When you assemble the Bob Goldberg family (Kenny, Neil, Lindsay, Richard and Chad to name a few), it’s hard to upstage them. But that’s exactly what happened Thursday at the 18th Annual Spirit of the Centennial luncheon. With the marvelous Fair Park fountain in the background, guests at the Music Hall listened to former Spirit of Centennial recipient John Scovell do roasting roasting as he presented the 2011 award to the Goldbergs’ Gold Metal Recyclers.
(FYI: Founded in 1976, Gold Metal Recyclers was established by brothers Kenny and Neil Goldberg with only three employees. Today it is the largest, privately-owned metals recycling organizations in the country.)
First John did a little self jabbing. He claimed that Kenny had asked him to bring his “B speech.” John was taken back. He had no such B speech in his repertoire. Kenny said, “Sure you do — ‘Be kind, be brief, be gone.'”
Then John turned his sites on the Friends of Fair Park, who are responsible for the luncheon. He recalled the great days of the Cotton Bowl when his father, the late Field Scovell headed up the Cotton Bowl Association. Then John added that now it was a “Texas-sized dog bowl!”
In accepting the award, Kenny recalled the days when he was a kid and his family would sit in the Cotton Bowl’s “cheap seats” on the grassy area behind the goal posts.
He also revealed that Friends of Fair Park president Craig Holcomb was very savvy in his negotiation skills. In discussing the last-minute funding for the 2010 4th of July fireworks, Kenny called Craig to confirm the final details of Gold Metal Recyclers’ making it happen. Without missing a beat, Craig responded, “That’s good — we just announced your gift at a news conference!”
BTW, Kenny’s brother Neil had the final memorable words of the day. He announced that Gold Metal Recyclers would once again sponsor this year’s fireworks for Fair Park Fourth on Monday, July 4.
Attaway, Goldbergs!