Former Vicksburg resident Mary Bass was recently inducted into the Texas Women’s Hall of Fame as one of just a handful of women to receive the distinction in 2024.

The Greater Houston Women’s Chamber of Commerce (GHWCC) welcomed a full house of guests – their largest crowd to date – to the 2024 Texas Women’s Hall of Fame Gala at the Royal Sonesta Hotel.The GHWCC honored an ICON, an Ambassador, and 16 other remarkable women who have contributed significantly to the advancement and empowerment of women and improved the quality of life for future generations of Houstonians.

Bass is the daughter of the late Jane and Jerry Derivaux. She grew up in Vicksburg and is a 1974 Graduate of Saint Aloysius High School.

She earned her BS in Business from Mississippi State University in 1978.

She received her MBA in 1979 from Mississippi State with a Masters of Business Administration and a specialty degree in Corporate Finance.

Mary is married to Michael Thomas Bass from Pontotoc, Miss. and currently resides in Houston.

She will forever call Vicksburg home and visits family and friends in Mississippi often.

This year’s gala was co-chaired by two leaders, Farida Abjani, Aged Gracefully Home Health; and Nancy Strohmer, Community Volunteer and Philanthropist. The auction chair was Allison McFarlane, Allison McFarlane Inc.

“The chamber was honored to recognize these 18 remarkable women who deserve their place in history,” Suzan Deison, president/CEO/founder of GHWCC said. “Houston is so fortunate to have benefited from their many contributions. We will forever be grateful.”

The 2024 Texas Women’s Hall of Fame ICON was Mady Kades, McDonalds Corporation/Kades Corporation. The Hall of Fame Ambassador was Paula Harris, Houston Astros Foundation. The 2024 Texas Women’s Hall of Fame Inductees included: Dorothy Ables, Community Volunteer; Mary Bass, Spencer Stuart; Carolyn Benton Aiman, SEMPRA Infrastructure; Kimberly C. David, Baylor College of Medicine; June Deadrick, Center- Point Energy; Shelly deZevallos, Ed.D., West Houston Airport; Sonia Freeman, PKF Texas; Dr. Carin Hagberg, UT MD Anderson Cancer Center; Hannah McNair, Houston Texans Foundation; Alexandra Pruner, Perella Weinberg Partners/TPH&Co.; Julie Roberts, Elizabeth Anthony; Mayte Sera Weitzman, Goya Foods of Texas; Lenora Sorola-Pohlman, Navarro Insurance; Deborah Stavis, Stavis Wealth Transfer Solutions; Staci Taylor Fullmighter, Savannah-Chatham County Public School System; Melinda Yee, Deloitte & Touche, LLP.

Gala proceeds will benefit the Chamber’s program of work in the community, which includes Women On Board Institute; an initiative to increase the number of women serving on corporate boards, GHWCC SBA Women’s Business Center, a program supporting women entrepreneurs with education and resources to start or expand their business, providing scholarships for deserving female students graduating from Aldine, Conroe, Fort Bend, Houston, Spring, and Spring Branch School Districts to
attend a Texas college of their choice, and STEAM Town USA; an initiative to increase exposure of third grade girls interested in math and science through STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts & Math) concepts, improve grades and graduation rates, and encourage girls to pursue STEAM careers.