AUSTIN, TX — Today, Governor Greg Abbott announced the appointment of Mr. Alex Meade of Mission to the Texas Transportation Commission. He will serve as one of five Commissioners charged with governing the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) and will be responsible for policymaking regarding the state’s highway system, developing a statewide transportation plan, assisting the development of public transportation and adopting rules for TxDOT’s operation.

Senator Juan “Chuy” Hinojosa, as the senator representing Mr. Meade’s hometown, had to concur with Governor Abbott’s recommendation for this appointment. Senator Hinojosa will also introduce Mr. Meade during the Senate Confirmation hearing and help secure the votes from the full Senate for final confirmation in the next few weeks.

Senator Juan “Chuy” Hinojosa released the following statement:

“The appointment of Alex Meade to serve on the Texas Transportation Commission is an excellent choice by Governor Abbott. Given his past experience as CEO of the Mission Economic Development Corporation, his role as City Manager of the City of Pharr, and as the current Executive Vice President of Texas Regional Bank, Alex has the public and private sector experience needed for this important position. He understands how critical transportation infrastructure is to our cities, our businesses, and for our state’s continued success and economic growth. Alex has first-hand knowledge of the importance of the Texas-Mexico border and the benefits of the trade with Mexico through our international ports of entry. I am confident Alex will work tirelessly to provide transportation solutions that will take care of the needs of all Texans. I look forward to supporting him through the Senate confirmation process.”

The last Transportation Commissioner from the Rio Grande Valley was Ruben R. Cardenas from McAllen. He served from May 1994 until April 1995. The last Transportation Commissioner from the border region was Ted Houghton of El Paso who served from February 2009 until February 2015.

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