MD Anderson Board of Visitors welcomes new members

HOUSTON― The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center welcomed 15 new members to the MD Anderson Cancer Center Board of Visitors (BOV) with the start of a new fiscal year. This announcement comes ahead of the annual BOV dinner on Oct. 26 and meeting on Oct. 27, both of which will take place in person for the first time since 2019.

Effective Sept. 1, the following business and community leaders were appointed to the BOV, a nonfiduciary, advisory board established in 1956. These individuals join the ranks of more than 250 leaders committed to ending cancer with MD Anderson:

• Alex Bernhardt, Jr. of Lenior, NC
• Monika Bickert of San Jose, CA
• Jeet Bindra of Lafayette, CA
• Randall Bone of Aspen, CO
• Tommy Fatjo of Houston, TX
• Bill Lampton of Flora, MS
• Stephen Mulva of College Station, TX
• John Nau of Houston, TX
• Jeff Netzer of Colleyville, TX
• Cathy Oestmann of Midland, TX
• Joe O’Neill of Midland, TX
• Doug Schnitzer of Houston, TX
• Tanya Shah of Weston, MA
• Jason Wells of Houston, TX
• John Zachry of San Antonio, TX

“I am honored to welcome this inspiring group of influential, compassionate advisors to our Board of Visitors. These generous leaders have been carefully selected for important supporting roles in our mission to end cancer. We look forward to working with them to advance MD Anderson’s impact on humanity in this exciting new era of cancer research and care,” said Peter WT Pisters, M.D., president of MD Anderson.

Additionally, the BOV has appointed a fresh slate of leaders to its Officers Committee. These officers will hold their positions for two years and join more than 50 other members of the Executive Committee, including current BOV chair, Clarence P. Cazalot, Jr.

• The Honorable Donald L. Evans of Midland, TX, Immediate Past Chair
• James L. Gallogly of Austin, TX, Chair Elect
• Maureen Hackett of Houston, TX, Vice Chair
• Winell Herron of San Antonio, TX, Vice Chair
• Melvyn “Mel” N. Klein of Corpus Christi, TX, Life Member
• Marsha Shields of San Antonio, TX, Vice Chair
• Sam L. Susser of Dallas, TX, Vice Chair

This year, Tom Johnson, former BOV vice chair, will take on an elevated role of Special Advisor to the President. In this advisory capacity, Johnson will serve as a direct link from the greater BOV group to President Pisters and MD Anderson’s President’s Office.

"It is exciting to see the strength of our Board continue to grow with the addition of such phenomenal leaders and new members across various industries and communities," Cazalot said. "I look forward to the many strides we will make in our mission to end cancer, this year and beyond."