It takes a while to become a successful environmental protagonist here in Houston. There are three-letter acronyms to learn, dynamic power structures to dissect, and economic disincentives to challenge. It’s easy to get frustrated. And inviting to move on.

But every once in a while someone comes along who sticks with it for a whole career. These individuals become the foundation and pillars of our environmental community, building the stage for the rest of us to act on.

On February 8, at the 2001 CEC Annual Meeting, you’ll have a unique opportunity to hear from one of these protagonists. You won’t come to meet him, because most of you have met him before. But you may come to hear what he has to say.

Dewayne Huckabay has been serving Houston as a public servant for twenty-five years and is now retiring. In each of those years, Dewayne has worked in some area of “the commons” as an employee of one governmental agency or another. In his talk, Dewayne will share some thoughts and ideas that he couldn’t share until he was ready to retire.

If you’ve been involved in the environmental community as long as Dewayne, you’ll be interested to hear his predictions for the future. If you’re just getting started, you’ll want to learn from his experience.

At the Annual Meeting, we’ll of course cover some business at hand. There are new member organizations to approve (we’re up to 91!), a new board to install, and a preview of what’s coming up for 2001. The 2001 Environmental Resource Guide will be distributed to everyone who attends. And this year’s guide has a bonus: our first-ever Special Report on the State of the Environment in our region.