Gov. Abbott Taps Two Local Leaders to Help Bring New Businesses, Jobs to Texas

Arun Agarwal, CEO of Dallas home textile company Nextt, and Katie Farmer, president and CEO of Fort Worth-based railway giant BNSF, have been named to the Texas Economic Development Corporation’s board of directors. Along with seven other Texas execs tapped by Governor Abbott, they will market Texas across the U.S. and abroad as a place to relocate a business and create new jobs.

Two Dallas-Fort Worth executives have been tasked with attracting business and bringing new jobs to the Lone Star State.

Along with seven other Texas executives, the two local ones have been tapped by Governor Greg Abbott to become part of the Texas Economic Development Corporation’s (TxEDC) board of directors.

“Their efforts will be instrumental in amplifying the success of TxEDC in promoting Texas as a premier business destination,” Abbott said in a statement.

Locally, Arun Agarwal and Katie Farmer have been named to the board.

Agarwal is the CEO of Dallas home textile company Nextt, in addition to serving as the chair of the India American CEO Council and as president of the Dallas Parks and Recreation Board. 

Farmer is the president and CEO of Fort Worth-based railway giant BNSF, along with service as a board member for the Association of American Railroads and Texas Christian University.

Other TxEDC board members named

The other TxEDC board members are Vicki Hollub, president and CEO of Occidental; Adrian Cannady, president and CEO at the Temple Economic Development Corporation; S. David Deanda, Jr., president and director of Lonestar National Bank; L. Fredrick Francis, executive chairman of WestStar; Mauricio Gutierrez, president and CEO at NRG Energy; George Henderson, III, manager and owner of Henderson Community Ltd., Peter Holt, CEO and general manager at HOLT CAT; and Eduardo Margain, founder and CEO at Pixiu Investments.

TxEDC markets Texas across the U.S. and abroad

An independently funded and operated nonprofit, the TxEDC works alongside the Texas Economic Development and Tourism Office in the Office of the Governor to market the state across the U.S. and abroad as a place to relocate a business and create new jobs.

“Even though the Lone Star State has enjoyed a strong track record of economic success for more than a decade, TxEDC and its board will be looking for new, cutting-edge ways to promote Texas as the premier location for business,” said Robert Allen, president and CEO of the Texas EDC, in a statement.

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