Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Dallas Announces Officers for Its Board of Directors

DALLAS, TX--(Marketwired - Oct 22, 2014) - The Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Dallas (BGCD) has announced its officers for its board of directors for 2014-2015, its 50^th year of working to fulfill its mission of enabling all young people -- especially those who need it most -- to reach their full potential as productive, caring and responsible citizens.

The following local business leaders comprise the 2014-2015 set of officers:

• Chairman of the Board - Christopher B. Trowbridge of Bell Nunnally & Martin LLP;
• Chairman-Elect - Gerald Louviere of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP;
• Vice-Chairman - entrepreneur George S. Watson;
• Vice-Chairman - Michele Wheeler of Jackson-Shaw Company;
• Secretary - Wendy Wilkerson of Texas Instruments Incorporated; and,
• Treasurer - Michael T. Azbell of the Kimberly-Clark Corporation.

"The Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Dallas is a vital part of our community, caring for the underserved, strengthening young minds and inspiring and shaping the next generation of leaders," said Trowbridge, attorney at Dallas-based law firm Bell Nunnally. "It is an honor and very exciting to work towards this shared vision with a dynamic group of leaders from across the business community and the region."

Azbell, treasurer, is vice-president and controller for Kimberly-Clark. A native of Ohio, Azbell joined the company in 1988, transitioning from public accounting. He then traveled throughout the world holding financial roles of increasing responsibility before relocating to the company's Irving, Tex. headquarters in 2005. Azbell is a graduate of Miami University, where he majored in accounting and earned a degree in business administration (B.S., 1986). Azbell chairs BGCD's Finance Committee and is also chairman of "Corporate Cup 2015," a golf tournament held at the Dallas National Golf Club to support the organization's "Academic Success" programs. 

Louviere, chairman-elect, is a tax partner for the North Texas Private Company Services practice of PricewaterhouseCoopers. A Certified Public Accountant (CPA) with 20 years of public accounting experience, he provides corporations and pass-through entities in industries such as manufacturing, services, construction, distribution and transportation with tax consulting, compliance and tax provision assistance. A member of the American Institute of CPAs, Louviere is a graduate of Louisiana State University where he earned law and accounting degrees (J.D., 1993; B.S., 1990). He chairs BGCD's Governance Committee, and is also former vice-president for the Boys and Girls Clubs of Southeast Louisiana.

Trowbridge, chairman of the board, is a partner at Bell Nunnally, with a particular focus on complex business and intellectual property disputes. Featured in Texas Monthly as a "Texas Super Lawyer" in 2013 and 2014 and as a "Texas Rising Star" for six years, named as one of 25 of Texas Lawyer's "Legal Leaders on the Rise" in 2013 and "Litigator of the Week" in 2011 and recognized in VerdictSearch's "Top Business Law Verdicts" of 2009, he is well-known for vigorously protecting his clients' interests in high-stakes legal matters. Trowbridge earned both his law and undergraduate degrees from Baylor University (J.D., 1998; B.B.A., 1995). He has been a member of the BGCD board of directors since 2006, during which time he has served in numerous capacities, including as chairman for the organization's "Billiard Ball" and "Texas Hold 'Em" events. Beyond BGCD, Trowbridge is chairman for the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network's PurpleStride DFW 2014.

Watson, vice-chairman, has a resume that includes numerous stints as principal of business entities engaged in the ownership and management of real estate as well as the management and syndication of various public and private partnerships. He is currently manager of Steelecreek Management, LLC; chairman of Sentinel Development Solutions; vice-president of Watson & Taylor Management; and president of PRM Financial Services, Inc. -- all companies he was involved in founding. A CPA, Watson is a graduate of the University of Texas at Austin (M.B.A. 1965; B.B.A., 1963). He is the founder of the University of Texas McCombs School of Business Community Minority Business Advancement program and a member of the school's advisory council. A strong advocate for math, science and technology education, Watson has been a champion of BGCD's "Math*Blazers" program, an intra-club competition whose goal is to make learning these disciplines more enjoyable. Watson is also co-chair of BGCD's inaugural "Great Futures Luncheon" featuring "Dr. Condoleezza Rice's Center for a New Generation" and taking place on November 12.

Wheeler, vice-chairman, is president and chief operating officer for the Jackson-Shaw Company, responsible for management and coordination of all major financial transactions and the ongoing operations of the company. With more than 25 years of experience, she represents owners and developers of commercial real estate projects nationally. A past recipient of the Dallas Business Journal's "CFO of the Year" award, Wheeler is a graduate of Stephen F. Austin State University (B.B.A., 1987). She is co-chair of BGCD's "Great Futures Luncheon."

Wilkerson, secretary, is senior counsel at Texas Instruments, where she provides legal support to a cross section of business lines within the company that touch the industrial and automotive markets. Wilkerson earned her undergraduate degree at Northwestern University (B.A., 1997) and her law degree at the University of Iowa College of Law (J.D., 2000). She has been an active volunteer with BGCD for more than seven years, and most recently served as project chair for the program "Collegiate Steps," an initiative dedicated to assist and encourage high school students in their transition to college.

About the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Dallas
The Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Dallas (BGCD) is a community-driven organization composed of 14 locations throughout the D/FW area providing young people with safe places, caring adult mentors, fun, friendship and high-impact development programs on a daily basis during critical non-school hours. Programs offered provide strong moral guidance, positive role models and life-changing educational curriculum. BGCD is an organization that stands for traditional values, while providing progressive programs that address the problems faced by the youth of today, including substance abuse, teen pregnancy, gangs and violence.