BELLAIRE ROTARY NAMES NEW METRO BOARD MEMBER CINDY SIEGEL
AS VOCATIONAL PERSON OF THE YEAR

(Houston / Bellaire, Texas) Bellaire/Southwest Houston Rotary honored new METRO Board Member Cindy Siegel as its VOCATIONAL PERSON OF THE YEAR during a recent ceremony at BraeBurn Country Club. “The award recognizes Cindy as a model of vocational service in the community,” club spokesperson and local attorney Nan Wagoner said. As a METRO Board Member, Siegel will represent the 14 small member cities (including Bellaire) outside of Houston.

Bellaire City Manager Bernie Satterwhite, who served as master of ceremonies for the presentation, explained that Rotary’s vocational lane emphasizes service to others and promotion of high ethical standards through vocations and professions. “Not only does Cindy embody true professionalism,” he said, “but I can guarantee you will see her associated with almost every community fundraiser and improvement project in some fashion.”

Prior to her METRO appointment, Siegel served as Bellaire Mayor until she became term-limited, sat on Bellaire City Council for nearly 16 years, and was a director of the Bellaire Parks and Recreation Advisory Board, as well as the Bellaire Planning and Zoning Commission. A CPA and small business owner for more than 20 years, Siegel’s contributions include acting as City of Bellaire representative to the Evelyn’s Park Conservancy, fundraising for the Patrons of Bellaire Parks, and previously serving as a board member and officer for the Houston Alzheimer’s Association, the Texas Coalition of Alzheimer’s Associations, and the Aged and Disability Advisory Board of the Texas Department of Human Services. She is a frequent speaker at community events, a Rotary Paul Harris Fellow, and a member of the Houston Chapter of CPAs, Texas Society of CPAs, and American Institute of CPAs.

“Serving on City Council, and especially as mayor in a small town with very little to no compensation, is no picnic,” Satterwhite observed. “You work hard. In Cindy’s case, you probably work harder than most. You attend many night meetings. You have to listen, be empathetic and, many times, compassionate. You may become an undeserved target of someone’s ire, but you don’t stay down. Because you realize what you are doing is important and there are not many good people out there who can do what you do.” Before presenting her crystal commemorative gift, Satterwhite told the crowd that, notwithstanding her impressive public persona, he believed Siegel’s proudest vocational accomplishment well might be as the involved mother of her two lovely daughters, one of whom will enter USC next year, with the other finishing high school. “She truly embodies Rotary’s principle of ‘Service Above Self’ in every aspect of her life,” he said.

Bellaire / Southwest Houston Rotary is one of 60 Rotary clubs with more than 3,000 service-minded volunteers in the Greater Houston Area that provide charitable and humanitarian services worldwide and promote goodwill both locally and around the globe. More information about Bellaire Rotary membership and projects may be found online at www.bellairesw.org.