Wilco Business Review • December 2021

2021 | Issue 3

BUSINESSREVIEW The Gold Standard in Business News

Williamson County, Texas

WELCOME HOME, SAMSUNG How Williamson County Landed the Largest Economic Development Deal in Lone Star History

AN EXCLUSIVE LOOK AT THE PROCESS WITH WILLIAMSON COUNTY JUDGE BILL GRAVELL PLUS: The Development Agreement • Who is Samsung?

Water and Power • National Security

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2021 • ISSUE 3 | WILCO BUSINESS REVIEW

1

WILCO

BUSINESS REVIEW

CONTENTS FIVE QUESTIONS

16

TECHNOLOGY

18

BUSINESS BRIEFS

28

Georgetown City Councilman Jake French Business Email Compromise

PEOPLE ON THE MOVE

Samsung Electronics semiconductor operations in Giheung and Hwasung, Korea Samsung Newsroom • 2017 via Flickr

14

20

23

28

FEATURED 5

ON THE COVER

Williamson County Judge Bill Gravell, Taylor ISD Superintendent Dr. Devin Padavil, Taylor City Manager Brian LaBorde, Taylor Mayor Brandt Rydell (courtesy Bill Gravell)

All rights reserved.

The Wilco Business Review is published monthly and mailed to C-level executives, business owners, policy makers, and community leaders in Williamson County, Texas and surrounding areas.

Mail may be sent to: Wilco Business Review P.O. Box 213 Jarrell, TX 76537 info@wilcobr.com Wilco Business Review is a Fidelis Publishing Group, LLC publication.

Copyright © 2021

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COVER STORY • SAMSUNG Development Agreement At the Table with Judge Gravell Who is Coming to Taylor?

Powering Samsung National Security

14

HEALTHCARE

20

TOURISM

23

Reducing Cost and Improving Quality

Bare Performance Nutrition at the Rogue Invitational

GOVERNMENT

Redistricting with Rep. Terry Wilson

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FROM THE

PUBLISHERS The Gold Standard in Business News

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Michael Payne Catherine Payne Executive Editor Ann Marie Kennon Senior Writer Charlotte Kovalchuk Editorial Writers John Onorato · Cassidie Cox · Greta Bauer · Megan Beatty Community Liaisons Janet Hage · Camy Reynolds Columnist Ben Lake Videography Todd White Photography David Valdez · Rudy Ximenez · Todd White Digital Media Director Jenny Campbell Graphics Sandra Evans Account Services Debbie Tolliver Distribution David Schumacher IT/Webmaster Jesse Payne Consultant W. Ben Daniel Public Relations Stephanie Martinka Information and Marketing

Senior Advertising Executive Mark Elliott 512.240.2267 | 512.746.4545 mark@wilcobr.com

4 WILCO BUSINESS REVIEW | 2021 • ISSUE 3

As I reflect on the events that headline this issue, I tried to convince myself that it would be hyperbolic to say that the business climate in Williamson County may very well be the best in the State of Texas—which already has the best in the country. However, it could hardly be considered an overstatement after the highly anticipated November 24th announcement of the nearly 6 million square-foot Samsung manufacturing complex that will be built in Taylor. This seventeen-billion-dollar deal is the largest economic development project in the history of the Lone Star state, as well as the largest foreign-born investment project in the nation.

While Williamson County Judge Bill Gravell was a spearhead behind the project and deserves copious accolades for his negotiation skills and tenacity, he also rightfully lauds the cooperation and hard work of the City of Taylor, Williamson County, the State of Texas, and our representatives from the federal government to secure the outcome; “There was incredible effort from the entire team, which cannot be diminished.

This deal will not only cement us on the international stage as a formidable business ally, but will also provide for our national security, with these semi-conductor chips being manufactured on U.S. soil. And, even with the financial incentives provided them, in approximately four years, Samsung will be the largest taxpayer in the county. The phones are ringing off the hook with companies from throughout the U.S. and around the world inquiring about the possibility of having a presence here in Williamson County.”

There are many challenges inherent in the type of growth Williamson County is currently experiencing. Most importantly, there must be a strong, long-term strategic plan for growth—in both roads and sub-division plans. Harmonizing the two can only be accomplished with a cooperative working relationship that spans both sides of the table.

Developers must be engaged in order to ensure that regulations are set in a manner consistent with what should be required and are not simply an arbitrary set of rules. One of the primary objectives of the Wilco Business Review is to provide enhanced and coordinated engagement opportunities between the County and the developers who choose to invest their money here.

Of course, this unprecedented growth also requires water access.

Presently, it appears that some municipalities are seeking water resources individually—an expensive and heretofore fruitless task. There is, however, an abundant resource available from the Carrizo-Wilcox aquifer, just east of Williamson County. Approximately forty miles of sixty-inch line would provide water for millions of central Texas residents; and an alliance between Bell and Williamson Counties could solve this problem much more efficiently and economically than each municipality and county seeking its own solution. If we are to ultimately be successful, we simply must set aside our provincial interests.

The Wilco Business Review will be exploring development and water challenges and solutions in upcoming issues. As one of the fastest growing counties in America, Williamson County must engage the highest level of critical thinking to solve the growth issues that we will face as we move forward.

Michael Payne

Catherine Payne

WELCOME, SAMSUNG

ONCE AGAIN, EVERYTHING IS BIGGER IN TEXAS How Williamson County Landed the Largest Economic Development Deal in Lone Star History

by Ann Marie Kennon and Charlotte Kovalchuk

rendering credit: Samsung

O

n November 24, Samsung officially announced Taylor, Texas was the winning site to expand their semiconductor operations. In the final stages, Taylor eclipsed two locations in Arizona and one in New York. Earlier in the process, Samsung presciently published an economic impact study, which stated, “Because of its strong ties to the local community and the successful past 25 years of manufacturing in Texas, Samsung Austin Semiconductor would like to continue to invest in the city and the state.”

JUST HOW BIG IS IT?

CHAPTER 381 AGREEMENT

When complete, the Samsung Taylor plant will span more than 6 million square feet.

A Chapter 381 agreement is a performance-based agreement to provide incentives to stimulate, encourage, and develop business and commercial activity in a county. Incentives are paid or activated based upon the developer meeting specific objectives.

In Williamson County’s agreement, Samsung will construct a minimum of six million square feet of facilities, with incremental deadlines, by January 31, 2026. The company also must create 1,800 full-time jobs. If these

conditions are met, the county will grant Samsung an amount equal to 90 percent of ad valorem taxes paid by the company for the first 10 years of the agreement. For the second 10 years of the term, the County will grant an amount equal to 85 percent of ad valorem taxes paid by the company. Precinct 4 Commissioner Russ Boles said, “This agreement is a win for Williamson County because it is performance based. Williamson County will collect all taxes on the assessed value of the company and does  2021 • ISSUE 3 | WILCO BUSINESS REVIEW

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WELCOME, SAMSUNG

SAMSUNG IS THE LARGEST-EVER ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION PROJECT IN THE STATE OF TEXAS, AND THE LARGEST FOREIGN-BORN IN THE NATION. “EVEN MORE THAN JOBS AND TAXES, THE HOUSING, ANCILLARY RETAIL, AND SERVICE BOOM HAS ALREADY BEGUN." ~JUDGE BILL GRAVELL not grant back any funds until performance measures have been met. It allows us to be competitive in recruiting large companies like Samsung, while holding them accountable to their promises for the jobs and improvements they will bring.”

DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT In the development agreement, Williamson County agreed to specific road improvements necessary for safety and mobility around construction and operation of the facility.

This includes improvements to CR 401 and CR 404, as well as construction of a future county road. Construction on Segment 1 of the Southeast Loop began in July, is mentioned in the agreement, and is expected to be complete in June 2025.

In support of the project, the Texas Department of Transportation has pledged $67 million in its 10-year Unified Transportation Program for construction of Segment 3 of the Southeast Loop, which includes a grade-separated railroad crossing at FM 3349 and US 79.

ECONOMIC IMPACT Mark Thomas, president and CEO of the Taylor Economic Development Corporation said, “A $17 billion investment would have an impact on a very large community. The impact it will have on a community our size is unprecedented. The world has heard about this already and we’re seeing inquiries beginning to increase. It puts Taylor on the map. High-tech companies will ask, ‘If the largest high-tech company can go to Taylor, why can’t we?’”

Mark expects the Samsung project to create 1,800 jobs with salaries starting at $65,000 a year for positions across the board, including technicians, administrative jobs, and everything in between. He anticipates workers commuting from all over Williamson and Milam Counties, but hopes many will choose to make Taylor their home. “We think we’re going to be ahead of the housing curve and have good places for workers to live if they choose,” he says.

Samsung’s tax payments—in year 4— will be twice as much as the top ten largest tax-paying companies in Williamson County, combined.

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PARTNERSHIPS While Judge Gravell was the point man, the scaled agreements are the product of work and cooperation by individuals and agencies at all levels. Much work and commitment was provided by the City of Taylor, Taylor ISD, Williamson County, the State of Texas, and the Federal Government. There is also a utilities partnership with EPCOR, a Canadian company that provides clean water and energy to communities in Canada and the United States (see page 11).

“SEISMIC” ECONOMIC IMPACT + YEAR 4 The new plant will produce the most advanced semiconductors in the world but, today, what those will be is unknown. Judge Gravell explained, “This type of technology grows and changes so quickly that the only thing the Samsung folks know is that they will be building semiconductors.

Their current factory replaces $100-200 million in equipment every year to keep up with evolving science and development. As such, specifics of design and capability will change many times before construction is complete so even the machines that will build the semiconductors have not been built yet.”

“YEAR 4” OF THE SAMSUNG AGREEMENT IS S I G N I F I C A N T A S I T I S T H E E X P E C T E D D AT E O F T H E R I B B O N C U T T I N G — M A N U FA C T U R I N G WILL BEGIN, SAMSUNG WILL BEGIN EARNING R E V E N U E A N D PAY I N G TA X E S In the meantime, he anticipates the construction force to peak at 12,000 workers and, in Year 4, Samsung will hire or retain 1,800 direct employees. The Judge says, “I expect very high employment numbers even after the facility opens.

Whenever I visit the first plant in Austin, I ask about the number of contractors onsite that day; it is usually between 3,000 and 6,000. Their process is nearly fully automated because the pre-chip wafers cannot be touched by human hands or air. Their machines are running 24/7 and everything they do is fluid, so there are people providing everything from machine and HVAC maintenance to cleaning and landscaping.”

While the County has provided a 20-year schedule of tax incentives for the company, benefits provided to the Taylor ISD are also significant. The Judge explained, “For the past 20 years, Manor ISD has done business with Samsung Austin and has been able to pay for multiple new buildings with cash.

That is the kind of impact a major corporation like this has.”

WELCOME, SAMSUNG Samsung chips are used in the devices and technology we use every day, virtually being the tiniest engines that make the world run.

Judge Bill Gravell (center) with Williamson County, Taylor, and Samsung partners celebrate the announcement with a custom baseball jersey at mid-field in Dell Diamond. (courtesy Bill Gravell)

Aside from the potential tax benefits, Taylor Superintendent Dr. Devin Padavil is encouraged by Samsung’s public assurance that they will significantly invest time and resources into the ISD. “Taylor ISD and Taylor, Texas are honored and proud to be selected as the home for the new Samsung Semiconductor Plant in North America.

Our partnership with Samsung will provide us an opportunity to transform the lives of our students through learning opportunities, internships, resources, and financial support.

We are preparing our children to contribute and compete in a global society and, in many ways, Samsung is bringing a global society to them.”

Samsung’s taxes in Year 4 will be paid to Williamson County, the City of Taylor, and Taylor ISD. Taylor Mayor Brandt Rydell’s team also negotiated $300,000 in philanthropic donations to the City of Taylor, per year, for the next 30 years, for a total of $9 million in gifts to benefit education across the board. 

2021 • ISSUE 3 | WILCO BUSINESS REVIEW

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WELCOME, SAMSUNG

At the Table

photo courtesy Bill Gravell

WITH JUDGE BILL GRAVELL

by Ann Marie Kennon

W

hen Williamson County Judge Bill Gravell met with BGR Group corporate consultant Jerry Strickland last January to discuss pandemic testing and vaccinations, he made a connection that would impact Williamson County for generations.

BGR Group represents multiple large corporations. Strickland later called to ask the Judge if the County would be interested in making a corporate pitch for a $17 billion project.

“He gave me 36 hours to respond,” Judge Gravell says. “I sent out emails with details about the company, and received affirmative responses from Leander and Taylor. While Taylor is now receiving international attention as the awardee, I am incredibly proud that Leander was one of the top six locations in the world.” He notes Leander did not go further only because Samsung had larger requirements for land to create a significant space buffer at the site.

the Lord allow us to be involved in it? I’ve never worked so hard in my life as I have in the last nine months. I don’t believe I’m arrogant but I am proud that my grandchildren will pass by the Samsung site and say, ‘My Pawpaw helped bring this to Williamson County.’”

He reflects on these and other extraordinary circumstances during his first four years as Judge. He believes it might make sense to write a book about it; not just about the biggest deal in American history with foreign investment, but a guide to landing it. “A global pandemic, Texas’ worst snowstorm, the largest deal ever, and a new multi-million dollar children’s hospital; God only puts us in those places that give us the experience to get through to the next thing.”

After months of negotiations, Judge Gravell recalls being exhausted at the end of every day. “It was stressful and very complicated; I went home many nights wondering when would would cross the finish line."

His greatest takeaway—quoting JFK—is that a rising tide lifts all boats, but he says of Samsung: “This is a controlled tsunami. It is a legacy not likely to be topped and I am still wondering how we got here; why would Samsung’s new manufacturing site (red outline) will rest on 1,200 acres in the southwest part of Taylor near Highway 79.

The graphic shows the size of its footprint compared to some of the area’s other large company sites. (maps.google.com)

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1 mi.

WELCOME, SAMSUNG

Ann Marie Kennon

SAMSUNG

annmarie@wilcobr.com

Just Who is Coming to Taylor?

THE SOUTH KOREAN MULTI-INDUSTRY MANUFACTURER KNOWN AS IS THE #42 MOST VALUABLE BRAND IN THE WORLD 2 Samsung is South Korea’s largest chaebol—a large, family-run conglomerate. Historically, family-owned companies have played an important role in the nation’s economic development, and none more so than Samsung. It was founded as a trading company in 1938 by Lee Byung-chul. He led the company until his death in 1987 and was succeeded by his third son Lee Kun-hee, whose tenure was known for as much scandal as success. He remained chairman until 2014.

foreign investment deal in Texas and one of the largest in the nation. In 2006, the company built a second, larger building at the site and added a second production line. Today, the Austin foundry produces approximately 100,000 wafers per month.

The group began diversifying in the 1940s and 50s and entered the electronics industry in the 1960s. Electronics hardware and retail products were a significant driver in the company’s global sales trajectory.

In the microelectronics industry, a semiconductor fabrication plant—commonly called a fab, or foundry—is a factory where integrated circuits and similar devices are manufactured.

Today, the company has co-CEOs: Kyung Kye-hyun and Han Jong-hee.

Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. (SSNLF) is traded on the Korean stock market, NYSE, and NASDAQ. The company’s headquarters are in Seoul. Their semiconductor manufacturing takes place in eight plants around South Korea, four in China, and one in Austin.

Over the past 10 years, their affiliate companies were responsible for approximately 20 percent of the nation’s total exports. It is rumored that their economic dominance has provided the company with influence outside the electronics industry and into politics, media, and culture.

Samsung in Texas In 1987, Samsung was penalized by the United States International Trade Commission for unlawfully selling computer chips in the United States without securing licenses from the chip inventor, Texas Instruments, Inc. The company paid the fine, enabling it to continue selling chips and the rapidly growing series of electronic devices that used them.

Dr. Sang Sup Jeong is the President of Samsung Austin Semiconductor.

Samsung Austin Semiconductor, finished in 1997, was the first Samsung fabrication plant outside of Korea. Prior to the ink drying on the 2021 Taylor agreements, it was the largest

1

The Industry The global semiconductor industry is led by companies from Taiwan (TMSC), the United States (Intel), South Korea (Samsung), Japan, and the Netherlands. In 2020, Samsung’s market share in the semiconductor industry worldwide was 12.4 percent. Since 2006, the company has consistently ranked in the top two semiconductor companies by worldwide foundry sales revenue. Samsung’s global semiconductor sales revenues for 2020 reached $466.24 billion (USD).3 The lack of movement in the top spots somewhat validates the fact that Samsung is one of only a handful of companies capable of manufacturing advanced semiconductors.

Specifically, only Samsung, TMSC of Taiwan, and Intel in the United States are able to amass the multi-billion-dollar capital investment required to build foundries.

1 The word S amsung translates to “ three stars” 2 VisualCapitalist.com 2021 rank ing 3 Thomas Alsop, Statista.com

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WELCOME, SAMSUNG

Powering Samsung

SAMSUNG

Partnerships are not limited to government entities level. “We couldn’t take away from our existing water supplies here. We have thousands of homes under construction and businesses in operation; we knew we had to be innovative and creative.”

To meet the need, Williamson County’s team brokered a meeting between Samsung and EPCOR, which owns water rights for the Carrizo-Wilcox Aquifer*, and created a solution that will funnel millions of gallons of water into Williamson County from adjacent Milam County.

The aquifer extends from the Louisiana border to the Mexico border and will serve as an entirely new source of water for Williamson County. “This is a two-fold benefit for Williamson County. We have been trying to connect to the Carrizo-Wilcox for years,” the Judge said.

B

efore Samsung announced it will build a new semiconductor plant in Taylor, it may have appeared to some that this small city in eastern Williamson County, with a population just over 17,000, could not accommodate the needs of a foundry that never shuts down, begins operations with 6 million square feet, and hosts as many as 8,000 daily workers.

Thanks to agreements with companies from Rockdale to Canada, Samsung will have the resources necessary to prepare for, build, and open the doors to the new facility in 2024.

Samsung representative Michele Glaze affirmed in a statement, “The availability of reliable utilities is fundamental to all semiconductor manufacturing. A semiconductor manufacturing facility uses several millions of gallons of ultra-pure water and more than 100 megawatts of power each day. It was one of many variables in the selection process.”

Texas Water Williamson County Judge Bill Gravell focused on Samsung’s water requirements because access in Central Texas is something city and county leaders must ensure at every

He assured that the new water agreement would not negatively impact locals; “EPCOR will be bringing in water from an alternate water site that won’t take away from our residents.

Not only do we have tax revenue from Samsung, and water for generations to come, EPCOR will be paying the tax on the half-billion-dollar infrastructure that will bring the water from that alternate source across the miles to Taylor.”

Effluence On the other end, EPCOR will also provide wastewater services. Judge Gravell added, “The wastewater alone will cost $500 million, and EPCOR will fund that effort as well.

Both companies are ambitious about re-using water, so we anticipate recycling Samsung’s wastewater and selling it back to them.” Williamson County Commissioners and Taylor City Council both approved the water and wastewater agreements, which, if all partners work well, could result in a near90 percent recycling.

W E W E R E A B L E TO B R I N G A C A N A D I A N A N D K O R E A N CO M PA N Y TO G E T H E R TO P R O V I D E WAT E R .

TO O U R K N O W L E D G E , T H I S I S T H E F I R S T T I M E C A N A D A H A S PA R T I C I PAT E D I N A D E A L L I K E T H I S , A N D I T I S W O N D E R F U L TO S E E T H R E E N AT I O N S CO M I N G TO G E T H E R F O R CO M M O N G O O D A N D N AT I O N A L S E C U R I T Y.” ~ J U D G E B I L L G R AV E L L

EPCOR has been providing electric power since 1891. It was the first municipally owned electric utility in Canada. They diversified into water treatment in 1903 and today provide water and electricity in Canada and the U.S.; Arizona, New Mexico, and parts of Texas. In 2016, EPCOR USA Inc., a subsidiary of EPCOR Utilities Inc., acquired the 130 Pipeline Project, a 53-mile wholesale water supply pipeline that delivers groundwater from Burleson County to eastern Travis County. *a body of permeable rock that can contain or transmit groundwater

2021 • ISSUE 3 | WILCO BUSINESS REVIEW

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WELCOME, SAMSUNG

Ann Marie Kennon

SAMSUNG

annmarie@wilcobr.com USA—I want the most advanced semiconductors in the world to be made in our backyard.”

What if...?

Key to National Security

The concentration of fabrication facilities in East Asia creates supply chain risks. Trade disputes, military conflicts, or other disruptions in the region could significantly affect U.S. access to semiconductors.

I

n 1990, China had no chip manufacturing capabilities. Today, their government is subsidizing semiconductor production, putting them on track to be the global leader in chip manufacturing by 2030. This trend makes increasing U.S. production of semiconductors critical to our own national security.

In March 2021, the National Security Commission on Artificial Intelligence found: After decades leading the microelectronics industry, the United States will soon source roughly 90 percent of all high-volume, leading-edge integrated-circuit production from countries in East Asia.

This means the United States is almost entirely reliant on foreign sources for production of the cutting-edge semiconductors critical for defense systems and industry more broadly, leaving the U.S. supply chain vulnerable to disruption by foreign government action or natural disaster. (Source: NSCAI.gov)

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Fortunately, Senator John Cornyn and others in the Senate are working, with bipartisan support, on the CHIPS for America Act, which will boost domestic manufacturing and lower the risk of supply chain interruption or corruption. Proactively, the American Foundries Act will provide grants and economic development incentives for research and development. The fortification to be gained from these bills led to their inclusion in the FY 2021 National Defense Authorization Act.

Why it Matters Williamson County Judge Bill Gravell says, “National security is the number one reason to support this project. Semiconductors are the brain of every electrical device; from your thermostat to your pacemaker to a stealth bomber. We should not have to depend on countries we don’t trust to produce things we use to protect ourselves. Further, when the next pandemic or ice storm occurs, I want the things we depend on for survival to be made in the

The Judge frequently asks others to consider the scene at empty car dealerships as an example of the means by which China may be able to control our economy. Providing fewer chips will prevent manufacturers from completing production on many products Americans take for granted, which will handicap our GDP and widen the nation’s global trade gaps.

“Consider how reliant we are on technology and the Internet,” the Judge says. “Our business environment, health care, communication, and education are critically dependent on devices.

Samsung is from South Korea—a friendly nation—and we must consider the electronic brains in our cell phones also go into our tanks and planes. Those we purchase from China may be made to be hackable. Perhaps they will be programmed with malware and designed to fail, leaving our businesses dark, unplugged, and forcing us to send ever-increasing revenues overseas.”

Unified Support Given all factors, it is significant that the partners in the Samsung agreement are not just in Taylor.

Judge Gravell adds, “This wasn’t fighting to bring a new car or furniture manufacturer to America. This went all the way to the White House and was aggressively pursued by both parties. In Williamson County, we are twice fortunate that Samsung will be here.”

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Between 1990 and 2020, U.S. manufacturing of semiconductors, critical to our economic and national security, fell from 37% of global output to 11%.

In 2020, the total value of electronics assembly estimated was $1.4 trillion. Analysts expect it to increase to approximately $1.6 trillion in 2025.

M oder n MOS transistors, the building blocks for silicone semiconduc tors, were imagined in the 1920s, an d were per fec ted by many scie ntists and engineers over more than 50 years. I ndustr y analyst Jim Handy estimates 13,000,000,000,000,000,000,000* transistors have been manufac tured since 1947.

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Taylor (512) 309-6070 12345 N. IH-35 • Jarrell (512) 746-2531 2021 • ISSUE 3 | WILCO BUSINESS REVIEW

13

contributed by Taylor Rogers

FIRST PERSON

“Why isn’t every company in America doing this?”

A lot has happened since Michael Jones (CFO, Thrive Mortgage) asked me that question—but let’s back up to the beginning. ~ Taylor Rogers

How it all began

After years of watching company profits and employee take-home-pay erode at the hands of health insurance increases, Michael and Thrive CEO Roy Jones reached their breaking point.

Frustration came to a head when Roy received a $132,000 bill of his own for a simple healthcare episode. He called me and said “Taylor, when you get to be my age, you start to think about your legacy, and I have got to do something meaningful to help put a stop to this nonsense.”

What they learned

Michael and Roy invested great time and energy into understanding the “incentive problem” of our insurance-based healthcare system. They realized that if the member, the plan sponsor, and the healthcare provider could all win, it was imperative to lead members to that intersection as frequently as possible.

They identified low-hanging opportunities to reduce cost and improve quality. This process highlighted the reality that the data set they received from their insurance company was woefully inadequate.

Thrive needed a flexible program that could evolve over time. They needed real time, granular utilization data, and the ability to replace underperforming components of their plan. Most importantly, they needed an experienced team that could manage all of this on a daily and weekly basis on their behalf.

The results

Since launching their own program, Thrive Mortgage has reduced healthcare expenses by nearly 40 percent. They have offered back-to-back premium reductions for employees, while consistently rolling out new benefits to employees. A few of the new programs include: mental and behavioral health resources, an on-call maternal fetal medicine physician, and hundreds of medications at $0 out-of-pocket to members.

Why not everyone?

Back to Michael’s question at the top of the story— “Why isn’t every company in America doing this?”

That single question led to the formation of Cairn advisors. We are helping organizations get off of the annual employee benefits hamster wheel, while we actively manage their risk.

There’s no need to reinvent the wheel. Wherever you’re headed, we can help you get there!

TAYLOR ROGERS, CO-FOUNDER/PRINCIPAL CAIRN ADVISORS, MITIGATE PARTNERS MEMBER TAYLOR@CADVISORS.US • (512) 422-9269 • WWW.MITIGATEPARTNERS.COM As co-founder and Principal of Cairn Advisors, Taylor Rogers began his career with an insurance carrier, before moving to a large national consulting firm, where he discovered his greatest expertise was in designing self-funded benefits strategies. Taylor and the team at Cairn Advisors combine the strict purchasing fundamentals used by leading manufacturers with an unmatched employee experience to improve the cost and quality of healthcare and employee benefits for their clients. He partnered with the executive team of an independent mortgage bank to specifically craft a program for lenders and financial institutions, and Cairn Advisors was selected as the exclusive employee benefits partner for The Mortgage Collaborative – a group of more than 250 independent mortgage lenders across the United States.

14 WILCO BUSINESS REVIEW | 2021 • ISSUE 3

Did you know that a certain multi-billion dollar coffee chain spends more money on healthcare than they do on coffee beans?

When purchasing benefits, employers have far more power than they realize.

We design employer-built health plans, which eliminate middlemen and reduce wasteful spending. By kicking bureaucrats out of the exam room, and collaborating with the local healthcare community, our clients can dramatically reduce spending and restore the relationship between the patient and the physician.

EMAIL US AT: INFO@CADVISORS.US

for a no-obligation program review. visit us @ www.cairnbenefits.com

Charlotte Kovalchuk

FIVE QUESTIONS

FIVE

1

charlotte@wilcobr.com

What made you decide to run in Georgetown for the District 6 seat?

I have lived in Georgetown for 20 years. My wife Allison and I love this town, are raising our family here, and believe it is the best town in Texas. When Rachael Jonrowe resigned and the city council seat became available, a few friends who knew I followed local politics, and cared about this community, reached out to me and asked if I would consider running. Allison and I are committed to doing what we can to promote the prosperity and welfare of Georgetown and, after a lot of prayer and discussion, we decided this is the best opportunity we could think of to accomplish that.

GEORGETOWN CITY COUNCIL MEMBER

JAKE FRENCH

QUESTIONS

Describe your governing style.

My government style is representative. I have not governed before, but I believe my professional leadership style as a project manager is pragmatic and collaborative. I set the broad vision and goals for a project based on the priorities of clients and stakeholders, then work to create and resource a team of various specialists to accomplish the goals that have been set. I coordinate my teams to make sure that everyone is operating harmoniously, effectively, and efficiently. I dig into the minute details when I need to and when things are not working as they should, but I am not a micromanager.

4

3

What general issues are at the top of your list for you to tackle?

In the immediate future I want to work on traffic infrastructure around District 6, especially pedestrian infrastructure. There are needs for additional sidewalks, crosswalks, a pedestrian bridge, and a parking structure in the neighborhood and around the Square. I want to work to make sure that we are meeting the needs of the community when it comes to pedestrian safety and that we are thinking long term about the infrastructure that the city puts in place.

16 WILCO BUSINESS REVIEW | 2021 • ISSUE 3

photo courtesy Jake French

2

What specific aspects of your campaign were important in your victory?

I think there were several aspects of my campaign that led to my victory. First, I think my message that I view this role as being representative of my constituents, citizens, and stakeholders resonated with voters. I think a lot of people view politicians and establishment candidates as out of touch and unconcerned with their priorities and I’m not that. Second, I did a whole lot of walking the neighborhood, knocking on people’s doors, delivering my message, and listening to the priorities that constituents care about. I guess between myself, Allison, my campaign treasurer, and a few friends, we knocked on about 750 doors or more.

5

What is your vision for your district?

My vision for my district and for Georgetown generally is that my children will enjoy the city the way I have for the past 20 years. That Georgetown will manage its tremendous growth wisely and responsibly while maintaining its essential character as a unique town with small-town charm, which District 6 embodies more than any other district. I hope future generations will appreciate the 150-plus-year history of our town because, while Georgetown continues to grow, it will still be Georgetown.

I want my kids to be excited to be a part of the continuous story of a wonderful Texas town with friendly people who value service, community, and having a good time with good friends in a beautiful place.

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2021 • ISSUE 3 | WILCO BUSINESS REVIEW

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TECHNOLOGY

BUSINESS EMAIL COMPROMISE Ben Lake

ben@openroad.network

$38,000

How would you like lose that much money in the blink of an eye? Yeah, me neither. But that almost happened to a local business through a sneaky scam called “business email compromise” (BEC).

T

he financial manager for this company received a brief email from the company owner requesting that she pay for some recent legal services he used in accordance with an attached invoice ($38k), and to let him know when the wire transfer was complete.

This particular business is in an industry where it’s not uncommon to wire large amounts of money on a regular basis, so the request wasn’t that out of the ordinary. The financial manager visited the bank later that day and submitted the wire instructions. Upon returning to her car, she viewed the email again to reply back and—simply because her phone app presents emails in a slightly different way to her computer—noticed that the sender of the original message was not the owner’s email address! A quick call to the owner confirmed her worst fears: he never sent any such message.

Frantic, she rushed back into the bank and they were thankfully able to cancel the transfer.

This type of fraud—business email compromise—is unfortunately becoming more common and can really ruin

your day. The scammer either uses a phony email address disguised as the legitimate user (“Mr. Boss Man” <nottherealaddress@gmail.com>) or, in more serious cases, has actually obtained access to the boss’s email account and is sending the scam from his/her legitimate mailbox.

The best method is going to be user education. Make sure anyone in your company with access to financial accounts is aware of this scam. If they have any doubts about a financial request they should absolutely verify in person or over the phone (and NOT by email).

In the case above, the scammer was using a phony address and thankfully did not have access to the company’s email system. I reviewed the email and the attached invoice, and it was scary how real it looked. None of the grammar was wrong (a red-flag that the sender isn’t a native English speaker), and the invoice with wire instructions would have fooled me, too. Afterwards, we called the number on the invoice and discovered it was not in service.

That fact, and the phony address, were the only indicators of fraud.

You might even consider a secret word or phrase the boss can use to claim legitimacy.

There is little that can be done to defend against this type of scam, but there are measures to help.

So, learn from the (almost) costly mistakes of others: educate yourself, your employees, and leverage technology best practices to limit the chance of being scammed by business email compromise.

Use unique passwords and multi-factor authentication when available, but even this won’t prevent spoofed email from getting through.

Apply a warning label to all incoming emails generated from outside your organization. Your IT support company can assist in configuring this feature. In theory, a recipient of a spoofed email from the boss would see the warning label and recognize this as a red flag. In practice, the warning label is seen by users so frequently that they may fail to recognize it when it really matters.

BEN LAKE Ben is the owner of Open Road Network Services, a Georgetown-based business providing honest, reliable, and affordable technology support to individuals and small businesses. He is particularly passionate about educating and empowering his clients to become more comfortable with technology.

512-942-7623 • www.openroad.network

18 WILCO BUSINESS REVIEW | 2021 • ISSUE 3

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Ann Marie Kennon

TOURISM

annmarie@wilcobr.com

Williamson County is “Fit” for Business

E

arly in 2021, Ohio-based Rogue Fitness chose Williamson County for the third annual Rogue Invitational, a CrossFit and Strongman competition that featured some of the biggest names in the sport.

Rogue is the leading manufacturer of strength and conditioning equipment and has been serving athletes at every level for 15 years. Their three-day competition took place at Dell Diamond in October; another example of big business choosing Williamson County and demonstrating the versatility of the county’s economic development community.

BPN

Nick Bare (facing page) is an entrepreneur and elite athlete who built a successful company and a social media following in the millions while still an Army Infantry platoon leader. Now headquartered in Round Rock, BPN is a leading and trusted source of performance and health supplements. The company is known in the industry for transparency, and extreme diligence in product testing and safety.

R O G U E I S B O DY B U I L D I N G A N D WEIGHTLIFTING. BPN IS THE F U E L T H AT H E L P S P E O P L E ACHIEVE AND SPURS THEM TO W I N . ~ N I C K B A R E BPN athletes and staff are committed to connecting with like-minded individuals and businesses, and they agreed the Rogue community is on exactly the path they want to follow. Executive Assistant Wyatt Knight said, “Rogue is an established brand, and we are looking forward to expanding our communities together while being leaders in our respective space.”

image Facebook/rogueinvitational

Bare explained, “We began speaking with Rogue about a partnership a few years ago because their values are so much in alignment with ours and I have great respect for everything they do. Their products are American-made, they support our military, and many athletes who have signed with our brand are professional CrossFit athletes.” When Bare found out Rogue had chosen Austin for the 2021 event, things began to fall into place.

The event was a huge success in terms of awareness, but also for the new and vigorous partnerships that will continue to bring prosperity to everyone involved.

Chief among them is Bare Performance Nutrition (BPN) founder and CEO, Nick Bare.

20 WILCO BUSINESS REVIEW | 2021 • ISSUE 3

As it happens, Williamson County Judge Bill Gravell sometimes meets with Bare to discuss his growing business. During one such meeting, Bare mentioned the Rogue event was coming to Austin. He recalls, “Judge Gravell said, ‘I want that in Williamson County’, picked up his phone and called [Round Rock Express President] Chris Almendarez at Dell Diamond. We had a relationship with Chris; having previously sealed a deal to have a booth at Dell Diamond and donate $100 for every home run. All the pieces fell into place and Dell became the primary partner for the event.”

TOURISM

Freeman said, “There were so many resources and finances invested in this event, we leveraged the opportunity to engage with and invite thousands of locals and visitors to Williamson County to our own events just three miles away.”

All events at BPN and outside the Dell stadium were free to the public. BPN also shared the wealth and invited local vendors and food trucks to take part in the local events.

ONWARD… THE SOLUTIONS

Almendarez said Rogue is the kind of event that puts a spotlight on the success Dell Diamond had since being forced to pivot in 2020, and their solutions are scalable. “This is our forte,” he said. “With COVID, we began thinking outside the box to figure out what we could do when we didn’t know what baseball would look like. We have a history of adapting in this crisis and, while we always focus on baseball, we have a lot of diverse programming on the schedule.”

He added the impact is far-reaching; “We have a great relationship with BPN

and they have signed professional athletes from around the country. We were pleased to give Rogue, and ourselves, the opportunity to introduce new people to Central Texas. They brought in a community we had not worked with much and I am proud to say our staff made it look like the place was built for CrossFit.” BPN Marketing Director Trey Freeman added, “The Invitational was huge by itself but outside of that, CrossFit hosted free classes all weekend. It was an opportunity to prove that Texas hospitality is bigger than just one event.” Similarly, BPN also created ancillary events at their own headquarters in Round Rock.

A very satisfied Bare says the event was a huge success; the perfect event at the perfect time. He explained, “The Austin area is the place for a lot of people and organizations in the health industry. For Rogue to choose Round Rock is a testament that we have all the ingredients, and places like Dell Diamond that are a perfect marriage of fresh air and amenities.” As such, he is hoping BPN will be able to host a similar event soon. He recalled, “We had a marathon in January at Schwertner Ranch.

Tickets sold out in about 90 minutes and people flew in from all over the country.

That says a lot of about the potential for Williamson County to be a destination of choice for the fitness community.”

BPN athletes celebrate Nick Bare’s signature sentiment.

2021 • ISSUE 3 | WILCO BUSINESS REVIEW

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GOVERNMENT

Passing the State Map N

ow that Governor Abbott has signed the 2020 Census Redistricting Maps into law, the state can move forward to a March 1 primary election. The Wilco Business Review sat down with Texas District 20 Representative Colonel Terry Wilson (U.S. Army-Retired) to talk about Why, How, and the process when House district boundaries are re-drawn.

Rep. Wilson begins; “This is a process the House goes through every ten years. When the decennial United States census takes place, we receive an exact count of citizens in our state and where they live."

The Texas Constitution mandates that the legislature draw boundaries to ensure the general—not voter—population of all State House voting districts is as close to equal as possible.

The simple math divides the total population of the state by the number of House seats. The complicated math becomes necessary when population blocks grow, or shift due to commercial or industrial expansion, or both, and those changes require the application of other Constitutional rules.

CONSTITUTIONAL RULES A primary consideration in new House boundaries is the County Line Rule.

The Constitution allows that any county with sufficient population for exactly one district (plus or minus 5 percent) must be formed into a single district. The lines cannot be drawn to include any amount of land of another county.

Any county with a population smaller than one ideal district must be kept whole and combined with one or more contiguous counties to form a single district. Representatives must make every effort to keep counties whole to prevent gerrymandering.

In the 2020 census, Williamson County showed sufficient population for three full districts. "With just 10,000 more residents," the Colonel says, "we would have had to create a fourth district that grabbed some of Williamson County and other counties added together." As it stands, House District 20 no longer includes parts of Burnet or Milam Counties. As of the 2022 election, District 20 will be wholly within Williamson County, and Rep. Wilson says he looks forward to continue serving the District.

IDEAL OR CLOSE ENOUGH

The County Line Rule was broken this year only in the case of Cameron County, which was broken into two districts. This exception was granted for the purpose of preserving minority opportunity districts; i.e., at least a 50 percent minority voting-age population.

Rep. Wilson says, "The key to the process—the core principle underlying everything we do—is that we will follow the Texas Constitution and ensure it all comes down to one person-one vote. Every person who goes to the ballot box should have an equal impact.” (See graphic, next page.)

While the County Line Rule is a rigid regulation in the State House, it is more of a preferred guideline in the Senate, where the districts are much larger. Rep. Wilson says, “It is not a law and a claimant may not take a Senate map to court just for breaking a county line.”

Through the years, with massive growth and competing government principles, the courts determined that exceptions would be necessary and allowed that, while still striving for equal numbers, district populations may fall within a 10 percent margin; i.e., they must be “close enough” with a minimum of 95 percent and maximum of 105 percent of the “ideal district.”*

He adds, “As Texas grows in certain places, it becomes more difficult to make the voting districts even while still keeping counties together. We are also prohibited from looking at racial makeup when drawing boundaries. That is why some of the district lines are irregularly shaped."

He cites Hayes and Blanco Counties, and Harris County (Houston) as two distinct examples. Larger counties are more able to create equal districts without splitting votes with another; Harris County has 24 complete districts. With so many residents, it is possible to move boundaries within the 

2021 • ISSUE 3 | WILCO BUSINESS REVIEW

23

GOVERNMENT

*WHAT IS IDEAL AND CLOSE ENOUGH? The official U.S. Census counted 29,145,505 Texas residents. With 150 House seats, the exact average per district would be 194,303. To adjust for other factors, the House is allowed to create districts 184,588 and 204,018 citizens. Rep. Wilson explained, within these limits, there is no wiggle room. One Representative submitted a map with two extra people in it and the map was rejected.

same county while keeping population counts within that ten percent margin.

Conversely, in 2010, Hayes and Blanco Counties were both smaller than the ideal number but, together, they fell within the 95-105 percent range. Those two counties whole, with no breaks, used to be House district 45. After ten years of growth, however, Hays County now has enough population to make one complete district, plus one-quarter of an ideal district left over to join another multi-county district.

WILLIAMSON COUNTY Rep. Wilson says, despite some objections based on gerrymandering in the State, this was not an issue in Williamson County. "Williamson County is very diffuse and diverse. The data show that, as a county, we are very evenly spread by age and race. We are also diffused very well across the county, with a lot of mixing of various groups. There is no singular place where either of those things are a potential issue."

He adds the challenge to keep County voter precincts the same was nearly impossible due to growth, which outpaced the growth of the state. "We tried to only create breaks in

WHY IT MATTERS

those places that would have to break anyway; moving a voting precinct from one district to another can be as many as 10,000 votes."

THE SPECIAL SESSION Following the Constitution, House Representatives must vote on new maps by the end of the regular session. Due to the late release of census data, they could only work with data as it arrived in waves. Rep. Wilson says, "At first, we received the state count and learned how many U.S. Congress Representatives we would have. The detailed data was released after we had gaveled out, so the governor convened a special session to complete the work.

He adds, "There are contingencies if the legislature doesn’t agree on a map, but we did agree and we did pass the bill in a special session and we will continue to do it every ten years. Now we know what the one person-one vote will be and that's a great thing for Williamson County."

STATE DISTRICT A HAS 300,000 CITIZENS

Because a Representative represents all the people in a district, his or her single vote in the State House is a compression of the will of 300,000 people. As such, every time a delegate casts a vote, each voter has 1/300,000th of the vote’s impact on the floor.

24 WILCO BUSINESS REVIEW | 2021 • ISSUE 3

GOVERNMENT

Approving the County Maps

A

s the State approved its redistricting maps, Williamson County Commissioners Court was able to complete a new redistricting map for Justices of the Peace, Constables, and Commissioners precincts. Following state law, Counties are also required to review the new census data every ten years to ensure their populations are also evenly distributed.

Precincts are drawn only according to civilian numbers, and do not take into account the number of registered voters in each.

Precinct 3 Valerie Covey explained the changes in precinct assignments, “In

law October 25th, the County was left with a compressed timeline to discuss and finalize proposed changes.

the past decade, Williamson County’s growth (44%) has been predominately focused on the west side of the county.

Precincts two and three were over the population target while precincts one and four needed more residents to make the precincts as even as possible."

Williamson County Republican Party Chair Steve Armbruster explained, “This process is always a very challenging time for the politicians. Normally, the census numbers are provided in the Spring and Commissioners have months to adjust to changes in population. This year, prior to the State vote, they had many data points but had to wait to see where the new State lines would be. With a lot of hard work, they were able to complete the work in just two weeks, and allowed a full week of public 

PANDEMIC MATTERS Due to delays in the U.S. Census Bureau's release of 2020 data to the states, the timeline for completing the state maps was truncated, causing a ripple effect to the local levels. When Governor Abbott signed the four state maps into

STATE DISTRICT B HAS 50,000 RESIDENTS Each time their Representative goes to the floor, he or she casts the same vote, but with fewer citizens, each resident has 1/50,000th of the compressed impact. While that number still seems small, it carries six times the weight of a District A voter.

2021 • ISSUE 3 | WILCO BUSINESS REVIEW

25

GOVERNMENT comment. At the end of the day, they met the deadline and the maps were done well.”

County Judge Bill Gravell commented that public feedback was largely positive as well. “The public was encouraged to comment on the proposed map at Wilco.org; 102 people supported it, 24 opposed it, and 13 had questions. I am pleased to say, no elected officials were ‘kidnapped’ or drawn out of their current precinct. I believe this process was incredibly fair, given the time constraints to complete the work.”

NEW BOUNDARIES Precinct lines at the county level may appear to be irregularly shaped. However, with an overlay of the four statewide maps, they are in close alignment with House, Senate, and Federal boundaries. All maps combine to ensure citizen counts are evenly distributed and in alignment with census blocks.

Changes in Williamson County start with the U.S. Congress.

While, previously, the county was wholly within Congressional District 31, it is now divided—in different measures—among four members of Congress. This means Williamson County will have four voices on the Hill rather than three; i.e., business owners can potentially take concerns to one Representative in their home district, and another where their businesses are located. As well, having 100 percent of House District 20 will allow Representative Wilson to prioritize Williamson County concerns at the State level.

concerns addressed and problems solved.”

At the state level, there are two Senators and two State Board of Education representatives rather than one, again, doubling the county’s voice in their respective houses.

Combined, these represent significant increase in legislative impact.

Another important consideration, with so many new businesses expanding in or coming to Williamson County, is irregular voter precinct lines that must wrap around or between large commercial sites; e.g., Dell Diamond or 1890 Ranch Cedar Park, that occupy a great deal of acreage, but contain no voters. As well, Precinct 1, which includes parts of Round Rock and Austin, has more people in the new map than other precincts because it is largely built-out; i.e., without vacant land, clearly visible in other precincts, and not much room for future growth.

NEXT STEPS Having drawn precinct maps to line up with State lines, Commissioners are preparing to complete voter precinct maps and, again, prevent vagaries between the newly-approved boundaries. Williamson County will be adding approximately 40 new voter precincts and, to meet deadlines associated with the March 1, 2022, primary election, commissioners must approve changes to election precincts no later than December 30th. Ballots for 2022 will be created based on voter residence as of January 1, 2022.

KEY TAKEAWAY While the process and changes may seem overwhelming, residents need not be concerned about researching new information. All registered voters will receive notification in the mail from the Williamson County Elections Department regarding changes in their voting districts and precincts. Armbruster says, “Everyone will receive a new voter registration card in the mail. I encourage everyone to pay close attention for new information; which are your representatives in Congress, Commissioners, etc., and drilling down to your Voter Precinct Representative.”

Armbruster adds, “Our current representatives are doing a great job at the Capitol, but if our business community can get two Senators and four Congressmen all working on the same issues for Central Texas, it will be easier for them to get

Nothing has changed with regard to where people vote.

All voters still have the opportunity to vote at any polling place in the county. ~Steve Armbruster

T H E 2020 U. S . C E N S U S S H O W E D W I L L I A M S O N CO U N T Y ’ S P O P U L AT I O N TO B E 609,017.

T H E R E Q U I R E M E N T F O R R E D I S T R I C T I N G I S TO A L LO C AT E 25 P E R C E N T O F T H E P O P U L AT I O N I N E A C H O F T H E CO U N T Y ’ S F O U R P R E C I N C T S W I T H T H E S A M E " I D E A L" TA R G E T O F 152,254, P LU S O R M I N U S 5 P E R C E N T ( 7,6 13 P E O P L E ) .

26 WILCO BUSINESS REVIEW | 2021 • ISSUE 3

For consideration, please email information to info@wilcobr.com

BUSINESS BRIEFS CEDAR PARK Perfect Game Perfect Game, the world’s largest youth baseball and softball scouting organization, has chosen Cedar Park for its new headquarters.

Cedar Park City Council voted to approve the deal at its September 23 meeting. The city anticipates it will facilitate a thriving sports tourism industry for Cedar Park and solidify the city as a tourism and business destination.

Cedar Park Town Center Project A new project is bringing more destination development to the Cedar Park Town Center with restaurants, office space, and a trail.

PEOPLE ON THE

The 5.2-acre tract being developed is located at the southwest corner of Discovery Boulevard and Main Street, adjacent to the Cedar Park Recreation Center. Doug Denman with CP North Shore, LLC plans to build two new restaurants 5,500-6,500 square feet each, donate a sculpture for a future sculpture garden, and construct a minimum of 41,000-square-foot office building. Denman also developed Springhill Suites in the Cedar Park Town Center, and his next project will total 52,000-61,000 square feet of new taxable development.

The City of Cedar Park, in turn, will create a trailhead and sculpture garden for the

project, which will occur in three phases and is anticipated to finish in 2026.

GEORGETOWN Goodfolks Goodfolks opened its doors in October at the corner of Austin Avenue and 7th Street on the Square; formerly Burger University.

The Southern-style eatery serves comfort food; fried chicken, homemade biscuits, craft milkshakes, specialty cocktails, and local beers.

City Post Chophouse City Post Chophouse, a premier steak and seafood restaurant, opened on 8th

MOVE

Street just off the Square in the former Post Office and City Hall building. The venue includes a steakhouse, oyster bar, and butcher shop as well as a private special event space on the second floor.

Ascension Medical Group Seton Express Care Ascension Medical Group Seton Express Care opened October 29 near the Armed Forces Recruitment Center at Wolf Ranch Town Center. The center offers primary and express care to children and adults. Ascension is a faithbased, national healthcare organization that provides care to all, with a focus on

people living in poverty and other vulnerable groups.

LEANDER Cangshan Cutlery Knife manufacturer Cangshan Cutlery will relocate its headquarters from Chino, California to Leander in 2023. Founder and CEO Henry Liu plans to develop a 400,000-square-foot production and administrative facility in north Leander and is expected to create up to 300 jobs in the area and earn $150 million in annual revenue.

Wayne Nero

Travis Motal

After serving as Georgetown’s police chief for 11 years, Wayne Nero was named Georgetown’s Assistant City Manager. He began his new role December 6, overseeing several city departments, including police, fire, information technology, community services, human resources, and organizational development.

Travis Motal has taken the helm as Liberty Hill ISD’s new director of secondary education. He previously served as Liberty Hill Jr. High School’s principal and has worked in education for 16 years, with campus administrator experience at the secondary and elementary levels.

Nick Woolery

Eddie Curran

Nick Woolery was appointed Assistant City Manager for Georgetown. Previously, since 2019, he was assistant city manager for the City of Baytown. He began shepherding development across Georgetown on December 6, overseeing the city’s planning, inspections, systems engineering, public works, special districts, and communications departments.

Eddie Curran has been named Round Rock ISD’s chief human resource officer. He previously worked as the executive director of human resources in Leander ISD and as Austin ISD’s executive director of human capital systems, director of human resource services, and staff coordinator.

Lane Mills Lane Mills is the new captain of the Fire Marshal Special Operations Division of Williamson County. He previously worked for the City of Georgetown as fire lieutenant and was appointed to the Fire and Life Safety Division.

He later served as a shift captain for Williamson County Emergency Services District #7.

Susan Cole Susan Cole is Liberty Hill ISD’s new executive director of teaching and learning. She comes from Leander ISD, where she was executive director of instruction and professional learning. Susan has 17 years of administrative experience at the elementary, middle, and high school levels.

28 WILCO BUSINESS REVIEW | 2021 • ISSUE 3

David Cella David Cella became deputy chief of hazardous materials at the Williamson County Fire Marshal’s Office in September. His fire service career dates back to 2000, when he worked for Gloucester County’s Emergency Response, EMS Division, and Hazardous Materials Emergency Response Team. He also served as fire instructor for Salem County’s Fire Academy and continued his career with the Texas Division of Emergency Management in 2018 before coming on board with Williamson County.

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