The 80th Legislature: Reflections on the session

Tomorrow’s Nacogdoches County Chamber of Commerce Fourth Friday Luncheon will feature updates from two Texas legislators and the Stephen F. Austin State University vice president for finance and administration.

Sen. Robert Nichols of Jacksonville, Rep. Wayne Christian of Center and Deborah Baisden with SFA will speak at the noon luncheon at the Fredonia Hotel.

Nichols, pictured left, who was elected state senator from District 3 in 2006, has built four successful manufacturing facilities, earned 32 U.S. patents, and created more than 900 jobs for East Texas families.

Nichols began serving on the Texas Transportation Commission in 1997 and was reappointed to a second term in 2003. He served as mayor of Jacksonville and as chairman of the Jacksonville Economic Development Corporation. Nichols earned a bachelor’s degree in industrial engineering from Lamar University in 1968.









Christian, pictured left, is serving in his fifth session with the Texas House of Representatives for District 9, which includes Jasper, Nacogdoches, Sabine, San Augustine, and Shelby counties. During his first legislative session, the Republican caucus named Christian "Outstanding Freshman of the Year."

A graduate of Stephen F. Austin State University with a bachelor’s degree in business, Christian is an investment adviser representative for SunAmerica Securities and is a member of the group’s President’s Club, the top 1 percent of 6,700 offices nationwide.






Deborah Baisden, SFA vice president for finance and administration, pictured left, will discuss how Texas higher education fared in the recent legislative session. Baisden holds a bachelor’s and master’s degree from St. Edward’s University and is completing a Ph.D. in higher education administration at the University of Texas at Austin.

Baisden, who joined the SFA administration in 2006 after serving for 10 years with the Higher Education Coordinating Board, will discuss legislative measures that will affect SFA’s funding and future growth.

Tickets are $15, and reservations are required. Please call (936) 560-5533 for more information.