Bob Herchert
Chairman of The Board of Advisors

Robert L. Herchert is the current chairman and former president and CEO of Freese and Nichols Inc., a Fort Worth-based engineering firm. He previously served as the Fort Worth city manager and executive vice president of Texas American Bancshares Inc. He has held various city manager and assistant city manager positions in Missouri, Arkansas and Ohio. Herchert earned a BA in personnel administration and political science and an MPA from the University of Kansas. Among his many activities, Herchert serves on the Greater Dallas Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors and is past chairman of the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce, North Texas Commission, and Texas Association of Business and Chambers of Commerce.

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Bob Bolen
Board of Advisors Member

Bob Bolen is currently the senior advisor to the chancellor at Texas Christian University. Formerly, Bolen served as the mayor of Fort Worth and the founder and CEO of Bolen Enterprises. He graduated from Texas A&M University with a BS degree in business administration. In addition, he received honorary doctorates in public service from both the University of North Texas and Texas Christian University, as well as an honorary doctorate of humanities from Texas Wesleyan University. Bolen serves as the chairman of the Citizens Committee on Fort Worth’s Future. He also sits on the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce Executive Committee and the TXU Advisory Board, among other organizations.

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Donald Creveling has more than 20 years experience developing and directing human resources activities. Most recently, he served as executive vice president and director of human resources at JCPenney Direct Marketing Services. Creveling holds a BBA in general management from Adelphi University and is a certified compensation professional. Among his many activities, Creveling is a member of the Society for Human Resource Management and is a mentor in the Greater Dallas Menttium 100 Program.

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Ulysses G. Ford, III is the president of SDC Consulting Inc., a firm that represents private companies trying to enhance their position with local governments. His 30 years of experience include being an officer and vice president for Waste Management Inc., the former public works director for the City of Houston and city services director for the City of Fort Worth. Ford received a bachelor’s degree in mathematics from Talladega College in Talladega, Ala. Among several organizations to which Ford lends his services are the Corporate Advisory Council of the National Forum of Black Public Administrators and the Business Roundtable of the National Association of Black County Officials. He is also the former chair of the Council of Equal Opportunity of the American Public Works Association.

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Terry Ryan is the former President and CEO of the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce. A graduate of Yale University and the Stanford University Advanced Management Program, Ryan headed the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce from 1988 to 2000. He was the Chairman of the National Association of Chamber Executives in 1997-98. Prior to that, Ryan was associated for twenty years with the United Banks of Colorado, where he was the senior executive for a number of the corporation's banks. He moved to Fort Worth to start Capital National Bank, after which he became managing partner of the Dallas office of Korn Ferry, Inc., the world's largest executive search firm. Ryan has served on the boards of numerous organizations in the Fort Worth area and is presently an Advisory Director of Texas Bank, Fort Worth's largest locally owned bank..

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Bettye Lynn is certified as a specialist in labor and employment law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization.  Lynn practices exclusively in management labor and employment law and represents employers in both the public and private sectors.  Her practice has included training managers and supervisors on effective employment practices; counseling clients on preventing employee claims and litigation; investigating employee complaints; advising clients on all employment related federal and state laws (FLSA, FMLA, ADA, Title VII, E.O. 11246...); representing cities in civil service arbitrations; negotiating collective bargaining agreements; and litigating complex employment law issues, including constitutional claims.  Lynn represents cities and counties across the State of Texas as well as private sector clients, including manufacturing, mining, health care and retail services.

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Linda Patterson is perhaps the most experienced, well respected, and knowledgeable public funds manager in Texas.  Her performance at the State Treasury as Assistant Deputy Treasurer and Director of Investments surpassed hundreds of entities in performance, including all other 49 states.  As City Treasurer of the City of Fort Worth, she brought new banking and funds management techniques which raised tens of millions of dollars for the City.  She has been involved professionally at the state and national level improving the field of treasury management as the founder and first President of the Texas Treasurer's Association (GTOT), a Board member and officer of the International Treasurer's Association (MTA US&C), member of the national Cash Committee of GFOA, and creator of the Texas Public Funds Investment Act and Public Funds Collateral Act.  She was recognized as the national Outstanding Treasurer of the Year in 1990 (MTA US&C) and nominated as Public Official of the Year in 1988.  She is an active contributor, teacher, lecturer and author throughout the nation.

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