TEMPLE – Governor Greg Abbott has appointed Tina Yturria Buford and Carl Ray Polk, Jr. to the Texas State Soil and Water Conservation Board (TSSWCB) for terms set to expire on February 1, 2018 and February 1, 2019 respectively. TSSWCB established in 1939, administers Texas' soil and water conservation law and delivers coordinated natural resource conservation programs to agricultural producers throughout the state.
Tina Yturria Buford of Harlingen is the education project manager for the East Foundation, developing natural resource education programs for South Texas youth. In addition, she works alongside her family at the H. Yturria Land and Cattle Company. She was appointed to the Governor’s Commission for Women in 2016. She is president of Texan by Nature, director of the Sand County Foundation, and advisory board member for the Texas Ag Land Trust. She previously served as president of both the Texas Wildlife Association and Texas Wildlife Association Foundation. Buford received a Bachelor of Science in rangeland ecology and management from Texas A&M University at College Station and a certificate in ranch management from the Texas Christian University School of Ranch Management.
Carl Ray Polk, Jr. of Lufkin is a partner at Corner Capitol Advisors, LLC. In addition, he is an owner and operator of Polk Land & Cattle Co. in Angelina and Houston Counties. He is a board member of Texas Food and Fuel Association and chairman of the board of CHI St. Luke’s Memorial Hospital Lufkin. He is a board member and serves on the executive committee of Texas Southwest Cattle Raisers Association and Texas Wildlife Association. He is the board chairman of Angelina County Expo Center, board member of Angelina County Fair and a committee member of the Private Landowners Advisory Committee at Texas Parks and Wildlife. Polk attended Kilgore College and The University of Texas at Austin and completed the Mergers and Acquisition Program from the Anderson School of Business at UCLA in Los Angeles, CA.
Having being appointed by Governor Abbott they require confirmation by the Senate before taking office. Joe Ward of Telephone and Larry Jacobs, of Montgomery have honorably served the board as the Governor Appointees since 2005.