Fort Worth Business Press, June 2, 2014 Vol. 26, No. 22 | Page 33

fwbusinesspress.com | June 9 - 15, 2014

Fort Worth, UNTHSC renew
West Nile partnership
The city of Fort Worth and the University of North Texas Health Science
Center have renewed their mosquitosurveillance partnership to prevent the
spread of West Nile virus.
Under the agreement announced
June 3, graduate students and a scientist from UNTHSC trap and collect
mosquitos from more than 60 sites
across the city. The mosquitos are then
tested for WNV infection at labs at
UNTHSC and Tarrant County Public
Health.
Based on test results, medical
entomologist and UNTHSC assistant
professor of environmental and occupational health Joon-Hak Lee, makes
weekly recommendations to city officials about whether any intervention
methods or precautionary measures
should be considered.
“The weekly snapshot of West Nile
virus activity gives us a real-time look
at the situation and the opportunity to
stop any potential problems,” said Fort
Worth Mayor Betsy Price. “We have a
program in place that allows us to be
proactive and ensures that we get the
most accurate and timely information
to our residents as quickly as possible.”
The city plans to continue its public
outreach by communicating with community leaders, neighborhood associations and door-to-door canvassing.
Lee said the prevention and control
program can be used as a model for
other cities in Texas.
At the height of the virus in 2012, the
city had 16 positive mosquito pools
and 81 human infections. Last year,
there were five positive pools and six
human infections.
– Betty Dillard

Renfro Foods says
‘Good day mate’
Fort Worth-based Renfro Foods announced June 3 it has signed a distribution agreement with Watersteps Ptdy
Ltd., a family-owned and operated
organic and specialty foods company
that supplies all of Australia, to sell 10

of its Mrs. Renfro’s salsas and sauces
in Melbourne, Sydney, Adelaide and
Brisbane.
“This is a great expansion for us,”
said Renfro Foods President Doug Renfro, and gives credit to company Vice
President Becky Renfro Borbolla, who
connected with Watersteps at last year’s
Anuga’s international food fair in Germany. “Watersteps has done a wonderful job introducing us to Australia, and
we are excited about the future.”
Australia is the sixth international
market for the 74-year-old family business, having products already in place
in Canada, the Caribbean, England,
Scotland and Spain.
In addition to its international distribution, Renfro Foods’ salsas, sauces
and relishes, including more than 30
Mrs. Renfro’s products, are found in
leading supermarkets, gourmet foods
stores and gift shops in all 50 states.
–Betty Dillard

Sohmer retiring from BRIT in July
S.H. Sohmer, chief executive of the
Botanical Research Institute of Texas in
Fort Worth for more than 20 years, will
retire July 31, BRIT said June 5.
Harry Bartel, BRIT’s chairman, said
Sohmer’s tenure said “BRIT has grown
and found its place among the great
botanical research institutes of the
world” during Sohmer’s time as CEO.
“His passion, experience and leadership have been instrumental to BRIT’s
success, and I know he’ll be looking
forward to many more interesting opportunities.”
Patricia Harrison, BRIT’s senior vice
president and education director, will
serve as interim director during the
search for Sohmer’s successor, BRIT
said.
Among his duties for the nonprofit,
Sohmer has been largely responsible
for fundraising.
“His invaluable accomplishments
have put the institute on solid financial
ground for many years to come,” Bartel
said.
“My life’s dream has been to create
and lead a botanical organization of
international renown,” Sohmer said.
“As a scientist, you are always looking
for that one-in-a-million discovery.
Well, in 1993, I made that discovery at BRIT. Since then, I have devoted my
life to growing it into a research and
educational organization that is known
and respected around the world.”
BRIT’s board said it will name
Sohmer director emeritus and present
him with the 2015 International Award
of Excellence in Conservation.
– Scott Nishimura

courtesy photo

oversee the daily flight operations of
the newly merged airline.
American officials did not mention
the plan during its June 4 annual meeting in New York.
Aside from the typical voting for
board candidates common to annual
meetings, many American retirees registered their displeasure with pending
changes to the company’s employee
travel policy.
– Robert Francis

>>

overheard

“After 40 years working for this
District – as a teacher, coach,
administrator, and finally as
superintendent – it’s nearly
impossible to summarize all
I am feeling right now. So I
am going to choose to focus
on one overwhelming
feeling – gratitude.”
Walter Dansby
Former Fort Worth
Independent School
District Superintendent, in
a letter to the community
on the Fort Worth ISD
website.

“Previous EPA regulations have threatened to
eliminate Texas jobs and
stifle energy production,
an indu