Lifetime Achievement Award for Krishnamurthys by CKW Luxe at MFAH

Nat and Leela Krishnamurthy received a lifetime achievement award from CKW Luxe at a lavish function held at the Museum of Fine Arts. They received the award from Connie Kang Wong, founder of CKW Luxe media (left) and Gigi Lee (right) from Mayor Whitmire’s office who read a proclamation, while KTRK TV news anchor Gina Gaston introduced them.

HOUSTON: The reach of their philanthropy is widespread and widely acknowledged all over the
Bayou City, a place they've called home since 1977, raised their family and cultivated a legion
of friends from the many communities that make this area unique.

This past Saturday, January 25 Leela and Natesan Krishnamurthy were acknowledged with a
lifetime achievement award from CKW Luxe at a lavish function held at the Museum of Fine
Arts. Surrounded by priceless renaissance artwork, and about 200 admirers, Leela and Nat
were applauded as they took a walk down the center of the room. They received the award from
Connie Kang Wong, founder of the 10-year-old CKW Luxe media and Gigi Lee from Mayor
Whitmire’s office who read a proclamation, while KTRK TV news anchor Gina Gaston
introduced them.

About 200 people attended the event, including close friends from the Indian community.

The couple is well-known for their lifelong philanthropic work and their belief in, and support of,
social programs and the arts. In January 2020, they were also honored by CKW Luxe as the
Power Couple Impact Makers of the Year.

Leela received her master’s degree from Clark Atlanta University, became the head librarian at
the Bell City Library in Los Angeles County and later the head librarian of the Barbara Bush
Library in Houston. Leela initiated many innovative programs designed to encourage children
and adults from underserved communities to utilize the various services offered by the library.

For her dedication and the success of her programs, Leela was awarded the key to the City of
Bell. She also received numerous awards and accolades from the Board of Supervisors of Los
Angeles County and the Superintendent of the Los Angeles Unified School District.
Nat received his MBA from Clark Atlanta University. He joined Getty Oil Company as a financial
analyst in the international marketing and manufacturing division in Los Angeles. He was
promoted to financial planning manager for the southern exploration and production division in
Houston, then later in New Orleans as manager of shared services for two major exploration
and production divisions. His promotion to director of strategic planning for North American
brought him back to Houston.

In New Orleans, Leela joined the Food Bank as volunteer coordinator, also wrote grants to
support adoption and prevention of child abuse for the Children's Bureau of New Orleans and
raised funds for the homeless for the House of Ruth. She also volunteered at women’s shelters,
runaway teen shelters, and at inner-city schools. Her selfless contributions to the community
were noticed, and the Governor of Louisiana presented her with the Outstanding Citizen Award.
Nat has always been active in developing and implementing strategic initiatives to improve the
lives of the less privileged. In New Orleans, he developed UNITY of Greater New Orleans, a
collaboration of industry, state, city, and service providers formed to eliminate the city’s
homeless issue. In 2010, UNITY received the Nonprofit Sector Achievement Award from the
National Alliance to End Homelessness.

Leela combines her dedication to social programs with her passion for the arts by sponsoring
music, dance, and cultural programs to raise funds for her favorite charities. Leela brought the
world-renowned sitarist Ravi Shankar to Houston for a concert for UNICEF. She has also raised
funds for the Indo-American Charity Foundation, Houston Habitat For Humanity, Sri Meenakshi

Temple Society, Expectation Graduation for the Houston Independent School District, and many
other important organizations and initiatives.

Nat is a past co-chair of United Way Listening Tour. The initiative develops strategies and
processes for optimum fund allocations and identifies performance measures for service
providers. He is also a past treasurer and advisory council member of the Sri Meenakshi Temple
Society and a past treasurer of Indo-American Charity Foundation. Nat was a member of the
national board of Save a Mother and the chairman of the board for the Youth Leadership
Development Program of Houston.

Leela currently serves on the boards of Houston Habitat for Humanity, UNICEF, Save a Mother,
and the Youth Leadership Development Program of Houston. She is also a trustee and past
president of Sankara Nethralaya Om Trust and a member of Ek Disha. Leela and Nat were
cochairs of the 2012 Houston Habitat for Humanity Gala and honorary cochairs of the 2019
UNICEF Gala.

Leela has been honored by Meenakshi Temple, Houston Telugu Cultural Association, and Tamil
Nadu Foundation Houston Chapter. She is also an Easter Seals Hats Off to Mothers honoree
2014, an Outstanding Service Award recipient from Friends of the Barbara Bush Library, and a
Leadership and Support Award recipient from Bharathi Kalai Manram. Together, Leela and Nat
were honored with the 2019 Angels of Charity Award from the Indo-American Charity
Foundation.