Michael Skipper, "In the Heights" producer

Michael Skipper was born in Forth Worth. His road to Broadway took him through Richland Hills, where he graduated Richland High School, and then to Texas Wesleyan University, where he met his wife Anne. The couple then moved to Los Angeles where Skipper pursued his acting career, landing roles in television and movies. It was in LA, too, that he started producing and directing. Skipper’s first Tony-nominated production was The Crucible, starring Laura Linney and Liam Neeson. Skipper also is part owner of the Wildcatter Ranch & Resort in Graham, Texas

Awards 2008 Tony Award^® Best Musical In the Heights [winner]
Produced by Mike Skipper 2002 Tony Award ^® Best Revival of a Play The Crucible [nominee]
Produced in association with Michael Skipper 2002 Drama Desk Award Outstanding Revival of a Play The Crucible [nominee]
Produced in association with Michael Skipper

In The Heights began as an original musical conceived by Lin-Manuel Miranda during his sophomore year at Wesleyan University. Upon graduating and returning home to New York, Miranda collaborated with director Thomas Kail to rework and restage the campus hit for a larger audience. That's how they captured the interest of producers Jill Furman, Kevin McCollum and Jeffrey Seller, whose previous work on Broadway included Rent, Avenue Q and The Drowsy Chaperone. After more workshops, more collaborators, and a stint at the Eugene O'Neill Theatre in Connecticut, the musical found a home at Off-Broadway's 37 Arts Theatre. Seven years after the idea was first born, In The Heights was ready for its New York theatrical debut.

During its Off-Broadway run at 37 Arts, In The Heights quickly became an audience phenomenon and a critical success. The response was unprecedented: the musical was luring both traditional and non-traditional theatergoers and garnering a huge cache of accolades, including the Outer Critics' Circle Award and Lucille Lortel Award for Best Musical. After over 200 performances, In The Heights played its final Off-Broadway show on July 15th, 2007, and began preparations for a move to Broadway, which included enhancements to the script and score, as well as new additions to the cast and crew.

In The Heights played its first Broadway performance at the Richard Rodgers Theatre on February 14, 2008 and celebrated its Opening Night on March 9, 2008.

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Paige McCoy Smith

Not-So-Perfect Parent

Website: www.wfaa.com/parent

Email: psmith@wfaa.com

Paige McCoy Smith, our Not-So-Perfect Parent, will discuss different techniques for raising kids of character.  Volunteering as a family, empowering your child, and stressing truthfulness are just a few of the methods that will be explored.

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Gloria Mansfield

Founder, Character Avenue

Website: www.characteravenue.com

Email: gloriamansfield@sbcglobal.net

Today parenting can be a overwhelming responsibility! Headline news stories and even the hit TV show, Supernanny reveal the challenging task of parenting. Character Avenue is the first, one of a kind, the only resource for parents to get fun character-based products (books, home decor, toys, games, gifts & accessories) for everyone. Character Avenue brings the focus back to parenting - making parenting fun with creating great fun family time, promoting family values, and encouraging character - sharing, patience, kindness…

Gloria Mansfield, founder of Character Avenue, will be sharing a variety of their products that promote character.  Included in these products is the Family Dinner Box of Questions -  game for the entire family! Avoid those awkward silences and break the ice! Family dinners are great moments waiting to happen. Dinnertime is a chance to connect over a meal, laughter, and a great story. Pick a card and let the fun begin! The entire family will play - especially teens. Have fun with these conversation starters.

Character Avenue

Sow & Grow Collection

Planting character to last a lifetime.

Character Avenue specializes in unique hard-to-find products that plant sharing, respect, kindness, patience, compassion, self-control, ...

Our exclusive "Sow & Grow Collection" create fun family time, promote family values, & encourage positive character at home, work, or school.

Books

Toys & Games

Home Decor

Gifts & Accessories

Jewelry - coming soon

Apparel - coming

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Erika and Jay Mehta, Om Imports

Om Imports is a wholesale and retail fashion accessories direct import business. The store is 7,000 square feet and packed with the latest and greatest in accessories at unbelievably low prices! Come and check us out at 11464 Harry Hines Blvd. Dallas, TX 75229.  The phone number there is 972-243-5666.  For more information logo onto www.omimportsdallas.com

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Sharon Moore

City Credit Union

About City Credit Union

City Credit Union is a not-for-profit financial cooperative, with branches in Dallas, Cooke and Ellis Counties, Texas. Owned by its Members and directed by a volunteer Board of Directors, City Credit Union operates on the principle of credit union philosophy, "People Helping People". City Credit Union's full-range of financial services, from free checking, competitive rates on consumer loans and deposit products, as well as cutting-edge convenience services, are designed to the benefit of people, not to profit.

As President and CEO of City Credit Union, Sharon Moore leads more than 117 City CU Associates in "Making the Difference" for our Members. "City Credit Union, as well as others, was founded on a basic principle of People Helping People. As a not-for-profit financial cooperative, we are owned by our members, and that truly makes a difference in how we operate. Each day, we start by asking ourselves, how can we make the difference in our members' and associates' lives? - and that is how we measure our daily success."

Moore celebrates 25-years in the Credit Union industry, this year. As a young finance major at Southwest Texas State University - now known as Texas State University - Moore took a 2-1/2 day class on banking and credit unions. As Moore describes, "that was it, I fell in love with the Credit Union philosophy and knew that was what I wanted to do." After earning her Bachelors of Business Administration, Moore began her career as a Credit Union Examiner.

When Moore decided to start a family, it was imperative to her that she be able to spend time as the primary caretaker of her children. As a result, she followed her entrepreneurial spirit and began her own credit union consulting company, S. Moore and Associates. Performing financial audits and consulting services, Moore, as President of S. Moore and Associates, assisted numerous credit unions in the Texas region. One such credit union was City Credit Union, where Moore performed audit and financial consulting for nearly 10 years. In 2004, Moore was asked to join City Credit Union as a Senior Vice President, due to her financial expertise. By 2006, she was appointed Interim President and CEO and as of January 2007, serves as President and CEO.

Moore's passion for credit unions is fueled by an extreme commitment to education, especially financial education. "Education is the true liberator in our society. As individuals, our education can catapult us into areas previously unknown. I truly believe to achieve financial goals, such as overcoming poverty or debt, financial literacy is the key to success. This is especially important in the communities of modest means that credit unions serve. Often times, when there is no money to talk about in a household, it simply isn't spoken about. But that is when talking about money and planning on how to save and spend it, is so important. I will have achieved success if I can help our associates, members and communities gain the financial knowledge necessary for them to achieve their lives' goals."

Moore serves on the Town North Bank Board of Directors, as Secretary for the Dallas Chapter of Credit Unions Board and volunteers time to community projects such as Habitat for Humanity. As an active member in her community, Moore especially enjoys her time at the ball park with her two sons, both baseball fanatics, just like their mom!

Website: citycu.org

E-mail: sharon@citycu.org

Phone: 214-515-0100

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Reliant Energy

Reliant Energy, Inc. (NYSE:RRI) based in Houston, Texas, provides electricity and energy-related products to more than 1.9 million retail and wholesale customers in Texas and in the Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Maryland Interconnection.

The company is one of the largest independent power producers in the nation with approximately 16,000 megawatts of Power generation capacity in operation or under contract across the United States.

If you have a question about your electric bill or want more savings tips, email energyexperts@reliant.com or log onto reliant.com  

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The Texas Back Institute

Texas Back Institute (TBI), one of the largest freestanding spine specialty clinics in the United States, and is literally a one stop shop for back care. It employs more than 180 physicians and staff, including surgeons, physiatrists, neurologists, interventional pain specialists, chronic pain specialists chiropractors, and physical therapy specialists.

Texas Back Institute's 'surgery as a last option' approach has been the cornerstone of its treatment philosophy since it opened its doors more than 20 years ago. TBI offers some of the most innovative options available. They include:

Physical Therapy

Occupational Therapy

Diagnostic Testing

Chiropractic Care

Physiatry

Occupational Rehabilitation

Surgery

Pain Management

Patient Education

Their website is texasback.com

1-800-247-BACK