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| Richard F. Brown is the author of a monthly casenote published in the “Pipeline”, which is the newsletter for the Panhandle Producers & Royalty Owners Association. Richard has been the author since 1987. |
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| Laura L. Hale is a member of the Leadership Amarillo and Canyon class for 2009-2010. Leadership Amarillo and Canyon is a ten-month leadership development program designed to introduce leadership tools that will make better employees, leading to a better workplace, better families and ultimately a better community. |
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Carolyn Johnson and her three year old Australian Cattle dog, Sophie, have competed in many American Kennel Club Agility trials in Kansas, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas. Over the last two years, Sophie has won 9 first place ribbons, 3 second place ribbons and 1 third place ribbon. She has earned the following titles from the American Kennel Club: Novice Agility Jumpers, Novice Agility, Novice Fast and Open Agility. Carolyn and Sophie are a certified Therapy Dog team through Therapy Dogs International, Inc. and make regular visits to the residents at the Ware Memorial Nursing Home complex. Carolyn has taught obedience and beginning agility classes at the Amarillo Obedience Training Club and is on the Board of Directors for the club. |
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| Richard F. Brown is the author of the “Oil, Gas and Mineral Law” chapter of the SMU Law Reviews’ Annual Survey of Texas Law. Richard has been the author since 1996. |
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| Laura L. Hale serves as a member of the United Way of Amarillo and Canyon’s Community Impact Council with an emphasis on caring for people in crisis situations. |
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John Ben Blanchard is serving as President of the Children’s Learning Centers of Amarillo. The centers provide day care primarily to low income families. The Poinsettia Luncheon on December 10th will be held at the Amarillo Civic Center Grand Plaza. It is the primary fundraiser for the Children’s Learning Centers. As President of the organization, Mr. Blanchard will emcee the event. |
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| Vicki Lorenzen has served on the Board of Directors for the Amarillo Youth Choirs since 2005. She currently serves as Secretary for the 2009-2010 season. The Amarillo Youth Choirs have been in existence since 1989. The “Concert Choirs” have been nationally recognized, and continue to earn performance trophies and recognition every year. The concert choirs perform locally, nationally and internationally. |
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| Laura L. Hale is serving as the secretary for the Amarillo Area Young Lawyers Association (AAYLA). Laura has served on the AAYLA board and been Chairman of the Swearing-In Ceremony and Reception since 2006. This committee works closely with the Court of Appeals on the Swearing-In Ceremony. |
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Richard F. Brown spoke at the Memorial Day Service at the Llano Cemetery in Amarillo, Texas on May 25, 2009. |
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John Ben Blanchard was re-elected to the Amarillo Independent School District Board of Trustees in May 2009. Mr. Blanchard was first appointed to the Board of Trustees in July 2008. |
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| Allison L. Stephens was appointed as the editor of the Amarillo Area Bar Association newsletter, AMA-Law. |
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| Denise Fletcher authored an article titled “Be a Champion for All Babies” about the mission of the March of Dimes. The article was published in the April 2009 issue of the Uptown Amarillo magazine. Ms. Fletcher currently serves as the Board Chair for the Amarillo Division of the March of Dimes. |
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| Brown and Fortunato participated in the Amarillo Area Court Appointed Special Advocates 7th Annual Speak Up for Kids 5K race on Saturday, April 18, 2009. Nicole Shannon placed 2nd in the 30-39 women age group. |
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Stephanie Warwick received her Basic Peace Officer certification from the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement Officer Standards and Education in March 2009. |
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| Mary M. Bearden was elected Vice Chair to the Board of Directors of the Harrington Regional Medical Center, Inc. |
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| Matthew H. Hand received the Boy Scout District Award of Merit. This award is given to adult scouters in recognition of exemplary service to Scouting, the community and youth. |
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| Richard F. Brown is the author of the "Recent Texas Oil and Gas Cases" section of the Oil, Gas and Energy Resources Law Section Report. This report is published quarterly by the State Bar of Texas and Richard has been the author since 2008. |
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| Conrad D. Hester wrote a Note entitled “Reviving Lenity: Prosecutorial Use of the Rule of Lenity as an Alternative to Limitations on Judicial Use” for the Spring 2008 issue of the Review of Litigation. The Review of Litigation is an academic journal published four times a year by the University of Texas School of Law Publications. Mr. Hester is currently conducting research for an article on emotional distress damages in bankruptcy cases. |
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| Conrad D. Hester was appointed as a Volunteer Judge for the Amarillo Teen Court. Teen Court is a legally binding alternative system of justice that offers young offenders an opportunity to make restitution for their offenses through community service, educational classes, and jury service. |
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| Michele Fortunato is serving on the Board of Directors of the Amarillo College Foundation. The foundation is a non-profit foundation which administers grants and gifts for the benefit of Amarillo College, its students, faculty and staff, programs and facilities. |
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| Phuong D. Nguyen was appointed as an Alternate Member of the Institutional Review Board of Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center – Amarillo. The Board reviews research protocols to protect human research subjects. |
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| Nicole Shannon, SPHR, Administrator for Brown & Fortunato, P.C., was elected as the State Director Elect for the Texas State Council of the Society for Human Resource Management - SHRM. Her two year term will run from January 2009 through December 2010. Nicole will lead over 75 state volunteers in their volunteer initiatives which promote human resources throughout the state of Texas. |
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| The firm congratulates Richard F. Brown and Mary M. Bearden for being selected as 2009 Super Lawyers. Mr. Brown was selected in the area of Oil & Gas and Ms. Bearden was selected for Health Law. Both attorneys have been recipients of this award in the past. The list of Super Lawyers is published in the October issue of Texas Monthly. The Super Lawyers selection process includes peer nomination, a blue ribbon panel review and independent research of candidates. Less than 3% of lawyers receive this award in Texas each year. |
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| Jeffrey S. Baird, health care attorney, is serving on the Medtrade Education Planning Committee. The committee selects programs that will be the most valuable to the attendees of the Medtrade conferences. Medtrade is a conference attended by owners and employees of home medical equipment companies, pharmacies, and the manufacturers and other vendors that sell products and provide services to them. Approximately 20,000 people attend Medtrade Fall and approximately 5,000 people attend Medtrade Spring. |
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| Denise M. Fletcher, health care attorney, is serving as Board Chair of the High Plains Division for the March of Dimes. Her term will expire in December 2009. |
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| Michele Fortunato is the immediate past President of the Amarillo Area Bar Association for the 2008/2009 year. She has served on the board since 2005. |
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| Michele Fortunato is serving as Chairman of the Amarillo College Board of Regents. Amarillo College, a public community college, is dedicated to providing educational, cultural and community services and resources to enhance the quality of life for the diverse population in the service area. Ms. Fortunato’s current term on the Board of Regents expires May 2010. |
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| Rob Vartabedian was appointed to the Board of Directors for the Opportunity School. The Opportunity School’s mission is to help young children, primarily from low-income families, succeed in school and in life. The Opportunity School serves Amarillo with two campuses. The Central Campus is located in space donated by the First Presbyterian Church and provides part-day preschool and full-day learning to 80 three and four-year-olds. The Grand Street Campus serves 72 infants, toddlers, and preschoolers in a full-day, year-round learning environment. Mr. Vartabedian is currently working on the Board’s Finance Committee. |
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| Michele Fortunato was appointed to the Advisory Council of KACV-TV, a PBS member station. |
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| Lisa K. Smith was appointed to the Health Law Advisory Commission for the Texas Board of Legal Specialization for a term which expires 2013. The Advisory Commission reviews applicants seeking certification in Health Law from the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. |
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| Richard F. Brown is serving as Chairman of the Tax Increment Refinancing Zone #1 Board of Directors. The Board uses funds generated by the incremental increase in ad valorem taxes to incentivize additional development. Mr. Brown has been involved with Amarillo development and downtown revitalization since 1990. |
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| Michele Fortunato was appointed by State Bar President Kelly Frels to the Professionalism Committee of the State Bar of Texas in 2006. She was asked to serve a second term which began in June 2007 and will expire after the 2009 State Bar of Texas Annual Meeting. The Professionalism Committee identifies factors that influence professionalism, and develops and recommends to the Board of the State Bar ways to improve professionalism with particular attention to the professional development of new lawyers. |
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| Bradley W. Howard has served as Legislative Chair for the Panhandle Human Resources Association (PHRA) since January 2007. PHRA is a local affiliate of the Society for Human Resource Management. Mr. Howard writes a monthly article for the newsletter. He also regularly advises the board and membership on legislative issues. |
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| Clay Stribling is serving on the Board of Directors for Center City of Amarillo, Inc. Center City is involved with the revitalization of downtown Amarillo. |
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| Denise Fletcher serves as a member of the Board of Commissioners for the Accreditation Commission for Health Care, Inc. She has served as the Board Secretary since 2007. ACHC is a national accrediting body which has an accreditation program for Home Health Infusion, Home Medical Equipment, Hospice, Home Care Aides, Women's Health Care Products and Services, Specialty Pharmacies, Medical Supply Provider Services, Rehabilitation Technology Supplier Services, and Respiratory Nebulizer Medication Pharmacies. |
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| Mary M. Bearden was listed in the 2009 edition of the Best Lawyers in America in the practice of Health Care. She has received the award for more than ten consecutive years. |
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| Richard F. Brown has been asked to co-author a commemorative book on twenty of the landmark cases in Texas oil and gas jurisprudence. Mr. Brown will author commentary on Texas Co. v. Daugherty 107 Tex. 226, 176 S.W. 717 (1915). The Texas State Bar’s Oil, Gas and Energy Resources Law Section is managing the publication. The book will be for sale through the State Bar. |
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| Jeffery S. Baird serves as a member of the Editorial Advisory Board for HME Today. In his 8th year as an EAB member, Mr. Baird advises the publication on current issues facing the Home Medical Equipment (HME) industry and the topics that need to be addressed in articles written for the publication. HME Today is a leading trade publication for the HME industry. |
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