LLS North Texas Man and Woman of the Year 2015 candidates |
Nine North Texas Man and Woman of the Year (MWOY) candidates officially launched their 2015 campaigns at a kickoff celebration Thursday night at the Renaissance Hotel near downtown Dallas. The candidates are the first business leaders in North Texas to participate in this new fundraising campaign to benefit The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS). They will compete against each other in a 10-week fundraising blitz and at the end the male and female candidates that raise the most money will be named the North Texas Man and the Woman of the Year.
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Many of the candidates were joined by their fundraising campaign managers and teams at the kickoff. This campaign is expected to generate more than $250,000 for LLS in its first year. Former Good Morning Texas co-host Amy Vanderoef served as the Mistress of Ceremonies for the evening. This year’s fundraising is in honor of two patient heroes, the 2015 Boy and Girl of the Year: Bennett Williams and Julia Brown. The campaign will conclude with the Grand Finale Gala on May 30th at the Westin Galleria Dallas. "What happens between the kickoff and grand finale is the heart of the race," says Patricia Thomson, Executive Director of the North Texas Chapter. "Throughout the 10 weeks, each candidate will host events and motivate their networks to raise money for blood cancer research. The man and woman who raise the most money will be named as the local Man and Woman of the Year and go on to compete for national honors."
The inaugural MWOY class in North Texas is strong with representatives from a number of different industries and backgrounds based in North Texas.
- Larry Anderson, Jr., M.D., Ph.D. Assistant Professor at UT Southwestern Medical Center, Sammons Cancer Center – Dallas
- Stuart Boslow, Television Executive
- Mai Caldwell, Hematology/Oncology Consultant, Celgene Corporation
- Kim Carter, Vice President, Operations and Sales, The Dean’s List
- Gina Cook, General Manager, Del Frisco’s Double Eagle Steakhouse
- Keith Pearson, CEO, Pearson Partners International
- Erin Ragsdale, Senior Vice President, Allyn Media
- Imran Sheikh, US Director, AfterShock London
- Saadia Sheikh, Vice President, eSmith Realty