Leadership Bee County Class of 2000

Class of 2000

Jim Cardenas has been employed by the Texas Department of Public Safety for the past 20 years. He began his career with the DPS in 1979, as a Highway Patrol Trooper in Odessa. In 1982, he transferred to the Highway Patrol Area Office in Sinton. In 1992 he was promoted to Highway Patrol Sergeant, stationed in Beeville. In addition to his employment with the DPS, Jim is employed by Del Mar College, on a part-time basis, as a TECLOSE law enforcement officer.

Born and raised in Corpus Christi, Jim graduated from Roy Miller High School in 1975. He has an Associate's Degree in Liberal Arts from Del Mar College, and a Bachelor's Degree in Criminal Justice for Corpus Christi State University. In 1995 he attained a Master's Degree in Interdisciplinary Studies: Criminal Justice, Psychology and Management.

Jim is the Vice President of the Children's Trust Fund, and is a Member of the Bee County Child Welfare Board of Directors. He coaches little league basketball and enjoys weightlifting, tennis and fishing.

Lynette Casares holds the position as Loan Operations Officer at the First National Bank of Beeville. She has held this position since December 1998, having been Supervisor of the Note Department for the previous five years. Lynette has been with The First National Bank for nine years. She previously was employed as secretary to Jay T. Kimbrough, Attorney-at-Law for three years and worked for several years as apart-time secretary for County Judge, Kinkler Handly, Road Administrator, Jack E. Jenkins and Attorney-at-Law, Jack Knight. Lynette has also taught children's gymnastics at Bee County College.

Lynette is an honor 3-year graduate of A.C. Jones High School and a graduate of Bee County College.

Dale DeLisse is a partner in various companies involved in Information Technology (IT)

Consulting, Residential Construction, and Energy Conservation Management Services, with offices in Beeville, Dallas, Houston and London. He is a member of Rotary International and is involved with Boy Scouts of America. Dale is a former Scoutmaster with Troop 451 and currently serves on the Board of Directors of BSA, Gulf Coast Council. Raised in Dallas, Dale graduated with a BSE from Texas Tech University.

Dennis DeWitt is the Regional Director with the Texas Department of Parks and Wildlife for South Texas. He is responsible for 21 State Parks, 20 peace officers, and 110 staff members. Dennis has been with Parks and Wildlife for over 30 years. He is a Beeville native, a graduate of Texas A&M-Kingsville and holds a Masters law enforcement certificate. He also a graduate of the Lamar Police Academy in Beaumont. Dennis served six years in the Army Reserves as a specialist in main battle tank recovery. Dennis was the chief negotiator representing the City of Beeville in the 1997 and 1998 collective bargaining with the Beeville Police Department. He also owns and operates a cattle and hay ranch near Pettus.

Leslie Woodside Dial has bee employed at State Bank and Trust for 17 years where she was recently promoted to Senior Vice President/Cashier. She calls this the "only" real job she has ever had. Her duties include financial and regulatory reporting, compliance and supervision of the new account, teller and bookkeeping areas and general all around jack of all trades.

Leslie is a graduate of Pettus High School and is in the process of finishing her accounting degree.

Matthew Riggle Huie moved to Beeville in 1992 and graduated from A.C. Jones High School in 1994. He received a degree in Agricultural Development from Texas A&M University in May of 1998. Matt is a self-employed farmer and rancher. He is a member of the First United Methodist Church and is involved in youth ministry and staff-parish relations.

Scott Lawson is President of LAWCO/Lawson Water Wells, a drilling and pump service, started in Bee County by his great grandfather, Robert W. Lawson, in 1912. The company also specializes in rig and equipment lease and sales. Scott also has rental properties and ranching interests. He is a graduate of Northbrook High School, in Houston's Memorial-Spring Branch area. Scott attended Southwest Texas State University, and holds an associate's degree in Oil & Gas Technology from Bee County College. He is past president of Pettus Rotary Club and a member of First Presbyterian Church in Beeville.

Jamie Mattison is the superintendent of Pawnee Independent School District. Prior to moving to Bee County in 1996, Jamie was an administrator in Gonzales ISD, an educational consultant in Austin and a teacher in Bastrop, Texas. Before entering a career in education, she worked a variety of jobs in the private sector and internationally. She earned both a bachelor's and master's degree from the University of Texas at Austin and obtained advanced certificates at Southwest Texas State University.

Jamie serves on the Pawnee Rural Fire District board and also is a founding member of the Pawnee Emergency First Responders. She served as the emcee for the Pawnee Prospect Hog Show for two years. Over the years she has been involved with Little League, Lion's Club, PTA, Audubon Society and Community Soccer.

International affairs have always been of great interest to Jamie. She worked for the United Nations while she lived in Niger, West Africa. She won an international scholarship that allowed her to study and live in Lima, Peru, South America. She has also traveled in Europe, Mexico, South America, North Africa, Great Britain, and the Caribbean. She has lived in California, Florida, Michigan and has made Texas her home for the last 23 years.

Viola Salazar Mendoza holds a position with the Beeville Housing Authority as the Executive Director. She has had the position for fifteen years. Viola was the Manager for the Beeville Housing Authority prior to her promotion. She has been employed with the Authority for twenty years. She was also employed with the City of Beeville for seven years. Viola worked under the supervision of Joe Montez, Finance Director at the time.

Viola has volunteered on several boards, committees and organizations. Among those boards are the Beeville Little League, Boys and Girls Club, and the Bee County Extension Service.

Armando Musquez is the present owner of the SEARS Authorized Dealership in Beeville. He is a twenty-year Navy veteran, retiring as a Senior Chief Petty Officer in 1992 at the former NAS Chase Field prior to its shutdown. He holds an AS Degree in Business Management from Coastal Bend College. Armando is a member of the Bee Development Authority Personnel Committee, the Beeville Housing Authority Home Assistance Program and, prior to applying for the Leadership Bee County Class of 1999-2000, was a member of the Leadership Bee County Board of Directors. He has also been a member of the Bee County Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors.

Anna M. Simo is employed as the Administrative Director for the Bee Community Action Agency. She has held various administrative positions with the Agency since being employed there in October 1977. Anna currently works directly with the administration in the operation of federal and state programs in Aransas, Bee, Goliad, Kenedy, Kleberg, Live Oak, McMullen and Refugio Counties.

Anna is a life long resident of Bee County, a graduate of Pettus High School and has obtained an Associate's Degree from Coastal Bend College.

Glynis Holm Strause has been employed by Coastal Bend College for 21 years. She is a speech communication instructor and has co-authored three texts in the field. In 1998, she was named Continuing Education Coordinator for the college. Prior to coming to Coastal Bend College, Glynis taught at Texas A&I University for one year and was a graduate student forensics and debate coach at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville.

Glynis is a graduate of George West High School, Howard Payne University, University of Tennessee in Knoxville and has partially completed a doctorate of Educational Human Resource Development from Texas A&M. She has served a Texas Federation of Business and Professional Women's State President, parliamentarian for Texas Speech Communication Association, Chairperson of Live Oak County Economic Development committee, Chairperson of the Administrative Board of the First United Methodist Church in George West among others. In 1997, TSCA awarded her the Trained Leader in Communication designation and TSCA Community College Educator of the Year. In 1998 she was given the Outstanding Service award for TSCA.

Shannon Tindol owns and operates First Chance, Inc. dba Westside Texaco. She has been in business for six months. Prior to her new venture Shannon was the office manager for Tindol Petroleum Company. Shannon is a life long resident of Beeville and a graduate of A.C. Jones School. She attended Stephen F. Austin University and Texas A&I University. Shannon is a volunteer Blue Angel and a member of CCA.

David Scott Wagner began his new role as Vice President/Administrator of CHRISTUS Spohn Hospital Beeville in March of 1999. He moved to Beeville from McKinney, Texas, which sits approximately 35 miles north of Dallas. He worked in Dallas as the Assistant Executive Director with General Health Services Corporation. This corporation operated a system of urgent care/occupational medicine clinics affiliated with the Presbyterian Healthcare System. Prior to moving to Dallas, David was the Vice President/Operations at Good Shepherd Medical Center located in Longview, David held a number of administrative responsibilities and spent seven years with Presbyterian Hospital of Dallas. David has demonstrated involvement in many professional and civic organizations; most recently he became a member of the Advisory Board for the Beeville United Way. He attained his Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology from Texas A&M University in 1983 and his Master of Science degree in Healthcare Administration from Trinity University in 1987.

Updated Thursday, December 21, 2006
Created April 12, 2000