AUSTIN, Tx — Gov. Greg Abbott has appointed three new members and reappointed three others to the Nueces River Authority, which oversees water management across the river basin.
The new appointees — Olen "Feller" Hughs of Barksdale, Daniel "Danny" Kelley of Karnes City, and Daniel Suckley of Corpus Christi — will serve alongside reappointed members Jane Bell and Lisa Greenberg of Corpus Christi for terms ending February 1, 2031.
Shannon Freund of Beeville was appointed to a shorter term ending February 1, 2027.
All appointments require Texas Senate confirmation.
The Nueces River Authority manages water resources throughout the basin, including conservation efforts, flood control, water quality monitoring, groundwater management, and oversight of related recreational facilities.
Hughs, a retired former president of Consolidated Beef Producers, brings agricultural industry experience to the authority. He previously served on the Texas Cattle Feeders Association board and remains active in his community as treasurer at Barksdale Methodist Church.
Kelley joins the authority after a 30-year engineering career. He currently volunteers with Meals on Wheels and serves as financial secretary for the Karnes City Knights of Columbus.
Suckley, a senior lender at American Bank in Corpus Christi, has board experience with several local organizations, including Visit Corpus Christi and the Padre Island Business Association.
Among the reappointed members, Bell formerly directed the American Diabetes Association's Corpus Christi office and serves on multiple community boards, including the Corpus Christi Education Foundation. Greenberg, an attorney, chairs the Nueces County Public Defender's Office board and leads the Coastal Bend Criminal Defense Lawyers Association.
Freund, the customer development manager at Advantage Solutions – Mars Wrigley, has served on the Beeville Chamber of Commerce and currently sits on the Beeville Education Foundation board.
The authority's decisions affect water resources critical to communities, agriculture, and industry throughout the Nueces River Basin region.
