Phil Wilson, General Manager of the Lower Colorado River Authority, named Chair-Elect

Austin, Texas (Nov. 21, 2016) The Greater Austin Chamber of Commerce today announced that its Board of Directors has selected Ellen Wood, President and CEO of vcfo, as the Chamber’s 2017 Chair of the Board. In addition, Phil Wilson, General Manager of the Lower Colorado River Authority, was selected as the Chamber’s Chair-Elect.

“We are thrilled to have Ellen and Phil take on these key leadership roles,” said Tony Budet, 2016 Chairman, Austin Chamber of Commerce, and President and CEO of University Federal Credit Union. “Both possess solid records of success and an enormity of talent. Together they’ll help our business community have an even stronger voice in critical matters that impact Austin’s business climate and broader interests.”

In 2016, Wood served as the Chamber’s Chair-Elect. She is also a past two-term Board member of the Austin Chamber and previously served as Vice Chair of Finance.

"The opportunity to serve on behalf of our members allows me to further help a community that has been central to my life, family, and profession,” said Wood. "It is my commitment to do whatever we can to advance the mission of being welcomed to the table in major discussions as a collaborative and critical partner in the decision making process for Austin and Central Texas.”

About the New Chair and Chair-Elect

Wood, a Texas CPA, holds a BBA in Accounting from the University of Texas at Austin and has been active as a business leader in Austin since her first role as Executive Vice President of Capital Network System in 1988.

In 1996, Wood co-founded the financial consulting firm vcfo in Austin. She has since expanded the firm’s footprint, opening offices in Dallas, Denver, Houston and Seattle. She diversified the company’s services to augment the core offering of fractional solution-based financial consulting to include interim resources, executive placement and human resources professionals. vcfo has worked with more than 3,500 entrepreneurial companies since formation. An active member of the business community, Wood is a member of AARO, serves as the Chairman of the Board for University Federal Credit Union, as the Treasurer for the Entrepreneurs Foundation and as an Advisory board member and past Treasurer for the Capital Area Boy Scouts board. She is a past chair of the Central Texas RCIC, Texchange, and a winner of the ABJ Profiles in Power Award.

Phil Wilson, who is aligned to become the Chamber’s Chair in 2018, has been an active leader in the Chamber for several years. He currently serves as the Chairman of Opportunity Austin 3.0, a highly successful, five-year, five county economic development initiative aimed at fostering job-creating investment in Central Texas.

Wilson became The Lower Colorado River Authority’s (LCRA) 11th general manager on February 2014, where he serves as the organization's chief executive officer and carries out LCRA Board policy, manages LCRA's relationships with its customers and stakeholders, appoints and directs executive staff, and oversees projects and operations that support LCRA's mission of enhancing the lives of Texans. One of the nation’s largest public power utilities, LCRA has assets of $5.6 billion, generates annual revenues of about $1 billion and employees 1,600 Texans.

Prior to joining LCRA, Wilson was executive director of the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT). Under the direction of the Texas Transportation Commission, he managed, directed and implemented TxDOT policies, programs and operating strategies. He also represented TxDOT before the Texas Legislature and other entities. Before joining TxDOT in 2011, Wilson served as senior vice president of public affairs and as a corporate officer for Luminant, Texas' largest electric generation company. In 2007, then-Gov. Rick Perry appointed Wilson as Texas' 106th Secretary of State. In that position, he was the chief elections officer and the chief international protocol officer for Texas. Wilson also served as chair of the Governor's Competitiveness Council and on the Texas Border Security Council.

Wilson currently serves on the boards of the Large Public Power Council, Texas Public Power Association, Power Across Texas, Texas Water Conservation Association and Austin Area Research Organization. He earned a Master of Business Administration from Southern Methodist University and a bachelor's degree from Hardin-Simmons University.

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About the Austin Chamber

The mission of the Austin Chamber of Commerce is to provide leadership that facilitates the creation of a prosperous regional economy and effective advocacy for its 3,000+ members. For more information about the Austin Chamber of Commerce visit AustinChamber.com.

Media Inquiries:

Luke Sheffield, Public Relations Manager
Austin Chamber of Commerce
512.322.5637
lsheffield@austinchamber.com