The San Antonio City Council’s Governance Committee narrowed down the San Antonio Water System (SAWS) Board of Trustees applications from 18 to six earlier this week during its executive session. Interviews are set for their next meeting scheduled for August 3. Applicants are looking to replace the Board’s three longest-serving members, one representing the north half of the City and two representing the southeast quadrant and south half of the City. In addition, Mayor Ron Nirenberg has nominated Jelynne LeBlanc Burley, CEO of the Center for Health Care Services, to serve as SAWS Board Chair.
The six finalists include:
- Fernando Reyes – Owner of Reyes Automotive Group, manufacturer of interior parts for the Toyota Plant.
- Leticia Ozuna – System engineer with Abacus Technology and former District 3 City Council member.
- Edward Belmares – Owner of a management consulting firm and former COO for KFW Engineering.
- Robert Potts – CEO of the Dixon Water Foundation and former General Manger of the Edwards Aquifer Authority.
- Olufemi Osidele – Owner of Amojos Consulting and consultant for Houston-based Cimbria Consulting.
- James Smyle – Consultant and former natural resource management specialist for the World Bank.
Your San Antonio Chamber understands the integral role the SAWS Board of Trustees play in ensuring there is plentiful, affordable potable water in San Antonio, a resource essential to our economic growth. Those appointed to serve on the Board of Trustees are tasked with oversight over one of the largest municipal water and sewer utilities in the country. SAWS has nearly 1,700 employees and serves 453,000 accounts.
We are pleased to see a strong representation of business-oriented candidates that will use their experience in finance, management, engineering, strategic planning, and more to provide sage policy direction to SAWS CEO Robert Puente and his Team.
After the six candidates are interviewed August 3, the top candidates will be confirmed by full Council on August 6.
If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Stephanie Reyes, VP of Public Policy at
sreyes@sachamber.org or by phone at 210-299-2162.
