TCU Magazine

Your article "Street Smarts" accurately demonstrated the struggling re-birth of Berry Street and the recent advances to return the street to the days when it was a vibrant and important part of the TCU experience. The descriptions of the involvement of TCU and the importance of TCU to the changes one can see along Berry Street cannot be underestimated. But it is the involvement of individuals, many of them with TCU connections, that has given the movement its staying power.

In 1996 Linda Clark '68 was sitting in the office of Kenneth Barr when he asked her to take charge of the fledgling Berry Street Initiative (BSI). Because she didn't turn down the request, the future of the Berry movement was assured. Clark, a commercial real estate agent, knew the work that was ahead. It was she who organized the Berry Street business community. She lobbied the city for assistance and to bring a consultant to produce a master plan for Berry development.

Then when Houston-based Goodman Associates came on board to develop the plan, it was Clark's leadership that assured citizen involvement in public hearings and city commitment to implement the plan. It would not be an understatement to say that Linda Clark was the energy that kept the Berry Street dream alive. By the time she retired from the President's role, after seven years on the job, Clark had assured that the BSI would continue to be a force in the development of Berry Street.

Of course, Clark was not alone. Jim Johnson '83, president of the Bluebonnet Hills Neighborhood Association, provided keen insight and an understanding of the crucial role that policy would play in encouraging development. His ability to analyze proposed policies and to gently nudge TCU and other developers into decisions that would make greater contributions to the possibility of future growth was invaluable.

Chancellor Michael Ferrari also made a significant contribution to furthering the growth of Berry Street, and especially TCU's role in it. Chancellor Ferrari recognized that while TCU could continue to develop its property along Berry Street, close ties to the BSI and Fort Worth would be essential to achieve the best results. The Ferrari-initiated Commission on the Future highlighted the need for close community ties. In a private meeting with BSI leadership, Ferrari emphasized not only TCU's continued involvement to development along Berry Street, but also its financial commitment to the long-term success of the urban village vision.

Finally, no discussion of TCU's involvement in the resurrection of the Berry corridor would be complete without mentioning the continuous support of Wendy Davis '90. Ms. Davis served until recently as Councilwoman from District 9 and was consistently a political leader and advocate for the advancement of Berry Street. Her commitment and convictions are evident in the advances along the Street over the last several years.

I have been proud to represent TCU in the Berry Street projects. It has been an even greater experience to engage with so many TCU folks, like these and many more, in the hard work of making a vision a reality.

Don Mills '72 (MDiv)
Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs

Berry Fab

Bring of an age to be classified as a Baby Boomer and a longtime fan of the Fab Four, I want you to know how much I adored the Fall 2007 cover. I also enjoyed the cover article and am pleased to see the creativity that "the lads" were known for echoed in the catchy cover as well as in the people-friendly renewal of West Berry. Yeah, yeah, yeah!

Bonnie McClory-Finn
Proud Parent of Michaela '08 and Tara Finn '11

Wrong 'feller

It's always a pleasure to receive The TCU Magazine, but in an item about the unveiling of a portrait of Winthrop Rockefeller, the Summer 2007 issue erroneously stated that he had been governor of Arkansas. Winthrop Paul Rockefeller, who studied ranch management at TCU and who endowed the program's building, was serving as lieutenant governor of the state at the time of his death in July 2006.

Early in 2005 Win Rockefeller announced his candidacy for the governorship, but less than six months later he withdrew from the campaign following the diagnosis of an unclassified myeloproliferative blood disorder. Two bone marrow transplants failed to stem the disease, and he passed away at the age of 57.

Win's father, Winthrop Rockefeller, was Governor of Arkansas from 1967-1971.

Marvin Schultz,'94 (Ph.D.)

Editor's note: Thanks for the correction, Marvin. Others also caught this mistake, for which we apologize.

More Frog Foodies

My husband Travis Parker '01 and I live Jacksonville, Fla., and own and operate two McAlister's Deli's, a fast casual restaurant. When coming up for a name for our business, we realized TCU is where we learned valuable lessons for the business world so decided that naming our business "Horned Frog Deli" would be appropriate.

Kelly Swisshelm Parker '01

Mrs. Crow [whose letter about Vance Godbey's restaurant was printed in the Fall issue] was mistaken about the President Carter luncheon. Coburns's Catering Service catered that luncheon at the Tarrant County Convention Center. I still have the security pass giving to my mother by the Secret Service.

Steve Coburn '92

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