BEGIN:VCALENDAR PRODID:-//github.com/rianjs/ical.net//NONSGML ical.net 4.0//EN VERSION:2.0 BEGIN:VEVENT DESCRIPTION:Robert Eckels Texas Central Railway President Former Harris Co unty Judge Robert Eckels Update on the Houston-Dallas high-speed rail con struction scheduled to begin in 2019 Robert’s long and distinguished ca reer in the public sector gives him a keen sense of what it takes to make large infrastructure projects a reality. As TCR’s President\, Robert is doing what he does best – engaging and bringing together potential invest ors and project partners\, managing key relationships with community and elected officials and TCR’s current partners\, and keeping the public and critical stakeholders informed of the project’s progress. Robert’s widel y acclaimed leadership acumen and his determination to succeed\, especial ly in efforts offering a significant positive impact to the state of Texa s\, have placed TCR squarely on the path to success. Robert served as Cou nty Judge for Harris County\, Texas from 1995 until 2007 when he joined t he international law firm of Fulbright & Jaworski\, LLP as a Partner focu sed on Transportation and Infrastructure\, Public Finance\, Public Privat e Partnerships (US P3)\, Homeland Security and Disaster Law\, Government Relations and Public Law. Robert has operated his own independent legal p ractice and is today a Member of the Texas based law firm\, Gray Reed & M cCraw\, P.C. Robert was founding chairman of the Texas High-Speed Rail an d Transportation Corporation from 2002 to 2010\, a coalition of local gov ernments\, educational institutions and the private sector working to bri ng high-speed rail to Texas. As County Judge\, he served as Chair of the Harris County Toll Road Authority\, a 500 lane-mile toll road system - th e only county-owned toll road system in the nation and a pioneer in inter agency partnerships and applying technology for efficient operations. Wit h the Texas Department of Transportation and local jurisdictions\, he bui lt the Houston Transtar Transportation and Emergency Operations Center in to a global model of interagency partnerships for transportation operatio ns and sustained training and planning for disaster mitigation\, response and recovery. For a decade\, until he left office in 2007\, Robert serve d as chair of the Houston Galveston Area Council Transportation Planning Council and has served on numerous state transportation finance and planni ng commissions and committees. Judge Eckels received international recogn ition for Harris County’s response to Hurricane Katrina and the floods\, w ind and storm surge that led to massive destruction and loss of life in N ew Orleans and the U.S. Gulf Coast from Louisiana to Alabama. The Harris County Astrodome and Reliant Park became the largest shelter operation i n U.S. history as over 250\,000 residents of storm ravaged areas fled to t he Houston region. For his work in hurricanes Katrina and Rita\, Esquire Magazine named him “Best and Brightest - Citizen of the Year” of 2005 for his extraordinary leadership. “When the City of New Orleans evacuated t o Houston\, Harris County Judge Robert Eckels was an island of competence in the face of catastrophe\,” Esquire wrote. American City and County M agazine named Robert “County Leader of the Year 2006.” Robert\, who was fi rst elected as a State Representative in his 20’s\, served six terms in t he Texas Legislature before being elected county judge — a role in which he oversaw executive\, legislative and judicial functions of a county tha t is home to nearly four million residents. DTEND:20190418T180000Z DTSTAMP:20240328T230152Z DTSTART:20190418T163000Z LOCATION:Hess Club SEQUENCE:1 SUMMARY:Robert Eckels- Texas Central Railway\, President UID:22e89e64-92b9-4775-9610-938d6fadf6cd X-ALT-DESC:
Robert Eckels
\n\nTexas Central Railway
\nP
resident
< span style="font-size:14px\;">Former Harris County Judge Robert Eckels
\n\nUpdate \;on the Houston-Dallas high-speed rail con struction scheduled to begin in 2019
\n\n \;
\n\nRobert&rsquo\;s long and distinguish ed career in the public sector gives him a keen sense of what it takes to make large infrastructure projects a reality. As TCR&rsquo\;s President\ , Robert is doing what he does best &ndash\; engaging and bringing togeth er potential investors and project partners\, managing key relationships with community and elected officials and TCR&rsquo\;s current partners\, and keeping the public and critical stakeholders informed of the project& rsquo\;s progress. Robert&rsquo\;s widely acclaimed leadership acumen and his determination to succeed\, especially in efforts offering a signific ant positive impact to the state of Texas\, have placed TCR squarely on t he path to success.
\n\nRobert served as County Judge for Harris Co unty\, Texas from 1995 until 2007 when he joined the international law fi rm of Fulbright &\; Jaworski\, LLP as a Partner focused on Transportat ion and Infrastructure\, Public Finance\, Public Private Partnerships (US P3)\, Homeland Security and Disaster Law\, Government Relations and Publ ic Law. Robert has operated his own independent legal practice and is tod ay a Member of the Texas based law firm\, Gray Reed &\; McCraw\, P.C.< /p>\n\n
Robert was founding chairman of the Texas High-Speed Rail and T ransportation Corporation from 2002 to 2010\, a coalition of local govern ments\, educational institutions and the private sector working to bring high-speed rail to Texas.
\n\nAs County Judge\, he served as Chair of the Harris County Toll Road Authority\, a 500 lane-mile toll road syst em - the only county-owned toll road system in the nation and a pioneer i n interagency partnerships and applying technology for efficient operatio ns.
\n\nWith the Texas Department of Transportation and local juris dictions\, he built the Houston Transtar Transportation and Emergency Ope rations Center into a global model of interagency partnerships for transp ortation operations and sustained training and planning for disaster miti gation\, response and recovery.
\n\nFor a decade\, until he left of fice in 2007\, Robert served as chair of the Houston Galveston Area Counc il Transportation Planning Council and has served on numerous state trans portation finance and planning commissions and committees.
\n\nJudge Eckels received international recognition for Harris County&rsquo\;s res ponse to Hurricane Katrina and the floods\, wind and storm surge that led to massive destruction and loss of life in New Orleans and the U.S. Gulf Coast from Louisiana to Alabama. \; The Harris County Astrodome and R eliant Park became the largest shelter operation in U.S. history as over 250\,000 residents of storm ravaged areas fled to the Houston region.
\ n\nFor his work in hurricanes Katrina and Rita\, Esquire Magazine name d him &ldquo\;Best and Brightest - Citizen of the Year&rdquo\; of 2005 fo r his extraordinary leadership. \; &ldquo\;When the City of New Orlea ns evacuated to Houston\, Harris County Judge Robert Eckels was an island of competence in the face of catastrophe\,&rdquo\; Esquire wrote. \; American City and County Magazine named Robert &ldquo\;County Leader of the Year 2006.&rdquo\;
\n\nRobert\, who was first elected as a State Representative in his 20&rsquo\;s\, served six terms in the Texas Legisl ature before being elected county judge &mdash\; a role in which he overs aw executive\, legislative and judicial functions of a county that is hom e to nearly four million residents.
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