Governor Greg Abbott has appointed Stacy Hock as chair and Welcome Wilson, Jr. as vice chair of the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB). Both appointments will remain in effect at the discretion of the Governor. The THECB is responsible for leadership and coordination across Texas’s higher education system.
Stacy Hock, based in Austin, is a private investor and philanthropist who previously held senior management roles at IBM. Since May 2024, she has served as vice-chair of the THECB. Hock currently serves on boards including Atlas Energy Services, Texas Public Policy Foundation, and the American Federation of Children. Her previous board memberships include Brigham Minerals, Inc., Aminex Therapeutics, City Harvest, and The Bowery Mission. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science Engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and an MBA from The University of Texas at Austin.
Welcome Wilson, Jr., from Houston, is president and CEO of Welcome Group, LLC; he also serves as executive vice president at River Oaks Financial Group. Wilson joined the THECB in March 2018. His current affiliations include serving on the board of the Texas Higher Education Foundation and membership in organizations such as the National Association of Industrial Office Properties. He chairs several local authorities including Alamo Trust, Inc., Southwest Houston Redevelopment Authority, Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone 20, and acts as interim chairman for Remember the Alamo Foundation. Additional roles include being a member or former leader with groups like Trellis Company, Trellis Foundation, Texas Business Hall of Fame, Greater Houston Partnership, Friends of the Texas Historical Commission, University of Houston System Board of Regents (former vice chairman), Kinkaid School Alumni Association (former president), and Houston Food Bank (former board member). Wilson attended the University of Denver.
Governor Abbott’s appointments place experienced leaders at the helm to oversee policy development and strategic direction for higher education throughout Texas.
