Gus Pappas was born in Arachova, Greece and raised in Houston, Texas. A graduate of Westbury High School, Gus went on to the University of Houston, where he was a cheerleader during the Phi Slamma Jamma era of Cougar basketball. He graduated from South Texas College of Law in 1988 as a National Moot Court Champion, and has been an active trial lawyer for 35 years. Gus was President of the Houston Young Lawyers Association in 1998 and a board member for seven years. In 1996, he founded his own law firm Dabney Pappas, where he still practices today.

From 2014 to 2021, Gus served on the Bellaire City Council, where he functioned as the Mayor Pro Tem for four of his eight years. During his tenure on City Council, Gus was involved in the approval of countless construction projects, including the new City Hall & Civic Center, Evelyn’s Park, Bellaire Sr. High School, Condit Elementary, and the Police & Municipal Court.

Gus is a proud Bellaire resident of 25 years where he lives with his wife Pamela Pappas, a fellow attorney, and their golden doodle Leo. Gus and Pamela have three daughters: Elena (30, Houston attorney), Lexi (27, media professional in Salt Lake City) and Demi (21, student at Georgetown University). All three were raised in Bellaire  and attended both Condit Elementary and Bellaire Sr. High School. An active participant in the neighborhood, Gus was a volunteer coach for all three girls’ Bellaire Youth Sports Teams.

A lifelong member of the Annunciation Greek Orthodox Cathedral, Gus played an important role in the revitalization of the Church campus and community. He was the Chairman of the AGOC Redevelopment Committee, which undertook a $10M redevelopment from 1996-2001, and he was a member of the AGOC Parish Council for approximately 10 years. He danced in the Greek Festival for decades and coached his daughters’ teams in the Youth Basketball Programs. He continues to serve the community as a Greek Festival Dance Instructor and Program MC.