Member Profiles

Steven Albright

Austin, Texas

Deputy Policy Director, Office of Governor Greg Abbott

• Specializes in the areas of transportation, energy, natural resources and homeland security policy.

Previous Experience

• Previously served eight years as Chief of Staff in the Texas Senate for Senator Robert Nichols, as well as Policy Director for the Texas Senate Committee on Transportation.
• Previously served as a legislative director in the Texas House of Representatives, focusing on natural resources and finance-related policy.
• Has more than 15 years of experience in the legislative and executive branches of Texas Government, including 20 regular and special legislative sessions.

Bill Allaway

Austin, Texas

Former Senior Advisor, Texas Taxpayers and Research Association (TTARA) (Retired)
Former President, TTARA Research Foundation

• Advised TTARA and oversees its research foundation for businesses and individuals working to ensure fiscal responsibility in Texas state government through the development and advocacy of sound tax and budget policies.
• Served as President and principal spokesman for TTARA for 24 years prior to stepping into the position of Senior Advisor.

Previous Experience

• Formerly served as director of revenue estimating for the Comptroller of Public Accounts and on the economics staff of the Texas Water Development Board.

Board Service

• Texas Strategic Economic Policy Commission
• Texas Council on Workforce and Economic Competitiveness
• State Job Training Coordinating Council
• The Commission of 125 at the University of Texas at Austin

Al Alonzi

Austin, Texas

Texas Division Administrator, Federal Highway Administration (FHWA)

• Provides executive direction over the $3.2 billion annual federal-aid apportionment to Texas, one of the largest and most complex federal-aid programs in the nation.
• Leads a multidisciplinary staff of 50 professionals to provide guidance to state and local funding recipients unified in the primary objective of remaining a relevant partner in Texas, while advancing national transportation goals.

Former Deputy Division Administrator, FHWA Texas Division Office

Has served FHWA in multiple capacities in several field offices as well as the Washington, D.C. headquarters for over 24 years.

Jeffrey Arndt

San Antonio, Texas

President and CEO, VIA Metropolitan Transit

• Leads this agency, which provides transportation services to the fast growing city of San Antonio, identified as the 7th largest city in the U.S and previously served as Deputy CEO/Chief of Business Support Services.
• Experienced in transit service and capital facility development; training and safety; financial management and planning; labor relations; special event transit/traffic management; and transit operations.

Former Senior Vice President of Operations, Houston METRO

Former Research Scientist, Texas A&M Transportation Institute

Board Service

• American Public Transportation Association Bus Safety Committee
• Board of Directors, Centro San Antonio
• Texas Diversity Council
• South West Transit Association
• San Antonio Chamber of Commerce

Robin Autenrieth

College Station, Texas

Department Head, Zachry Department of Civil Engineering, Texas A&M University

• Leads the Zachry Department of Civil Engineering, which is ranked 8th (undergraduate) and 9th (graduate) among all civil engineering programs at public institutions and is the largest civil engineering program in the country.
• Oversees 60 faculty, nearly 1,000 undergraduate students, and over 400 graduate students.
• Has a joint appointment the Department of Environmental and Occupational Health at the Texas A&M Health Science Center School of Public Health.
• Joined Texas A&M in 1986 as an assistant professor and has served in numerous positions, including senior associate dean for academic affairs.

Board Service

• Association of Environmental Engineering
• Science Professors Foundation Board

John Bartosiewicz

Fort Worth, Texas

Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, McDonald Transit Associates, Inc./RATP DEV

• Oversees operation of the company in management and operation of transit systems in more than 30 locations nationwide and internationally.

General Manager, Fort Worth Transportation Authority (the T) (1977-2003)

• Operated fixed route bus service, paratransit service and rideshare programs in four cities; instrumental in planning, design and operation of Trinity Railway Express, a commuter rail line linking the Fort Worth and Dallas business communities.

Board Service

• Texas Transit Association and South West Transit Association (president)
• American Public Transportation Association (former chair)
• Transit Cooperative Research Program, TOPS Committee

Michael Behrens

Yoakum, Texas

Director, National Transportation Programs, Michael Baker Corporation

• Provides advice and guidance on project delivery methods for clients and participates in national transportation initiatives on behalf of the company.

Former Executive Director, Texas Department of Transportation (2001-2007)

• Managed TxDOT programs, policies and operating strategies, and represented the agency before the Texas Legislature.
• Began his career with TxDOT in 1971; formerly served as District Engineer in the Yoakum District and as Assistant Executive Director for Engineering Operations.

Board Service

• Transportation Research Board Executive Committee
• American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials
• Western Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (past president)

Rollin Bredenberg

Fort Worth, Texas

Vice President, Capacity Planning and Operations Research, BNSF Railway

• Determines priorities for investment in expansion of line and terminal capacity. Leads operations research and advanced analytics teams.

General Manager, Southern Pacific Railroad (1965-1994)

• Served 29 years in management positions in San Antonio, Ennis and Houston, including vice president of the Mexico business unit.

Board Service

• Fort Worth Hispanic Chamber of Commerce
• Barriger National Transportation Library
• Port Terminal Railroad Association of Houston

David Cain

Dallas, Texas

President, David Cain Consulting

• Conducts governmental affairs and relations consulting for numerous clients.

Member, Texas Senate, (1995-2003)

• Elected chairman of the Subcommittee on Infrastructure and Senate Committee on Administration, and twice elected chairman of the Southern Legislative Conference Transportation Committee.

Member, Texas House of Representatives (1977-1995)

• Served as chairman of the House Committee on Transportation and wrote the legislation that created the Texas Department of Transportation.

Board Service

• Capitol Preservation Board
• Council of Governments (governing board)

Mike Carrell

Corpus Christi, Texas

Regional President, Frost Bank

• Serves as Regional President of Frost Bank, overseeing Corpus Christi area locations.

Previous Experience

• Previously served as Chairman of the Port of Corpus Christi.
• Has two degrees in civil engineering and formerly worked at M.W. Kellogg in Houston; Urban Engineering in Corpus Christi; and Exxon in Corpus Christi.
• He earned his MBA degree from Corpus Christi State University in 1981 and entered the banking profession in 1983.

Board Service

• Coastal Bend Community Foundation
• USS Lexington Museum on the Bay (past president)
• United Way of the Coastal Bend (past president)
• Driscoll Children’s Hospital Governing Board
• Corpus Christi Mustangs
• Buccaneer Commission

Chuck Ellison

College Station, Texas

Founder and Principal, The Ellison Firm, Attorneys at Law

• Serves clients in areas of business, real estate, banking, municipal law, estate planning and probate.

Board Service

• A&M Political Action Committee (founding trustee and chair)
• Brazos Valley Community Foundation (founding trustee and past chair)
• United Way of the Brazos Valley (former campaign chair)
• Association of Former Students, Texas A&M University (past chair)
• Texas A&M Corps Development Council
• Texas A&M System Chancellor’s Century Council (executive committee)
• Bush School of Government and Public Service Development Council
• CHI St. Joseph Health Board of Trustees
• Hospice Brazos Valley Ethics Committee

Roger Guenther

Houston, Texas

Executive Director, Port of Houston Authority

• Named Executive Director in January 2014 and has 26 years of experience at the Port of Houston Authority.

Former Deputy Executive Director of Operations for the Port Authority

• Was responsible for all container and breakbulk cargo operations, management and construction of capital development projects, facility and asset maintenance, and real estate interests.
• Also has served in various capacities related to facilities management, including master planning of the Bayport Container Terminal, redevelopment of the existing Barbours Cut Terminal, and procurement of all container handling cranes and equipment over the last two decades.

Previously served as an engineer with Emscor, Inc. in Atlanta, Georgia

Board Service

• Port Authority Advisory Committee
• Texas Department of Transportation

Mike Heiligenstein

Austin, Texas

Executive Director, Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority

• Leads the implementation of innovative, multi-modal transportation solutions that reduce congestion and create transportation choices that enhance quality of life and economic vitality in the Central Texas region.

Former County Commissioner, Williamson County (1989-2003)

• Led the development of environmental and public infrastructure projects.

Former City Councilman, Round Rock (1980-1987)

• Helped supervise more than $500 million in capital improvement projects.

Board Service

• International Bridge, Tunnel and Turnpike Association
• Envision Central Texas
• National Association of Counties Air and Water Quality Subcommittees (past chair)
• Austin-San Antonio Corridor Council (past vice chair)
• Texas Technology Task Force
• Carma Advisory Board

Thomas Johnson

Austin, Texas

Executive Vice President, Associated General Contractors of Texas

• Manages the day-to-day operations of one of the strongest and most progressive chapters of the AGC in the nation. Its nearly 900 member firms across the state build more than 85 percent of the highways in Texas.
• Inducted into the Texas Transportation Hall of Honor and received the Russell H. Perry Award from the Texas Department of Transportation.
• Named one of the Top 100 Private Sector Transportation Construction Professionals of the 20th Century by the American Road and Transportation Builders Association.

Board Service

• National Park Foundation

Bob Jones

Houston, Texas

President and CEO, Jones Engineering Solutions, LLC

Former President, CEO and Founding Partner, Jones & Carter, Inc.

• Managed this 350-person, Texas-owned, civil engineering company with primary emphasis on municipal, land development and transportation infrastructure. Provided guidance on master planning; political coordination; finance and cost evaluation; program development and management; and regulatory assistance. Worked with local, state and national entities to enhance transportation and transportation funding.

Board Service

• Texas Council of Engineering Companies (president-elect)
• North Houston Association
• West Houston Association
• Texas Building and Procurement Commission (former commissioner)
• Harris-Galveston Coastal Subsidence District (former director)
• Texas A&M University Dwight Look College of Engineering Advisory Council
• Texas A&M University Department of Civil Engineering Advisory Council (emeritus member)

Jungus Jordan

Fort Worth, Texas

City Councilman, Fort Worth, Texas

• First elected to the Council in June 2005, representing District 6 and was re-elected to his sixth term in May 2015.

Previous Experience

• Lieutenant Colonel (Ret.), U.S. Air Force, serving in Vietnam, Germany and the Office of the Secretary of Defense at the Pentagon.
• Formerly served as development officer at Texas Christian University and later in management positions in marketing and financial advising.

Board Service

• National League of Cities
• North Texas Commission
• Texas Municipal League (past president)
• North Central Texas Clean Air Steering Committee (vice chair)
• North Central Texas Regional Transportation Council (former chair)
• Passenger Rail Working Group (chair)
• Tarrant Regional Transportation Coalition (chair)

Jon-Michael Kowall

San Antonio, Texas

Assistant Vice President, P&C Innovation, United Services Automobile Association (USAA)

• Leads the Innovation team for USAA’s P&C insurance company, which is charged with finding new and better ways to enhance safety and create value for USAA’s 11 million members by leveraging new and emerging technologies, creating strategic partnerships, and thinking outside the box.

Additional Experience

• Active in the startup community, teaming with technology firms, and leveraging key industry partnerships.
• Has nearly 20 years of financial services industry experience ranging from actuarial, underwriting, product development, finance, and emerging analytics.

Thomas Lambert

Houston, Texas

President and CEO, Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County (METRO)

• Oversees the management and operations of transit services for the nation’s fourth largest city.
• Previously served as Executive Vice President, as well as Senior Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer and Senior Vice President and Chief of Police during his 36 years with the agency.

Former Senior Police Officer with the Austin Police Department

Board Service

• American Public Transportation Association
• Transportation Policy Council, Houston-Galveston Area Council
• U.S. Department of Transportation Intelligent Transportation Systems Advisory Council (former member)
• Intelligent Transportation Society of America Board of Directors (former chairman)
• Transportation Security Administration Peer Advisory Group (former chairman)
• Houston TranStar Leadership Team (former chairman)

David Laney

Dallas, Texas

Attorney, business and financial law

• Provides consulting services in transportation planning, construction, finance and state legislative matters.
• Experience also includes litigation management and planning; mediation; and strategic and organizational planning.

Former Managing Partner, Jenkins & Gilchrist, P.C.

Board Service

• Texas Transportation Commission (former chair)
• National Railroad Passenger Corporation (Amtrak) (former chair)
• Southern Methodist University Dedman School of Law
• Texas Turnpike Authority (former member)
• Finance Commission of Texas (former member)
• Stanford University Board of Trustees (audit chair)
• Matador Resources Co.
• LBJ Express (chair)
• North Tarrant Express
• Freight Shuttle International

Russell Laughlin

Fort Worth, Texas

Senior Vice President, Hillwood Properties

• Oversees the management, operation, land and infrastructure planning, and entitlements of AllianceTexas, a 17,000-acre mixed-use, master-planned community encompassing an international trade and logistics complex, 265 corporate residents, 30,000 employees and 7,600 single-family homes.
• Instrumental in the development of AllianceTexas and in leading long-term regional planning initiatives for North Fort Worth and Tarrant County during 25 years with the company.
• Formerly served as director of Hillwood’s National Transportation Authority, with primary responsibility for privatized road development projects.

Board Service

• 35W Coalition (president)
• Tarrant Regional Transportation Coalition (executive committee)
• Regional Transportation Council
• North American Super Corridor Coalition (secretary)
• Greater Fort Worth Real Estate Council

Carlos Lopez

Austin, Texas

HNTB, South and Central Texas Office Leader

• Leads the delivery of a full range of infrastructure-related services, including award-winning planning, design, program delivery and construction management.

Former District Engineer, Austin District, Texas Department of Transportation

• Directed a broad range of transportation infrastructure issues, including engineering projects, road and bridge design and construction and maintenance of the district’s transportation system.
• Served as Director (1999–2009) and deputy director (1996–1999) of the Traffic Operations Division; and Traffic Engineering Section Manager (1993–1996).

Board Service

• Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization Transportation Policy Board (former member)
• Clean Air Force of Central Texas (former member)

James McCarley

Dallas, Texas

Principal, James McCarley Consultants

• Provides consulting services in state governmental relations.

Executive Director, Dallas Regional Mobility Coalition (1996-2007)

• Promoted transportation projects for this coalition of five counties and 26 cities.

Interim Executive Director, North Texas Tollway Authority (1997-1998)

• Reorganized the organization from a state agency to a local government operation.

Assistant City Manager and Chief of Police, City of Plano

Board Service

• Viewpoint Bank (chair)
• Texas Credit Union Coalition Board of Directors
• Texas Police Chiefs Association (past president)

Drayton McLane Jr.

Temple, Texas

Chairman, McLane Group

• The McLane Group is a parent company consisting of family owned companies operating throughout the world, including McLane Advanced Technologies, which pursues technology advancements for the commercial, government, and defense industries.

Former Chairman and CEO, Houston Astros Baseball Club for 19 seasons

Former CEO, McLane Company

• Operated the family wholesale grocery business for 30 years. The $19 billion company achieved an average growth rate of 30 percent per year. Following the McLane Company’s merger with Wal-Mart, Inc., in 1990, also became vice-chairman of Wal-Mart., which until November of 2011 included the Houston Astros where he served as Chairman and CEO.

Board Service

• Chairman, Board of Trustees, Baylor Scott & White Healthcare
• Vice President at Large, Boy Scouts of America National Board
• Member, National Board of Governors, Cooper Institute for Aerobics Research
• Board Director, The Bush School of Government and Public Service, Texas A&M University
• Board of Visitors

Gregg Mitchell

Dallas, Texas

President, Trinity Highway Products, LLC

• Operates the only full-line manufacturer of highway guardrail and crash cushions in the United States, with product lines featuring several proprietary products, including end terminals, crash cushions and a cable barrier guardrail system.
• Oversees Energy Absorption Systems, Inc., a subsidiary of Trinity Highway Products.

President, Trinity Logistics Group, Inc.

• Led all national logistics within Trinity Industries, including trucking, rail and barge efforts and transformed the group into a market leader that operates in 47 states and internationally.

Senior Vice President, Supply Chain, Glazer’s Family of Companies

Vice President, Gap International Logistics

Board Service

• North American Corridor Coalition Board
• Cotes du Coeur (American Heart Association) Fundraising Committee

Doug Pitcock

Houston, Texas

Owner, Chairman of the Board and CEO, Williams Brothers Construction Company

• Operates one of the largest highway/heavy contractors in the nation.
• Helped form the company in 1955 and has been a prominent leader in the transportation industry for more than 40 years.
• Appointed by President Gerald Ford to serve on the National Transportation Policy Study Committee.
• Appointed by Texas Governor Preston Smith to serve on the Texas State Board of Registration for Professional Engineers and was elected chair.
• Inducted into the Texas Transportation Hall of Honor and the Texas Good Roads/Transportation Association Hall of Fame.
• Named one of the Top 100 Private Sector Transportation Construction Professionals of the 20th Century by the American Road and Transportation Builders Association.

Board Service

• Associated General Contractors of America (AGC) (past president)
• Texas Highway Branch of AGC (past president)
• Texas Deep Water Port Authority
• Houston Chamber of Commerce Highway Transportation Committee (past chair)

Rene Ramirez

McAllen, Texas

Founder and Owner, Pathfinder

• Specializes in government relations, economic development and community outreach in the Rio Grande Valley.

Chief of Staff for State Senator Juan “Chuy” Hinojosa

• Was responsible for research and staff support to help secure critical funding, primarily in transportation and infrastructure, economic development, health care, and higher education.

Hidalgo County Judge

• Worked with local, state and international leaders to improve the transportation network, to improve the local infrastructure to mitigate flooding, and to upgrade the emergency management system.

Board Service

• Edinburg City Council
• Edinburg Chamber of Commerce
• McAllen Medical Board of Governors
• Hidalgo County Housing Authority
• Red Sands Ground Water Conservation District

Herbert Richardson

College Station, Texas

Director Emeritus, Texas A&M Transportation Institute

• Led the agency for 13 years.

Chancellor, The Texas A&M University System (1991-1993)

• Developed a comprehensive long-range vision for the System and was instrumental in significantly increasing legislative appropriations.

Previous Experience

• Served seven years as Dean and Vice Chancellor of Engineering, Texas A&M University; and 27 years at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Board Service

• National Academy of Engineering (council member)
• National Research Council (governing board)
• Transportation Research Board (past chair)

Phil Ritter

Dallas, Texas

Chief Operating Officer, Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute

• Oversees the programs, staff and operations of the Institute, which provides high quality, nonpartisan and objective policy research and development to improve mental health services in Texas.

Former Executive Vice President, Government and Stakeholder Affairs, DFW International Airport

• Directed public policy and oversaw the airport’s industry and association leadership, media relations, community relations and other public affairs functions.

Former Senior Vice President, Public Affairs, Texas Instruments, Inc.

• Directed the company’s public affairs initiatives, including government relations, philanthropy and community affairs (2001–2009).

Board Service

• Chairman, Development Board, University of Texas at Dallas
• Board of Governors, Dallas Symphony Association
• Former Campaign Chair and Chairman of the Board for the United Way of Metropolitan Dallas
• Dallas Area Rapid Transit (former board member)
• North Central Texas Council of Governments Regional Transportation Council (former board member)

Gary Slagel

Richardson, Texas

President and CEO, CapitalSoft, Inc.

• Manages one of the leading providers of enterprise software for efficiently managing capital programs for public and private sector construction markets.

City of Richardson, Texas: Council Member (1987-2011); Mayor Pro Tem (1989-1991); Mayor (1991-2007; 2009-2011)

Previous Leadership Experience

• Previous leadership experience in technology development and management with Texas Instruments and General Electric.

Board Service

• Dallas Area Rapid Transit
• Metroplex Mayors Association (past president)
• North Central Texas Council of Governments (past president)
• Dallas Regional Mobility Coalition Executive Committee
• Regional Transportation Council

Robert Spillar

Austin, Texas

Transportation Director, City of Austin

• Responsible for the City’s multimodal transportation portfolio, including rail planning, traffic engineering and operations, parking enterprise, right-of-way permitting, and special events management.
• Has developed numerous regional partnerships to improve the transportation system conditions not just in Austin, but in Central Texas through projects such as completion of the Ben White/Loop 1 interchange, improvements to the Oak Hill “Y,” and revamping of parking operations.

Former Vice President, Parsons Brinckerhoff

Former Director of Traffic Management, City of Seattle

Russell Stubbs

Fort Worth, Texas

President and CEO, Eco Flaps, LLC

• Leads Eco Flaps, a company that produces and sells aerodynamic splash guards that replace mud flaps on tractor-trailers. The product is designed to increase fuel savings and road safety; reduce road spray and the carbon footprint for the trucking industry; and be more durable than a conventional mud flap.

Previous Experience

• Previously served as President and CEO of Frozen Food Express Industries (FFE) in Dallas (2008-2014). FFE was a publicly held transporter of perishable truckload and LTL freight operating over 2,000 power units in the contiguous 48 states, Canada and Mexico. The company was sold to an investor and taken private in 2014.
• Over 30 years’ experience in the trucking industry, holding various operations and sales responsibilities at FFE from 1986-2006 before becoming Chief Operating Officer in 2006 and President in 2008.

Board Service

• Texas Trucking Association (TXTA) Austin, TX (Chairman of the Board 2006-2007)
• Truckload Carriers Association- Alexandria, VA (Chairman 2016-2017)
• American Trucking Associations-Washington, D.C. (Executive Committee 2010-2014)
• Texas A&M University College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Development Council

Oscar Trevino

North Richland Hills, Texas

President and Owner, O. Trevino Construction

• Manages this construction company with a strong background in heavy/highway contracts and an emphasis on concrete paving.

Mayor, North Richland Hills, Texas (2002-present)

Board Service

• Regional Transportation Council (past chair)
• Tarrant Regional Transportation Coalition (past chair)
• National League of Cities Transportation Infrastructure and Services Steering Committee (past chair)
• Partners in Mobility, North Central Texas County of Governments (past president)
• Northeast Tarrant County Chamber of Commerce
• Texas A&M University Civil Engineering Advisory Council

Gary Trietsch

Houston, Texas

Executive Director, Harris County Toll Road Authority

• Leads the improvement of mobility in the Greater Houston Metropolitan area through excellence in the operation of urban toll highway systems, while upholding a commitment to leadership, public service, and quality of life.

Former Vice President for Dannenbaum Engineering Company for five years

Former Houston District Engineer, Texas Department of Transportation

• Spent 40 years with the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT), serving the last 13 years as the Houston District Engineer, managing projects comprising six counties and a $1 billion budget, including one of the largest freeway traffic management systems in the U.S.—Houston TransStar.

Board Service

• Institute of Transportation Engineers
• Western Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials
• National Society of Professional Engineers

Chase Untermeyer

Houston, Texas

International Business Consultant

Previous experience:

U.S. Ambassador to the State of Qatar (2004-2007)

Executive Assistant to the Vice President and Assistant Secretary of the Navy under President Ronald Reagan

Director of Presidential Personnel and Director of the Voice of America under President George H.W. Bush

Member, Texas House of Representatives (1977-1981)

In addition to serving in all levels of government, he has held positions in journalism, academia and business.

Board Service

• U.S. Naval Academy Board of Visitors (former chairman)
• Houston Port Commission (former member)
• Texas State Board of Education (former chairman)
• Texas Ethics Commission

Linda Watson

Austin, Texas

President/CEO, Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority

• Manages Capital Metro day-to-day operations, which serves 10 communities and has a budget of $164 million, 1,500 employees and 500 vehicles.

Previous experience:

CEO, LYNX, Central Florida Regional Transportation Authority

General Manager, Corpus Christi Regional Transportation Authority

Assistant General Manager, Fort Worth Transportation Authority

Board Service

• Federal Transit Administration Transit Research Analysis Committee
• ITS America
• Transportation Research Board (past chair)
• Transit Cooperative Research Program (past chair)
• American Public Transportation Association Executive Committee (past member)
• National Research Council, National Academy of Sciences