Rose joins Texla Equipment
Texla Equipment announced the addition of Brandon Rose to the team.
According to company officials, Rose brings years of experience to the table, including his most recent role as a territory manager for East and Southeast Texas with Purple Wave Auction.
He earned his Industrial Engineering degree from Lamar University and served in the United States Navy.
Outside of work, Rose serves as vice president of Jefferson County Emergency Services District No. 3, where he’s supporta local firefighters, He is also associate director on the Board at Rave Financial.
Rose, a former Hardin-Jefferson High School graduate, is the father of two children. In spare time, he and his girlfriend enjoy road trips or camping, or under the hood working on a vehicle.
Speirs named business advisor at Lamar SBDC
Mark Speirs is the newest business advisor at the Lamar University Small Business Development Center (SBDC), annnounced the Texas Gulf Coast SBDC.
According to the announcement, Speirs has a strong and varied background in small business management and promotion with seven years as a small business advisor and five years working in business and economic development.
Before working in the public sector, he spent 18 years in the commercial and residential construction field, eight years of which was spent as a business owner/licensed contractor working with communities and building professionals on real estate development projects.
He education includes dual Bachelors’ degrees in Economics and Information Technology. He is also a graduate of Temple University’s School of Environmental Design with a Master of Science degree in Community and Regional Planning: Economic Development core.
Welch named provost and VP for academic affairs
Dr. Brett Welch was appointed to provost and vice president for Academic Affairs at Lamar University subject to the approval by the Texas State University System Board of Regents.
He has a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from McNeese State University, a Master of Higher Education Administration from Northwestern State University, and a Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of New Orleans.
Prior to being named provost and vice president for Academic Affairs, Welch served as dean of the College of Graduate Studies and Vice Provost for Digital Learning at Lamar University. Additionally, he has served as an academic advisor, director of Institutional Effectiveness and Accreditation, department chair of Educational Leadership and Teacher Education programs and associate dean in the College of Graduate Studies.
Before these administrative roles, Welch was a faculty member at universities in both Louisiana and Texas for over 18 years within Colleges of Education and Human Development. While serving in the faculty ranks, his research agenda included areas such as the freshman experience, non-traditional student education, best practices in online learning, and accreditation modeling.
His current professional affiliations include LTAC (Learning Technology Advisory Committee) for the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) and TCCAO (Texas Council of Chief Academic Officers).
Breaux named new Allied Health chair at LSCPA
Lamar State College Port Arthur announced Heather Breaux, MSN, RN, as the new chair of the Allied Health Department.
With over 20 years of experience in nursing, Breaux brings a wealth of clinical expertise and educational leadership to her new role, poised to shape the future of healthcare education at the college.
As a nurse educator and healthcare professional, she has a diverse background in various healthcare settings.Breaux has a Master’s in Nursing Education from Tarleton State University.
Williams director of LU Center for Resiliency
Dr. Brian Williams is the new director of the Center for Resiliency at Lamar University. Williams, an expert in emergency management and public administration, brings years of experience in both academia and community-based research to the role.
Williams, who joined Lamar University in 2017, holds a Ph.D. in Public Administration and Management from the University of North Texas, specializing in Emergency Management, and a Master of Public Administration from Lamar University. During his tenure, he has also been a member of the Center for Resiliency’s Executive Committee, Lamar University’s Resilience and Recovery Group, and the College of Arts and Sciences Advisory Committee.
Lamar University’s Center for Resiliency plays a crucial role in research and education focused on disaster preparedness and recovery. As director, Williams will lead the center’s initiatives to strengthen community resilience, emphasizing collaboration across sectors.
