Gov. Rick Perry has appointed J. Bruce Bugg, Jr. of San Antonio as president and chairman of the Texas Economic Development Corporation. Bugg will serve as senior advisor to the governor on the state’s economic development strategies and initiatives, and provide leadership in coordinating the economic development efforts of the Texas Economic Development Corp., the Governor’s Office of Economic Development and Tourism, the Office of the Secretary of State, and state and local economic development partners. Bugg is chairman and CEO of Southwest Bancshares Inc., Bandera First State Bancshares Inc., San Antonio Capital & Trust Holdings LLC, and Argyle Investment Co. LLC, and is chairman of the Bank of San Antonio.
Rep. Myra Crownover (R-Denton) will take over as Texas House GOP Caucus chairman until at least early January. Crownover, who had held the position of caucus vice chairman, moved up to take over for Rep. Larry Taylor who was elected to the Texas Senate in November. The caucus will vote on new board members next month when the legislative session begins.
Mary Katherine Stout, who also served as budget and policy director to Gov. Rick Perry in recent years, has become Health and Human Services Executive Commissioner Kyle Janek’s “special adviser” on ideas for overhauling the state-federal Medicaid health insurance program.
Jack Brooks, who spent 42 years in the U.S. House representing Southeast Texas, passed away yesterday at the age of 89. Brooks, one of Speaker Sam Rayburn’s protégés, was also in the Dallas motorcade in 1963 when President John F. Kennedy was assassinated. Congressman Brooks is present in the famous photo of Lyndon Johnson taking the oath of office on Air Force One, standing immediately behind Jacqueline Kennedy.