Governor Abbott Names Chair And Appoints Two To Texas Facilities Commission
Governor Greg Abbott has appointed and named Robert Thomas as Chairman of the Texas Facilities Commission for a term set to expire on January 31, 2021. Governor Abbott additionally appointed Patti Jones for a term set to expire on January 31, 2021. The Texas Facilities Commission manages state government buildings and handles the sale of surplus property, including property donated to the state by federal programs.
Robert Thomas is an attorney, businessman and founding principle of the Thomas Consulting Group, a business strategy consulting and advisory firm. Thomas currently serves as board member for the African American Cultural Heritage District, vice president of the Northwest Austin Civic Association, tri-chair of the Austin ISD Community Bond Oversight Committee and a board member of the Austin Community College Bond Oversight Advisory Committee. He is a member of the State Bar of Texas, Rotary Club, Greater Austin Chamber of Commerce, Fifth Circuit Bar Association and Austin Bar Association. Thomas received a gubernatorial appointment and served on the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs. He has been involved with SafePlace, Real Estate Council of Austin and the Austin Chapter of the Entrepreneur Organization. Thomas graduated from Loyola University with his bachelor’s degree in Political Science and German. He received his Master of Business Administration from the University of Texas McCombs School of Business and earned his law degree from the University of Texas School of Law.
Patti Jones is president of JJJ Farms, LLC. She has also been serving as a Lubbock County Commissioner since 2000 making history as the first woman to serve on the Commissioner’s Court. Jones is currently vice president of the Bayer Museum of Agriculture, chairman of the Lubbock County Soil and Water Conservation District and chairman of the Lubbock Metropolitan Planning Organization Transportation Policy Committee. She has previously held leadership positions with the Texas Association of Regional Councils, County Judges and Commissioners Association of Texas, Texas Association of Counties and West Texas County Judges and Commissioners Association and several local non-profits. Jones has served on the Texas Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Finance Authority Board of Directors. She has been recognized by the Texas Tech College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources with the “Gerald W. Thomas Outstanding Agriculturalist Award for Public Service”, the West Texas County Judges and Commissioners Association’s “2013 Official of the Year” and by the Lubbock Hotel/Motel Association’s “Tourism Trumpeter” Award. Jones earned her degree in accounting from Commercial College.