Gov. Rick Perry appointed five members to the Red River Boundary Commission. They are:
Their terms expire on Dec. 31, 2015.
Nandita Berry has been named Secretary of State by Perry. She will be the first Indian-American to hold the position. The appointment becomes effective Jan. 7. She succeeds John Steen who announced his resignation last week.
Manny Flores Jr. of Austin was appointed by Perry to the Public Safety Commission for a term to expire Dec. 31, 2017.
Keith Brainard of Georgetown was appointed by Perry to the State Pension Review Board for a term to expire Jan. 31, 2019.
Robert Durón, a former deputy commissioner of finance and administration for the Texas Education Agency, has been named associate executive director of District Services for the Texas Association of School Boards (TASB)
Amanda Miller has been named political director for the Harvey Hilderbran for comptroller campaign. Miller, a former campaign manager for state Rep. Greg Bonnen, R-Friendswood, was most recently national field director for the College Republican National Committee. The campaign notes that Miller is also the daughter of state Rep. Doug Miller, R-New Braunfels.
The National Rifle Association and Texas State Rifle Association gave endorsements to two friendly incumbents in contested Republican primaries: U.S. Sen. John Cornyn and state Sen. John Carona. Cornyn also announced this week that he has the backing of the anti-abortion group, Texas Alliance for Life.
Former state Rep. Sid Miller earned the endorsement of the North Texas Tea Party in his bid to win the GOP nomination for agriculture commissioner.
Rick Gentry will retire as executive director of the Insurance Council of Texas at the end of March 2013. He has worked for the ICT since 1997.