\u201cWe hope our contribution directly impacts young lives, a boost to students who otherwise would not have the possibilities that St. Thomas provides,\u201d Russell says. \u201cMany private schools carry exorbitant costs and appeal to an extremely low percentage of the population. That\u2019s not what Glenda and I are about, and she\u2019s the decision maker on our gift-giving. She told me this was worth pursuing and we should do it.\u201d<\/p>\n
St. Thomas President Fr. Kevin Storey, CSB believes \u201cGlenda\u2019s and Russell\u2019s amazing act of generosity gives St. Thomas the opportunity to truly take\u00a04500Forever<\/strong>\u00a0and finish strong.\u00a0 We are blessed and grateful for their investment which will benefit our students for generations to come and enable us to continue building upon the foundation set forth by our Basilian founders 118 years ago.\u201d<\/p>\n The leadership gift places the Gordys among the most generous St. Thomas benefactors, those who through extraordinary philanthropy share the same vision, spirit and strength in laying the bedrock for a greater St. Thomas.\u00a0 The commitment arrives during the final stages of the $66 million fundraising effort, initiated by the school in 2014, aimed at continuing the tradition of cultivating academic innovation, recruiting and retaining the finest faculty and scholar enrollment, and creating exceptional student opportunities.<\/p>\n \u201cThe majority of our charitable contributions are aimed to help young people,\u201d Russell says. \u201cTexas Children\u2019s Hospital, DePelchin Children\u2019s Center, Halo House (provider of low-cost housing for out of town patients receiving blood cancer treatment at the Texas Medical Center). Glenda is a long time member of Mothers Against Cancer. That\u2019s where we started. And partnering with St. Thomas is compatible with that same intent.\u201d<\/p>\n Russell Gordy’s booming professional success is rooted in oil and gas, rising from humble origins to roughneck rigs to land rights and oil drilling to one of the largest landowners in the United States.<\/p>\n Gordy\u2019s sundry exploits are a sweeping tale of defying the longest of odds through innate intelligence, shrewd financial investments and sheer will.<\/p>\n Yet through his substantial gains, Gordy never lost a compassionate perspective of his modest beginnings and the essential value of seizing and capitalizing on opportunity when presented.<\/p>\n Fr. Storey shared with the Gordys the historic and distinguished St. Thomas legacy of diverse enrollment fueled by tuition assistance and merit scholarships, enabling students to benefit from – and uniquely add to – the Eagle experience.<\/p>\n In a series of conversations, Fr. Storey imparted on the Gordys with absolute conviction \u201cthat the next Russell Gordy is going to come from St. Thomas. I want you to engage our campus community, speak with our geology students, and discover your fit with St. Thomas. Yes, we\u2019re a private college preparatory school. Yes, we\u2019re a Catholic school. But we can replicate your story better than any other school in Houston. Because reaching out to a wide-ranging mix of students has been our mission since 1900.\u201d<\/p>\n The testimony resonated with Glenda and Russell, along with Fr. Storey\u2019s personal upbringing earmarked by challenges ever similar to their own.<\/p>\n \u201cFr. Storey owns a great passion for what he\u2019s doing,\u201d Glenda says. \u201cHe speaks of St. Thomas from the heart. We\u2019re approached every day for sizable contributions, often by professional fundraisers. But when you come across someone who is directly involved and personally committed, there is a sincerity that you cannot overestimate.\u201d<\/p>\n Russell was struck by \u201cFr. Storey\u2019s spirit. He\u2019s tenacious. Determined in all the right ways. Neither one of us has allowed obstacles to prevent our reaching and achieving our goals in life.\u201d<\/p>\n But throughout 2013, their respective dogged determination for land acquisition was in stark conflict. Both Fr. Storey and Gordy seared a laser focus on acquiring the 11-acre HISD property adjacent to the St. Thomas campus. An unorthodox bidding sequence wasn\u2019t determined until November with a final-hour $60 million final bid in favor of St. Thomas.<\/p>\n Before the high stakes financial tug-a-war involving HISD, Russell Gordy possessed no working knowledge of the all-boys Catholic high school secured at the corner of Memorial and Shepherd Drive since 1940.<\/p>\n \u201cZero.\u201d<\/p>\n And in the aftermath of the bidding, Russell could not muster even a slice of intent to further any sort of relationship between the two neighbors.<\/p>\n \u201cNo. Never going to happen. It was time to move on,\u201d Russell says matter of factly. \u201cI was actually asked to donate to St. Thomas and I said, \u2018Have you lost your mind?\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n In the distant wake of these events came a chance encounter at the Hall of Fame weekend for Astros icon Craig Biggio, unifying the unlikeliest of partners in the pursuit of Basilian ideals.<\/p>\n In July 2015, Fr. Storey travelled to Cooperstown, New York on the Astros private charter as a personal guest of Biggio to serve Sunday Mass at Biggio\u2019s hotel. Later, Fr. Storey accepted transportation to the afternoon celebratory festivities from former Astros player and manager Phil Garner.<\/p>\n \u201cOne small detail … Phil was riding with me,\u201d Russell says. \u201cI was the chauffeur. Glenda and I walked down to the car and Phil chimed, \u2018Fr. Storey, I want you to meet Russell Gordy. You need to get to know Russell Gordy.\u2019 You should have seen the expression on Fr. Storey\u2019s face. I\u2019m sure he thought at the time I was going to drop him on the side of the road.\u201d<\/p>\n From that uber encounter, Fr. Storey and the Gordys began to thaw their differences through a series of interactions, paving the way to the Double Your Donation Challenge which was decided in January 2018.<\/p>\n \u201cThe world is full of surprises,\u201d Russell says. \u201cI was obviously disappointed at the time because the HISD deal would have made a great addition to our portfolio. But it\u2019s just land. As it turned out, I acquired another property that I maybe wanted a little bit more. And I give Father Storey all the credit for moving us both forward. He provided a great insight into the true mission of St. Thomas and the Basilian Fathers. Without him, I wouldn\u2019t be involved like this.\u201d<\/p>\n Another contributing factor essential in Russell gradually gathering \u201cgreat confidence in St. Thomas was Craig. He\u2019s a good friend and a wonderful ambassador for the school, where he coached (two TAPPS state baseball champions in five years), where his sons (Conor \u201811 and Cavan \u201813) attended. That endorsement meant a great deal to me.\u201d<\/p>\n Becoming involved with St. Thomas is consistent with Glenda and Russell\u2019s ongoing commitment to several targeted scholarships spread over multiple departments at Sam Houston State University, including The Russell D. Gordy Scholarship established to provide financial assistance to students pursuing a degree from within the College of Business Administration.<\/p>\n \u201cRussell and I firmly believe young people need a good beginning to life,\u201d Glenda says. \u201cAnd it\u2019s our responsibility to do our part in making that happen for everyone. Not just for a select few. For everyone.\u201d<\/p>\n The Double Your Donation Challenge<\/strong> also represents a further testament to Glenda and Russell\u2019s expanding commitment to \u201ca (Heights) neighborhood we care deeply about.”<\/p>\n The couple has a long donor history with Stages Repertory Theatre, located just off Memorial Drive at Waugh, including a magnanimous gift contributing to an upcoming three-theatre campus expansion.<\/p>\n Also on Russell\u2019s current radar is a 4-acre, mixed-use development at the corner of Washington Avenue and South Heights Boulevard with a 96,000-square-foot H-E-B serving as the anchor tenant.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"http:\/\/www.sths.org\/4500Forever\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/2018-gordy-storey.jpg\")
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