Ray Perryman, PhD, is President and CEO of an economic research and analysis firm, The Perryman Group, in Waco, Texas. He is currently Senior Research Fellow of the IC 2 Institute of the University of Texas and Institute Distinguished Professor of Economic Theory and Method at the International Institute for Advanced Studies. His previous academic positions include Herman Brown Professor of Economics, University Professor and Economist-in-Residence at Baylor University, and Business Economist-in-Residence at Southern Methodist University. Dr. Perryman is a former President of the South-western Economic Association and the Southwestern Society of Economists. He is the author of multiple books along with hundreds of academic papers.

Mike Reeser has been the Chancellor of the Texas State Technical College System since 2010. He has been with the System since 2004, serving for six years as President of TSTC West Texas before stepping into his current role. He has also served in various roles at TSTC including chief financial officer for the TSTC System, and vice president and dean of instruction at TSTC West Texas.  Prior to joining TSTC, Mr. Reeser was the president of Compass Bank in Waco, Texas, and also served for 15 years in various executive and management roles in banking in Houston, Texas.  Reeser earned his BS in Psychology in 1978 from Texas A&M University.  In 2006 he earned his MBA from the University of Texas at Arlington.  He is married to Carroll Lively Reeser and has two children. During his spare time, he likes to play acoustic and electric guitar.  Reeser is also active in various civic and community organizations.

Glenn Hegar was elected the 36th Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts in November 2014. In this role he serves as Texas' chief financial officer — the state's treasurer, check writer, tax collector, procurement officer and revenue estimator.

As CFO for the world's eighth-largest economy, Hegar monitors Texas' financial health to ensure it maintains strong fund balances. During his term in office, he has emerged as a passionate advocate for conservative financial management.

Legislation passed in 2021 established the Texas Broadband Development Office (BDO), which was placed under the purview of the Comptroller’s office and solidified Hegar’s commitment to closing Texas’ digital divide. Hegar seeks constant input from communities across Texas, paving the way for billions of dollars in investment to secure future economic growth, educational opportunities, and health care access for all Texans.

After releasing the 2024-25 Biennial Revenue Estimate that forecast Texas’ largest budget surplus in history, Hegar was instrumental in helping the 88th Legislature manage and allocate unprecedented funding for the state’s highest priorities, including $18 billion in property tax relief, $3 billion to establish financing programs for new water supply projects and $1.5 billion for the Broadband Infrastructure Fund.

Before his election as Texas Comptroller, Hegar served in the Texas House of Representatives and Texas Senate.

Hegar is a 1993 graduate of Texas A&M University and a graduate of St. Mary's University, where he earned a Master of Arts and his law degree. At the University of Arkansas, he earned his Master of Laws.

Professor Swimberghe is joining UT Tyler after having taught at Northwestern State University.  He has presented his research in a number of marketing conferences, and has published in conference proceedings as well as refereed journals such as the Journal of Consumer Marketing, the Journal of Personal Selling and Sales Management, the Journal of Organizational Leadership and Business, Issues in Innovation, etc.  Before his career in academia, Dr. Swimberghe spent almost 20 years as an international marketing and sales manager in the automotive and defense-related industry, working both in the United States and Europe. As a native Belgian, he is multilingual and loves "real" football (soccer). Dr. Swimberghe received  his AAB in Economics at the Catholic University of Brussels in 1986.  In 1988, he received his MBA in Economics at the Catholic University of Louvain.  While in Louisiana, Swimberghe received his DBA in Marketing from Louisiana Tech University in 2009.

Felecia Herndon, PhD, serves as the Chief Operating Officer for the Tyler Economic Development Council. Felecia originally worked for TEDC from 1992-1997. She returned to the organization in 2014. Currently, she manages the Revolving Loan Fund programs, tax abatement and tax increment financing programs, state designated Enterprise Projects, and other financial incentives offered by the Council to businesses locating and expanding in Tyler/Smith County. In 2022, Felecia earned the designation of Certified Economic Developer (CEcD). She is also a certified Economic Development Finance Professional (EDFP), as well as a certified Professional Community and Economic Developer (PCED). Additionally, Felecia serves on the Community Development Corporation board of directors for Greater Texas Capital Corporation, an SBA 504 lender. She is currently the chairwoman of the board of Greater Texas Capital Community Finance, a community development finance organization (CDFI). She has a BS degree in Business Management, an MBA, with a focus on Corporate Finance from LeTourneau University, and a Doctorate in Business Administration (DBA), specializing in Finance, from Capella University. In her spare time, she enjoys harness racing and owns several racehorses.

Eric Basinger is the Manager of Economic and Business Development at American Electric Power and is the regional AEP resource for economic development professionals in Northeast Texas, Northwest Louisiana, and Southwest Arkansas. Eric has actively worked to build communities and grow economic opportunities in numerous cities and counties across the southern USA for the past 20 years. He has served as an economic development director for multiple counties in Alabama, as well as in Bradenton, Florida.  His range of work, knowledge, and experience have provided unique insight into best practices for those communities that do economic development well and actively meet the needs of their communities. At the local level, he led recruitment and expansion projects for GKN Aerospace, Hanil USA, and Tropicana.

Eric believes that successful collaboration stems from a strong foundation in local relationships. Having worked on different sides of the negotiation table, he works to help local economic developer teams anticipate the needs and create win-win solutions that propel them to the finish line, staying focused on what the community needs and wants.

Eric graduated from the University of West Alabama and received a Master's in Public Administration from Auburn University. He is a Certified Economic Developer (CEcD) through the International Economic Development Council and is a board member of the Northwest Louisiana Economic Partnership. He is also a member of the Southwest Arkansas Economic Development Alliance and the Right Corner of Texas marketing alliance in Northeast Texas.

Rush Harris, CEcD, Executive Director of the Marshall Economic Development Corporation, is a native of Marshall, Texas.  He is a member of the International Economic Development Council and Texas Economic Development Council. He serves on numerous economic development, education, transportation, natural resource, and business advisory boards and councils that serve Marshall and the greater East Texas region.  Harris is a Returned U.S. Peace Corps Volunteer (RPCV), having served two years in rural Guatemala with the Agricultural Marketing program.  He received a certificate in International Marketing and an advanced-level Spanish ACTFL while in Guatemala. Harris is a graduate of Marshall High School.  Thereafter he attended Southern Methodist University, earning a BA in Business Administration.  Harris received his MBA from the Thunderbird School of Global Management.  After returning to Marshall in 2011, Harris pursued a certificate in economic development from the University of Oklahoma Economic Development Institute.  He became a Certified Economic Developer (CEcD) in 2020.  Harris is married to Dinora, whom he met while in living in Guatemala.  The couple has two young children growing up in Marshall.