Political People and their Moves

Texas senators elected Leticia Van de Putte, D-San Antonio, to serve as president pro tempore of the 83rd legislative session.

Emily Fourmy Cutrer was appointed president of Texas A&M University-Texarkana by the board of regents and starts work next week. She was most recently provost and vice president for academic affairs at California State University San Marcos, and worked at Arizona State and the University of Texas-Austin before that. 

Former Rep. Burt Solomons, R-Carrollton, has officially hung out a lobby shingle; he’ll office with Adams & Zottarelli, and brought former general counsel Carsi Mitzner along to the new firm.

Chloe Lieberknecht joined The Nature Conservancy as director of government relations after 11 years at the Texas Sunset Advisory Commission.

James Bernsen, who did communications on Ted Cruz’s campaign for U.S. Senate, joins Crosswind Media & Public Relations in Austin.

Former House staffer Stephen Raines is now the government affairs manager for Preferred Care Partners Management Group, a nursing home operator.

Brendan Steinhauser joins the Texas Public Policy Foundation as the director of communications for its Right on Crime project. He was most recently at FreedomWorks. 

Gov. Rick Perry has appointed Ernest “Ernie” Kuehne Jr. of Dallas to the University of North Texas System Board of Regents. Kuehne is an attorney and president and board chairman of Kuehne Oil Company.

Perry also appointed Bradley S. Hart of Humble as judge of the 230th Judicial District Court in Harris County.   Hart is an assistant district attorney for Harris County.

Perry reappointed Alan Johnson of Harlingen, president and CEO of Valley Baptist Service Corp., to the Veterans’ Land Board.

The governor appointed veterinarian Kenneth Motl of Port Lavaca to the Guadalupe-Blanco River Authority’s board of directors.

He named banker Henry Borbolla III of Fort Worth and Tom Fordyce of Huntsville, chairman of the Huntsville Economic Development Council, to the Trinity River Authority board.

Perry appointed Randy Watson of Burleson to the state’s Public Safety Commission, which oversees the state police. Watson is the chairman and CEO of Justin Brands.

Press Corps moves: Texas Monthly adds Brian Sweany and Erica Grieder to its political staff, joining the venerable Paul Burka, who’ll continue his Burkablog... And radio newsman Scott Braddock joins the staff of the Quorum Report for the legislative session, officially starting next month.