owner turned down my offer and I ended up finding the rooftop in San Miguel while having drinks with a buddy in the courtyard below.”
But the success of the original gave him the knowledge to open the Fort Worth location.
“I truly love Fort Worth,” he says. “I’ve lived here for 30 years, raised my family here, and wanted to bring my concept home. I felt Fort Worth would embrace it and appreciate it the most. Maybe it’s a little selfish, but I wanted our kids to have a Quince in their hometown.”
Bao Wow Wow
The new Teddy Wong’s Dumplings & Wine impresses with its assortment of handmade dumplings
BY MALCOLM MAYHEW
After years of being relegated to side dish and appetizer status, Chinese dumplings are finally getting their due.
Here in Fort Worth, they’ve been thought of, until recently, mainly as accouterments, something to get before your meal, or to complement it. Now, they’re at the forefront of several new restaurants and food concepts, including a pair of gourmet markets owned by Hao Tran,
who, along with Dixya Bhattarai, helped jump start the dumpling trend locally with a series of pop-up events.
Newly opened Teddy Wong’s Dumplings & Wine on the Near Southside marks a local turning point for dumplings, in that it’s the first Fort Worth restaurant whose menu revolves around these delicate staples of Chinese cuisine, which are made by hand as you watch.
“I don’t know if many people realize the process involved in making dumplings by hand,” says Teddy Wong’s owner, Jeffrey Yarbrough. “Perfecting the fillings is one thing that takes time and patience, but then you’re filling each and every dumpling with the filling, then sealing them in a very precise, meticulous way.”
The restaurant serves nearly a dozen varieties of Chinese dumplings, in flavors such as chicken and celery, mushroom and pork, shrimp, and veggie, in your choice of preparation, pan-fried or steamed. The must-get: xiao long bao, or soup dumplings, which come in two flavors: pork or a mix of crab and pork. Contrary to their name, they’re not filled with soup but with ingredients that, when heated, melt and form a broth. They’re presented in small baskets to keep them warm; with each order comes a set of soup spoons.
Servers will explain the best way to eat them is by scooping one onto a soup spoon and, using your
Patrick Ru, Kevin Cates and Jeffrey Yarbrough are partners in Teddy Wong’s.
Dumplings and more dumplings at Teddy Wong’s
teeth or chopsticks, puncturing a small hole in the side or top of the dumpling, and slurping out some of the broth. This’ll allow you to test the waters of how hot the dumpling is; last thing you want to do is bite into a dumpling whose soupy innards are still piping hot.
Teddy Wong’s other signature dish is Peking duck, served half or whole, with the option to add caviar.
The menu is rounded out with several Chinese classics, from
kung pao chicken to fried rice with your choice of protein, including barbecue pork.
Teddy Wong’s is a spinoff of Bushi Bushi Dim Sum in Addison, opened by chef Patrick Ru in 2020, shortly after he moved to the Dallas area from New York. It was in New York where Ru perfected his techniques for making dumplings, painstakingly trying one recipe after another.
After Bushi Bushi took off, he set his sights on opening a Fort Worth location.
“I noticed in my Addison store that many people were from Fort Worth,” he says. “They all asked me if I would ever open a restaurant there, so I reached out to my friend Richard at Chamberlain’s steakhouse to see who he could connect me with in Fort Worth.”
That connection was Jeffrey Yarbrough, a Fort Worth native, hospitality industry veteran, and commercial real estate broker. Over dinner and drinks at Ellerbe’s, the two formed a partnership (initially, local chef Stefon Rishel was involved, too, but he left the project).
“We toured every area of Fort Worth, looking for a place to open,” Yarbrough says. “I took him to the Stockyards, to the West Seventh area, downtown, and then we wound up back where we started at Ellerbe’s, on the Near Southside. I told him I have this one little building on this up-and-coming street. I showed
him the old Le’s Wok building, and he loved it.”
Ru says he fell in love not only with the building, but with the diverse vibe of the Near Southside.
“The doctors, the nurses, the students, and the diversity of the homeowners, I knew I had to come here,” he says.
The space has been given a handsome makeover. Sparkling wine glasses sit on every table, atop black tablecloths that emphasize the restaurant’s beautifully muted color scheme.
“We didn’t do a top-to-bottom remodel,” Yarbrough says. “It was a top-to-bottom redecoration. The bones of the kitchen were there from when it was a convenience store. Our main focus was on making the dining room nice and then adding the wine bar. Wine goes so well with this type of food. And Patrick is a big wine guy, so we definitely wanted to add a big wine element.”
On the other end of the building is a small market called Bushi Bushi, where you can get dumplings to-go, along with beer and wine. The space also doubles as an area where you can watch, through a glass wall, the dumpling being made, slowly, carefully, methodically.
“I love that you can watch your food being made,” Yarbrough says. “It’ll give you a good idea of the time and thought it takes to make dumplings. There’s a real art to it.”
Along with dumplings, Teddy Wong’s serves classic Chinese cuisine.
Cucumber salad with a touch of hot chili oil
An Eazy A
With its inventive mashups of American and Asian cuisines and cool atmos, Eazy Monkey qualifies as one of this year’s most exciting new restaurants
BY MALCOLM MAYHEW
Not every restaurant in town has a wall lined with skateboards. Or serves cheeseburger fried rice. Or incorporates rock-and-roll posters into its design scheme.
But different is what Andew Dilda wanted for his first restaurant, Eazy Monkey, an upbeat, inventive eatery that cleverly meshes together the flavors of American and Asian cuisines. It opened earlier this year on the Near Southside, in the cool, old W.F. Laurence building, which most recently
housed another restaurant, Fixture.
Eazy Monkey could be considered the “Boyhood” of local restaurants. In both its menu and atmosphere, it is greatly inspired by the chapters in Dilda’s life story, from the time he was a kid to now.
A California native, Dilda moved to the Fort Worth suburb of Saginaw when he was 13, immersing himself in the local skate/punk scene, as he had done in Cali. While attending Boswell High, he started hanging out with musicians and soon became a part of Fort Worth’s local alternative music scene.
“All my high school friends were in bands,” he says. “And I was the guy who had the truck, so I started transporting band equipment and helped bands get set up for shows. If you have a big truck, everyone wants you to help them move their stuff.”
That slice of time in his life can be seen all over the walls of Eazy Monkey. From the cool rock-and-roll posters to the wall of skateboards in the main dining room to the colorful murals and arty photographs, there’s a bit of Dilda’s life and loves everywhere you look.
“Growing up, we had a room over our garage that inspired the restaurant’s design and decor,” the 43-year-old, self-taught chef says. “Band posters, skateboards, my grandfather’s radio — it all created this chill space that we’d hang out in whenever friends came over or we had a party. Just a real cozy space.”
Even the music played, a mix of punk, pop, and classic hip-hop, reflects the tastes of Dilda and his wife, Angie, an aerospace engineer, whom he credits for turning him on to many of the punk bands he digs.
“When I was a kid in California, I listened to a lot of hip-hop,” he says. “When I moved to Saginaw, I
Eazy Monkey chef/ owner Andrew Dilda
PHOTO BY STEPHEN MONTOYA
got into local bands. Then, slowly I started getting into national punk bands. That music had always been there in my life, but I didn’t really know the bands. I knew Operation Ivy’s music but not the band. My wife turned me onto a lot of stuff and so did Brian Olenjack when I started working at Reata. It all made a lasting impression on me.”
Eazy Monkey started out as a collaborative effort between Dilda and another Andrew, Andrew Chen of Dallas’ Monkey King Noodle Company, where Dilda once worked as director of culinary operations. The two developed Eazy Monkey’s menu, a wildly eclectic but still very much approachable hybrid of American and Asian cuisines (Chen is no longer affiliated with the restaurant’s day-to-day operations).
Dishes include crab Rangoon nachos, bao buns stuffed with barbecue brisket from nearby Brix BBQ, Dan Dan sloppy Joes, and orange chicken and bubble waffles.
The dish that perfectly illustrates the coming together of Asian and American cuisines is the popular cheeseburger fried rice, in which an expertly cooked burger patty is served on a small mountain of fried rice and fried pickles, zigzagged with a special zesty sauce. It’s one of the city’s best dishes these days.
Many of the recipes were inspired by Dilda’s international travels. He spent time in Beijing, where he helped open a brewery and barbecue restaurant called Jing A Brewery, and Estonia, where he consulted on another beer and barbecue concept called Pohjala Brewery & Tap Room.
His food also takes inspiration from his time spent in other North Texas restaurants. Over the years, he has worked in, and oftentimes led the kitchens of, some of the area’s most well-known restaurants, including Neighborhood Services and CBD Provisions in Dallas and Lonesome Dove and Reata in Fort Worth.
“We spent a lot of time thinking about the dishes and making sure the flavors of the ingredients complemented one another,” he says. “Some of the menu sounds a little crazy, but we didn’t say, ‘Let’s throw these two things together and see what works.’ We’re not interested in doing weird things for the sake of being different. We’re interested in bringing out the flavors of each ingredient, but also making sure those flavors work very well together.”
Dilda’s team at Eazy Monkey includes Tia Downey, who developed the restaurant’s cocktail and mocktail programs and also serves as general manager, and Sean Malek, who serves as head chef and was last seen in the kitchens of Gemelle and Ellerbe’s.
Although still in its infancy, the restaurant has already caught on with locals who understand the world Dilda is coming from.
“One of the things I’ve noticed is that families are coming here with their kids, and the parents are showing their kids these posters or skateboards and saying, ‘This is my life, too,’” Dilda says. “I didn’t institute some rule where you have to wear a jacket and we take away your phone — people are just engaging with each other here naturally. It’s a place where you can be engaged and be a part of what’s going on. I think that’s what’ll keep people coming back.”
Bits and Bites
The Goff family’s glamorous new Crescent Hotel has arrived in Fort Worth’s Cultural District, and with it comes an exciting in-house restaurant, Emilia’s. While many hotel restaurants outsource their culinary talent, bringing in chefs from other parts of the globe, Emilia’s is led by North Texan Preston Paine, whom you may have seen on Food Network’s “Ciao House” show. His work and travels along the Adriatic Sea heavily inspire Emilia’s global cuisine. The restaurant’s secret weapon may very well be another local, sous-chef Marcus Kopplin, who has absolutely slayed in every Fort Worth kitchen he’s worked, from Shinjuku Station to, most recently, Clay Pigeon. Named after Fort Worth’s Italian sister city, Reggio Emilia, the restaurant features housemade pastas made with Texas grains, dry-aged, wood-grilled steaks, fresh seafood, and decadent desserts, all served in an architectural wonder of a dining room, with its natural light and clean lines. The Blue Room, Emilia’s restaurant-within-a-restaurant, offers an even more elevated experience, with special menus in a more intimate setting, and the attractive in-house bar, The Circle Bar, is a hip and handsome spot for movers and shakers. 3300 Camp Bowie Blvd., emiliasfortworth.com
Calisience, the east side Mexican restaurant known for its outstanding birria dishes, has added a breakfast menu. Owner Jacqueline Anaya says she wants to test the waters first, so breakfast will be served on Saturday only starting in December. If it takes off, she’ll add breakfast hours through the week. Dishes include tres leches French toast; a grilled cheese with eggs, mozzarella, and birria; and scrambled eggs with refried beans, corn or flour tortillas, and, mixed into the eggs, your choice of chorizo or salchicha (Mexican hot dogs). She’ll also serve her twist on huevos rancheros, three sunny-side up eggs served on tortillas and topped with tomato salsa, spicy crème, and birria meat. 2707 Race St., calisience.com
Mary Perez Vasquez will open a third location of her popular Tex-Mex palace, Enchiladas Ole, in the west side space last occupied by Boozie’s Brewery & Gourmet Sandwiches, she wrote on my Facebook wall. That’s how she makes announcements, God love her. Vasquez says it should be open by the end of the year. 6473 Camp Bowie Blvd., enchiladasole.com
Two more vegan restaurants have opened in Fort Worth. Vice Burgers, a new restaurant from Boulevard of Greens owners Charlsye Lewis and Marcus Brunt, serves burgers, hot dogs, and shakes, all made with plant-based ingredients. The restaurant opened in November in the pindot of a spot at 1515 W. Magnolia Ave., where Poke-Poke and Bentley’s Hot Dogs once stood. Another new vegan option is Vida Cafe, a vegan Italian restaurant from Belen Hernandez, who opened a pair of popular vegan Mexican restaurants, Belenty’s Love, in Granbury and Fort Worth. Located at 3522 Bluebonnet Circle, practically next door to Belenty’s Fort Worth location, Vida serves vegan renditions of Italian classics, such as spaghetti and meatless meatballs and a chicken-free marsala. Vida is also open for breakfast, with dishes such as pistachio pancakes. instagram.com/vidacafe2023
Paperback Writer
Patrick “Jube” Joubert is letting the smoke do most of the talking in a new independent book he authored.
BY MALCOLM MAYHEW
When barbecue pitmaster Patrick “Jube” Joubert was running his self-named barbecue joint on Fort Worth’s east side, he and his wife came up with the ‘cue catchphrase to end all catchphrases: “Making you smile with smoke.”
“I was cooking my first cornbread on the pit, just giving it a little bit of smoke to see how it would taste,” he says. “I was cooking for a big Sunday crowd, and my wife said, ‘I hope this smoke makes them smile,’ and that was it, boom. I put that on T-shirts, pictures, Facebook, it was too good not to use.”
Joubert’s Cajun-inspired barbecue did, indeed, make people smile, from locals in the Stop Six neighborhood, where Jube’s Smokehouse resided for four years, to barbecue chasers from around the state who heard about Jube’s via word of mouth and a Texas Monthly rave.
A landlord dispute, Joubert says, led to the closing of his restaurant last year, but his catchphrase lives on in another form: It’s the title of his first book, Making You Smile With Smoke.
Independently published by Joubert and available on
Amazon, Making You Smile isn’t necessarily a cookbook. Rather, it’s a guide to barbecuing — for both novices and those who want to graduate from beginners to professionals.
“I wrote this for people who want to get into the game,” says Joubert, now a pitmaster at the Fort Worth location of Hurtado Barbecue. “I’m not trying to teach a seasoned pitmaster anything new. I’m trying to turn beginners into those seasoned pitmasters.”
In a writing style that is both conversational and informative, Joubert shares his advice and opinion on getting started in the ’cue biz, from choosing the appropriate equipment to selecting seasonings to figuring out which woods to use for a smoker.
Refreshingly, the book dismisses many misconceptions about barbecuing, such as you need to spend big bucks on a high-end smoker in order to make good ’cue.
“You can start with a small pit that can be found at Kroger or Walmart,” Joubert writes. “They cook very well — steaks, ribs, pork chops, chicken. It’s a direct heat setup, and it works quite well.”
The book is based on his own personal experiences and culinary journey. The pastor-slash-pitmaster, whom we profiled in 2019, has spent a great deal of his 54 years cooking, grilling, and smoking meats, fine-tuning a style that can be best described as a mix of the Creole food he grew up with in his hometown of Plaisance, Louisiana, with traditional Texas barbecue.
Joubert’s aware that some of the things he wrote won’t fly with other pitmasters. For instance, he swears by a certain type of wood, hickory, while many other pitmasters prefer oak. In his book, he calls hickory the “Rolls-Royce of woods.”
“I know this is not everybody’s style,” he says. “My style is different. My seasonings are different. I like to cook low and slow, but at the same time, my temperature’s a little higher and my cooking time is a little shorter. If I have to cook with oak, I want red oak or post oak. But hickory is my wood of choice, and it has been for a long time. It’s all just a matter of preference.”
Writing a book wasn’t always a part of his life plan. A few years ago, he began jotting down notes — random thoughts on barbecue that might make good words of wisdom for aspiring barbecuers.
What brought everything together, he says, is the photo that accompanies this story, taken by Darrell Byers, a former Star-Telegram photographer, fellow barbecue aficionado, and friend of Joubert’s.
“Darrell called one day and said, ‘Hey, I’m going to come by and say hi and take a couple photos of you,’” Joubert says. “He was showing me the photos on his camera, and my brother saw one and said, ‘Man, that would make a great book cover,’ and, well, here we are.”
PHOTO BY DARRELL BYERS
Patrick “Jube” Joubert has written a book on how to barbecue.
PRESIDENT PULLIN LEADS ON TO A BRIGHT FUTURE.
Texas Christian University and Chancellor Victor J. Boschini, Jr. congratulate Daniel W. Pullin on his investiture as the University’s President.
President Pullin began his tenure during a season of historic moments throughout 2023, TCU’s Sesquicentennial year. His innovative approach and dynamic leadership have poised TCU to soar to new heights, creating an environment that fosters creativity, inclusivity and boundless achievement.
We look forward to the next 150 years of academic excellence, unparalleled student experience and Horned Frog Impact.
MEET PRESIDENT PULLIN
You can dream it Together we can do it
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THE Gift Guide
L O C A L
When Santa comes to town — Cowtown, that is — he’s not just delivering gifts. No, sir, he’s doing a little holiday shopping himself. And why wouldn’t he? From picking up something nice for the missus to gathering knickknacks for mere acquaintances, you need not look farther than your own city to snap up some meaningful presents.
BY BRIAN KENDALL
PHOTO BY CRYSTAL WISE
Steve Murrin with his sons, Steve and Philip
FAMILY-STYLE
BY RICHARD SELCER, BRIAN KENDALL, AND JOHN HENRY
First names tell people who we are. Last names tell people where we come from. They’re the titles that, for better or worse, could elicit praise, prejudice, or curiosity. We do not choose them at birth, and yet they hold such weight. For this article, we set out to discern the families whose names, thanks to a long and lasting presence in Fort Worth, carry distinction, power, and influence — the legacy families. Legacy, which here we define as impact and consequence, is a subjective term. Because everyone’s experience in this city — the things we cherish and the people we admire — is different from Fort Worthian to Fort Worthian, the task of determining the local families with the greatest legacies was a daunting one. First, we determined a family must meet specific criteria, which includes significant contributions that positively impacted
BAKER
From generation to generation, the Baker family has clearly handed down an ethos of giving. James Baker, who founded Baker Bros. Nursery in 1887, helped build the First United Methodist Church of Fort Worth’s original one-story chapel at the corner of Fourth and Jones streets in downtown Fort Worth. He would later serve as the building committee chairman for the present church, which has stood magnificently looking over West Fifth since 1930. And his wife, Louella, used to deliver food and share the Word of God to those in need in Fort Worth by horse and buggy.
Though James’ son, Edward L. Baker Sr., would take over his father’s nursery (the same nursery that furnished the elm tree that President Theodore Roosevelt planted in front of the Fort Worth Public Library in 1904), Edward’s real El Dorado came in the form of real estate. The graduate of Central High School (that’s Paschal today) had a big hand in developing Wedgwood, Richland Hills, the Richland Industrial Park, and the Baker Building in downtown Fort Worth. The latter, at 110 West Seventh St., is an 11-story edifice that once belonged to the XTO portfolio of properties in downtown. Edward, who died in 1969,
the city, at least three generations of notability, and a continued and influential presence within the community. While there is little doubt many more families exist that meet the above criteria, after much debate, research, and consideration, we landed on the following 17 families.
From oil tycoons and sultans of salsa to builders of schools and namesakes of stadiums, these are the families that have defined and continue to shape our city. And while each bloodline has power and influence in common, they also have one other shared trait: humble beginnings.
(Editor’s note: as legacy families have wed into other legacy families, some names have become inextricably tied, thus you will see hyphenations where we deemed appropriate.)
and his wife, Maxine, were leaders in the capital campaign that raised $1 million for the construction of Methodist Hospital — what is today Texas Health Harris Methodist Fort Worth — tower in 1930 just as the Great Depression formed its hardened grip on society.
The Bakers’ daughter, Louella — named for her grandmother — and her husband, Nick Martin, would continue the family’s philanthropic principles. The couple have been generous benefactors to the hospital, First United Methodist Church of Fort Worth, and Texas Wesleyan University, where she has served on the board
of trustees. The Nick and Lou Martin University Center, opened in 2019.
Nick Martin, who died in 2021, was joined by Brad Corbett, among others, in founding Robintech, a Fort Worth-based manufacturer of plastic pipe used in the oil industry and elsewhere. He was successful in other ventures, including real estate development, and was, at one time, part-owner of the nowWorld-Series-Champion Texas Rangers.
BASS-RICHARDSON
The first Bass to leave his mark on North Texas was outlaw Sam Bass, no relation to the distinguished Fort
Worth family. The BassRichardsons are an extended family of powerbrokers and philanthropists that began their Fort Worth legacy with Sid W. Richardson (1891-1959).
Sid made and lost several fortunes in the oil industry before branching out into ranching and collecting Western art. His sister married Edward Perry Bass, and their son, Perry Richardson Bass went to work for Uncle Sid and became heir to a large part of the Richardson fortune when Sid died in 1959. He left large bequests to Perry Bass and to each of his four greatnephews, Sid, Lee, Edward, and Robert.
This quintet of men parlayed their millions into billions with shrewd investments in the decades following. The “boys” created Sundance Square and related developments to revive downtown Fort Worth after years of urban decline. In the meantime, Sid Richardson had joined with another powerful Fort Worth name, Amon Carter, in 1947 to create the Sid W. Richardson Foundation, which still supports various organizations and cultural institutions in Fort Worth and Dallas.
Sid’s legacy lives on in
downtown Fort Worth in the form of the Sid Richardson Museum, which holds his Western art collection. Perry Bass and wife Nancy Lee Bass used their fortune to fund, among other things, the Bass Performance Hall.
Meanwhile, the four brothers’ vision brought nightlife and residential living back to downtown Fort Worth — heck, there are even a couple of glass-clad skyscrapers known colloquially as the “Bass Towers.” They have slowed down since launching the Sundance development in the 1980s, but they can still look down on their creation from either one of these 500foot edifices.
Ed Bass, whose previous eclectic ventures include Biosphere 2 and Caravan of Dreams, spearheaded the development of Dickies Arena, which opened for concerts, rodeos, and professional lacrosse games in 2019. And Lee and wife Ramona became the driving forces behind the Fort Worth Zoo’s resurrection and current national prominence.
When Texas Monthly compiled a list of “The 100 Rich-
est People in Texas” in 1989, the Basses occupied six places on the list. Theirs is a mighty legacy.
CANTEY-HOGSETT-HARRISON
Samuel B. Cantey came to Texas from Alabama in 1880 and a year later settled in Fort Worth. He entered the legal profession, which was a sure path to success for men on the make in the 19th century. He proved to be a brilliant lawyer and a stem-winding speaker and joined William Capps to start the firm Cantey Capps in 1882. The duo established a reputation as the go-to law firm in Fort Worth for those in serious legal trouble. And with a succession of estimable partners, the firm is still in business today.
Cantey parlayed his fees into a large ranch and was a powerbroker in the city when he died in 1924. Son Samuel B. Cantey Jr. joined the firm in 1922 and made his own mark as counsel to the First National Bank and a Grand Master of the Masonic order. Sam B. Cantey III sidestepped law and went into the banking business while making his mark as an art
collector and arts promoter. It was said of him when he died in 1973 that he had done more than any other “to develop taste in the arts in Fort Worth.”
In 1888, the family’s patriarch, Samuel Cantey with wife, Marguerite, had a daughter whom they named after her mother. Their daughter would go on to marry Joseph B. “Joe” Hogsett, a man who served 41 years on the board of the Tarrant County Water Control and Improvement District One — the first official name of the Tarrant Regional Water District. And Joe’s father, Jonathan Young “J.Y.” Hogsett, was a prominent attorney and judge who drew up the first city charter — a plaque on the east side of the horse fountain on courthouse square is dedicated in his honor.
Joe and Marguerite would have two daughters, Anna “Chiss” Gordon (born 1918), who was a founder of the Jewel Charity Ball and major Tarleton State University benefactor — having gifted Tarleton in 2011 with its single largest donation in school history — and Marguerite Harrison (born 1926), who married James Martin Harrison. This name is important
J.Y. Hogsett
Edward L. Baker Sr.
Edward Bass straddles a pony with father, Perry Bass, to his left and uncle, Sid Richardson, to his right
Anna Gordon (née Hogsett) with her two children, William Jr. and Marguerite
Martin Harrison. This name is important because James Martin Harrison is the man who invented the polystyrene cup (AKA, Styrofoam), and his father, William Marshall Harrison, opened the city’s first filling station near what is today Montgomery Plaza.
The Cantey, Hogsett, and Harrison names live on through James and Marguerite’s four children, including daughters Marsha Kleinheinz, who’s married to John Kleinheinz, a local businessman who famously struck gold with treacherous Russian investments; Anna Melissa Philpott; and Tina Gorski, all of whom sit on the board of directors for the Cliburn.
CARTER
No family has left a bigger imprint on Fort Worth than the Amon Carters. Arguably the city’s biggest booster and responsible for putting Fort Worth on the national map, Amon G. Carter Sr., the only Fort Worthian with two biographies of his life, was behind the Frontier Centennial celebration in 1936, the Will Rogers Complex, a national airport, the bomber plant, the newspaper with the biggest circulation in Texas, a radio and a television sta-
tion, a museum that became the genesis of the Cultural District, and with making Fort Worth the gateway to West Texas. He did all that with only an eighth-grade education before breaking into the newspaper business in 1906 as a 26-year-old advertising manager. That led to creating the Star-Telegram three years later and becoming owner of his creation in 1923. California had William Randolph Hearst; Fort Worth had Amon Carter. He took on the Hearst syndicate, Dallas, and anyone else who challenged his hometown.
His son, Amon Carter Jr., fought in World War II, receiving a bronze star for his heroic acts as a German POW. Upon Amon Carter Sr.’s death in 1955, his son succeeded him as publisher of the Star-Telegram, which he continued to run until his death in 1982.
Meanwhile, Ruth Carter, the daughter and sister respectively of Amon Carter Sr. and Jr., carved out her own niche, creating the Amon Carter Museum of Western Art (now American Art) and becoming a respected figure in the art world. On Nov. 21, 1963, she rounded up original art from her society friends to decorate the Hotel Texas suite
of the President and Mrs. John F. Kennedy.
Ruth’s marriage to J. Lee Johnson III ended in divorce in 1980 but produced five children, including Sheila Johnson, a civic leader and philanthropist who received the 2016 VolunteerNow Lifetime Achievement Award; and Mark Johnson, who is the previous president of the TCU Board of Trustees and is currently serving on the board of the Amon Carter Museum of American Art.
CHENEY-SANDERS
In 1887, only two decades removed from the ratification of the 13th Amendment, Major and Malinda Cheney helped settle Fort Worth’s first Freedman Colony — The Garden of Eden. Freedmen Colonies were Black communities established during the Jim Crow-era, when laws were enacted to restrict former slaves and their progeny from
fully integrating into society.
Major and Malinda were among the earliest inhabitants of what was colloquially referred to as the Garden, acquiring 200 acres — thanks largely to Major being the son of a White slaveowner and a Black slave (most opportunities for land ownership were otherwise scarce to nonexistent among former slaves) — along the Trinity River and creating a farm community rife with crops, livestock, homes for their children and fellow freedmen, and a place for worship. In 1891, Major donated an acre of the Garden to open the Birdville Colored School, a one-room schoolhouse that became Birdville ISD’s first school for Black children during segregation. Because of his contributions to education, Cheney Hills Elementary, which opened in 2020, is named in honor of Major Cheney. The school is a result of the consolidation of Major Cheney Elementary in Haltom City and Richland Hills Elementary.
Major and Malinda would have seven children, and the family largely remained part of the Garden’s community in the decades that followed, enduring the worst of the era of Jim Crow, including
Amon Carter and son Amon Carter Jr. standing with U.S. federal judge Kenesaw Mountain Landis
Edward and Bob Bass
The Carter family
Bob Ray Sanders
false accusations of rape, attempted lynchings, and the murder of their eldest son.
In 2005, the Fort Worth City Council voted to designate the area along Carson Street near Haltom City, where a handful of homes remain and where the school once stood, the Garden of Eden Historic District.
The Cheney name lives on largely via Sanders, another family of freed slaves who had settled in the Garden. Among the descendants of Major and Malinda whose paths to success were opened, thanks to the Civil Rights Act of 1964, is prominent local journalist and civil rights activist Bob Ray Sanders. One of 10 children, Bob Ray is a great-grandson to Major and Malinda and graduated from I.M. Terrell High School in 1965. He would go on to have a 45-year career at his hometown newspaper, the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, where he received a Pulitzer Prize nomination in 2011 and would serve as president of the press club of Fort Worth.
In 2018, the National Association of Black Journalists inducted him
into their hall of fame.
Bob Ray’s nephew and niece — brother and sister Andrew Sanders and Brenda Sanders-Wise — have also become prominent and active members within the community.
Following 30 years of research, Andrew compiled a history of the Cheney-Sanders clan, The Garden of Eden: The Story of a Freedmen’s Community in Texas, which was released via TCU Press in 2015. The book has become quintessential reading for those interested in Tarrant County Black history.
His sister, Sanders-Wise, became the first Black school board trustee of Birdville ISD in 2021 and serves as the head of the Tarrant County Black Historical Genealogical Society, which runs the Lenora Butler Rolla Museum.
DALTON
In Fort Worth, the face of a black-haired, cross-eyed toddler with a red bow and tongue sticking upward easily beats out Vlasic’s stork as the mascot for pickles. This face, which graces every bottle of Best Maid Pickles, is the face of Margie Dalton, daughter of Mildred and Jesse Otis Dalton, the company’s founders.
The Best Maid brand, whose beginnings as Mrs. Dalton’s Salad Dressing kicked off in Mansfield in 1924, is today helmed by fourth generation Daltons, including Brian Dalton, who serves as the company’s CFO and president, and Chris Dalton, Brian’s brother who manages the tankyard where the pickling process occurs. Brian and Chris’ father, Gary Dalton, continues to serve as the chairman and oversaw massive growth in the 1980s and ’90s, when the company went from being a regional player to national prominence.
In 1926, the company expanded from exclusively producing mayonnaise to making condiments that included pickles and selling them door to door. The company was then passed on to Garland Son Dalton (yes, his middle name is Son), whose first job with the company was making deliveries for pickles and condiments after school.
The company remained a big regional player in the pickle industry throughout the ’70s and ’80s and expanded in 1988 beyond its then five-state territory to include much of the Southern U.S. — stretching from Florida to Arizona.
With the advent of e-commerce, Best Maid continued to diversify its offerings, which today includes Bloody Mary mix, barbecue sauce, and a pickle beer in partnership with local brewery, Martin House, which hit shelves in 2017. The Pickle Emporium, Best Maid’s brick-and-mortar retail shop, opened its doors in 2020.
EDWARDS
Fort Worth, cattle, and money seem to go hand in hand. The Edwards family’s connection to the city dates back to 1848, when Lemuel Edwards founded a ranch on this land even before there was a Fort Worth. The ranch passed on to his son, Caswell Overton Edwards, in 1869 who grew it to 7,000 acres of rolling prairie and meandering creek and was still in the saddle in 1932 when the Star-Telegram named him at 81 the “oldest working cowboy in Texas.”
Cass Edwards and son Crawford O. Edwards ran the ranch until Edwards Sr. died in 1941. Crawford died a year later, leaving it in the hands of Cass Edwards II who added the role of president of Cassco Land Company and bank director to his resume. Cassco Land Company whittled the property down by
Cass Edwards Sr. shares a birthday cake with Cynthia Sisk.
Cass Edwards Jr. (left) stands at the site of a new city park in Tanglewood
Patricia, Gary, and Garland “Son” Dalton
Mildred Dalton
The Hickman family, from left to right, Brenda, Brad, Jo, and Bradley
selling off sections to developers that created Tanglewood and Overton Park subdivisions starting in 1956, Hulen Mall in the late 1970s, and Cityview in 1984, and Trinity Commons, Clearfork, and Overton Woods in the preceding years. Over the decades, the family’s vision transformed rural pasture and woodlands into prime suburban development.
South Hulen might be called the Edwards Monument, stretching from Tanglewood Elementary and Edwards Ranch Pump Station, going under I-20 to Hulen Mall and beyond. The original homestead of Cass Edwards Sr. still stands on S. Hulen, sitting at the end of a gated driveway. People of a certain age can remember when South Hulen was a dirt track that ended at Loop 820 South. The Edwards’ name is synonymous with the development of southwest Fort Worth, which became some of the city’s most sought-after real estate. And some 850 acres of the original property are still undeveloped.
The fifth generation of the Edwards family is still active in running Cassco Land Co. Crawford H. Edwards currently serves as the company’s president and, in May of this
year, received the city council’s approval for a $22 million tax incentive plan to begin a $400 million, 25-acre expansion of Clearfork.
where Jessie prepared lunches.
GARCIA-LANCARTE FAMILY
Historically, due to restrictive laws, segregation, and racism, members of minority communities had a plethora of obstacles when it came to making a mark on Fort Worth. In the early 20th century, Mexican immigrants and people of Hispanic heritage were confined to the city’s North Side and near Hemphill Street in its southern quarter, where property ownership for Mexican Americans was less restrictive.
However, one of the few businesses where they could thrive was food. According to census data from the late 19th century, some of the oldest Fort Worth residents of Mexican decent were tamale and chili peddlers. Joe T. Garcia, who had been a Fort Worth resident since 1914, and wife Jessie (known by family members as “Mamasuez”) opened a little barbecue restaurant in a small frame house on the city’s North Side in 1935. Joe started out working at his uncle’s grocery store,
The lunches proved so popular that Joe branched out on his own to open Joe’s Place in the middle of the Great Depression. Their drive coupled with his bigger-than-life personality and her cooking skills turned the eatery into an institution. Eventually, they gave up the barbecue for Tex-Mex dishes made from scratch and served family style.
The restaurant’s popularity grew and with it so did Joe T.’s political influence, as the restaurateur became a political powerbroker who could deliver the North Side to the party/candidate he favored.
Following the unexpected passing of Joe in 1953, Joe and Jessie’s daughter, Hope, together with her husband, Paul Lancarte, would help manage the restaurant and rebranded it Joe T Garcia’s.
Lanny Lancarte, the eldest of Paul and Hope’s seven children, would take over management in 1982. And he, along with brothers David (who passed in 2005), Joe, Jesse, and Philip, and sisters Zurella and Elizabeth,
ushered in an era of growth.
The business now includes Esperanza’s Bakery and Café and an expansion of the original restaurant that takes up an entire city block. The large patio regularly receives national media attention and has a seating capacity of over 1,000.
Today, many of Paul and Hope’s grandchildren remain active in the family business, including Joe Lancarte Jr., who became the restaurant’s general manager in 2002, and Kelly Lancarte, who serves as the company’s director of marketing and public relations. Lanny Lancarte Jr., son of Lanny Lancarte, also remains active and influential in the local culinary scene, having opened Righteous Foods, a health-conscious restaurant in the city’s Cultural District, in 2014.
HICKMAN
The Hickmans kickstarted their family fortune, ironically enough, with a bit of misfortune. When a runaway train struck Austin Hickman, he’d survive and receive a small settlement. With that money, he opened a battery repair business with his brother, Cecil, in Oklahoma. After the battery station
Lanny Lancarte with daughter, Kelly
Hope and Paul Lancarte
Joe T. Garcia’s
Holt Hickman, far left, and C.R. Hickman, far right, at the Fort Worth Battery and Automotive Company
closed, Cecil uprooted his family — wife, Eurith, and two children, Holt and Brenda — and moved to Fort Worth, where he opened Fort Worth Battery and Automotive.
His son, Holt Hickman, at the age of 25, would join the business. And six years later, he would buy it. The following year, Hickman founded Lone Star Manufacturing Co., a venture that would become the world’s largest automotive HVAC system company. From this initial enterprise, Hickman would go on to found more than 70 corporations in a variety of businesses that include automotive HVAC, cruise controls and security systems, hospitality, retail and commercial real estate, oil and gas, farming, ranching, and entertainment.
With the money he earned from these ventures, Hickman would turn around and invest in Fort Worth real estate, becoming one of the city’s most prominent developers.
Hickman would die in 2014, but, despite his extensive business forays and successes, his biggest legacy will little doubt be the development and preservation of the Fort Worth Stockyards. Hickman owned or co-owned 100 of 125 acres in the historic
Stockyards, spearheaded the arrival of a tourist train into the Stockyards, and was the driving force behind the twicedaily cattle drives — one of the city’s biggest attractions.
Today, Hickman’s son and grandson, Brad and Bradley, continue his legacy to preserve, restore, and promote the Stockyards. The biggest feather in Brad’s cap, who currently serves as president of Hickman Companies, is the 2020 opening of Mule Alley, a $200 redevelopment of the area’s old horse and mule barns, and the subsequent opening of Hotel Drover. Since its opening, the area has seen a marked increase in visitation and, according to Fort Worth Stockyards Heritage Development, no vacant business spaces currently exist.
KIMBELL-FORTSON
The Kimbell and Fortson families represent a merger of both genes and business interests. Like his father, B.B. Kimbell, who first brought the family to Texas from Florida — though to East Texas’ Oakwood, not Fort Worth — Kay Kimbell (1886-1964) made money in flour milling then
grew that business into more than 70 diverse corporations. Like others on this list, he was an art collector. Kimbell died childless, and with wife Velma’s blessing, he left the bulk of his fortune to the Kimbell Art Foundation with instructions to use it to build an art museum “of the first rate” in his adopted hometown of Fort Worth.
Proving that all does not go smoothly even among the high and the mighty, two Kimbell cousins hired Melvin Belli to sue for a share of the estate. They lost. Kimbell’s business partner, Coleman Carter, had one daughter who was also a niece to Kay and Velma, and whose name she shared with her uncle: Kay. She married Benjamin Fortson, founder of Fortson Oil, a man who knew his way around an oil field or boardroom but followed his wife’s lead in art, which followed her uncle’s lead. Ben and Kay Fort-
son directed the early years of the Kimbell Art Foundation which laid the groundwork for construction of the Kimbell Art Museum, admired by critics as “one of the finest small art museums in the world.”
In 2009, the museum made international headlines as it became the first museum east of the Prime Meridian to acquire an original Michelangelo painting, “The Torment of Saint Anthony.”
Keeping it in the family, the Kimbell Art Museum elected Kimbell Fortson Wynne, daughter of Ben and Kay, as president in 2017 — though Kay remains the museum’s chairman. Kay was also one of the inheritors of her grandfather’s KB Carter Ranch — the KB standing for Kimbell’s Best — located in the aforementioned Oakwood. According to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram the 15,000-acre ranch went on the market in 2018 with a $51 million price tag and sold in 2020 to an arm of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.
LEONARD
Before there was a Walmart, Fort Worth had Leonard’s Department Store, the creation of brothers Marvin, Thomas, and Obie Leonard.
Kay Kimbell Carter [Fortson]
Holt Hickman
Kay Kimbell
Kay Carter Fortson and Velma Fuller Kimbell
PHOTO BY CRYSTAL WISE
The Lancartes, left to right, Joe, Jesse, Liz, Phillip, Zurella, Lanny
They opened their store in 1918 and over the next four decades built it into the Southwest’s retail giant, selling everything from groceries to home furnishings and auto supplies. They opened a second store, Everybody’s (the Dollar General of its day) and amassed a retail footprint that took up six downtown blocks. Obie Jr. joined the business after World War II.
The Leonards were retail pioneers with their Toyland department, privately owned subway to a remote parking lot, air conditioning, Christmas decorations, and Fort Worth’s first escalator. Pushing for progress in every way, they were also the first downtown store to desegregate in 1960. The brand was so popular that it’s even referenced in Willie Nelson’s Christmas tune, “Pretty Paper.” Marvin Leonard also found time to build Colonial Country Club (1936), which in 1946 became home to what is now the longest running nonmajor tour event on the PGA Tour, the Colonial National Invitation. Marvin also founded Shady Oaks Country Club in 1955 and Starr Hollow Golf Club in 1969.
The family finally sold Leonard’s Department Store
to Tandy Corporation in 1967 and seven years later, Tandy would sell the company to Dillard’s, and the “Leonard’s” name came down for good. They had been pioneers in the Great Age of Department Stores, showing the Monnigs and Striplings a thing or two.
The family name was carried on by Marvin’s daughter, Martha Vaughan “Marty” Leonard, who started her own business and devoted her life to community service. She raised the money to build the Marty Leonard Community Chapel — a marvel of beautiful architecture located on the old Lena Pope Home property — and served on the Tarrant County Regional District Water Board; is an active board member of Baylor, Scott & White’s All Saints Foundation; and was a 2011 inductee into the Texas Golf Hall of Fame. In 2003 she received the Golden Deeds Award for her service.
The Leonard name has also become prominent in law and local politics. Bob Leonard, grandson of Obie, served as the District 97 state representative for five terms between 1979 and 1987 and currently has a law office in Benbrook.
LUPTON
At the time of Charles A. Lupton’s death in 1948, Texas Gov. Buford Jester expressed sympathy for the family of his friend.
“He was a man who, through his generosity of time and means, was a builder of his community and the highest type of citizen.”
Lupton moved to Fort Worth in 1911 when he and Tom Brown acquired the local Coca-Cola bottling plant. Brown had had a theatrical association in Dallas. Taking note of lagging sales at the cold drink stand, Brown found, in his opinion, the soda water was of poor quality and made the executive decision to go with Coca-Cola. When he called to inquire with Coke, the salesman was Lupton.
That phone call began a lifelong friendship and business association that expanded to other interests, including ranching and oil. With a fortune secure, Lupton gave his time to civic endeavors, including the Lena Pope Home, which he gave freely of his time and treasure. Lupton was, Lena Pope said upon his death in 1948, the nonprofit’s
largest contributor and “most faithful consultant.”
In fact, during its first year of operation, Lupton told the women operating the home for 14 children to not even worry about a grocery bill.
He was director of the Fort Worth Stock Show and for the three years prior to his death had paid the premium price for the grand champion steer.
An ardent baseball fan, Lupton probably saved the game in Fort Worth. A frequent visitor to LaGrave Field, Lupton became a stockholder and director of the minor league Fort Worth Cats in 1936 and contributed heavily to keeping the team in the Texas League despite poor seasons and scant attendance that put the organization in poor financial conditions. The Brown-Lupton Foundation also made the signature gift to the construction of TCU’s baseball stadium.
Lupton, who died relatively young at age 63, and his wife, Marie, had two daughters, Shirley and Gloria. Shirley is the mother of Charlie Geren,who today is one of the most powerful members of the Texas House of Representatives, as well as the owner of the venerable Railhead Smokehouse on Montgomery Street. Gloria Lupton Tennison
C.A. Lupton and daughter Gloria (to his right) stand with the grand champion steer at the 1947 Stock Show
Marvin Leonard, left, presents the Colonial Invitation title to Sam Snead
Leonard daughters (left to right) Martha, Madelon, Mary, and Miranda
Gloria Lupton
is the mother of Kit Tennison Moncrief, currently the chair of the TCU Board of Trustees. Moncrief’s daughter, Gloria, heads Moncrief Oil, which serves as a great segue into our next family.
MONCRIEF
Wildcatters, elected officials, philanthropists, and authors. The Moncrief family has done it all. The namesake son of the founder was so much bigger than life he got the nickname “Tex.” That tends to get your attention.
The family patriarch, William A. “Monty” Moncrief Sr., founded the dynasty when he struck it rich in the East Texas oilfields. His son, William A. Jr., would then turn their small successes into a bona fide fortune when he partnered with his father in Moncrief Oil, called Montex, based in Fort Worth. They brought in oil wells and natural gas fields all over the country. Tex Moncrief ran the family business from 1948. Through the decades, Moncrief would make significant discoveries of natural gas in Wyoming, as well as discoveries along the Gulf Coast in both his home state and Louisiana.
In 1989, Texas Monthly named Tex one of the “100
Richest People in Texas.” The business model was always to keep it in the family and never go public. The company fended off an IRS investigation in the 1990s, the same decade Forbes Magazine estimated the family wealth at $500 million and rising.
And the family would put their wealth to good use, endowing buildings and programs at several Texas colleges and universities, including TCU. Perhaps their biggest contribution is to medicine, including gifts of $25 million to open the UT Southwestern Monty and Tex Moncrief Medical Center at Fort Worth and $75 million for the Moncrief Cancer Institute.
The family’s unrestrained philanthropy and numerous foundations will no doubt be their lasting legacy.
The Moncrief name also extends beyond oil and philanthropy, with Tex’s nephew, Mike Moncrief, making a name for himself in local politics. Mike would serve as a judge of the Tarrant County Commissioners Court from 1974 to 1986, as a state senator from 1991 to 2003, and then as mayor of Fort Worth from 2003 to 2011. Under Mike’s mayorship, he shaped the city’s gas drilling regula-
tions that are considered a standard bearer across other cities, brought the Omni Hotel to downtown, and promoted new development in decaying parts of the city. In addition, his wife, Rosie, was instrumental in bringing Super Bowl XLV to Tarrant County.
Tex would have seven children from three marriages, with two dying young. Shortly after Tex’s death in 2021 at the age of 101, infighting over the family’s fortune made local headlines. Regardless, many family members are still actively involved in Moncrief Oil and Montex Drilling, with the Gloria Moncrief Holmsten, daughter of Charles and Kit Moncrief, at the helm. The name remains one of Fort Worth’s most imposing.
MURRIN
Few people have left their thumbprint on the development of Fort Worth as noticeably as Steve Murrin, the ordained “Mayor of the Stockyards.” Murrin led the charge in the 1970s to preserve and ultimately restore the Fort Worth Stockyards, as the now-bustling area of town had been relegated to crumbling historic buildings, transients, and high crime rates. What is today Fort
Worth’s leading driver of tourism can largely be attributed to Murrin’s blood, sweat, and tears over the course of several decades.
Murrin is a third-generation Fort Worthian, his grandfather having immigrated to Fort Worth from Ireland in 1885, opening a saloon on the city’s south side. His son, Stephen Murrin Sr., worked in the Stockyards for Edward Kerr, the largest cattle trader in Fort Worth at the time. After returning from World War I, Murrin Sr. would open a chili parlor and would later open a restaurant on Camp Bowie called Steve’s Place, which was one of the city’s first carhop restaurants. The restaurant occupied the building where Lucile’s currently resides, and, if you know where to look, Stephen Murrin’s name is on the sidewalk.
Despite the hardships of the Great Depression, Murrin Sr. would purchase a small ranch in the rolling hills of west Fort Worth after saving money from peddling ham sandwiches in the Stockyards. This is the ranch where, in 1938, Murrin was born and resides today.
Murrin’s efforts to halt wrecking crews and purchase and flip Stockyards real estate
William “Tex” Moncrief
Steve Murrin Jr., with his sisters (left to right) Susan and Mary Caroline
Elizabeth Moncrief with her grandchildren (left to right) William III, Richard Jr., Richard Wesley, and Herbert
(while being selective with potential purchasers) would ultimately prove successful. He would save Cowtown Coliseum and return rodeos to the Stockyards. The district would earn a listing on the National Register of Historic Places in 1976. And Billy Bob’s Texas would open its doors as the world’s largest honky-tonk in 1981 — of which he became part of a new ownership group in 1988.
Murrin would also serve as a councilman for District 7 from 1986 to 1990.
Today, Murrin’s children, Phillip and Steve, run most of Murrin’s Stockyard holdings, which includes River Ranch and numerous other properties whose tenants are some of the area’s staples. The family is also going full steam ahead with the redevelopment of Westland, which they hope to make a dining destination for Fort Worthians. JD’s Hamburgers and Dayne’s Craft Barbecue are some of the most recent businesses to call the area home.
RENFRO
Some Fort Worth families made their name in bread (Mrs. Baird); others made their name in fish (Bill Martin). The Renfros made
theirs in condiments Theirs was a well-known family name long before George and Arthurine Renfro started their business in 1940. Earlier, the name was associated with law enforcement, thanks to John W. Renfro (1866-1965), a pioneering police chief who ended the reign of “blue laws” in Fort Worth, and with drugstores, thanks to Elza Tillman Renfro who created a chain of 43 drugstores stretching across the city.
George and Arthurine started by selling spices and vinegar out of their home on Gould Avenue. They would continue to diversify their products based on the demands of their clientele — so long as it was something one could put in a jar — selling everything under the label Renfro Foods. In 1963, the Mrs. Renfro brand was born and the pair’s sons, Bill and Jack, would become actively involved in the business — taking over the reins in 1970. By the time a third generation of George and Arthurine Renfro’s family took over the business, they had sales topping $15 million a year. Today, the company is headed by Jack’s son, Doug Renfro, who serves as president; Becky
Renfro Borbolla, Bill’s daughter, who serves as senior vice president; and James Renfro, Bill’s son, who also serves as a senior vice president. The company has also diversified its offerings, which now counts 28 unique salsas, dips, relishes, and sauces in its product lineup — all made right here in Fort Worth and in all 50 states and over 30 foreign countries. The company also puts its Fort Worth factory to good use, producing products far beyond those labeled Mrs. Renfro’s and taking on other companies’ outsourced manufacturing.
In 2011 Renfro Foods was awarded the Small Business of the Year award from the Chamber of Commerce. More than just a business, Renfro Foods is also a longtime supporter of the Women’s Shelter, Cook Children’s Medical Center, the Fort Worth Opera, and other communitycentric organizations.
WALSH
William Fleming, born in Whitewright, made his fortune in the classic Texas tradition — oil. His first oil investments were made in Wichita County, and he soon became a millionaire.
He contributed millions
of dollars a year both locally and worldwide to advance the work of Baptist missions, including to Baylor University and Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth. For his stewardship of treasure, he was selected a trustee of the Baptist theological university. Baylor gave him an honorary degree of laws in 1952.
“Christianity is my business,” he once said, according to the New York Times. “All other business is incidental.” He was also friendly with President Dwight Eisenhower, who came to Fort Worth at Fleming’s invitation to speak to the Texas Baptist General Convention in 1950.
Fleming named his first successful well for his daughter, “Mary D1,” (Mary Walsh was known to friends as “Mary D”), who would wed F. Howard Walsh in 1937. Walsh, a Waco-born TCU grad followed his father-in-law into the oil business, where, also like his father-in-law, he would make a fortune as one of the largest independent oil producers and ranchers.
And he shared it.
Perhaps the most favorite beneficiary of Walsh and his wife Mary was TCU, including a $3.5 million gift for the TCU
Bill, Authurine, and Jack Renfro
George Renfo
Steve Murrin Sr. (right) with Bob Greenfield in Westland
performing arts center that, at the time, was one of the largest gifts in university history. However, their philanthropy knew few bounds. Hospitals, churches, and the arts community were other favored institutions.
The couple had five children, including F. Howard Walsh Jr., who also followed in the family oil and ranching business. He died in 2016.
Today, F. Howard Walsh III, grandson to F. Howard Walsh Sr. and Mary D. Walsh, leads the Walsh Companies, a collection of privatelyowned companies based in Fort Worth, including Walsh Ranches and Walsh & Watts. The companies are involved in ranching, real estate development, oil and gas, renewables, mining, and investments. Walsh III joined his family’s office in 1999 and has served as president of the Walsh Companies since 2018.
Walsh is guiding the development vision at the 7,200-acre property in West Fort Worth known as WALSH. The property, which straddles Interstates 20 and 30 just
west of Fort Worth, was for decades the headquarters of the family ranching operations and one of the premier Charolais breeding operations in the country.
Opened in 2017, WALSH is the connectivity point for economic development, corporate activity, and lifestyle in west Fort Worth and is home to nearly 4,000 residents.
Elsewhere on the family tree is local restaurateur Jon Bonnell, who is one of 15 first cousins to count F. Howard Walsh as their grandfather. Bonnell owns and operates five restaurants in Fort Worth, including Bonnell’s Fine Texas Cuisine, Waters Restaurant, Buffalo Bros. (two locations), and Jon’s Grille.
WILLIAMSON
In the clothing business “dickie” was once associated with a neckwear fashion popular in the 1960s. Ironically, Emmett Eugene Dickie and his cousin Charles Nathan Williamson weren’t interested in fashion when they created their line of work clothes in 1922 based in Fort
Worth. Called WilliamsonDickie, the company produced bib coveralls and khaki work pants beloved by factory and oil-field workers. Charles Nathan would die in 1937 after striking his head on an iron box, and his son, Charles Donovan “Don” Williamson, who was already acting as the company’s general manager and chief operating officer, would then take over the company.
During his tenure, Williamson-Dickie would produce millions of military uniforms on the home front during World War II, an aiding hand that earned praise from servicemembers who applauded the quality and durability of the uniforms. In the 1950s, the company would expand internationally, becoming sought-after wardrobe for oil workers in the Middle East.
In 1961, Don Williamson died, leaving the company to his son, Charles Dickie Williamson. Thanks to their branding, the company would be known colloquially as Dickies. In 1989, Texas Monthly ranked Charles Dickie Williamson as one of the “100 Richest People in Texas.” The article poses the question, “Isn’t [Dickies] just about the silliest name for a
line of work clothes.” Dickie responded, “It’s a silly name for a person, too?”
While the brand would remain popular among workers, it was eventually adopted as leisure wear by Baby Boomers and, later, as stylish duds by Millennials. As one Forbes article put it in 1998, “The fashionable stumbled onto Dickies.”
The company would trade hands from one Williamson to another for a fourth time, when Philip C. Williamson took the reins in 1997.
The brand had grown into a $200-plus million a year business by the time the family sold the company to global apparel and footwear company VF Corporation in 2017. Philip still serves in an advisory role.
The family has also left their mark by purchasing the hundred-year-old Stephen F. Austin School on the Near Southside, restoring it, and using the building as the Dickies corporate headquarters. It’s also worth noting their company possesses the naming rights to the city’s largest venue, Dickies Arena.
Mary and F. Howard Walsh
F. Howard Walsh with children (left to right) Maudi, Richard, Howard Jr., and D’Ann
C.N. Williamson
The Renfros, from left to right, James, Becky [Borbolla], and Doug
It’s been this many years since a little city magazine caused a daily newspaper to have a conniption and inspired a neighboring rival to step up its design.
Happy birthday to us.
BY BRIAN KENDALL
It’s a daunting yet interesting task to write a longform feature about a magazine where the writer of said feature also works.
However, if there’s one subject an industry professional loves to tackle, it’s their own industry. Hollywood loves to make movies about Hollywood. Writers can’t resist writing about, well, writers. And I suppose magazine editors enjoy producing feature packages centered around magazines.
And being so close to the subject matter — I’ve worked here for five years — also grants me particular insight and understanding. So, I put aside questions concerning conflicts of interest and whatever clouded judgments may exist to enthusiastically accept the challenge to write an article in honor of Fort Worth Magazine’s 25th anniversary.
I would end up interviewing the co-founder and the magazine’s first publisher, Mark Hulme, along with co-founder, owner, and current publisher, Hal Brown, and two long-time employees, Gina Wigginton and Marion Knight. In the case of Gina, she serves as employee zero — one of the company’s first two employees — along with Diane Stow Ayres — if you’ll pardon the reference to medical terminology.
Gina was a guinea pig, agreeing to come in and test an unproven product — a complete risk considering she was coming from the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, which, at that time, was a behemoth and still being delivered to the doorsteps of many a Fort Worthian who were paying for the privilege. But, somehow, she was convinced to take the leap.
The story of how Gina and Diane would end up coming to work for what was then Fort Worth, Texas, magazine is one Mark tells with glee.
The magazine, in preparation for its first issue, put together a media kit — something that gave the lowdown about the magazine to advertisers: what it was, what readers could expect editorially, and how much an ad cost. Since there was yet to be a single issue, there was no proof of concept and the media kit was the only thing that could drive sales.
Of course, Mark and Hal were already well aware of this; it wasn’t their first magazine. Fort Worth, Texas, was part of Magnolia Media Group, a magazine publishing company they had started together in 1995 that had previously launched publications such as Michaels Arts and Crafts, Pet Life, Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World, Builder’s Square Home Image, Chile Pepper, and Cowboys and Country This wasn’t their first rodeo. But, according to Mark, the magazine’s first creative director, Cheryl Corbitt, had done a standout job designing a firstrate, impressive media kit that was making the rounds.
“So, we hadn’t hired Gina or Diane yet, and the two of them were working for the Star-Telegram,” Mark says. “Jerry Scott [who at the time was the vice president of marketing for the Star-Telegram], says, ‘Well, you may or may not have heard of Fort Worth, Texas, magazine.’ He holds up the media kit in a sales meeting at the Star-Telegram in front of 60 or 70 people, and he continues, ‘But don’t worry, they won’t make it through a half-year.’”
Not long after this destroy-your-competition pep talk that Scott delivered, Gina and Diane were on the Fort Worth, Texas, sales team.
At the time, the Star-Telegram was divided between Fort Worth and Arlington, with Arlington being the Arlington Star-Telegram. The Star-Telegram was in the middle of a newspaper war with the Dallas Morning News, which had poured a lot of resources into Arlington in a bid to take the plum territory in Tarrant County away from its rival. The Star-Telegram had editorial and sales teams in Fort Worth and Arlington. Gina and Diane both worked on the Arlington side.
“We just won the competition [selling the most
ads] between Arlington and the Star-Telegram, so there was a lot of fun and hype around that,” Gina says. “But after, things started getting real sketchy at the paper. There just wasn’t a lot of stability. And there was an article that ran in one of our newspapers — someone wrote that someone was launching a Fort Worth city magazine. And I was just, like, ‘Oh, wow, that’d be so cool.’
“So, we were discussing it on the sales team. We needed a media kit, we needed to see what this is all about so we can be prepared for it. So, I just called them, pretending I was interested in advertising and ask for a media kit. Problem is, I’m not a good at playing poker.”
Gina was talking to Brent Lockhart, who was the magazine’s associate publisher. He would see through Gina’s ruse, coaxing out of her that she worked at the newspaper. Lockhart would pitch the idea of working at the startup magazine and, after an interview, would offer Gina a job. She would ultimately turn down the offer, but she did refer them to Diane, her work-neighbor who at the time was the top salesperson at the Star-Telegram.
“I mean, she was top dog,” Gina says. “I really didn’t think she’d do it, but she goes and takes the job.
“Then, for the next two weeks, she’s calling me every day, telling me, ‘You’re gonna love it. We’re downtown. We’re in the Tandy tower. It’s going to be beautiful at Christmas.’ And she finally talked enough to sell me on it.”
Getting two salespeople from the Star-Telegram turned out to be a coup that would pay dividends for the magazine in the both the short and long term. Mark credits Gina and Diane as being the reasons the magazine made it through its first few years of existence — a critical time when any new brand is on life-support, struggling to survive. Diane remained at the magazine, eventually rising to the rank of associate publisher, until her death in October 2019 of cancer. And Gina has stayed with the magazine through its 25-year run, remaining the publication’s longest-tenured employee.
Soon after the Star-Telegram defections of Gina and Diane, Mark and Hal received a telephone call from an agitated Wes Turner, publisher of the Star-Telegram.
“‘Stop poaching our people, or we’re going to bury you,’” Hal recalls him saying.
Gina would hear a similar spiel.
“Wes called to try to talk me out of leaving. He said we’d have to sell $400,000 in every issue and that it was never going to sustain itself. City magazines had been tried four different times, and
Mark & Louie Hulme, 1998
Hal Brown & Diane Stow Ayers, 1999
Mark Hulme, CC Risenhoover & Hal Brown, 1999
Joel Gregory, Mark Hulme & Hal Brown, 1996
Cheryl Corbitt, 1956-2001
Fort Worth, Texas magazine staff, 2008
he named off all of these different publications in town that started and didn’t make it work. He said, ‘It’s never going to make it. Never.’”
And, really, it shouldn’t have worked.
According to Magazine Training International, 60% of magazines published in the United States fail within their first year. And by their 10th year, only 10% of publications are left. At 25 years and counting, that makes Fort Worth Magazine an outlier. So, Turner’s and Scott’s pessimism wasn’t unfounded.
Fort Worth itself had already laid waste to a string of ill-fated city magazines. Why would this be any different? What ultimately gave Mark and Hal the gumption to hit the launch button was a recent success they had publishing a commemorative book on the opening of Bass Performance Hall in 1998. According to Hal, “When you’ve had a success like that, it no longer feels like it’s as big of a risk.”
Upon some reflection, Mark remembers it was his dad who planted the seed in his brain of a city magazine. In the magazine’s first publisher’s note, Mark is seen in a picture with his father Louie, and he explains that his father encouraged him to launch a magazine dedicated to the city more than a decade prior. The only reason he hadn’t pulled the trigger was due to a “plate full of distractions.”
Mark also noted that since “Fort Worth,” like all geographic places, isn’t trademarked, and you don’t have to license it, it made question of branding much easier.
Of course, in its first iteration, and up till 2017, the brand would have the somewhat superfluous suffix “Texas.”
“I’m not sure what inspired me to do that, but it was Fort Worth, comma, Texas,” Mark says. Hal happened to recall.
“When we were considering starting the magazine, we were looking down the road (literally down I-35) and considering the possibility of launching other city magazines. Waco didn’t have one, and Austin and San Antonio either didn’t have one or they weren’t significant. Our idea was that adding ‘Texas’ to the name would tie all the publications together when we ended up launching the other three.”
Like most successful business alliances, the one between Mark and Hal is certainly one of dichotomous personalities — one, fast-talking and by their own admission scatter brained, and the other, analytical and measured. And this typically is a recipe for success.
Having never previously met, their business partnership kicked off when Mark hired Hal as the agency director for The Summit Group, an ad agency Mark founded in the late 80s. But, as with all agencies, one is now at the mercy of their clients.
Amid the recession in 1991, The Summit Group’s largest client, Michaels Stores, took their business in-house. Looking to mitigate such a blow to the agency, Hal pitched Michaels the idea of a craft magazine that successfully won back their business. “Licensing their name, we would publish, own, and fund the magazine,” Hal explains.
The publication, bred from a brainstorming session between Hal, Mark, and other agency employees, would become Michaels Arts & Crafts, a magazine the agency would sell to Michaels six years later for $3.5 million.
Mark and Hal would eventually leave The Summit Group and co-found Magnolia Media Group — named for Magnolia Avenue on the city’s South Side where they officed at the time — in 1995. In the three-year span between 1995 and 1998, the company would launch nine national lifestyle magazine titles.
The first issue of Fort Worth, Texas, would hit newsstands in December of that year — a Christmas-themed issue that included tips for decorating for Christmas, recipes for dessert, and profiles on local sportscaster Scott Murray, Shelton Givens’ Barber Shop, and Iraqi immigrants.
In the magazine’s early years, Mark credits the design, provided by Corbitt, the magazine’s creative director, as being the publication’s main attraction.
Corbitt would remain in that role until her death from cancer in 2001. Today, the magazine honors Cheryl and Diane with the annual Cheryl Corbitt and Diane Stow Ayres Day of Service, when the company collectively partakes in community service with a nonprofit.
“Editorially, we mostly did fluff,” Mark says about the magazine’s early days. “It was fine, but it was fluff. We did the occasional investigative piece that was really rewarding, but where D Magazine was embedded in politics and controversy, we were just more friendly. More positive. I feel like the magazine has grown up into that and now delivers incredible stories that only a regional magazine could do well.
“But where we started pushing D Magazine was in the graphics department. The magazines we were producing were great graphically — a lot of avantgarde, out-of-the-box stuff. We actually motivated D Magazine to improve their graphics, and they’re much better at that today.”
Early issues did include timely and relevant stories on the Wedgwood Baptist Church shooting in 1999, the downtown tornado of 2000, and a particularly memorable interview with the elusive and disgraced Cullen Davis, who appeared at the magazine’s photoshoot sporting a tie clad in Looney Tunes. This image would grace the cover of the magazine’s February 2000 issue.
Later that year, the magazine would also introduce the Dream Home, where the publication partners with one of the area’s top builders, designers, and several subcontractors to build a multimillion-dollar luxury home. The program has remained the company’s flagship project and event since its inception. In 2020, the Dream Home expanded to three homes and is now called the Dream Street, which the magazine has showcased in 2020, 2022, and 2023.
During the early 2000s, Magnolia Media Group, now officing in Hurst, was still launching and publishing numerous titles, including Signature Pools & Spas, Innovative Home, and DS News. Mark’s attention had turned to other potential avenues for revenue, while Hal’s attention remained firmly on Fort Worth, Texas.
Hal, born, bred, and primed in Fort Worth — a TCU grad whose favorite color is purple, favorite animal is a horned frog, and favorite quote from Bartlett’s is “Riff Ram Bah Zoo” — wanted to give the magazine the attention it deserved. And, more importantly, he also wanted to give the city the magazine it deserved. By now, the year was 2005, Hal had become publisher of the magazine, and he would approach his business partner with the idea of selling him his shares of the company and purchasing the title.
“He was the face of Fort Worth, Texas, magazine by then,” Mark says of Hal. “It’s kind of funny, it’s like a marriage and we weren’t having any issues. We agreed to never go after one another’s employees, and we ended with a handshake.
“And it all worked out for the best. It’s one of those sweet business stories that doesn’t come around too much. Even though I don’t have any ownership in the magazine, I would love for it to be so successful that people would wonder if I regret selling. And I’d, of course, have to say, ‘No, not in this case because I love Hal, and I want to see it succeed.’ It’s a Fort Worth story, not a Dallas story.”
Hal would then relocate the entire team back to its namesake town of Fort Worth — into a large glass building on Camp Bowie Boulevard, to be exact. And this is where the magazine’s offices remain today.
“When we moved [back to Fort Worth], Hal was the biggest hero ever,” said Marion Knight, who’s been an account executive at the magazine since 2004. “No. 1, he bought the magazine. No. 2, he moved us back to Fort Worth. I mean, it makes sense. Fort Worth Magazine in Fort Worth, Texas, right?”
Hal has been sole owner and publisher of the magazine for 18 years. During that time, editors, account executives, designers, and fill-in-thejob-titles have come and gone. The magazine’s annual “Best of Fort Worth” parties dropped jaws, a story on issues plaguing Sundance Square opened eyes, and weekly foodie newsletters shattered diets. We’ve been through tornados, pandemics, apocalyptic snowstorms, and the ups and downs of Horned Frog football. The printed word has been at its apex. The printed word has been dead in the water. And the printed word has made a comeback and is here to stay. Through it all, the company has survived and continued to evolve.
In 2015, the magazine launched its business publication, Fort Worth Inc., which plays host to two of the company’s flagship annual events, Entrepreneur of Excellence gala, and The 400 and Person of the Year reception. Two years later, the magazine and its logo would get a redesign, and two years after that, ground broke on the first Dream Street. And along the way, Hal finally gave in to brevity and dropped the “Texas” from the magazine’s name.
“Since day one, most readers called it Fort Worth Magazine,” Hal recalls. “And for 19 years, I would have to remind them the name of the magazine is Fort Worth, Texas. Finally, in 2017, I decided to go with the people’s choice and drop the ‘Texas.’
“When someone refers to it as Fort Worth, Texas, I know I’m talking to a long-time reader.”
Whether we’re launching cutest pet competitions, introducing our readers to little-known taco joints on the east side, or taking deep dives into the personalities that make up our city, new ideas and new stories to tell are a constant. In journalism, plans are difficult to make. One simply tells the story that exists — in inverted pyramid — and you have to wait for things to unfold. It’s the city of Fort Worth that’s providing the content, we’re just here to relay the info.
THE GREAT MYSTERY OF THE
MIDNIGHT TREE TRIMMER
(WHO DROVE A COMMUNITY [AND ME] TO MADNESS)
By Jocelyn Tatum / Illustrations by Ardit Dragjoshi
It became a regular thing that lasted months. At the height of witching hour, an unidentified red-haired man with a dog and a gray truck would take shears to the young trees that lined the streets of a new development in south Fort Worth. Who was this man? Why was he trimming these trees, leaving piles of leaves and limbs in his wake? Why this neighborhood? Was he a vandal? Or were these attempts at being a good Samaritan? These questions — and their answers — would have lasting effects.
Knowing it may be difficult or impossible, this assignment was to find the man dubbed Edward Scissorhands who made national news last fall for trimming trees in a Fort Worth neighborhood in the middle of the night, for months, unauthorized and unwelcomed. The broadcast news outlets did not report a name or specific location, so I wasn’t sure what I would find. After I told my friend about the assignment, she said, “Good luck with that” after she clicked ’round in Google searches.
A text to an old friend who lived in the rumored neighborhood led me to a former colleague of hers, Ben Timson, who informed me the events in question took place in his developing neighborhood in far south Fort Worth. As his and others’ fascination turned into an obsession to find this guy and his motive, Timson would become the leader of the neighborhood hunt. He wanted to put an end to this wild behavior.
After filing police reports, Timson got his wish, and the tree limb assailant would receive a ticket for criminal mischief — a Class C misdemeanor for damaging property under $100.
A paper trail. I can work with this.
The timeline and location gave me just enough information to file an open records request for the police reports, which gave me the identity, age, phone number and address of the midnight trimmer, which revealed he lived 10 minutes away from the neighborhood that fell prey to his prolific trimming.
Why would someone drive from another part of town in the middle of the night to trim, sometimes butcher, sometimes taking a tiny limb or two from young trees in the budding neighborhood of Tavolo Park, hour after hour, night after night, for months?
Tavolo Park’s first phase of development was completed about four years
ago. It was at a time when tensions around the Biden-Trump election were high. Neighbors put signs in their yard sharing who they felt should lead the country. Parallel whisperings of a deadly virus sweeping across the world hushed people into their homes. An odd time for a new community to develop. In June 2022, things started to ease into a new normal just as a strange whistling could be heard in their streets. Fresh cut tree limbs collected on the ground each morning.
At first, Timson said he and a few neighbors noticed limbs down close to the road. The trees had just been planted. Maybe this mysterious visitor would cut five branches, and sometimes 40 branches, and leave the piles on the ground. This set off an alarm in residents minds as a professional would clean up after themselves. Plus, they don’t remember anyone coming by that day to trim. Was it the neighborhood association?
“I went and counted them. Some people’s trees … he would take a tiny branch. Some he took out huge branches. My tree, he snipped my tree 37 times. At the end of the day, this is an individual who has problems or concerns. He didn’t damage it — my tree is fine. But I do know some people he did do some damage,” Timson said.
This would go on for nearly five
months, and the visitor would grow bolder as time passed. Evidence of his work showed up in one neighbor’s backyard. Ring cameras on all the houses depicted a middle-aged, redheaded man with a curly mullet as the culprit. It was usually between 3 to 5 a.m. with his dog, off leash.
Angry and confused residents, proud of their new homes, eventually filed police reports. “Getting this to stop is going to require someone seeing him do it live and calling the police to request patrol for ‘active vandalism.’ Because if I call 9-1-1 and say, ‘Someone trimmed my trees,’ they aren’t coming,” a resident posted on the neighborhood Facebook page.
So Timson drove around in the middle of the night once or twice a week for weeks, until one day, he found the guy. He followed him for a while, but it surprised Timson that the man didn’t flinch. He didn’t speed up his cadence, he didn’t dive into a bush, he didn’t even turn around to look over his shoulder at who was following him. Once, he said he turned around and started walking in the direction of Timson’s car. “Oh crap, what do I do now?” Timson thought, sitting in the dark with his car running and lights on, while the rest of the world slept. The trimmer had to know he was being followed, he thought. He kept walking, right past Timson’s car. He didn’t stop, wave, nothing. He looked at the ground and sauntered past. It was as if he belonged there.
him whistling to his dog. He called the police.
“I knew that was him,” Timson said. When the police arrived, they told Timson to stay back. They told the visiting trimmer to stop but didn’t write a citation that first time. Afterall, the crime was unprecedented and seemingly innocuous. Plus, nobody knew then the extent of the damage this man was imposing by improperly trimming such young trees. When the police left, Timson followed him as he took his time walking up and down four more streets. He got in his truck, turned his lights on, driving through the neighborhood at a reasonable pace with Timson behind him the whole time. Then the visiting trimmer turned his lights off and peeled out of the neighborhood fast. “I lost him,” Timson said.
[Odd crimes] seem to be rooted in the complicated and often untreated hidden depths of a neurodiverse human mind.
On Oct. 11, 2022, CBS 11 News reported on the oddity but still didn’t know who this man was. Nobody had caught him just yet, except for the surveillance footage on people’s homes. Broadcasts of an Edward Scissorhands reached national outlets before long. The next night, Timson saw the dog’s bright-green reflective collar. He heard
Facebook Post: “LIVE ACTION UPDATE — I GOT HIM! On Prairieside now! Officers on scene. Edit - Update #2: The police talked to him for about 10 minutes and let him go when I said I didn’t witness him cutting any trees tonight. After they cut him loose, I kept following him to see where he would go, and after he walked Plumgrove and Pondview, he eventually went toward the amenity center. Once there, he got in what appeared to be a gray Dodge Ram or Chevy Silverado crew cab truck. I asked the police if he was mentally handicapped, and although they would not confirm or deny, the officer did say that something seemed a bit off,” Ben Timson posted in the Facebook group, Oct. 12, 2022, complete with a video of the police talking to the tree trimmer. The images are blurry and far away. (This has been edited for brevity.)
A few nights later, the tree trimmer was back out, and so was Timson. “I was concerned, I thought whatever individual would do such a thing, there
was concern he would be mentally unstable,” Timson said. “It is 4 in the morning, and this person has treetrimming shears. The police told me to stay away from him, so I never talked to him.”
The second time the police came out, the man was ticketed. The date of the citation was Oct. 14. That was the last time there was evidence of his visiting Tavolo Park.
Fascination Turned Obsession
A fascination around this guy grew strong roots into the minds of Tavolo Park residents. Who was this man? Did he live in the neighborhood? Why was he doing this?
The tree criminal would park his gray truck in the neighborhood community center lot central to, well, everything. When the midnight visitor would whistle at the dog, neighbors said they could often hear the sound through their windows in the quiet of the night. When the police ran his plates late one night, they informed Timson that an address in a different part of town pulled up. It was getting more perplexing. Why would he drive all the way to this neighborhood to do this, night after night?
And there was no pattern — nothing to show that showed this was a thoughtful and skilled trimming. Some nights, he would trim dozens of trees. Timson took me out for a drive one day to show me just how many trees he would trim over time. He must have trimmed nearly a hundred newly planted trees just on the perimeter of the neighborhood all along Bryant Irvin Road and Harris Parkway.
“So, he is trimming young trees? Oh, God, that is really detrimental to the health of the trees,” Justin Hurst, a plant health care technician and arborist, yelled during my phone interview. “I would be pissed.”
Hurst, a self-proclaimed, long-hair, tree-hugger, said trees need to have been in the ground at least five years before they are pruned. If pruned improperly that young, the structural
damage of the tree is forever lost, which will not become a problem now, but later, like 30 years later, Hurst said. If it were Hurst, he would have those trees removed to avoid problems later on.
A young tree with a trunk the size of a human wrist can start at $700, meaning if the neighbors knew the foreboding damage and actual value, they would know this seemingly innocuous crime would cost them thousands of dollars. I am not sure if the police department consulted an expert arborist since they only ticketed the man for damaging property with a value under $100, but after countless attempts to talk to the officers on this case, I never heard back from them.
Hurst said it would seem that not only did the tree trimmer not know what he was doing, it was in fact unkind. Because if you were doing it for the love of the trees, then you would take the time to learn how to prune them. You would start by practicing in your own trees, and as I found out later, the tree trimmer did not appear to give his yard any attention. Tree lovers tend to be sensitive people, and they would avoid harming the tree at all costs. So why would this man drive to another neighborhood to trim dozens of strangers’ trees in the middle of the night, possibly damaging all of them?
“No, it sounds malicious to me,” Hurst said, impassioned. “I would be absolutely upside-down furious if someone came onto my property. I would lose my mind.”
Neighbors posted videos of the culprit obtained from their security systems to the neighborhood Facebook group. In just about every video, he wore the same thing — a black tank top and black shorts with a bright reflective stripe. While his work was often reported to the Facebook page as a hack job, the video surveillance footage showed the tree trimmer would take his time, stand back, and admire his work. Conversations and debates about the motive lit up the page each time he struck. Was he an innocent savant, or was he committing vandalism?
The Facebook page became a forum
where everyone worked out the kinks this enigma caused in the folds of their mind. Some shared he was a mentally unstable individual who thinks he is doing a good thing and somehow beautifying the neighborhood. This camp urged others to leave him alone. Then some thought he was an asshole. They were either on his side or not. It was either criminal vandalism or it was a mental health issue.
“This is not right. We are not happy at all with how our tree looks now. Probably an upset neighbor who is tired of dodging branches when they walk,” another neighbor commented on Facebook.
At first it looked like the sapling assailant was exclusively trimming the trees along the street, but neighbors grew concerned when he started to get up into their yards close to their windows and doors. And some were frustrated that he was taking off large healthy branches.
“I checked our tree on Winterbloom,” a member of the group posted. “There were over nine branches cut, and there was no rhyme or reason to the trimming. I pruned the tree in winter, and there were no branches blocking the street or sidewalk. Seems like a bizarre form of vandalism.”
night watching her cameras for him. Nothing.
Whether they agreed or not, this became something that bonded the new community that developed during a very divisive and isolating time in our country’s history, Tavolo resident Jerry Balkenbush said.
His wife, Emily, joked that she felt left out when the intruder didn’t prune her trees. But one night in the wee hours, Jerry heard whistling through his windows. The next morning, the two rejoiced in the drama when they saw a few limbs on the ground. “Yep! We finally got hit last night. This is completely out of hand,” Emily shared in the comment section of another post.
“Looks like the tree trimmer finally hit Plumgrove last night. We were feeling a little ignored,” a Tavolo resident posted Oct. 8, 2022. Some even dressed up as the tree vandal for Halloween last October.
“I thought whatever individual would do such a thing, there was concern he would be mentally unstable. It is 4 in the morning, and this person has tree-trimming shears.”
- Ben Timson, Tavolo Park resident
While the group member said it seemed benign and comical due to the absurdity of the tree mischief, she was frustrated at what it could cost them.
“And it seems like he’s not trimming tiny branches anymore, but big healthy limbs. I know my next-door neighbor had a huge section cut out of hers, and I’m righteously mad for her,” she wrote. “This is vandalism. It’s getting bad,” said another.
One woman said she stayed up all
Sept. 26, “I’m just so invested in the story. Because now that we know he stopped trimming once being seen, he knows that it’s ‘wrong.’ O the drama. I have to know the ending,” another resident posted.
Odd Crimes
While this tree-trimming vandalism is perplexing, odd crimes are nothing new. They seem to be rooted in the complicated and often untreated hidden depths of a neurodiverse human mind. Or addiction, which also finds its source in the neglected human psyche.
One man named Ronald A. Dotson, also 39 at the time of his last arrest, (that was the age of the tree trimmer last year when ticketed) was arrested nearly 10 times for stealing mannequins, going to jail and doing his time,
only to smash the window of a cleaning supply store to snatch up a mannequin dressed as a maid within one week of tasting freedom, landing himself back in jail a week later. He was given up to 30 years in prison. According to an article by NBC with the headline “Man with Mannequin Fetish Arrested Again,” the judge ruled that he wasn’t in fact harming anyone and did a psychiatric evaluation to see what other options were for punishment. The resulting punishment was to be rehabilitated with cognitive behavioral therapy, a rare yet more compassionate approach to justice.
Probably the most famous odd crime was by a man on the autism spectrum who was arrested 29 times in 30 years for taking the wheel of public trains by impersonating subway workers and stealing buses to soothe his obsession with the New York City transit system. As the story was reported dozens of times, Darius McCollum of New York City was stabbed by a schoolmate when he was 12 years old, so he found comfort in the New York City transit system, making friends with transit employees. The first arrest was at 15 for convincing a worker to let him drive the subway. He would spend 16 years behind bars and return to prison again and again for the same crimes, which he said were rooted in this 12-year-old’s trauma where he found an obsessive comfort in the thing that offered him refuge after being stabbed. People with autism spectrum disorder crave the consistency found in schedules, and trains run on a tight schedule.
“I just feel I need to be there even if it’s for a little while,” McCollum said of the subways in a Wall Street Journal article. “And then the more I’m there, the more I want to get involved.”
In 2013, he admitted while on trial to stealing 12 buses in the six previous months. He had commandeered over 100 buses in his life. His attorneys were at one time working on a parole agreement where he was released with the promise to get cognitive behavioral therapy.
McCollum said he was providing
a service and doing good deeds as a volunteer, he said in an award-winning documentary called “Off the Rails” that chronicles McCollum and his journey in and out of jail and on public transit. He shared how the buses were often sitting in a lot, unguarded with their doors open, waiting for the next person to start their shift. It was too easy for him.
“His lawyer, Sally Butler, said Mr. McCollum’s well-chronicled acts were a result of uncontrollable impulses attributed to what is commonly referred to as Asperger’s syndrome, which mental health authorities now call autism spectrum disorder,” the WSJ reported.
The article said that if his attorney were to win the case by pleading not guilty because of the insanity defense, he would need to remain in a mental health facility until he was “cured.” But since you can’t cure autism, he would remain locked in that facility the rest of his life. Once people are in there, they never leave, Butler said in the documentary. In an interview in jail, McCollum told the WSJ that he loved everything about the subway — the atmosphere, the lights, the signals, that it is always moving 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
“The government has spent $60,000 a year for every year McCollum has spent in prison. If they just took a fraction of that and set it aside for therapy for him, that would have perhaps broken the cycle,” one source reported in the documentary.
For McCollum, his obsession brought him comfort just as a drink brings an alcoholic comfort. For those who are familiar with addiction, those drinks are not a choice. And for those with autism, it’s like scratching the worst itch you could ever imagine. Repetition is key to the medicine of their obsession.
A Quest to Find Him, One Year Later
One morning before I picked up my editor-bodyguard to go to the midnight tree trimmer’s house, I scrolled through the police reports one more time. Midway through several pages of a citation, I saw his age — 39 — about my age. A few months before I found him on social media. We had friends in common. He studied marketing at the University of Texas. He’s much younger and more fit than he looked in the Ring videos.
She had no idea what we were talking about. Why would she? It’s not something anyone would brag about to parents or guardians.
McCollum has spent most of his life behind bars. This case has always “presented vexing questions for defense lawyers and judges about proper punishments for someone whose crimes have been mostly harmless and motivated by his desire to be a part of what he calls ‘the best’ public transportation system in the world,” the article reports. He never received therapy while in jail and had been experiencing that revolving door for his entire life. “There is a possibility I can definitely die in jail,” he said in the documentary.
We were nervous. The drive there was about 20 minutes to far south Fort Worth. We spent the time plotting and planning. What do we say? Surely, he’s not home. We pulled up about 2:35 on a broiling hot Thursday afternoon in August, a year to the month after he was at the height of his tree-trimming heyday. Walking up to the house, the grass was overgrown. I imagine in this heat and drought it would have taken months of no mowing for it to be that overgrown. One middle-aged lone tree stood in his yard. The limbs were unruly and untrimmed. It, too, had been neglected.
The shutters were closed, but a gray
truck was parked in the driveway. “Shit, he’s here. What do we say?” I was counting on his being at work. In my mind he had had some stint where he lost his marbles or got hooked on something that made him feel like a tree-trimming hero, then stopped, recovered, is possibly embarrassed but put that behind him and went back to a 9-to-5 job. Surely, he wouldn’t be home, I thought. But he was. An off-putting gold metal sign tucked behind a cheerful wreath made of sunflowers read, “No soliciting.”
“Does this count as soliciting?” I asked my editor, as if knocking would give whoever was on the other side of that door license to shoot me. My editor and I rehearsed our bit, swallowed our fear, and walked up to the door. We rang the Ring doorbell.
“May I help you?” an older woman’s voice said through the speaker.
Brian told her we were with Fort Worth Magazine, writing a story and looking for (person who will remain unnamed).
“May I help you?” she repeated herself. Then again, “May I help you?”
We realized she couldn’t hear him. He turned around and looked at me, “What do we do now?” We stood sweating not only because of the insulting heat, but because we had no idea what we were getting ourselves into.
A shuffling on the other side of the door revealed life on the other side. A dog barked. A woman in her late 60s/ early 70s answered the door. “May I help you?”
We repeated our rehearsed request. One of the dogs peered around the door.
“Yes, he’s here, but he’s asleep,” she said. Her eyes were small and glassy. The smell of cigarette smoke lofted from inside. She was starting to look like a concerned mother. She wanted to know what we wanted with him. We said we wanted to talk to him about his tree trimming in Tavolo Park.
“You’ve got the wrong man,” she said, growing more confused, possibly annoyed.
“His name appeared on a citation for
trimming trees without consent in the Tavolo Park neighborhood,” my editor divulged to his mother.
We then realized she had no idea what we were talking about. Why would she? It’s not something anyone would brag about to parents or guardians. Had Brian and I inadvertently tattled on this grown man? I felt bad. It was time to go.
When we left, we decided to travel to the crime scene. It was about 10 minutes. Not a hop, skip, and a jump from where he lived.
His profile picture on Facebook is from 2017. He’s at a bar with friends looking fit and happy with a Modelo in hand. A few posts from 2018 show some University of Texas Longhorn football articles by ESPN. But since then, nothing. Before that, he had been posting consistently.
In my mind he had had some stint where he lost his marbles or got hooked on something that made him feel like a tree-trimming hero … but put that behind him and went back to a 9-to-5.
He graduated from Arlington Heights in 2002. A preppy red-haired man with short hair who classmates describe as a “super nice guy in high school … I don’t think I’ve seen him since college days.” And he didn’t make it to his 20-year reunion last year.
In the videos, his hair is cut into a mullet. He’s balding on top. The police reports read that his hair is red, he’s 5 feet, 10 inches tall and 175 pounds. He looks less fit and heavier in the surveillance camera footage, and not preppy at all. I almost couldn’t reconcile that these two men are one and the same.
A Hack Job
Leaving my sister’s house one day, I noticed big limbs neatly cut by a chainsaw in organized piles across the street of a public park. They had been left there. My sister said she doesn’t remember seeing any crew out there cutting them. My mind went wild. Driv-
ing a block away, I saw a city employee eating his lunch in a work truck. “Sir, did you happen to trim those trees in that park?” Yes, he had trimmed them earlier that week. I had grown obsessed with solving this problem. As a treeobsessed person myself with countless books on my bookshelf like Finding the Mother Tree by Susan Simard and The Hidden Life of Trees by Peter Wohlleben, I wanted to understand this. I wanted a motive. To be able to offer insight into the nature of obsession, which is defined as an unbidden, intrusive thought, image, or urge that intrudes into consciousness, attempts to dispel it are difficult and typically lead to anxiety, according to the Johns Hopkins psychiatry guide.
The midnight trimmer never returned my texts and phone calls, and he never came to the door that day. I told him in a text that I would not reveal his identity to protect his privacy, but that I just wanted people to understand him better. That is always my intention as a narrative writer of people. And as journalists, we are asked to consider the privacy of lesser-known citizens. What did this man have against the trees of Tavolo Park? What assistance did he think he was offering to trees that didn’t need trimming? Did he understand the damage he was doing? What happened to this man? What is he going through?
Luxury custom homes designed for the lifestyle of your dreams
Kimberly Stoner Drew Williamson* Dana Manry* Heather King* Rob McEwan* Jessica Janicek* Paul Leopold † Courtney Walker
L to R: Seth McCloskey and Steven C. Laird
Both attorneys are Board Certified in Personal Injury Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization and Truck Accident Law by the National Board of Trial Advocacy.
Steve Laird and Seth McCloskey are 2 of only 4 lawyers in the DFW area to achieve Board Certification in Truck Accident Law by the National Board of Trial Advocacy (NBTA).*
Steve Laird is the only Tarrant County Personal Injury Lawyer to be recognized as ONE of the TOP 100 SUPER LAWYERS** (out of 113,000 Lawyers in the state of Texas) for 16 out of the last 18 years (2005-2013, 2015-2023).
He also maintains the highest AV Rating for lawyers by Martindale-Hubbell and has an AVVO Rating of 10.0; Superb.
in
Top Attorneys 2023
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 2023 Top Attorneys, our annual listing of the best lawyers in town, as voted for by their peers.
This year, 659 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 2023 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 2018 are considered to have more than five years in practice for this list.
2023 TOP ATTORNEYS
MORE THAN FIVE YEARS IN PRACTICE
ADOPTION
Gerald Bates
Heidi Cox
Eric Freeby
Alyssa Jacobs
ALTERNATIVE DISPUTE RESOLUTION
Over the past 10 years the number of active
Tarrant County attorneys has increased by 17%.
Source: State Bar of Texas
John Brookman
John Chalk
Randy Hall
Roland Johnson
Beth Krugler
Wade McMullen
Diego Pena
David Seidler
APPELLATE
Marianne Auld
Natalie Barnett
Russell Barton
John Cayce Jr.
David Farris
Joseph “Joe” Greenhill
Thomas “Tom”
Harkins Jr.
Steven “Steve” Hayes
Caitlyn Hubbard
David Keltner
Andrew “Andy” Lewis
Thomas Michel
Karen Precella
Brittani Rollen
Jody Sanders
William “Brent”
Shellhorse
Shelby White
AVIATION
Jonathan “Jon” Harrison
Daniel “Dan” Vela
BANKING
Russell Devenport
Brandon Hill
Daniel “Dan” Lowry
BANKRUPTCY
Clayton Everett
John “Bobby” Forshey
Mark French
Katherine “Kat” Hopkins
Mark Petrocchi
Stephen “Steve” Pezanosky
David Pritchard
Jeff Prostok
Nancy Ribaudo
Suzanne “Suki” Rosen
Sharon Sherman
Robert Simon
Lindsay Steele
Clay Taylor
BUSINESS/ COMMERCIAL
Chad Cacciotti
Zachary Cate
Tave Doty
Michael Forman
James “Jim” Gordon
Constance “Connie” Hall
Marshall Jacobini
Hunter “Brandon” Jones
Jeffrey “Jeff” Lacy
Christine “Chrissy” Long
Kathryn McGlinchey
Michael “Mike” Moore
Randall Schmidt
Jeffrey Tillman Jr.
Andrew “Andy” Wambsganss
CHILD SEX ABUSE
William “Aulstin” Gardiner
CIVIL LAW & LITIGATION
Daniel Aguilar
Chad Allman
Brandy Austin
Mary Barkley
Whitney Beckworth
Jacob “Jake” Boyd
Natalie Brackett
Stafford Brantley
Bryan Bruner
Joe “Kirk” Bryant
Ola Campbell
Vincent Circelli
Christopher “Chris” Collins
Hugh Connor II
Monika Cooper
Larry Cotten
Hunter Cox
Anthony Cuesta
Kelly Curnutt
D .“Mark” Daniel
Randal Dean
Roger Diseker
David “Brad” Dowell
Graigory “Graig” Fancher
Donald “Don” Ferrill
Charles “Chad” Fillmore
H. “Dusty” Fillmore III
James Foley
Jeffrey “Jeff” Grable
Driving Change. Delivering Justice.
Patterson Law Group’s mission is to end distracted driving and deliver justice for its victims. Our team attacks distracted driving from both ends—speaking to and inspiring Texans to change their driving behaviors and relentlessly advocating for those who’ve suffered injury due to distracted driving. In support of its mission, Patterson Law Group recently delivered justice in the form of a remarkable, high 7-figure settlement for a deserving family who were seriously injured by a distracted commercial driver. At PLG, we’re committed to driving change and delivering justice.
Travis Patterson, Managing Partner
2023 TOP ATTORNEYS
Only 3% of Tarrant County attorneys have become fulltime judges.
Source: State Bar of Texas
Douglas “Doug” Hafer
Alyson “Aly” Halpern
Michael Hassett
Albon Head
Michael “Mike” Henry
Frank Hill
Emily Hollenbeck
David Johnson
Dee Kelly Jr.
Koy Killen
Scott Lindsey
Sandra “Sandy” Liser
John Lively Jr.
David Luningham
Brant Martin
Matthew “Matt” McLain
Jerold Mitchell
Caleb Moore
Robert “Rob” Myers
Michael “Shane” O’Dell
John “Hunter” Parrish
Bryan “Olyn” Poole
Misty Pratt
Christopher “Chris”
Pruitt
David Rapp
Jerrod Rinehart
Roland “Rollie” Schafer
James “Jim” Scott
Andrew “Andy” Sims
Brian Singleterry
James “Jimmy” Stanley
Daniel “Dan” Steppick
Stephen Taylor
Ryan Trammell
Paul Vitanza
Stephen “Kyle” Voss
Jeffrey “Jeff” Whitfield
CIVIL
LAW, TRANSACTIONAL
Elliott Garsek
Charles “Chuck’ Milliken
COMMERCIAL LITIGATION
Geffrey “Geff” Anderson
Michael Anderson
Jason “Chad” Arnette
Joseph Austin
Lars Berg
Rickey Brantley
Caleb Bulls
David Drez III
Mark Dugan
Ralph Duggins III
John Easter
Paul Elkins
Christian Ellis
Jacob Fain
Zachary “Zach” Farrar
James “Austin” Franklin
Walker Friedman
Zachary Garsek
William “Bill” Greenhill
Katherine “Kate” Hancock
Bruce James
John Kash
William “Bill” Kirkman
Matthias Kleinsasser
Meredith Knudsen
William “Butch” Korb Jr.
George “Grant” Liser III
Shayne Moses
Preston Mundt
Marcus Mungioli
Jay Newton
David Palmer
Schyler Parker
Jeffrey “Jeff” Parks
Michael Peck
Guy Riddle
Marshall Searcy Jr.
Jonathan “Jon” Suder
Mack Swindle
Elizabeth “Lizzy”
Thomas
Joe Tolbert
Len Wade
William “Bill” Warren
Brandon Weaver
Brittany Weaver
Scott Wiehle
Thomas Williams
Shauna Wright
CONSTRUCTION
Ervin “Aaron” Cartwright III
Richard DeBerry
Stephanie Harrison
Stephen “Steve” Harrison
Cara Kennemer
Hunter McLean
Andrew Piel
Bradley “Brad” Rice
Eamonn Wiles
CORPORATE COUNSEL
Carol Bracken
Clinton “Clint” Dennis
Joseph “Joe” Gallagher
Elizabeth Haslam
Andrea Palmer
Hannah Parks
Samantha Wommack
Craig Woodcook
CORPORATE FINANCE/ MERGERS & ACQUISITIONS
Christopher “Chris” Baker
Brian Barnard
Paul Bradford
Always placing clients first
. Our shared priority from Fort Worth to every part of Texas.
*Congratulations to our Fort Worth Magazine 2023 Top Attorneys winners
At every Goranson Bain Ausley office , you’ll find accomplished attorneys with a common commitment to client priorities. Our Fort Worth office features lawyers named Top Attorneys by Fort Worth Magazine, as well as an attorney double board certified in both appellate law and family law, and the president of the State Bar of Texas. All of our lawyers practice a client-first mindset to protect assets, preserve relationships, and deliver exceptional value. When you face a family law matter, turn to the lawyers that will always keep your best interests at heart.
Goranson Bain Ausley Fort Worth Office [L to R] Gary Nickelson, Andrew Tisdale, Cindy Tisdale, Clayton Bryant, Cassidy Pearson*, Chris Nickelson*
Michael D. Duran
Nick Curley
Charlie Florsheim
Jacob Crawley
Sarah
Ryan Goins Sahrish
David
Kyle
2023 TOP ATTORNEYS
Only 1% of the attorneys in Tarrant County are board certified in three or more areas.
Source: State Bar of Texas
Douglas “Doug”
Clayton
David Cook
Taylor Cummins
Lisa Falcone
Charles “Charlie” Florsheim
Adam Fulkerson
Janet Hahn
Justin Hoover
Andrew Lombardi
Evan Malloy
Michael “Mike” Moan
Mitchell Moses
Christopher Nezworski
John Phair
Brandon “Scot” Pierce
Vernon Rew Jr.
Philip Spencer
Jarratt Watkins
Stephen Westermann
CRIMINAL
Bruce Ashworth
Steven “Steve” Baker
Allenna Bangs
Brandon Barnett
Bruce Beasley
Lanny Begley
Pamela “Pam” Boggess
Arthur “Art” Brender Jr.
John Brender
Tiffany Burks
Blake Burns
Kara Carreras
Virginia Carter
Cody Cofer
Elizabeth “Mimi” Coffey
Daniel Collins
Craig Dameron
Clemente De La Cruz Jr.
Andrew Deegan
Steven Ditommaso
Kathy Ehmann-Clardy
Brian Eppes
Lance Evans
Dawn Ferguson
Taylor Ferguson
Jackson “Brandon” Fulgham
Steven “Steve” Gebhardt
Robert “Bob” Gill
Ashley Gilmore
Phillip Hall
Dale Heisch
Francisco Hernandez Jr.
Daniel Hernandez
Lisa Herrick
Bryan Hoeller
Jeffrey “Jeff” Hoover
Jason Howard
Elizabeth “Christy”
Jack
Madeline Jones
Jeffrey “Jeff” Kearney
Tracie Kenan
Jeffrey “Jeff” Kennedy
William Knight
Emily LaChance
Christopher “Chris” Lankford
Landon Loker
Demetrice Lopez-Loftis
James Luster
Trenton “Trent”
Marshall
Leticia “Letty” Martinez
Chelsi McLarty
Colin McLaughlin
Gary Medlin
Blakely Mohr
Mitchell “Mitch”
Monthie
Kyle Morris
Thomas Murphree
Brian Newman
John “Eric” Nickols
Donald “Graham”
Norris
Brian Poe
Lee Sorrells
Justin Sparks
Anna Summersett
Rebeccah Tejada
Jessica Theriot
Mary “Alex” Thornton
Dustin Trammel
Lindsay Truly
Benson Varghese
Veronica Veyhl
Harry White
Luke Williams
Bryan Wilson
Sheena Winkfield
Bethel Zehaie
EDUCATION/ SCHOOL LAW
Sarah Flournoy
Thomas “Tom” Myers
Lynn Scott
James “Jim” Whitton
ELDER LAW
Monica Benson
Dana Zachry
FAMILY
Laura Alexander
Timothy “Tim” Alexander
Katherine Allen
Andrew Anderson
Bryan Ballew
Elizabeth “Liz” Barr
Leslie Barrows
Kathleen “Katie” Berry
Nicole Carroll
2023
24% of the attorneys in Tarrant County are solo practitioners.
Source: State Bar of Texas
Tawanna Cesare
Mark Childress
Malorie Crosley
Anita Cutrer
Lori Dally
Paul Daly
Emily Daniell
Kelly Decker
Ami Decker
Callie Dodson
Lauren Duffer
Rashelle Fetty
Jane Fowler
Jonathan Fox
Louis “Bodie” Freeman III
Crystal Gayden
Alexis Gebhardt
Kayla Gertsch
Vicki Hafer
Harry “Trey” Harris III
Desiree Hartwigsen
Nathan Hatton
Tom Hill
Kelly Hollingsworth
Robert “Bob” Hoover
JaNeen Hopkins
Lisa Hoppes
Elizabeth “Brooke” Hubbard
Matthew Jackson
Jessica Janicek
Jeffrey “Jeff” Johnson
Karmen Johnson
Jill Johnston
Dawn King
Heather King
David Kulesz
Mark Lane
Paul Leopold
Trey Loftin
William “Cade” Lovelace
Brenna Loyd
Sean Lynch
Dana Manry
Andrew McAlester
Robert “Rob” McEwan
Janine McGill
Brent McMullen
Constance Mims
Ricky “Rick” Mitchell
Tyler Monahan
Kristen “Carr” Mullins
Jason Nash
Kimberly “Kim” Naylor
Stephen “Steve” Naylor
Lyndsay Newell
John “Chris” Nickelson
Jeffrey “Spencer”
Nilsson
Elizabeth Parmer
Chandni Patel
Cassidy “Cassi” Pearson
Jessica Phillips
Alison Porterfield
Lauren Powell
Richard “Dick” Price
Shannon Pritchard
Danielle Reagan
Sarah Robbins
Ali Russell
Stephanie SabelhausVillaman
Bradley “Brad” Scalise
Paul “Michael” Schneider
Sarah Seltzer
Bradford “Brad” Shaw
Justin Sisemore
Curran Skinner
Kathleen “Kate” Smith
Dwayne Smith
Lori Spearman
R. “Keith” Spencer
Kimberly Stoner
Melissa Swan
Carrie Tapia
Anna Teller
Donald “Don” Teller Jr.
Jessica Temple
Jeffrey “Turner”
Thornton
Whitney Vaughan
G. “Tom” Vick Jr.
Courtney Walker
Daniel “Danny” Webb
Kyle Whitaker
Drew Williamson
Dena Wilson
Brooke Wilson
Michael “Mike” Wurtz
David Wynne
Holly Youngblood
Paul Youngblood
HEALTH
Rebecca Eaton
Bruce McGee
Jordan Parker
Wayne Whitaker
IMMIGRATION
Rocio Martinez
Edwardo Meza
Jason Mills
Rebecca Vasquez
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY
Carder Brooks
Decker Cammack
Joseph “Joe”
Cleveland Jr.
Jeremy “Heath” Coffman
Clark Cowley
Scott Fredricks
Charles Gunter Jr.
Dave Gunter
Arbitration is not litigation!
With over 750 combined arbitrations; there is no substitute for experience. When you need an experienced arbitrator or arbitration advocate, call on us.
Jake Boyd
Thomas Brandon BL
Kirk Bryant
Decker Cammack BL SL
John Allen Chalk BL SL
Melissa Clark
Clark Cowley
John Fahy
Dr. Donald Ferrill
H. David Flowers
Charles Gunter
Tom Harkins
Timothy Harvard
E. Brooke Hubbard
Bruce James
Michael Kaitcer BL SL
Bruce McGee
Hunter T. McLean BL SL
Caleb Moore
Stephen Mosher
B. Scot Pierce
Vernon Rew Jr.
John Allen Chalk
FW Magazine Top Attorney - 2003 to Present
FW Magazine The 400 Most Influential
Best Lawyers (Arbitration & Mediation) - 2017 to present
Best Lawyers DFW Arbitration Lawyer of the Year (2023)
Super Lawyers - 2003 to present
Texas Academy of Distinguished Neutrals
Health Law Assoc. Distinguished Neutrals AAA Arbitrator
Hunter T. McLean
FW Magazine Top Attorney - 2002 to present
FW Magazine The 400 Most Influential
Best Lawyers - (Litigation) 2019 to present
Power Attorney 2014 Fort Worth Business Press
Super Lawyers - 2013 to present AAA Arbitrator
Enrique “Rick” Sanchez OTW RS
Richard “Rocky” Schwartz BL SL
W. Brent Shellhorse BL SL
Robert Simon BL SL
David Skeels SL
Brian Smith
Melinda Watts Smith
Mack Ed Swindle BL SL
Juan Vasquez OTW
Robert “Bob” West SL
Wayne Whitaker SL
GENERATIONS OF EXPERIENCE
TRADITION
At Decker Jones, we take pride in our tradition of providing clients with unparalleled innovation, value, and commitment to excellence. Congratulations to the 18 Decker Jones attorneys and all the trusted advisors named 2023 Top Attorneys by Fort Worth Magazine. We are honored to be recognized among the best lawyers in our community.
PRACTICE AREAS
Business & Corporate, Commercial Litigation, Construction, Estate Planning & Probate, Finance & Banking, Intellectual Property, Labor & Employment, Mergers & Acquisitions, Oil & Gas, Real Estate & Real Estate Litigation
Not Pictured: Eric Camp, Randy J. Hall
From left to right: Meghan A. Collier, Gary M. Moates, Raymond B. Kelly, III, Mark S. Dugan, Jacob L. Tucker, Vianei L. Braun, James L. Stripling, Brian K. Yost, Adam J. Fulkerson, Bradley H. Rice
From left to right: Prichard Bevis, Michael S. Goodrich, Natalie P. Waters, Timothy E. Malone, Charles B. Milliken, Philip W. Spencer, Daniel L. Bates, Eamonn J. Wiles, Anthony R. Cuesta, Janet L. Hahn, Kiala E. Ellingson
22% of the attorneys practicing law in Tarrant County received their law degrees from an out-ofstate/other law school.
Source: State Bar of Texas
Lee Hunt
Cheryl Leb
Stephen “Steve” Mosher
Warren Norred
Enrique “Rick” Sanchez Jr.
Richard “Rocky” Schwartz
David Skeels
Juan Vasquez
Brian Yost
LABOR & EMPLOYMENTEMPLOYEE
Susan Hutchison
Jason Smith
James “Rod” Tanner
LABOR & EMPLOYMENTEMPLOYER
Tom Brandon Jr.
Vianei Braun
Russell Cawyer
Karen Denney
Caroline Harrison
Michael Hutchens
Claudine Jackson
Andrea Paris
Lu Pham
Julie Ross
Jay Rutherford
LAND USE & ENVIRONMENT
Joseph “Ray” Oujesky
MEDICAL MALPRACTICEDEFENSE
Gregory “Greg” Blaies
Henri Dussault
MOVING VIOLATIONS
Andrew Hawkins
Sommer Walker
Bonnie Wolf
NONPROFIT LAW
Darren Moore
Harrison Smith
Melissa Wilks
OIL & GAS
William “Bill” Bredthauer
Eric Camp
Timothy “Tim” Howell
Raymond Kelly III
Jeffrey Jeff King
Timothy Tim Malone
Michael Malone
Terry McClure
Andrew “Drew” Neal
Robert “Mark” Oliver
Niravkumar “Nirav” Patel
Adam Plumbley
Clark Rucker
Bart Rue
Todd Spake
Paul “Taylor” Spalla
John Thompson III
Richard “Ricky” Torlincasi
PERSONAL INJURYDEFENSE
Daniel “Dan” Bates
David Frisby
Wesley “Wes” Hightower
Tara McAfee
Richard “Bruce” Moon
Jackie Robinson
James “Jim” Watson
PERSONAL INJURYPLAINTIFF
Seth Anderson
Mark Anderson
Matthew “Matt” Aulsbrook
Wade Barrow
Herman “Gene” Burkett Jr.
Robert “Rieker” Carsey
John Cummings
Edward “Dwain” Dent
Artemio Fernandez
H. “Dave” Flowers
Mark Frenkel
Scott Frenkel
Courtney Hanson
Robert “Bob” Haslam
Travis Heller
Robert “Rob” Henry
Gregory “Greg” Jackson
Kolter Jennings
John Jose
Darrell Keith
Robert Kisselburgh
Steven Laird
Jesse “Jess” Lotspeich
James “Kent” McAfee
Rachel Montes
Bradley “Brad” Parker
William “Travis” Patterson
Nicholas “Nick” Peele
Alexander “Alex” Pelley
Victor Rodriguez II
Jason Stephens
TyAnthony “Ty” Stimpson
Christopher “Chris” Stoy
Tennessee Walker
J. Spencer Nilsson – Managing Attorney
2023 TOP ATTORNEYS
19% of the practicing attorneys in Tarrant County are over the age of 65.
Source: State Bar of Texas
Jonathan “Jack”
Walters
Roger “Rocky” Walton
Natherral “Nate”
Washington
Ben Westbrook
Coby Wooten
Jamshyd “Jim” Zadeh h
PROBATE, ESTATES, TRUST
Heidi Angel
David Bakutis
Marvin Blum
Elizabeth Brooks
Kandice Damiano
Lindsay Daniel
James Davidson
Matthew “Matt” Davidson
Kelly DeBerry
Beth Edwards
Tena Fox
Lucien “Stephen”
Franscini V
Robert Gieb
Catherine Goodman
Ross Griffith
Mary “Beth” Hampton
Shelli Harveson
Christopher “Ryan”
Heath
Amanda Holliday
Lisa Jamieson
Karen Johnson
Michael Kaitcer
Steven “Steve” Katten
Charles Kennedy
Kevin Kuenzli
Roddy “Ann” Lopez
Robert “Bob” Loudermilk
Jennifer Lovelace
Mark Maples
Daniel “Dan” McCarthy
R. “Dyann” McCully
Scott Moseley
Colin Murchison
Jeffrey “Jeff” Myers
Julie Plemons
William “Judd” Pritchard
Rachel Saltsman
Joel Sawyer
Melinda Smith
Dulaney “Dee” Steer
Aimee Stone
Chrissy Tefera
Leslie Thomas
Ricky “Rick” Weaver
Dana White
PUBLIC FINANCE
Jonathan Cranz
REAL ESTATE
Kendall “Ken” Adair
Donald “Pritchard” Bevis Jr.
Mark Bishop
Jarrod Cone
Brett Epstein
Robert “Bob” Ginsburg
Michael Goodrich
James “Jim” Griffis
Bryon Hammer
Timothy “Tim” Harvard
Alan Hegi
Joel Heydenburk
John “J.C.” Johnson
Chad Key
Jared King
Kris Landrith
Veronica Law
Lisa Leaton
Matthew Luensmann
Eldon “Brad” Mahon
Patricia “Pati” Meadows
Sharon Millians
Gary Moates
Peter Nguyen
Russell Norment
Sarah Powers
Jeremy Pruett
Kylie Rahl
Jeffrey “Jeff” Rattikin
Robert “Robby” Reeb III
Joseph Regan
Brian Restivo
J. “Andy” Rogers
Brian Smith
Grant Sorenson
Rick Sorenson
Kenneth Stogdill
Thomas “Tom” Turet
Judd “Jody” Walker
Hannah Watkins
Ginger Webber
Kyle Weldon
Robert “Bob” West
Dan White
SECURITIES
Natalie Carlgren
John Fahy
Toby Galloway
Calvin “Cal” Jackson
Andrew Rosell
TAX
Michael Appleman
Sean Bryan
James Creel
John Hunter
Ryan Scharar
Jordan Stimpson
Gary “Len” Woodard II
Joseph P. Regan Partner Jay K. Rutherford Partner Len A. Wade Partner
Ginger M. Webber Partner
Adam L. Plumbley Partner
Joel W. Heydenburk Partner
Evan M. Malloy Partner
Colin L. Murchison Partner
Lauren Azopardi Associate
Brittani Rollen Senior Counsel
Taylor Cummins Associate Brittany A. Weaver Associate
Jarrod Cone Partner
Albon O. Head Partner
Brett M. Epstein Partner
Jeffrey Grable Partner
Left to Right (Page 1, Standing Up): Shelli A. Harveson; Tristan L. Watson; Andrew L. Wambsganss; Christopher J. Pruitt; Eric C. Freeby; Michael L. Forman. Left to Right (Page 1, Sitting Down): Jessica L. Francis; Jacey L. Mizer; Zachary S. Cate; Christopher T. Nezworski; Michael J. Moore. Left to Right (Page 2, Standing Up): Randal L. Dean; R. Mark Oliver; Bryan J. Berens; Tyler G. Scholes; Hannah E. Orand. Left to Right (Page 2, Sitting Down): Hannah Caroselli; Alyssa A. Jacobs; S. Kyle Voss; Jaret R. Thurston; Abigail L. Diggs
TOP ATTORNEYS
LESS THAN FIVE YEARS IN PRACTICE
CIVIL LAW & LITIGATION
Stefan Garcia
Chandler Olson
Hannah Orand
Tyler Scholes
CIVIL LAW, TRANSACTIONAL
Christopher “Chris” Morris
4% of the attorneys in Tarrant County are members of four or more state bar sections.
Source: State Bar of Texas
Tristan Watson
COMMERCIAL LITIGATION
Cash Barker
Jessica Francis
CORPORATE FINANCE/ MERGERS & ACQUISITIONS
Gabriella Snow
CRIMINAL
Erika Flores
Tanner Ford
Macy Jeffers
Robert “Rob” Sorokolit
FAMILY
Cory Bennett
Brianda Curry
Hailey Klingbeil
Paige Lyons
Christine “Christy” Mazurek
Scott Prescher
Laura Richardson
Haley Shaw
Matthew “Matt” Towson
Sara Vargas
Megan Weiershausen
IMMIGRATION
Lisa McBee
LABOR & EMPLOYMENTEMPLOYER
Lauren Azopardi
Spencer Mainka
PERSONAL INJURYDEFENSE
Bradleigh Bell
Bryan Berens
PERSONAL INJURYPLAINTIFF
Michael Galyen
Brittanie Johnson
Serech Kissire
Dillon Vaughn
REAL ESTATE
Melissa Clark
SECURITIES
Jarrod Azopardi
Andrew Homer
Congratulations to our 2023 Top Attorney Winners*
Nicole Hogan
Brian Garrett
Joe Wolf
Greg Gober
Stefan Garcia*
Kathryn Steele
Tiffany Self
James Hryekewicz
Jennifer Litke
Wesley Myers
Kyler Kelly Cruz
Amy Hedgecock
Our attorneys practice in most areas of civil law, including complex commercial litigation, health care and medical malpractice, representation of governmental entities, public and private companies, and individuals, covering their needs in Fort Worth and throughout Texas.
Grant Blaies
Wesley Hightower*
Gregory Blaies*
ß
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Industry Partners
Sponsors
Heritage Interiors is grateful to our Industry Partners and Sponsors who have linked arms with us on the 2023 Fort Worth Magazine Dream Street Project. Their enthusiasm, shared resources and genuine acts of kindness and community are most appreciated.
“Through the Mist”
Heritage Interiors is excited to showcase original artwork by Interior Designer, Carole Harston. An Artist & professional Interior Designer for over 40 years & member of ASID, Carole’s passion for art has been woven throughout her design career and personal life. Additionally, Heritage Interiors is proud of the beautiful interiors created by Co-designers Carole Harston and Marlene Small in the Fort Worth Magazine Dream Street 2023 English Home.
FOCUS
Attorneys 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 ATTORNEYS TO KNOW
Brackett & Ellis, P.C.
SPECIALTY: Brackett & Ellis is a civil practice law 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: Best Lawyers, Best Law Firms: Commercial Litigation, Tier 1-Dallas/Fort Worth; Insurance Law, Tier 1-Dallas/ Fort Worth; Education Law, Tier 1-Dallas/Fort Worth. GREATEST PROFESSIONAL ACHIEVEMENTS: We are proud to have had the
opportunity to provide top-quality legal services to the Fort Worth community for over 40 years. 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 hardworking 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 THEM APART: We advocate for our clients by putting them and their interests first. Our diligent legal professionals are responsive, clear communicators, and dedicated to positive results for our clients. PICTURED: (left to right) 2023 Top Attorneys: Jim Whitton, Jim Creel, Veronica Chavez Law, Tom Myers, Joe Tolbert, Lynn Rossi Scott, Heath Coffman, Sarah Flournoy, Mark Maples, Joe Cleveland, Russell Norment; (not pictured) Henri Dussault and Jerrod Rinehart.
Brackett & Ellis, P.C. 100
817.338.1700 Fax 817.870.2265 belaw.com
Law Offices of Mark M. Childress
SPECIALTY: Family Law, Divorce, Collaborative Divorce, Modification, Child Custody. AWARDS/HONORS: Top Attorney Fort Worth Magazine; Top Attorney 360 West Magazine; Texas Monthly Super Lawyers - Rising Stars; Expertise Best Divorce Lawyers in Fort Worth.
PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS/ASSOCIATIONS: Tarrant County Bar Association; Tarrant County Family Law Bar Association; American Bar Association. PROFESSIONAL
APPROACH: Our team is spearheaded by experienced attorneys who are committed to assisting you in defining your objectives and devising a tailored strategy for their realization. We are fully dedicated to going the extra mile to ensure that you achieve the optimal outcome for both you and your children. WHAT SETS THEM APART: We’re a dedicated firm that meticulously prepares every case to anticipate and navigate every conceivable challenge, ensuring unwavering support for our clients’ interests. Whether your situation calls for an amicable settlement or a trial, rest assured that our attorneys will stand as your unwavering champions throughout the entire journey. PICTURED: Mark Childress, Desiree Hartwigsen, Rick Mitchell, Sarah Robbins, Megan Weiershausen, Brenda Colon, Madison Easterlin, Amie Wilson, Melissa Hernandez, Thanh Cabrera, Tiffany Washington, Harley Medellin, and Rebecca Doyle.
Law Offices of Mark M. Childress
4215 Camp Bowie Blvd. Fort Worth, Texas 76107
817.984.3141
markchildresslaw.com
Frenkel & Frenkel
FOCUS: The firm focuses on personal injury cases, commercial vehicle cases, 18-wheeler, rideshare, and delivery vehicles. We also handle car and motorcycle wrecks and 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, 2007-2023; Texas Super Lawyer, a Thomson Reuters publication, 2011-2023; Best Lawyers in Fort Worth, 2017-2020; Million Dollar Advocates Forum & Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum; member, Texas Bar College. Mark Frenkel – past president, Dallas Trial Lawyers Association; Best Lawyers in Dallas, D Magazine, 20092023; Texas Super Lawyer, a Thomson Reuters publication, 2014-2018; Million Dollar Advocates Forum & Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum. Gene Burkett – Best Lawyers in Dallas, D Magazine, 2015-2023; Best Lawyers in Fort Worth, 2017-2022; Texas Super Lawyer 2020-2023, 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, 2013-2022. 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, and we have the resources to take on any adversary. WHAT SETS THEM APART: We can handle and fund any size case; employ advanced techniques learned over 25+ years; and stay at the front of technology useful in presenting our clients’ cases. 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. Having been practicing in Texas for over a quarter of a century, insurance companies and defense lawyers know we fight vigorously to get our clients what they deserve. 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, M.D., J.D. (Of Counsel).
Frenkel & Frenkel
12700 Park Central Drive, Ste. 1900 • Dallas, Texas 75251
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, Sister Cities International, and Fort Worth Sister Cities International. 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.
Greg Jackson Law
201 Main St., Ste. 600
Fort Worth, Texas 76102 817.926.1003
Fax 817.886.3653
gjackson@gregjacksonlaw.com gregjacksonlaw.com
Greg Jackson Law
Stephens Law Firm PLLC
SPECIALTY: We focus exclusively on representing individuals and families who have been involved in an 18-wheeler or commercial vehicle accident, a lifechanging personal injury, or who have lost a loved one in a wrongful death. The firm limits its practice to select cases, allowing us to fully understand our clients’ losses and struggles while forging a strategic plan to help them piece their lives back together. “When we take on a case, our client’s problem becomes our problem, and we are driven to righting that wrong,” says Jason Stephens. AWARDS/HONORS: Jason Stephens – AV® rated by Martindale-Hubble; Top 100 Trial Lawyer by the National Trial Lawyers Association, (2011-present); Texas Super Lawyer by Thomas Reuters, (2004-present); member of the prestigious American Board of Trial Advocates. Rieker Carsey – Texas Super Lawyer by Thomas Reuters, (2022); Rising StarSuper Lawyer (2020-21); and president of the Tarrant County Trial Lawyers (2020). FIRM’S PROFESSIONAL APPROACH: Jason, Rieker, and their talented support team are devoted to helping clients get answers, move toward healing, and seek the financial compensation they deserve. The firm takes the trust of clients seriously and personally and always strives to serve their clients and community with honor and integrity. WHAT SETS THEM APART: We are extremely passionate about what we do and have 25-plus years of experience with a long track record of success. This isn’t just a job — it’s our calling! PICTURED: Attorneys Jason Stephens and Rieker Carsey, and their amazing Rockstar Support Team.
Stephens Law Firm PLLC
1300 S. University Drive, Ste. 300 Fort Worth, Texas 76107
817.420.7000
stephenslaw.com
Law Office of Lauren L. Boysen, PLLC
SPECIALTY: Family Law. AWARDS/HONORS: Faces of Fort Worth, February 2023; Fort Worth Magazine’s Women Who Forward Fort Worth and December 2022 Attorneys to Know; Fort Worth Magazine’s Top Attorneys, 2020 – 2022; BBB Accredited. MEMBERSHIPS/ AFFILIATIONS: Member of the State Bar and American Bar Association, Texas Family Law Foundation, Tarrant County Family Law Section, Tarrant County Family Bar Association, Tarrant County Criminal Defense Lawyers Association.
PROFESSIONAL APPROACH: It’s important to find a law firm that cares about you and your story. You shouldn’t just be another name on a list. Your story matters. When you trust us to take on your case and you become a part of our team, you’re not just another case for us — you matter. You should have a team that will fight for you relentlessly and without hesitation. “In a war, you need an army. Choose your soldiers wisely.” – Lauren L. Boysen. PICTURED: (front) Lauren L. Boysen, Attorney; (back) Ana Calzada, Cindy Calzada, and Dondrae Nelson.
Law Office of Lauren L. Boysen, PLLC 1008 Macon St. Fort Worth, Texas 76102
817.768.6468 Fax 817.900.9137
lawofficelaurenboysen.com
The Brender Law Firm
John Brender, Bronwyn Scharar, and Art Brender*
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. Bronwyn Scharar –B.A., Sewanee, The University of the South; J.D., Michigan State University School of Law. 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. As a former Dallas Assistant District Attorney, John handled misdemeanors and felonies. Due to his vast experience, John is skilled in criminal and personal injury litigation. John’s reputation for courtroom excellence has led to him being chosen as a “Top Attorney,” Fort Worth Magazine (2009-2023); Texas Monthly magazine “Rising Star” (2009); and “Super Lawyer” (2018-2022). Bronwyn Scharar, of counsel, has over 14 years of experience, including litigation and probate. *Art Brender reached his 50 year milestone of practicing law and continues to advocate and provide outstanding legal service. WHAT SETS THEM APART: Since 1973, the Brender Law Firm has successfully represented and tried hundreds of cases in the metroplex involving criminal, personal injury, car and truck wrecks, jail injury/deaths, products liability, insurance bad faith, civil rights, medical negligence, mass torts, class actions, sexual harassment, and employment discrimination. MOTTO: Experienced Lawyers Who Get Results! PICTURED: Bronwyn Scharar, John Brender, and Art Brender.
The Brender Law Firm
600 Eighth Ave.
Fort Worth, Texas 76104
817.334.0171
Fax 817.334.0274
brenderlawfirm.com
The
ATTORNEYS TO KNOW
CONCENTRATION: DWI, Criminal Defense.
EDUCATION/CERTIFICATIONS: Mimi Coffey – Baylor University, Texas Tech School of Law, Board-Certified in DWI by the NCDD. Steven Ditommaso – University of Arkansas, University of Arkansas School of Law. AWARDS/ HONORS: Coffey – Vice Dean of 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: The Law and Practice, now in its second edition; Texas Lawyer: 2015 Extraordinary Minorities in Texas Law. PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS/ AFFILIATIONS: Coffey – NCDD, NACDL, TCDLA, TCCDLA, DCDLA, TCBA, State Bar College, Texas Bar Foundation, Texas Tech School of Law Foundation Board, State Bar of Texas Service Committee. Ditommaso – NCDD, TCDLA, TCCDLA. SPECIAL INTERESTS: Coffey – “I love people. I love to help people. Everyone makes mistakes.” Ditommaso – Basketball (Dallas Mavericks #MFFL), “Teamwork makes the dream work. We have the best clients.”
The Coffey Firm
4700 Airport Freeway Fort Worth, Texas 76117
817.831.3100 Fax 817.831.3340 mimicoffey.com
Coffey Firm
FOCUS ATTORNEYS TO KNOW
SPECIALTY: Family Law. EDUCATION: Anita Cutrer – South Texas College of Law Houston, J.D.; University of Houston, BBA; Board Certified by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization in Family Law. Reba Martin – Texas A&M School of Law, J.D.; University of Texas at Arlington, B.S. and MPA. AWARDS: Super Lawyer 2022-2023. GREATEST PROFESSIONAL ACHIEVEMENT: The Cutrer Law Group has the skills and empathy to not only help clients reach their family law goals, but also to achieve the best possible outcome in court or in a settlement negotiation.
PROFESSIONAL MISSION: Attorney Anita Cutrer has in-depth knowledge and experience in family law, the focus of her practice for more than 25 years. Ms. Cutrer practices family law exclusively in Tarrant County, which makes her very familiar with individual judges and their policies and enables her to get the best result for her clients. WHAT SETS THEM APART: Customer service is a top priority at Cutrer Law Group. Lines of communication are always kept open, keeping the client fully informed at every stage of the process and assuring that the client is as prepared as possible for each court hearing and/or mediation. FREE ADVICE: Let the attorneys at Cutrer Law Group help resolve your family’s legal issues with the least drama and conflict possible. PICTURED: Reba Martin and Anita Cutrer.
Cutrer Law Group 304 Harwood Road Bedford, Texas 76021
817.422.5455
akcfamilylaw.com
Cutrer Law Group
Dally & Webb Family Law, PLLC
SPECIALTY: Exclusively Family Law. CERTIFICATIONS: Lori E. Dally – Trained in Collaborative Law. Daniel P. Webb – Board Certified in Family Law, Texas Board of Legal Specialization. AWARDS/ HONORS: Lori – Texas Rising Star, Super Lawyers (2019- 2023); Top Attorney in Family Law, Fort Worth Magazine (2017-2023). Daniel – Texas Rising Star, Super Lawyers (2012-2020) and Super Lawyer (20212023); Top Attorney in Family Law, Fort Worth Magazine (2022-2023). GREATEST PROFESSIONAL ACHIEVEMENT: Lori – Swearing in before the United States Supreme Court. Daniel – Acceptance to the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers. APPROACH TO LAW: As a firm, we prioritize compassionate client advocacy, expert legal counsel, and a commitment to resolving complex family matters with sensitivity, creative legal strategies, and a deep understanding of evolving family and legal dynamics. WHAT SETS THEM APART: Results! Our exceptional team of family lawyers stays up to date on the latest legal developments, which ensures optimal outcomes for our clients. It’s not enough for us to just say we are great at providing exceptional results for our clients, we go out and continue to prove it time and time again. FREE ADVICE: Finding a lawyer is hard; do your homework. Find a lawyer you trust, listen to them, and take their advice. PICTURED: Sara Vargas, Max Brewington, Lori Dally, and Daniel Webb.
Dally & Webb Family Law, PLLC
2813 S. Hulen, Ste. 250 Fort Worth, Texas 76109
817.409.1136
sara@texfamilylawyer.com
max@texfamilylawyer.com
lori@texfamilylawyer.com
daniel@texfamilylawyer.com
texfamilylawyer.com
Andrew Deegan, Attorney at Law
SPECIALTY: Criminal cases filed in state court, including DWI, assault charges, and drug cases. Law office is in Fort Worth, but Andrew handles cases in surrounding counties and across the state. EDUCATION/ CERTIFICATIONS: University of Mississippi School of Law, 2013; ACS-CHAL Forensic Lawyer Scientist 2017. AWARDS/ HONORS: Super Lawyers Texas Rising Stars, 2020 – 2023. MEMBERSHIPS: Texas Criminal Defense Lawyers Association. PROFESSIONAL MISSION: To help people get out of legal situations that are often unexpected, difficult, and terrifying. WHAT SETS HIM APART: Andrew believes that a very important part of defending someone is telling that person’s story. This takes time, and for that reason, he does not have a high-volume practice like some other lawyers have. FREE ADVICE: “Don’t try to explain anything to anyone until you’re in your lawyer’s office.” PICTURED : Andrew Deegan.
Andrew Deegan, Attorney at Law
933 W. Weatherford St., Ste. 212 Fort Worth, Texas 76102 817.689.7002 andrew@andrewdeeganlaw.com andrewdeeganlaw.com
EDUCATION/CERTIFICATIONS: TCU, M.J. Neely School of Business; TWU, School of Law.
AWARDS/HONORS: A Fellow of the Texas Bar Foundation; Fort Worth Magazine Top Attorney, 2022; National Trial Lawyers Top 100 Trial Lawyers, 2016 - present; Eldon B. Mahon Inn of Court, present member; Law Review Editor, Texas Wesleyan School of Law with academic honors. MEMBERSHIPS/AFFILIATIONS: Saint Andrew Catholic Church; TCU Chancellor’s Advisory Committee, 2018 - present; SVdP. WHAT SETS HIM APART: Clemente De La Cruz has been in private practice since 2001. A retired Fort Worth Fire Captain, he was privileged to work with the men and women of the FWFD. His 36 years with FWFD gave him great experience in handling the most difficult situations. PICTURED: Clemente De La Cruz and legal assistant, Mateo De La Cruz, Notary.
CONCENTRATION: Wrongful death, pharmaceutical, insurance, and injury. EDUCATION: Dwain Dent – St. Mary’s School of Law and TCU undergraduate. Alyssa Alfaro – UNT Dallas College of Law and Trinity University 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; Preeminent 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.
The Dent Law Firm
1120 Penn St. Fort Worth, Texas 76102
817.332.2889
thedentlawfirm@cs.com
thedentlawfirm.com
SPECIALTY: Real Estate, Corporate, Commercial, Construction and Probate. AWARDS/HONORS: Lawyers of Distinction; Legal Elite, U.S. Business News; Super Lawyers; Board Certified by Texas Board of Legal Specialization; Texas Bar Foundation. 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. MISSION: 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 THEM 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: Fort Worth office attorneys (l to r) Kasey Rachel and Tricia Wachsmann (seated); Brian McGrath, J. C. Johnson, and Joseph Modric (standing).
Dorsett Johnson, LLP
407 Throckmorton St., Ste. 500 Fort Worth, Texas 76102
Offices in Fort Worth, Dallas, Austin, Houston, San Antonio, and Brownsville
817.900.8202
Fax 817.882.8526
DorsettJohnson.com
jcjohnson@dorsettjohnson.com
Griffith, Jay & Michel, LLP
Ross Griffith, Thomas Michel, and L. Stephen Franscini, V
CONCENTRATION: Our well-rounded team has extensive experience assisting clients with estate and incapacity planning documents such as wills, trusts, and powers of attorney. When matters need to go to the courthouse, Thomas Michel, Ross Griffith, and Stephen Franscini take a collaborative approach to handling matters efficiently. WHAT SETS US APART: Combining our varied skill sets, strengths, and experience allows us to help our clients navigate legal situations following the death or incapacity of a loved one and to provide the best representation possible. We help guide clients from the beginning of a contested probate or guardianship proceeding through trial and to the court of appeals and supreme court. ACHIEVEMENTS: Michel has argued a case in the United States Supreme Court; argued and won numerous cases in the Texas Supreme Court and Court of Appeals. AWARDS/RECOGNITIONS: Michel is designated in the Super Lawyers list; Michel and Griffith are AV Preeminent rated by Martindale-Hubbell; Michel, Griffith, and Franscini are all designated as Top Attorneys in Fort Worth Magazine EDUCATION/CERTIFICATIONS: Michel – University of Texas School of Law; Board Certified Civil Appellate Law, Texas Board of Legal Specialization. Griffith – Texas Tech University School of Law; Guardianship Certification, State Bar of Texas; Franscini – Texas A&M School of Law; Guardianship Certification State Bar of Texas.
2200 Forest Park Blvd. Fort Worth, Texas 76110
817.926.2500 lawgjm.com
Griffith, Jay & Michel, LLP
Michael J. Henry, Attorney at Law, P.C.
SPECIALTY: Michael J. Henry (Mike) and his son, Michael J. Henry, Jr. (Jay), offer clients throughout Texas the highest quality of representation in Commercial, Oil & Gas, Personal Injury and Wrongful Death Litigation. CERTIFICATION/ LICENSES: Mike is Board Certified in Civil Trial Law and Personal Injury Trial Law. Mike is also licensed to practice in all Federal District Courts in Texas, the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, and the U.S. Supreme Court. Mike is also the former president of the prestigious Tarrant County Chapter of the American Board of Trial Advocates; he is AV Rated by MartindaleHubbell and has been a consistent recipient of Super Lawyers/Texas award. EDUCATION/ MEMBERSHIPS: Both Mike and Jay obtained a J.D. from Texas Tech University School of Law, where Jay had previously obtained a Bachelor of Arts. Jay was a member of Texas Tech University’s first Phi Beta Kappa chapter. Jay is licensed to practice in all Texas State Courts. PICTURED: (standing, l to r) Michael J. Henry, Jr. (Jay) and Michael J. Henry (Mike).
675 N. Henderson St., Ste. 300 Fort Worth, Texas 76107
817.877.3303
Fax 817.338.9109
henry@henrytexlaw.com
jay@henrytexlaw.com henrytexlaw.com/
Michael J. Henry, Attorney at Law, P.C.
SPECIALTY: Plaintiff’s Personal Injury/Civil Litigation. EDUCATION/CERTIFICATIONS: J.D., MBA, Texas Tech University; licensed to practice in all Texas State Courts and the Northern District of Texas. AWARDS/HONORS: Rising Star by Super Lawyers every year since 2019; named one of Texas’ Outstanding Young Lawyers by Texas Monthly in 2020 and 2021; Fort Worth Magazine’s Top Attorney since 2013; 360 West’s Top Attorney since 2018. GREATEST PROFESSIONAL ACHIEVEMENT: Representing a 2-year-old girl that suffered catastrophic injuries after she was attacked by a pit bull. There were many unique aspects of the case that created a difficult set of circumstances that we had to overcome. I’m very proud to have represented her and her family. APPROACH: My clients can rest assured that my advice is based on an honest assessment of their situation. It is important that they understand exactly what is at stake and what their best possible outcome is under the law. WHAT SETS HIM APART: I am involved in every aspect of my client’s case from start to finish and maintain regular communication with my clients. FREE ADVICE: Exercise caution when it comes to hiring an attorney. If you think you might need legal representation, I recommend starting with a referral to an actual local attorney.
Robert L. Henry, Attorney at Law, P.C 675 N. Henderson St., Ste. 300 Fort Worth, Texas 76107
817.877.3303
Fax 817.338.9109
robert@henrytexlaw.com
William A. Knight
SPECIALTY: Criminal Law. EDUCATION/ CERTIFICATIONS: J.D./MBA with honors, St. Mary’s University; BBA, Southern Methodist University; Board Certified in Criminal Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization.
AWARDS/HONORS: 2019 Child Abuse Prosecutor of the Year for Tarrant County as voted by law enforcement; Assistant Chief Prosecutor; former Intimate Partner Violence Unit Prosecutor; former Special Victims Unit Prosecutor; lectures for the State Bar of Texas and Texas A&M Law School. GREATEST PROFESSIONAL ACHIEVEMENT: Receiving a hug from a 10-year-old boy who thanked me that his abuser will never hurt him again.
MEMBERSHIPS/AFFILIATIONS: All Saints’ Episcopal School Board of Trustees member; The Federalist Society, former chapter president; St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church, parishioner; Colleyville Lions Club; Sons of the American Revolution. COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT: I am excited to announce that I am seeking the Republican nomination to be the next elected judge of Criminal District Court No. 2 for Tarrant County on the March 5, 2024, primary ballot. Tarrant County is a special place — I was born and raised here. We have a strong history of electing judges who enforce the rule of law, and I am humbly asking you for the privilege to carry on in that tradition.
William A. Knight
P.O. Box 1066
Fort Worth, Texas 76101
william@knightforjudge.com
Paid political ad William Knight Campaign in compliance with the voluntary limits of the Judicial Campaign Fairness Act. Annette P. Tofan Treasurer.
Mark C. Lane
Mark Lane Law Office
SPECIALTY: My firm specializes in Elder Law & Estate Planning, Family Law, including complex Divorce and Custody litigation, property settlements, custody modification, family law trial cases through an aggressive maverick-style of lawyering. EDUCATION: B.S. in Psychology, Lamar University; J.D., Texas Wesleyan University; retired Judge of Roanoke after 14 years. EXPERIENCE: Established over 24 years ago with approximately 8,100 cases to date. AWARDS/HONORS: Past board member of Tarrant County Family Law Bar Association.
PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS/AFFILIATIONS:
Texas Family Law Bar Section, National Association of Elder Law Attorneys, Lawyers with Purpose, Tarrant County Family Bar Association, State Bar of Texas, North District, U.S. District Court. GREATEST ACCOMPLISHMENT: Winning custody and property division cases that help that person continue in life with a fresh start and helping families plan for their future through Estate Planning. APPROACH TO LAW: Establishing an effective game plan to help my clients by using wisdom, experience, and litigation by providing personal and direct contact through very difficult events. SPECIAL INTERESTS: Fellowship of the Sword, New River Fellowship Church, Vision Life Ministries and Dressing Souls. FREE ADVICE: “Hire me before your spouse does!”
Mark Lane Law Office
4000 W. Vickery Blvd., Ste. B Fort Worth, Texas 76107
817.377.1077
Fax 817.377.1806
mark@marklanelaw.com
marklanelaw.com
hiremebeforeyourspousedoes.com
SPECIALTY: Linebarger Goggan Blair & Sampson, LLP is a national law firm dedicated to the collection of delinquent government receivables. For over 47 years, Linebarger has provided customized collection programs for its public sector clientele. Linebarger services allow clients to spend more of their time and resources providing the core services constituents expect, while avoiding unnecessary tax increases and cuts to essential public services.
EDUCATION: Southern Methodist University, Bachelor of Arts; University of Houston Law Center, Juris Doctor. AFFILIATIONS: United Way of Tarrant County, Leadership Fort Worth, Eldon B. Mahon Inn of Court, Tarrant County Bar Association, L. Clifford Davis Legal Association, Texas Bar College, Project 4031, Junior League of Fort Worth, and Junior Woman’s Club of Fort Worth. GREATEST PROFESSIONAL ACHIEVEMENTS: With over 2,500 clients located coast to coast, Linebarger is a recognized leader in the industry. The firm currently manages more than $10 billion in delinquent accounts receivable for its public sector clientele. The revenue recovered helps clients avoid unnecessary tax increases and cuts to vital services. WHAT SETS THEM APART: Linebarger has successfully merged the practice of law with the business of collections and advanced technology to create a unique service offering. The result has been the recovery of billions of dollars in additional revenue for clients.
Linebarger Goggan Blair & Sampson, LLP
100 Throckmorton St., Ste. 1700 Fort Worth, Texas 76102
817.877.4589
FOCUS ATTORNEYS TO KNOW
SPECIALTY: Commercial and Residential Real Estate & Title Insurance, Real Estate Investments, Private and Hard Money Lending, Creative Real Estate Financing. 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 since 2014; Texas Super Lawyers Rising Star in Real Estate since 2016; 2018 Texas Wesleyan Young Alumnus Achievement Award; 360 West and 76107 Top Attorney recognition since 2016. GREATEST PROFESSIONAL ACHIEVEMENT: Knowing that my staff trusts in me and the operation so much that they’re always willing to take the leap with me when sights are set on the next adventure. MISSION: To continue being the face of Fort Worth real estate and title insurance by facilitating the most creative and innovative transactions. PICTURED: (left to right, back row) Whitney Walls, Katy Garcia, Martin Garcia, and Meredith Newberry; (seated) Courtney Coulter, Shari Adrian, and Michelle Manning.
MAG Law, PLLC Magnolia Title
3108 W. Sixth St., Ste. 222 Fort Worth, Texas 76107 817.768.3355
SPECIALTY: Kent McAfee has been a Texas attorney for over 39 years, serving injured victims in Fort Worth and throughout Texas.
CONCENTRATION: Personal Injury (Plaintiff), Civil Litigation. EDUCATION: J. Kent McAfee – B.S., University of Tennessee; Graduate Studies (M.P.A.), Memphis State University; J.D., Cumberland School of Law, Samford University. Brittany McAfee – B.S. in Criminal Justice, University of Mississippi; J.D., Lincoln Memorial University-Duncan School of Law; licensed in Texas and Tennessee; practices criminal defense.
HONORS: The National Trial Lawyers Top 100 Civil Plaintiff Attorneys, 2017-2019. EXPERIENCE: Kent began practicing law in 1984, with a desire to serve the public and 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; American Association for Justice; served on the State Bar of Texas District 7 Grievance Committee. WHAT SETS THEM
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.
ADVICE: “Do not hire an attorney who won’t talk with you in the initial meeting. It won’t improve in the future.”
Law Offices of J. Kent McAfee, PC
One Legal Place 925 Eighth Ave. • Fort Worth, Texas 76104 817.332.7678
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 environment 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: Jason Mills, Lauren Wallis, and Jorge Arias.
Law
817.335.0220
Fax 817.335.0240
immigrationnation.net info@immigrationnation.net
Offices of Jason Mills, PLLC
Montes Law Group, PC
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 commercial vehicle and car crash cases, insurance claims, unsafe premises cases, unsafe workplace, day care injuries, and injuries caused by defective products, among others. EDUCATION/ CERTIFICATIONS: University of Texas at Dallas, Texas Wesleyan 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 multiple years, “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: President of the Dallas Trial Lawyers Association, 2024; Tarrant County Trial Lawyers Association; Texas Trial Lawyers Association; Attorneys Serving the Community; Dallas Women Lawyers Association. APPROACH TO LAW: Leave no stone unturned. Montes 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 corporate safety upgrades that benefit the community. FREE ADVICE: Hire an experienced, board-certified trial lawyer to protect your rights and those of your family. We create solutions to benefit you and your family. We put our clients first. PICTURED: Rachel Montes.
SPECIALTY: Family Law. AWARDS/HONORS: David Wynne – Fort Worth Magazine Top Attorney 2023. Elizabeth Barr – 360 West Magazine Top Attorney 2021, 2022; Fort Worth Magazine Top Attorney 2020, 2021, 2023.
MEMBERSHIPS/AFFILIATIONS: American Bar Association, Parker County Bar Association, State Bar of Texas Family Law Section, Tarrant County Family Law Bar, Texas Aggie Bar Association, Texas Bar Association. APPROACH TO LAW: O’Neil Wysocki Family Law is a firm of litigation attorneys who advocate zealously for their clients. While we still settle many cases, when a case is not ripe for settlement or settlement is not in our client’s best interest – we fight and get results. WHAT SETS THEM APART: O’Neil Wysocki Family Law knows Family Law. And everyone in Family Law knows O’Neil Wysocki, also known as the “OWLs.” David Wynne, Jeff Branch, and Elizabeth Barr are the real deal and “The Wise Choice” in divorce and child custody litigation. They are in trenches actually fighting for their clients, which is hard to find these days. PICTURED: David W. Wynne, Managing Partner; Jeff Branch; and Elizabeth Barr, Fort Worth Office.
O’Neil Wysocki, PC
2630 West Freeway, Ste. 218 Fort Worth, Texas 76102
Fax 817.332.2316 OWLawyers.com O’Neil Wysocki, PC
817.332.2202
P. Micheal Schneider Law Firm, P.C.
FOCUS: Family Law and Criminal Defense. PREFERRED CASES: High-Conflict Divorce Litigation; Custody Cases; Jury Trials; Family Violence Defense; Sex Crimes Defense. WHAT SETS US APART: We have an exceptional team of attorneys that not only have experience in procedure, evidence, and trial dynamics, but a reputation within the Tarrant County legal community of advocating fiercely for our clients. From the initial client meeting through the final disposition, our attorneys use experience, empathy, keen legal knowledge, and problem-solving skills to provide an unparalleled level of representation for our clients. We understand that every case and every client are different, and we communicate and listen to our clients to ensure they understand the overall legal process and any options they may have available to achieve a favorable result in their case. Our attorneys are compassionate toward our clients but truly excel in the courtroom. FIRM’S MISSION: Win every case. MOTTO: Be a tiger! PICTURED: Matthew Jackson, Melissa Swan, Taryn Horton, P. Micheal Schneider, Elizabeth Nielson, Alison Porterfield, and Jessica Phillips.
SPECIALTY: Family Law & Child Welfare Law. EDUCATION/CERTIFICATIONS: B.A., Texas Tech; J.D., Texas Wesleyan (now A&M); Board Certified in Child Welfare Law, Texas Board of Legal Specialization. AWARDS/HONORS: Texas Rising Star, Super Lawyers (2019-2024); Top Attorney in Family Law, Fort Worth Magazine (2015-2023); AV Preeminent Peer Rated through MartindaleHubbell; CASA Attorney Ad Litem of the Year (2020). WHAT SETS THEM APART: At Seltzer Family Law, we genuinely care about our clients and strive to deliver an unparalleled level of strategic representation that each case deserves. Our goal is to provide excellent, efficient, and effective representation throughout the entire legal process. This commitment to our clients is based on the firm’s foundational values and our desire to personally, professionally, and passionately represent each client during their most difficult and vulnerable times. FREE ADVICE: Be transparent and honest with your attorney from Day 1. It is basically impossible to shock a family law attorney, and we are exponentially more effective if we are fully informed by the client from the beginning. Also, don’t compare your best friend’s sister’s aunt’s second ex-husband’s case with yours — the circumstances of each case are unique.
PICTURED: Sarah C. Seltzer.
Seltzer Family Law, PLLC
6777 Camp Bowie Blvd., Ste. 340 Fort Worth, Texas 76116
817.887.9206 YourTexasFamilyLawyer.com
Family Law Firm of Donna J. Smiedt, PLLC
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 MEMBERSHIPS: Texas Academy of Family Law Specialists; Arlington Bar Association; Tarrant County Family Law Bar Association; Tarrant County Bar Association. GREATEST ACHIEVEMENT: Being sworn in by Chief Justice Rehnquist to practice before the U.S. 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 toll that clients are experiencing in their family law cases, with the goal of facilitating their brave path to achieving the most peaceful, healthy, and loving new family dynamic. WHAT SETS THEM APART: Experience, expertise, and the extraordinary commitment to advocate for not only the client’s stated objectives, but the wellness of the entire family, especially the children involved. MOTTO: When your family and finances matter, experience counts! PICTURED: Donna J. Smiedt, Managing Partner; Melissa S. Mozingo, Senior Litigation Attorney; Emily R. Pyle, Provisional Attorney; Angela Giron, Senior Paralegal; Alexia J. Garcia, Office Manager; Amanda Wolfe, Legal Assistant.
Family Law Firm of
Donna J. Smiedt, PLLC 3216 W. Arkansas Lane Arlington, Texas 76016
817.572.9900
Fax 817.572.7679
smiedtlaw.com
arlingtondivorces.com
FOCUS OF PRACTICE: Collaborative Law, Family Law, Mediation, Estate Planning. 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 Best Lawyers in America, Family Law-Collaborative; recognized as a Master/ Credentialed Collaborative Professional by Collaborative Divorce Texas; nominated by peers as a Super Lawyer Rising Star, 2014 and 2015; Super Lawyer 2022 and 2023. 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 SHE 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 regarding 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. PICTURED: Kate Smith.
1205 Hall Johnson Road
Colleyville, Texas 76034
817.479.0562
Law Office of Kate Smith, PLLC
Law Office of Kate Smith, PLLC
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. Macy Jeffers – B.A., Alabama; J.D., Texas Tech University School of Law. Tanner Ford – B.S., Westfield State University; J.D., Western State College of Law. AWARDS/HONORS: Justin – Fort Worth Magazine Top Attorneys, 2010-2023; Texas Monthly Super Lawyer 2019-2023; 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. Macy –Distinction Award 2020-2021 – Lubbock County Criminal Defense Clinic. Tanner – Academic All-American as a member of the Westfield football team. PROFESSIONAL APPROACH: Proactive, not reactive. We pride ourselves on our preparation and results. GREATEST ACHIEVEMENT: The appreciation from our clients and their families when we successfully defend them. PICTURED: Tanner Ford, Justin Sparks, and Macy Jeffers
Sparks Law Firm
603 E. Belknap Fort Worth, Texas 76102 817.334.0300 justin@sparkslawfirm.com sparkslawfirm.com
SPECIALITY: Westbrook Law specializes in trucking wrecks, catastrophic injuries, wrongful death, workplace injuries, motorcycle wrecks, pedestrian wrecks, car wrecks, slip and falls, and premise liability injuries. EDUCATION/ CERTIFICATION: Texas A&M, B.A.; Texas A&M School of Law, J.D.; Texas Trial Lawyer College graduate. AWARDS/HONORS: Rising Star as rated by Super Lawyers, 2022; 360 West Top Attorney, 2022; Best of the Bar for a Top 100 Verdict in the State of Texas, 2020.
PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS: Tarrant County Trial Lawyers Board of Directors, Texas Trial Lawyers Association, American Association for Justice. GREATEST PROFESSIONAL ACHIEVEMENT: Top 100 Verdict in the State of Texas, 2020. MISSION: Westbrook Law exists to provide a custom level of representation to people who are hurt through another person or company’s fault. WHAT’S UNIQUE ABOUT THE FIRM: Our core values include vigorous advocacy, integrity, and delivering wow customer service. This means you will be updated monthly on the status of your case, you will be able to speak to your attorney when needed, and we will take your matter all the way through trial if necessary. FREE ADVICE: Never accept the insurance company’s first offer. PICTURED: Ben Westbrook.
SPECIALTY: Personal Injury with a focus on commercial motor vehicle wrecks. EDUCATION/ CERTIFICATIONS: Juris Doctorate, Texas Tech University School of Law; Bachelor of Arts - Political Science, Stephen F. Austin State University; licensed to practice law in all state and federal courts in Texas; licensed to practice law in state courts in New Mexico. AWARDS/HONORS: Top Attorney, Fort Worth Magazine, past years; inducted into the prestigious organization, the American Board of Trial Advocates; graduated from the Gerry Spence Trial Lawyers College. MEMBERSHIPS/AFFILIATIONS: Academy of Truck Accident Attorneys; American Board of Trial Advocates; Texas Trial Lawyers Association; Tarrant County Trial Lawyers Association; Dallas Trial Lawyers Association. GREATEST PROFESSIONAL ACHIEVEMENT: Being inducted into ABOTA, made up of quality lawyers on both sides of the bar, after obtaining several six-figure verdicts in surrounding counties, including Tarrant County. APPROACH: People First. Unmatched Expertise. Integrity Always. WHAT SETS THEM APART: Witherite Law Group is committed to caring for our clients and the communities we serve. We don’t just say it; we show it. FREE ADVICE: When you are looking for a lawyer, make sure you are hiring one who is an expert in the field, enjoys being in the courtroom, and cares about you and your family’s well-being.
Witherite Law Group, PLLC 901 West Vickery Blvd., Ste. 900 Fort Worth, Texas 76104
817.263.4466 Fax 817 263.4477 witheritelaw.com
FOCUS: Personal Injury Litigation. The firm focuses on negligence cases including truck wrecks, car and motorcycle collisions, premises liability, injuries caused by animals, traumatic brain and catastrophic injuries, and cases of wrongful death.
EDUCATION: Coby Wooten – B.A., political science, Texas State University; Texas Wesleyan University School of Law. Mattilyn Smith – Double B.A. History and Philosophy, University of Texas Austin; Texas A&M School of Law. AWARDS/ RECOGNITIONS: Wooten is a litigator with over 28 years of experience. He is a Board of Regents Litigator Award winner and has an Avvo Superb 10+ rating. Smith is a trusted name in the legal community. Both are repeat winners of Texas Monthly Super Lawyers.
MEMBERSHIPS/AFFILIATIONS: Wooten – Tarrant County Trial Lawyers Association, Texas Trial Lawyer Association, American Board of Trial Advocates, the Million Dollar and Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum, and the Academy of American Truck Accident Attorneys. Smith –Tarrant County Trial Lawyers Association, Texas Trial Lawyers Association, American Association of Justice, and Texas Women’s Trial Lawyers Association. WHAT SETS THEM APART: The firm has a history of great success and great results. They are committed to aggressively advocating for personal injury victims against big businesses and insurance companies to get them the compensation they deserve. Quality representation for all across the state of Texas.
Coby L. Wooten, Attorney at Law, P.C. 1301 Ballinger St., Ste. 100 Fort Worth, Texas 76102 817.632.8400ph cobywootenlaw.com
Kelly Decker Law Firm
SPECIALTY: Family Law. EDUCATION/CERTIFICATIONS: Kelly Decker – University of Texas, B.A., 2001; Texas Tech University, J.D., 2005; Supreme Court of Texas, 2005; Board Certified in Family Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization, 2017; United States District Court, Northern District of Texas, 2005. AFFILIATIONS: State Bar of Texas Family Law Section, State Bar of Texas, Tarrant County Family Law Bar, Parker County Bar Association, Tarrant County Bar Association. ACHIEVEMENTS: As a family law attorney, I have met people whose very real problems make them vulnerable and afraid. Being able to help them, and make sure children are safe, has been rewarding and my greatest professional achievement. PROFESSIONAL
APPROACH: Trusted Reputation. Driven for Excellence. WHAT SETS THEM APART: We take immense pride in doing good work. We value quality over quantity.
SPECIALTY: Criminal Defense in Federal, State, and Juvenile Courts. EDUCATION: Board Certified in Criminal Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization,1998; Texas Tech School of Law, 1991. AWARDS/HONORS: Fort Worth Magazine Top Attorney (22 years); Martindale-Hubbell AV Preeminent Rating (21 years); Texas Monthly Super Lawyers (21 years). MEMBERSHIPS: Tarrant County Bar Association (president, 2018-19); Tarrant County Criminal Defense Lawyers Association (president, 2001); Texas Criminal Defense Lawyers Association (officer, 2023). GREATEST PROFESSIONAL ACHIEVEMENT: Not guilty verdicts from juries for my clients in cases including DWI, theft, assault, sex offenses, and drug cases. MISSION: To zealously defend our clients’ rights while guiding them through the most difficult period in their lives. WHAT SETS THEM APART: The attention we give to individual clients. PICTURED: Lance Evans.
Daniel, Moore, Evans, Biggs, Decker and Smid (not a partnership)
SPECIALTY: Complex litigation and transactional matters in commercial construction and real estate. EDUCATION: J.D., Texas A&M School of Law; BBA, M.S., Construction Administration, University of Oklahoma. AWARDS/HONORS: Griffith Davison is consistently ranked by Chambers USA, Best Lawyers, Best Law Firms, Super Lawyers, Martindale, and more. MEMBERSHIPS/AFFILIATIONS: American Bar Association, State Bar of Texas, Tarrant County Bar Association, Dallas Bar Association, Denton County Bar Association, TEXO (AGC/ABC), FWC, REC Fort Worth.
GREATEST PROFESSIONAL ACHIEVEMENT: Successfully integrating his experiences managing commercial construction operations and a corporate legal department, Grant provides meticulous legal counsel specific to the business of construction. APPROACH: Provide trusted legal counsel tailored to the unique challenges of commercial construction and real estate. WHAT SETS THEM APART: We are at the forefront of evolving legal and commercial issues, holding leadership roles in legal and industry associations.
SPECIALTY: Family Law, Mediations, and Estate Planning. EDUCATION: Texas A&M School of Law, J.D.; Texas A&M University-Commerce, B.S Criminal Justice. CERTIFICATIONS: Texas Mediation Certification. AWARDS/HONORS: Rated “Rising Star” by Super Lawyers, 2022; Fort Worth Magazine Top Attorney. GREATEST PROFESSIONAL ACHIEVEMENTS: Making families whole: Hands down. Every time. Whether it’s completing an adoption, obtaining primary possession for a noncustodial parent, or having a client retain parental rights in a CPS case. APPROACH: We approach each case differently. We get to know our clients personally, take the time to listen to and understand them, and then develop a case plan designed to optimize the individual’s mental, physical, and financial well-being to the greatest extent possible. WHAT SETS THEM APART: We aim to help clients succeed both in and out of the courtroom.
Dawn King Law Group
5608 Malvey Ave., Ste. 103 • Fort Worth, Texas 76107
817.840.5111 • office@DawnLKing.com DawnLKing.com
Norris Legal Group
SPECIALTY: Federal and State Criminal Defense, including intoxication, assault/self-defense, financial, and drug-related charges. AWARDS/HONORS: Principal Attorney Graham Norris is a former prosecutor and has been repeatedly recognized by Texas Monthly Super Lawyers as a Rising Star, Fort Worth Magazine as a Top Attorney, and was named to The National Trial Lawyers Top 40 Under 40. GREATEST PROFESSIONAL ACHIEVEMENT: Winning a hard-earned “Not Guilty” verdict on a recent Murder trial for a deserving client. We’ll never forget the look of relief on his face as he embraced his family. PROFESSIONAL APPROACH: As a specialty boutique firm, we stand alongside people in their darkest hour, providing both wise counsel and relentless advocacy. We treat our clients and their families with dignity and respect — and we will always fight for them.
SPECIALTY: Family Law, Wills & Probate. EDUCATION/ CERTIFICATIONS: J.D., Texas A&M University School of Law; Master of Theological Studies, TCU; B.S. in Business Administration, UT Dallas. AWARDS/HONORS: 2022-2023 Tarrant County Child Welfare Seminar CLE presenter; Pro Bono and Texas Bar College member; Executive Director for Tarrant Co Young Lawyers; CASA Young Professional Council; Eldon Mahon Inn of Court; GREATEST PROFESSIONAL ACHIEVEMENTS: My greatest achievement is simply making a difference in the lives of my clients. You know you are doing something right when most of your clients hug you after their court hearing. Whether the client is a retained client or someone I was appointed to in a CPS or mental health case, I always advocate totally for my client. PROFESSIONAL APPROACH: My firm works 110% for our clients because we see individuals, not just court cases. PICTURED: Scott Prescher.
Prescher Law Firm, PLLC
P.O. Box 821597 | North Richland Hills, Texas 76182
CONCENTRATION: The General Counsel’s Office offers a wide range of legal services to support TCCD in its mission to provide affordable and open access to quality teaching and learning to the people of Tarrant County.
EDUCATION: B.A., UT, Austin; J.D., UT School of Law. RECOGNITIONS: Former president, Tarrant County Women’s Bar Association; 2019 Fort Worth Business Press Great Women of Texas; 2022 Powerful Purses, Inc. Extraordinary Woman. GREATEST ACHIEVEMENT: Becoming General Counsel of TCCD has been the proudest achievement of my professional career. I believe passionately in the work TCCD does for its students and their families, and the General Counsel’s Office is able to support in many ways all the initiatives of the district.
WHAT SETS HER APART: TCCD is an enormous and complex organization and needs assistance in almost every legal area. Our personnel strive to provide practical assistance as well as legal advice.
Tarrant County College District
300 Trinity Campus Circle • Fort Worth, Texas 76102
817.515.5137 • carol.bracken@tccd.edu • tccd.edu
Sponsors
Frenkel & Frenkel LLP
Griffith Jay & Michel LLP
Law Office of Jason C. Mills, PLLC
Mark Lane Law
Linebarger, Goggan, Blair & Sampson
Montes Law Group PC
Norris Legal G roup
Patterson Law G roup
Stephens Law Firm
Tarrant County College District
William Knight, Attorney at Law
What the Eyes Don’t See:
How Vision Affects Us Mentally
Whether suffering from an eye disease or common agerelated decline in vision, it’s important to understand its impact on our mental health and how one can remedy its ill effects.
The decline of our vision is as certain and inevitable as the proverbial “death and taxes.” And, given that the above quote is attributed to the inventor of the bifocals, Mr. Ben Franklin himself, it’s somewhat shocking he didn’t include blurry vision as a third example.
Because of its inevitability — yes, if you don’t already, your eyes will one day require something to correct the decline in its key task (glasses, Lasik, etc.) — it’s important to know that the effects of vision loss go far beyond blurry TV screens and the need for “readers.” You see, though we often compartmentalize the functions of our bodies by specific organs or functions, our bodies operate as a seamlessly integrated whole. So, a disruption in one part can resonate throughout. And, since we know humans as being visual creatures, the health of our windows to the world would naturally have an effect on our brain — both our emotional well-being and our cognitive abilities.
The Cognitive Effects
Results of a 2021 study, the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging, revealed that individuals with initially poor visual acuity — the ability to discern
letters on an eye chart, for instance — were more prone to cognitive decline over time. This decline manifested in various cognitive domains, including language, memory, attention, and spatial awareness. Depth perception and contrast sensitivity issues also exhibited harmful effects on cognitive abilities.
According to Dr. Bonnielin Swenor, an epidemiologist at Johns Hopkins Wilmer Eye Institute and lead researcher of the study, the idea that cognitive function has ill effects on our vision is a misconception. In fact, the reverse is true: Decline in vision negatively affects our cognition. A separate 2018 study, one in which Swenor also participated, periodically tested the vision and cognitive functions of 2,520 community-dwelling adults ages 65 to 84. The study found that vision impairment was twice as likely to affect cognitive decline than the other way around.
“When people have vision loss, they change the way they live their lives. They decrease their physical activity, and they decrease their social activity, both of which are so important for maintaining a healthy brain,” Dr. Swenor said to the New York Times. “It puts them on a fast track to cognitive decline.”
Impact on Mental Health
As mentioned above, we are visual creatures who rely heavily on our eyes to perform everyday tasks and participate in activities. According to a poll conducted by NVISION, 77% of people think that eyesight — more than hearing, smelling, tasting, and even feeling — is their most important sense.
Given its real and perceived importance, those suffering from age-related vision problems, including eye disorders and diseases, commonly struggle with depression. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, issues with vision have been linked to loneliness, social isolation, and feelings of worry, anxiety, and fear.
While you might think these effects are exclusively linked to those with substantial loss in vision, this isn’t true. If one has failed to address age-related blurry vision caused by cataracts or presbyopia, this too compromises our ability to work, read, drive, or lead a more independent life — the consequences of such can lead to depression and anxiety.
Cataracts, when one’s natural lens becomes cloudy, effects over 90% of people over the age of 65. And, according to a study published in Optometry and Vision Science, depression is 33% more likely in people suffering from the condition.
What You Can Do
Regular vision checks with an optometrist, who can prescribe corrective lenses, recommend cataract surgery, and assist in other prevention measures, is the most important thing one can do to prevent cognitive and mental health disorders due to vision issues.
Also, eat carrots. Seriously, that’s not an old wives’ tale. Carrots are rich in vitamin A, a nutrient essential for good vision. Granted, it won’t improve your vision, but it will do its part to protect it moving forward.
FOCUS
Vision Specialists
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. Lauren May, M.D. – Northwestern in Chicago, medical degree and residency in ophthalmology, Duke University, Durham, N.C.; two-year fellowship in oculoplastics. Mingi Choi, OD – Pennsylvania College of Optometry at Salus University. Rosmary Sanchez, O.D. – University of Texas at Arlington, B.S. in Biology; Texas Women’s University, MBA, and University of Houston College of Optometry, Doctor of Optometry. 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 Light Adjustable Lens, Synergy, Vivity, PanOptix, Symfony, 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: (left to right) C. Amy Hong, M.D.; Ronald Barke, M.D.; (back) Rosmary Sanchez, O.D. and Tara Hardin, O.D.; (not photographed) Lauren May, M.D.
Key-Whitman Eye Center
910 N. Davis Drive • Arlington, Texas 76012
400 W. Arbrook Blvd. • Arlington, Texas 76014
3400 N. Tarrant Parkway • Fort Worth, Texas 76177
817.460.2272
Toll-free 1.800.442.5330
Fax 817.265.9684
patientservices@keywhitman.com keywhitman.com
Martin Reinke, M.D.
SPECIALTY: Ophthalmology: Cataract Surgery, Premium Lens Implants (Toric Lens, PanOptix, Vivity, Tecnis Symfony), Diseases of the Retina and Vitreous, Diabetic Retinopathy/Lasers, Macular Degeneration, Glaucoma Treatment.
EDUCATION: B.A., magna cum laude, Harvard University, 1986; M.D., University of Texas Southwestern Medical School, Dallas, 1990; Ophthalmology Residency, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, 1995; Vitreoretinal Fellowship, Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, Harvard Medical School, Boston, 1997.
CERTIFICATIONS: Board Certified, American Board of Ophthalmology. AWARDS: Physician’s Recognition Award, American Medical Association. PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS: American Academy of Ophthalmology, American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery, Texas Ophthalmological Association, Texas Medical Association, Tarrant County Medical Society. AFFILIATIONS: Baylor Scott & White Surgical Hospital Las Colinas, Baylor Scott & White-Irving, Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Dallas, Texas Health Surgery Center Arlington. PATIENT CARE: A commitment to excellence in eye care is enhanced by our outstanding, caring staff. Dr. Reinke is a uniquely talented surgeon who personally provides all preoperative and postoperative care.
Reinke Eye and Laser Center
1310 N. White Chapel Blvd. • Southlake, Texas 76092 817.310.6080 • Fax 817.310.6014
SPECIALTY: Retina specialist; board-certified, fellowship-trained ophthalmologists specializing in the most advanced treatments for medical and surgical diseases of the retina including macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, retinal vascular occlusions, retinal detachment, macular holes, epiretinal membrane, and intraocular tumors.
EDUCATION: The physicians have trained at leading institutions, including the Johns Hopkins Hospital Wilmer Eye Institute, Harvard Medical School, Duke University Eye Center, Wills Eye Hospital, University of Southern California, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, University of California San Francisco, Associated Retinal Consultants/ Beaumont Health, and the Georgetown University/Retina Group of Washington.
PATIENT CARE: We believe the most important qualities of the doctor-patient relationship are communication, trust, and compassion. As physicians, we should know more than our patients about their disease; our goal is to have them understand their disease at least as well as we do. We are humbled by our patients’ trust and feel that trust is a strong foundation upon which our relationship is built. Our goal is to heal; often, that healing comes from soothing the mind or the heart through compassion. We advise our patients to take an active part in their treatment.
Retina Center of Texas
3455 Locke Ave., Ste. 310 Fort Worth, Texas 76107
305 Morrison Park Drive, Ste. 100 Southlake, Texas 76092
3804 W. 15th St., Ste. 130 Plano, Texas 75075
12222 N. Central Expressway, Ste. 250 Dallas, Texas 75243
817.865.6800 • Fax 817.865.6790
retinacentertx.com
Inspiring Hope Luncheon
The Salvation Army of North Texas
The Salvation Army of North Texas again teamed up with the Dallas Cowboys for the annual Inspiring Hope Luncheon at AT&T Stadium on Sept. 27 to help support the ongoing needs of those combating poverty, addiction, and homelessness in Tarrant County. Honorary Chairs Mary and Carl Ice, state Rep. David Cook, and Judy Rupay welcomed DeMarcus Ware, former defensive end and outside linebacker for the Dallas Cowboys and Denver Broncos, as the VIP guest and keynote speaker at this year’s event. At the event, The Salvation Army honored Mary and Carl Ice with the prestigious William Booth award; the 2023 Youth Education Town Wall of Honor Award went to Susan Skaggs, who was one of the original conceptors of the Inspiring Hope Luncheon; and the Others Award was given to Claire Wheeler, a shining example of the spirit of The Salvation Army.
Bill Mockabee, DeMarcus Ware
Mary & Carl Ice, Kenneth G. Hodder
Dawn McFarland, DeMarcus Ware, Paul McFarland
Carl Ice, Dawn & Paul McFarland, Mary Ice, Judy Rupay, David Cook
Public Figures, Private Artists
The Art Station
More than 300 community leaders gathered on Oct. 4 at the 10th annual Public Figures, Private Artists event to benefit The Art Station, which is celebrating its 20th anniversary. The Art Station is the only community-based nonprofit providing art therapy for healing and growth to children, teens, and adults facing difficult life challenges.
Kurt & Sue Anderson, Jim & Jan Marshall, Cleve & Kitty Lancaster
John Avila, ILa Avila, Jane Avila
Joseph DeLeon, Leah & Barry King
Amanda & Mike Micallef, Kendall Shirey
Bradley Kent, Luke Harvison, Joy Harvison, Shelley Gaines
Back Row: Phil Vandiver, John & Stacy McKnight, Holly Newman, LaVonne Scharbauer
Front Row: JoHanna Willard, Susan Rogers, Christy Muehlbrad, Debby Baker
Rachel Marker, Kay Granger, Wally Tate
Mad Scientist Ball
Fort Worth Museum of Science and History
The 2023 Mad Scientist Ball, held on Sept. 29, proved to be a mesmerizing chemistry experiment of celebration, innovation, and community support. The evening commenced with a tantalizing taste of Fort Worth, showcasing culinary delights from outstanding local restaurants: Bob’s Steak and Chop House Fort Worth, Blue Bell Creameries, Chill-N Nitrogen Ice Cream Fort Worth, DeLucca Gaucho Pizza & Wine, Enchiladas Ole, Fitzgerald, Galligaskins & Fort Worth Catering, Heim Barbecue, Magdalena’s Catering and Events, Prince Lebanese Grill, Reata Restaurant, and Taco Heads. Mentalist Anthony Dempsey and musician Andrew Sullivan wove magic throughout the entire event. Lockheed Martin’s flight simulator provided a thrilling adventure akin to molecular collisions followed by an engaging silent and live auction hosted by Davis Auctioneers.
Sean Fletcher, Corrie Watson, Thomas & Michelle Corley, Rachael & Will Churchill
Louella Martin, Fred Rabalais
Kevin & Hannah Ryon, Christie & Jason Smith
Rachel O’Rourke, Ben Robertson, Brittany Marshall
Corina & JoVaughn Johnson, Ryan & Nissa Harrington
Vernon Evans, Glenda Thompson, Debbara Evans
Feast in the Fort
The Parenting Center
BoomerJack’s Grill presented the ninth annual Feast in the Fort benefiting The Parenting Center on Oct, 19 at The Ostreum. The evening began with a cocktail hour complete with a caricature artist and live music while the 140 attendees browsed the silent auction packages. Dinner was curated by chef Jon Bonnell, and live music was provided by The Royal Dukes Band. Guests were entertained, enlightened, and moved by the life-changing work The Parenting Center is doing in our community.
Barbara Clark-Galupi, Bernadette Escamilla, Derek Zagort, Marlo Escamilla, Mary Dambro, Debra Guerra, Shannon & Stephen Rios, Liz & Bryan Miller
Haydee & Shane Needham, Anna Boulware, Michael Shedd, Alison & Jon Coutu, Monika & Chris Britt, Michelle & Jimmy Simental
Mailyn & Michael Currie
Chris Nettles, Becky Ramirez, Michael Crain, Maria Guzman, Saira Valero
Carlin & Chris Hardy
We’re All About The Dress and University Christian Church –Prom Dreams
Give Back Your Dress Their Dream
On Sept. 17, Into the Garden at The Shops in Clearfork became Sequin Central as friends, family, and devoted SoFortWorthIt fans poured into the store carrying armfuls of big, sparkly, shiny special occasion dresses. The atmosphere was electric with hope and joy as women from across DFW shared their most beautiful things so that young people they didn’t know could feel beautiful, too. Guests were welcomed with Champagne and wine upon arrival, and everyone enjoyed the musical vibes spun by a DJ from Rock the Planet. The drive was a spectacular success with over 450 dress donations and a countless number of shoes, jewelry, handbags and makeup.
Hal Brown, Hallie Brown, Christy Smith, Camille Brown
Suzanne Levy, Mary Frances Van Meter, Mary Elizabeth Van Meter & Veronica Van Meter
Mouty Shackelford, Louella Martin, Christy Smith
PHOTOS BY LAURA MCCARTHY OF ELUSIVE IMAGES
Give Back
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.
Dec. 1
Home for the Holidays Gala Presbyterian Night Shelter
Dec. 2
Margarita Ball
Children’s Charities of Fort Worth
Dec. 23
Armed Forces Bowl Kickoff Luncheon
Armed Forces Bowl
Dec. 23
Armed Forces Bowl
Armed Forces Bowl
Give the Gift of Giving
The Greatest Gift Catalog Ever® Gift Card is like any other traditional retail gift card; the difference is that the funds on the card are used to make charitable contributions to any of the 24 great organizations featured in The Catalog, rather than buying material things. The purchaser of the card receives the tax deduction and the recipient gets to direct the funds to the programs and charities that are most meaningful to them.
Beyond the Bag
JANUARY 27, 2024
RIDGLEA COUNTRY CLUB | 3700 BERNIE ANDERSON
An evening of cocktails, dinner, bidding, dancing and more! Proceeds will support the expansion of navigation services at the Joan Katz Cancer Resource Center at Baylor Scott & White All Saints Medical Center - Fort Worth.
To learn more, scan the QR code or contact BTB@BSWHealth.org MAKE PLANS TO JOIN US FOR THE 13TH ANNUAL
Special Thanks to:
THANK YOU!
Thank you to our Fort Worth community and sponsors for supporting this year's Wranglers and Wishes! Together, we celebrated some special wishes come true for some very special wish kids on November 2nd and raised critical funds to allow more wishes to be granted for local children facing critical illnesses. We hope you'll join us next year!
2023 Chair Elizabeth Dalton thank you to our sponsors & supporters
2023 Honorary Chairs
Belinda & Glenn Cooper
AZZ Cooper Oil & Gas Best Maid Pickles Gilchrist Automotive Stellantis Financial Services Muckleroy & Falls Kinley Construction Dealers Auction Xchange First United Bank Frost Bank Luther King Capital Management Mike & Erica McCrary Reeder General Contractors
Rockin J Electric Rockin J Mechanical SEDALCO Jerri Anne Watt Bank of Texas Chi Omega Fort Worth Texas Alumnae Chapter Ciera Bank Fort Worth & Western Railroad Higginbotham Dr. Braden & Lauren Moore Quatro Tax Southern State Rebar Stellar Drilling Fluids Texas Capital Bank Zeb's Foundatioin
Special thanks to Encore, Gold Dust Event Co., Maverick Western Wear and River Ranch
To learn more about Make-A-Wish, visit ntx.wish.org
Tickets for the 2023 Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl and Kicko Luncheon are now available. Scan the QR code at the top of this page to visit our website and get your tickets today!
Actress Lauren E. Banks, who portrays Jennie Reeves in the Paramount+ miniseries
“Lawmen: Bass Reeves,” poses on a horse at Taylor Sheridan’s Bosque Ranch in Weatherford. The ranch, which is named for Bosque County — the county from which Sheridan originally hails — served as one of the filming locations for the show.
Created by Fort Worthian Chad Feehan, produced by Paschal High alum Sheridan, and shot almost exclusively in and around Cowtown, the first two of the series’ eight episodes fittingly premiered at the Isis theater during the Lonestar Film Festival in early November.
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@crystalclearphotographytx PHOTO BY CRYSTAL WISE
PICTURED: left to right: Chris Bonnett, GM, cbonnett@gilchristautomotive.com, Southwest Ford, Weatherford; Jonathan Franco, GM, jfranco@gilchristautomotive.com, Platinum Ford North; Stephen Gilchrist, Dealer Operator, Gilchrist Automotive; Adam Vincze, GM, avincze@gilchristautomotive.com, Platinum Ford; and Dustin Rodgers, GM, drodgers@gilchristautomotive.com, Triple Crown Ford and Lincoln, Terrell, TX.
Enjoying the Ride
Longtime Bedford resident Carol DeVinny spent much of her life in service to others as a publicschool teacher of 21 years, teaching Texas history in the Carroll ISD. She is now enjoying retirement, playing golf and needlepointing. When she decided to indulge in a little welldeserved personal luxury, she headed to Park Place Lexus Grapevine to purchase a 2023 Lexus RX350, a redesigned SUV delivering Lexus luxury with modern tech. Carol and her pal, Augie, are treated to a serene and comfortable ride in a plush interior with a plethora of new amenities. “I like the way the RX drives,” Carol says. “I am a techy person and utilize all the features. And there is no question that the reliability is top-notch.”
Park Place Lexus Grapevine’s devotion to providing outstanding client service experiences is exemplified by loyal customers like Carol DeVinny, who has been purchasing vehicles from them for more than 15 years. She has come to value the bond she’s forged with her sales associates. “I have always had great relationships with the salesmen, most recently Ned Fardeecey,” Carol says. “Also, Abe Sotomayor, service manager, is a valued friend that I continue to visit with and seek his advice. Park Place is My Place because I am treated like a friend as well as a client.”
