MEMORIES AND MUSINGS 449 At Home with the Johnsons As a teenager, we had a lot of room to roam around outside in our home near the Woodlands with plenty of empty land and forest, and of course, our horses. Dad spent lots of time with us just walking and exploring the property. My mother and I enjoyed horse riding and Dad spent a lot of resources to ensure we had everything needed to enjoy our horses—he built stalls, stables, tack shop, paddocks, a corral—everything you can imagine we would need for the horses. We also showed our horses and that was also great family fun. There was no better fan and supporter than my father. I am so thankful for my parent’s love and support all these years. They have always been there for me and continue to be there for me today.
Part X Giving Back
LIVING A CHARITABLE LIFE—BOY SCOUTS OF AMERICA 453 Living a Charitable Life— Boy Scouts of America On my honor I will do my best to do my duty to God and my country and to obey the Scout Law; to help other people at all times; to keep myself physically strong, mentally awake and morally straight. The Boy Scout Oath As we were engaged in Scouting, we were growing as young people and trying to make this country better. —Rep. Pete Sessions of Texas Eagle Scout One of the most valuable and important programs in our nation for developing the character and values of young boys and, more recently, girls is The Boy Scouts of America. Its leadership training helps young people “Be Prepared.” I like to say, “Be Prepared for Life.” Since its inception over a century ago, in 1910, more than 130 million young people have participated in its youth programs. Over 35 million adult volunteers have helped carry out its mission. Traditional Scouting programs are operated by local chartering organizations which implement the program for youth within their communities. These units are led entirely by volunteers appointed by the chartering organization and are supported by local councils using both volunteers and professional staff. The Sam Houston Area Council serves approximately 46,000 youth in 16 counties in Southeast Texas. Some 16,000 adult volunteers provide dedicated service and leadership. In 1995, Ernie Cockrell, Managing Director of Pinto Realty Partners
454 AN AMAZING LIFE and Amegy board member, came to see me with some of the Boy Scouts leadership, including David Weekley—the kind of people you cannot tell no. They wanted me to raise $10 million to build an incredible facility for the young Scouts on a magnificent 2,500-acre ranch in Navasota that had recently been given to the organization by Harry Bovey. It was just an hour’s drive from the city. The newly planned camp would be named the Bovey Scout Ranch and be dedicated to younger Scouts. It would accommodate 1,000 Scouts. I could not say no to Ernie or to the cause. I had been on the Scout board for over 20 years and this cause was very special to me. I immediately started calling my customers who I knew were charitable and would love the story. Surprisingly, I raised the $10 million in about four months. I worked really, really hard at it. I do not like to drag things out and I do not like procrastinating; I like to get the job done. Do not drag things out. Do not procrastinate. Get the job done efficiently and quickly. —WEJ The Bovay Scout Ranch, designed by David Weekley, has facilities for a wide range of activities including a water park, slingshots (wrist rockets), BMX bikes, dino dig, Cub Scout shooting range, crafts, sports, games, and At ceremony dedicating new Scout building. As Chairman of Boy Scouts Houston, I raised $12 million to build the facility.
LIVING A CHARITABLE LIFE—BOY SCOUTS OF AMERICA 455 more. It is used for Webelo overnight camping as well as weekend campouts like the McNair Cub Scout Adventure Camp. First through fifth grade Scouts can also go to the three-night summer camp-out in July. A New Cockrell Scout Center But I soon figured out I had shot myself in the foot because the same leadership soon came back, complimenting me how phenomenal I was at raising money and exclaiming how easy it must be. They said since I was on a roll, let the goal be $22 million, because we need to build a new $12 million Scout lodge/office building/meeting center. The old Scout hall downtown, the Cockrell Scout Center (named for Ernie’s Dad), was 50 years old. I was in that hall at least 200 times while on the Board of Directors and it was like a dungeon. The new $12 million would build a fabulous new Scout facility on the 610 Freeway… just minutes from downtown. David Weekley took on the job of designing and dreaming about this building as well. He would design something out of this world. Howard Tellepsen, a lifetime key board member, erected the building at his cost. He is a forever Scout, on the Board, and responsible for so much of the success of Houston’s Boy Scouts. The final result was beautiful, beautiful building. Today we have the finest Scout facility in the nation. It is named the Cockrell Scout Center in honor of Ernie’s Dad—and, of course, the $5 million donation I talked Ernie out of! No longer do Scout troops have to rent hotels and beg offices because they have no place to go. And it looks like a Scout campus. I know it is very difficult to ask for money… but what I have learned is it’s really not so hard after you are told repeatedly that you are admired for spending your time working for good causes for the city. I have done it again and again and as a result I have been the Honoree for many huge benefits in Houston which is wonderful recognition for Amegy Bank. There is no other bank team that works for its community to the degree that the Amegy team does.
PROVIDING BLOOD TO ACCIDENT VICTIMS—LIFE FLIGHT 457 Providing Blood to Accident Victims— Life Flight Remember that the happiest people are not those getting more, but those giving more. —H. Jackson Brown Jr. Making a donation is the ultimate sign of solidarity. Actions speak louder than words. —Ibrahim Hooper Discovering a Way to Provide Blood to Accident Victims Memorial Hermann Life Flight is a critical care air medical transport service in Houston community within a 150-mile radius of the Texas Medical Center with helicopters and worldwide usage of airplanes. Founded in 1976 by James “Red” Duke, M.D., the service operates 24/7— weather permitting—365 days a year. There are 21 pilots, 21 flight nurses, 18 paramedics/dispatchers and eight mechanics. Crews perform more than 3,000 missions each year, making the John S. Dunn Helistop Heliport one of the busiest helipads in the world. Because Life Flight operates as a hospital-based, non-profit organization, it relies on community financial support. It costs about $15 million annually to support the program, none of which comes from Life Flight. Raised $44 million with Jim Smith for six new helicopters.
458 AN AMAZING LIFE tax dollars. Fundraising efforts are necessary to make sure this important service can continue.14 Jim Smith and I co-chaired the $44 million Life Flight Campaign in 2013 and my friend Doug Pitcock, owner of Williams Brothers Construction Company, Texas’ largest highway construction company, which builds much of Houston’s highways and bridges, had given me a significant check for the Helicopter Campaign. Two years later, Doug Pitcock was in a serious boating accident on Clear Lake on Labor Day weekend. He reportedly crashed his 23-foot fiberglass Sea-Doo boat into the woods near the FM 270 boat ramp and Clear Creek Nature Park. Police believe he lost control of the boat, which was speeding, leading the boat to hit the creek bank and go 100 to 150 feet airborne. He was able to remain in the boat while it plowed through the trees but his passengers, Marilyn Ruth McCormick, 48, and her son, Gage McCormick-Metoyer, 9, were ejected. Doug was treated at Hermann Memorial Hospital in the Medical Center for injuries.15 Gage was injured and taken to Children’s Memorial Hospital in the Medical Center. Marilyn was also seriously injured, however, she appeared to be OK at the scene. She was taken to the hospital. The next day Doug discovered his friend had died from her injuries… she bled to death. Doug called me, furious. He angrily said, “Life Flight let her bleed to death,” and expressed regret that he had given money to my Life Flight Campaign. I arranged a luncheon meeting with Dr. Dan Holcomb, the head of Trauma at Memorial Hermann. Dan explained that nowhere in the world is there instant blood available on helicopters or ambulances. He further admitted he knew how to do it but it had never been done. Startled, Doug asked, “Why in the hell have you not done it?” His answer was, “I need research money.” Doug’s reply was “I will write the checks.” It was shortly after our lunch that the blood issue was solved and Dan 14 “Life Flight,” Red Duke Trauma Institute Memorial Hermann. https://trauma. memorialhermann.org/life-flight/ 15 “Houston Billionaire Causes Texas Recreational Boating Death,” Schechter, McElwee Shaffer & Harris, LLP. https://maintenanceandcure.com/texas-boatingaccident-lawyers-texas-maritime-attorneys/
PROVIDING BLOOD TO ACCIDENT VICTIMS—LIFE FLIGHT 459 was teaching the world how to do it. One of the significant challenges of transporting and administering blood in a helicopter is that the blood must be properly stored at the appropriate temperature. Access to external power sources and exposure to temperature variations resulting from altitude, weather and seasonal changes are two significant challenges. A commercially available cooler with ice packs did not protect against these variations, so eventually a specialized cooler with superior insulation was designed specifically for the storage of blood and other products in pre-hospital conditions. Gel cooling packs rather than ice were used as they proved to be more effective in maintaining a temperature just above freezing.16 While leading the campaign to raise money for Life Flight was fulfilling, I must say that in the long run, it finished a distant second to the thrill of “Bringing Blood to Helicopters all over the World.” As this story is being written, thousands in Houston alone have been saved because of Doug Pitcock. 16 C. Stein, “Transportation of blood in a helicopter emergency medical service: The importance of specialised equipment,” https://www.researchgate.net/ publication/311433341_Transportation_of_blood_in_a_helicopter_emergency_ medical_service_The_importance_of_specialised_equipment With Doug Pitcock
LIVING A CHARITABLE LIFE—STAR OF HOPE 461 Living a Charitable Life— Star of Hope You have not lived today until you have done something for someone who can never repay you. —John Bunyan Do your little bit of good where you are; it’s those little bits of good put together that overwhelm the world. —Desmond Tutu I n my early adult years, I was always somewhat charitable, but I really did not have much money personally after living expenses. We had three kids in school and were paying interest on bank stock debt that was growing in value every day. I couldn’t sell even a share. The only thing I could do was pay taxes and interest. It was 1986, however, when I learned what charity was really about and how important it was to have someone like me to get the wake-up call and take the opportunity to make a difference in thousands of people’s lives. Ever since I got the experience and opportunity to help thousands of people, I’ve chosen to stay away from functions in which I raise money or give money that only benefits a few. Throughout this book, there have been a number of stories about how Houston totally collapsed in the late 80’s. We had 250,000 people who lost their jobs. But it was not just the people who lost their jobs that were affected. A million or more people were impacted because each of those jobs supported some kind of a family that needed the income from those jobs.
462 AN AMAZING LIFE Founding a Women’s and Children’s Crisis Center One day my friend, Carlos Morris, already up in years by this time, came by to see me. He was a good friend, customer, and family member that mostly owned Stewart Title Company. He told me that because of the disaster in our city, there were a lot of women and children who didn’t have any place that they could go for protection, not just from the elements but from other men. Carlos told me he wanted me to help him raise $8 million to solve this problem. I explained to Carlos that we had just announced a merger of our Allied Bank with First Interstate of California. I really didn’t have any time to spend raising money. Carlos insisted, however, that I go see the problem, saying “Walter, you know so many people in Houston. So many have confidence in you. I know you can help us raise this money or guide me to someone who can chair our fundraising campaign.” So, we hopped in Carlos’s car and drove out to North Main Street just beyond the Buffalo Bayou, which is the ship channel. Just across the street from the University of Houston’s downtown campus, I found a building that had to be at least 15,000 square feet, all metal, that had belonged to a machine shop that went bankrupt. There was a painted sign that read “Star of Hope, Women and Children’s Shelter” which in later years became Star of Hope mission. I was wondering why Carlos wanted me to go inside this building because it looked like it was going to be hot inside. After all, it was the middle of July! Sure enough, the minute we walked through the door it was like taking a steam bath. It was probably 90 or 95 degrees outside and even worse inside. The first things I saw were plywood walls, eight feet tall, and a long path leading to the end where there was a big fan. As you walked down the path on either side there was a half door on the front of a stall going into a horse stable—the ones we had all seen in the movies. Inside each horse stall was a woman with one, two, three, four or five kids. As we got to the end of the aisle, we made a U-turn and came back up the other side where we saw the same thing over and over again. As we went further, I really noticed how noisy it was because so many kids were crying and the babies were screaming. I turned to Carlos and said, “Carlos, I’m a war baby. I grew up listening to the radio, reading the stories, and seeing the pictures of prison camps in Germany. This reminds me of those pictures. How did this happen? How many people are here?”
LIVING A CHARITABLE LIFE—STAR OF HOPE 463 Carlos replied that there were 300 women and children. The Morris family had founded a Men’s Shelter, which today is over 100 years old. They provided for men who came from all walks of life. They would feed them, have religious programs, counseling, and a drug and alcohol abuse program. During the Houston debacle of the 80s, on a typical night there were at least 300 men sleeping on the floor because there weren’t enough beds. At all hours of the night, a woman would knock on the door and she would be standing there with her kids in her arms or on the ground, asking to come in. Obviously, you can’t bring a woman in there with 300 men on the floor. Carlos quickly leased this vacant building and turned it into a shelter. In less than 60 days he had 300 women there. It’s easy to raise money in Houston for an emotional cause. —WEJ Carlos said, “Walter, we’ve got to do something about this.” It was then I said, “Carlos, I will help you raise the money.” Refurbishing the Plumbing Supply Store I t probably took us three months to raise $8 million, but we started immediately with our campaign. The reason you can raise $8 million in Houston in a short period of time is because it is the most generous city in the world. It’s got some amazing foundations that are willing to take risks when there is somebody credible who is going to help fulfill a need. This was indeed a crisis and they were willing to help. So, did hundreds of individuals that were willing to step up and give all they could. We bought an old building called Plumbing Supply that had gone broke. Billy Hail, who was on our Board of Directors and a contractor, turned this building into something like a Holiday Inn, the nicest building I’ve ever seen in my life. When finished, the downstairs was one huge open area and the next story was ringed with rooms. These rooms were just barely big enough for bunk beds. They were lined with plywood and had nails on the walls to hang a few things, all the women and children’s belongings they owned. Usually, it was what they were wearing or carrying with them in their arms when they arrived. On the first floor was a very large kitchen that my friend, Chris Pappas, with Pappas Restaurants, built for us at his expense. In front of the kitchen
464 AN AMAZING LIFE were a lot of wooden tables like outdoor picnic tables—where the women and children were served meals. There was also a library full of donated books and a beauty shop where women volunteered to come and help these distressed women start a new life. Volunteers taught them not only how to dress but how to do their hair and nails. There was a clothing store of recycled clothes where the women and children could replenish their wardrobes. We had donations from all over the city and ultimately we had close to 10,000 volunteers. Nearly every church in Houston was involved with helping us financially support the program. Volunteers came in to help launder and sort donated clothing by size so women could again build wardrobes for themselves and their children. Star of Hope Housing Complexes Shortly after building the new facility, my Allied Bank reprocessed an apartment project that cost $3-4 million. We put it on our books for $1 million as it was run down and there was no way we were going to sell it in the near future. I went to my boss, Walter Mischer, and told him what I was doing. I then asked him if he would consider giving it to Star of Hope for an apartment project. I then told him I would and raise $1 million to refurbish it. We would call it transitional housing. I explained that a lot of these women didn’t deserve to be destitute and were capable of working and they just needed a short-term lift to get on their feet. That’s what this building would do. The proper aim of giving is to put the recipients in a state where they no longer need our gifts. —C.S. Lewis It wasn’t many years later until some home builders in Houston (a number were my customers) built Star of Hope, a few multi-story housing complexes on Yellowstone Street, near Highway 288 and not far from the medical center. The houses there would hold 13 families in a condo style but none of them had a kitchen. Instead there was a dormitory dining hall, and this was where every family had to come to get their meals. With this method, the social workers could see the families and look for any black eyes or bruising. They could determine who needed anger management or other types of counseling. This turned out to be very
LIVING A CHARITABLE LIFE—STAR OF HOPE 465 successful. The list of volunteers continued to grow and grow, and not only from Houston. One day, I saw a bus pull up from Dallas, Texas. There were quite a number of women who had brought food. They set up tables with nice tablecloths to feed everyone that day. Through all of the last 30 years, I have either raised or helped raise at least $50 or $60 million. The original management we had for Star of Hope was nice, but they struggled to keep up with the growth. Then, in the late 1980s, Kathy and Randy Taber came in to run the show. They were incredible people, so dedicated and committed to the homeless. Randy talked about his life of alcoholism before he turned to Jesus Christ. He had a special way with the people, gaining their confidence and their support so that he could ultimately lead them on a path to Jesus and self-improvement. When Randy and Kathy retired, in 2007, I thought it was the end of the world. Then God sent Hank Rush to Star of Hope. Hank was a homebuilder at one time but sold his company for a nice sum, then joined Stewart Title Company as an executive. It was owned by Carloss Morris and family, who were also founders of the Star of Hope Men’s Shelter nearly 100 years ago. Hank always felt the calling of God and was looking for something that would get him closer to the ability to serve. He accepted the challenge of being President of Star of Hope, as Kathy and Randy left the scene in 2008. Cornerstone Community The Star of Hope Board announced a plan to raise $55 million and build a homeless facility in 2017 that would become the envy of every city in the United States. It would be ringed with housing so that when the families become stable they would have a place to live. The biggest impediment to a woman working and getting a new start, is usually the dilemma of what to do with her kids while she is working. Star of Hope, Cornerstone Community, a $55 million home for Star of Hope Mission to house women and children.
466 AN AMAZING LIFE In our scheme, Star of Hope would take the kids to school, pick them up, and return them to the campus where there would be tutors, sports, and other forms of healthy entertainment. When mother comes home, she can walk across the campus to her house. It is an incredible program. The Board and other volunteers raised $40 million of the $55 million then they hit a dead end and Hank came to me and said they had run out of gas and now they needed my help. Would I raise $15 million to finish the campaign? I told him that I surely would, and I felt like I could accomplish it in two or three months. I raised $7.5 million rather quickly but then Houston experienced another energy crash and everything fell out of bed. So many of my prospects were energy people because they were on a roll, and a number of them did give me a good bit of money. But now I had to put my prospect list back in the drawer and start fresh. God moves in interesting ways! Shortly thereafter, I met a new friend, John Arnold. He and Laura were taken away with Star of Hope and what we had accomplished. They gave me $3.5 million of the $7.5 million that I still had to raise. It was challenging to raise the rest but I finished it and Star of Hope now had a $55 million structure. The only debt they had was what Amegy Bank had lent them with the idea that it would be paid off with future campaign dollars. Today Cornerstone Community now cares for over 1,000 women and children every day. St a r of Hop e i s absolutely a role model for the nation thanks to the generosity of Houstonians and the leadership of Hank Rush and the Board of Directors. I am very pleased that Carlos had the confidence in me to reach out and ask me to help all those many years ago. I have been truly blessed by this opportunity to help so many. Star of Hope Mission and Heart of Hope Awards
LIVING A CHARITABLE LIFE—STAR OF HOPE 467 We make a living by what we get; we make a life by what we give. —Winston Churchill There is no greater feeling than knowing that you have helped someone restore their life. —WEJ A lot of people with charitable dollars available really don’t know who to give it out to. —WEJ I have been complimented so often by those I asked for donations— because they know that I am working for their community. —WEJ Some Other Awards The first recipient of Texas Bankers Hall of Fame.
468 AN AMAZING LIFE “Hats Off to Walter” American Advertising Federation—Houston Trailblazer Award, 2008 Entrepreneur of the Year, 1993 Jewish Community Center Children’s Scholarship Award, 1997
LIVING A CHARITABLE LIFE—STAR OF HOPE 469 Junior Achievement Hall of Achievement, 2017 American Leadership Forum Joseph Jaworski Leadership Award, 2011 BSA Sam Houston Area Council Distinguished Citizen, 2004 U.S. Small Business Administration, 1998
Part XI Looking Forward
THE NEXT CHAPTER 473 The Next Chapter The more we help others the happier and more fulfilled we are, and the more successful we are. —WEJ I thought about calling this part the “Conclusion.” After all, that is what one expects to find at the end of a book. But this is not the story of a book—it is the story of a life, and the lives that have touched mine, and that story (I am happy to say) is ongoing. I still have 20 years left—I am only 84! In this phase of my life, a handful of things absorb the majority of my time and interests. I am still creating companies and investing in projects and helping my co-workers at Amegy Bank. I have cut back on all management duties, but I am still very pleased and honored to be involved in local charities. Naturally, managing my finances and the usual logistics of life are still regular concerns. I spend more leisure time at my Bay house and in our home in Durango. In my free time, I read a lot—I can always find new eBooks on my iPad, as I continue to learn and feed my curiosity. I still get into the great outdoors to do a little fishing and hunting when I can. In Colorado, at our home in Durango during the summers, I hike at least 50 miles a month. My life has been quite a ride so far, and I count myself truly fortunate. Each fresh chapter of life has brought something important and engaging, something new to be thankful for. Now that I’ve finished a year’s work in putting my memoirs together, I have time to find another entrepreneur’s project! What is coming up in the next chapter? We’ll just have to wait and see. Live your life with arms wide open. Today is where your book begins. The rest is still unwritten. —Natasha Bedingfield
ABOUT THE ASSISTING AUTHOR 475 About the Assisting Author With his professional and passionate workmanship as a Legacy Ghostwriter for over 27 years, Chad has assisted over 200 individuals and companies in documenting and preserving their legacy in book form, allowing them to share these timeless and priceless treasures for generations to come. Chad is passionate about the need for intergenerational social exchange—passing on our knowledge, character qualities, values, wisdom, morality, faith, and life-lessons for the betterment of our nation, communities, and families. Chad resides in Dallas, Texas, with his wife and two children. Chad Harbour