Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children Elects Four New Members to Its Board of Trustees; Three Existing Board Members Receive Expanded Responsibilities.

Business Editors & Health Writers

DALLAS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 27, 2001

Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children (TSRHC) announces the addition of Tom D. Guest, Robert A. Northcutt, W.C. "Os" Osborne and Charles E. Seay, Jr., as the newest members of its Board of Trustees. In this role, they will represent Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children in the community and throughout the state to support the hospital's mission of providing the best treatment possible for children with orthopedic conditions, neurological disorders and learning disabilities.

In addition to the four new Trustees, the hospital announces the new appointments of three existing members. Fred Allen has been named the new personal representative of the S.G.I.G. and chairman of the advisory conference, Dallas Scottish Rite Bodies and vice president of the Board of Trustees; Lee Drain will assume the leadership role of vice chairman of the Board of Trustees and Ronald L. Skaggs has been appointed vice president and secretary of the Board of Trustees.

"It is undeniable that these men will be a tremendous asset to our distinguished Board of Trustees," said Sam Hilburn, chairman of the board and S.G.I.G. in Texas. "I am proud that they will be representing the hospital throughout the state and I am confident that their extensive knowledge, diverse backgrounds and proven philanthropic dedication will help us continue our mission of providing the highest quality medical care to the children we serve. I am also very pleased about the increased responsibilities of Brother Drain, Brother Allen and Brother Skaggs. Through the years they have proven their dedication to the hospital and their leadership ability. All of us at the hospital look forward to working closely with them to support our mission."

New Trustees

Tom D. Guest is a retired United States Air Force (USAF) meteorologist and current general secretary of the Fort Worth Scottish Rite Bodies. His civic activities are numerous, including past member, Lions Club of Mineral Wells; past board member/docent at Stephenville Historical House Museum Masonic Record: Stephenville No. 267, past master, current marshall; Chalk Mountain No. 894, worshipful master; Stephenville Chapter No. 140, RAM, past high priest, past DDGHP Capitular District 19; Stephenville Council No. 85, past TIM, past DDGM, Cryptic District 19; Granbury No. 100, current generalissimo; order of high priesthood; order of the silver trowel; worth's hiram abiff No. 342, allied masonic degrees and order of the Knight of Constantinople. His involvement also extends beyond the Fort Worth Scottish Rite, with involvement in the Tri-County Scottish Rite Club, 29 degree master and royal order of the ducks. In addition, he was a past president of Cross Timbers Scottish Rite Club.

Currently a Professor of Mathematics at Southwest Texas State University, Robert A. Northcutt received his bachelors, masters and doctorate degrees from the University of Texas at Austin. Recently honored with the "2001 Distinguished Teaching Award" by the Texas Section of the Mathematical Association of America (MAA), Northcutt is actively involved with the organization and has served as former chairman and former governor of the Texas Section of the MAA. He also is involved with various Masonic activities, including his current membership with the Scottish Rite Advisory Board, Austin Valley; his role as former master of San Marcos Lodge, No. 343; former district deputy grand master, district 50; former grand jr. steward, Grand Lodge of Texas; and has been deemed a worthy patron of the San Marcos, O.E.S., No. 276 on numerous occasions.

With a bachelor of science degree in geology from Centenary College of Louisiana in Shreveport, W.C. "Os" Osborne held geological positions with Tide Water Associated Oil Company and two other oil companies before opening his own office as a consulting geologist in 1970. During World War II, he served in the U.S. Navy in the South Pacific where he eventually earned the rank of Lieutenant (Senior Grade). Also an accomplished author, Osborne has written two books, including Running High, Looking Good and Looking Back, which recounts his youth in Louisiana. An active member of Midland Lodge No. 623, Osborne was recently awarded the Golden Trowel, the highest honor given in the Blue Lodge. Osborne also has served as chairman of the board for Western State Bank.

A respected civic leader, Charles E. Seay, Jr., has served the Dallas community in many ways. He is a member of the Scottish Rite Valley of Dallas and the Grand Lodge of Texas, holding dual membership in his parent Lodge, Knox -- Corinthian No. 851, Richardson, Texas, and Claud L. Austin, No. 1450, Dallas. He has served on the boards of the Metropolitan YMCA, Children's Health Service and the Children's Medical Center. For the past 13 years, he has been the honorary chairman of the Tartan Golf Classic, which benefits Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children. He also is a member of the Salesmanship Club and is currently on the board of the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation, SPCA of Texas, and the Circle Ten Boy Scouts of America.

New Appointments

Fred Allen takes on his new role as personal representative of the S.G.I.G. and chairman of the Advisory Conference, Dallas Scottish Rite Bodies and vice president of the Board of Trustees, after serving on the Board for Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children for the past 15 years. Allen also serves three key areas of the hospital as a member of the executive, audit and joint hospital advisory board committees. While maintaining his position as president of Fred E. Allen, Inc., Allen has dedicated more than 45 years of distinguished service in Freemasonry, with more than 17 years in Scottish Rite. His involvement includes endowed memberships in five Texas lodges, general membership chairman for the Valley of Dallas and a Trustee of the Scottish Rite Foundation of Texas. He also is a past master of the Grand Lodge of Texas and a past venerable master of the Dallas Lodge of Perfection.

A native Texan, Brother Lee Drain retired from a notable career in the financial industry in 1999. However, as a champion of philanthropic causes, Drain has made civic involvement and the advancement of educational and service organizations a top priority. Prior to his appointment as Vice Chairman of the Board of Trustees, Drain was vice president and secretary of the Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children. He is a current member of the 33 degree Scottish Rite Mason, Valley of Dallas, and in 1993 Drain was honored with the Endangered Species Award from the Dallas Scottish Rite Library and Museum. He also serves as vice chair of the Junior Livestock Auction, State Fair of Texas and is on the Board of Directors of Dallas Baptist University Foundation. Through the years, Drain has been on the Board of Directors of the Dallas Crime Commission, the City of Dallas Park Board and the Dallas Council of World Affairs. He served as thesis advisor for Southern Methodist University Graduate School of Banking for 35 years and is the past chairman and former member of the Board of Regents of the Texas State University System. The Lee Drain Children's Courtyard on the campus of Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children was named in honor of Mr. Drain and was a gift of Bank of America and Banc of America Capital Management to celebrate Mr. Drain's contributions to the banking industry and the hospital.

Ronald Skaggs began his relationship with Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children in the mid-seventies when he was assigned to work on the design of the hospital's current building as a young architect for HKS. Today, as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of HKS, Inc., Skaggs has contributed to the design of more than 450 health care facilities, but remains heavily involved with Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children. He has served on the Board of Trustees since 1990 and also is a member of the executive, budget, property management and research committees. Skaggs is a fellow of the American Institute of Architecture, serving as national president for the year 2000; a fellow for both the American College of Healthcare Architects and the Health Facility Institute; a member of the American Hospital Association and past president of the Forum for Health Care Planning. He also is a distinguished alumnus of Texas A & M University and an outstanding alumnus of the College of Architecture at Texas A & M University.

Hospital Information

Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children is one of the nation's leading pediatric centers for the treatment of orthopedic conditions, certain related neurological disorders and learning disabilities. There is no charge for treatment at the hospital and admission is open to Texas children from birth to 18 years of age. For more information, visit the hospital's Web site at www.tsrhc.org.