Housing Authority of the City of Beaumont

	Board Agenda

BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS

Doug Landry, Chairman

Landry is a 1982 graduate of Forest Park High School in Beaumont. After graduation he attended theAmerican Technical Institute (A.T.I.) in Fort Worth where he received AutoCAD Advanced Training.

Landry is currently employed by the Jefferson County Drainage District No. 6 as an Engineering Technician where he is responsible for GIS mapping. He is also the owner/operator of C&D CAD Services.

His community involvement includes A.C.O.R.N (Amelia Coalition of Responsible Neighbors), President; Beaumont C.O.P (Citizens on Patrol), Chairperson of the Board of Governors; American Red Cross, Health & Safety Volunteer Instructor; and C.E.R.T (Community Emergency Response Team), volunteer.

Gary Cantue, Vice Chairman

Cantue attended schools in the Beaumont Independent School District, graduating from Charlton Pollard High School in 1973. He attended Lamar University in Beaumont, Texas Majoring in Electrical Engineering. He was employed by the Chevron Refinery (Gulf Oil) in Port Arthur, Texas where he worked seventeen years. He was blessed to retire in June 1992 to continue his full time Pastoral calling.

In January 1977 he received his Minister's license under the Pastor Walter Maxson. In May 1979 he received his Diploma in Pastoral Theology from the Charles Harrison Mason System of Bible Colleges and was ordained an Elder in June 1979. He was appointed Pastor of the Maxson Memorial Church Of God In Christ in October 1981. In May 1987 he received his Bachelor of Arts Degree in Pastoral Theology from the C. H. Mason System of Bible Colleges.

In June 1991 he was appointed Superintendent of the Beaumont Northern District, Texas Southeast First Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction. He has served as Co-Coordinator of the C. H. Mason Bible College Beaumont campus for seven years. He was elected Sergeant at Arms for Jurisdictional Assemblies, and was appointed Regional Superintendent under the late Bishop R. E. Woodard, Jr. In 1999 he received his Counseling Certification from the Therapon Institute. In 2004 he was appointed by the Honorable Bishop Rufus Kyles, Jr., as the Administrative Assistant of Education in Texas Southeast First Jurisdiction.

Cantue married Cookie Jane (Harper) Cantue of Port Arthur, Texas in May 1997.

Cantue's community commitments includes: Chaplin of Citizens United of Academic Excellence Committee, Co-Chair of Southeast Texas Organizing Committee, Secretary of One Church One Child of Southeast Texas, Community Liaison of Ministerial Brotherhood Alliance, member of the North Beaumont Community Committee and President of Parkwood Townhomes Association.

J. Shane Howard

Howard has served as Director of Business and Finance for LEAP Engineering, LLC since May 2005. He is also a partner and General Manager of Meridian-Incline Development Company, LLC and a partner in a new marketing venture, The Marketeers, LLC.

Howard returned to Southeast Texas in 2003 after a 14-year absence. Upon graduating Stephen F. Austin High School in Port Arthur, Shane spent 6 ½ years with the U.S. Air Force both on active duty and as a cadet at the U.S. Air Force Academy. He landed in Missouri upon leaving the Academy and worked with Sentry Insurance for 7 years managing sales teams in Springfield and St. Louis.

In 2003, Howard sought an opportunity to return to Southeast Texas where his heart and history pulled strongly. He moved to Beaumont and joined Community Insurance (a subsidiary of Texas State Bank) as Senior Vice-President where he focused on agency operations/management and provided commercial insurance and risk management solutions for clients throughout the area.

Howard holds a B.A. in Political Science from the University of Missouri – St Louis and is currently studying in the MBA program at Lamar University in Beaumont. He is also a Certified Insurance Counselor and Certified Risk Manager with the National Alliance. Howard serves the community in various capacities and organizations including the Greater Beaumont Chamber of Commerce, Beaumont Spindletop Rotary Club, the Young Men's Business League, and others. He is married with 2 children.

Pharella Houston

Pharella Houston, a graduate of French High School, originally began her relationship with BHA as a public housing resident several years ago. She left the program for some time and then in 2002 when she was given a Housing Choice Voucher after a two-year wait on the waiting list.

She was self-employed at “Just Beautiful Hair Salon” before accepting a position as a food service assistant at Hotel Beaumont in 1998. Through dedication, hard work and willingness to learn, Houston was promoted to her current position of Director of Food Services in 2000.

In March of 2003, Houston enrolled in BHA’s Family Self Sufficiency Program. This program taught her life skills including money management, credit repair and homeownership preparation. Through the program she built an escrow account, allowing her to save money for a down payment and other expenses towards the purchase of a new home.

Houston successfully completed all her established training goals and objectives with FSS program and graduated from the program in April 2007. Upon graduation, Houston took a major step in life and purchased a home through the Housing Choice Voucher Homeownership Program. She and her sons Jacorey, 16 and twins Randle and Reginald, 12, settled into their new home in April.

Houston is a living example of how BHA’s Housing Choice Voucher and Family Self Sufficiency Programs can truly change a person’s life. She is rightfully very proud of her accomplishments and wants to help other BHA residents achieve similar success in their lives.

Gloria Ramirez

Ramirez was born and raised in Corpus Christi, Texas where she graduated from Roy Miller High School and then attended Del Mar College. She moved to Beaumont in 1968.

Ramirez has an extensive background in the banking industry having been employed by First City Bank for 23 years and Community Bank for 2 years before retiring.

She currently serves on the Beaumont Industrial Park Board and the Community Advisory Board (C.A.P). She also served on the American Red Cross Board from 1998 – 2002. Other community involvement includes serving as a volunteer for the Rape Crisis Center, St. Jude Church and the American Red Cross.

Ramirez was married to the late Capt. Ricardo Ramirez, Sr. who worked for the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Department. She has 8 children, 13 grandchildren and 1 great grandchild and enjoys spending time with them. She spends her extra time traveling around the state of Texas.

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