Presenting findings from the 45th Kinder Houston Area Survey
Leaders across the Houston region convened at the sold-out 2026 Kinder Institute Luncheon to learn the latest results from the Kinder Houston Area Survey, including residents' growing economic and environmental concerns and the vital role social connections play in shaping prosperity.
The event raised over $500,000 to sustain the institute’s partnership-driven research, ensuring it remains a public good, freely accessible to all.
“We are deeply grateful to the community of supporters who made the 2026 luncheon possible,” said Rose Rougeau, executive director of the Kinder Institute’s external affairs division. “Your commitment strengthens our work — reflected in the 45 years of the Kinder Houston Area Survey — to inform, inspire and guide our region.”
Kinder Institute Luncheon (full recording)
Stephen L. Klineberg Award Honoree
During the event, Charles C. Foster, chairman of Foster LLP, was honored with the 2026 Stephen L. Klineberg Award.
A nationally recognized immigration attorney, Foster has devoted his career to expanding opportunity, advising U.S. presidents and helping shape a more inclusive approach to immigration. As honorary consul general of Thailand, he has strengthened cultural and economic ties with Southeast Asia. His service on nonprofit boards reflects a genuine commitment to community and to improving lives across the region. That dedication was notably demonstrated in his role securing the freedom of Houston Ballet dancer Li Cunxin, a story later brought to life in the film “Mao’s Last Dancer.”
About the award: Named for the institute's founding director, the Stephen L. Klineberg Award honors individuals who have made a lasting impact on Greater Houston. It has been presented to Ric Campo (2025), Dr. Marc L. Boom (2024), Mayor Sylvester Turner (2023), Dr. Anne Chao (2022), Robert Eury (2021), the Rev. William Lawson (2020), Jeff Hines (2019), Angela Blanchard (2018) and Tom Bacon (2017).
