Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children Announces Election of New Members to its Board of Trustees

May 28, 2013 - PRLog -- Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children (TSRHC) (http://www.tsrhc.org/) in Dallas announces the recent election of Victor Y. Armstrong, Jr. of Austin, Texas; Richard W. Heale of Pearland, Texas; Tom L. Higgins of El Paso, Texas; Ronald D. Kinney of Lubbock, Texas; Frank C. Rockabrand of El Paso, Texas; Jeff W. Smith of Dallas; Dan W. Turner of Murphy, Texas; and Brian A. Vance of Austin, Texas; as members of its board of trustees. In their new roles, they will represent TSRHC in the community and throughout the state to support the hospital’s mission of providing the highest quality medical care for children. TSRHC treats children with orthopedic conditions (http://www.tsrhc.org/pediatric-orthopedics.htm), such as scoliosis (http://www.tsrhc.org/scoliosis-spine.htm), clubfoot (http://www.tsrhc.org/clubfoot-foot-disorders.htm), hand disorders, hip disorders (http://www.tsrhc.org/hip-dysplasia-perthes.htm) and limb length differences (http://www.tsrhc.org/limb-lengthening.htm), as well as certain related neurological disorders and learning disorders, such as dyslexia.          

“We feel honored to add these eight leaders to our team of talented and dedicated trustees who work hard every day to help us continue our mission of caring for children throughout the state of Texas, regardless of the family’s ability to pay,” said Robert L. Walker, president/CEO, Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children. “As the healthcare industry continues to experience significant changes, we will maintain our unique child-focused culture and provide top-notch medical care and expertise to our patients. TSRHC is continually ranked as one of the top pediatric orthopaedic hospitals in the country, thanks to our dedicated medical and support team and the tremendous leadership of our board of trustees.”

The eight newest members of the board are business and civic leaders and are active in various Masonic activities throughout Texas. Each brings a unique set of skills and experience to the TSRHC Board of Trustees.

Victor Y. Armstrong, Jr. (Austin, Texas) – Victor Y. Armstrong currently serves as the general secretary of Austin Scottish Rite Bodies. He is also a professional artist who has both painted and taught painting for many years. Armstrong majored in Fine Arts at Southwest Texas State Teachers College. He is a member of the Board of Directors for the Scottish Rite Dyslexia Center in Austin. He resides in Austin with his wife, Patricia.

Richard W. Heale (Pearland, Texas) – Richard W. Heale serves as personal representative of the Sovereign Grand Inspector General and chairman of the Executive Committee of Houston Scottish Rite Bodies. He was appointed Director of Work for the Valley of Houston in 2011. Heale is a retired software executive and resides in Pearland with his wife, Patty.

Tom L. Higgins (El Paso, Texas) – Tom L. Higgins currently serves as personal representative of the Sovereign Grand Inspector General and chairman of the Executive Committee of El Paso Scottish Rite Bodies. He is a graduate of West Texas A&M University and has completed graduate studies at University of Texas at El Paso. He is a retired account executive with Clear Channel Communications and resides in El Paso.

Ronald D. Kinney (Lubbock, Texas) – Ronald D. Kinney currently serves as general secretary of the Lubbock Scottish Rite Bodies. He is an active member of Shadow Hills Baptist Church, where he serves on the Budget and Finance Committee and the Benevolence Committee. He is a retired foreman for Shell Oil Company. Kinney also served four years in the U.S. Air Force. He resides in Lubbock with his wife, Linda.

Frank C. Rockabrand (El Paso, Texas) – Frank C. Rockabrand is a member of El Paso Scottish Rite Bodies. He is also an active member of St. Mark’s United Methodist Church. He graduated from Northern Illinois University with a Bachelor of Science in Education and is a retired school teacher from the Ysleta Independent School District. Additionally, Rockabrand proudly served more than five years in the U.S. Air Force. He resides in El Paso.

Jeff W. Smith (Dallas) – Jeff W. Smith is a member of Dallas Scottish Rite Bodies and also currently serves as the president and CEO of the Baptist Foundation of Texas. He received a Bachelor of Arts and a Juris Doctorate from Baylor University. He resides in Dallas.

Dan W. Turner (Murphy, Texas) – Dan W. Turner serves as the Orient of Texas general secretary for the Texas Scottish Rite Bodies. He is a retired senior solution architect for Hewlett-Packard. Turner attended the State University of New York and also received a Bachelor of Science in Economics from The University of Texas at Arlington. He resides in Murphy with his wife, Susan.

Brian A. Vance (Austin, Texas) – Brian A. Vance serves as personal representative of the Sovereign Grand Inspector General and chairman of the Executive Committee of Austin Scottish Rite Bodies. Vance also is a board member of the Austin Scottish Rite Dyslexia Center and a member of the Ben Hur Shrine Financial Advisory Committee. Vance attended the U.S. Air Force Academy and received a Bachelor of Business Administration from The University of Texas at Austin. He resides in Austin with his wife, Carol.

About TSRHC:
Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children is one of the nation's leading pediatric centers for the treatment of orthopedic conditions, such as scoliosis, clubfoot, hip dysplasia, hand disorders, and Legg-Perthes, and certain related neurological disorders and learning disorders, such as dyslexia. Admission is open to Texas children from birth up to 18 years of age. Patients receive treatment regardless of the family's ability to pay. For more information, to volunteer or to make a donation, please call (214) 559-5000 or (800) 421-1121 or visit http://www.tsrhc.org/.