A way with words was indeed the prerequisite for walking away with top honors at the Great Grown-Up Spelling Bee, benefiting the institution formerly known as the Houston READ Commission. For the winning word was "Zaibatsu," a Japanese term for financial cliques or conglomerates. And the winning team was Susman Godfrey, comprised of lawyers Rob Safi, Rick Hess and Matt Behncke.

Now about that name change. Only days before the spelling bee at the Hilton Americas-Houston, City Council unanimously approved a new name for the non-profit, which will henceforth be known as the Houston Center for Literacy, a sophisticated step up for the organization's rebranding effort.

The fundraiser, which raised a record $130,000, was chaired by Sarah and Bradley Bracewell. Former Houston READ Commission board chair Harrison Williams was honored and there to applaud him were his wife, Lynne Goode, and daughters Amelia and Francie.

With CultureMap co-founder Nic Phillips serving as judge, 16 teams competed for the trophy.

Notables witnessing the competition included Chinhui and Eddie Allen, Max Barrett, Lauren Baughman, Laynie Bracewell, Kathy and Brad Bracewell, Pierce Bush, Charles Butt, Linda and James Clarke, Susie and Sanford Criner, June Cullom, Isabel and Danny David, Alison de Lima Greene, Janie Deguerin, Julia Domning, Campbell Eifler, John Fitzpatrick and Lindsey Fondren.