Gene Locke
While Gene Locke may not be a household name, his life has been exceptional for his civic involvement, commitment to the community and public service achievements. He has quietly built a reputation in which all Houstonians can take pride.
He arrived in Houston as a young man looking for a quality education and discovered the many opportunities the city had to offer. While he has never sought high elective office before he has been involved in many aspects of government, including serving as City Attorney in the administration of Mayor Bob Lanier and representing government entities, businesses and individuals as a private attorney.
Locke graduated from the University of Houston in 1969 with a bachelor’s degree in Political Science. In the 1970’s he worked as a community organizer fighting for civil rights and seeking opportunities for neighborhoods and community development. He later attended the South Texas College of Law, attending classes at night and working during the day at a local refinery. After receiving his law degree he served as Chief of Staff to Congressman Mickey Leland in his Washington D.C. office.
Locke returned to Houston to practice law, and his influence and reputation continued to grow. In 1995 he became City Attorney for Mayor Bob Lanier where he negotiated contracts to revitalize Houston, provide new housing opportunities, defend Houston’s successful affirmative action program and protect neighborhoods. As City Attorney he also led the negotiations and development of Minute Maid Park, Reliant Stadium and the Toyota Center. Today, Locke is a partner at the law firm Andrews Kurth LLP where he continues to represent both public entities and private business interests. Among his public clients are the Metropolitan Transit Authority (METRO) and the Port of Houston Authority.
Like many of Houston’s leaders, Gene’s commitment to the city reaches beyond career achievements. Gene chaired the Houston Katrina Rita Fund, and has served on the Board of Directors of the Houston Bar Association, the Center Serving Persons with Mental Retardation, the Houston Community College System, and University of Houston Alumni Association. Gene is a member of the board of the Center for Houston’s Future, the Houston Urban Debate League Advisory Council, and the Wheeler Avenue Christian Academy. He is a trustee of the Texas Southern University Foundation, a fellow with the American Leadership Forum and a member of Sigma Pi Phi, Nu Boule. He received the Diversity First Award from the Texas Diversity Council in 2007 and is a prior recipient of the Distinguished Alumnus Award from South Texas College of Law and from the University of Houston Black Alumni Association. Gene is also a past recipient of the NAACP Freedom Award for Outstanding Service.
With a life filled with accomplishment and awards, the foundation of Gene’s life remains his family; his wife Aubrey Sampson Locke, five children, daughters; Tembi and Attica, sons, Nicholas, Douglas and Thomas and his grandchildren Zoela and Clara.
Gene Locke has spent the last 40 years in Houston and has been an integral part of it. He will bring a new perspective to city hall and offer new ideas on how government can work to create opportunities for both its citizens and its businesses.
With a background as diverse as Houston’s – and a work ethic that has helped him cultivate the many opportunities citizens here are afforded – Locke is ready to lead the city to a new era of opportunity and prosperity. Gene Locke is an excellent choice to be the next mayor of Houston.
Annise Parker
Annise Parker has what it takes to manage our city through tough economic times. A businesswoman and neighborhood leader, Annise has served the people of Houston for the last 11 years – first on the City Council, and for the last five years as City Controller. She spent 20 years in the oil and gas industry before entering public service. Annise has worked closely with Mayor Bill White and many other leaders to keep our city moving forward – with sound economic policy, not divisive politics. And in that time our local economy has created more jobs than any other city’s in America.
As our City Controller, Annise directs Houston’s financial investments and manages billions of tax dollars. Because of her fiscal responsibility and leadership, Houston is stronger today than other major cities that gambled their futures on risky investments and irresponsible budgets. Annise is using tough, independent audits to uncover millions of dollars in waste due to inefficiencies, redundancies and outright fraud. That money is now funding our police and fire departments, important after-school programs and senior centers – instead of being wasted and abused. Annise’s detailed performance assessments are not only saving tax dollars – they are also helping to make our city safer by bringing best practices to critical services like our 911 Emergency Center and the Fire Department’s Life Safety Bureau.
Annise has a plan to create jobs, secure Houston’s future as the headquarters for new energy development, and maintain fiscal responsibility. As Mayor, Annise will fight to create good-paying jobs using our share of the national stimulus program and local funds – and to make sure the paychecks go to Houston families. By making smart investments that create jobs, we can begin to bring our infrastructure into the 21st Century – in transit, flood prevention, and building streets and sidewalks. And Annise will work to make Houston the headquarters for new energy development, building partnerships with the city, oil and gas companies and local universities to make Houston a leader in alternative energy like wind and solar. Annise’s priorities will improve our environment, mean less dependence on foreign oil, and create good-paying jobs here in Houston.
Annise knows that good jobs and safe neighborhoods make Houston a great place to raise a family. That’s why she passed an ordinance cracking down on motels frequented by prostitutes near churches and neighborhoods and why she has a plan for getting tough on gangs on the streets and in our schools. As a City Councilmember and as Controller, Annise has set priorities with our tax dollars to strengthen neighborhoods by investing in parks and recreation, after-school programs, libraries, and police and firefighters. As Mayor, Annise will work for sensible controls to protect established neighborhoods, prevent out-of-scale development and provide certainty to neighborhoods and developers alike, so that we can avoid unnecessary controversies like the proposed Ashby high-rise development.
Annise’s roots in Houston run deep. She was born and raised here, as were her parents – who met as students at the University of Houston. She grew up in Spring Branch, and attended public schools. Annise’s mother worked as a bookkeeper, and her father worked for the Red Cross. He moved the family to the U. S. Army base in Mannheim, Germany for two years when Annise was 15. There, Annise earned a membership in the National Honor Society and served as president of the Red Cross youth service organization – volunteering as a candy-striper at the base hospital and working in the base library. Annise earned a National Merit scholarship to Rice University in 1974, and worked several jobs to pay for her room and board. She graduated in 1978, beginning a 20-year career in the oil and gas industry – 18 of them at Houston’s Mosbacher Energy.
At every step of the way, Annise has worked hard to make our city better and improve the quality of life for Houstonians. Annise served six years as an at-large member of Houston City Council, winning key fights to improve our city government and our quality of life – creating the city’s $20 million Rainy Day Fund, a civic art program, tighter regulations for inner city development and the city’s non-discrimination policy. Annise was recognized as “Council Member of the Year ” by the Houston Police Officers Union and earned the “Distinguished Local Elected Official Award ” from the Texas Recreation and Park Society. Houston Woman Magazine named Annise one of Houston’s 50 Most Influential Women for 2008. A lifelong community servant, Annise serves on the Board of Directors of the Holocaust Museum Houston and Girls Inc. and the Advisory Boards of the Houston Zoo, the Montrose Counseling Center, Bering Omega Community Services and Trees for Houston. Annise is also involved in historic preservation efforts in Houston, and received the “Good Brick Award ” from the Greater Houston Preservation Alliance for her restoration of historic properties in the Old Sixth Ward. Annise and her life partner, Kathy Hubbard, have been together since 1990. They have two children.
Mayoral Musings with Nancy Sims 