Texas governor appoints three to state emergency services retirement system board of trustees

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STAFF REPORT

There are three new members on the board of trustees for the Texas Emergency Services Retirement System, a state agency that administers a pension system for volunteer fire and emergency departments throughout the Lone Star State.

> READ THE NEWS RELEASE: Office of the Texas Governor.

On July 29, Abbott announced his appointments of Nathan Douglas, Matthew Glaves, and Jerry Romero to the board, which oversees and governs the TESRS. The nine-member Board of Trustees for TESRS is appointed by the governor, according to the system’s website. Members serve six-year terms.

Biographies of the new members provided by Abbott’s office:

Nathan Douglas of Seabrook is Assistant Chief of the Seabrook Volunteer Fire Department and is the captain over Compliance and Inspection for the Harris County Sheriff’s Office, where he has worked for nearly 30 years. As the Captain over the Compliance and Inspection Division, he oversees a team of 10 personnel that ensure the Harris County Sheriff's Office stays in compliance with the Texas Commission on Jail Standards for the Criminal Justice Command. He is certified as a master peace officer, an emergency medical technician, and firefighter, and is a member of the FBI National Academy Association. Douglas received a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice from the University of Houston, and he earned a criminal justice certificate from the FBI National Academy in Quantico, Virginia.

Matthew “Matt” Glaves of Alvin is a sales manager with Blue Bell Creameries. He is a current captain and investigator with the Alvin Volunteer Fire Department, and he is a retiree of the pension system. He is the treasurer of the Brazoria County Emergency Services District #3, past president of the Kiwanis Club of Alvin, and an instructor of the municipal fire school of the Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service. Additionally, he is a member of the Knights of Columbus #6403 in Alvin/Manvel and a drive coordinator for the Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center.

Jerry Romero of El Paso is a vice president of community development for Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. He previously served as a gubernatorial appointee on the Texas State Affordable Housing Corporation Board of Directors, and on the Texas Workforce Development Council. He is a board member of United Way of El Paso, president of the El Paso Housing Finance Corporation, and is active in several other volunteer roles in his community. Romero attended The University of Texas-El Paso and studied in the field of finance. Additionally, he attended a number of certification programs including The University of Texas at Austin McCombs School of Business for a Compliance Officer certificate, University of Minnesota Minneapolis for a Community Development Officer certificate, and the University of California John E. Anderson Graduate School of Management Latino Leadership Program.

About TESRS:

TESRS is governed by a nine-member Board of Trustees. Members are appointed by the Texas governor.

According to TESRS bylaws, the board is required to include five trustees who are active members of the pension system (including one representing emergency medical services personnel when the pension system has a participating department that provides emergency medical services), one trustee who is a retiree of the pension fund, and three trustees who have experience in finance, securities investment, or pension administration.