AUSTIN, Texas – Texas House members from the border region were getting so frustrated about the lack of a border leader being appointed to the powerful Texas Transportation Commission they filed legislation to do something about it – House Bill 101.
The state lawmakers pointed out that the last Transportation commissioner from the Rio Grande Valley was Ruben R. Cardenas from McAllen. He served from May 1994 until April 1995.
They also pointed out that the last Transportation commissioner from the border region was Ted Houghton of El Paso. He served from February 2009 until February 2015.
The Texas Transportation Commission has five members, all appointed by the Governor. They oversee the Texas Department of Transportation and are responsible for policymaking regarding the state’s highway system, developing a statewide transportation plan, assisting the development of public transportation, and adopting rules for TxDOT’s operation.
Under HB 101, at least one member of the TTC must reside in a rural area and be a registered voter of a county with a population of less than 150,000. And at least one member of the same commission must reside and be a registered voter in a county bordering the United Mexican States.
HB 101 is authored by five border lawmakers – Reps. Claudia Ordaz and Evelina ‘Lina’ Ortega from El Paso, Rep. Ryan Guillen of Rio Grande City, Rep. Armando ‘Mando’ Martinez of Weslaco, and Rep. Terry Canales of Edinburg. Canales chairs the House Committee on Transportation.
HB 101 has been sent to Canales’ committee for review.
It appears, though, that Gov. Greg Abbott has been listening to the border representatives. On Tuesday, he announced the appointment of bank official and economic development specialist Alejandro ‘Alex’ Meade, III, of Mission to the TTC.
There are currently two open slots on the TTC. The other new appointee is Steven D. Alvis, a Houston resident and co-founder and managing partner of NewQuest Properties.
Meade’s term on the TTC is set to expire on February 1, 2025. Alvis’ term on the TTC is set to expire on February 1, 2029.
The two appointees must be confirmed by the Texas Senate and have the support of the state senator from the appointee’s hometown. In the case of Meade, that is state Sen. Juan Hinojosa of McAllen. In the case of Alvis, that is state Sen. Lois Kolkhorst of Brenham.
“I appreciate Governor Abbott appointing Alex Meade to the Texas Transportation Commission,” Hinojosa said. “He has made an excellent choice given the knowledge and experience Alex has with both the public and private sectors, as well as his banking and finance background. I am confident Alex will work tirelessly to provide transportation solutions that will take care of the needs of all Texans. I look forward to supporting him through the Senate confirmation process.”
“I am grateful for Governor Abbott’s wise decision to appoint Steve Alvis to the Texas Transportation Commission,” Kolkhorst said. “Steve Alvis should bring a wealth of business knowledge to the Commission and will be a great voice for my constituents and all Texans. His problem-solving talents will surely help push solutions to all of our state’s mobility challenges.”
A news release from the Governor’s office lists the biographies of the two new appointees to TTC.
Here they are:
Alejandro “Alex” G. Meade, III
Alejandro “Alex” G. Meade, III of Mission is executive vice president of Texas Regional Bank. Previously, he served as the city manager for the City of Pharr and prior to that he served as the chief executive officer of the Mission Economic Development Corporation. He is a board member of the Border Trade Alliance, former board of regent for Texas State Technical College System, and a former member of the Texas Economic Development Corporation Board of Directors. He is certified as an economic development finance professional by the National Development Council and a certified public manager by the National Certified Public Manager Consortium. Meade received a Bachelor of Business Administration in Economics from St. Edward’s University, Master of Business Administration from the University of Texas at Brownsville, and a Master of Public Administration from the University of Texas Pan American. He is also an alumnus of the Texas Lyceum.
Steven D. Alvis
Steven D. Alvis of Houston is the co-founder and managing partner of NewQuest Properties. He is chairman of the Texas Facilities Commission and a member of the Young President’s Organization (YPO), former chairman and vice chairman of YPO, and a member of YPO Gold. Additionally, he is a member of the Chief Executives Organization, International Council of Shopping Centers, and the Waller County Economic Development Partnership. Alvis received a Bachelor of Science in Animal Science from Texas A&M University and attended Texas A&M School of Veterinary Medicine.
Hinojosa issued a news release about the appointment of Meade (pictured above) to the TTC. In it, Hinojosa said:
“The appointment of Alex Meade to serve on the Texas Transportation Commission is an excellent choice by Governor Abbott. Given his past experience as CEO of the Mission Economic Development Corporation, his role as City Manager of the City of Pharr, and as the current Executive Vice President of Texas Regional Bank, Alex has the public and private sector experience needed for this important position. He understands how critical transportation infrastructure is to our cities, our businesses, and for our state’s continued success and economic growth. Alex has first-hand knowledge of the importance of the Texas-Mexico border and the benefits of the trade with Mexico through our international ports of entry. I am confident Alex will work tirelessly to provide transportation solutions that will take care of the needs of all Texans. I look forward to supporting him through the Senate confirmation process.”
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