Plano Symphony Orchestra Announces Board Of Directors For 2021-2022

Robert A. Reed, Executive Director of the Plano Symphony Orchestra, announced today that, at the PSO Annual Meeting held on June 6, 2021, the Board unanimously elected Marion Brockette as President as well as approved the returning and new board members and a new slate of officers. The Board voted to install the following officers: Marion Brockette, President; Dr. Chris Parr, Vice President; Janie Orr, Secretary; Mike Mangum, Treasurer; Marcela Schweers, Guild President.

The Board elected the following new board members: Karen Davis, Tim Dwight, Hal Kauffeldt, Raymond Rowell and Sue Wood. They will be joining Linda Ballard, Julianne Barnum, Marion Brockette, Rebeka Ecker, Deborah L. Hendrix, Dr. Christine Hopkins, Humera Kassem, Stephen Kyriakos, William Langford, Mirna Lynch, Mike Mangum, Charles Miller, Brenda Mills, Darlene Morford, Dr. Betty Bell Muns, Janie Orr, Wanda Parker, P.E., Dr. Chris Parr, Ryan Riggs, Carlos Rodriguez-Garcia, Gobriel Rusthoven, Christina Ryan, Bill Tucker, Kyle Ververka, and Lauren Wood. Marcela Schweers is the new Symphony Guild President and an ex-officio member of the board.

The Board also thanked the following board members, whose terms had expired, for their service: Craig Barber, Mary Jo Cater, Marcia Nelson Jackson, and Shirley Ogden.

"I'm pleased to welcome Karen, Tim, Hal, Raymond, and Sue to the PSO of Board of Directors," said Robert A. Reed. "I'm also thrilled that Marion Brockette has accepted the position of President of the Board. His extensive background in the nonprofit arts, combined with his love for and support of the arts, makes Marion an ideal choice to serve in this important leadership role."

"Everyone at PSO wishes to extend our gratitude to outgoing President Craig Barber," continued Reed. "Craig has been a stellar example of leadership throughout his two-year tenure as President, especially during these challenging past 14 months during the COVID-19 crisis."

"I'm pleased to be serving on the PSO board alongside so many talented corporate and community leaders," said Marion Brockette. "This year has been especially challenging for the PSO, but thanks to the Board and staff, Craig hands over an organization that is financially strong and artistically vibrant. I am looking forward to the participation of our board next year as we work to recover from the pandemic and continue to move the organization forward in many positive ways. I'm excited to be taking on this important role and to be able to partner with Robert and Hector and my colleagues on the Board to continue to grow the PSO and its impact on music and music education in our community."

About Marion Brockette, President:

Marion is a retired CPA and Audit Partner formerly with McCarthy Rose and Mills and has over 45 years of experience in public accounting.

Marion holds a BBA from North Texas State University and is a CPA in the State of Texas. He served on the Board of Directors of Theatre Three for over 10 years, including two terms as Chairman. He also served on the City of Plano's Cultural Affairs Commission for 6 years, including 3 years as Chairman before stepping down in October 2017. He joined the Plano Symphony Board in January 2018.

Marion and his wife Dianne have lived in Plano for over 25 years and have 3 adult daughters.

About the New Board Members:

For the past seven years, Karen Davis has overseen the administration of the Chamberlain Ballet company operations in addition to the finances of the organization. Her dedication to Chamberlain Ballet is evident in everything she does, from her participation in community arts organizations to her assistance with fundraising, marketing, and multiple outreach programs. She has earned a BS in Speech Pathology from Auburn University followed by an MS in Audiology from The University of Texas at Dallas. She also has an MA in Teaching from Texas Women's University and holds a Real Estate Brokers License. She is a proud graduate of Leadership Plano and Leadership Arts Institute and currently serves as the Treasurer for the Plano Arts Coalition and recently completed a term as the Director of Finance for Theatre Three. Karen and her husband of thirty-four years have three daughters and soon-to-be three grandchildren.

Tim Dwight, CFA, is Chief Investment Officer at Fireside Capital Advisors in Dallas. He previously founded and managed SpringVest Wealth Management, a Registered Investment Advisor (RIA), in Fort Worth. Prior to founding SpringVest, Tim served in stock analyst, portfolio management, and wealth management roles at two separate RIA's in Dallas and Houston. He earned the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation awarded by the CFA Institute and is a member of the Dallas-Fort Worth Society of Financial Analysts. He holds an MBA from the McCombs School of Business at the University of Texas and a BS in biology from Baylor University. Tim is active in the DFW community and currently serves as chairman of the investment committee at the University of North Texas Foundation. He has served on the boards of The Senior Source (the premier nonprofit for aging services in Dallas) and the Rotary Club of Dallas Foundation. He has two children, a daughter who will be attending Texas Tech next fall, and a son who will be a high school freshman in Fort Worth.

Hal Kauffeldt is currently Manager of the Intellectual Property Analysis team within the Legal department of Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE). Prior to joining HPE, Hal was a Partner in a consultancy he co-founded, providing patent technical analysis services. Hal holds a BSC in Computing Science from Queen's University, Ontario, Canada, and has worked in the high-tech field for over 35 years in product definition and design as well as IP technical analysis and consulting services roles. Hal is active in several volunteer activities, including acting as the HPE Pro Bono Co-ordinator, facilitating volunteering by members of the HPE legal team with organizations such as Legal Aid of Northwest Texas (LANWT), Metroplex Veterans Legal Services, and the Dallas Volunteer Attorney Program (DVAP), volunteering with LANWT at monthly legal aid clinics, and serving as a member of the Advisory Board for the University of Houston CT Bauer School.

Raymond Rowell is the Assistant Dean for Enrollment Management and External Affairs for the College of Music at the University of North Texas, where he has worked since 2009. He has experience in music performance, sales and operational management, and higher education. He earned his Master of Music in Violincello performance from Ohio University and his Bachelor of Music in Violincello Performance from Harid Conservatory of Music in Boca Raton, Florida.

Sue Wood's professional experience, until recently, was spent in the world of education. Sue spent her career teaching students in kindergarten and supporting ESL (English as a second language) students. Working with students of all ages and professional colleagues gives Sue the ability to empathize, adapt quickly to changing situations, and make sure that everyone feels appreciated, valued, and respected.

Sue currently uses her expertise and time giving back to the community in which she has lived in for over 45 years. She enjoys being a leader in her community by volunteering and serving in several local organizations. For the past two years, Sue served as President of the PSO Guild. She has also been President of the Plano Senior Council, Parliamentarian and Activity Leader of the Plano Newcomers Club, and Co-Chair of the Silent Auction committee for Plano Symphony Gala.

Sue is a native to New York but has lived in Texas for 47 years, where she raised a family and now spoils her grandchildren. Raising a family, teaching, and volunteering gives her the experience, integrity, energy, and genuine willingness to make any organization an amazing place in which to spend time.

Marcela Schweers, Guild President

Marcela Schweers' professional experience includes working for Octel Communications, Rosewood Hotels and Resorts, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas, Celanese Mexicana, Siderexport (in Mexico City), and 11 years with PepsiCo International. She is proficient in English, Spanish, and Italian. Marcela has certification as a corporate meeting professional. At PepsiCo International Marcela was responsible for organizing conferences and meetings in the U.S. and internationally. Marcela is now retired.

Marcela used her administrative experience and organizational skills as a leader in professional organizations such as the IAAP (International Association of Administrative Professionals) and CMP (Certified Meeting Professionals). She has been a member of the PSO Guild for several years chairing and co-chairing various committees. She also serves and volunteers at her church, Plano Newcomers Club, and other social associations.

Marcela is from Mexico City and came to this country 42 years ago, getting her US citizenship in 1992. She raised her family in Carrollton, has a son and a daughter, and a grandson. She loves music and art, and enjoys cooking, entertaining, and trying different restaurants of fine cuisine. She is excited to be the President of the Guild this year and looks forward to working with and supporting everyone in the PSO family.

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