Committed to children, the arts Stilley aimed to make a difference upon his return to Houston
Mikaila Adams
Associate Editor – OGFJ
Randall Stilley, CEO of Pride International’s Mat-Supported Jackup Business, has long believed in the power of leadership. “I’ve always believed that business leaders have a responsibility to the community as well as to the company,” he said.
After spending most of his career moving around the world, Randall Stilley moved back to the epicenter of the oil patch, Houston, 10 years ago. “When you’re in one country then another, you don’t really have a chance to get involved, so when I moved back to Houston I decided it was time to do something,” he said. “I started looking for charities that mimicked what I was interested in,” he continued. Stilley’s desire to help children and advance the arts led him to Boys & Girls Country of Houston and Theatre Under the Stars.
When he joined the boards of the organizations he did so with a strong commitment of active involvement. “If I’m going to contribute, I want to contribute not just money – I want to contribute my time. The board directors are actively involved in not only raising money, but in managing the organizations,” he noted.
Boys and Girls Country was established in 1971 as not-for-profit charitable home whose mission is to change the lives of children from families in crisis. “A lot of these kids come from single parent families. Sometimes parents may be in jail, or one is deceased. It’s a sad situation,” said Stilley. “The goal is to nurture and raise the kids and allow them to become self-sustaining and contributing adults to the community,” he added.
Boys and Girls Country receives no state or federal funds. The entire budget runs about $8 million a year and is raised within the local community. “Last year I chaired the Heritage Award Dinner which raised $2 million. Its one of the largest events ever held in Houston for a charitable event,” he beamed.
During the last 30 years, over 1,200 children, primarily from the greater Houston area, have called the place home. “They’ll have 80-90 children at the home at any given time. And that doesn’t include the 60 or 70 more that are there that are still supported by the home after they’ve graduated from high school and gone on to college or trade school or the military,” he said. “I’ve found it to be one of the most interesting charitable organizations I’ve been involved with.”
The second organization, Theatre Under the Stars, touches upon both Stilley’s interests. “It’s arts, but it also benefits children,” he noted.
Theatre Under the Stars is a Houston-based non-profit institution dedicated to enriching life through the experience of quality musical theatre and positively impacting lives beyond the stage through innovative education and community outreach initiatives.
Part of the community outreach and training is done through the Humphreys School of Musical Theatre, established in 1972. Today, HSMT has two divisions: The Studio for both beginning students and professionals seeking to enhance their skills, and The Academy, a career-track professional training wing.
HSMT also offers outreach programs: “Beyond the Stage,” “Musicals for Me Too,” and collaborations with the YMCA and KIPP Academy—all of which bring musical theatre to classrooms, hospitals, and community centers. ACT @ TUTS, a program for talented teens, produces a full-length musical each summer in Hobby Center. “Free training and education for kids interested in musical theater. It’s a great organization,” he said.
Stilley has served on the board of Boys and Girls Country for four years, and the Theatre Under the Stars board for three years.
