Letters to the Editor – Three cheers for Mike Bidwill, Texas firefighters,Chris Packard

1 Mike Bidwill — While the fires in California were dominating the news and our hearts, Mike Bidwill, owner of the Arizona Cardinals, chose to do something good. He sent two planes to Los Angeles to pick up players, families and pets and bring them to Arizona for the game. The team used the Cardinals’ training facility for the game between the Rams and the Vikings. The Rams organization arranged for about 40 buses to help fans get to games.

Here is a big shout out to Bidwill for helping the families and players escape from the devastating fires for at least a while.

Barry Rothschild, Dallas/Preston Hollow

2 Texas firefighters and Greg Abbott — Re: “Happy to Help When the Fires Need Dousing — And Gov. Abbott, thanks for not taking potshots at Newsom, others,” Jan. 17 editorial.

Thanks to The Dallas Morning News editorial board for recognizing Gov. Greg Abbott for deploying more than 100 Texas firefighters to help with the Los Angeles wildfires. And thanks also for recognizing the bravery and self-sacrifice of the Texas firefighters who traveled to California to help.

As our fellow citizens in California deal with the devastating effects of wildfires on their communities, let us reflect back to February and March 2024, when the largest wildfire in Texas history burned more than 1,500 square miles of rangeland in the Panhandle northeast of Amarillo. How would our fellow Texans have felt while they were dealing with the crisis at hand if states who didn’t align with us politically took potshots at us?

During a crisis we are not red or blue states, we help those in need. Thanks to Texas for pitching in.

David Alan Jones, Farmers Branch

3 Chris Packard — After a long and successful for-profit career, Chris Packard turned his formidable operations skills to the nonprofit sector. After rising through the ranks at McDonald’s from the counter to own six franchises, Chris transitioned his leadership skills to the nonprofit world. As interim CEO of seven nonprofits, he most recently led the Transition Resource Action Center, which supports foster children aging out of care and other homeless youth.

Chris is known to lead nonprofits with the efficiency of a Costco and the heart of Mother Teresa. Formerly a part of the now-closed CitySquare, TRAC had several leadership changes in a short timeframe and needed a crackerjack interim CEO. Enter Chris.

Chris hit the ground running, immediately implementing TRAC’s strategic plan. His management style won over staff. He spent equal time in both the Dallas and Fort Worth locations while improving the work environment, workflow, organization chart and job descriptions seemingly overnight.

Serving on the CEO search committee, Chris helped hire and ultimately transitioned our new CEO, Nicole Binkley.

Thank you Chris, from our youth, staff and board members for your effective leadership.

Madeline D. McClure, Dallas/Bluffview

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