From the Board Room
James R. Royer, P.E.
Vice Chairman
Mr. Royer currently serves as Vice Chairman of AECOM. Prior to being named Vice Chairman, Mr. Royer served as Chief Operating Officer from 2005 until March of 2009. As Chief Operating Officer, he oversaw the operations of AECOM's Global operating divisions and the performance of all of AECOM's operating companies worldwide. AECOM became a publicly traded company on the New York Stock Exchange in May of 2007.
Mr. Royer joined TCB in 1975, and through various promotions, became its Chief Executive Officer in 1991. He then led TCB into the merger with AECOM in 1996, and served in senior management positions with several AECOM companies and oversaw many mergers and acquisitions.
Prior to his appointment as AECOM's Chief Operating Officer in 2005, he headed AECOM's Americas Facilities, Government Services and North America Regional Groups.
Mr. Royer has more than 35 years of professional experience. During his career, he has participated in a wide array of transportation and facilities projects in the southwestern U.S., and other areas of the U.S.
Tom Simmons
Managing Director, Texplex
SpencerStuart
Tom Simmons manages Spencer Stuart’s Houston, Dallas and Mexico City offices and focuses on senior-level energy and financial service assignments. Mr. Simmons has worked with such firms as Baker Hughes, Kerr-McGee, Questar, El Paso and Reliant Resources to name a few.
Prior to joining Spencer Stuart, he was president and CEO of Transamerica Fund Management Company for ten years in a variety of staff positions. Prior to that he has a seven year career with Continental Illinois National Bank in Chicago and in Houston.
Mr. Simmons serves on the boards of the Kinkaid School and the Greater Houston YMCA. Previously his board service extended to AMEX listed financial service companies and several prominent Houston not-for-profit organizations including the Alley Theatre, the Houston Symphony and The Children's Fund.
Mr. Simmons received his B.B.A. in 1975 and M.B.A. in 1977 both with honors from the University of Texas.
Richard J. Schnieders
Former Chairman and CEO
Sysco Corporation
Richard J. Schnieders is chairman and CEO of SYSCO Corporation, the largest foodservice marketing and distribution company in North America. The company provides products and services to approximately 420,000 restaurants, health care and educational institutions and other food service customers.
Schnieders held a variety of management positions with Hardin's-Sysco, a wholly owned subsidiary of SYSCO. He served as president and CEO before moving to the parent company as senior vice president of merchandising services. He was named chairman and CEO of SYSCO Corporation on Jan. 1, 2003.
He serves on the boards of Aviall, Inc., the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation, the University of Houston's Conrad N. Hilton College of Hotel & Restaurant Management, the Culinary Institute of America, the University of Minnesota's Food Industry Center and the Center for Houston's Future.
He received his bachelor's degree in mathematics from the University of Iowa.
Kim A. Ruth
Texas State President, Bank of America
Bank of America
Kim Ruth is the Global Commercial Banking Southwest Region executive for Bank of America and is responsible for Middle Market and Business Banking in Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas.
Prior to her current role, Ms. Ruth served as market executive for the South Texas Global Commercial Banking group. She was responsible for leading the delivery of the full resources of Bank of America to middle market companies in the region which included the Greater Houston area, Central and South Texas.
Ms. Ruth has been in banking for 22 years, joining Bank of America in 1994 as a Senior Vice President. She was promoted to market executive in 2000 and additionally to president for the Houston Region in early 2004.
Ms. Ruth earned a bachelor's degree from Bucknell University and is a NASD Registered Principal with Series 7, 24 and 63 securities licenses. Ms. Ruth serves on the boards of the United Way, the University of St. Thomas and Central Houston. She also serves on the development committee for Texas Children's Hospital.
Abelardo Saavedra, Ph.D.
Superintendent
Houston Independent School District
Dr. Abelardo Saavedra was apppointed superintendent of the Houston Independent School District in December 2004. Prior to joining HISD, he was the superintendent of schools in his native Corpus Christi from 1993-2000.
In his third full year as superintendent of America's seventh-largest school district, Dr. Saavedra and the HISD Board of Education have led HISD to enact a new pay-for-performance program for teachers, streamlined district adminstration, and built and equipped science labs in more than 100 elementary schools.
In 2004, Dr. Saavedra spearheaded Reach Out to Dropouts, a campaign that successfullly recovers hundred of students each year.
Dr. Saavedra earned bachelor of science and master of science degrees at Texas A&I University in Kingsville in 1972 and 1974, respectively and completed his doctorate in school administration at the University of Michigan in 1976. He serves on several community boards and was in the Leadership Forum's 2004-2005 class.
