Houston’s Man and Woman of the Year Named in Record Shattering Night: $1.175 Million Raised Celebrated in Wild River Oaks Bash

What: The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society “Man & Woman of the Year” Grand Finale

Where: River Oaks Country Club

PC Moment: The 12 candidates, wining votes by bringing in dollars for LLS blood cancer research, blew it out of the water with yet another record proceeds — this year, $1.175 million. Applause, applause for Woman of the Year Jordan Simpson of Team Every 3 Minutes, who raised a record-breaking $365,000, and for Man of the Year Keith Rollins of Northwestern Mutual, who raised $120,000.

Ruben Dominguez of Fox 26 emceed the celebratory event that saluted LLS Boy and Girl of the Year — Leukemia survivor Drew Carroll and leukemia patient Lane Rex. A highlight of the evening was auction of the handmade quilt that honored 24 local leukemia patients. It brought in $10,000. Joining the program was mission speaker Stephanie Carroll, 2017 Woman of the Year.

Joining the fundraising effort as competing candidates were Akilah Craig of Voyers, Sater, Seymour and Pease LLP, Cassandra Hurst of BancorpSouth Bank, Kye Kelin of Avanade, Sophie Long of Medi USA, George Masterson of BMO Capital, Alissa Nguyen of Texas Spine & Neurosurgery Center, Ralysa Reece of Reece Law Firm, Nicole Soussan Caplan of Reed Smith LLP, Sylvia Stelger of Team Rhett and Brooke Wise of Team 33.

Who: Chairs Jason Ryan of CenterPoint Energy and Stephanie Bundage Juvane also of CenterPoint, plus Jenee and Nick Stefanakis, Adam and Robyn Burck, Allison and Nick Petersen, Alex Smith and Jaye Spitzer, Tina and Sam Governale, Catie and Brian Ross, Brooke and Jeffrey Wise, and Cassandra and Todd Wagner.