The Sept. 19 Ruth Sharp Altshuler Tocqueville Society Luncheon, hosted by the United Way of Metropolitan Dallas, was a remarkable showcase of community leadership, generosity and commitment. Held at the George W. Bush Presidential Center, the event was our largest Tocqueville luncheon ever—with more than 200 attendees—and a testament to the power of collective effort and the impact of dedicated individuals.
Read for event highlights and a look at more exciting and impactful Tocqueville events on the horizon.
The Tocqueville Society is Growing in Size and Impact
Erin Nealy Cox, co-chair of the Tocqueville Society, kicked off the event with an update on the “Beat Bama” challenge—a friendly competition with a goal of making Dallas the largest Tocqueville Society in the country. With Dallas currently at 790 households and just over 100 members shy of surpassing Birmingham, Cox expressed confidence in reaching this goal with the support of attendees.
“We are gaining significant ground on them,” she said. “In 2022, we started with 625 donors, and this last year we closed out with almost 800 donors. That’s a 26% increase, and it translates into over a thousand households. So even though we’re still number two, we are very close.”
Cox also acknowledged the significant contributions of leaders within the Tocqueville Society, including:
- Curt Farmer, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of Comerica Incorporated and Comerica Bank, 2023-2024 United Way Annual Campaign Chair
- Mike Hsu, CEO of Kimberly-Clark, Chair of the $100,0000 Tocqueville Circle
- Laura and Jason Downing, Co-Chairs of the $25,0000 Tocqueville Circle
- Mandy Austin, Michelle Horton and Michelle Thomas, Co-Chairs of our Women of Tocqueville
Cox closed her remakes with a special thanks to the George W. Bush Presidential Center and Tocqueville member Ken Hersh for hosting the event, as well as former Tocqueville Chair Regen Horchow and featured guest Rena Pederson.
Closing Out a Historic Annual Campaign
Curt Farmer, 2023-2024 Annual Campaign Chair, addressed the audience with an update on a successful year. He reported that, together, we surpassed the ambitious $55 million goal by raising an incredible $56 million to improve access to education, income and health in North Texas.
Farmer emphasized the significant growth from previous years and the vital role of new partnerships and individual contributions in achieving this milestone. He also highlighted Comerica’s ongoing efforts in Southern Dallas to foster economic development, financial literacy and greater access to health.
Remarks by Jennifer Sampson
Jennifer Sampson, McDermott-Templeton president and CEO of United Way of Metropolitan Dallas, expressed gratitude to Curt Farmer and Comerica Bank for their steadfast support. She offered a special thanks to Terri West, chair of the Texas Instruments Foundation and chair of the United Way Foundation Board, and extended a warm welcome to the new chair of the United Way Board of Directors, Antonio Carrillo, president and CEO of Arcosa. Finally, Sampson acknowledged the United Way Board and Foundation Board members and thanked them for their commitment to United Way’s mission.
Investigating “The King of Diamonds”
The highlight of the luncheon was Rena Pederson’s keynote address, where she shared insights from her book “The King of Diamonds.” Pederson, a distinguished journalist and author, delved into the intriguing connections between Dallas society and the mob. Her presentation provided a captivating exploration of Dallas’s unique cultural history and the mysteries surrounding the King of Diamonds.
Pederson guided attendees through the fascinating story of a 1960s jewel thief who, over a period of five years, managed to steal millions of dollars’ worth of jewelry from some of Dallas’ most well-known families and individuals—including Ruth Sharp Altshuler, the longtime Dallas philanthropist who would go on to establish the United Way Tocqueville Society. Pederson interviewed Altshuler as part of her research for the book, and those conversations provided some of the first and most important clues to the case. And as Rena asked the audience, what was different about Ruth? Spoiler alert: she did not wear diamonds.
To learn more about the jewel thief and Altshuler’s contributions to solving the mystery, order “The King of Diamonds” from Interabang Books.
There’s Even More Excitement and Impact on the Horizon
We hope you’ll join us for these upcoming events, which feature nationally recognized speakers, influencers and change-makers highlighting the impact of United Way as we march together toward our Centennial celebration in 2025.
October 1: 1st Annual Texas Hold ‘Em Tocqueville Tournament
The First Annual Tocqueville Texas Hold ‘Em Tournament is co-chaired by Pascal Desroches (CFO, AT&T) and Aasem Khalil (Managing Director, Goldman Sachs) and led by a host committee of CFOs, financial services leaders and managing directors of accounting and consulting firms are hosting a fun-filled evening all for a great cause!
This is a great opportunity for executives to connect with other local leaders and learn more about United Way of Metropolitan Dallas, and the important work we do to support education, income and health for 1.7 million of our North Texas neighbors. If you are in the financial services and consulting industry and interested in joining our Tocqueville Society, please join us! Click here to learn more and register.
October 2: Annual Investor Meeting
Join us at the Federal Reserve Bank for our annual investor meeting, where we’ll provide updates on our Aspire United 2030 goals and unveil the new Data Capacity Building Initiative. Hosted by co-chairs Katie Robbins of the Hoblitzelle Foundation and Andy Smith of the Texas Instruments Foundation, this is an important opportunity to learn about our progress and plans. Click here to register today.
Save These Dates
Be sure to save the date for these upcoming events, and we’ll be in touch with additional details:
- October 24: Centennial Kickoff at AT&T Discovery District: We’re officially launching our Centennial celebrations in style! Join us at the AT&T Discovery District for a day of festivities as we begin our celebration of 100 years of United Way impact. This event is just the beginning of a year filled with landmark moments.
- Monday, December 2 at the DMA: Next Tocqueville Luncheon: Our special November Tocqueville Luncheon will spotlight the Eugene McDermott Foundation and feature a very special announcement. Join us as we honor the legacy of Eugene and Margaret McDermott with a special tribute including Mary McDermott Cook and Grace Cook. Stay tuned for details.
- November 15, 2025: Centennial Celebration at Fair Park: Save the date for our Centennial Celebration, when our Centennial year culminates in a massive celebration at Fair Park, chaired by Christy and Steven Williams of PepsiCo. The day will feature a food and wine festival, a VIP dinner and a concert in the Cotton Bowl with Super Bowl-level entertainment. It’s set to be the event of the year!
We hope you’ll join us for these incredible events as we celebrate 100 years of community impact.
