The Port of Corpus Christi announced the addition of former Nueces County Judge Richard Borchard and attorney Francis Gandy to the Port Commission. Judge Borchard was recently appointed by the Nueces County Commissioners Court to serve a three-year term, while Commissioner Gandy was appointed by the Corpus Christi City Council to serve an equal length. Ruben Bonilla was re-elected as Chairman for an 8th consecutive year while completing his final year on the commission due to term-limits. Commissioner Robert Gonzalez, Sr. was elected to serve as Vice-Chairman with Commissioner Mike Carrell continuing as Secretary.
Judge Borchard served as county judge from 1994 until 2002 and as a county commissioner from 1981 through 1994 when he became judge. Borchard has served as President-elect of the Texas Association of County Judges and Commissioners, Chairman of the State of Texas Tobacco Settlement Permanent Trust Account, Chairman of the Highway 77 & 281 Coalition for I-69 and on the boards of the Greater Corpus Christi Business Alliance and Metropolitan Planning Organization. Judge Borchard holds both a Bachelor and Master of Science degree from Texas A&I University and is currently Director of Client Relations for Linebarger, Goggan, Blair & Sampson, Attorneys At Law.
Commissioner Gandy holds a law degree from Baylor University and is manager and part owner of F.I. Gandy Farms. Commissioner Gandy served in the US Marine Corps and is an active member of Vestry of Church of Good Shepard and the Kiwanis Club of Corpus Christi. He also serves on the Corpus Christi Marina Advisory board, the Coastal Bend Youth City board, Crime Stoppers and the local chapter of the American Cancer Society.
Chairman Bonilla is beginning his 8th year as Chairman and 12th year on the commission and currently serves as Chairman of the Metropolitan Planning Organization. Chairman Bonilla holds a Bachelor of Arts and a Doctor of Jurisprudence from the University of Texas at Austin Law School and is a partner with the law firm Bonilla & Chapa, P.C. His community involvement and organizational affiliations include serving as national president of the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) as a member of the World Affairs Council, South Texas Institute of the Arts, American GI Forum, and Board of Trustees for Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi. Bonilla's professional affiliations include the State Bar of Texas, the Texas Trial Lawyers Association, the American Trial Lawyers Association and the Nueces County Bar Association. Chairman Bonilla has been recognized through such honors as the Cecil Burney Humanitarian Award, Robert Baldwin Award, Heroes of Children Award, President's Award from the H. Boyd Hall Branch of the NAACP and as the Leadership Corpus Christi Alumni of the Year.
