LCRA shuffles leadership following retirement of Phil Wilson

The Lower Colorado River Authority (LCRA) Board of Directors appointed Jim Travis to serve as the acting general manager and chief financial officer for the LCRA. The announcement comes following the departure of General Manager Phil Wilson, who served in the role since 2014.

Wilson is noted as the longest tenured LCRA General Manager over the authority’s 91-year history, leading LCRA through one of the most transformative periods, according to state officials. Wilson will leave the LCRA to pursue other opportunities outside of the public sector.

Prior to joining the LCRA, Wilson served as executive director for the Texas Department of Transportation, where he advocated and represented the agency before the State Legislature. He served as past chair of the chamber’s Opportunity Austin initiative. Wilson also serves on the boards of the Large Public Power Council and Texas Public Power Association. Wilson has a Master of Business Administration from Southern Methodist University and a bachelor’s degree from Hardin-Simmons University.

Filling the role, Travis will become the acting general manager and chief financial officer for LCRA. He joined the LCRA in 1992, working in many positions in the authority, including controller, manager of planning, treasurer and risk management. Jim holds a Master of Business Administration from the University of Texas at Austin and a Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting from Texas A&M University.

In his new role, Travis will lead financial management of the LCRA, in addition to overseeing accounting, capital and financial planning, finance, investor relations, and treasury activities, as well as the financial oversight and compliance related to energy trading and hedging.

Images courtesy of the Lower Colorado River Authority