• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Bell Nunnally & Martin LLP

News/Events

Press Releases | February 2, 2018

Chris Trowbridge Elected Chair of Thanks-Giving Foundation

Non-Profit Group Charged with Stewardship of Downtown Dallas’ Thanks-Giving Square Names CEO and President, Chairman and Director

The Thanks-Giving Foundation, the non-profit group that owns and operates Thanks-Giving Square, a private garden and public space of reflection in Downtown Dallas, announces leadership changes effective January 1. The organization’s board of directors has elected Kyle W. Ogden, chairman of the Carroll Company, as president and CEO; Christopher B. Trowbridge, partner at Bell Nunnally & Martin LLP, as chairman of the board; and Robert B. Kent, North Texas Area Director for the Trust for Public Land, as a member of the board. Ogden succeeds Chris Slaughter, who led the organization since 2010. Trowbridge succeeds Jennifer Altabef, who chaired the board of directors since 2012 and who will remain on the board as a member and immediate past chair.

Thanks-Giving Square, opened in 1976 and designed by renowned architect Philip Johnson, is an urban oasis in the heart of downtown Dallas which features a landscaped meditation garden and non-denominational chapel. It was the city’s first public-private partnership, designed to inspire gratitude and honor the great American and world traditions of thanksgiving. The Thanks-Giving Foundation works to ensure that the space “celebrate(s) values, thoughts and spirituality” through an array of events, exhibitions and celebrations throughout the year. It is a welcoming environment for people of all faiths and traditions.

“Kyle, Chris and Robert all are accomplished leaders. It’s gratifying and reassuring to know that Thanks-Giving Square – one of the city’s crown jewels and a force for unifying our community – has such a strong set of proactive champions,” said Slaughter. “I look forward to continuing to support the mission of the Foundation and initiatives such as ‘Faith Forward Dallas at Thanks-Giving Square,’ a broad and diverse coalition of Dallas’ faith leaders, dedicated to a shared vision of unity based on peace and justice for the North Texas community.”

Ogden is chairman of the Garland, Tex.-based Carroll Company. Under his leadership, the company became the nation’s largest manufacturer of private branded institutional cleaning and maintenance chemicals, with 250+ employees and revenues north of $50M. After 30 years also serving as president and CEO, he reduced his role at the company last year. A long-time Dallas resident, Ogden is active in the civic and philanthropic communities, including volunteering with Habitat for Humanity and serving on the board of directors for Redeemed Women – a Dallas-based non-profit dedicated to “transforming women to lead independent lives by building relationships and addressing their spiritual, physical and vocational needs.” He earned both his M.B.A. (‘79) and his B.A. (‘77) at the University of Texas at Austin.

Trowbridge is Chair of the Litigation Section at Bell Nunnally, a business law firm based in Dallas. As a trial attorney with particular emphasis on complex business disputes, Chris maintains an active docket and regularly tries cases before juries, judges and arbitration panels across the country. Selected by attorney peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America® in 2017 and 2018, selected as a “Texas Super Lawyer®” from 2013 to 2017, and previously named in “Legal Leaders on the Rise” and “Litigator of the Week” by Texas Lawyer, Chris is well-known for vigorously protecting his clients’ interests in high-stakes legal matters. Engaged with his community, and beyond his involvement with the Thanks-Giving Foundation, Trowbridge is a recent chairman of the board for the Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Dallas; a member of the Communities Foundation of Texas Advisory Council; and a member of the Dallas Regional Chamber, Southern Dallas Task Force. He earned both his J.D. (‘98) and his B.B.A. (‘95) from Baylor University.

Kent is a non-profit professional who has served since 2014 as the North Texas Area Director for the national Trust for Public Land, a San Francisco-based non-profit organization dedicated to creating parks and protecting land for public use. While at the Trust for Public Land’s regional office in Dallas, Kent launched “Smart Growth for Dallas” – a public-private partnership with the City of Dallas aimed at improving the city’s environmental, social and economic resiliency through the identification and establishment of new parks and the protection of open spaces. He also helped organized the coalition “Friends of Dallas Parks,” helping secure $250 million for parks as part of the city’s 2017 Capital Bond Program. Kent is on the board of directors for Union – a non-profit Dallas coffee shop and ministry of the United Methodist Church – and is a member of Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings’ “Mayor’s Star Council,” serving on the Project Committee. He earned an M.S., with Distinction, from the University of Glasgow in Scotland (‘11) and a B.A. from Baylor University (‘09).

About The Thanks-Giving Foundation

The Thanks-Giving Foundation operates Downtown Dallas’ Thanks-Giving Square and provides resources so that citizens from diverse backgrounds can use thanksgiving and gratitude as ways to heal divisions and enhance mutual understanding. As an advocate of interfaith dialogue, the Thanks-Giving Foundation has organized international convocations and seminars to promote understanding, harmony and friendship in a community of diverse faith traditions and cultures. Faith Forward Dallas at Thanks-Giving Square fosters and sustains this multi-faith dialogue through a broad and diverse coalition of Dallas’ faith leaders, dedicated to service, hope and a shared vision of unity and justice for the North Texas community. A longtime United Nations (U.N.) Non-Governmental Organization (NGO), the Thanks-Giving Foundation inspired the U.N. to adopt the year 2000 as the “Year of World Thanksgiving.” In 2012, the foundation received the “Spirit of the United Nations Award for Youth Outreach.”

Media Contact:
Katherine Krause
Marketing Coordinator
214-880-6661
kkrause@bellnunnally.com

Primary Sidebar

Related Attorneys

  • Christopher B. Trowbridge

    Christopher B. Trowbridge

    Managing Partner

    ctrowbridge@bellnunnally.com
    214-740-1405

Related Practices

  • Litigation
Stay in the know...
Don’t miss anything — Subscribe to our email list!
2323 Ross Avenue, Suite 1900, Dallas, Texas 75201 | 214.740.1400
© 2023 Bell Nunnally & Martin LLP All Rights Reserved
  • Sitemap
  • Disclaimer
  • Privacy Policy
  • Client Pay
legalink logo Site by
We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept All”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent.
Cookie SettingsAccept All
Manage consent

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
CookieDurationDescription
cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional11 monthsThe cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-others11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
viewed_cookie_policy11 monthsThe cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
Functional
Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
Performance
Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
Analytics
Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
Advertisement
Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
Others
Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet.
SAVE & ACCEPT
  • People
  • Practices
  • Industries
  • News/Events
  • Contact Us
  • About Us
  • Clients
  • Careers