Speaker Joe Straus appointed Paul Hobbyof Houston to the Texas Ethics Commission, crossing the partisan divide to name a Democrat to that panel. Hobby was the Democratic nominee for comptroller in 1998, losing a close race to Carole Keeton Strayhorn (back when her name was Rylander). Hobby runs Genesis Park, LP, a private equity firm he co-founded in 1999, and is the president of the Houston branch of the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas.

• Straus also tapped Reps. Harold Dutton, D-Houston, and Walter "Four" Price, R-Amarillo, to the Sunset Advisory Commission. Dutton is chairman of the House Committee on Urban Affairs and serves on the House Committee on Public Education. Price, getting a rare appointment for a freshman legislator, serves on the House Committee on Culture, Recreation and Tourism and on the House Committee on Natural Resources.

Gov. Rick Perry appointed Linda Ryan Thomas of Longview as the presiding officer of the North East Texas Regional Mobility Authority. Thomas is partner at Butter-Ryan Partners Ltd.

Kenneth Dierschke was elected to his 10th term as president of the state’s largest farm organization, the Texas Farm Bureau.

The U.S. Senate confirmed James Rodney Gilstrap’s nomination for a federal judgeship in Marshall.

The Commission on State Emergency Communications announced that Executive Director Paul Mallett will be retiring from the agency, and promoted Kelli Merriweather to the position.

The Texas Association of Manufacturer’s executive director, Luke Bellsnyder, announced his resignation from the Association, effective Dec. 31. He intends to continue working with the association on a contract basis.