El Paso corporate law attorney Pat Gordon has been appointed to the Texas Transportation Commission, the powerful five-member state commission that oversees billions of dollars in state transportation funds.
Pat Gordon
“I’m honored and excited,” Gordon told El Paso Matters in a phone interview. “Being from West Texas and El Paso, I am hopeful my appointment will have an impact on the West Texas region.”
Gov. Greg Abbott announced Gordon’s appointment Thursday for an unexpired term to run through Feb. 1, 2027. He fills a seat left vacant by San Antonio banker James Bruce Buggs Jr., who died in August at the age of 70.
The five-member commission governs the Texas Department of Transportation and is responsible for policymaking regarding the state’s highway system, developing a statewide transportation plan, assisting the development of public transportation, and adopting rules for TxDOT’s operation.
The commission in August approved more than $101 billion in state transportation programs, including nearly $45 billion for development and routine maintenance, over the next 10 years under the 2026 Unified Transportation Program.
“I really need to get my arms around all the projects, that’s one of my first goals, to get familiar with all the projects and where they stand and what’s up to be approved in the future,” Gordon said. He said he couldn’t yet comment on any specific project, but looks forward to serving on the commission.
“I think this is good for El Paso, it’s good for West Texas,” he said, adding that he would like to be considered for a full term when this one expires.
Gordon, a shareholder with Gordon Davis Johnson Shane & Snider P.C, is only the second El Pasoan appointed to the commission, whose members serve overlapping six-year terms.
El Paso businessman Ted Houghton served 12 years starting in 2003, including almost four years as chair of the commission. During his term, Houghton helped secure nearly $4 billion in transportation funding for the El Paso region.
“He’ll serve the state well. He knows what he’s doing,” Houghton said of Gordon.
Houghton said among the top priorities coming up in state transportation are projects dealing with cross border and international bridges, saying there will be a lot of competition for those dollars. He also cited the aging Interstate 10 in El Paso as in need of repairs and modernization, and said the proposed deck plaza will also be a big project competing for funds.
“It’s a big job, a full-time job,” Houghton said, adding he believes Gordon will be appointed to continue serving after the unexpired term. “In transportation planning, the gestation of projects is a long, long process. It takes years to get projects going and done, so it serves the commission better for members to be on for more than a few months.”
Gordon is a former member of the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs and served as the Texas Commissioner for the Rio Grande Compact Commission for 15 years.
A board certified attorney who specializes in business, corporate and tax law, Gordon is also a certified public accountant. He serves on the Texas Tech University Board of Regents and is a board member of the El Paso Children’s Hospital.
“I believe in giving back to the community and serving the community,” Gordon said. “I think it’s an honor to be able to serve in these positions.”
He received a bachelor’s in finance from Texas A&M University, a master’s in business administration from Texas Tech University Rawls College of Business and a law degree from TTU School of Law.
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