Monday, May 26, 2008

People you s“hood” know: Oak Lawn’s Pam Gerber

By Catherine Cuellar

OAK LAWN — At 7 a.m. Sunday, Pam Gerber takes her usual table at Lucky's in Oak Lawn, reading the DMN as she sits. After half an hour alone, the usual ebb and flow of visitors commences. The table is set for four, but over the course of the next few hours, she will be joined by a staff person from the Trinity Trust asking if Ed Oakley will run against incumbent Dave Neumann for his former Dallas council seat (Pam confirms); someone looking for career advice (Pam counsels); and a Dallas Police officer in need of a good body shop (Pam recommends). Pam is also visited by a Harvard alumna who helped create Sesame Street, the artistic director of the Turtle Creek Chorale, and an interventional radiologist at Methodist Hospital — the latter being Pam’s wife Suzanne Slonim. It’s their weekend routine.

How did Pam, who has lived here since 2000, quickly become a godmother-like figure in her ’hood? When Suzanne’s job moved them here from California, they went to get Suzanne’s new driver’s license at Dallas City Hall. While Suzanne stood in line at the DPS, Pam observed the city council meeting, introducing herself to their district representative Veletta Lill (who now serves as Mayor Tom Leppert's Arts District Coordinator) during a break. Pam started volunteering at the Women’s Museum in Fair Park, befriending founder Cathy Bonner (who was mentored by late Texas governor Ann Richards). While shopping at Neiman Marcus, she struck up a conversation with the men’s buyer at the time, Keith Carlisle, who graciously offered Pam a personal tour of his neighborhood, Kessler Park in Oak Cliff. Buying office supplies, Pam would ask her cashier who the local leaders were, then called to introduce herself. She quickly found herself employed as executive director of the Entrepreneurs Foundation of North Texas.

Dallas defied all their expectations. “The more people we talked to, the more we realized most were re-lo[cation]s here much to their chagrin,” Pam says. But where others saw challenges, Pam saw opportunity. “The more I met leaders, the more I found it to be a cohesive, caring, progressive, active community. Which,” she adds, “we didn’t find anywhere else," having lived in Los Angeles, Boston, and the Silicon Valley previously.

"It's a well-organized, easily mobilized, engaged community,” Pam says. Southern hospitality also made it easier. "It's not a stereotype; it’s the truth.”

Pam's best advice to a newcomer? "Have an open mind, because in a place like this, where people are so kind and so generous, you'll find what you're looking for."

Got a suggestion for someone in your 'hood we need to meet? Contact Catherine Cuellar.

Related stories

• Entrepreneurs Foundation of North Texas hosts Spirit of Entrepeneurship event (June 6, 2008)
• Pegasus News Week in View: Dog Days Edition (May 29, 2008)

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