Houston First Corporation is pleased to welcome new board members recently appointed by Mayor John Whitmire and the Houston City Council.
The organization’s 13-member board of directors is responsible for setting policy for the corporation and approving its major initiatives and expenditures.
The new board members confirmed this month to serve terms that expire in December 2026 are:
Wea H. Lee is Chairman of Southern News Group in Houston, Texas. He owns and oversees a diverse media business with an international presence that includes print, radio, TV, and internet services.
Shareen Larmond is the president of the West Gulf Maritime Association in Houston. As the top executive of the trade association with over 200 members, she is responsible for managing and establishing long-range goals, strategies, plans, and policies that impact the maritime industry.
Roxann Neumann serves as Sr. Vice President of Corporate Affairs for Silver Eagle Beverages, one of the nation's largest Anheuser-Busch distributors.
Additionally, Houston First board member Nicki Keenan was reappointed to the body. Keenan is the Senior Vice President of Sales, leads and develops all strategic sales and marketing efforts affiliated within the hospitality division of Landry's Inc., a nationally acclaimed dining, entertainment, hospitality, and gaming company.
The new appointees bring a significant change to the board's composition. The board will now be majority women and will include the first person of Chinese descent to serve, a reflection of Houston's global reach and connections.
"Each of the new appointees has a long history of community involvement and philanthropic initiatives and wants the best for the City of Houston,” said Mayor Whitmire. “I am certain they will do an excellent job working with the rest of the Houston First board and leadership. I thank each of them for their public service and leadership. Houston First is one of our economic engines, and because of the organization, Houston attracts hundreds of meetings, conventions, visitors, and events to the City each year.”
Written by HFC staff
Pictured above: From left HFC CEO Michael Heckman, Nicki Keenan, Wea Lee and Roxann Neumann
Below: Shareen Larmond
