Houston Newsmakers Nov. 26: Frank Billingsley goes on DNA Search for family tree

Largest minority supplier expo also examined on 'Houston Newsmakers'

HOUSTON – Most Houstonians know chief meteorologist Frank Billingsley for his weather forecasts for more than 25 years on KPRC 2. What many might not know is that he is adopted and recently searched for his biological mother.

As a child, Billingsly asked questions of his adoptive parents.

“Like any child, I was like, 'Well what were they like? And what do you know about them?' And they’d say, 'Well first of all, they were unmarried. They were not in a financial position to raise you. Your mom was good looking and your dad was athletic,” Billingsley recalled. 

It was long after those initial questions that Frank used his DNA to begin his search and wrote a book about that process. “Swabbed and Found: An Adopted Man’s DNA Journey to Discover his Family Tree” is the name of the book, and Billingsley talked about it this week on "Houston Newsmakers" with Khambrel Marshall.

”Emotionally, somewhere in my soul I have always thought, and this is probably egotistical, that my biological mother didn't just place me for adoption and forget me,” he said.  “That somewhere she regretted that, and she wondered about me.”

AND

It’s called the Houston Minority Supplier Development Council (HMSDC) and this week it’s hosting the state’s largest minority business trade fair at the George R. Brown Convention Center.

Constance Jones is the HMSDC vice president, and said it is a perfect way for suppliers and retailers to win in business.

“It is a great opportunity for suppliers that are looking to do business with those major corporations, governmental agencies and educational institutions to meet those individuals all in one day under one roof,” she said. 

ALSO 

Two minority business owners involved with the HMSDC talk about how their organizations benefit from participation join "Houston Newsmakers." Nadeem Mazhar is the CEO of Custom Technology Solutions and Edison Fordham, is the owner of USAImport.

 Watch "Houston Newsmakers," Sunday morning at 10:30 a.m.
 
 •    Frank Billingsley, Author-Swabbed and Found, www.FrankBillingsley.com

 •    Constance Jones, Vice President, Operations, Houston Minority Supplier Development Council, 713-271-7805, www.hmsdc.org  Twitter: @HoustonMSDC

 •    Nadeem Mazhar, CEO Custom Technology Solutions, 832-200-9900, www.ctssys.com

 •    Edison Fordham, Owner, USAUSAImports, 832-206-0391 www.usausaimport.c