Kalon McMahon- Bachelorette 8 - Discussion

From The Examiner, the Independent Voice of Southeast Texas
Submitted by Albert Nolen on March 27, 2012 - 4:17pm
Rising star … Kalon McMahon of Houston, who is descendant of the Rogers family perhaps best known for Texas State Optical, will be one of the bachelors on the latest edition of the reality television show “The Bachelorette” airing May 15. Proud family members mom Merrick Stern and grand-mère Joelle Rogers are excited for this future star. After graduating from SMU, this talented young man returned to Houston where he has graced the pages of many slick mags as a model for Neal Hamill Modeling Agency and a public relations whiz for several of Houston’s hot night spots. Stay tuned!

Kalon's grandfather's obit in 2003:
Mr. Leon Harold Stern, born May 21, 1928 in Detroit, Michigan to Irving and Gertrude Stern. Died on December 23, 2003 in Dallas, Texas after a remarkable courageous battle with Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Graduated from the University of Michigan in 1950. Served in the U.S. Marine Corps from 1951-1953. A successful entrepreneur and businessman, he worked in real estate, land development and business insurance, first in Detroit from 1954-1958 and then in Beaumont, Texas from 1958-1978. From 1978-1993, he served as vice president of Lexington Capital Group in Dallas. He was a charter founder of Texas Bank of Grand Prairie and served on its board until the bank sold. He co-founded Circle Appliance Leasing in 1993, which was later sold to a public company in 1997. He co-founded Contract Lease Management in 1997. Preceded in death by his parents and sister, Harriet Stern Baker. He is survived by his wife of 29 years, Anabel Stelfox Stern of Dallas; two children, Merrick Stern of Houston and Slate Stern of Santa Fe, New Mexico; three step-children, Truett Hunt of McKinney, Texas, Faulkner Hunt of Lyme, Connecticut and Meredith Hunt of Austin, Texas; two daughters-in-law, Marianne Stern and Ann Lightfoot; two grandchildren, Kalon McMahon and Kirgan Hopkins; two step-grandchildren, Joab and Henry Hunt; and his beloved Tibetan terrier, Sha Sha. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests a donation to your favorite charity. A memorial gathering will be held on December 26, 2003 at 10:00 AM at the family home. The family will also be receiving at home after 1:00 PM that afternoon.

From www.chron.com
Faces in the Crowd: Kalon McMahon
Political immersion leaves lasting impression on youth
ANNETTE BAIRD, Business notebook
Published 06:30 a.m., Thursday, February 21, 2002
Until he went to Washington in January to participate in a national program that introduces high school students to the workings of federal government, Kalon McMahon will be the first to admit he didn't really have much of a clue about politics.
A week-long immersion in the Presidential Classroom Scholars Program was enough to enlighten the Episcopal High School junior about what it is politicians do and throw into doubt his ambition of becoming a sports agent.

"I really didn't know too much about it, I guess," he said. "It was all kind of surprising all the work and the detail that goes on behind the scenes. Senators have a huge team working with them."

As well as getting a peek at the behind-the-scenes activities of Senators Phil Gramm and Edward Kennedy, the Memorial area resident also learned something about the art of politicking.

The highlight of the week for Kalon was the mock election. Describing himself as a liberal Republican, Kalon said he had to change parties in order to win the vice presidential nomination and "snuck in the back door" to clinch the election.

http://www.houstonhistory.com/citizens/whoswho/business/history18hof.htm
WHOS WHO - BENJAMIN J. ROGERS

Benjamin J. Rogers’ influence continues throughout Southeast Texas years after his death in 1994. A successful entrepreneur who co-founded Texas State Optical (TSO), Rogers also made his mark as a real-estate developer and philanthropist.

Born and raised in Chicago, Rogers was the eldest of six children left fatherless at an early age. He worked odd jobs to help support his family and to help send his younger siblings through college, while he studied business at night school. When his brother Sol moved to Beaumont to establish TSO in the mid-1930s, Rogers soon followed.

TSO broke new ground in two areas: It offered optometrists and eyeglasses in the same location and sold eyeglasses at affordable prices—an important consideration for customers hard-hit by the Depression. The Rogers brothers expanded operations throughout Texas during the next several years. By the time they sold TSO in 1979, the company had more than 100 locations. The business also provided a steady financial base with which to branch into real estate. During the 1950s, Rogers Brothers Investments was created, with Ben as managing partner. The company developed Gateway Shopping Center (Beaumont’s first full-service shopping center) and Parkdale Mall (the first regional shopping mall between Houston and New Orleans).

While Rogers continued working with real estate development, he donated more of his time to his community. "I think he always felt he was so blessed, that God had been so good to him," said his daughter Regina J. Rogers. "Although he’d lost his father at such a young age, there had been so many people along the way that helped make a difference for him."

Although Rogers and his wife Julie lent their time, energy, and finances to many charitable endeavors, his main interests were health-related causes and children. Baptist Hospital of Southeast Texas named its cancer treatment center The Julie and Ben Rogers Cancer Institute after Rogers spearheaded a $1 million fund-raising drive. Organizations he served included M.D. Anderson Hospital, St. Elizabeth Hospital, Boys Haven, the Minnie Rogers Juvenile Home, the Julie Rogers Theatre for the Performing Arts, the Babe Didrikson Zaharias Museum, Wuthering Heights Park, Art Museum of Southeast Texas, and Joseph R. Rogers Southeast Texas Community Health Clinic. They also worked with the United Negro College Development Fund Drive and the Lamar University Friends of the Arts Gala.

In 1988, The Ben Rogers/Lamar University/Beaumont Public Schools - "I Have A Dream Program" was established to commemorate Rogers’ 75th birthday. "His idea of fun was to get 75 kids together who were impoverished and who didn’t often get the opportunity to leave town," recalled Regina Rogers, executive director of the program. "He wanted to fill two buses with those kids and take them to the Astrodome." The program today provides college scholarships for more than 300 children who receive their high school diplomas. "I think the largest legacy he left was in helping individuals achieve dignity and respect," Regina Rogers said. "He did that by offering compassion, understanding, and love."

article about Kalon's grandmother:
http://thedailycougar.com/2011/06/22/westheimer-gallery-brings-the-stars/

When the first painting purchased is one of John Wayne, you know you are at a real Western Art sale.

Houston writer and wife of UH grad Bob “Phantom” Roberts, Warner Roberts, television personality and one of Stanley Marcus’ favorite models, produced the premiere of Dallas Hill’s western art collection last week. The celebrity-studded event was hosted by Dovey McLeod at her new gallery at 2813 Westheimer, adjacent to Beau Theriot’s Brownstone Gallery.

Dr. Bud Taegel, an orthopedic surgeon, saw the portrait of John Wayne and had to have it. He accompanied Beaumont beauty and philanthropist Joelle Rogers, daughter of Texas State Optical founder Saul Rogers, the eldest of the four Rogers brothers.

“Bud bought the portrait for Charlotte and Gail Crawford, some friends of ours who have a John Wayne room in their home in Colorado Springs,” said Joelle Rogers, who drove in from her ranch in Cat Spring , Texas for the art opening.

Rogers is donating the heavy bronze plaque from the front of the original TSO headquarters to the new University of Houston College of Optometry Vision Institute.

“My favorite was the portrait of a Dallas Hill with the caption, ‘Don’t Mess with Texas,’ in the gallery’s foyer,” Rogers said. “Another stand-out was the painting of my Uncle Ben Rogers — it caught my attention the moment I walked in the room.”

tiger wrote:



'KJRM' Profile by Cinched at the Waist Blog
Style File: KJRM

That picture of him reminded me of Cillian Murphy a bit.

Sleuthing with results!


With his dad, John:



I found this pic through his dads facebook:

KikiLL wrote:
With his dad, John:

MUCH more flattering and down to earth = less "model-ish".

arubalisa wrote:

KikiLL wrote:
With his dad, John:

MUCH more flattering and down to earth = less "model-ish".

Yes, I thought so too, and it looks like he made it to Bermuda at least, so he can't be that bad, unless they (producers) are keeping him for drama purposes :

^^ I don't think that's him... Don't think the hair's a match.

Oh I think this guy is going to be a hoot! I can't wait. He reminds me of John Krasinski here: