Gov. Abbott Reappoints Midlander to Historical Commission

AUSTIN – Governor Greg Abbott has reappointed Garrett Donnelly, Laurie Limbacher, and Cathy McKnight and appointed Fritz Duda and Ted Houghton to the Texas Historical Commission for terms set to expire on February 1, 2029. The Commission provides leadership and coordinates services to support projects commissioned by county historical commissions, historical societies, agencies, and institutions interested in the preservation of archeological and historical heritage. The Commission also acts as a clearinghouse and historical information center.

Garrett Donnelly of Midland is the vice president of The Eastland Oil Company, vice president and COO of Eastland International Resources, Inc., manager of Rocinante Energy LLC, and managing partner of Bear Lodge Minerals, LLC. He is a member of the Permian Basin Landmen’s Association, American Association of Petroleum Landmen, and the Permian Basin Producers Associates. He is past chairman and current board member of the Texas Tech University Health Science Permian Basin Advisory Board, serves on the board of directors of Safe Place, and serves on the Safe Place construction committee. Donnelly received a Bachelor of Business Administration in Management Information Studies from Texas Tech University.

Laurie Limbacher of Austin is president and principal at Limbacher & Godfrey Architects. She is a fellow of the American Institute of Architects and a member of the Texas Society of Architects, National Trust for Historic Preservation, Society of Architectural Historians, Association for Preservation Technology, and the Austin American Institute of Architects. Limbacher received a Bachelor of Environmental Design from Texas A&M University.

Catherine McKnight of Dallas is a retired healthcare attorney and an adjunct professor at the Texas A&M University School of Law. She is a member of the Texas State Bar Association, American Health Lawyers Association, and the North Dallas Shared Ministries Governing Board. Additionally, she is a Delta Delta Delta alumna and a former member of the Junior League of Dallas and St. Louis. McKnight received her Bachelor of Business Administration in Marketing from the University of Texas at Austin and her Juris Doctor degree from Washington University School of Law in St. Louis.

Fritz Duda of Dallas is president and CEO of Fritz Duda Company. He is a member of the American Bar Association and the Urban Land Institute and a board member of the University of Southern California Lusk Center for Real Estate, American Friends of the Czech Republic, and the Baylor Scott & White Foundation. He is a Hesburgh Trustee at the University of Notre Dame and serves on the Architecture Council at the University of Notre Dame. He was honorably discharged from the Unites States Navy. Duda earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of California Los Angeles and a Juris Doctor and a Bachelor of Laws degree from the University of California Hastings College of Law.

Ted Houghton of El Paso is principal of Houghton Financial. He is chair of the El Paso Mobility Commission and vice chair of the Medical Center of the Americas. Previously, he served as a member and chair of the Texas Transportation Commission. Additionally, he served eight years on the El Paso Water Utilities - Public Service Board. Houghton also served as a member of the El Paso Electric Company Board of Directors and 1984 Los Angeles Olympic Organizing Committee.