The Texas Wildlife Association has announced the hiring of David Yeates as Chief Executive Officer.
After an extensive search, Yeates accepted an offer, which was then ratified by the TWA Executive Committee.
According to J. David Anderson, who serves as Treasurer for the organization and chaired the nine person CEO Search Committee, “We interviewed some very qualified candidates and after extensive vetting, we feel like David Yeates is a great fit for this role in our organization.”
Yeates graduated with an Agricultural Economics degree from Texas A&M University, and also went through the Southwestern School of Banking at Southern Methodist University. He has been in the banking business for the last 14 years, most recently serving as President of New Braunfels and Seguin Banking Centers for Prosperity Bank. His family still owns their fifth generation homestead and continues to farm and ranch in North Texas. He is an avid hunter and fisherman, spending much of his recreational time on a hunting lease in the Texas Panhandle, as well as fishing along the Texas Coast. He has also been an active volunteer for various groups including Habitat for Humanity, Ducks Unlimited, and Coastal Conservation Association. Yeates wife, Tiffany, owns Gruene Outfitters, which is a retail business with two locations specializing in flyfishing equipment and other outdoor products.
In addition to serving as TWA CEO, Yeates will also serve as CEO of TWA Foundation. He will over-see the day to day business of this organization which has an annual operating budget of approximately $2.8 million, with some 25 staff employees and contract specialists.
“We are excited about the combination of features that David brings to the table, with a strong financial management background, his family ranching and landownership interests, his love for hunting and fishing, as well as his personal investment in volunteering for good causes,” said current TWA President, Greg Simons.
Past TWA and TWAF President, Steve Lewis, who also served on the Search Committee, has a similar sentiment and commented, “David Yeates is a leader who can lift TWA to new heights and I think TWA is going to thrive under his leadership.”
