Thank you for supporting scholarships for refugee youth by attending our gala! Since Stars Among Us began, we have distributed 147 scholarships to students from 17 countries of origin for a total of more than $128,000.00. This year we are proud to honor Atour Eyvazian and Sue Habib. Please see their bios below.
Please note, for the sponsorship of a Platinum $5,000 table you have reserved ten seats, full page color ad in program, 10 invitations to VIP reception; Gold $3,000 table—ten seats, ½ page color ad in program, 6 invitations to VIP reception; and Silver $1,000 table—ten seats, 2 invitations to VIP reception. If you pay to sponsor an entire table through the website, send your 10-person guest list to starsamongus@allianceontheweb.org. Thank you so much! We can’t wait to see you on March 26th.
2011 Honorees:
Atour Eyvazian
Owner
Jack in the Box Restaurants
Atour Eyvazian sees the American dream as an opportunity for an ordinary person to become extraordinary —
a prospect that for him began some 25 years ago when he arrived in Los Angeles and got a job as a maintenance worker at a
Jack in the Box® restaurant. Eyvazian fled his war-torn country of Iran in 1984. He was captured while traveling through
Turkey and thrown in prison but bought his freedom with money that his mother had sewn into his waistband. When he finally
made his way to the United States, he spoke no English but he found the job at a Jack in the Box restaurant. Working hard, he
began to move up in responsibilities and within two years became a manager.
Eyvazian educated himself and moved up in the company until he decided to own his own restaurants. Today, he owns 107 Jack in
the Box restaurants in the Houston and San Antonio Texas area.
He attributes his achievement of the American dream to the opportunity afforded him by the restaurant industry and
Jack in the Box in particular. His goal is to continue the tradition by providing the same opportunity to his employees.
He said he helps his restaurant employees find their strengths and hone them to fulfill their American dreams.
Sue Habib
Owner
Lexis Florist
Businessperson of the Year
Sue Habib is the third generation of her family to work in the floral business but that doesn’t mean it’s been easy.
Sue came to Houston in 1985 as a single mother with three children, no English and very little money. But she was determined
to make a go of it after she fell in love with Houston and Houstonians. Sue opened Lexis Florist in southwest Houston in
1986. Eleven years later, she acquired an SBA loan to expand her growing business. That led to the shop in the Galleria, where
business doubled in five years and she began providing flowers to many exclusive hotels and fine dining establishments.
In 2010, Sue took Lexis Florist to the next level, opening the Skyline Center, a full-service corporate and event planning
service, providing not just flowers but also invitations, table linens and more.
While Sue travels the world to meet the farmers who grow her beautiful flowers, she still has found time to serve the community.
She not only serves on many boards, she also generously contributes to charitable organizations and fundraisers.
Sue says, “Houston opened its arms to me, so I give back to the community.”