BEST IN SHOW

BEST IN SHOW

by | Nov 1, 2020 | 2020 November December, Parties, San Antonio

The Texas Biomedical Forum Celebrates Fifty Years Of Triumphs

 

By Jake Gaines           Photography by Super Q Photography

 

 

THE SETTING: Over 50 years ago, Dottie Block, Tena Gorman, and Ruth Eileen Sullivan had the vision and creativity to launch Southwest Research Forum, today known as the Texas Biomedical Forum. The Forum extended their thanks to President & CEO of the Texas Biomedical Research Institute, Larry Schlesinger, M.D.,  its scientists, along with the past presidents, all who have paved the way for making the world a better place, one research project at a time. This year’s Forum President was Amy Swaney.

 

THE STYLE: The Forum’s activities actually began last November, when the Fall Lecture Luncheon, one of their educational outreaches to the community, took place. Then, the Past President’s Luncheon was held, and the 3rd annual Cheers for CHAIRity event followed in late February. At the beginning of March, pre-COVID-19, the Spring Lecture Luncheon hosted three panelists. Suzanne Dabbous, M.D. (Radiologist and Past Forum President), Jean Patterson, Ph.D. (Professor) and Angelica M. Olmo-Fontanez, M.S. (Graduate Student/Biomedical Researcher) who discussed the Routes of Success: From Early to Established Careers Women Discuss Pathways in STEM. To top off the year, the Charles Butt Foundation presented a check for $50,000 designated to the Forum’s K-12 grant program and generously agreed to do so for three consecutive years. The 50th Anniversary 2020 Forum Gala, chaired by Whitney Schones and Karen Bryant, with The Starry Night as its theme, was regrettably cancelled due to the virus. Table sponsors were asked to consider allowing the organization to donate their sponsorship dollars intended for the 2020 gala directly to COVID-19 research. Through their generosity, Texas Biomed received close to $325,000 for this urgently needed critical research. Cynthia Kirby will serve as the 2020-2021 Forum President.

 

THE PURPOSE: The purpose of the Texas Biomedical Forum is to support the Texas Biomedical Research Institute through community relations, volunteer services, and fundraising. Over the years, the Forum’s fundraising efforts have raised approximately $3.2 million to be used in pilot studies. These grants are sometimes known as “seed grants” because they are relatively small, but the ideas they power can grow to become immensely impactful. This funding has allowed researchers to apply for additional grant monies in excess of $75 million in subsequent awards for large-scale research projects, which equates to approximately twenty-three dollars in return for every dollar of Forum grants. In commemoration of their 50th year, the Forum is grateful to have received three $100,000 grant matches from the Gorman Family Foundation, the Mays Foundation, and the Sullivan Family Foundation. The generosity of these three donor matches has allowed the Forum to give a little over $400,000 to the scientists’ pilot studies this year, making a total of $800,000 in contributions to Texas Biomed in 2020.

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A RINGSIDE SEAT

A RINGSIDE SEAT

by | May 30, 2020 | Summer 2020, Parties, San Antonio

Texas Biomedical Forum Hosts Chair-ity Event

 

By Jake Gaines            Photography by Super Q

 

THE SETTING:  Recently, the Texas Biomedical Forum held a unique fundraising event at the home of Gloria and Miguel Dilley. Usually, the black-tie gala celebrating the organization is one of the most important social events in the city. This smaller event, which began in 2017, occurred when The Argyle board decided to donate its chairs to the Forum, giving donors a chance to have a piece of the club’s history. The club was originally founded in 1854 and its incarnation as a private club began in 1955.

 

THE STYLE:  The Argyle contacted the gala’s president at the time, Courtney Percy, who created the idea of getting local interior decorators to put their creative spin on the chairs. The Argyle contacted the Forum’s president at the time, Courtney Percy, who created the idea of getting local interior decorators to put their creative spin on the chairs. Adrianne Frost and Mal Moorman, the 2017 special event chairs, took Percy’s idea and ran with it.

 

The organization is grateful to The Argyle for donating the chairs to the Forum. With Courtney Percy’s vision, the special events chair leaders’ achievements each year, and with the designers who have donated their time and talents, it has proved to be a perfect combination, thus ensuring its success at every event. The recent event was celebrated by so many well-dressed supporters who love the organization’s goals.

 

THE PURPOSE:  With this one-of-a-kind fundraiser, this year was the final event chaired by Gloria Dilley and Triana Grossman. The event has successfully raised over $50,000 in its three years. The Texas Biomedical Research Institute is pioneering and sharing scientific breakthroughs that protect you, your families, and our global community from the threat of infectious diseases.

 

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