Governor appoints Chamber CEO Stedman to Sulphur River Basin Authority

Governor Greg Abbott has appointed Bret McCoy of Omaha, Mike Sandefur of Texarakana and Katie Stedman of Mount Pleasant to the Sulphur River Basin Authority Board of Directors for terms to expire on February 1, 2021.

The Board has the responsibility to construct, maintain, and operate inside the state and in the watershed of the Sulphur River and its tributaries inside or outside the boundaries of the authority any works considered essential to the operation of the authority and for its administration in controlling, storing, preserving, and distributing the water of the Sulphur River and its tributary streams, including the storm water and floodwater.

Stedman

Katie Stedman of Mount Pleasant is president and CEO of the Mount Pleasant/Titus County Chamber of Commerce. She is a member of the Lions Club of Mount Pleasant and the Rotary Club of Mount Pleasant.

Stedman received a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Texas at Austin. She took over as head of the Chamber staff on August 31, 2015, replacing Faustine Curry. She came from Houston, where she was the director of operations at Prepared 4 Life, a group that prepares youth for life through fun, proactive and experiential programs infused with life skills, character education, and entrepreneurship. It provides children with the opportunity to learn how to apply entrepreneurial thinking to the workplace.

Bret McCoy of Omaha is a financial advisor who works in the financial services business. He is a board member of the Morris County Farm Bureau and Our Lady of Fatima Catholic Church Parish Council and director of Sacred Heart Men’s ACTS.

McCoy received a Bachelor of Science in Ag Development from Texas A&M University and a Masters of Science in Agriculture from Texas A&M University, Commerce. He is a former member and Chairman of the Region D Regional Water Planning Group, which he left because of term limits.

Mike Sandefur of Texarkana is owner, co-owner, president, manager and/or CEO of various real estate and other entities including Sandefur Properties LP, MCM Timber LP, Barkman Creek Land Company, and Advanced Lumberworks LLC.

He is board member for Texarkana College Foundation and president and founder of Bowie Landowners Protection Association. Previously, he served president of the Board of Trustees for Texarkana College. Sandefur received a Bachelor of Arts, Masters of Business and Public Management and a Masters of Accounting from Rice University.

The three replace Brad Drake, Kevin Neeley and Borden Bell as members of the SRBA board.