Gayest & Greatest: House and Home
Former Miss Gay Texas Rodeo Felicia Flores finds her calling.
Growing up, Felicia Flores had dreams of being the next Selena Quintanilla. Now, in her 19th-floor office, the former Ms. Texas Gay Rodeo says she’s found her true calling.
“My biggest passion is taking care of people,” Flores says. “Being an insurance agent has been the most rewarding thing that I’ve ever done.”
After earning a degree in hotel and restaurant management from Texas Tech University, Flores oversaw two Houston eateries for seven years. At the Café Adobe on Westheimer, she met her wife, Ms. Texas Gay Rodeo 2012, who was a regular customer.
When Flores grew weary of long restaurant hours, she went to work in elder healthcare. At Sava Senior Care and Touchstone Communities, she became close to senior patients and their families.
Her days off were spent fundraising for LGBTQ nonprofits. Known for her Selena impersonation, she traveled around Texas recreating the Tejano singer’s most popular hits, and singing other country songs to raise money for charities such as AssistHers, LHI Care, Legacy, Body Positive, and more.
“I may have been Selena in rhinestones and a bustier, but the reason I did that, and everything that I have done since, was to help people in need,” Flores says.
Flores joined the Texas Gay Rodeo Association (TGRA) in 2010, and began competing in pageants the following year. After winning Miss Brazos River Bottom 2011 and Miss Lone Star Houston 2012, Flores took home the Ms. Texas Gay Rodeo crown in 2013.
During her reign, Flores did charity events four nights a week. Although she no longer competes in pageants, she still sings and raises money for TGRA, and is a candidate to become TGRA’s state board vice president in 2018.
Today, Flores is also an insurance agent at New York Life. Her career took a turn at Touchstone when a partner at New York Life asked her to interview for an agent position. Because she worked with elderly patients who passed away, Flores decided she wanted to help their families be financially secure prior to any emergencies.
“I take care of entire families,” Flores says, recalling how she recently delivered a check to a widow. “She asked me, ‘Are my kids and I going to be OK?’ And I wholeheartedly said, ‘Yes.’
“My goal isn’t to make a sale; my goal is to get to know someone and learn about their needs,” Flores says, “When someone invites me into their world, they’re going to be a part of my life, too.” —Lourdes Zavaleta
Best Architect
Morningside Architects
Best Female Insurance Agent
Felicia Flores
Finalists: Pam Ellis, Cristina Martinez
Best Male Insurance Agent
Lane Lewis
Finalists: Jeffrey Bules, Stephen Miranda, Patrick Torma
Best Florist
Ronnie Seibert
Finalists: A Different Bloom, Blooms, David Brown, Downtown Blooms
Best Furniture Store
Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams
Finalists: Alabama Furniture, Cantoni, IKEA, Noël Luxury Living
Best Furniture Store on a Budget
IKEA
Finalists: Alabama Furniture, HomeGoods, Katy Furniture
Best Gardening/Nursery Supply
Joshua’s Native Plants & Garden Antiques
Finalists: Buchanan’s Nursery, Fountains & Statuary, Wabash Feed & Garden
Best Home Remodeling Company
Unique Builders & Development
Finalist: C House Renovations
Best Interior Designer
Kevin Hamby
Finalists: Mark Brown, Christopher Evans, Ben Johnston, Grant Rachal
Best Landscaping Company
Windswept Landscaping and Design
Finalists: AJ’s Landscaping, McDugald Steele
Best Pest Control Company
Natran Green Pest Control
Finalist: Andy’s All Star Pest Control
Best Plumber
Village Plumbing
Finalists: Dylan Fobis, Nick’s Plumbing
Best Pool Company
Tranquility Pools
Finalist: Innovative Pools
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