Dora G. Alcala of Del Rio was appointed by Gov. Rick Perry to the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board for a term to expire Aug. 31, 2015.

William L. Kibler was confirmed as president of Sul Ross State University. He comes to the school from Mississippi State University, where he served as vice president for student affairs.

Erica Sackin has been hired as Battleground Texas' first communications director. She comes to the group from the technology company Mozilla, where she was senior communications director. She also worked on the Obama 2012 re-election campaign, where she led blog and progressive media outreach. Ellis Brachman, meanwhile, is ending his duties as spokesman for the group.

Brian D. Sweany was named editor-in-chief of Texas Monthly magazine, where he succeeds Jake Silverstein. Sweany began at the magazine as an intern in 1996 and, most recently, was the magazine's senior executive editor.

John Paul Urban, a former staffer for state Rep. Wayne Smith and former government relations director for the Public Utility Commission, has joined the legislative affairs team at NRG.

Annie Spilman has joinned NFIB/Texas as its new legislative director for its Austin office. She arrives from the Independent Insurance Agents of Texas, where she was its governmental affairs manager.

Becky Motal, the former Lower Colorado River Authority general manager, has a new job title — president and chairman of the Association of Women in Energy.

The Texas Retailers Association announced two recent hires:

•    Jim Sheer began his duties as vice president of governrment relations on July 1. Sheer has more than a decade of experience at the Capitol where he has served as chief of staff and political action committee manager.

•    David Ford began his duties as director of membership development on May 12. He comes to TRA from the Associated Builders and Contractors Association-Central Texas Chapter where he was pesident and CEO for 10 years.

Deaths: Diana Poteat Stallings Hobby, 83, philanthropist, academic and wife of former Lt. Gov. Bill Hobby.

Disclosure: NRG and the Independent Insurance Agents of Texas are corporate sponsors of The Texas Tribune. The Hobby Family Foundation is a major donor to the Tribune. A complete list of Texas Tribune donors and sponsors can be viewed here.