Man & Woman of the Year Rocks the LLS Grand Finale

The River Oaks Country Club on Saturday was bustling with young professionals, fashionistas, and philanthropists for the Grand Finale of The Leukemia & Lymphoma 2012 ‘Man &Woman of the Year Campaign.

The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) announced the Man & Woman of the Year winners who collectively raised over $585,000. For 10 weeks, 20 local professionals – 12 women and 8 men competed for the title Man & Woman of the Year. Emcee Brent Clanton of News 92 FM announced the winners of this record-breaking fundraising event that nearly doubled last year’s proceeds. Every dollar the Candidates raised counted as one “vote” and the Candidates with the most votes were named the winners. Brian Ross of Gibbs & Bruns, LLP was named Man of the Year and raised over an outstanding $123,482. Verr Soltes of H-E-B, was named Woman of the Year and raised an incredible $100,265. Both of these numbers broke records across Texas and will be recognized on a national level.

The Candidates competed in honor of LLS’s Boy & Girl of the Year, Noah Bratsch, 6, and Chloe Rodriguez, 13, two local children who are blood cancer survivors and sources of inspiration. Making a mark at the event were Sarah Pepper and Harry Faulkner who bagged the runner up by raising a whopping $121,000 in ten weeks.

Spotted supporting the cause Kalon McMahon, who was also initially a Man of the Year candidate but had to decline due to the lucrative role in The Bachelorette. Also spotted cheering for the candidates Miriam Habib, Jared Jang, Narin Sehgal, Sonia Azad, Diane Caplan, Edward Sanchez, Evelyn Eightman, Kile and Zack Spelz, and many others.

All in all with the generous support of many corporate sponsors and the hard work of candidates, LLS staff Helen Oettinger and Executive Director Billie Sue Parris the gala gathered more than 475 guests celebrating the grand success.