Pioneering physicians. Distinguished lawyers. Fortune 500 CEOs. Secretaries of State. And even a former President of the United States. The Houston Men of Distinction is an exclusive fraternity of men who are recognized as pillars of the Houston community.
For over a decade, Gittings has been privileged to photograph these honorable men. We continued this tradition at the 2018 Men of Distinction luncheon held May 2 at River Oaks Country Club.
Each year, we create portraits of the carefully-selected honorees. Each man is photographed individually in a style that reflects their life, personality, and contributions to Houston. The portraits are then showcased at the luncheon.
We are proud to see the collection grow significantly since the inception of the luncheon.
How Gittings Has Supported the Houston Men of Distinction Luncheon
The Houston Men of Distinction Awards luncheon started in 2007 as a way to recognize men who achieved excellence in their chosen field.
Additionally, the Men of Distinction foundation serves to make a greater impact on the community by raising money to be invested in the Houston medical community. Since the inception of the luncheon, the foundation has raised more than $4 million dollars — all of which has benefited various programs in the Houston Medical Center.
We are grateful that the foundation selected Gittings to create a unique portrait of each year’s distinguished gentlemen. We believe this is a natural extension of our involvement in the Houston community over the past 90 years creating timeless portraits of Houston’s leaders.
Who are the Past and Present Men of Distinction?
Gittings is pleased to have photographed a number of legendary Houstonians and men who have significantly impacted the city. Each Man of Distinction has been part of Houston’s leadership position on the national and international stage, while also contributing to the growth of Houston’s medical community.
The Houston Men of Distinction (listed in alphabetical order):
D. Kent Anderson, 2007*
James A. Baker III, 2012
Thomas D. Barrow, Ph.D., 2010*
Fred C. Burns, 2011
George H.W. Bush, 2012
Ernest Cockrell, 2014
Denton A. Cooley, M.D., 2009*
James W. Crownover, 2013
O. Holcombe Crosswell, 2011
Harry Cullen, 2016
Michael DeBakey, M.D., 2008*
James H. “Red” Duke, Jr., M.D., 2011*
Dan Duncan, 2007*
Ralph Feigin, M.D., 2008*
Charles Fraser, M.D., 2014
O.H. “Bud” Frazier, M.D., 2015
Gerald Hines, 2016
Ned Holmes, 2014
Walter Johnson, 2008
Don D. Jordan, 2008
Mark Kline, M.D., 2016
Berdon Lawrence, 2017
Paul Loyd, 2014
Harry Mach, 2015
John P. McGovern, M.D., 2007*
Alexander K. “Mike” McLanahan, 2017
Drayton McLane, Jr., 2009
Robert C. McNair, 2013
John Mendelsohn, M.D., 2010
George P. Mitchell, 2011*
Richard Mithoff, 2017
James Pool, M.D., 2017
H. John Riley, 2015
Corbin J. Robertson, Jr., 2008
Marc J. Shapiro, 2011
Lester Smith, 2007
Mike Stude, 2010
Charlie Thomas, 2013
J. Virgil Waggoner, 2009*
David Weekley, 2015
James T. Willerson, M.D., 2013
*deceased
Visit the Houston Men of Distinction Website Here
Gittings Naturally Aligns with the Houston Men of Distinction
Gittings aligned with the Houston Men of Distinction because we recognize the importance of highlighting the accomplishments of worthy Houstonians. Houston would not be what it is today without the pioneering work of these amazing individuals and we are glad to be part of this annual recognition.
We are also proud to continue our company’s legacy in Houston through the work of our two Houston studios located in Uptown Park and Downtown Houston.
To find out how we can collaborate with your organization to create professional portraits or discuss our other portrait services, please contact us today. We look forward to capturing the legacy of your distinguished company or organization.
