That! Texas Woman
This is the story of: Community
Leader Diane Holland
By Amy Wood Upton
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Diane has participated and served in a
leadership role in numerous organizations.
She has played an instrumental role in the
changes that have encouraged progress in
Tomball.
Photo by John Ellis |
Name a Tomball committee, any committee, and
chances are Diane Holland is connected to it in some
way. Her spirit of involvement in the community was
not something that brought her to Tomball, but it is
what has kept her here. One of the neatest things
about Diane is the great attitude she exhibits in
all of her efforts. For her, everyday is a chance to
help other people, and her work in the community
gives her an outlet to do this. “I have been
involved in almost everything in the different
phases of my life,” she said, “and the people are
the best part of it. I benefit more from giving
because of the people involved with it.”
A graduate of Sam Houston University, Diane
studied journalism. In addition to her classes,
Diane organized a student group, The Orange Keys, to
serve as ambassadors for the college. The
organization is still in existence today. The
formation of this group marked the beginning of
Diane’s “career,” centered around seeing a need for
action and taking that action to get the job done.
Raised in Houston, Diane will tell you she was
apprehensive about moving with her family to Tomball
in 1971. “I came with my heels dug in the ground,”
she recalled. Growing up in the big city of Houston,
she wasn’t quite sure what to expect. “But, it
wasn't three months before I thought I would never
go back.” What kept her here was the ease of getting
around and the slow pace of everyday life.
Immediately getting involved in the community, Diane
started with her children’s activities. She served
on the PTA board, as a Den Mother for Cub Scouts,
and as a little league coach, among other things.
She coached the 13 to 15-year-old girls’ little
league team in 1983, who ended up winning the state
title.
In August of 1973, Diane began working for the
Tomball Chamber of Commerce. At first, she more or
less answered the phone, but soon they asked her to
take the position of Executive Director (president).
“The most important thing was that this job did not
interfere with my family,” she said. “My children
were my first priority.” After assurance that this
stipulation wouldn’t be a problem, she served as
president for 20 years, during which time she pushed
progress forward in Tomball. It is worth noting
that, in 1986, Diane was elected the first woman
president of The Texas Chamber of Commerce Executive
Association, an eighty-two-year-old organization.
That same year she was named Tomball Citizen of the
Year.
It was in 1996 that Diane, after retiring as
Chamber President, moved on to politics. She served
on the Tomball City Council for seven-and
a-half-years, the last six years as Mayor Pro Tem.
She began working for Amegy Bank (at that time,
Klein Bank) in 2000. She was at the bank for four
years before she was offered her current job,
Tomball Community College Program Manager, where she
has been employed the past two years. However,
working has not kept her from community involvement.
In fact, the college encouraged her to stay involved
and represent them in all of her organization
memberships.
Diane was instrumental in making Tomball College
part of the North Harris Montgomery County College
District, an accomplishment closely linked to her
current job. As Chamber President she helped
coordinate a plan to convince state officials to
change the law that would allow this to happen.
Diane just seems to be at the right place at the
right time. In 2002, she attended a presentation at
the college given by Dr. Ray Hawkins to the Tomball
Study Club. Armed with the knowledge that there was
a problem with the land on which the new community
library was to be built (it was on a water table),
Diane responded to his mention that plans were
developing for the new college library by raising
her hand and suggesting the crazy idea that it might
be good to combine the community library with the
college library. Not surprisingly, in 2004, the
joint library idea became a reality when
construction was completed on a facility located at
Tomball College that would later open to both the
students and the community.
Community Involvement These days, Diane’s deep
roots in community involvement often command more of
her time than her job. To name all of her positions
and titles within the community would be impossible.
She is always donating her time to one group or
another, either in a leadership role or on a
volunteer basis. In her opinion, if you can help,
why shouldn’t you? Small communities, like Tomball,
can always use help. “If you are willing to be a
part of something or volunteer in Tomball, they will
welcome you with open arms,” she said.
A few (and I mean a few) of the boards and
committees Diane currently serves on, or has served
on, include: Secretary of The Economic Development
Board; President of the Centennial Commission; the
Tomball Independent School District Scholarship
Foundation; Vice President of the Tomball Museum;
Treasurer of the Tomball Citizen Police Academy
Alumni Association; Tomball Rotary, and so many
more.
Amazing things have resulted from Diane’s efforts
on the numerous committees she has served on.
Although the SH249 Bypass Project is really just
getting started, it had its beginnings while Diane
served as the president of the Tomball Area Chamber
of Commerce. “Some-times you do things and have to
sit back and wait to see what comes from your
efforts and the efforts of others,” she said.
“Nothing is ever done by one person; it is the
dedication of volunteers as well.”
Besides her passion for community service, Diane
also has a love for the arts. And if you’ve ever
been part of an organization that Diane participates
in, you know that this makes perfect sense. An
incredibly talented and creative lady, Diane is
especially adept at entertaining others. She has
served on the board for The Regional Arts Council (TRAC)
for a number of years. In 2003, Diane participated
in the Nutcracker, presented by the Houston
Repertoire Ballet and TRAC, playing “Mother Ginger”
for two years after that role was added to the
ballet. “I love to be involved in anything that
promotes the arts and the quality of life in
Tomball,” she said. “If I can manage it, I do it.”
Diane, who describes public speaking as “heaven,”
has also been involved with the Miss Tomball
Scholarship Pageant since 1973, first as a Director,
then as Producer. For the past 13 years, she has
emceed the event. Recently, she also emceed the Mr.
GQ contest at Magnolia High School.
Believe it or not, Diane does have a life outside
of the hustle and bustle of her volunteer work. She
sews costumes for her grandchildren and reads books
about self-improvement. Dealing with people and
relationships is also a favorite passtime, along
with practicing algebra for relaxation!
“Concentrating on the equations keeps all the other
things from the day from swirling around in my
head,” she said.
It probably wouldn’t surprise you to know that
this grandmother of nine also has a pilot’s license.
And it’s pretty obvious that she really enjoys
variety, and a good challenge, too!
What’s next for Diane Holland? It is safe to say
there will be something... but even Diane herself
may know what it is yet. True to her youthful
spirit, she jokingly tells her daughter all the
time, “I still don’t know what I want to be when I
grow up.”
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