BANKING & FINANCE
Paul A. Kelsey, a certified public accountant and nonprofit-focused specialist, has joined JTaylor as a senior manager in the Assurance Services division.
Kelsey has master’s degrees in business and accounting from the University of Texas at Arlington. He spent 15 years in public accounting, almost exclusively focused on nonprofit organizations. Before that, he was with Fort Worth Sister Cities. He has also served as president of the board of directors for the Mansfield ISD Education Foundation.
BOARDS & ORGANIZATIONS
The North Texas Commission announced the election and appointment of its new officers, Executive Committee and directors. They include: Scott Orr, vice president for public affairs for Fidelity Investments, 2019 chairman; Chuck Allen, managing director of government relations, American Airlines, immediate past chairman; Joe May, chancellor of Dallas County Community College District, vice chairman; Kevin Ward, general manager, Trinity River Authority, secretary; Dan Johnson, city manager, City of Richardson, treasurer; and Hal Thorne, OnePrime, general counsel.
New directors on the Executive Committee are: Eric Fox, director of government relations, Lockheed Martin; Harry LaRosiliere, Plano mayor; Michael Peterson, vice president of external affairs, AT&T; Virginia Schaefer, director of government relations, Texas Instruments; and Linda Valdez-Thompson, executive vice president, administration and diversity, Dallas Fort Worth International Airport.
Directors remaining on the Executive Committee: Liz Beauchamp, vice president, governmental and public affairs, Atmos Energy; Rick Callahan, Dallas city councilman; Karen Hunt, market president for Coppell for Frost Bank and mayor of Coppell; Andrew Johnsen, vice president, BNSF Railway Co.; Rosa Navejar, president, The Rios Group; Bob Pence, chairman of the board, Freese and Nichols; Holly Reed, managing director external affairs, Texas Central; and David Tesmer, senior vice president, community engagement and advocacy, Texas Health Resources.
New board members are: Michael Arvin, Alliance Strategic Health Partners; Bob Baulsir, Trinity Metro; Tom Braun, Town of Addison; Tiffany Cason, Capital One; Lori Dodson, City of Garland; Charles Elk, Oncor; Matt Garcia, Leon Capital Group; Bob Hart, City of Corinth; Kristina Holcomb, Denton County Transportation Authority; Stephen Knobbe, HNTB; Mike Land, City of Coppell; Neil Matkin, Collin College; Jeff Moseley, Texas Association of Business; Sarosh Nayar, Fastsigns; Brian O’Neill, Pacheco Koch; Karen Liu Pang, Greater Dallas Asian American Chamber of Commerce; Johan Petterson, Dannenbaum Engineering; Bharath Sama, SBase Technologies Inc.; and Lori Walker, Town of Flower Mound.
Tracy Southers-Parker, president of WordPlay Public Relations & Marketing Communications, has been appointed to the board of directors for two area nonprofits: Grapevine-Colleyville Education Foundation and Metroport Meals on Wheels. She will serve three-year terms for each organization, contributing to their fundraising and marketing efforts.
HONORS & AWARDS
Kristy Libotte Keener recently won an International Marcom Platinum Award in Publication Design for a transportation document produced for the North Central Texas Council of Governments – an annual special report, Progress North Texas 2018. She also won a Gold Award for a travel card on Papua New Guinea. Keener is the graphic design coordinator at the council of governments.
RETAIL
Pier 1 Imports Inc. has appointed Donna Noce Colaco to the new position of chief customer officer. Colaco will lead the merchandising organization and oversee product development, planning and allocations, stores, marketing and e-commerce.
Most recently, she was brand president of White House Black Market, a Chico’s FAS Inc. brand. Prior to that, she spent 11 years with AnnTaylor Stores Corp.
Send newsmakers to Robert Francis at rfrancis@bizpress.net.