In December 2017, the West Houston Association Board of Directors appointed three new leaders onto the Executive Committee. The committee previously consisted of six members including John Moody (Parkside Capital), Rob Bamford (Johnson Development Corporation), Jim Boone (ABHR), Bob Jones (Jones Engineering Solutions), Mark Kilkenny (Mischer Investments) and Ted Nelson (Newland Communities). Rob Bamford has been appointed Vice-Chair, Heath Melton as Secretary and Carolyn Wolff Dorros as an At-Large member. Ted Nelson, Bamford’s predecessor, and Bob Jones, Melton’s predecessor, will both remain active with WHA and remain on the Executive Committee in At-Large positions.
Rob Bamford joined the Johnson Development Corporation in 2012 as the Vice President and General Manager of Cross Creek Ranch. The community has won multiple awards including WHA’s QPD Award. Previously, Bamford managed the 1,250-acre master planned community, Grand Lakes, by Trendmaker Homes. Bamford has played a key role in WHA by serving on the Executive Committee as Treasurer and leading our Quality Planned Development (QPD) Committee as Chair in 2017.
Heath Melton started at Howard Hughes Corporation in 2015 as the Vice President of Master Planned Communities, Residential Development. His responsibilities include the communities of The Woodlands, Bridgeland and The Woodlands Hills. The Bridgeland community is a recipient of WHA’s QPD Award as well as, the first ever Sustainability Stars Award for their Purple Pipe and Water Reuse System. Melton was appointed to the WHA Board of Directors in 2017 and has been an active member of WHA’s QPD Committee.
Carolyn Wolff Dorros joined Wolff Companies in 2006 and is currently serving as the Executive Vice President. She is also serving as Chair of the Advisory Council of Breakthrough Houston and on the Boards of St. John’s School, Buffalo Bayou Partnership, New Hope Housing and the Wolff Family Foundation. She also participates on the Leadership Cabinet of Texas Children’s Hospital and the President’s Leadership Council of Houston Methodist Hospital. Dorros was appointed to WHA’s Board of Directors and became Chair of WHA’s Education & Workforce Development Committee in 2017. The Education & Workforce Committee has been making great strides within the community by bringing industries such as healthcare, IT and education together to work towards a better Houston.
WHA is also proud to announce the five additions to the Board of Directors starting January 2018, which was unanimously approved at the December 2017 Board meeting.
Lee Lennard is currently the President and CEO of BGE, Inc. He also serves as the Immediate Past President American Council of Engineering Companies – Houston, Past President of the Society of Military Engineers- Houston/Galveston Post and sits on the Board of the Houston Engineering Scientific Society. Lennard is the Chair of WHA’s Flood Control, Drainage and Wetlands Committee and served on the Board of Directors as an Ex Officio member. Lennard has played an integral part in the creation of the Harvey Response Plan leading to the creation of Harris Plus Flood Solutions, a non-profit focusing on Houston’s flood control needs.
Sara Montenegro is the Assistant Vice President of Texas Children’s Hospital West Campus. Montenegro joined Texas Children’s Hospital team in 2009 and led a variety of subspecialty medical services as well as being Director of Pediatrics before transitioning to Assistant Vice President. She has recently joined WHA’s Education & Workforce Committee for 2018 and graciously hosts our committee meetings/working groups at the Texas Children’s Hospital West Campus.
Jim Russ is the Senior Principal and Executive Vice President at EHRA Engineering. He oversees the Construction Phase Services, Mapping and Surveying Services, Business Development and Marketing Services for the company as well as being the Senior Construction Project Manager. Russ has been Chair of WHA’s Sustainable Infrastructure Committee, which created the Sustainability Stars Award, and serving as an Ex Officio Board Member.
Craig Rhodes is the Regional Manager, Economic Development at CenterPoint Energy. Rhodes started at CenterPoint Energy in 2014. Before CenterPoint, Rhodes worked at the Greater Houston Partnership for 7 years, the last four focused on economic development. Rhodes has been involved with WHA as a member of the Regional Mobility Committee.
Kyle Lippman is a Partner at NewQuest Properites and is a member of the American Bar Association, State Bar of Texas and the Houston Bar Association. He also sits on the Board for Lakeside Country Club and is a part of the International Council of Shopping Centers. Before NewQuest, Lippman was a Senior Partner at Quest Properties focusing on the legal aspect of the company’s transactions. Lippman became actively involved in WHA and joined the Regional Mobility Committee when NewQuest Properties became a member in 2017.