Board Members
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Eric Harding
Board Chair Eric retired in 2015 after working 33 years in the petrochemical industry. During his career he filled roles as Mechanical Engineer, Technical Leader and Supervisor locally and in world-wide support positions. Eric grew up in Baytown and lived most of his life here. After graduating with a BSME from Louisiana State University in 1981, he and his wife Aileen married and moved to Baytown and have lived here ever since. They have three grown children, Christopher, Danielle, and David. |
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Lynne Foley
Vice Chair Lynne Foley has been the Lee College Director of the Senior Adult and Travel Program for the past 29 years. She also serves on the Board of the Lee College Foundation and is an integral part of the Community Education Department of the College. She and her husband Dan have been Baytown residents for the past 44 years and have a son and family in Pennsylvania and daughter and spouse in Washington DC. Lynne is serving her third term as President of the Board of the Harris County Area Agency on Aging and is a member of the Better Business Bureau Education Foundation Advisory board. Her other ongoing Baytown Community involvement includes:
Lynne has been involved with the Bay Area Rehabilitation Center either on the Board or as volunteer for over 20 years. |
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Gary S. Englert
Secretary Gary is currently employed as an Executive Vice President / Regional CEO with CommunityBank of Texas and has been in the banking industry for 35 years. He is an active member of St. John's Catholic Church in Baytown and serves on the Church Finance Board. Gary was born in Baytown, Texas in 1961. He graduated from Robert E. Lee High School in 1979. After attending high school, Gary attended Lee College and graduated in 1984. After his graduation he attended the University of Houston in Clear Lake, Texas where he graduated in 1989. Gary has been married for 32 years to Diane Englert. They have a 26 year-old son named Taylor. Gary's hobbies include cycling, playing tennis, golfing, and volleyball. Gary's Community Activities Include:
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Thomas R. Kelchner, Ed.D.
Treasurer Tom Kelchner has served over three decades in urban as well as small public school settings. His professional experience includes elementary, middle and high school principalships as well as central office positions. Kelchner served as a director of special education for the seven years prior to his December 2016 retirement from public education. The teams at all his schools and departments developed programs resulting in significant school improvements as well as enhanced student well-being and achievement. Kelchner was instrumental in developing systems that supported both the academic and mental health of all students. Dr. Kelchner has served on numerous school, district, and community committees working with students, parents, board trustees, superintendents, executive level management and community leaders in very ethnically, culturally and economically diverse communities. He has served as Chairman of the Management Board of the Tri-County East Regional Day School Program for the Deaf (which serves 17 member districts). Community outreach efforts with the City of Baytown resulted in the establishment of Inclusive City Parks Project and Pirates’ Bay Waterpark Special Needs Nights. Kelchner has supported the Baytown YMCA’s Miracle League program. Kelchner continues his community work through his roles as a member of the Boards of Directors of the Bay Area Rehabilitation Center; the Rotary Club of Baytown; and the River Ranch Municipal Utility District. Currently working as an educational consultant, Dr. Kelchner is committed to continued development of cutting edge programs and services for K – 12 students throughout the United States. He is Vice President of Business Development for Yellow Folder, LLC, a company that provides paperless records management for school districts. Dr. Kelchner is also working with Neighbors Health developing telehealth programs for schools. He has formed his own company, Empowered Learning Environments, which offers cutting edge products, programs and services for schools, providers and parents. |
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James Bernick, M.D.
Dr. Bernick is a Family Physician/Geriatrician who has been married to his wife, Pamela, since 1978. Dr. Bernick and Pamela are the proud parents of Paige and Alex. Professional: Affiliated with MDVIP (Personal Health Care) Clinical Associate Professor, Baylor College of Medicine Health Authority, City of Baytown External Medical Auditor, DADS Office: 2717 West Baker Road Baytown, Texas 77521 |
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Virginia Chase
Virginia received her education in central Louisiana and graduated from Louisiana Tech with a BA in Education. After moving to Houston and teaching in HISD for two years she was hired by Pasadena ISD and taught third and fourth grade for twenty-seven more years. During this time she attended the University of Houston - Clear Lake and received her MA in Education Supervision. She was a team leader, mentor for eight student teachers, participated in Successful for All Program sponsor by John Hopkins. She also served as a member of the PISD Committee for Students with Disabilities. This was of special interest since she had survived polio at the age of six months old and would always have a disability and have a personal understanding of people with disabilities. Community service has included and includes past President and Vice-President of the Texas Polio Survivor Association, Co-Chairman of the TPSA Golf Tournament, member of the Bay Area Polio Support Group. Past President of the Pasadena National and Pasadena Teenage Little League, Past President and Vice-President of the La Porte Bayshore Garden Club, Board member of Accessible Space, Inc., Past President of the Bay Area Rehabilitation Center Board of Directors, and volunteer with the La Porte Officers Association. Virginia's family includes one granddaughter, one son and his wife, and two step-sons and their wives. |
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John McNally
John is originally from Corsicana, Texas and moved to Houston where obtained a B.A. in Liberal Arts (concentration in Accounting) from the University of St. Thomas. Soon after graduating he started his career at Covestro (formerly known as Bayer MasterialScience). He has worked for Covestro for over 30 years in various roles within the Finance Department with his current position being Head of U.S. Production & Technology Controlling & Baytown Site Controller. John and his family have relocated with the company five times with three of the moves coming back to the Baytown Site. He has held assignments in Houston, Baytown, Marinette, WI and Pittsburgh, PA (US HQ). John and his wife Marlene have been married for over 30 years and have five grown children, Michael, Matthew, Timothy, Joseph and Kaitlyn. He enjoys spending time with his family, reading and listening to music. For over 10 years he coached soccer for his children’s schools and travel teams which he thoroughly enjoyed. Almost 8 years ago his oldest son Michael was 21 and was in his senior year of college when a highly intoxicated driver was traveling at a high rate of speed and ran into Michael while he was riding his bicycle near campus. Michael suffered a severe TBI (diffuse axonal injury) and was in a coma for almost 30 days. As a result John & his wife know firsthand the long road to recovery for patients with TBI based on the many days their son stayed in acute hospitals, visits with numerous specialists and in-patient stays at various brain injury rehabilitation facilities in Austin, TX, Pittsburgh, PA and now most recently in Houston. John & Marlene understand the benefits of Physical, Occupational & Speech therapies and the important role they play as their son’s advocate. It was John’s passion for rehabilitation and the benefits it provides that drew him to BARC. It is his hope that he can utilize his experiences gained over the years to help provide input as a member of the board from the caregiver perspective. |
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David R. Smith
David is a long established executive in the chemical manufacturing industry. Mr. Smith holds a Bachelors Degree in Chemical Enginerring from Vanderbilt University and a Masters of Business Administration from the University of Pittsburgh. He grew up in the inner city of Nashville, Tennessee. Mr. Smith has diversified experience and expertise in sales management, manufacturing operations, process engineering, site facility management, supply chain operations and quality assurance. His various roles and responsibilities as a manufacturing executive included process and employee safety, health, industrial hygiene, security and environmental protection; plant maintenance, engineering and utilities operations; purchasing, receiving, warehousing and shipping; manufacturing cost accounting and information systems; customer service, community relations, media communications and college recruiting. Additionally, he has experience and proven proficiency in corporate business functions such as strategic planning, product management, business analysis, forecasting competitive market assessments, and market development. Mr. Smith has a long-established track record of success in meeting targeted objectives and exceeding expectations. His ability to develop cooperative working relationships at all levels of an organization and building teams are key strengths. He has a reputation for being loyal, determined, innovative and results focused. He quickly assesses business needs and identifies creative new ways to make things happen. Mr. Smith continually expands the scope of his personal responsibilities, thrives with challenges, and leads with a contagious drive for excellence. As Vice-President, Mr. Smith was responsible for all infrastructure operations and site management. Bayer's highest ranking executive in South Carolina. He led the transformation of the Bushy Park site from its former configuration as a Bayer multi-divisional site to an industrial complex hosting both Bayer and third party businesses. This new business model enhanced performance of Bayer businesses and significantly reduced operating costs. Throughout transformation of the site he sustained a culture based on high standards for safety and focused on continuous improvement and customer service. Mr. Smith also served as Director of Operations for the Wood Coatings Group of Valspar Corporation based in High Point, North Carolina. There he led the manufacturing, customer service and supply chain operations for five locations in the USA and Canada. After a short stint in "early retirement", Mr. Smith seized the opportunity to return to work for Bayer Business and Technology Services in a new career role that he was keenly interested in pursuing - Sales and Marketing. Currently, as a Strategic Partner Manager in the global Customer & Product Management organization, he is responsible for managing relationships and developing business opportunities with key external customers in the chemical and life science industries. |
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Sam Springer
Sam received a BS in Marketing from the University of Arizona and an MBA from Stanford Graduate School of Business. In 1970, he began a career with Humble Oil/Exxon/ExxonMobil. He was a mathematical model builder, financial analyst, and information systems designer. Sam served on the Baytown Opportunity Center Board of Directors in the 1970's and 1980's. He later rejoined that board to assist with the merger into the Bay Area Rehabilitation Center. He has been a Bay Area Rehabilitation Center Board member since 2007. He is also a satisfied client of the physical therapy services. Sam and his wife Joanne live in Baytown as do their three adult children and their families. |
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Liz Stavens
Liz Stavens is currently the ExxonMobil Manufacturing Technical Manager for the North American Growth Project in Baytown. Prior to this role, Liz was the Global Feedstock and Optimization Improve Manager for the ExxonMobil Basic Chemicals and was located at ExxonMobil's new campus in Spring, Texas. Liz joined the ExxonMobil Process Research in 2001 with a Master's degree in Chemical Engineering from Purdue University (West Lafayette, Indiana). She received her Bachelor's degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Michigan (Ann Arbor) in 1999. Since then, she has gained broad experience in research and technology, manufacturing, and business planning and optimization, and has held assignments in Baton Rouge, Baytown, and Houston. Liz and her husband Kevin (who also works for ExxonMobil in Polymers Technology) have three children, two daughters and a son. She enjoys spending her time with her family, being active outdoors, and an involved member in the community. |
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Doug Walker
Doug and his wife have been married for nearly 5 decades. They have two wonderful children and four grandchildren. Doug graduated from Bucknell University with a BS in Chemical Engineering and then Cornell University where he received a Masters in Chemical Engineering. He then started to work for Exxon Chemical Co. Over a 35-year career, he held several assignments in New Jersey, Texas and Singapore mostly in the manufacture of petrochemicals. His final two assignments were Plant Manager of the Baytown Olefins Plant and Manufacturing Director of the Singapore Chemical Plant. Doug now does volunteer work sitting on the Boards of several non-profit organizations and is an active Rotarian. He is in his sixth term as a Beach City Councilman and has been appointed by the Governor of Texas to be a County Director on the Coastal Water Authority Board in Houston. While he previously participated in several sports in his younger life, he now especially enjoys his four grandchildren in addition to golf, gardening and traveling. |