The Board of Directors and GVEC management are committed to delivering quality services and products that not only meet, but exceed the expectations of GVEC members. The Board, elected by the membership, governs the business of GVEC. The management staff runs day-to-day operations.
The GVEC service area encompasses 3,500 square miles over 13 counties. It’s divided into 11 districts based on population. A Director from each district is elected to sit on the GVEC Board of Directors.
Square Miles
Counties
Districts
Board of Directors
The GVEC Board of Directors come from diverse backgrounds and all types of industries: banking, ranching, farming, education, oil, food, utilities and business. Just as importantly, they’re your neighbors and members, too, with families, businesses, careers and hobbies in the communities they represent.
Just as importantly, they’re your neighbors and member-owners, too, with families, businesses, careers and hobbies within the communities they represent.
District
1
Robert J. Werner
District 1
Robert J. Werner
Robert J. Werner
Robert J. Werner has been serving members in District 1 as a GVEC Board director since 1999. He holds a bachelor of business administration degree in management from Sam Houston State University in Huntsville, and he and his wife own and operate Werner’s Restaurant in Shiner.
District
2
Lewis Borgfeld
President
District 2
Lewis Borgfeld
Lewis Borgfeld
Lewis Borgfeld has represented District 2 since 1973 when he was appointed as an Advisory Director. He was then elected to the Board in 1974 and in 1986 he was elected Board President. Borgfeld graduated from Schertz/Cibolo High School (now Samuel Clemens High School) and received a bachelor of science degree in business education from Southwest Texas State College (now Texas State University). He previously served in the U.S. Navy Reserve and after graduation from college Borgfeld served as a pilot in the U.S. Air Force. Upon leaving the Air Force he entered the banking profession and received a graduate banking degree from Louisiana State University (LSU). He currently is Executive Vice President of Schertz Bank & Trust and is a past president and charter board member of the Tri-County Chamber of Commerce (formerly Greater Randolph Area Chamber of Commerce) and past president of the Randolph Metrocom Rotary Club. He has been active in economic development activities in the Schertz and Cibolo communities as well as in the cattle raising business. His family has been involved in business, education and agriculture in the area for many years. Borgfeld’s wife Lolly, is a longtime educator in the area and is President of the SCUCISD Education Foundation.
District
3
Henry C. Schmidt, Jr.
District 3
Henry C. Schmidt, Jr.
Henry C. Schmidt, Jr.
District 3 is represented by Henry C. Schmidt, Jr., who has served GVEC members since 2000. He graduated from Gonzales High School and holds an Associate of Applied Science degree in Business Management. Schmidt, along with his brother and mother, is an owner of Schmidt and Sons, Inc., a fuel and lubricants distributer. He is also an owner in Apache Express Care and Hesco Maintenance Company, and raises registered Brangus cattle with his wife, Debbie, and son, H.C., on their ranch in northeast Gonzales County. Schmidt has also served his community as a Gonzales Volunteer Fire Department firefighter and a Gonzales County reserve deputy sheriff.
District
4
Shawn Martinez
District 4
Shawn Martinez
Shawn Martinez
Shawn Martinez, the representative for District 4, has served on the Board since 2009 and is also the first female Board member of GVEC. She has been in the banking industry since 1995 and currently is the Chief Credit Officer and a Senior Vice President at First Commercial Bank in Seguin. Shawn is an active member of the community, serving as past chairman of the Seguin Area Chamber of Commerce, a board member of the Zonta Club of Seguin, and on the board for Navarro Education Foundation.
District
5
Morris Harvey
District 5
Morris Harvey
Morris Harvey
Morris Harvey has served the members in District 5 since 2011. He graduated from Nixon High School and from Texas A&I University in Kingsville in agriculture education. A lifelong rancher, Morris is also the owner and manager of Mustang Realty in Nixon, and is a broker, real estate professional inspector, and licensed appraiser. He has served his community as a member of the Nixon Hospital Board, Nixon Chamber of Commerce, and as past director of the Feather Fest.
District
6
Joe A. Castilleja
District 6
Joe A. Castilleja
Joe Castilleja
District 6 is represented by Joe A. Castilleja, who was appointed to the Board in March 2017. Born and raised in New Braunfels, Joe is a career banker and serves as a Sr. Vice President at Frost Bank. Joe, as well as Frost Bank, believes in serving the community and his extensive involvement includes: past chair of the Greater New Braunfels Chamber–2015; Wurstfest Board of Directors; Executive Board of the Greater New Braunfels Chamber; Volunteers in Medicine Board of Directors; City Strategic Planning Committee; Hispanic Mural Project chair; Facilities Committee chair for NBISD, 2018 City Bond Advisory Committee and previous 2013 City Bond Advisory Committee member; Zoning Board of Adjustment member; vice chair of Planning and Zoning; Board of Hope Hospice; and member of Gruene United Methodist Church, where he serves on the Finance Committee. He is a graduate of New Braunfels High School and Southwest Texas State University (now Texas State University) and lives in New Braunfels with his family.
District
7
Melvin E. Strey
Vice President
District 7
Melvin E. Strey
Melvin E. Strey
Vice President
Melvin E. Strey has served District 7 since 1977 and was elected Board Vice President in 1992. He was a high school mathematics teacher in the Schertz-Cibolo-Universal City (SCUC) ISD from 1959 to 1989, and owner of Strey Insurance Agency in La Vernia from 1989 to 2007. In addition to his responsibilities on the GVEC Board, Strey is also president of the Board of Directors of East Central Special Utility District and former president of Canyon Regional Water Authority. Strey is a graduate of LaVernia High School. In Addition, he earned a bachelor’s degree from Texas Lutheran University and a master’s degree from Southwest Texas State University (now Texas State University). In his community, he is active in the New Berlin Volunteer Fire Department and the New Berlin Community Club. Although officially retired, Director Strey is still involved with raising cattle along with associated hay and grazing activities.
District
8
Mark Roberts
District 8
Mark Roberts
Mark Roberts
Mark Roberts of District 8 has been a Board Director since November 2009. He grew up in Schertz and graduated from Samuel Clemens High School. He received an associate degree of applied sciences from Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service in San Antonio and an accredited automotive management degree from the Automotive Management Institute (AMI) in Bedford, Texas. Roberts owns multiple businesses, including, Schertz Auto Service, Total True Automotive LLC, Craftsman Building and Renovation LLC, and Roberts Properties, Inc. He is an active member of the community and has served as a volunteer for many causes in and around the City of Schertz.
District
9
Gary Birdwell
District 9
Gary Birdwell
Gary Birdwell
Gary Birdwell was nominated in 2018 to represent District 9. He holds an MBA in Marketing from the University of the Incarnate Word as well as a BBA in Human Resources from Stephen F. Austin State University. With over 34 years of insurance and leadership experience, Mr. Birdwell is currently the Senior Vice President of Service & Operations for SWBC’s Employee Benefits Consulting Group. In addition to his extensive professional experience, Gary Birdwell is also an active member of the community and has had several leadership roles on various boards and organizations such as the University of the Incarnate Word Development Board and the Northeast YMCA Board of Management. Gary Birdwell and his wife, Diane, have three daughters and they currently reside in Schertz. .
District
10
Don Williams
Secretary/ Treasurer
District 10
Don Williams
Don Williams
Secretary/ Treasurer
District 10 is represented by Don Williams who has served as a Board director since 1992; he was elected secretary/treasurer in 2009. He also serves on the Finance Committee at the First United Methodist Church. Williams previously served nine years as a director of DeWitt Electric Cooperative, two of those years were as Board president. Don is a graduate of Yoakum High School and holds a bachelor of science degree in education and business from Southwest Texas State University (now Texas State University). He is retired from Hochheim Prairie Insurance and is currently a partner with Jacobs-Weber Insurance in Yoakum.
District
11
David Warzecha
District 11
David Warzecha
David Warzecha
David Warzecha, representing District 11, has served as a GVEC Board director since 1993. Previously he served as a director for DeWitt Electric Cooperative for eight years and held the office of secretary/treasurer. A businessman and rancher, Warzecha has lived in Dewitt County for more than 60 years. He attended Lindenau and Westhoff schools, graduated from Cuero High School, attended Texas A&M University and received an associate degree from Victoria College.
Cooperative Management
Darren Schauer
General Manager/ Chief Executive Officer
Darren Schauer
Darren Schauer
General Manager/ Chief Executive Officer
Darren Schauer began working for GVEC during summer breaks while in college and was hired fulltime upon graduation from Texas A&M University with a Bachelor of Science in agricultural economics. Through the years, he held many positions with the Co-op and was named general manager and chief executive officer for the Cooperative in 2003. Schauer also leads GVEC’s subsidiaries: GVEC.net, an Internet Service Provider; GVEC Home, an electrician services, solar and HVAC sales and service business; GVDC, a nonprofit development corporation; and GFS Electric Company, an energy management business. He is a past board chairman of the Association of Texas Electric Cooperatives (TEC) and has served on the boards of numerous local community organizations. He currently serves as the secretary/treasurer of the Gonzales County Health Foundation (GCHF) and as a board member of the Texas Public Power Association and Power Across Texas. Schauer and his family reside in Gonzales.
Mike Absher
Senior Executive Manager
Mike Absher
Mike Absher
Senior Executive Manager
Mike Absher began his career at GVEC in 1979 as an electrification advisor and has since held several positions throughout the Cooperative until he was named senior executive manager in 2012. He currently leads several areas including commercial and industrial accounts, member services and economic development. Absher holds a degree in electrical power distribution technology from Texas State Technical Institute in Waco. He is a past president of the Noon Lions Club and served on the Cibolo City Council and Moulton School Board. Mike and his family live in Moulton.
Sean Alvarez
Chief Operating Officer
Sean Alvarez
Sean Alvarez
Chief Operating Officer
Sean Alvarez began his career at GVEC with a management internship which gave him extensive working knowledge in each area of the Cooperative. Since then he has held several positions in the Cooperative and currently serves as chief operating officer overseeing GVEC’s five divisions. Alvarez, who played baseball on scholarship from Texas A&M University, holds a Bachelor of Science in kinesiology. He serves on the executive committee for the Education Foundation Board for the Schertz-Cibolo-Universal City ISD and has been inducted into the district’s Hall of Honor. He is also a graduate of the Robert I. Kabit Management Internship Program, sponsored by the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association, and is a past member of both the Gonzales Rotary Club and Randolph Metrocom Rotary Club. Alvarez and his family live in New Braunfels.
Ceason Barnick
Senior Executive Manager
Ceason Barnick
Ceason Barnick
Senior Executive Manager
Ceason Barnick began her career at GVEC in 1996 as a data entry clerk. Today, she is a senior executive manager overseeing customer service, consumer information systems, information technology and GVEC.net, an Internet Service Provider. Prior to her current role, Barnick held several positions which put her on the ground floor of many of the Cooperative’s innovations in customer service, account management and technology, including the development of GVEC.net. Barnick and her family live in Gonzales.
Steve Byone
Chief Financial Officer
Steve Byone
Steve Byone
Chief Financial Officer
Steve Byone joined GVEC in 2013 as a senior executive manager overseeing the financial affairs of the Cooperative as well as GVEC’s subsidiaries: GVEC.net, an Internet Service Provider; and GVEC Home, an electrician services, solar and HVAC sales and service business. He also oversees the finance, accounting, purchasing and inventory departments. Prior to GVEC, Byone served in key executive positions at the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA), the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT), Duke Energy, and Southern Company. He holds a Master of Business Administration degree with a concentration in finance from Louisiana Tech University and is a Certified Public Accountant. Byone is also a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, the Texas Society of Certified Public Accountants and the Financial Executives International Group. Byone and his family reside in Seguin.
Robert B. Christmas
Senior Executive Manager
Robert B. Christmas
Robert B. Christmas
Senior Executive Manager
Bobby Christmas has worked for GVEC for more than 30 years, starting out as a groundman in 1981. Today he is senior executive manager of compliance, safety, loss control, transportation and facilities. He holds an applied arts and sciences degree from Southwest Texas State University (now Texas State University). Christmas is co-founder and chairman of the board of the Texas Lineman’s Rodeo Association, Inc., board member of the Texas Power Conference and former chairman of the TEC Loss Control Advisory Board. He is also a member of the TRE NERC Standards Review Subcommittee, a Certified Utility Safety Administrator and a Ray Pantel Meritorious Service Award Recipient for contributions to the TEC Loss Control Program and Leadership in Safety. Christmas and his family live outside of Marion.
Did you know GVEC offers more than electricity? Learn about our other services: AC/Heating sales and service, high-speed wireless and Fiber optic Internet service, solar technology and more.
