Texan by Nature, a Texas-led conservation nonprofit announced 20 honorees of the 6th annual Texan by Nature 20, an official ranking of companies with Texas operations that have made a demonstrative commitment to conservation.

The organization said the TxN 20 recognizes the best and most innovative work in conservation coming from businesses based or operating in Texas. As part of the TxN 20, Texan by Nature honors companies across 12 industries in Texas whose ingenuity cultivates impactful programs and forges new, beneficial paths in conservation.

With 171 million acres of land and global leadership across multiple industries, TxN said that Texas is fortunate to have industry leaders who see the value in partnering with conservation initiatives while also developing innovative, environmentally sustainable methods and processes within their business.

“We believe in building a sustainable future through action, collaboration, and innovative models,” Joni Carswell, CEO & president of Texan by Nature, said in a statement. “It’s an honor to recognize Texas-based industry leaders who demonstrate that integrating business with conservation drives valuable global impact.”

Texas by Nature said it is a catalyst for thought leadership, innovative partnerships, and community-led solutions, and has been working with the Texas business community to put in place Texas-led conservation practices. The TxN 20 not only provides recognition to honorees but a catalog of best practices and metrics to industry peers, the nonprofit said.

It said the honorees’ commitment to conservation, their projects and programs, best practices, and lessons learned are examples and inspirations for everyone.

“I’m happy to celebrate this year’s TxN 20,” former First Lady and Texan by Nature founder Laura Bush said in a statement. “They are pioneers, collaborators, and changemakers. I encourage other companies to follow their example and engage in conservation. Together, we can set the standard for sustaining a prosperous economy, rich natural resources, and a secure future for the next generation.”

The 2024 TxN 20 is catalyzed by Jetco Delivery.

“With our investment in the TxN 20, we hope to amplify cross-industry innovation and action that will inspire and propel businesses toward a sustainable future,” Jetco President Kyle Kristynik said in a statement. “In addition to TxN 20 aligning with our non-negotiable core value of safety, it also reflects our ongoing commitment to supporting Texas communities.”

TxN 20 criteria and 2024 honorees

As part of the 2024 TxN 20 selection process, company data submissions were evaluated and independent research across more than 2,000 of Texas’ publicly traded and private companies was conducted for 12 industry sectors.

TxN said that all companies were evaluated on key criteria through a 17-point scoring system to narrow down the list to the top 60 companies in Texas.

Key scoring criteria included: stated commitment to conservation; reported metrics related to conservation; measured investment in conservation; reported Return on Conservation results; positive conservation impact on land, water, wildlife, people, waste, energy, and more; and activities such as infrastructure, production and supply chain, employee engagement, and more. Each year, a selection committee of top industry leaders is formed to evaluate the top 60 companies and select the final honorees for the TxN 20.

TxN 20 selection and recognition is also supported by HOLT CAT and Marathon Petroleum.

2024 TxN 20 honorees include:

• Acme Brick
• Cemex
• Cirrus Logic
• Citi
• City of San Antonio Office of Sustainability
• Darling Ingredients
• Dallas Fort Worth International Airport
• Farmer Brothers
• GM
• H-E-B
• HOLT CAT
• IBM
• Marathon Petroleum Corp.
• Mary Kay
• North American Development Bank
• Overland Partners
• Texas Health Resources
• WM
• WSP
• Xcel Energy

Selection committee members

The TxN 20 2024 Selection Committee members included:

• Andrejs E. Avots-Avotins, MD, PhD, The Elizabeth & Drayton McLane, Jr. Chair in Health & Wellness Vice President of Medical Affairs – Baylor Scott & White Health – Temple
• Tracee Bentley, President & CEO – Permian Strategic Partnership
• Matthew Crommett, Managing Director – LH Capital, Inc / Lyda Hill Philanthropies
• Michael Dorff, Communications and Public Affairs – Raytheon
• Ed Ferguson, Chief Sustainability Officer – Blue Triton Brands, TxN Advisory Council
• Robert Horton, Vice President, Environmental Affairs & Sustainability – Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport, TxN Board of Directors
• Devin Hotzel, Manager, Government Relations – Enbridge
• VJ Smith, Manager, ESG and Stakeholder Engagement – Marathon Petroleum
• Audrey Templeton, Enterprise Risk Manager – Molson Coors
• Anahi Villarruel, Environmental Affairs – H-E-B
• Rick Archer, Founding Principal – Overland, Architecture + Urban Design
• Stoney Burke, Founder/ CEO – Aquia Group
• Edward Craner, Sr. Vice President – HOLT CAT
• Edan Dione, VP, Environmental, Energy & Chemical Management Programs, Corporate Environmental Affairs – IBM
• Zach Dooley, Vulcan Materials
• Jesse Hereford, Head of Strategic Partnership and Stakeholder Engagement – North American Development Bank
• Bob Malone, Chairman, President & CEO – Sonora Bank
• Richard McDonald, Corporate Director Sustainability – Sundt Construction Corporation
• Jayme Shy, TxN Board of Directors
• David Smith, TxN Board of Directors
• Preston Smith, co-founder and managing partner – Wildwood Environmental Credits

Texan by Nature offers select programs to help engage Texans in the stewardship of the state’s rich land and diverse communities including the Conservation Wrangler program, TxN Certification, the Conservation Summit, Symposia series, the TxN 20, and select statewide initiatives.

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