Patrick Laird, acute care nurse practitioner and director of critical care services at St. Luke’s The Woodlands Hospital, has been honored with the 2010 Texas Nursing Award.

Laird was among 20 nurses to be honored from the Texas Nurses Association for his outstanding performance in nursing. The honorees were nominated from TNA’s District 9 which covers an eight-county area with more than 39,000 nurses. They were recognized for their extraordinary contributions to the nursing profession, to health care, and their local communities.

Laird received a Master of Science in Nursing from the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston School of Nursing, and is currently completing the requirements for a Doctor of Nursing Practice degree.

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Hubbell & Hudson opened a new concept store, Hubbell & Hudson Kitchen at 4526 Research Forest Drive near Gosling Road in The Woodlands on the eve of its two-year anniversary. The 5,000-square-foot Hubbell & Hudson Kitchen is a convenient stop-in market and eatery with eat-in or take-home gourmet eats and drinks, as well as home and kitchen essentials.

“Thanks to this community, Hubbell & Hudson has flourished during tough economic conditions,” said Cary Attar, president and founder, Hubbell & Hudson. “Our customers have wrapped their arms around us and embraced our unique culinary concept and dedication to service. Both locations are food lovers’ destinations.”

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Morning Star Builders LTD received the Houston’s Best award from the Greater Houston Builder’s Association for homes in the $1.2 to $ 1.8 million category.

Morning Star Builders LTD received the award for its Tuscan-inspired architecture- styled home with 6,100 square feet of livable space. The home features an inner courtyard with swimming pool and fountain detail. The one and one-half story abode includes a third story tower overlooking the golf course.

“It was a true honor to win this award and it solidifies our commitment to continue to provide quality homes with design details which reflect the owner’s character, offers true luxury living, quality craftsmanship with attention to the smallest architectural details and delivering not a house, but a home people want to live in for the rest of their lives,” Ted Cummins, chief creative officer, Morning Star Builders LTD, said.

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Former banking officers and industry veterans Jim Carlton, managing director and chief investment officer; Scott Hofferkamp, principal; and Barbara Jenks, principal; have formed Carlton, Hofferkamp and Jenks Wealth Management in The Woodlands with Florence Carlton as controller; Carolyn Thornton as director of business development; and John Sinitiere and Hunter Hernandez in client relations.

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Montgomery County Women’s Center has opened the new Marion Fischer Community Center. Community leaders and dignitaries gathered for a ribbon cutting ceremony at the Reaching Pines transitional supportive housing community in Conroe.

Named after long-time MCWC board member Marion Fischer, the center provides a place for counseling, fellowship, recreation and education including classes for budgeting and cooking.

The Reaching Pines transitional housing community is designed to provide a long-term strategy for independent living. It offers recovering families a two-year supportive program of safe, affordable housing to help them rebuild their lives.

Attending the ribbon cutting were Fischer, Sarah Raleigh, MCWC executive director Montgomery County Judge Alan B. “Barb” Sadler; Webb K. Melder, Conroe mayor; and many others.