Fayetteville Community Center Group

Board of Directors

BOB AXELROD

Bob Axelrod graduated from the University of Connecticut School of Law in 1970 and has been the senior partner in his law firm since. He served three terms chairing the Criminal Justice Section of the Bar Association. Bob’s cases have been featured on 60 Minutes, Dateline NBC, CNN, the New York Times, Time magazine and the Netflix series “HEIST”. Bob lives in Fayetteville with his wife Rebecca and is currently president of Axe Antiques, a leading source of collector, investor and museum quality antique arms and armor.

WENDY WILKINS BURKS

Wendy Wilkins Burks has been a volunteer for the Houston Ballet for the past 23 years, including being Chairman of the Nutcracker Market (2018) and President of the Guild (2019) and serving on the Foundation Board. Wendy also chaired the 2019 Child Advocates ‘Angels of Hope’ fundraiser and serves on Harris County’s Court Appointed Special Advocates program.

STEPHEN cushing

Stephen Cushing earned an MBA at the University of Minnesota and interned at the Mayo Clinic. He has served in executive management and marketing roles in health care for 35 years. He has served as president of the Chamber of Commerce and Arts for Rural Texas and was on the advisory board of the Fayetteville Chamber Music Festival. He has also served on the Vestry of St. Peters Episcopal Church in Brenham, Texas. He is the former Mayor of Fayetteville.

David Ewers

David Ewers splits his time between Fayetteville and McAllen, where he heads up the Law Office of David A. Ewers. David attended Texas A&M and St. Mary’s University before beginning his career in McAllen. He has served on Boards and committees with the State Bar, the Hildago County Bar and banks, as well as being active in his church, the Boy Scouts and the American Cancer Association.

JERRY GIPS

Jerry Gips graduated from the University of Texas with a Bachelor of Science degree and spent 43 years as a geologist in the Oil & Gas Industry beginning with Texaco. He was the exploration manager for two other companies, a consultant and independent producer for 18 years, and retired after being with an Australian investment bank. He and his wife of 50 years, Bette, live just outside Fayetteville.

jerry herring, PRESIDENT

Jerry Herring founded, in 1973, an international design firm with cultural and educational clients such as The Kennedy Center, Houston Grand Opera, Rice University and Texas A&M; and corporate clients including AT&T, Merck and ExxonMobil. He is the past Fayetteville Chamber of Commerce President and past Board member of Round Top Festival Institute and is currently Board member of McArthurGlen, a London-based retail company.

joan herring, secretary

Joan Herring founded a photography and framing company in Houston in 1994 with clients ranging from Enron to the Canadian Space Program. She manages Blackbird Lodging with nine properties in the Fayetteville area, chairs the City’s Hotel Occupancy Tax Advisory Committee, and is a Round Top Festival Institute Founders Board member. She co-owns the Red & White Gallery and co-owns and manages the Grand Fayette Hotel.

FRED ROBERTS, TREASURER

Fred Roberts owns Roberts & Associates insurance agency in Fayetteville. Fred holds both GA and MGA insurance licenses and is licensed in 34 states. As a Pasadena ISD School Board Trustee for the past 28 years, Fred has extensive experience in building large educational facilities. He was a member of the Associated Builders and Contractors Board of Directors and the ABC Government Relations Chairman.

Ken seifert

Ken Seifert, CPA, is the owner of Mosher, Seifert and Co with offices in Pasadena and Fayetteville, Texas. He is a member of the American Institute of CPAs, Texas Society of CPAs, and past director of the 9,000-member Houston Chapter of CPAs. Ken is also the Past President of the Pasadena Chamber of Commerce, Pasadena Rotary Club (over 300 members at that time) and the President of Bridge over Troubled Waters, a shelter for battered women and their children.

FORMER MEMBERS OF THE FOUNDING BOARD

Lynda kouba cushing

Lynda Kouba Cushing is a former Fayetteville City Council member and board member for Arts for Rural Texas and Fayetteville Chamber Music. Lynda earned a Bachelor of Science in Biology/Nursing at the University of Texas Heath Science Center and rose to Nurse Manager at Baylor College of Medicine.

CLOVIS HEIMSATH

Clovis Heimsath, FAIA, (d.2021) earned a Masters in Architecture from Yale University and founded Heimsath Architects in Houston, in 1959. He taught at Rice University, University of Texas and Texas A&M. A long-time resident of Fayetteville, Clovis and his wife Maryann refurbished a historic building on Fayetteville’s Square into the Country Place Hotel. Clovis was on the Fayetteville Historic Preservation Board and part of the group responsible (along with Maryann) for the entire city of Fayetteville being listed in the National Register of Historic Places.

maryann heimsath

Maryann Heimsath has been an interior designer and liturgical consultant for Heimsath Architects since 1974. After graduating from Pennsylvania’s Bryn Mawr College, she obtained a Masters degree at Yale University. Her stained glass creations have been recognized in art and liturgical publications. With her husband Clovis, she managed the Country Place Hotel in Fayetteville for 13 years.

anne mitchell

After earning her degree in Advertising from the University of Texas at Austin, Anne Mitchell worked for ten years as a Development Director at The Atlanta Botanical Garden in Atlanta, Georgia. Anne has deep roots in Fayetteville, as her family restored a home here in 1970 that they continue to treasure.

DOUG mitchell

Doug Mitchell (d.2020) owned and developed the 15,000-acre master planned community, Peachtree City, Georgia for over 35 years. Doug was on the boards of Bank of America/Georgia, The Atlanta Symphony, and Young Harris College. A lifelong Boy Scout (Eagle, Distinguished Eagle, Silver Buffalo), he served on the Board of the Southern Region of BSA.

katherine powers

Katherine Powers, PhD, is a university professor, published author, university administrator and project leader for grant implementation. She is Co-Founder of Fayetteville Chamber Music and has served on a number of non-profit boards including Arts for Rural Texas.

håkan rosengren

Håkan Rosengren is an international clarinet soloist, recitalist, chamber musician, and recording artist. He earned advanced degrees at the Royal College of Music in Stockholm, the Royal Flemish Conservatory in Antwerp, and the University of California. He has been professor of music in Ohio, California, and Sweden. He founded Kammarensemblen in 1985 and Fayetteville Chamber Music in 2006, for which he is Artistic Director. He was a faculty artist with Round Top Festival Institute, on the their Founder’s Council, and has served on many non-profit boards in the arts. He makes his home in Fayetteville.