• The Board of Directors of Golden Triangle Federal Credit Union announced J. Keith Short as the credit union’s new president and chief executive officer. Short succeeds Christa Hollier, who served as president and CEO since January 2000.
• Suhail Kanwar, M.S., P.E., CFM, ENV SP, is the new director of public services for the city of Port Arthur.
• The Gulf Coast Protection District announced Heather Betancourth has joined the organization as communications director. Betancourth comes from Chevron Phillips Chemical Co. and brings experience in strategic communications, community relations and brand development.
• Indorama Ventures: Indovinya–Port Neches Operations recognized four co-op students who completed end-of-semester presentations: Michael Vargas and Greg Gibson, operators; and Garrett Darder and Payton Siti, instrument technicians.
• Sempra Infrastructure announced Jerry Cochran, pipeline manager of U.S. Midstream E&C, has been named 2025 Pipeliner of the Year by the Pipeliners Association of Houston. Cochran works on the Port Arthur Pipeline Louisiana Connector project.
• Mandre’ Zachary, president and director of operations at Sips ’N Tips Bartending and Event Staffing Services, is the new president of the Black Business Professionals of Southeast Texas, a nonprofit focused on professional growth, collaboration and community impact.
• Chris Van Dyke has stepped into the role of Gulf Coast Fire Services manager at Code Red Safety. He has more than 30 years of experience in the inspection, testing and maintenance of industrial fire equipment.
• Curtis Bourg Jr. retired from EXCEL’s Fabrication Facility after a 49-year welding career, including more than 11 years with EXCEL.
• LaBrie Claybar Funeral Services announced Jeremy Fletcher as an advanced funeral advisor. A longtime Southeast Texas resident, Fletcher has spent several years helping families with life insurance and financial protection.
• Hardin County Precinct 2 Commissioner Chris Kirkendall has been appointed to the board of directors of the Southeast Texas Food Bank.
• Silsbee native John Marble is the new digital content producer at KFDM-TV.
• Samantha Reichert, a licensed master social worker at Baptist Hospitals of Southeast Texas, was recognized with the Baptist Way Award for her dedication to compassionate care. She primarily works on the mother-baby floor and assists on other medical floors.
• Hardin-Jefferson ISD announced the appointment of Anakaren Leslie as assistant principal at Sour Lake Elementary, effective January 2026. She has nine years of experience and previously served as a second-grade teacher and instructional coach.
• Patrick Reilly has joined LyondellBasell as senior vice president and global head of integrated supply, trading and asset optimization. He previously served as executive vice president and chief commercial officer at Delek U.S. Holdings Inc. in Nashville.
• MehaffyWeber announced shareholder Greg Wilkins has joined its Houston and Beaumont offices. Wilkins has nearly three decades of experience in complex civil litigation across Texas.
• Lamar State College Orange announced Rickey Land has retired as a full-time EMS instructor after 15 years.
• CHRISTUS Southeast Texas Health System announced board-certified family nurse practitioner Patricia Scott has joined its family practice clinic in Kirbyville. She brings 14 years of experience as a nurse practitioner and 21 years as a registered nurse.
• Spindletop Center announced Meghan Lovell as the newest Metamorphosis: A Year to Strive and Thrive Award recipient. She is an executive assistant at Spindletop Center.
• Dr. Vijay Swarup announced his retirement, effective Dec. 31, 2025, from ExxonMobil after 38 years of service. He served as senior director of climate strategy and technology.
• Hannah LeTulle, director of communications and marketing at Lamar Institute of Technology, earned a Master of Science in strategic communication from Lamar University.
• The city of Beaumont announced the hiring of two Lamar University graduates. Ainsley Thompson is the new marketing manager for the Beaumont Convention and Visitors Bureau, and Frances Thompson is the city’s communications specialist and deputy public information officer.
• Ryan Revia was named SETEX Construction Corp.’s Employee of the Year.
• Amanda Ellis, a business banker for Hancock Whitney Bank in Beaumont, earned a Master of Business Administration from Lamar University.
• Orangefield ISD Superintendent Dr. Shaun McAlpin was selected as chairman of the board of the Greater Orange Area Chamber of Commerce during the annual banquet Dec. 11 at the Shahan Center on the Lamar State College Orange campus.
• Carl and Kelsie Mitchell, owners of Christian Brothers Automotive in Beaumont and Lumberton, donated three fully stocked toolboxes to the automotive technology program at Lamar Institute of Technology to support student training and ASE certification.
• CASA of the Sabine Neches Region named Karen Clark as December Advocate of the Month.
• The Lumberton Chamber of Commerce announced Theresa Erbelding of Forest Lawn Memorial Park & Funeral Home and Nikki McDonald of G & G Enterprises were named to its 2026 board of directors.
• Effective Dec. 1, Colleen Smith was appointed executive vice president of marketing and sales and Ryan Hodgkinson was named executive vice president of commercial at Motiva Enterprises LLC.
• After more than 47 years of service, Waukesha-Pearce Industries announced the retirement of Herb Antoine, who worked in sales since July 1978.
• Jessica Jackson was promoted to senior vice president of EH&S, global supply chain and midstream marketing at Apache Corp.
• Beaumont ISD named Iman Wilridge-Zachere as the district’s human resources manager. She is a BISD graduate with more than 10 years of district experience.
