Sunday, December 9, 2012

Oh So Charitable: 2d Annual Leadership Foundation Gala

Cynthia Smoot & Matt Nordgren
photo: John "Doc" Strange, Selig Images
The Leadership Foundation held their second annual awards gala on December 7, 2012 at The Room on Main benefiting The Texas Rangers Baseball Foundation and just keep livin' foundation.

In May 2010, the Rangers Foundation launched a partnership with the just keep livin foundation (founded by Matthew and Camila McConaughey) and implemented the after-school program in three high schools in North Texas: Sam Houston High School in Arlington; Pinkston High School in Dallas; and Diamond Hill-Jarvis High School in Fort Worth. The program takes place twice a week, two hours a week after school, and provides fitness, nutrition, and self-awareness activities. Students also participate in a variety of community service activities.

Founded in 2011 by CEO of Nordco Consulting, Matt Nordgren, The Leadership Foundation is committed to giving back to non-profits whose purpose is to empower youth through sports and education. I know Nordgren from his time on Bravo's Most Eligible Dallas. You might know his from his time as Quarterback for the University of Texas. The spotlight fades quickly once the cameras stop rolling and it's nice to see that Nordgren has shrewdly married his sports and entertainment worlds to create something bigger than himself.
 
Nordgren and co-chair Kirby Schlegel hosted guests and Scott Murray was the Master of Ceremonies. Among those in attendance were Hamilton Sneed, LeeAnne Locken, Dan Pritchett, Tara Cash, Dallas Dillon, Dr. Jeffrey Adelglass and Shannon Brower.

Awards were handed out to honor locals for a variety of services:

  • Heidi Dillon - Business Leadership Award 
  • Steve Stodghill - Business Leadership Award 
  • Markeith West - Community Leadership Award 
  • Brenda Delgado - Youth Leadership Award

Leave it to Heidi Dillon to have the best line of the night. In her acceptance speech, Dillon quoted Bernie Brillstein (Hollywood agent) who famously said, "You're no one in Hollywood if someone doesn't want you dead."  Reminds me of a photo I saw on Facebook last week that said, "The only thing worse than being talked about in Dallas, is NOT being talked about in Dallas."  True 'dat.

To learn more about the Leadership Foundation, visit http://www.theleadershipfoundation.org/.