Governor Greg Abbott has appointed Ben Gatzke and Jason Boatright to the governing board of the Department of Information Resources (DIR) for terms set to expire February 1, 2017 and February 1, 2021, respectively. The Governor additionally named Linda Shaunessy presiding officer. DIR coordinates, monitors, and directs information resources management within state government.
Ben Gatzke of Fort Worth is president and CEO of Total Management, Inc. He is a member of the Jewel Charity and board member of the Baylor University School of Music Board. Gatzke received a Bachelor of Music, Master of Business Administration and a Master of Science in information systems from Baylor University.
Jason Boatright of Dallas is an attorney with Cobb & Counsel. He previously served as counsel for Duggins Wren Mann & Romero, LLP, senior manager of Government and Regulatory Affairs for Regency Energy Partners, LP, director of the General Counsel Section at the Railroad Commission of Texas and chief of the Opinion Division in the Texas Attorney General’s Office. He is a member of the State Bar of Texas. Boatright received a Bachelor of Arts from Middlebury College and a Juris Doctor from The University of Texas School of Law.
Linda Shaunessy of Austin is the business contracts administrator for The University of Texas at Austin and previously served as an assistant attorney general in the Texas Attorney General’s Office for 25 years. She was appointed by Governor Abbott to the DIR governing board on January 15, 2016. She is a member of the State Bar of Texas, grade level member of the National Charity League and sustaining member of the Junior League of Austin. Shaunessy received a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and a Juris Doctor from Southern Methodist University Dedman School of Law.