11:45 AM – Virtual Waiting Room Opens
12:00 PM – Program
Chairs: Dorothy and Ronny Cuenod, Cindy and Harry Holmes, Lynn and Mike Smith
Robin Bush Award Honoree: The Hamill Foundation
Speaker: Rick Smith
We invite you to be part of the annual Hearts of Hope Luncheon: Connecting our Hearts: We are all family here.
Bo’s Place will honor The Hamill Foundation with the Robin Bush Award, given each year to those who have made a marked difference in the lives of children in our community. The Hamill Foundation was founded in 1969 by Claud and Marie Hamill and is among the ten largest foundations in Houston. With over 15 years of generous support from The Hamill Foundation, Bo’s Place has been able to provide a healing, safe place for grieving families.
Our guest speaker, Rick Smith, became the youngest general manager in the NFL in 2006. Over the next 12 years, Smith’s ability to shape a winning roster while promoting balance, leadership, inclusivity and growth in the front office established him as a respected voice and innovator among NFL leadership.
Under Smith, the Texans had their first winning season in 2009, first division championship and playoff win in 2011, and highest single-season win total in 2012. The Texans won the AFC South four of his last seven seasons with the team, bridging two coaching staffs and ideologies. His rosters produced ten All-Pro performances, 39 Pro-Bowl selections, three Defensive Player of the Year awards and one Defensive Rookie of the Year.
Smith was recognized by the NFL for his leadership, vision, and success when he was named by Commissioner Roger Goodell to the prestigious Competition Committee to shape the game by modifying or adopting rules and regulations. He received the Tank Younger Award in 2008, presented annually by the Fritz Pollard Alliance to promote diversity and equality of job opportunity for minorities in coaching, scouting and personnel staff.
Prior to joining the Texans, Smith was a two-time Super Bowl winner as an assistant defensive backs coach for the Denver Broncos. He led the Broncos pro-personnel department from 2000 to 2005. From 1994 to 1995, he was a defensive backs coach at his alma mater, Purdue University. Smith started at strong safety and was a defensive captain for Purdue as a senior in 1991.
In 2017, Rick’s wife Tiffany was diagnosed with breast cancer, and Rick stepped back from his career to care for his wife and children until her death in 2019. Before moving to Houston, Tiffany received two Emmy nominations as a television producer. In Houston, Tiffany was active in the Lady Texans and served on the board of directors for the Children’s Museum and Pro-Vision Academy. Rick and their three children, Robert, Avery, and Christian, live each day to honor the memory of their beloved wife and mother.
We hope you will join us to connect our hearts to support the families of Bo’s Place though your participation at the Hearts of Hope event!
For questions, please contact Andrea Sivells, Development Director, at HeartsofHope@bosplace.org.
