This guy gets around. On Oct. 20, Del Mar College mascot Valdar the Viking was rappelling off the Holiday Inn Corpus Christi Downtown Marina for one of the institution’s biggest fundraisers of the year. Two days later, he was on the ground signing a beam to celebrate construction of the General Academic Music Building II, the biggest project in the college’s $157 million bond initiative from 2014. Courtesy photo
Driscoll Children’s Hospital gets a new CEO, while an agent at Heavin, Otto and Leavitt Insurance is awarded for outstanding work. In other news, a Sonic Drive-in is opening in Robstown, and a drive-in/dive-in theater opens in Schlitterbahn Corpus Christi waterpark.
CUDOS TO HEAVIN, OTTO & LEAVITT INSURANCE
Tina Durand of Heavin, Otto & Leavitt Insurance qualified to receive the prestigious “Presidents’ Council Award” from the Leading Producers Round Table of the National Association of Health Underwriters.
"Durand exemplifies the qualities that make health insurance agents and brokers such important resources and advocates for American consumers," said Roland Barrera, president of the Coastal Bend Chapter Association of Health Underwriters. "She has worked tirelessly on behalf of countless clients to ensure they have the insurance coverage they need."
The award recognizes underwriter members who demonstrate exceptional professional knowledge and outstanding client service. Durand has been in the health industry in Corpus Christi since 1973. She has earned Registered Health Underwriter and Certified Healthcare Reform Specialist designations as well as certifications for wellness and the Affordable Care Act from the underwriters association.
DRISCOLL GETS NEW PRESIDENT/CEO
Eric Hamon was named the new president and CEO of Driscoll Health System after serving as interim since April. He has worked at Driscoll for more than 25 years, serving as Driscoll Health System’s executive vice president and chief financial officer since 2007.
He was chosen after a nationwide search by the recruiting firm Heidrick & Struggles.
“Our board has worked closely with Eric, and we are impressed with his leadership, solid health care knowledge, and his compassionate desire to help the children of South Texas,” said Sam L. Susser, chair of the Driscoll Children’s Hospital Board of Directors. “Eric has been instrumental in leading the development and implementation of Driscoll’s five-year strategic plan with the focus on bringing more care to more children throughout South Texas.”
ROBSTOWN BACK IN THE BURGER BUSINESS
For the first time in 30 years, Robstown will have a drive-in burger restaurant. The Robstown Sonic Drive-in was opened Oct. 22 by local owner T.J Punjwani. After 10 years of owning several family-operated convenience stores in the area, Punjwani is excited to get into the burger business.
“My obsession with Sonic’s endless drink options and flavorful menu flourished into an aspiration of opening up my very own drive-in in a town that has several fast-food options, but none like Sonic,” he said. “My new Sonic family has been incredibly supportive in bringing my vision of opening a drive-in in Robstown to life and sharing this experience with my community is a dream come true.”
The Robstown Sonic will be open from 6 a.m.-11 p.m. Monday-Thursday, 6 a.m.-midnight Saturday, and 7 a.m.-11 p.m. Sunday.
The nation’s largest drive-in chain, the 65-year-old company serves about 3 million customers per day. Of the restaurant’s 3,600 drive-ins, 95 percent are locally owned.
DRIVE-IN, DIVE-IN MOVIES AT SCHLITTERBAHN
In a move to remake Schlitterbahn Corpus Christi into a year-round attraction, the water park plans to open what it is calling “the world’s first permanent drive-in/dive-in” movie theater Nov. 3. New and classic movies will be shown outdoors on a 60-foot screen.
Some of the first movies to be screened are “It’s a Wonderful Life,” “Elf,” “Christmas Vacation,” “Home Alone,” and “White Christmas.” Popcorn will be served in red-striped retro tubs, while the sound will be played through AM/FM radio dials.
Other year-round entertainment is expected to include escape rooms and eSports arenas. Diamond Beach Holdings LLC, the company that now owns the park since its bankruptcy earlier this year, will hold the world’s first lazy river eSports tournament in March 2019.
“The transformation taking place at the Riverpark in Corpus Christi is incredible,” said Bill Dever, president of Experiential Dynamics LLC. “It truly is a reinvention and a reimagining that guests will want to experience again and again.”
The theater will move from drive-in to dive-in sometime in the spring, and guests can watch while floating in tubes.
