Texas Heart Institute at St. Luke’s Episcopal Hospital Announces New Members on Board of Trustees, National Advisory Council

HOUSTON (March 9, 2006)  Texas Heart Institute (THI) has announced the appointments of new members to the Institute’s Board of Trustees and National Advisory Council. Captain Gene Cernan, the last man to walk on the moon, has been appointed to THI’s National Advisory Council. Members of the Council are distinguished individuals who serve as ambassadors for the Texas Heart Institute. Other members include former U.S. Senator Lloyd Bentsen, journalist Walter Cronkite and former President Gerald Ford. Mrs. Elyse Lanier and Mr. Roland Sledge have been appointed to the THI Board of Trustees, which provides active oversight of the Institute’s operations and development.

During his 20-year career as a Naval Aviator, including 13 years with NASA, Captain Cernan participated in three historic missions in space. He was the Pilot of Gemini IX, the Lunar Module Pilot of Apollo X, and the Commander of Apollo XVII. In addition to flying to the moon twice, Captain Cernan has the distinction of being the second American to walk in space and the last man to have left his footprints on the lunar surface. Captain Cernan received a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering from Purdue University and a Master of Science degree in Aeronautical Engineering from the United States Naval Post Graduate School. He has numerous honors including the Navy Distinguished Flying Cross, the Distinguished Service Medal with Star, the NASA Distinguished Service Medal, and the FAI International Gold Medal for Space. He has been inducted into the National Aviation Hall of Fame and has received the national engineering award, The Washington Award, 2003. Last year, he was awarded NASA’s first Ambassador of Exploration Award. Since 1981, Captain Cernan has been the President and Chief Executive Officer of The Cernan Corporation, a space-related technology and marketing consulting firm. He has recently published a book, “The Last Man on the Moon.”

Mrs. Lanier, wife of former Houston mayor Bob Lanier, has devoted much of her life to promoting the city of Houston, and its business, culture and diverse lifestyle. Most recently, she was appointed as a commissioner on the Port Authority of Houston. She serves on the boards of the Texas Medical Center, the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston and MD Anderson Cancer Center. She was appointed by Governor Ann Richards to serve on the University of Houston Board of Regents from 1994 to 1997 and she was appointed chairman of the Houston Image Group from 1996 to 2002 to promote the city’s attributes. Mrs. Lanier raised funds to endow the Bob Lanier Chair in Public Policy at the University of Houston and to support the Lanier Public Policy Conferences. She and her husband also have strong ties to the John F. Kennedy School of Public Affairs. She has received many awards for her volunteer efforts promoting the urban development and beautification of Houston.

Since 2003, Mr. Sledge has served as Vice President and Legal Counsel for VAALCO Energy, Inc., a Houston-based independent energy company. Mr. Sledge is responsible for extensive legal matters related to the company’s exploration and production (E&P) activities in the Republic of Gabon, Africa. He prepares and negotiates a wide range of legal documents associated with the international offshore E&P business and he manages the legal aspects of corporate and securities matters required by the operation of a public company. From 1983 to 2002, Mr. Sledge rose to the position of a Managing Director of Torch Energy Advisors Incorporated of Houston. There he was responsible for the negotiation and documentation of wide-ranging legal issues pertaining to the investment and management of more than $3 billion of domestic and international oil and gas assets. In previous career experience, Mr. Sledge has served as the Assistant General Counsel of The American Gas Association and Assistant to the Chairman of the Federal Power Commission (now known as FERC) in Washington, D.C.

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World-renowned cardiovascular surgeon Denton A. Cooley, MD, founded the Texas Heart Institute in 1962. The Texas Heart Institute is dedicated to reducing the devastating toll of cardiovascular disease through innovative programs in research, education and improved patient care. Together with the Institute’s clinical partner, St. Luke’s Episcopal Hospital, for the past 15 years it has been ranked among the nation’s top ten heart centers in an annual survey published by U.S.News & World Report.