Texas’ Own British American Foundation Enjoys a Record $1 Million Night in Houston — and American & British Students Will Benefit

What: The British American Foundation of Texas gala

Where: The Post Oak Hotel

PC Moment: How cool is this. The British American Foundation provides financial support for Texas students, who excel academically but need support in continuing their education into college. Recipients of BAFTX support also have the opportunity for a unique learning experience in the United Kingdom.

The nonprofit British American Foundation was established by the British American Business Network in 2006 to help provide financial assistance and educational opportunities to academically gifted students in the United States and the United Kingdom, who otherwise might not be able to pursue their education due to financial constraints.

To that end the annual gala in Houston, supported by 575 guests, raised a record of more than $1 million in support of college education for Texas students.

The evening was off to a roaring star with Scottish bagpipers leading guests into the ballroom where KHOU Channel 11’s Great Day Houston host Deborah Duncan joined British Consul General Richard Hyde in welcoming duties. This happened to be Hyde’s swan song in Houston as he is being posted to Chicago.

The program included videos featuring students and parents who shared the impact of the education support received from the foundation. Several of the young scholarship recipients attended the gala and extended personal thanks to guests and sponsors including TD Securities, Enbridge, ExxonMobil, GHD Foundation, Phillips 66 and Plains All American.

“There is nothing more important than changing lives through education,” says BAFTX executive director Kay Thomson. “We are deeply grateful to our gala chairs Nancy and Lamar McKay, our benefactors, board, supporters, scholars and friends who embrace our mission to support the next generation of leaders, engineers, entrepreneurs and professionals ensuring that they can graduate and start to build careers.”

As for the evening’s entertainment, who knew that TD Securities managing director Kevin Howard MBE was such a hoot. As guest speaker, the BAFTX board chairman had the gathering of 575 howling with laughter. The night included a silent auction, champagne diamond raffle and dancing to the sounds of Skyrocket.

PC Seen: Jackie Hyde, Gill and Liam Mallon, Marianne and Neil Duffin, Amy and Rob Pierce, Linda and Willie Chiang, Jennifer and Benjamin Fink, Fiona and Chris Chandler, Brenda and Raymond Golden, William Cohn, Emily and Allen Capps, Terri and Greg Abel, Vicki West and Ralph Burch, in from Canada Sloan Pippela-Clark and Alec Clark, and in from New York Kristina Kazarian and Daniel Dunay.