NWTHS announces new Chief Financial Officer
Northwest Texas Healthcare System (NWTHS), a 495-bed facility with over 2,000 employees serving the top 26 counties of the Texas Panhandle and neighboring states is excited to welcome Harvey Torres as the new Chief Financial Officer.
A graduate of the University of Houston, Harvey has more than 25 years’ experience in hospital finance and is significantly experienced in systems development and implementation with established best practices. He has served on the Texas Department of Health Mentorship program, Texas Association of University and College Auditors and other non-profit organizations.
Education Credit Union welcomes new Advisory Board members
Education Credit Union (ECU) is pleased to announce the addition of three esteemed professionals to its Advisory Board: Tim Glass, Barbara Holeman, and Selena Fogg.
“Each individual brings a wealth of experience and commitment to community service, further strengthen the credit union’s mission to love our people with smarter banking,” said Linda Purdy, Board Chairman of Education Credit Union.
Glass joins the Advisory Board following his election as County Judge for Hansford County in 2023. Glass has an extensive background in law enforcement, having served as Hansford County Sheriff and Criminal Investigator for the 84th District Attorney. A graduate of the FBI National Academy (2007) and Oklahoma Panhandle State University (2016), Glass’s diverse experience in public service will be invaluable to the board.
Holeman brings her expertise from the technology and finance sectors. She is retired from the Canyon ISD Technology Department and has previously served as a Finance Industry Specialist with IBM for 12 years. Holeman holds degrees in Instructional Technology from West Texas A&M University and Communications/Journalism from New Mexico State University. Her active involvement in the community including leadership roles with the Junior League of Amarillo, United Way of Amarillo & Canyon, Lone Star Ballet, and the Women’s Banking Association, is a testament to her dedication to service.
Fogg joins the Advisory Board as the owner of Selena Fogg, CPA. Fogg who studied Public Accounting at West Texas A&M University, earned her Master’s Degree and CPA designation in 2011. Her professional insights and experience in public accounting will contribute significantly to the board’s financial oversight and strategic planning.
For more information, visit their website at educationcu.com.
Xcel Energy seeks proposals for new power generation
Xcel Energy is seeking proposals for a major expansion of its Texas-New Mexico power generating system as older power plants are retired in the coming years and electricity demand is forecast to increase to meet the needs of a growing regional economy, according to a news release.
Power forecasts show that the region has a future need over 3 gigawatts (3,000 megawatts) of accredited capacity, which would translate to more than 5 gigawatts (5,000 megawatts) of additional nameplate capacity on the regional system by the end of the decade. In comparison, the current peak demand in Xcel Energy’s Texas-New Mexico service area is a little more than 6,000 megawatts.
Xcel Energy owns and operates a fleet of conventional power generating stations in its Texas-New Mexico service area along with two large wind energy facilities. The region’s energy mix also includes electricity generated by outside suppliers and sold to Xcel Energy through long-term contracts called power purchase agreements, or PPAs. The request for proposals is seeking options for new PPAs, extensions or changes to existing long-term PPAs, self-build projects and build projects that transfer to Xcel Energy.
In addition to the need to replace retiring power plants and provide for growth on the system, Xcel Energy seeks to meet increased Southwest Power Pool (SPP) resource adequacy requirements designed to ensure providers have power generating capacity in reserve in the event of a loss of scheduled power generation. Xcel Energy is a member of SPP, which oversees the reliability of a transmission network covering all or portions of 14 states and operates a wholesale power market.
Xcel Energy’s Texas-New Mexico request for proposals identifies the specific power needs in the years 2027, 2028, 2029 and 2030. Bids from developers are due by Jan. 3, 2025. All documents and guidance for submission may be found on the xcelenergy.com webpage SPS 2024 All-Source RFP. Xcel Energy will evaluate submissions with proposed commercial operation dates within or before May 1, 2027, to May 1, 2030.
The company expects to file its bid evaluation report and recommended portfolio to the New Mexico Public Regulation Commission for review in the second quarter of 2025. Individual projects selected will be submitted for approval to the NMPRC and the Public Utility Commission of Texas, with decisions expected in summer 2026.
Officewise announces addition of 3 new shareholders to company management
Officewise is pleased to announce three new shareholders to its management team. As the commercial furniture, design and business products leader for West Texas, this strategic decision marks a significant step in Officewise’s commitment to providing ownership opportunity for these individuals, a news release states.
The new shareholders are:
- Cathryn Dail – With over 20 years of experience in commercial interior design, project management, sales, marketing and operations, Dail has been an integral part of Officewise’s success.
- Lindley Herring – An experienced professional in sales, marketing and business development, Herring has been instrumental in expanding Officewise’s market reach. .
- Lupe Zermeño – With an extensive background in interior design, sales and operations, Zermeño has been invaluable to Officewise.
“As current members of our management team, we are excited to welcome Cathryn, Lindley, and Lupe as shareholders,” said Officewise President Tommy Sansom. “They are all Texas Tech alumni, each involved in and committed to the communities they live. Their combined expertise, passion, and dedication to Officewise have been pivotal in our achievements to date. This move not only recognizes their significant contributions, but also strengthens our leadership team as we continue to pursue our mission of delivering exceptional commercial interiors and business supply solutions to our customers.”
Officewise has built a reputation for excellence in providing creative and functional commercial interior and business supply solutions with offices in Amarillo, Lubbock, and Midland. The addition of these three shareholders is a testament to the company’s commitment to fostering talent and leadership from within, ensuring a robust and dynamic future. For more information about Officewise and its services, visit https://www.officewiseco.com/.
AC receives $331,268 JET grant to leverage advances in welding training
Amarillo College will receive a $331,268 grant from the Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) that will significantly enhance the College’s welding program, particularly through the acquisition of virtual reality (VR) training technology.
TWU Commissioner Alberto Treviño III will be on hand to personally present the Jobs and Education for Texans (JET) grant at 10 a.m. Wednesday, July 31 at AC’s Innovation Outpost, 1220 S. Polk St.
David Hall, dean of technical education, says the demand for professional welders is expected to surge in the decade ahead, both nationally and within the Texas Panhandle. The new VR technology, he said, will enable the College to train competent welders both in greater numbers and far more efficiently. “The high-quality virtual reality trainers now on the market allow students to watch demonstrations of proper welding techniques, to practice machine set-up and welding processes, to take virtual bend tests, and to receive visual and audible feedback before they ever step into the welding lab,” Hall said.
According to labor market projections from the TWC and Lightcast, an authority on labor market analytics, 22 percent more welders will be needed in the Panhandle by 2030, which equates to about 96 new jobs annually. The JET Grant also will enable AC to acquire additional live welders and cutting equipment, almost doubling existing welding lab capacity and, thus, directly increasing class-size capacity.