The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo board of directors met Thursday, June 1, to elect new leadership for the 2018 Show, set for Feb. 27 – March 18.
CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD
James A. “Jim” Winne III was elected chairman of the board. He was a founder, chairman and CEO of Legend Production Holdings of Legend Natural Gas II L.P., Houston, and retired in 2013 after 12 years with the company. He joined the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo in 1977 and was elected to the board of directors in 2004. From 2006 through 2008, he served as a Show vice president and the officer in charge of the Calf Scramble Arena, Calf Scramble Donors, Calf Scramble Greeters, Parade, Rodeo Contestant Hospitality, Rodeo Operations, Special Children’s and Trail Ride committees. Winne has been a member of the Show’s Executive Committee since 2014. In 2017, he served as chairman of the board – elect. Visit rodeohouston.com/About-Us/Our-Team/Volunteers to read his full biography.
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
The Executive Committee includes the chairman of the board, the past chairmen of the board for each of the immediate preceding nine years, and at least five members who are elected at large from the board of directors.
Newly elected:
- Wesley Sinor, Houston – owner and COO, Sinor Engine Company
Lifetime appointments:
- Paul G. Somerville (past chairman of the board)
- Wayne Hollis
Non-elected members (past presidents and chairmen of the board):
- Jim Bloodworth
- Don D. Jordan
- Jack A. Lyons
- Charles R. “Butch” Robinson
- R.H. “Steve” Stevens Jr.
- P. Michael Wells
OFFICERS
The board re-elected Joel Cowley, president and CEO; Dan Cheney, vice president and chief operating officer; Jennifer Hazelton, chief financial officer; and Sherry Hibbert, general counsel, for 2018.
Eighteen vice presidents, elected for one-year terms, supervise the activities of the Show’s more than 33,000 volunteers serving on 107 different committees. Each vice president may serve up to three terms.
Newly elected vice presidents:
- Roger Camp, Missouri City, Texas – CEO, Camp Construction Services
- J.W. Daubert III, Houston – CPA, J.W. Daubert LLC
- Terence Fontaine, Houston – executive vice president, METRO
- Kelly J. Larkin, M.D., Houston – president and CEO, The Larkin Group
- Mike Moss, Sugar Land – president, Southwest Mower Service Center, Inc.
- Taylor Whitaker, Crosby, Texas – senior director of project management, Enterprise Products Co.
Elected to second terms:
- Michael C. Curley
- Michael Galvan
- Jeffrey S. “Jeff” Hayes
- James Alan Kent
- Archie Thompson
- Wendy Vandeventer, Assistant Corporate Secretary
Elected to third terms:
- Andrew “Primo” Cantu
- Greg Miller
- Gary Nesloney
- Mike O’Kelley
- Pat Mann Phillips, Corporate Secretary
- Robbie Smith
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
At the annual membership meeting on Wednesday, May 31, the general membership elected 32 new directors to the Show’s board:
- Jeffrey D. Aronoff
- Michael “Mickey” Bell
- May Bentley
- Larry Biediger Jr.
- Dwight Boykins
- Robert “Bob” Cain
- Victor Castaneda
- Michael W. Chambers
- Steve B. Ehrig
- John A. Grimes
- Jason T. Hawthorne
- John E. Hollis
- Kirby Janke
- David Johnson
- Rick Jones
- Tucker Knight
- Gary Kramer
- Michael R. Martin
- Philip Martin
- Pete A. Medina
- Harry E. Miller
- Kenneth C. Moursund
- Scott Nichols
- Michael A. “Mike” Pillow
- Milton B. Purvis
- Stephen Ray Ranson
- Kristie L. Ratliff
- Darrell Rogers
- David “Lee” Smith
- James S. “Jamie” Spring
- Jay Stewart
- James R. “Jamie” Whitfill
LIFETIME DIRECTORS
In addition, 16 directors were honored with the status of lifetime director for their dedicated service to the Show:
- Eduardo Aguirre Jr.
- Susan Smith Buddeke
- Larry D. Byars
- Michael A. Curley
- Lynn Garner
- Sidney Grisham
- Robert V. “Robin” Holland Jr.
- Michael J. Koch
- Willis M. Marburger
- Barry Mayfield
- Alex E. Prince
- John M. “Mike” Rose
- John Van De Wiele
- Tim Wald
- Rodney E. “Rod” Windham
- Reed Wood
The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo is a Section 501(c)(3) charity that benefits youth, supports education, and facilitates better agricultural practices through exhibitions and presentation. Since its beginning in 1932, the Show has committed more than $430 million to the youth of Texas. For more information, visit rodeohouston.com and connect with #RODEOHOUSTON online via Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube for all of the latest news. The 2018 Show is scheduled for Feb. 27 – March 18.