2013 Honorary Chairs: Robert & Chris Adler
Chris and Robert Adler have spent nearly 45 years of friendship, love, marriage and public service in the Corpus Christi area. After attending the University of Texas in Austin, Robert returned to Corpus Christi in 1962 to work for his families’ business, Laredo Scrap Materials, a scrap and recycling facility. A few months later Robert started his own company, Atlas Iron and Metal, which he led for almost 50 years.
With a talent for starting and running multiple businesses, Robert has extensive experience in business leadership and running multiple businesses, including the inception and running of Adler Paper Stock, a recycling paper business in Houston, Texas Steel, Adler Pipe, Atlas Tubular, AMH Pipe and Tool Rental, Texas Paper Stock, and Roan Real Estate in Corpus Christi, to name a few. He also owned businesses in Brownsville and Laredo. His primary business interest now is in South Texas Rainbow Limited Partnership, a real estate company.
His community service is extensive. He serves on the Nueces County Appraisal District Board, the Lexington Museum Board, Charter Bank Northwest, Gulf Coast Council Boy Scouts of America Executive Committee (and Eagle Scout), the Women’s Shelter, the Westside Business Association, West Corpus Christi Rotary, the USO, Masonic Lodge #I89, B’Nai Israel Synagogue, and he is president of the Corpus Christi Mustangs.
Chris, who was named a Distinguished Alumni of Texas State University in San Marcos, began her career in education as a teacher with the CCISD. She also has worked with Robert to grow their family businesses for 40+ years. Chris’ civic contributions include serving on the CC1SD Board of Trustees for 8 years, the Del Mar College Board of Regents for 11 years and recently serving 4 years on the Corpus Christi City Council. Passionate about our community, she is a Rotarian, a graduate of Leadership Corpus Christi and Leadership Texas. She serves/ served on the Boards of the South Texas Institute for the Arts, Driscoll Hospital’s Development Board, Congregation Beth Israel, Botanical Gardens of South Texas, the Economic Development Corporation of Corpus Christi, and others. Her proudest achievements include being a founder of an international program called “Check It Out”. The breast cancer awareness program has been presented to 2.5 million young women through Chris’ involvement in Hadassah, the Women’s Zionist Organization of America, and the largest Jewish Organization in the U.S.
Chris serves on the Hadassah National Board. She is also an original member of The Clowns Who Care. For 17 years, this organization has visited and entertained sick children and their parents at Driscoll Children’s Hospital in Corpus Christi. Chris is “fondly known in clown circles” as “Miss Goody 2 Shoes”.
Chris and Robert are members of the Texas A&M – CC President’s Council. They love their hometown, Corpus Christi, and are proud to be honored by the Coastal Bend Food Bank (CBFB). We encourage all of you to share what you have with those people who need a helping hand.
Robert and Chris are the proud parents of Troy, Bobbie, Kylie, Wayde and Matthew Adler. At present, they are also “parents” to Roxie and Otis, their loveable dachshunds. Robert is great friends with hundreds of dogs across the city that he regularly feeds, loves and finds good homes for. Robert has helped provide spay/neuter and vaccination services for these animals, as well. Chris says they have never left a restaurant with our “doggy bags” as he takes every scrap of food on their table (and surrounding tables) to work with him and feeds all the dogs on Agnes Street.
PAST HONORARY CHAIRS
2011 Mayor Joe and Kathy Adame
2009 Sam L. and Catherine Susser
2008 Flavius and Kathy Killebrew
2007 Jimmy and Dottie Adair
