Enhancing THE LIFE EXPERIENCE for People Like You!

Mike, a DePauw graduate, was degreed in law by the University of Michigan and practiced with Faegre, Baker, & Daniels for 42 years. He was instrumental in opening the Firm's China offices prior to retirement. He is a Trustee of DePauw University. He then pursued the non-profit and philanthropic world - Indiana Repertory Theatre, Mental Health Assn. of Indiana, and more. In Horseshoe Bay, Mike is President of the HSB Property Owners Assn., serves with the Men of Faith Steering Committee at The Church at HSB, and a Board Member of the local Kiwanis Club. His sweetheart wife, Sue, has continued to claim him for 55+ years! Mike reads music, sings with the Highland Lakes Men's choir, and the Church at HSB choir, and chairs our Program Committee.

At 71, my bio is rather boring, so I will give some highlights :-)

If I had not a loving & understanding wife (Jan) and kids, who put up with our 18 career  moves, 10 of those cross county, it is highly probable we would not be retired in Horseshoe Bay. I call the career "ours" because it truly took the whole family.

After under the corporate umbrellas in Sr. management positions for 22 years with Kodak, Maytag, Polaroid, and Foot-Joy we finally mustered the courage to become entrepreneurs for 15 years - being importers of manufactured goods from China, Sri Lanka, South Korea, Taiwan, and Vietnam.

We were blessed with great luck & good timing, and fortunate enough to surround ourselves with very talented people.

Now it is time to "give back" - that's why we are part of this organization!

 Sandy was at the right place at the right time - HemisFair 1968. Sandy was hired to open the Braniff International Club at the San Antonio Airport where her networking career began by developing personal relationships not only with local companies, but Fortune 500® corporations as well as international companies. She also met the love of her life Gary Howard, a successful attorney who she later married. Gary was Board Certified in Personal Injury and Civil Law, Fellow in the prestigious International Society of Barristers which is limited to 600 Lawyers in the World. Sandy & Gary opened Howard Consultants in 1974 by this time they both had a large network of companies and personal relationships that made Howard Consultants a very successful company, which they subsequently sold.

Sandy then used her network to begin her philanthropic career: starting with the Billy Graham Crusade as well as many Women’s Conferences.
Through the years Sandy and Gary have fed their networking career with numerous Charities and Fundraising.
They both feel that Horseshoe Bay is the perfect retirement community to enjoy with many good friends, who, through the years, have become like Family.
They feel that the “Missing Link” is Cultural events and education, and in their Sunset Years they want to leave Horseshoe Bay a better place than they found it.  HSB Cultural Enrichment is the “Missing Link”

John graduated Western Illinois University with a BS in Education, and served two years on the Quincy, Ill. Board of Education in Speech Therapy. John then joined American Express Investment Sales for 7 years, followed by being an investment advisor with Edward Jones from 1971--78. Success with Edward Jones led to become a General Partner responsible for hiring investment advisors from 1978 - 2001.

John is married to the energetic and charming Kay (White) Borota of Horseshoe Bay.

As a result of completely unplanned and fortuitous turn of events, my wife and and I discovered HSB in 2001 and began our transition from Santa Fe, NM. where we lived for 36 years. Time was split between Texas and New Mexico until 2009, when we made HSB our full-time home.

I'm a CPA and owned a Public Accounting practice in Santa Fe. After moving to Texas, I continue practice on a part-time basis with a firm in Marble Falls.

We have two sons with families in Ohio and California; we spend as much time as possible with our grandkids and their respective parents.

In Santa Fe, I was very involved in a variety of arts and other charity organizations, athletic booster club, and the board of directors for several banks, and the hospital.

My longest involvement was with the Santa Fe Chamber Orchestra, so I'm extremely enthusiastic about working with HSB Cultural Enrichment!

Leslie Koehlinger Russ, Governance, Strategy

Leslie, a DePauw University graduate in music education, continued studying vocal performance with the legendary Metropolitan Opera diva and jazz artist, Eileen Farrell, at Indiana University’s Jacobs School of Music master’s program. Leslie also has her Master of Business Administration in entrepreneurial studies from San Jose State University and is currently pursuing her Ph.D. in Global Leadership. After an extensive career as a Management Consultant inspired through her experience in start-ups, strategy, corporate development and information technology outsourcing while living in Dallas, Leslie is focused these days on philanthropy. She currently serves on a number of non-profit boards in the performing arts and education, sings with the Church at Horseshoe Bay choir, and is excited to join the HSBCES in championing vibrant cultural programming in the Horseshoe Bay area. An empty nester, she is proud of her three gorgeous, accomplished daughters.  She and her husband Don, a business and tax attorney, are thoroughly enjoying the Lake LBJ sunsets!

Susan Estelle Kelso, Ph.D., Arts & Music

Born in San Antonio Susan was constantly active in theatre and music.  She graduated from Trinity University and earned her PhD in Dramatic Literature at the University of Kansas.  At McNeese State University she was a Professor, Department Head and Director of Theatre until retirement.

Susan and husband of 35 years Peter Dart were drawn back to the beauty of Texas and especially Horseshoe Bay in September 2017. Over the years they have performed together in many stage and film productions and they sing in the Church at HSB choir and he in the Highland Lakes Men’s Chorus. Their daughter Bonnie Cullum is artistic director of Austin’s VORTEX theatre.

As a playwright, Susan has seen her plays produced in Austin and Lake Charles. Her performance of her play, a one woman show “Prairie Fire,” toured four Midwestern states for eight weeks.

As a director Susan has staged numerous productions from Shakespearean tragedies to whimsical farces, to children’s theatre. 

Further. Susan has been involved in 13 academic appointments, 18 major creative works, publications, and papers;  13 personal stage performances, directed over 5 live stage performances, garnered 12 Honors & Awards,  as well as  8 performing arts and women's advancement grants.

Susan eagerly looks forward to working toward continuing advancement of Cultural Enrichment in Horseshoe Bay, and surrounding communities.

As the native Texan of the group, I'm responsible for all things that go right with the organization. I don't know who is responsible for things that go wrong  :-o 

I started in Information Technology (IT - computers, data, and all that) at the age of 16 when mainframes were the size of your house; "mini-computers" could almost fit in your garage. Was a programmer for 1/2 of my career, then got into sales support, marketing, team leadership, partnerships & alliances, Venture Capital investments/funding, mergers, and senior management.

Am blessed with working for two large global hardware & software companies, and four start-up software companies - 1 failed miserably, 1 did kind of OK, and 2 were very successful - one buyout, and one went public.

After 24 years with my lovely and supportive wife all over this country, we've made our permanent home here in HSB in 2017. Elizabeth has extensive experience with corporate high-tech and non-profits, and I recently did 3 years non-profit disaster relief field work (floods) with an Austin-based organization.

Our heartfelt gratitude and everything we have to offer.

Priority parking, front or 2nd row seating, invitation to special donor party, a "meet the artist" reception, name in programs, advanced ticket notification

Priority parking, front area seating, invitation to special donor party, a "meet the artist" reception, name in program, advanced ticket notification

Front area seating, invitation to special donor party,, a "meet the artist" reception, name in program, advanced ticket notification

A "meet the artist" reception, name in program, advanced ticket notification

Supporter $100+ name in program