Roger WelderPresident
Victoria, Texas
Roger Welder, of Victoria, Texas is a partner in J. F. Welder Heirs, Ltd., a fourth and fifth generation family ranching enterprise located on the Texas Gulf Coast. Roger is the son of Virginia Callan Welder and the late Leo James Welder. He graduated from Texas Christian University and the TCU Ranch Management Program in 1980. He serves on the Board of Directors of First Victoria National Bank, Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Foundation, Texas Land and Mineral Owners Association, Victoria Performing Arts Center, Victoria Business and Education Coalition, Victoria Symphony Endowment, Victoria College, Victoria Airport Commission, Victoria ISD Education Foundation, Attwater Prairie Chicken Recovery Team, and Guadalupe-Blanco River Trust. He has formerly served on the boards of St. Joseph High School, Beef Industry Council, National Cattlemen's Beef Association, Victoria Economic Development Corporation, Texas A&M College of Agriculture Development Council, Trinity Episcopal School, Victoria Community Theatre, City/County Joint Services Committee, University of Houston - Victoria Presidents Advisory Council, Corpus Christi Bay National Estuary Program, and he is involved in numerous other civic activities. He and his wife, Donna G. Welder, have three sons, Roger Fleming Jr., Philip Portilla and William Hugh.
John P. Schneider, Jr.Vice-President
Lockhart, Texas
John P. Schneider, Jr. received a BBA degree from Texas A&M University and is president of Schneider & Associates, Inc., specializing in commercial, farm and ranch real estate in Central and South Texas. He belongs to the Austin Real Estate Council, the Society of Texas A&M Real Estate Professionals, the Texas Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association, board member of the Twelfth Man Foundation, past chairman of the Texas Real Estate Center Advisory Committee and the Executive Committee of the Texas Agriculture Summit, is past chairman of the A&M College of Agriculture Development Council, and the Association of Former Students. He was a former member of the State Executive Committee and Austin Chapter President of the Coastal Conservation Association. Schneider assists in managing the family cow-calf operation. Schneider was appointed to the Guadalupe-Blanco River Authority in 1999 by Governor George W. Bush and was elected GBRA Board Chair in 2003. He is one of the original Trustees of the Guadalupe-Blanco River Trust.
Anne HoltSecretary
Blanco, Texas
Anne Holt grew up in San Antonio and Corpus Christi and is a graduate of the University of Texas at Austin with a B.A. in English. She is a co-owner of two family ranches in Goliad and Blanco/Kendall Counties. She has lived in Blanco County since 1986 with her husband, Christian Schultz. She is a Director on the Pedernales Soil and Water Conservation District Board and a member of the Upland Game Bird Advisory Board for Texas Parks and Wildlife. Anne is an avid hunter and angler.
W. A. "Bill" BlackwellTreasurer
Cuero, Texas
W. A. "Bill" Blackwell is a resident of Cuero. He graduated with a B.B.A. degree from The University of Texas at Austin, and is President of W.A. Blackwell Ranches, LLC as well as former President and Managing Officer of Wells Fargo Bank-Cuero. He is a former Chairman of the Board of the Texas Bankers Association Service Company and a member of the American Bankers Association Community Bankers Council and the Board of Directors of the Texas Bankers Association. Blackwell serves as President of the Cuero Industrial Foundation and Treasurer of the Chisholm Trail Heritage Museum. He is a former Senior Warden of Grace Episcopal Church and President of the Cuero Rotary Club. Blackwell was appointed to the Guadalupe-Blanco River Authority in 1989 by Governor Bill Clements to represent DeWitt County, and was re-appointed by Governor George W. Bush in 1995. He served as GBRA Chair during his tenure. Blackwell is one of the original trustees of the Guadalupe-Blanco River Trust. Blackwell and his wife, Nancy, have three daughters, Ashley, Stephanie, and Courtney.
Oscar H. FogleTrustee
Caldwell County, Texas
Oscar H. Fogle and his wife Susie own and operate Oak Hill Ranch, where they have a commercial cattle business and conducts several wildlife management practices. He is a veteran of the United States Air Force and retired from a career with Exxon Corporation. As a member of Exxon's International Oil Spill Response Team, Fogle was a Deputy Taskforce Commander during the Exxon Valdez oil spill clean-up operations. Fogle attended Texas A&I University, now known as Texas A&M-Kingsville. He is a past president of the Texas A&I Alumni Association, and is serving his thirteenth year on the Board of Trustees for the Texas A&M-Kingsville Foundation. Fogle serves as chair of the Agricultural Advisory Committee for the Caldwell County Appraisal District, is an active member of the Caldwell County Republican Party, a life member of the National Rifle Association and Texas State Rifle Association, an amateur radio operator, and a pilot. Fogle is a member of the First United Methodist Church-Lockhart, where he is a certified lay speaker and serves as the vice-chair of the Board of Trustees. Fogle will serve on GBRA's Board of Directors through February 2014.
Chris HaleTrustee
Austin, Texas
Chris Hale lives in Austin and ranches on the Blanco River in Kendall County. He grew up in Austin, graduated from UT with a B.A. in History, and received a law degree from St. Mary's Univ. in 1978. Chris practiced law for several years in Brownsville and Austin. For 20 years he was vice-president of SACHEM, Inc., a specialty chemicals manufacturer, managing various parts of the business including the company's international activities. For the past several years, Chris has been in private practice of law with an emphasis on business law and regularly lectures on contract law at universities in Albania and Germany. He currently serves on the boards of the Coypu Foundation (of Louisiana), the Hill Country Alliance, and the Ft. Clark Historical Society. Chris is also a member of the State of Texas' Guadalupe-San Antonio Bay Basin Stakeholders Committee. He is married to Janet Riola Hale, who teaches business law at Texas State Univ., and they are the parents of Will and his wife Jordan, Patrick, Mike, and Jack Hale.
Jack JonesTrustee
Boerne, Texas
Jack Jones is originally from San Antonio, and has lived in Boerne over 40 years with his wife Betty. Jones owns and operates a cattle, sheep, and goat ranch along the Guadalupe River in Kendall County where he and his wife raised their daughter. He is a Realtor®, specializing in selling land, residential and investment properties in Boerne, the Texas Hill County, and San Antonio. Jones is a graduate of Trinity University and attended University of Houston School of Law. In addition to an extensive background in the information technology industry, he is a graduate of Realtor Institute, Texas Realtor Leadership Program, and is certified as an e-PRO Internet Professional. Jones belongs to the San Antonio Board of Realtors, Texas Association of Realtors, National Association of Realtors, and is past Chairman of the Farm and Land Committee of SABOR, the Multiple Listing Service Design Team and the 2009 Housing Forecast Planning Team. He received the Joseph Cullinane Award as the outstanding Farm and Land Practitioner for 2008.
Claudell KerchevilleTrustee
Kerrville, Texas
Claudell Kercheville, a retired Commerial Banker, was with Frost National Bank of San Antonio, for 33 years as Vice President, Commercial Loans. While in San Antonio, she was active in many civic and professional organizations, such as the North Chamber of Commerce, Business and Professional Women's Clubs and the San Antonio Livestock Exposition. After moving to the Texas Hill Country, she has been an active volunteer in Republican Party activities, Alpha Omeaga Life Center, Families and Literacy, Texas Arts and Crafts Fair, and serves on the vestry of St. Peters Episcopal Church.
Grace KundeTrustee
Seguin, Texas
Grace Kunde received a B.A. in accounting from Texas Lutheran University and a law degree from St. Mary's University School of Law. She is a private practice attorney in Seguin and a member of the College of the State Bar of Texas, the San Antonio Bar Association, the Bexar County Women's Bar Association and the Guadalupe County Bar Association. Ms. Kunde volunteers her time to church, civic, and political activities. She is a member of Redeemer United Church of Christ, the Seguin Rotary Club, a member and former president of the Guadalupe County Republican Women and a former Guadalupe County Republican Party Precinct Chair. She previously served on the Board of Directors for the Comal County Children's Shelter as Treasurer and President and member of the Advisory Board. Ms. Kunde is also a member of the GBRA Board of Directors.
Todd MerendinoTrustee
Bay City, Texas
Todd Merendino grew up in the rice fields and marshes of southeast Texas and has enjoyed the opportunity to get paid to "play" in the mud and water as his dad likes to say. Todd has a B.S. in Wildlife Management and an M.S. in Wildlife Science from Texas Tech University, and a Ph.D. in Zoology from the University of Western Ontario. In pursuit of his formal education and during his employment, Todd has been able to work in the waterfowl wintering grounds of Texas, the breeding grounds of Canada's prairie pothole region, and the farmlands and boreal forest areas of Central Ontario. Todd is currently the Manager of Conservation Programs for Ducks Unlimited in Texas, and oversees DU's conservation efforts on private lands and public lands in Texas. Todd previously worked with Texas Parks and Wildlife Department as a project leader of the Central Coast Wetlands Ecosystem Project, and oversaw habitat management, research, and public hunting activities on state-owned Wildlife Management Areas along middle Texas Coast. Todd lives in Bay City with his wife Terry and their two children: a daughter who will be attending Texas Tech University this fall, and a son, who is in 9th grade and who loves to hunt and fish with his dad.
Denis R. MuellerTrustee
Westhoff, Texas
Denis R. Mueller received his BBA in accounting from Texas State University in San Marcos, Texas and is a 42 year banking veteran. He is presently President or the South Central Texas Region of Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. Mr. Mueller is also very active on his two ranches in Westhoff raising Brangus cattle. He has been very active on many boards and was one of the founding directors of the DeWitt County Appraisal District, served on the Gonzales Area Development Corporation, is a current and founding member of the Gonzales Learning Center in Gonzales. Mr. Mueller is an active 60 year member of St. John Lutheran Church, Westhoff. Mr. Mueller and his wife Sheryl have one son, Kyle, a senior at Texas State University in San Marcos.
Janaé ReneaudExecutive Director
Janaé Reneaud was born in Lansing Michigan. She has a B.S. in Wildlife Biology from Michigan State University; and an M.S. in Public Administration with a Concentration in Land Conservation from Eastern Michigan University. Reneaud has worked as: Biological Science Aid at U.S. Fish & Wildlife Refuge, Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge; Development Director at the Washtenaw Land Trust, in Ann Arbor, Michigan; Grant Manager at the Michigan Department of Natural Resources; and Eco-Tourist Specialist/Environmental Advisor within Strandja National Park as a Peace Corps Volunteer. Reneaud joined the Guadalupe-Blanco River Trust in March of 2008 as Conservation Specialist. She spends her free time in her community and exploring new places.
Todd Votteler, Ph.DExecutive Director Emeritus
Todd Votteler was born in Dallas. He has a B.S. in Natural Resources from The University of the South, an M.S. in Natural Resources from The University of Michigan, and a Ph.D. in Environmental Geography from Texas State University. Todd served as the Federal Special Master for the Endangered Species Act litigation over the Edwards Aquifer, Sierra Club v. San Antonio. Previously, he was the Federal Court Monitor's assistant during, Sierra Club v. Babbitt, which established the first limits on pumping from the Edwards Aquifer. His previous experience includes work as a Research Scientist at the Battelle – Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, in Washington, D.C. Todd joined the Guadalupe – Blanco River Authority in 2000 where he is currently a member of the five person GBRA Executive Team. He also serves on the Board of the Texas Land Trust Council, which works to promote and sustain the conservation efforts of Texas land trusts. He has written on a range of Texas water issues in academic journals and magazines such as Texas Parks & Wildlife. Todd and his wife Sharmon have two young daughters. He spends his free time hunting and fishing.