* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting. [Press Conference: "See to Succeed 2025"] [00:00:18] WELCOME ONCE AGAIN. UH, WE SO MUCH APPRECIATE EVERYONE JOINING US TODAY. THE HOUSTON HEALTH FOUNDATION IS A PROUD PARTNER OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON HEALTH DEPARTMENT, AND THROUGH THIS PARTNERSHIP, THE FOUNDATION STRIVES TO ENSURE THAT ALL CHILDREN AND YOUTH HAVE ACCESS TO BASIC EVIDENCE-BASED PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICES THAT WE KNOW ARE ESSENTIAL FOR THEIR LIFELONG HEALTHY TRAJECTORY, DEVELOPMENT AND SUCCESS IN SCHOOL AND IN LIFE. ONE SUCH ESSENTIAL SERVICE IS GOOD VISION CARE. AS WE CELEBRATE WORLD VISION MONTH, WE NOTE THAT 80% OF CLASSROOM LEARNING IS VISUAL. SO THE IMPORTANCE OF EYE CARE AND GOOD VISION FOR STUDENTS AND EDUCATION CANNOT BE OVER-EMPHASIZED. EACH YEAR, SOMEWHERE BETWEEN 20 TO 40,000 STUDENTS AS REPORTED TO THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH, UM, ARE SCREENED IN SCHOOL AND IDENTIFIED AS HAVING A POTENTIAL VISION PROBLEM, BUT ARE UNABLE OR NOT ABLE TO RECEIVE A FOLLOW-UP NEEDED EYE EXAM. AND THAT EYE EXAM IS ESSENTIAL TO KNOW EXACTLY WHY THEY DIDN'T, UH, PASS THE EXAM, THE SCREENING, AND THEN BE ABLE TO TAKE CARE. AND USUALLY, VERY OFTEN IN 92% OF THE CASES, WHEN THEY COME TO SEE IT US, THEY DO NEED GLASSES. UM, THESE SCREENINGS IDENTIFY POTENTIAL, UH, VISION IMPAIRMENT, AND WE ARE ABLE TO HELP THEM THROUGH SEE TO SUCCEED BY WORKING WITH SCHOOLS AND ALL OF OUR PARTNERS. WE'RE GOING TO HEAR A FEW BRIEF REMARKS TODAY, UM, FROM OUR LEADERSHIP AND FROM OUR PARTNERS. AND TO BEGIN OUR FOUNDING BOARD CHAIR, BILLY BIRGE, A MAN WHO HAS HIS PRESENCE AND INFLUENCE HAS BEEN FELT IN SO MANY SECTORS OF OUR CITY, HAS BEEN DEVOTED TO THIS QUEST OF ENSURING GOOD HEALTH FOR CHILDREN FOR THE PAST 15 YEARS. BILLY WOULD LIKE TO WELCOME YOU AND SAY, IF YOU THANK YOU, ROBIN, UH, YOU DATE ME, SAY WE'VE BEEN HERE 15 YEARS. MAKES ME LOOK OLD. BUT I WILL SAY IT'S A PLEASURE TO CHAIR THIS FOR 15 YEARS. AS YOU GET OLDER, YOU REALIZE HEALTH IS SOMETHING YOU TAKE FOR GRANTED. AND THEN WHEN YOU SEE IT IN THE LIVES OF YOUNG PEOPLE, THAT LOUD ENOUGH, OKAY? UH, IT BECOMES MORE ACUTE TO REALIZE THAT THAT'S WHERE LIFE BEGINS WHEN YOU'RE, UM, AND IT, THE LAGER GOES ON THE PART OF THE, THESE, THESE HANDICAPS BECOME REAL THINGS IN, IN TERMS OF YOUR LIFE, IN TERMS OF SELF-ESTEEM AND ALL THE THINGS THAT MAKE A PERSON WHAT THEY INTENDED THE LORD INTENDED THEM TO BE. OKAY. NOW, THAT'S MY LINE. I WANT TO THANK ARAMCO EVER SINCE I'VE BEEN HERE, AND THERE WAS A PROBLEM, THE PHONE RANG, THEY WERE ON THE OTHER LINE, WE WEREN'T CALLING THEM. WHAT CAN WE DO? WHAT CAN WE DO? I TELL YOU WHAT, THAT'S WHAT LIFE'S ALL ABOUT. PEOPLE REACHING OUT TO SOMEBODY ELSE KNOWING THERE'S A NEED. NOW, THE, THE MOST IMPORTANT PART OF MY SPEECH WAS I WAS TOLD BY STAFF OF THE MAYOR THAT HE LIKES SHARK INTRODUCTIONS. . WELL, I'VE KNOWN HIM FOR A LONG TIME, AND IF I'VE INTRODUCED HIM, IT'S THE FIRST TIME I'VE EVER INTRODUCED HIM AS MAYOR, WHICH IS A SPECIAL DEAL. 'CAUSE IF YOU CAN RUN THE CITY HOUSTON, YOU CAN RUN ANYTHING. I KNEW HIM AND HE WAS IN THE SENATE. HE WORKED WITH THE SPORTS AUTHORITY AND THE CREATION OF THE SPORTS AUTHORITY ITSELF OF THE BRIER BILL, AS THE MAYOR WILL REMEMBER, HE WAS A, NOT ONLY HE INTRODUCED IT AND SHEPHERD IT THROUGH, BUT HE CAME AND, AND WE FOLLOWED IT AROUND WITH MAYOR LANIER THEN AT THE TIME, TO MAKE SURE HE SPOKE AS A HOMETOWN BOY, SAYING THIS IS IMPORTANT TO THE CITY. AND IT MEANT A LOT, MAYOR. IT REALLY, REALLY DID. AND IT'S RESONATED THROUGH ALL OF WHAT WE SEE. BUT IT, AND I WILL END BY JUST SAYING, YOU KNOW, POLITICAL WILL. THERE ARE A LOT OF GOOD POLITICIANS, SOME HAVE GREAT LEADERSHIP, SOME DO NOT HAVE GREAT LEADERSHIP, BUT WE'VE GOT LEADERSHIP NUMBER ONE. AND IT, IT IS BACKED UP BY WANTING, BY A HIS WILL TO DO THE RIGHT POLITICAL WILL TO DO THE RIGHT THING IN SPITE OF HUR HURDLES AND THINGS. SO I WELCOME YOU BE HONORING US TO BE HERE AND ALL OF IT. AND SO, OH, I DIDN'T TELL HIM ABOUT YOUR PAPER. HE WENT TO WAL, HE WENT TO WALTER OF HIGH SCHOOL AND HE HAD A PAPER OUT. THANK YOU BILLY. OKAY, PAL. AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR PUBLIC SERVICE. YOU'RE VERY MUCH A PUBLIC SERVANT, AS I BELIEVE EACH OF US HERE THIS MORNING. WHETHER YOU'RE EVER ON THE BALLOT OR NOT, YOU'RE A PUBLIC SERVANT. AND I THINK SOMEDAY WE'RE GONNA BE ASKED, WHAT DID YOU DO AS WITH YOUR PUBLIC SERVICE? I CAN, I CAN TESTIFY THAT ARAMCO, [00:05:01] ITS OFFICIALS WILL HAVE A GREAT STORY TO TELL WHEN THEY'RE ASKED, WHAT DID YOU DO FOR PUBLIC SERVICE WITH YOUR SERVICE? YOU KNOW, WE'RE SEEING THIS MORNING, WHAT A GREAT CITY WE HAVE. IT'S ON DEMONSTRATION THIS MORNING. YOU KNOW, OTHER LARGE CITIES HAVE CHALLENGES LIKE ALL MAJOR CITIES, BUT WHY MANY OF THEM ARE IN TURMOIL, FIGHTING IN THE STREETS? LOOK WHAT WE'RE DOING IN HOUSTON, TEXAS TODAY. WE'RE HELPING CHILDREN SEE BETTER SO THEY'LL BE SUCCESSFUL. SO IT'S A GREAT HONOR TO BE HERE ON BEHALF OF 2.3 MILLION HOUSTONIANS. WE'RE MEETING OUR CHALLENGES, BUT WE CAN'T DO IT ALONE. WE NEED GREAT STAFF, WE NEED A GREAT DIRECTOR. WE NEED GREAT FOUNDATION. ROBIN, THANK YOU. AND BILLY AND I COULD GO AROUND THE ROOM, BUT CERTAINLY WE'RE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER. I COULD BE AT A HUNDRED LOCATIONS THIS MORNING AS I'M SURE MANY OF YOU HAVE OTHER OBLIGATIONS. BUT THIS IS WHERE I WANTED TO BE. THIS IS WHERE I NEED TO BE. THIS IS WHY WE GO TO WORK. THIS IS WHY I RUN FOR OFFICE. SO LET'S ENJOY TODAY, BUT ALSO, LET'S REALIZE WE HAVE A LOT OF WORK LEFT TO DO. THANK YOU SO MUCH, ARAMCO. THEY'VE BEEN HOUSTON'S PARTNERS. I HAVE OBSERVED ARAMCO DURING RECOVERY FROM STORMS HELPING US RUN THIS GREAT CITY, AND I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO EVEN A BETTER PARTNERSHIP GOING FORWARD. SO THANK YOU. I'M, I'M SO EXCITED. IT MAKES ME, I WILL BE A BETTER MAYOR WHEN I LEAVE HERE THAN THE ONE THAT GOT HERE, , BECAUSE YOU JUST, YOU JUST MOBILIZED US TO GO DO MORE THANK YOU'ALL WANT DO WHAT? ALLOW ME TO COME UP. THAT'S FINE. BUT I WANT TO GET TO THE MCO SPONSOR, . YEAH, THAT'S ABSOLUTELY WE'LL GIVE. SO GOOD MORNING. THANK YOU, MAYOR. UM, I'M DR. THERESA TRAN AND I AM THE NEW DIRECTOR OF THE HOUSTON HEALTH DEPARTMENT. I'M JUST SO PROUD TO HAVE Y'ALL HERE TODAY AND BRING PUBLICITY TO THIS PROGRAM THAT REALLY EMBODIES THE MISSION OF PUBLIC HEALTH IN HELPING OUR COMMUNITY. YOU, YOU SEE THE BALLOON ARCHES AND WE SEE ALL THESE ADULTS IN SUITS TODAY, BUT YOU GOTTA REALIZE THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS IN THIS BUILDING EVERY DAY OF THE SCHOOL YEAR. AND THEY'RE OUT IN THE COMMUNITIES ON FRIDAYS, AS THE MAYOR MENTIONED. SEE, TO SUCCEED, YOU KNOW, WHICH IS GENEROUSLY SUPPORTED BY ARAMCO, UM, IS REALLY SOMETHING THAT MOBILIZES PEOPLE TO UNDER UNDERSTAND THAT WE ARE ALL PART OF THE GREATER GOOD IN HOUSTON. AND WHAT BETTER WAY TO DO THAT THAN BY WHAT WE'VE DONE AND WHAT WE CONTINUE TO DO. UM, C TO SUCCEED HAS NOW GENEROUSLY SERVED MORE THAN 120,000 STUDENTS ACROSS HOUSTON, BUT WE'VE GOT A LOT MORE WORK TO DO. THERE ARE UP TO 40,000 STUDENTS EACH YEAR WHOSE NEED NEEDS HAVE GONE UNMET, WHO NEED C TO SUCCEED, AND WE'RE ABLE TO CAPTURE ABOUT 10,000 OF THEM EACH YEAR. SO IT'S AN AMAZING MILESTONE. WE'VE GOT A LONG WAY TO GO. BUT THIS PROGRAM IS SO MUCH MORE THAN JUST EYE EXAMS OR GLASSES. THE PEOPLE IN THIS ROOM HAVE BENEFITED FROM EDUCATION AND THE ADVANCEMENT THAT COMES FROM BEING ABLE TO SEE THE CHALKBOARD OR TO SEE THE SCREEN, WHATEVER THEY'RE SHOWING THESE DAYS. AND YOU'VE CAN, YOU SAW TODAY FIRSTHAND HOW A SIMPLE PAIR OF GLASSES CAN CHANGE A CHILD'S LIFE. I'VE SEEN IT, I SEE IT IN THE ERS WHEN I DIAGNOSE STUDENTS WHO COME IN WITH CHRONIC HEADACHES. AND REALLY IT'S JUST 'CAUSE THEY NEEDED A PAIR OF GLASSES. AND YOU UNDERSTAND HOW IT CHANGES A CHILD'S DAY, CHANGES THEIR OUTLOOK, THEIR CONFIDENCE IN LIFE, THEIR PERFORMANCE IN CLASS, AND ULTIMATELY MAYBE ONE DAY THEY BECOME THE DIRECTOR OF THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT. , IT'S POWERFUL, IT'S TANGIBLE WORK, AND IT REMINDS US OF WHY WE DO WHAT WE DO. IT'S SO IMPORTANT, THIS COLLABORATION WITH ARAMCO AND WITH THE CITY AND WITH ALL OF OUR OTHER PARTNERSHIPS, ALLOWS US TO REACH MORE CHILDREN THAN EVER BEFORE INSUR, AND REALLY ENSURING THAT NO STUDENT LEFT BEHIND AND, UM, AND IS ABLE TO CONTRIBUTE POSITIVELY TO THE COMMUNITY. SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR ACTUAL REAL TANGIBLE CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE CITY OF HOUSTON, TO YOUR FUTURE WORKFORCE, UM, AND TO REALLY THE VIBRANCE OF OUR CITY. THIS REALLY DOES REFLECT THE BEST THAT WE CAN DO AND WHAT WE CAN ACHIEVE WHEN PUBLIC HEALTH SCHOOLS AND THE COMMUNITY COME TOGETHER. SO ON BEHALF OF THE HOUSTON HEALTH DEPARTMENT, I WANNA THANK ARAMCO FOR THEIR COMMITMENT, THEIR GENEROSITY, THEIR BELIEF IN EVERY CHILD, AND [00:10:01] THE POTENTIAL OF EVERY CHILD AND THEIR PARTNERSHIP. BECAUSE OF THIS PROGRAM, STUDENTS ARE NOT ONLY SEEING CLEARLY, BUT THEY'RE REALLY ABLE TO SUCCEED. SO, THANK YOU. NOW, NOW I COULD TELL YOU ALL DAY LONG WHAT I THINK ABOUT THIS PROGRAM, BUT I WANTED TO INTRODUCE SOMEONE TO SPEAK ABOUT THE PROGRAM FROM HIS PERSPECTIVE. INGAL IS A PRIOR STUDENT FROM C TO SUCCEED, AND, UM, WANTS TO BE A PA, RIGHT? THAT'S CORRECT. SO WHY DON'T YOU COME UP HERE AND TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOUR EXPERIENCE? YEAH, ABSOLUTELY. UM, SO FIRST THINGS FIRST, I WANT TO THANK YOU. YOU KNOW, THE C TO SUCCEED, UH, FOUNDATION FOR HELPING ME OUT. IT WAS A DECADE AGO. UH, I WAS ACTUALLY IN THE SEVENTH GRADE THEN I DIDN'T KNOW I NEEDED GLASSES. YOU KNOW, I WAS PULLED INTO THE NURSE'S OFFICE WHERE I HAD MY EYE EXAM COMPLETED, AND, AND I WAS TAKEN HERE. I REMEMBER WALKING DOWN SPECIFICALLY THAT HALLWAY RIGHT BEHIND YOU GUYS, AND I WALKED IN AND THERE WERE SO MANY CHAIRS, AND I FELT SO WELCOME TO BE A PART OF, UM, THE SERVICES THAT YOU GUYS PROVIDED. UM, YOU KNOW, FROM THEN, THAT'S WHEN I GOT MY GLASSES AND I REALIZED I'VE BEEN, YOU KNOW, EXCELLING WITHOUT ONE OF MY SENSES. AND NOW IMAGINE WHAT I CAN DO WHEN I HAVE ONE MORE. SO, I, I, YOU KNOW, I WANT TO THANK YOU YOU GUYS SO MUCH. NOW I'M GRADUATED FROM THE, UH, UH, SUGAR LAND IN BIOTECHNOLOGY, AND I WANNA PURSUE PA TO ONE DAY, HOPEFULLY GIVE BACK TO MY COMMUNITY. UH, THIS HAS BEEN A, YOU KNOW, A FULL CIRCLE MOMENT FOR ME. SO I WANT TO THANK YOU SO MUCH ARAMCO, AND THANK YOU TO THE HOUSTON HEALTH FOUNDATION. AND THANK YOU TO OUR C TO SUCCEED TEAM. THANK, THAT'S VERY GENEROUS OF YOU HUNG, AND WE KNOW THAT YOU'RE GOING TO DO SO WELL. AND PLEASE KEEP IN TOUCH WITH C TO SUCCEED. YOUR VOICE MATTERS SO MUCH. UM, HOUSTON IS KNOWN FOR ITS DIVERSITY, ITS RESILIENCE, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, A STRONG SENSE OF COMMUNITY. ARAMCO AMERICAS HAS PLAYED A BIG PART IN THE COMMUNITY AND IN THE DEVELOPMENT AND SUPPORTING AND STRENGTHENING OUR CITY. AND THROUGH ITS VOLUNTEERISM AND ITS SUPPORT FOR EDUCATION, FOR ARTS AND SCIENCES. FOR THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS, ARAMCO HAS SUPPORTED AND BEEN A VISIONARY PARTNER FOR C TO SUCCEED. AND WE ARE SO GRATEFUL. ARAMCO HAS ALSO SUPPORTED STUDENTS AND EDUCATION IN OTHER WAYS. MOST NOTABLY, THEIR SUPPORT FOR THE HOUSTON PUBLIC LIBRARY IS OUR PLEASURE TODAY TO WELCOME AND RECOGNIZE MR. NICHOLAS SUKI, WHO IS THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE HOUSTON PUBLIC LIBRARY FOUNDATION. AND THROUGH A GENEROUS DONATION OF 500 BOOKS TODAY, WE ARE NOW ABLE TO CREATE A READING LIBRARY FOR THE STUDENTS WHO COME WHILE THEY'RE VISITING US WITH C TO SUCCEED. SOMEONE ASKED EARLIER TODAY, WHAT ARE THE STUDENTS DOING? DR. TRAN ACTUALLY, WHEN THEY'RE BETWEEN, UM, STATIONS, AND THERE ARE SOMETIMES WHEN AT THE END OF THE DAY THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THEM TO PICK UP A BOOK AND EXPLORE SOMETHING THAT THEY LOVE TO READ, AND HOPEFULLY, UM, SCHOOLS PERMITTING, BE ABLE TO TAKE THOSE BOOKS HOME. SO THANK YOU SO MUCH, NICK, FOR THAT GIFT. AND THIS IS, IT'S REALLY AN EXAMPLE OF THE PARTNERSHIP WITH ARAMCO BECAUSE ARAMCO REALIZED THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE COULD POSSIBLY CONNECT TO SEE TO SUCCEED BECAUSE IT'S ALL ABOUT VISION AND LEARNING. SO THAT'S REALLY A TRUE PARTNERSHIP IN HELPING US TO CONNECT THE DOTS. SO WE'RE THRILLED FOR THAT. AND THE NEW POSSIBILITY THAT THIS IS CREATED FOR THE PROGRAM. PROGRAM. NOW IT'S OUR HONOR TO WELCOME ARAMCO'S, UM, NEW PRESIDENT ARAMCO, AMERICA'S NEW PRESIDENT, MR. AHMED HAM, WHO CAME TO TEXAS JUST A FEW MONTHS AGO, AND TO LEAD THIS GLOBAL ENERGY, UM, COMPANY OF THE AMERICAS PRESIDENT AL MOCHA, UM, HAS SPENT TWO DECADES, UH, WITH EXPERIENCE IN OIL AND GAS ALL OVER THE WORLD. AND HE'S BEEN IN MANY LOCATIONS WORKING WITH ARAMCO IN THE TECHNICAL, FINANCIAL AND LEADERSHIP ROLES. AND SO WE'RE VERY HAPPY TO WELCOME YOU TO HOUSTON AND, AND TO TEXAS. WE KNOW THAT YOU'RE NOT A STRANGER THOUGH, TO THE UNITED STATES. MR. MHE RECEIVED HIS BACHELOR'S OF, UH, CHEMICAL ENGINEERING FROM NEW HAVEN UNIVERSITY IN CONNECTICUT, AND ALSO HIS MBA FROM LOUISIANA STATE UNIVERSITY. JUST NEXT DOOR, NOT TOO FAR. SO WE REALLY WANT TO WELCOME YOU AND THANK YOU SO MUCH MR. O', HIM. WE ARE HAPPY THAT YOU COULD COME AND SEE THIS PROGRAM FIRSTHAND. WE KNOW YOU'VE HEARD A LITTLE BIT ABOUT IT FROM YOUR TEAM AND THE IMPORTANCE THAT YOU CAN SEE FIRSTHAND OF THE IMPACT THAT IT MAKES IN THE LIVES OF THESE STUDENTS. IT'S BEEN [00:15:01] OUR PRIVILEGE TO BE YOUR PARTNER. WE LOVE YOUR TEAM. WE REALLY CONSIDER THEM FRIENDS AS WE'VE GOTTEN TO KNOW THEM, AND IT'S ALWAYS JUST SUCH AN EXTRAORDINARY GIFT FOR US IN SO MANY LEVELS. PRESIDENT HAM, PLEASE JOIN US HERE. UM, WE WOULD LIKE TO ALSO PRESENT SOMETHING TO YOU IF MAYOR, IF YOU DON'T MIND JOINING US AT THE PODIUM. AND BILLY BURGE AND DR. TRAN, THANK YOU. WE ALWAYS LIKE TO SHARE SOMETHING A LITTLE SPECIAL TO SHARE OUR DEEP GRATITUDE. AND IT SAYS, IN APPRECIATION, THROUGH YOUR EXTRAORDINARY CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE HEALTH AND SUCCESS OF HOUSTON'S CHILDREN, WE HOPE THAT YOU'LL FIND SOME NICE, UH, PLACE IN YOUR OFFICE AND WE'LL DELIVER THIS TO YOUR PODIUM, THE 3, 2, 1. CAN I HAVE ONE FAVOR? TILT IT DOWNWARDS A LITTLE BIT FOR THE LIGHT. YEAH, WE GET AN FOUNDATION HERE. LET'S EVERYONE LOOK RIGHT OVER HERE. MAKE WELL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH, UH, ROBIN. AND, UH, IT'S A GREAT PLEASURE TO BE WITH YOU TODAY. UH, IN FACT, UH, ONE OF THE REMARKS THAT I THINK WAS MISSED IS UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON WAS MY FIRST UNIVERSITY THAT I, UH, ENROLLED AND IT'S THE FIRST, UH, PLACE I EVER LANDED RIGHT AFTER HIGH SCHOOL, 26 YEARS AGO. SO, UH, HOUSTON HAS HOME, HAS BEEN ALWAYS HOME. AND WHEN THEY CALLED ME AND THEY SAID, WE WANT YOU TO GO AND LEAD ARAMCO AMERICAS IN, IN HOUSTON, I SAID, WELL, I'M GOING BACK HOME. SO, UH, I'M EXTREMELY GLAD AND HAPPY AND HONORED TO COME BACK TO THE CITY THAT TOOK CARE OF ME AND HOSTED ME. AND ALSO I LEARNED A LOT FROM UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON MAIN CAMPUS. SO, UH, IT'S ALWAYS A PLEASURE TO COME BACK, UH, TO HOUSTON. AND I CAME BACK, I CAME BACK 20, I CAME 26 YEARS AGO BY MYSELF, AND NOW FAST FORWARD, I CAME BACK WITH MY WIFE AND THREE KIDS WHO ARE GOING TO SCHOOL HERE IN HOUSTON, AND SOON THEY'RE GONNA BE HOUSTONIAN. SO IT'S A GREAT PLEASURE TO BE WITH YOU, UH, TODAY. AND I WOULD LIKE TO, UH, UH, THANK YOU, UH, MAYOR JOHN, UH, FOR ALL OF THE GREAT WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING, UH, TO THE CITY AND THE PEOPLE IN HOUSTON. AND I CANNOT SECOND YOU MORE THAT TODAY WE ARE CELEBRATING AND ENJOYING AND GIVING OPPORTUNITIES IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON TO THE FUTURE OF HOUSTON. THOSE KIDS GOING TO BE THE LAWYERS, THE DOCTORS, UH, MAYOR ONE DAY, ONE OF THEM. AND THIS IS THE LEAST THAT WE CAN DO TO THEM. SO WE WOULD LIKE TO THANK YOU FOR GIVING ARAMCO THE OPPORTUNITY TO CONTRIBUTE IN THIS AMAZING INITIATIVE, UH, THAT YOU HAVE HERE. HONESTLY, UH, WHEN I LOOKED AT GREAT PROGRAMS THAT WE HAD, THE FIRST THING I SAID, WHAT ARE THE PROGRAMS THAT WE'RE DOING IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON FOR THE KIDS? THAT'S THE FIRST THING I TOLD MY TEAM. AND THEN THEY FLASHED THE SCREEN AND THEY SAID, THIS IS ONE OF THE GREAT PROGRAMS. SO I SAID, YOU GUYS ARE ALWAYS AHEAD OF ME AND IT'SS AN AMAZING, AMAZING PROGRAM, AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUE, UH, WORKING TOGETHER, UH, FOR OUR KIDS. AND, AND IN FACT, UH, IT'S VERY HARD. I MEAN, EVEN FOR, FOR ME, I, MY, MY DAUGHTER, UH, SHE HAD PROBLEM IN HER VISION AND WE ONLY KNEW WHEN SHE WAS THREE. SO AS A FATHER, I DEFINITELY [00:20:01] RELATE BECAUSE I'VE SEEN IT FIRSTHAND. SO I TRULY FEEL PROUD OF EVERYONE IN THIS GREAT TEAM, UH, FOR DOING EVERYTHING THAT YOU'RE DOING AND ALL OF THE GREAT WORK THAT YOU SHOWED US TODAY. SO YOU'RE DOING A MARVELOUS WORK, AND WE ARE ALWAYS HERE TO HELP YOU AND SUPPORT YOU TO MAKE IT ALWAYS GREATER. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH. UH, MAYOR JOHN, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR GREAT WORK. ALL OF THE GREAT TEACHERS, NURSES, DOCTORS, AND EVERYONE WHO'S CONTRIBUTING TO THIS GREAT OPPORTUNITY. THANK YOU. AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEE YOU IN THE FUTURE. THANK YOU. SO GOOD TO KNOW YOU WERE A HOUSTONIAN. ALL ALONG , I WANTED TO THANK THE C TO SUCCEED TEAM AND THE HOUSTON HEALTH FOUNDATION TEAM. UM, AS SOMEONE OBSERVED JOHNNY, YOU KNOW, THAT THEY'RE REALLY THE PEOPLE WHO MAKE THIS HAPPEN AND, AND, UM, IT TAKES ALL OF US. AND SO REALLY APPRECIATE EVERYONE'S EFFORT. THANK YOU EVERYONE, FOR ALL THE VERY SPECIAL PEOPLE WHO'VE COME WITH US TODAY AND TO OUR BOARD AND OUR ADVISORY COUNCIL. I KNOW IT'S WARM IN THE ROOM. PLEASE JOIN US FOR SOME REFRESHMENTS. WE HAVE DATES FROM SAUDI ARABIA AND WE HAVE CHOCOLATES, , AND SOME FINGER SANDWICHES. SO, UM, PLEASE DO STAY AND MINGLE IF YOU CAN. * This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.