Bunny and Harold Ginsburg were honorary co-chairs of this year’s ReuNight, the annual fundraiser for The Family Place domestic-violence service agency. Also helming the Thursday, May 9, event at the swank Hotel Swexan in Dallas’ Harwood District were Co-Chairs Kristin and James Hallam and Annie and Erik Miller.
The gathering, the first ReuNight to use mobile bidding for its silent auction, was dubbed “An Astronomical Affair” and attracted more than 200 guests — up from 180 at last year’s function at the Dallas Petroleum Club. Someone said the stepped-up interest was due to The Family Place Board Chair Harold and his “extensive network.”
Ginburg himself deflected the compliment. “This one’s the best we’ve ever had,” he said during the crowded cocktail reception preceding the seated dinner. “It’s because of the chairs, who did a phenomenal job.”
And just what is his “network?” someone asked him.
“Old!” Harold quipped.
The ReuNight crowd wasn’t.
It included the likes of the Sands gals (Courtenay Sands, Gayle Sands and Kathryn Sands), Payton Thurman, Joyce Goss, DJ Murphy, Donnie Miller, Betsy and Richard Eiseman, Kasey Lemkin, Madelaine and Russell Lam, Clarisa Lindenmeyer, Debbie and David Brown, Mary and Joel Reese and Lauren and Tre Black. Among others attending were Erin Mathews, Tom Dunning, Carol Seay, Jan Rich and Claire and Dwight Emanuelson.
Dwight said his firm had just helped finance a group that bought a Major League Baseball franchise — the biggest deal of Dwight’s career.
The Swexan’s sixth-floor ballroom had been decked out beautifully by event designer Steve Kemble. A blue candelabra holding nine tall white candles graced each table, and the long chairmen’s tables featured 12 candelabras — six on each side. In all, more than 3,000 candles had been lit for the occasion.
Joked Steve: “Don’t call the fire marshal!”
As guests took their places for the three-course dinner prepared by Executive Chef James Ash, the Hunter Sullivan Band was working, Sinatra-style, through standards like “Summer Wind” and “They Can’t Take That Away From Me.” On Ash”s menu: seared sea scallops, Harwood filet mignon and herb-crusted cod, complemented by Stoller Family Estate wine.
Soon enough Hunter gave way to Matt Godbehere, the evening’s emcee. Matt introduced the chairs, who lauded the Ginsburgs as well as Kemble before bringing to the stage Tiffany Tate-McDaniel, The Family Place’s interim CEO and chief operating officer.
Tiffany called the evening “breathtaking;” thanked The Family Place development team, the Ginsburgs and former CEO Paige Flink; and pointed out that the group’s three shelters currently were housing “43 women, 66 children, four men, three dogs and two cats.” (More about Tiffany later).
With that, a video was shown featuring The Family Place Medical Director Dr. Laurie Berger, who gave a brief talk before Matt conducted a paddle raise. The raise got an extra kick after guests heard the surprising news that an anonymous, $100,000 challenge donation had been made.
Capping the evening, many made their way down to the Swexan’s lower-level hideaway nightclub, called Babou’s, for an after-party. There, Paige confided that she and husband Randy Flink were enjoying rural property they’d acquired in Virginia. And Harold, spotting Tiffany across the way, smiled and made a playful little dance move in her direction as Babou’s music blared.
Little did anyone know that, several weeks later, the Family Place interim CEO would be named the group’s new chief executive officer. Tiffany succeeds Mimi Crume Sterling, who stepped down last October after two years in the post.
Asked about Tiffany shortly after her promotion was announced, Harold called her a “good leader leading a strong team. Everybody in the organization respects her.
“And the No. 1 thing for us is that she knows the clients and knows how to work with the clients,” he said. “That’s what we’re all about — taking care of the clients. That’s her strongest suit. She has a lot of other great assets, but that’s her strongest suit.”
* Photo credit: Tamytha Cameron and Celeste Cass
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