• Effective Dec. 1, Motiva Enterprises LLC announced Colleen Murphy-Smith has been appointed executive vice president of Marketing and Sales, and Ryan Hodgkinson has been named executive vice president of Commercial. Murphy-Smith has more than 30 years of experience in retail strategy and marketing with Motiva and Shell, while Hodgkinson brings more than 22 years of leadership experience in the global energy industry.
• Apache Industrial Holdings announced Ben Howard has been appointed chief executive officer. He has spent his entire career in the industrial services industry, starting as a boilermaker and progressing to partner in a successful start-up, later serving as president and CEO of Bilfinger Inc.
• Elton Hollis III was featured on the cover of The Enterprise World’s “Most Iconic Business Leaders to Watch in 2025” edition.
• In October, Capt. Wesley Moore represented the Sabine Pilots Association at the Navigation and Technology Committee meeting, where pilots from every U.S. coastal state and Puerto Rico gathered to collaborate and share insights. The committee supports the American Pilots’ Association and focuses on pilotage and shipboard technologies that enhance safety and efficiency in the nation’s pilotage waters.
• ExxonMobil Beaumont recognized Meagan Bowman, Beaumont Area Process Safety lead, for receiving the Texas Chemistry Council (TCC) Outstanding Service Award at the organization’s annual Industry Luncheon. She was one of only two individuals statewide honored in 2025. The award celebrates exceptional leadership, dedication and contributions to the TCC Process Safety Committee.
• Education First Federal Credit Union announced the promotion of two employees. Meagan Cannon was promoted to Branch Operations manager and Hannah Hatton, a Silsbee native, was promoted to Graphic Designer and Social Media manager. Before their promotions, Cannon served five years as ITM manager, and Hatton was a Digital Marketing specialist.
• Lumberton Fire and Rescue announced Shelby McCade received her paramedic certification.
• Colburn Supply announced Matt Hebert and Jason Kolb have been promoted to general managers.
• David Parsley, CPChem’s Port Arthur plant manager, received the Gerald R. Ehrman Award for Leadership in Safety Management from the Texas Chemistry Council.
• Christus Children’s Foundation announced Dr. Victor Bautista-Hernandez’s appointment as chair of the Rowena C. Gorman Endowed Chair in Pediatric Cardiac Surgery. Bautista-Hernandez, an associate professor at Baylor College of Medicine and pediatric cardiothoracic surgeon at Christus Children’s Heart Center, is a leader in congenital heart surgery.
• McFaddin-Ward House Museum announced Kourtney Bonzo is the new director of Visitor Experience. A Southeast Texas native, Bonzo holds a degree in cultural anthropology from Utah State University and brings more than a decade of experience in marketing, event management and volunteer coordination. Her career includes corporate marketing with Texas Roadhouse, nonprofit work and, most recently, service with the City of Baytown.
• Bridge City High School Alumni Foundation announced the appointment of Paul Zoch as president of the Foundation Board of Directors, effective Nov. 5. A member of the Class of 1980, he has served as a Bridge City ISD trustee since 2021.
• Jefferson County Constable Jevonne Pollord reported Reserve Deputy Heather Avery completed the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement (TCOLE) Firearms Instructor School in Tarrant County.
• Kathryn Pedigo is the new TSUS Polk County Center director, according to Lamar State College Orange. Pedigo holds a Principal Certification from Lamar University, a Master of Arts in School Counseling from Sam Houston State University and a Bachelor of Science in Interdisciplinary Studies from Texas A&M University. She is also a Licensed Professional Counselor.
• During the Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) National Board of Directors meeting Nov. 11 at the National Leadership Institute, Chris Martinez, current chairman of ABC South Texas, was elected vice chairman of the South Central Region for ABC National. The region represents eight chapters across Texas, Arkansas, Louisiana and Oklahoma.
• R.E. Davis, Ph.D., academic administrator, represented Lamar State College Orange at the National Council for Adult and Experiential Learning (CAEL) Conference Nov. 11–14 in Memphis.
• Dr. Jon Gray has been appointed dean of the College of Graduate Studies at Lamar University. He brings more than 30 years of experience as an educator and administrator in both K–12 and higher education.
• Captains Joel Prescod and Adam Hansley of the Sabine Pilots Association participated in a Bridge Resource Management lab at Texas A&M University at Galveston. Pilots and cadets worked through real-world scenarios, maneuvering vessels into port and conducting pilot boarding operations. The training emphasized ship handling, pilot transfers and effective master–pilot exchanges.
• Lamar State College Port Arthur (LSCPA) selected Toy Thornton-Wyckoff as the campus recipient of the 2025 Julie and Ben Rogers Community Service Award.
• Candace D. Jones is this year’s Texas Business Hall of Fame scholarship winner. She is co-founder of The Khee Realty Group, a Texas-based real estate company focused on sustainable housing solutions in underserved communities. Her entrepreneurial journey began at age 7 with a lawn care and cleaning business. As a public servant, she has contributed more than 3,700 hours through AmeriCorps, including as a founding corps member with City Year in Little Rock and Baton Rouge. She is pursuing her MBA at Lamar University.
• Lamar Institute of Technology (LIT) Executive Director of Workforce and Continuing Education Ana Pereda was named a recipient of the 2025 Julie and Ben Rogers Community Service Award.
• Texas State University System (TSUS) Chancellor Brian McCall announced the appointment of John C. Hayek, Ph.D., as interim president of Lamar State College Port Arthur beginning Jan. 1, 2026. Hayek, who serves as vice chancellor for academic and health affairs at TSUS, will succeed Dr. Betty Reynard, who announced her retirement last month.
• Legacy Community Health announced Joshua Davis, MBA, MPH, vice president of Development (East Region), was named the 2025–2026 Community Impact Award recipient at the Southeast Texas Nonprofit Conference, hosted by the Southeast Texas Nonprofit Development Center.
