Ever Wonder Who Those "Suits" Waving from the Sidelines are? They're the Bowl Board.

I always wondered who those "suits" were waving from the sidelines. Now I'm one of them. I've had the honor of serving on the TaxAct Texas Bowl Board for the last six years and just finished my first year as Chair. In my role, I work with a group of civic and business leaders that volunteer their time to help make the Texas Bowl a success. Our Board is comprised of: the President of Blue Bell Creameries, the CEO of TDECU, the SVP of Group One Automotive, an Orthopedic surgeon at Houston Methodist, the President of the Houston Texans, the Director of Government Relations for Centerpoint Energy...the list goes on and on. These are really busy people with really big jobs. So why do they spend their time and energy doing this? Here's why: Bowl games are massive for the local economy and leave a lasting legacy on the community.

In a study by George Washington University and San Diego University, the economic impact of a Bowl game ranges from $12 million to $94 million dollars. The average impact for all Bowls is $40 million dollars (ours is estimated at $34 million), mainly through hotel stays, transportation, food & beverage, and retail spending. The Texas Bowl also raises over $250,000 annually for DePelchin Children's Center, the oldest and largest foster care and adoption center in Texas. This group of community leaders spends their time, and money because it drives business to our city, but also because it's the right thing to do, as hundreds of foster kids are helped each year through our efforts.

When I joined the Board, I didn't really know what I was getting myself into, but I now have colleagues that I call friends, all working with the same goal in mind: bring money to our city, and do something good while doing it. So the next time you see those people waving from the sidelines, wave back. They're a bunch of people trying to do something good.