Business News October

by Nancy Ford

Hired. Michael Shallis, a native of Clear Lake, has been hired as an account executive for OutSmart. A recent graduate of Texas State University’s McCoy School of Busine

ss majoring in marketing, Shallis has held a wide variety of jobs since age 15, including working on the trade floor of the New York Mercantile Exchange and marketing positions for Dell and the Wal-Mart Corporation. OutSmart welcomes him onboard.

Artful Publication. Representatives of The Menil Collection have announced a plan to publish the Catalogue Raisonné of the Drawings of Jasper Johns. As many as 700 of the openly gay artist’s drawings dating from the 1950s to the present will be studied, organized chronologically, described technically, and reproduced in color. “We are honored to continue the museum’s distinguished tradition of research by publishing the Catalogue Raisonné of the Drawings of Jasper Johns,” Menil director Josef Helfenstein, said. “It is especially fitting that this new and ambitious project focuses on an artist who holds such an importance place in the collection and in the history of American art.” 1515 Sul Ross St. • www.menil.org • 713/525-9400.

New Pastor. The Reverend Dr. Daniel O’Connell has joined First Unitarian Universalist Church of Houston as its senior minister. Rev. O’Connell comes to Houston from Kirkwood, a suburb of St. Louis, Missouri, where he was Lead Minister at Eliot Unitarian Church. 5200 Fannin St. • www.firstuu.org • 713/526-5200.

Noodle News. Jenni’s Noodle House has announced the opening of its third Houston restaurant featuring casual contemporary Vietnamese cuisine. The new restaurant is located in the former Mrs. Baird’s bread factory in The Heights, and reflects the neighborhood, says owner Jenni Tran-Weaver. “We remodeled with reclaimed materials, built our first-ever kids’ play area behind the restaurant, and stayed true to the vibe of the new environment.” 602 E. 20th St. • www.noodlesrule.com • 713/862-3344.

Business Conference. The National Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce’s seventh annual National Business and Leadership Conference, Out for Business! 2010, takes place November 18–20 in Washington DC. The conference, which aims to bring together leaders in business, government, and public policy to promote the economic growth of LGBT business owners, features United States Secretary of Commerce Gary Locke at its keynote dinner. www.nglcc.org.