Rockwall EDC announces new Board of Directors

(ROCKWALL, TX – March 26, 2015) Dale Cherry and Matthew Nielsen have been appointed to serve on the Rockwall Economic Development Corporation‘s Board of Directors.

“It’s our privilege to welcome Dale Cherry and Matthew Nielsen to the Rockwall EDC Board of Directors,” said Sheri Franza, REDC president and chief executive officer. “They both bring a special set of talents and many years of experienced leadership, and we are fortunate to have them serve in this capacity.”

The REDC was formed for the purpose of seeking out new economic opportunities, creating and retaining jobs for Rockwall and diversifying the local tax base.

“I am honored to be appointed to the REDC board,” Cherry said. “I am excited to serve and look forward to promoting Rockwall while preserving our quality of life.”

“I am excited to join the Rockwall EDC board and to help continue Rockwall’s further development into a destination city for leading companies,” commented Nielsen. “I look forward to working with the talented EDC staff and the business leaders on the board, and I am honored to continue to serve our incredible community.”

Cherry is an executive with more than 34 years of broad‐based water experience building relationships and advising municipal clients, special water districts and river authorities throughout Texas. He is a registered professional engineer in Texas and maintains certifications for facilitation and trainer of process improvement, 7 Habits of Highly Effective People and the Birkman Method.

Cherry has taught leadership classes at Howard University in Washington, D.C. and is a visiting scholar at Colorado University in Boulder. He is a frequent speaker on Texas water issues to raise awareness of the state’s water needs. He holds a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from Texas Tech University, where he is serving as a member of the Whitacre College of Engineering Dean’s Council. He also serves as a member of the Advisory Committee for the Center for Leadership Development of the North Texas Conference of the United Methodist Church and the President’s Advisory Council of the Texas Methodist Foundation.

Nielsen is a partner with the law firm Andrews Kurth, LLP and is a member of its Corporate Compliance, Investigations and Defense practice group. Nielsen’s law practice focuses on conducting internal investigations; assisting clients in civil and criminal matters before the U.S. Department of Justice, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, state securities boards and state attorneys general; and representing clients in securities and other complex commercial litigation.

Nielsen has been named as a Rising Star in Texas Monthly for eight years, which names the top lawyers under 40 and is an honor given to less than 2.5 percent of all Texas attorneys. He graduated from Texas Christian University with a Bachelor of Business Administration degree in Finance and earned his law degree from Baylor University School of Law.

Prior to joining the Rockwall EDC board, Nielsen served on Rockwall’s Planning and Zoning Commission and was previously a member of the City of Rockwall’s Architecture Review Board. He lives in Rockwall with his wife Kim, a registered nurse, and their three children ‐‐ Peyton, Emily and Allison.

Other members of REDC’s board are Chairman Stewart Storms, Vice Chairman Gary Bunch; Secretary Chip Imrie; Bob Amick and Kevin Fowler.

About Rockwall Economic Development Corporation
Since 1996, the Rockwall EDC has actively recruited corporate headquarters and regional relocations to one of the most viable markets in the United States – North Texas. Rockwall offers training opportunities through five higher education university systems, as well as a highly skilled work force from across more than a dozen cities. With ready-to-suit facilities, a strategic location that reaches both Dallas and Fort Worth, a vibrant infrastructure and a 365-acre, premier business park, Rockwall is a profitable decision for business growth and development. For more information about Rockwall EDC or the Rockwall Technology Park, call (972) 772-0025 or visit www.RockwallEDC.com.

Submitted by Suzie Bell, Director of Marketing, Rockwall EDC.

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