Recently, I had the opportunity to visit with Gerald Womack. Gerald is a well-known highly respected real estate developer. I meet Gerald in the early nineties at Pleasant Grove Missionary Baptist Church in Fifth Ward, Texas. Pastor C. L. Jackson was the senior pastor. Pleasant Grove was the first modern day dome church facility in America built by a Black church congregation. The first thing out of Gerald’s mouth was it is a shame that the Pleasant Grove dome, as a religious monument, has been torn down for housing development. Gerald is truly an unusual business professional who has always had a profound Godly vision for the future. A living testament to Gerald’s visionary prospective concerning business development is the block of Almeda in Third Ward where his office is located, Gerald Womack assisted in redevelop- ing and beautifying the entire block. Womack Development is a full- service real estate license brokerage firm that has a vision for the future.
On the next corner on Wheeler Avenue is the former office of Mack Hannah Enterprises, dilapidated and utterly
in shambles. In passing I mentioned that to Gerald, and he retorted that this will not happen to Womack Real Estate Enterprises. Out of curiosity, I asked Gerald to explain why Womack Real Estate Enterprises would live after God calls him home, and jokingly I said, because you do know this is not your home. Gerald smiled, and replied, “I have an insurance policy for five million dollars on my life designed solely to perpetuate the existence of Womack Real Estate Enterprises”. Therefore, when I die Womack Real Estate Developers will not die. Additionally, Gerald replied I have set in place an oversight accountability system and institutional structure that ensures the successful survival of the business. To say the least, I was amazed at both the intellectual as well as spiritual insightfulness.
Recently, Gerald Womack received The John E. Wolf Community Service Award. The award is in honor of President John E. Wolf from (1938-1939). The award is given annually to a Houston Area Realtor (HAR) member who has made outstanding charitable contributions to the community, primarily outside of the real estate development industry. The criteria for the award include leadership and service in charitable organizations as well as special service organizations. Thus, the award is given to a member of HAR who has an exemplary reputation for community service. For example, on Monday, December 23rd , Gerald assisted Bridging the Digital Divide with a computer give away to Foster Care Families. It is with heartfelt honor and congratulations that the African American News and Issues recognize and honor the business development character as well as the charitable giving spirit of Gerald Womack. Gerald, congratulations, best wishes, and may you walk gently through the world, and know its beauty all the days of your life.
