MD Anderson Hosts A Conversation With a Living Legend® with philanthropist Rich Kinder

NBC News’ Janet Shamlian to lead Nov. 15 interview at Hilton Americas-Houston

MD Anderson News Release October 19, 2017

Houston philanthropist Rich Kinder, executive chairman of Kinder Morgan Inc., will join Houston-based NBC News correspondent Janet Shamlian for A Conversation With a Living Legend®, Nov. 15 at the Hilton Americas-Houston, 1600 Lamar St. The dinner event includes a 6 p.m. reception, with the program beginning at 7 p.m., and will benefit vital research at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center.

Since the event’s concept originated in North Texas in 1990, A Conversation With a Living Legend has raised more than $36 million to support cancer research and patient care initiatives at MD Anderson through similar events in Washington, D.C.; Las Vegas, Nevada; Atlanta, Georgia; Dallas; and San Antonio.

This year’s Living Legend, the eighth such event in Houston, has raised more than $1.27 million to date, thanks to the efforts of co-chairs Denise Monteleone and Ellie and Michael Francisco. Honorary co-chairs include Patsy Fourticq, Barbara and Charles Hurwitz, Kelli Kickerillo and Todd Forester, Joan Schnitzer Levy and Cyvia Wolff. Sewell Automotive is underwriting the valet parking.

In 1997, Kinder cofounded Kinder Morgan Inc., one of the largest energy infrastructure companies in North America. Under his leadership, Kinder Morgan has grown from 175 employees to nearly 12,000 employees.  

Kinder and his wife, Nancy, established the Kinder Foundation in 1997 and have since granted approximately $300 million toward educational, quality of life and urban green space initiatives primarily in the city of Houston. The foundation has helped make possible a number of major initiatives including Discovery Green park; the Kinder Institute for Urban Research at Rice University; Buffalo Bayou Park; the Bayou Greenways 2020 project; Kinder Institute on Constitutional Democracy at the University of Missouri; Museum of Fine Arts, Houston campus redevelopment; and the expansion of the Houston Education Research Consortium at the Kinder Institute for Urban Research at Rice University.

Shamlian, a Houston-based correspondent for NBC News, reports for “Today” and the “NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt.” She has reported from around the world, including from the terror attack in Nice, France, where she was the first American journalist on the scene, and the Pulse nightclub massacre in Orlando, Florida. Shamlian has been honored for her work at NBC News with several Emmy Awards, a DuPont-Columbia Award and the industry’s highest honor, the George Foster Peabody Award.

Seating is limited. For more information, call 713-563-4025, email events@mdanderson.org or visit mdanderson.org/livinglegend.