Governor Greg Abbott today announced his initial selection of members to serve on the Texas Bicentennial Commission. John L. Nau III will chair the commission. The commission was created during the 89th Legislature to oversee the planning of the bicentennial anniversary of Texas independence.
John L. Nau III of Houston is a businessman, entrepreneur and philanthropist. He is the former chairman and CEO of Silver Eagle Distributors. His lifelong interest in American history has evolved into more than four decades of volunteer service with organizations that positively impact and advocate for historic preservation. A snapshot of Nau’s current appointments include chairman of the Texas Historical Commission (THC), and member of the University of Virginia (UVA) Board of Visitors and National Park Foundation Board of Directors. He also serves on the American Battlefield Trust Board of Trustees, Baylor College of Medicine Board of Trustees, and M.D. Anderson Cancer Center Board of Visitors. Nau’s knowledge and interest in American history and historic preservation led to his former appointment as chairman of the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation by President George W. Bush. Nau graduated from UVA.
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James Perry "J.P." Bryan Jr. of Houston and Galveston is the founder and CEO of Torch Energy Advisors Inc. Bryan currently serves as executive director of the Texas State Historical Association, chairman of Lone Star Coastal Alliance and on the Alamo Church Experience committee. He is a commissioner for the Board of Galveston Pilots and is the founder of the Bryan Museum in Galveston, Texas. He is the former president of the Texas Historical Foundation, a former director of The Briscoe Museum and the Brazoria County Historical Museum, and previously served on the Remember the Alamo Foundation Board. Additionally, he is the former chairman of the Institute of Texan Cultures and was previously appointed to the THC by then-Governor George W. Bush. Bryan received a Bachelor of Arts from The University of Texas (UT) at Austin and a Juris Doctor from the UT Law School and is a graduate of the Thunderbird School of Global Management.
Ashley Bowes Cash of Lubbock is a real estate and oil and gas investor with decades of experience across real estate, land development, banking, ranching and investing. Cash currently serves her second term as a commissioner on the Texas Governor’s Commission for Women and serves on the boards of the Texas Tech Foundation, the National Ranching Heritage Association, the Lubbock Entertainment and Performing Arts Association, the advisory board of the Gordon W. Davis College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources at Texas Tech University, and the Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute, and is vice president and director of the Cash Family Foundation. She is a graduate of Southern Methodist University with a Bachelor of Business Administration in marketing and a Bachelor of Arts in Spanish and lives in Lubbock with her husband, Clay, and their four children.
Tilman Fertitta of Houston is the United States ambassador to Italy and San Marino. He is the sole owner of Fertitta Entertainment, which owns the restaurant giant Landry’s, the Golden Nugget Hotel and Casinos, and the NBA’s Houston Rockets. He served as chairman of the Board of Regents of the University of Houston (UH) System for more than 11 years. He serves as the chairman of the Houston Police Foundation and supported the creation of the Houston Police Department’s state-of-the-art Tactical Training Center, named in honor of his family, which provides advanced, life-saving training for law enforcement. In December 2025, he was awarded an honorary doctorate by UH.
Joe Gebbia of Austin is the U.S. chief design officer and the co-founder of Airbnb and Samara. An entrepreneur from an early age, he is obsessed with igniting new ideas. Gebbia double majored in graphic design and industrial design while studying at Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) and complemented his creative pursuits with business coursework at Brown University and MIT. After moving to San Francisco from Providence, Rhode Island, Airbnb’s groundbreaking service began in Gebbia’s living room in 2008. Today, Airbnb has spread to nearly 7 million listings in more than 220 countries, changing how people trust each other. His latest venture, Samara, comparably cemented in economic empowerment, housing resources and design, redefines the standards of factory-made homes. Recently named the first chief design officer of the United States of America, Gebbia spearheads the overhaul of government websites, aiming to improve the user experience both online and offline for Americans interfacing with their government. Gebbia has spoken globally about entrepreneurship and design at TED, Wired, Fast Company and more. He contributes to philanthropic causes and serves on the boards of Airbnb and Tesla.
Charlotte Jones of Dallas is the chief brand officer and co-owner of the Dallas Cowboys Football Club. Additionally, she is the president of the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders. She serves as chairman of the NFL Foundation, and serves on the NFL Conduct Committee, the Health and Safety Committee and the NFL Legalized Sports Betting Committee. She serves as president of the Gene and Jerry Jones Family Foundation and the Gene and Jerry Jones Family Arlington Youth Foundation, as chairman of the National Medal of Honor Museum Foundation, and as a member of the James Madison Council. Jones received a Bachelor of Science in human biology from Stanford University.
Zachary Levi of Austin is an actor, producer, singer and author known for his versatile performances across stage and screen. Best known for his titular role in the NBC series "Chuck" and as the lead superhero in the "Shazam!" franchise, Levi has also earned critical acclaim for portraying Kurt Warner in "American Underdog" and winning a SAG Award for his ensemble work in "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel." His diverse credits also include voicing Flynn Rider in Disney’s "Tangled" and his Tony-nominated performance in the Broadway revival of "She Loves Me." Levi can next be seen starring in upcoming projects like the thriller "Hotel Tehran" and the western "Angel and the Badman." Beyond entertainment, Levi is the author of "Radical Love," which explores his journey with mental health and healing as well as creating the mental health nonprofit NerdHQ, with the primary goal of providing access to free therapy to those who cannot afford it. He is currently building Wyldwood Studios, a creative campus for artists to live, work and play.
Jack Martin of Dallas is an entrepreneur, rancher and globally recognized strategic thought leader. Martin founded Public Strategies Incorporated (PSI), which grew into one of the most successful corporate advisory firms in the world. Under his leadership, PSI helped shape the business climate in Texas and later globally as an advisor to CEOs and board members. In 2006, WPP Group acquired Public Strategies and subsequently merged it with Hill and Knowlton, creating Hill+Knowlton Strategies. He was appointed global chairman and CEO of Hill+Knowlton Strategies, where he took his work global by leading the multinational strategic communications firm consisting of 80 offices and clients consisting of half of the 2011 Fortune Global 500. Upon stepping down as the global chairman and CEO of Hill+Knowlton Strategies, Martin formed JPM Advisory LLC as part of a family investment platform active in ranching, oil and gas, and consulting with select corporate clients and entrepreneurial endeavors. Currently, he serves as chairman of the board of Baylor Scott and White Health. In 2004, First Lady Lady Bird Johnson asked Martin to serve on the board of the Lyndon Baines Johnson Foundation, which supports the educational missions of the LBJ Presidential Library and the LBJ School of Public Affairs at UT Austin. He previously chaired the Texas State University (TXST) System Board of Regents and received an honorary doctorate from his alma mater, TXST, previously called Southwest Texas State University. Other board leadership positions have included the Caesar Kleberg Foundation for Wildlife Conservation, the Smithsonian National Museum of American History, Baylor College of Medicine, the UT MD Anderson Cancer Center and the Former Texas Rangers Foundation.
