Following the establishment of the Texas Regulatory Efficiency Office (TREO) last month, Governor Greg Abbott has unveiled a lineup of seasoned professionals to form the new TREO Advisory Panel. In a statement obtained by the Office of the Texas Governor, Abbott expressed his intent for this initiative: "The Texas Regulatory Efficiency Office was launched last month to foster economic opportunity and protect individual liberty, and this Advisory Panel will help achieve that." He added, "These experienced leaders across industry and government will bring their expertise to the TREO Advisory Panel to reduce regulatory burdens and eliminate unnecessary rules while increasing transparency for Texans."
The five appointees to the Advisory Panel boast a diverse array of experiences from both the public and private sectors. Alan Hassenflu, CEO of Fidelis Realty Partners, Ltd., brings to the table his background in real estate and urban development, augmented by stints at Price Waterhouse and the Trammell Crow Company. Phil Wilson, currently helming the Lower Colorado River Authority, adds weight with his experience in transport and energy, having previously served as the Executive Director of the Texas Department of Transportation and Senior Vice President of Public Affairs at Luminant.
Victoria Ford, aligning with the health sector, is at the helm of the Texas Healthcare & Bioscience Institute as President and CEO, and has been actively involved in policy development on health care workforce concerns. Taking charge of the state's finances, acting Texas Comptroller Kelly Hancock contributes his expertise gleaned from years in the Texas Legislature and on his local school board. Lastly, law and policy expert Zina Bash is poised to become the Chief Legal Officer of Base Power Company and touts experience from her tenure in both state and federal government roles, including her time as a clerk to U.S. Supreme Court Justices and work in the Senate Judiciary Committee.
Together, these individuals are tasked with streamlining governmental processes to bolster Texas’s stance as a state committed to economic opportunity and, as Abbott underscored, "the premier state for freedom and prosperity." As Texas prepares to tackle regulatory reform under the counsel of the new TREO Advisory Panel, the Governor's selections foreshadow key areas of focus: real estate, infrastructure, energy, healthcare, and legal policy, each critical to maintaining the state’s competitive edge.
