Appointed Office Initiative
Did you know that in one four-year term, the Texas State Governor appoints over 1,500 Texans to serve our great state on various state boards, commissions, councils, and task forces? It is vitally important that the governor fill these positions with the sharpest minds – and we’d say individuals – with strong business insight. If you don’t feel ready for service at the state level, or just want to see if this is for you, we encourage you to start by applying for a city board or commission. At the Chamber, we know our community is home to an abundance of talent, and we want to support and encourage local business leaders to apply for a possible appointment, to let their experience and expertise be of benefit to the state. Working with other community stakeholders, we work to identify the most talented possible applicants and support their application however we can. We are pleased that McLennan County now has almost twenty
community members appointed by the governor serving in such capacity. Read on to learn about a few who went through the application process, and what their service means to them!
Bill Dietz, Jr. | President, Dietz Financial Services, LLC
Bill Dietz, Jr. first expressed his interest in serving Texans about 10 years ago. It so happened that the Texas State Affordable Housing Corporation needed a director with financial expertise, and he fulfilled those qualities. He believed accepting his appointment with an organization targeting the housing needs of low-income families and other underserved populations could make a difference. Since there are only five directors, he serves on an actively engaged board and can substantially influence policy.
After serving on the board for more than eight years, in many roles, he was appointed Chair by Governor Greg Abbott in February of 2018. Dietz remains committed to providing affordable housing programs to deserving Texans who otherwise may not have acceptable housing options, and to doing so without using any state-appropriated funding.
Lindsey R. Geeslin | Executive Director, Texas Masonry Council
Lindsey R. Geeslin is an appointee of the Governor’s office as a member to the Texas Workforce Investment Council (TWIC) representing labor and has always considered education an important aspect of career growth and a characteristic valued among fellow business leaders. Today, the link between education and a skilled workforce is tremendously apparent: it is the key to success for the industry she is passionately involved with — The Texas Masonry Council. As a non-profit trade association, the Texas Masonry Council advocates for a highly-trained workforce.
Coupling with her appointment, she represents the TWIC as a liaison to the Rehabilitation Council of Texas. The Rehabilitation Council advocates for Texans with disabilities in the vocational rehabilitation process. Geeslin has found that advocating and championing specific initiatives is easy because she has learned to channel her passion!
Wes Lloyd | Attorney, Freeman Mills PC
Wes Lloyd was appointed to the Brazos River Authority (BRA) by Governor Greg Abbott in July of 2016, after serving for eight years as an appointee by then-Governor Rick Perry on two oil and gas-related boards. His service on the BRA is beneficial to Waco since he is familiar with the city’s water resources and priorities. River authorities like the BRA do crucial work that helps guarantee that Texas has the capacity to continue to grow and prosper. The BRA water supply system includes 11 reservoirs and supplied almost 300,000 acre-feet of water to customers
in 2018. The 42,000-square-mile river basin stretches from New Mexico to the Gulf of Mexico and is larger than 17 states.
Since joining the BRA, his priority has been to ensure transparency to their bosses, the public and ratepayers, and enhance our communication with the public and strives to use his voice to impact legislation and regulatory policy at the state and federal level.
Lauren Dreyer | Senior Director, Human Resources & Business Operations, SpaceX
Lauren Dreyer serves on the Texas Aerospace and Aviation Advisory Committee. This provides an opportunity for her to have a positive impact on the industry and the state. She enjoys working with her fellow committee members – nine industry professionals from across the state – as they seek to advise the governor and assist the Economic Development and Tourism Office/Office of Aerospace and Aviation to recruit and retain industry jobs and appropriate funding levels.
Their meetings provide opportunities to learn more about the Aerospace and Aviation industry, think beyond a company-level for the greater good of Texas, share information about what is happening at SpaceX in Central Texas and across the state and learn the same from fellow committee members respective to their companies and areas.
Mike Reeser | Chancellor, Texas State Technical College System
Mike Reeser was selected by Governor Greg Abbott to represent Texas on a three-member panel of workforce experts who traveled to the White House to advise the federal government on skilled workforce solutions. In another endeavor, Lieutenant Governor Patrick requested Reeser serve on the P-TECH Advisory Council, a panel assembled to inform the creation of Texas educational innovations targeting the skilled workforce shortage. As the Chancellor of Texas State Technical College (TSTC), he represented TSTC and brought their best-in-Texas know-how to the discussions
of the skills shortage. He feels gratified by serving in an appointed position and contributing to real solutions; for example, the work done on the P-TECH Council led directly to new legislation in Texas creating a whole new form of technical training collaborative between high schools, colleges, and Texas employers.
Congratulations to these outstanding community leaders for their commitment to engaging with state policy and governance! To learn more about appointments at the city level, visit waco-texas.com/boards-commissions.asp. To learn more about the Governor’s Appointments, visit gov.texas.gov/organization/appointments.