FRIENDS OF THC BOARD OF DIRECTORS Name Address City State Zip Work Home Mobile Email Email Code Killis P. Almond 342 Wilkens San TX 78210 210-532-3212 512-532-3212 [email protected] Avenue Antonio Peggy Cope Bailey 3023 Chevy Houston TX 77019 713-523-4552 713-301-7846 [email protected] Chase Drive Jane Barnhill 4800 Old Brenham TX 77833 979-836-6717 [email protected] Chappell Hill Road Jan Felts Bullock 3001 Gilbert Austin TX 78703 512-499-0624 512-970-5719 [email protected] Street Diane D. Bumpas 5306 Surrey Dallas TX 75209 214-350-1582 [email protected] Circle Lareatha H. Clay 1411 Pecos Dallas TX 75204 214-914-8137 [email protected] [email protected] Street Dianne Duncan Tucker 2199 Troon Houston TX 77019 713-524-5298 713-824-6708 [email protected] Road Sarita Hixon 3412 Houston TX 77027 713-622-9024 713-805-1697 [email protected] Meadowlake Lane Lewis A. Jones 601 Clark Cove Buda TX 78610 512-312-2872 512-657-3120 [email protected] Harriet Latimer 9 Bash Place Houston TX 77027 713-526-5397 [email protected] John Mayfield 3824 Avenue F Austin TX 78751 512-322-9207 512-482-0509 512-750-6448 [email protected] Lynn McBee 3912 Miramar Dallas TX 75205 214-707-7065 [email protected] [email protected] Avenue Bonnie McKee P.O. Box 120 Saint Jo TX 76265 940-995-2349 214-803-6635 [email protected] John L. Nau P.O. Box 2743 Houston TX 77252 713-855-6330 [email protected] [email protected] Virginia S. Nicholas 117 Stanford San TX 78212 210-826-7136 [email protected] Drive Antonio Robert Oliver PO Box 976 Cuero TX 77954 210-240-5533 [email protected] Roy R. Pachecano 504 King San TX 78204 210-222-1195 212-281-7444 [email protected] William Antonio MariBen Ramsey 1707 Elton Austin TX 78703 512-220-1414 512-694-9779 [email protected] Lane Gay Ratliff 3509 Hampton Austin TX 78705 512-476-3831 512-633-0403 [email protected] Road Julian O. Read 3702 Balcones Austin TX 78731 512-472-4122 512-459-0825 512-917-9041 [email protected] [email protected] Drive Sally Anne Schmidt 3419 Locke Houston TX 77027 713-866-6343 [email protected] (Representative, John Lane Nau) Brian Shivers 3616 Lexington Dallas TX 75205 214-357-6665 214-521-2484 214-232-3653 [email protected] Avenue Lee White 1200 Big Bend Fredericks TX 78624 361-701-0609 [email protected] burg ABOUT US Mission The mission of the Friends of the Texas Historical Commission is to provide private sector support and assistance to the Texas Historical Commission for the programs and activities that further the preservation, recognition and appreciation of our state’s heritage. History When the Texas Historical Survey Committee was formed, the Legislature did not appropriate revenue from the state treasury. At the same time, The Texas Historical Foundation was created to raise private funds to support the work of the Committee. The Commissioners and Foundation Trustees worked closely together for many years to develop private support for historic preservation. In 1973, the Texas Legislature changed the name of the Survey Committee to the Texas Historical Commission. The name change brought more protective powers, an expanded leadership role, and broader educational responsibilities. As the Legislature began appropriating state resources to the THC over time, the Foundation gradually began to support other entities working to preserve Texas history. As a result, the THC’s philanthropic arm no longer provided private support solely to the THC. For a time, state appropriations plus grants for special projects from the Texas Historical Foundation were sufficient to fund the work of the Commission. However, with the discovery of the shipwreck La Belle and Fort St. Louis, the need for greater philanthropic support and the flexibility of an affiliated nonprofit to manage private contributions and project expenses became imperative. Incorporated in 1996, the Friends of the Texas Historical Commission was established as a 501(c)(3) tax exempt nonprofit organization, further designated as a 509 (a)(3) supporting organization whose purpose was to secure donations to support the programs, projects, and activities of the Texas Historical Commission not provided for in the state budget. Despite its name, the Friends is not a membership organization. The Friends was created by THC staff members Dr. Jim Bruseth, Dr. Curtis Tunnell and Anice Read. Harriett Latimer became the first volunteer chair and president of the nonprofit. Three classes of Trustees with staggered three year terms were created and a simple majority of the Trustees were appointed by the Commission. These Trustees were known as “Commission Trustees”. During the early years, the Friends raised more than $7 million to support La Belle and Fort St. Louis projects. In 2001 the Friends discussed the need for an endowment to provide long term stable revenue for the Friends and THC. However, endowment plans were postponed and the concept of Texas Heroes as a small support group whose members each make an annual unrestricted gift of 1 $1,000 to support the operations of the Friends was developed. This group was primarily composed of Trustees, with invitations to participate extended to the Commissioners and a handful of close friends of the agency. A campaign to introduce a larger group of prospective donors to the Friends was held in conjunction with the THC’s 50th anniversary in 2003. That same year, the Friends received their first endowment gift to support French and Spanish colonial archeology in Texas. As La Belle and Fort St. Louis fundraising for excavation and conservation came to a close, the Friends began actively raising funds for numerous special projects at the THC with great success. Completed and ongoing projects include conservation of 23 historic Texas flags, the Red River War Battle Sites Project, Texas in World War II Initiative, THC Diversity Internship Program, Texas Civil War Monuments Fund, Historic Courthouse Stewardship Workshops, Historic Cemeteries Program, Texas Archeological Stewardship Network, education programs to train volunteer preservationists around the state, First Lady’s Texas Treasures Main Street award, T. R. Fehrenbach Book Award and other recognition awards for excellence in preservation. The La Belle excavation seeks to preserve one of the most important shipwrecks ever discovered in North America. The Fort St. Louis excavation revealed the location of La Salle’s ill-fated colony. The project also included the establishment of The Fort St. Louis Archeological Library in Victoria and the creation of an ongoing documentary of the project for the THC website. The THC Diversity Internship Program promotes interest in and awareness of historic preservation among young adults from diverse cultural backgrounds. Texas Civil War Monuments is an initiative to honor the valor and sacrifices of our state’s Civil War troops on battlefields throughout the nation. The Texas in World War II project included a new heritage tourism brochure, 21 new Official Texas Historical Markers, oral history training workshops, online educational resources, a special edition of The Medallion, and a multi-year statewide survey to identify and document significant wartime sites as a basis for future planning, preservation, and interpretation. A historic flag campaign preserved and conserved 23 historic flags stored at the Texas State Library and Archives. 2 In response to the 82nd Texas Legislative session’s budget cuts in 2011 and its negative repercussions for a fundraising program built primarily on grant supported special projects, interest in developing giving opportunities specifically for individuals led to the redesign of the Texas Heroes program. The Texas Heroes Endowment also was created in 2011 to support unique opportunities, critical needs, and strategic initiatives at the THC. Most recently, in FY 2014, the Friends expanded the Texas Heroes program to include an annual fund solicitation to more than 20,000 individuals and launched a memorial program. More than $100,000 in unrestricted funds were raised. Special projects funds were also raised for the restoration of the Fulton Mansion in Rockport, Texas; the restoration of the Starr Family portraits; the Texas in the Cold War Oral History Project; and the Palmito Ranch Battlefield History book. Furthermore, the Friends provide grants totaling $125,000 for the digitization of Main Street slides; restoration of 1936 Centennial Markers; videos at the Caddo Mounds and Eisenhower State Historic Sites; archeology programs; and the economic impact study. Governance In 2008, in response to the Pension Protection Act of 2006, and at the request of several of the Friends’ major foundation donors and with the support of the Commission, the Friends changed their classification to a 501(c)(3) tax exempt nonprofit organization furthered classified as a 509 (a)(1) public charity. The purpose of the nonprofit did not change with this reclassification but the manner of its governance did in order to comply with the stipulations of the new designation. As an independent tax exempt public charity, the Friends is governed by a Board of Trustees nominated and elected by said Board of Trustees. In order to maintain the arm’s length relationship and avoid any possible implications of control dictated by the Internal Revenue Code’s requirements for a public charity designation, the Commission no longer appoints Trustees, nor does it have authority over Friends governance documents such as the By-laws, rules, policies and procedures. All funds raised by the Friends belong to the Friends for the benefit of the THC. The Friends Trustees are solely empowered with all decision making authority regarding the Friends funds and activities. Such decisions are governed by the Friends’ Articles of Incorporation, Friends’ bylaws, the Internal Revenue Code, and the Friends’ and THC’s Memorandum of Understanding.